dark continent

Generated 2007/06/08 20:03:13

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Red Light
Two Minutes Till Lunch
Animal Day
Full Of Tension
Me And My Dad
Back In Flesh
Tse Tse Fly
Call Box (1-2-3)
This Way Out
Good Times
Crack The Bell

If it's the rough stuff ya want
You can point yer finger at me
'Cause I can dish it out good
But I don't give it away for free
There's a price for my vice
And I want it in cash
In a plain brown bag
You can put it out by the trash

Chorus:
There'll be a red light by the window
And a blue light by the car
He'll be running
But he won't get far
There'll be a red light by the window
And a blue light by the car
He'll be running
But he won't get far

This modern world deserves a
Modern attitude
You've gotta stick it to them
Before they stick it to you
I want the money
And I want it in cash
In a plain brown bag
You can put it out, put it out, put it out by the trash

Chorus repeat

Red light
Blue light
Red light
Blue light
This modern world deserves a modern attitude

notes

The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1981 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: keyboards, synthesizers
Bruce Moreland: bass, keyboards
Marc Moreland: guitars
Joe Nanini: drums, percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, keyboards, harmonica

I was standing in line, I was biding my time
I was watchin' a clock on the wall
And it was two minutes till lunch, so I got good and ready
Just then I heard the telephone call

It was she, she told me not to worry
She told me "take life a little more in stride
Remember the books I bought-cha, but ya never really read 'em"
Just don't rememeber much inside anymore

I was standing in line, I was biding my time
I was watchin' a clock on the wall
And it was two minutes till lunch, so I got good and ready
Just then I heard my foreman call
Don't-touch-that-you'll-blow-this-place-up!

notes

The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1981 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: keyboards, synthesizers
Bruce Moreland: bass, keyboards
Marc Moreland: guitars
Joe Nanini: drums, percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, keyboards, harmonica

Grandma is a rhino
My brother is a dog
I can tell it's Animal Day
'Cause my best friend just turned into a frog
Mommy is a monkey
My girlfriend is a horse
But I'm not turning into anything––
I never caused animal wars!

Uh-oh!
Fur has covered my hands!
I'd better run to the mirror!
I'm an animal!

Chorus:
It's Animal Day
It's Animal Day
It's Animal Day
It's Animal Day

Now the animals have cars
They're starting to run us over
Notches on the steering wheel
My pet is calling me Rover
Deers are hunting for humans
Seals keep crushing our heads
Animals betting on us at the track
My animal's in my bed

Chorus repeat

notes

Not one of my favorite tracks, and I'm guessing not one of Stan's either. Listen to the live version on The Index Masters; he sarcastically says "It's pretty creative stuff, here..." after the first stanza, and a joyless "Yessiree, bob, it's Animal Day. What other day could it be but Animal Day." at the start of the instrumental section at the end. The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1981 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: keyboards, synthesizers
Bruce Moreland: bass, keyboards
Marc Moreland: guitars
Joe Nanini: drums, percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, keyboards, harmonica

There's something pulling on my sleeve
Full of tension
There's something breathing down my neck
Full of tension
Now if you wanna take it to the hilt
You can take it 'til you tilt
Something pulling on my sleeve
Full of tension

Watchin' out my window at the people in the street
I try to keep it quiet––this feeling's got me beat
I can't contain myself no matter what I try

There's something breathing down my neck
Full of tension
A tiny hole burnt with a cigarette
Full of tension
And now I start to see the little spots
Stickin' to the wall and on the floor
Something pulling on my sleeve
Full of tension
Hup!

There's something tightening 'round my neck
Full of tension
There's something pulling on my sleeve
Full of tension
And I hear it knock-knock-knockin' at my door
I just can't take it anymore
Something pulling on my sleeve
Full of tension
Full of tension
Full of tension––tension
Stand at full attention!

notes

Stan purposely pronounces "Full of tension" like "Full a' tension", so it sounds like he's saying "Full attention". Hence, the pun at the end of the song. The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1981 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: keyboards, synthesizers
Bruce Moreland: bass, keyboards
Marc Moreland: guitars
Joe Nanini: drums, percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, keyboards, harmonica

Me and my dad
We've got a good thing going
Fishing trips, the hard way's the best
Man-to-man talks, when the going gets tough
The tough get going

Follow me, son
I'll guide you the right way
Fix my car when the engine falls apart
Show me where the piston goes
Can you get this thing to start?

Father talks big business with authority
He's the big boss, he knows the levels of consistency
Father knows how to read his morning paper
Tellin' me how he died to live, workin' hard labor

Chorus:
Me and my dad
Me and my dad
Me and my dad
We've got a good thing going

Father talks big business with authority
He's the big boss, he knows the levels of consistency
Father knows how to read his morning paper
He's tellin' me how he died to live, workin' hard labor

Chorus repeat until fade

notes

The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1981 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: keyboards, synthesizers
Bruce Moreland: bass, keyboards
Marc Moreland: guitars
Joe Nanini: drums, percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, keyboards, harmonica

Someone smashed my alarm
It's got me on the edge
You know it's so sharp
(Aaaaaaaa...)
And you know I won't go
You know I won't go
I don't wanna go
(He won't go)
The corporation's boiling over
Everybody's taking over

Chorus:
And I'm back in flesh
Back in flesh
Back in flesh
Back in flesh
Back in flesh

You better sign your time card now
They don't care about you anyhow
Sign in, your minimum cut
You're late again, your salary's cut!

Someone smashed my alarm
It's got me on the edge
You know it's so sharp
(Aaaaaaaa...)
And you know I won't go
You know I won't go
I don't wanna go
(He won't go)
The corporation's boiling over
Everybody's taking over

Chorus repeat

I won't go
(He won't go.)
I don't wanna go
(You must go!)
Is it time to go?
(The orders are in!)
Well, I'd rather go bowling!
(The lanes are closed!)
Maybe a little tennis?
(Your racket's got a hole.)
How about some baseball?
(Field's rained out.)
Maybe a little fishing?
(The fish are on vacation.)
Well, how about some golfing?
(The greens are overgrown.)
Well, what about some swimming?
(I don't think so!)
Well, what about this––and that––
(No, no, no, no, no!)
Well, you can't tell me what to do!
Well, you can't tell me what to do!
(Hey, fuck you!)

notes

For the TV performance on Showbusiness Is My Life, "Hey, fuck you!" is softened to a gentle "Aw, shut up!" The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1981 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: keyboards, synthesizers
Bruce Moreland: bass, keyboards
Marc Moreland: guitars
Joe Nanini: drums, percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, keyboards, harmonica

I was walking through the jungle, and I
Was looking for good business
Something to take away the risk
Break or bust or call it quits
See an object in the air
See an object touch my hair
I was walking through the jungle, and I
Was looking for good business

My energy is draining
Touching down on my arm
I'm feeling kinda sleepy now

Chorus:
I was bitten by a tse-tse fly
I was bitten by a tse-tse fly

I was walking through the jungle, and I
Was looking for good business
Gotta invest in insect bombs
No-pest strips and firearms
On the tickertape came the note
"Tse-tse fly: no antidote"
I was walking through the jungle, and I
Was looking for good business

My energy is draining
Touching down on my arm
I'm feeling kinda sleepy now

Chorus repeat x2

Swat that fly!

notes

The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1981 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: keyboards, synthesizers
Bruce Moreland: bass, keyboards
Marc Moreland: guitars
Joe Nanini: drums, percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, keyboards, harmonica

I press the buttons now
Voice keeps poppin' on the call box out
Mop-man, do you receive?
Ten-four, I gotta pull out
I got an ETA, five-thirty on the dot
A little bit later, it'll thicken the plot

Chorus:
They always tell me what's not is not
I just gotta get that 1-2-3
It's funny how these things always happen to me
I just gotta get that 1-2-3

Now, by the force of circumstance
And by the belt that holds up my pants
I'm held responsible
For this idea that never had a chance
When they call out the guard tonight
He'll cut the alarm and switch off the light

Chorus:
I get a funny feeling that wrong is right
I just gotta get that 1-2-3
It's funny how these things always happen to me
I just gotta get that 1-2-3

1 2 3
A B C
Like you and me
Like 1 2 3
1 2 3
1-2-3
A B C
1-2-3
1 2 3
1-2-3
It's a combination...

I press the buttons nowwww!

I press the buttons now
Voice keeps poppin' on the call box out
Mop-man, do you receive?
Ten-four, I gotta pull out
I got an ETA, five-thirty on the dot
A little bit later, it'll thicken the plot

Chorus:
They always tell me what's not is not
I just gotta get that 1-2-3
It's funny how these things always happen to me
I guess I gotta get that 1-2-3

1 2 3
A B C
Like you and me
Like 1 2 3
Not is not, not is not!
Not is not, not is not...

notes

The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1981 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: keyboards, synthesizers
Bruce Moreland: bass, keyboards
Marc Moreland: guitars
Joe Nanini: drums, percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, keyboards, harmonica

Who's got a hand on the crackdown?
Who's got the word on the double talk?
Hands on the wheel in a flash of steel
We got a secret letter with a government seal

And a ticket for a doomsday run
We're goin' on a doomsday run
Ticket for a doomsday run
Bombs away

Chorus:
Gotta ticket for a doomsday run
We're goin' on a doomsday run
Ticket for a doomsday run
I never get it wrong
Uh-oh, get it right!

Nerves are pinched but the heads are calm
The cargo's all loaded and the red light's on
Check the map, you navigator sap
Or we'll all end up with our heads in our laps

Chorus repeat x2

Who's in charge? Better ask the sarge
If ya wanna go there
He's got the word on the double-talk
If you run, well, you better walk
This way out
This way out
This way out
This way out

notes

The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1981 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: keyboards, synthesizers
Bruce Moreland: bass, keyboards
Marc Moreland: guitars
Joe Nanini: drums, percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, keyboards, harmonica

Night, the city
Its dark and lonely streets
Rain falls on my face
Mixed with salty tears
Confirm your happiness
Everything is looking good
Look down, feel the pain
Falling teardrops to the ground

Chorus:
Think back through the phrases
Restore sanity to the mind
You know she's gone now
Are these not the good times?
Good times, good times
Believe in them pretty soon
When I'm over the pain of missing you
Good times, good times
Arrivin' just as soon as
The flames extinguish the memories that I knew

Thinking these old things
Had worked out fine
When I knew it'd hurt you
If you knew you were hurting me
Day breaks, clouds move
And the sun comes through the rain
But for now I'm livin' back
In the stormy night

Chorus:
I gotta think back through the phrases
Restore sanity to the mind
You know she's gone now
Are these not the good times?
Think back through the phrases
Restore sanity to the mind
You know she's gone now
Are these not the good times?
Good times? Good times?
Good times, good times
Believe in them pretty soon
When I'm over the pain of missing you
Good times, good times
Arrivin' just as soon as
The flames extinguish the memories that I knew

notes

The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1981 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: keyboards, synthesizers
Bruce Moreland: bass, keyboards
Marc Moreland: guitars
Joe Nanini: drums, percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, keyboards, harmonica

spoken: Thanks a lot, thanks a whole lot.

Lulu sends her friends
They cover their mouths with one hand
While I keep waiting here
Drifting around in a dark land
« And the lone hunter / Envelope upturned »
I push the stamp and stick it

Chorus:
And I know there's a bell to crack
And I know there's a bell to crack

Well, I hear crosstalk now
Coming through the wire
One voice tells me yes
The other is a liar

Chorus:
And I know there's a bell to crack
I know there's gotta be one more bell to crack

Click-clack, joint, « the sticker's on my sleeve / this thing is on my sleeve »
All this mess around and I gotta clean it up
Okay, Mister Questions, you tell me, when are we gonna leave?
And can you design a heart––a heart that doesn't bleed?

Chorus:
I know there's gotta be one more bell to crack
I know there's gotta be one more bell to crack
Seen a bell, so I crack it
You just can't find good bells anymore!
Yah! Yah! Sure!
Tom Shane's a friend of mine!
I really like him––he's in the industry!
I know there's gotta be one more bell to crack
I know there's gotta be one more bell to crack

notes

For those of you who have never lived in California: Tom Shane runs a chain of jewelry stores, and does his own radio commercials. Their slogan is "Now you've got a friend in the diamond business. The Shane Company." The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1981 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: keyboards, synthesizers
Bruce Moreland: bass, keyboards
Marc Moreland: guitars
Joe Nanini: drums, percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, keyboards, harmonica