Xerxes
Xerxes was our second album on Touch and Go Records. It was released in the spring of 1994.
Like the first three albums, it was produced by Brian Paulson. It was also mostly recorded at Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, Mn, with additional recording and mixing taking place in Chicago.
1994 | CD | Touch & Go RecordsBuy on
Lyrics
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      And all you want to do is smile 
 And take it everywhere you've been
 Advice like yours a moral play
 I'd walk from hear to here you say
 And death's not knowing that your dead
 Never life or fear or trial
 So you want happiness instead
 All you got is just a smile
 [chorus]
 All you want to do is smile
 All you got to do is smile
 Can't help the helpless with your help
 Can't be the selfless by yourself
 Can't turn an inch into a mile
 Can't make me happy with a smile
 Stood in a forest for the fools
 And said what no one wants to hear
 A tree that falls without a sound
 Take your smile I'll be around
 [chorus]
 W. Graber
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      And all you want to do is smile 
 And take it everywhere you've been
 Advice like yours a moral play
 I'd walk from hear to here you say
 And death's not knowing that your dead
 Never life or fear or trial
 So you want happiness instead
 All you got is just a smile
 [chorus]
 All you want to do is smile
 All you got to do is smile
 Can't help the helpless with your help
 Can't be the selfless by yourself
 Can't turn an inch into a mile
 Can't make me happy with a smile
 Stood in a forest for the fools
 And said what no one wants to hear
 A tree that falls without a sound
 Take your smile I'll be around
 S. Macdonald
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      Came for the green slop pie - all mixed together 
 It's that I... nobody's got one yet
 You see I was Mark Merrill
 And he was just another who dragged it out far to long to believe
 Is it to be... Is it to be...
 Is it everything I was lead to believe
 If it's good - then it's form without substance
 If it's clear - it's all the thing that you hate...
 [chorus]
 All mixed together
 With lamps of fire
 We fixed another
 With laps together
 A lapse of reason
 Stuck in the mire
 If it was easy...
 Another liar
 Came face to face with death in the washroom
 And I'm never not alone again
 You see another door to door man
 Another partial vision
 On a mission learned, and only believed
 Well it's not me... it's not me
 It's not anything I'd pretend to conceive
 If it's unknown... it'll burn in the fire
 If he's pure... he's just another liar
 [chorus]
 It's all mixed together
 But I cannot remember
 Walk only where I'm s'posed to
 With fear and only endings...
 [chorus]
 W. Graber
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      Blood the martyrs seed 
 An altruistic greed
 And it all is lost... this is just a passing thought
 Words too big to know
 And fear you can't explain
 Hope at any cost... this is just a passing thought
 [chorus]
 Where to start... where to begin
 Pass you the note... Pass you the note along...
 Nothing long... nothing long
 Leaves of many loves
 And root of only one
 There's no place to go... this is just a passing thought
 Tabula Rasa
 Suggestions only rule
 When it's all unlearned... the truth is not a passing thoughtW. Graber 
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      You were the only one 
 I was the one who never tried
 You were the one.. the only one
 I'll build your hope - then make you cry
 While others broke the rules
 And everything is open
 I build them up - I hide away
 If no one would tell - no one would say
 And self righteous lonesome's still lonesome
 Love of my life, where are you now?
 No decisions left - it's only sideways glances
 If it tastes like shit - it's probably shit
 Re-use old ways to disappoint
 Another set of claims - like open ended fear
 These are the terms, or no return
 These are the terms, or no return
 And you, you believe far too much
 You believe far too much in good
 If there's really no one
 If there's really no one
 Love of my life, where are you now?
 If I let you down - I let you down
 I let you down - I let you down
 And it is everything I never wanted
 It's everything you ever hoped for me...
 And he's the fool with the purity, self pity No one would tell - and no fool would ever know
 W. Graber
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      Sign - like the sign of things to come down 
 To the wire
 And if I... minded half of Let Down
 To the wire
 [chorus]
 I have no fear
 I have no pride
 I have no right
 I do not mind
 I was the one who lost this time
 I was the one who saw the lie
 I have no drive
 I have no hate
 I do not mind
 I was the one who lost this time
 And it's like everybody wants a peace that I.. can't
 Give - what you wanted to give away for free
 Down to the wire
 And say - what you wanted to hear next time around
 Down to the wire
 [chorus]
 I have no hate
 I have no hate
 Down to the wire
 Music Arcwelder
 Words W. Graber
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      Hey - be wary of your heroes 
 They will always disappoint you
 OK I know that you are lonely
 You're reaching out but only - they don't even respect you
 Now I don't mean to make you feel sad
 But I feel down when they treat you so bad
 Always another passing fancy
 And you only call me when you're feeling down
 They, they all get to hold you
 I get to console you if no one else is around
 Now I don't mean to scare you away
 But I have a need that won't go away
 Oh no - be wary of your heroes
 Again I don't want to hear it
 Don't want to be near it, it only tears me apart
 So now, call me yours or let me go
 Call me yours or let me know and let me make a new start
 Now I don't mean to scream at the stars
 But you dodge the truth like so many passing cars
 Oh no - be wary of your heroes
 Change the way the wind blows
 Change the way the wind blows
 So long
 S. . macdonald
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      Unlock the door 
 Up the stairs to see
 And light shines through
 A window near the peak
 Here's the Khouri
 Here's a man
 And someone cries
 And someone cared
 Did a good job
 Was a good man
 Got it all out
 Better in the end
 And no it doesn't count
 Through everything on call
 And no it doesn't mean
 Anything at all
 Searchin for (made everything sensation)
 Something that might mean (and nothing too much)
 And here's the box (lived up to expectations)
 And opened everything (say something for yourself)
 Here's the Khouri
 Here's a man
 And someone cries
 And someone cared
 Did a good job
 Was a good man
 Got it all out
 Better in the end
 And no it doesn't count
 I don't believe in fall
 And no it doesn't mean
 Anything at all
 I don't believe, I don't believe
 And now you know what I mean
 But you don't know what I mean
 Cause everything's all right
 And nothing happens tonight
 I have your ring
 Down the stairs and lock the door.. again
 I don't believe
 W. Graber
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      Take down 
 And now take along
 What you can't now
 And sorens eyes
 Good for value prize
 Where's your head now
 40 times
 Maybe 50 times
 Where's your heart now
 Compromise
 If you can find the time
 Where's your pride now
 When I walk out the door it'll be a sunny day
 And the breeze floating by blowing worries away
 From my mind
 I feel fine
 Come around All of the fear and the paranoia
 Maybe half a pound All of the stress is unhealthy for ya
 Where's the sky now All of the pain and the aggravation
 All of the grind and the desperation
 Cut it down til you feel proud If you want heat you should start a fire
 Where's your thoughts now If you want hope you should fuel desire
 If you want help you should try to find it
 Hit it and quit Forget the pride that you leave behind it
 While we still can
 And we'll end pound
 Hit it and quit it
 While we still can
 And we'll end pound
 Music: Arcwelder
 Words W. Graber & S. Macdonald)
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      A close encounter a combined IQ of thirteen 
 Time spent memorizing the paint on the walls
 Move it outside a hint of lemon and protein
 There's no slowing down the swimmers at all
 And then it was over and done that's it
 And then it was over and done that's it
 There was a problem the solution a problem again
 The other side set on laissez faire
 A crack in the image another form to amend
 If a tree fell in the forest would anyone care?
 And then it was over and done that's it
 And then it was over and done that's it
 Get out your instruments and play a sour suite
 Cue the credits and fade to black
 Round up the horses and make a hasty retreat
 And pray to yourself that it's not coming back
 Because it is over and done that's it
 Because it is over and done that's itS. Macdonald 
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      It's not Bill 
 And it's not Scott
 It's not Brian
 And it's not Rob
 I don't know where to begin...
 Begin where it's simple
 Begin at the end
 Begin with all you can't defend
 Begin at the end...
 And disappointment bring the least
 Well this is less the you conceived
 It ends with the first
 Before the beginning
 And after the end
 It can't be funny
 It didn't bend
 I didn't want this at all... at all... at all.
 A blindered horse A wind up toy
 I'm on auto pilot I am a cog in the machine
 Am I a mindless drone Or heartless sap
 Now matter how you slice it I am a cog in the machine
 They say to stay in school then get a job
 But mainstream society doesn't care if your happy
 I play the fool go with the mob
 Corporate America doesn't care if I'm happy
 Settle down And play along
 Die unfulfilled Just like anybody else
 And well now damn it now I live a lie
 Write it down I'm not like everybody else
 Today I march along I follow blindly
 I do what they tell me I hear and obey
 I sing my song I treat 'em kindly
 You are my master I hear and obey
 I didn't want it... It's all the same No face no name
 I didn't want it... It's all the same Big town small game
 I didn't want it... It's all the same No risk no gain
 I didn't want it... It's all the same Big weight small frame
 Music: Arcwelder
 Words: W. Graber & S. Macdonald

