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LIFE as LOVE as ART

by Wailing Whales

/
1.
At night we were walking The solders were talking They’re saying: “We’re not going to win this war.” But in their case, I’m afraid, that they’re very quite sore You see the battles are raging, the war is still taking Everything they thought they had and they thought they loved And now I’m going to die, and yes I’ll probably lie Down in the muck, so when it’s time to choose I say: “I’ll be fucked, if we lose!” So every night this Paper-Boy will sigh and sing a lullaby To a non-existent body, who lies right at my side And when we sing, and we praise all the things we eventually hate Just keep in mind: Cities break in half, when they hear God laugh You cannot reconcile, is anyone not in denial? I hear that life imitates art, so where does it all start? And I find this to be true: The only time you speak the truth, is drunkenly in a telephone booth To avoid all those you spurned. This bloody raging conflict To be a better man Kills only on the inside It does the best it can. Though you know that I’d fight for it I’m afraid to die for it. I hope nobody notices As I sneak away.
2.
Well I can’t explain this, because it seems to be bliss I guess I’ll write it off of my list And I can’t call home, because I’m all-alone And I’ve been wishing it were back in my hands It exploded with fury, My vision went blurry In sockets, my eyes they did burst. And my tongue swelled with words, evidentially deferred For reasons that I’ll always hide But for all things done good, and never quite understood; We silently, but openly cried. Tonight, it’s a long and winding road Tonight, I’m carrying such a heavy load What is it worth? These situations give birth (to the anti of all I believe) My back breaks in half, And my thoughts gather laughs (from these so-called-friends I receive). You could lie to masses (spray paint those black glasses) To cover up all that you see But the blind leads the blind, pretty surely in time It’s been proven throughout history When my hands clench to fist, my mind can’t resist (to glorify this violence that we conjure) With the black and the blue, and the red mixed in too At least we’re splattered in a brilliant hue And the taste like cold steel for sure means its real In the end it’s either me or you. To die, means there’s nothing left for to live But to live, means there’s nothing worth for to die And for what reasons we got, when we’re put on the spot I’ll be sure to just close my eyes Cause they’ll break down and cry, and no matter how hard they try They just cannot tell a lie In the times where we all lose control When we want something bad, but cannot pay the toll And we lose the respect for those we once used to have, for ourselves and our friends For our moms and our dads. And we dig through the earth with the claws of our hands Grasping worms; grasping rocks; grasping roots; Grasping plans that we once understood, but have long since then burned All the bridges to beauty that we once used to yearn.
3.
In a flash of light my eyes went blind But I finally saw the truth The lies that dangled from my skull Like a bloody baby-tooth When you've tried so hard, but get nowhere All praise is an attack When it lands on those you struggle with Those who should have your back When I was young I was told That I could be anything That list should have narrowed down I can barely strain to sing But I'll never give up as long as I have breath It's a bloody war, from love to death Take my hand, it'll be ok (at least we'll make it through another day) Cause I can sing; I can sing a song If you want you can sing along And if we sing in harmony Then our souls will be set free To fully create you have to sacrifice But how many can pay that price? When you kill yourself just to stay alive Don't stray from virtue (it comes with strife) It's a hollow knife that cuts inside Reveals all you have to hide Bleed it out into the world Let your true self be unfurled Cause you can sing; you can sing a song Rest assured, I'll sing along And if we sing in harmony Then our souls will be set free Cause we can sing; we can sing a song And everyone will sing along And if we sing in harmony Then our souls will be set free
4.
Oh my sailor, where did you go? Oh my sailor, I don’t know. Oh my sailor, where did you go? Oh my sailor, I loved you so. I was just a little girl, foolish and young. We met at the beach, under the autumn sun. He had been drinking and I had been wronged, He said “We’re all boats sinking.” And he sang this song: “Oh my lover, where did you go? Oh my lover, I don’t know. Oh my lover, where did you go? Oh my lover, I loved you so.” Lying in bed as he watched me dress, pulling clothes over my head He confessed: “Lover, my lover. Soon I must go, they call me away though I said no.” With great hesitance he got up to leave, saying: “Dear I’ll return.” And that, I believe. And now I’m alone, a girl so young As the ships sailed out, my spirit was hung Only one night we had, but to him goes my heart I pray he’ll return, and we never apart Sailor, sailor. Where did you go? Sailor, my sailor. I don’t know. Oh sailor, sailor, Where did you go Sailor, my sailor I love you so.
5.
Years 05:45
In October 1994 you were dressed from head to toe In a costume made by your mother and a thread Pulling needle through with cloth so white they exclaimed that night: "You looked like an ghost in the light." In winter of 1999 I said I was feeling fine When my mother came out and found me face down in the snow Hospitalized and glamorized by those blood test tubes they took And the whispered words I heard in my sleep For someone, so young, you can't imagine what that was like I was mesmerized by light I was dazzled but then diced By the Doctors on all sides In the year of 2005, that's when he kissed you under the tree At that festival that your parents brought you to He whispered silly things into your ears that year And made you promises that you realized one day would never come true. Dreams like ships from distant times You were captivating mine You were fashioned by the mind Of some god It’s October, 2009 and I can say you're finally mine Dressed just like a ghost at some Halloween event How I'll say to you, in the darkness then: "You look like no ghost at all, but an angel who just fell into my arms" How you bored in, and burrowed in my heart unexpectedly How our legs just intertwine Don't move a muscle, you'll be fine It's not a glitch it's just divine From our hearts just beating in time Oh how I love you, don't let go I don't want control Of this life, I'd like to drive it, to unify it, and that's the truth Oh our love, is no longer whispering out, it's starting to shout Don't you dare hold it back Don't you want to be loud, come on make a sound, Clasp my body around, bring to me to the ground With your arms, won't hold me close and say, From the depths of your throat, all the things we want today
6.
Am I the only one who understands? Was I raised by better hands? Because what you do, I don’t approve You say you’ll change the world some day, but I’ve seen nothing of this claim The only thing you change is your own damn mind So I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, but I think that you’re fucked. You think it’s easy to create art? Well you’re off to a bad start, cause for myself I personally think That all I’ve created is shit, and no matter how I glorify it I’ve made nothing but a glorified piece of shit. So I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, but I think that we’re all fucked. And you treasure yourself, quite the intellectual gent. Well, you’re just another book on the shelf. Because you changed yourself so many times, and all you spout are silly rhymes Written by someone else, some other time, who you’ll never know. And your binding is wearing thing, so…
7.
Well my paper body Is made from dead trees From this flat pencil world I have decided to flee In order to gain You've got to sacrifice Everyone deals in pain This life it will suffice Think twice, before you give advice This world, it's not what it seems I owe you, you created me But I gave you up Well every day I live, And every night I die Man who's scared to fall Well he will never fly I think I've sorted it out I've written down my creed Just let me hear you shout “You are all that I need!” And I will take you my dear Far away from here To a place that's so dear, Heaven itself must be near. And every night we will dance And every day we will sing. I will declare you queen, You will declare me king Slow down, hear my sound It's my life, I'm not some piece of art I'll sing loud, we'll stand proud This paper boy, he's no longer wants a part You sat down, I made you proud What's going on below the ground: These worms aren't our trouble yet But one day when we sink They will fix themselves into every kink And with this world we will become one Slow down, hear my sound It's my life, I'm not some piece of art I'll sing loud, we'll stand proud This paper boy, he's no longer wants a part
8.
Smoke 04:52
As the smoke clears Comes true my fears We were bitter till the end, thought we were a God send This bloody field We refused to yield Now the paper is stained red But it’s not my body that bled What am I supposed to say? How was this king supposed to know That at the end of the day We would turn away While they deface all we loved. “Oh paper-boy, do you bear no truth?” I wrote it on my body, for all of you to see If I was burning bright, would it give you light? While I turned to blackened ash, disappeared into the tempest. Why do you shoulder that fame When your body can barely stand on two legs? They’re going to hate you for it now, they’re going to stand up and say out loud “He's to blame, what a shame” Don’t hate them now Don’t give up now You’ve got this chance to prove your claim You’ve got this time to make a name For them all What if the smoke cleared now, and standing tall and proud Was their king? Who could drive those villains back, cut them down and lead the attack And victory, for you and me
9.
Unholy War 06:05
Well I was not born for this But I will do my very best To live for the moment. Though now it grows inside of me This isn’t who I’m supposed to be Well what the hell does that mean? Give up before you lose the fight But I do that almost every night Then wake up and do it again, I thought life was a Godsend. Some say we’re made to be thrown away. Though this trash pile’s tall this unholy war won’t keep me at bay So mother can you hear me I’m hosed and I want to be Back in my own bed Because I’ve fought many wars Though they’re not ours we’ll finish yours You’re welcome now just drop it! Some say we’re made to be thrown away. Though this trash pile’s tall this unholy war won’t keep me at bay So hush my love, don’t push and shove For the fight’s living in me. I will be, all I can be, Oh my darling don’t you see? This paper-boy will not break, on the eve of this fight Though it’s gone too far And I know he will leave these forces and come join with you And he will be all that you want him to be.

about

This is for anyone who’s ever had the guts to create something.

credits

released May 5, 2015

Philip Hirzel - Vocals, Keys & Guitar
Tim Chimes - Bass
Corey Landis - Piano, Horns
Bruce Vermett - Drums

All songs by Philip Hirzel

Drums recorded by Brad Babcock at Liberation Sound Studio
Piano & Horns recorded in The Bunker.
Produced by Philip Hirzel & Tim Chimes
Mix & Mastered by Chimes Audio

Album art by Marcie Allen.

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Philip Hirzel Ohio

Philip Hirzel is a composer and musician, camped around Ohio. He is working on it.

General inquiries: p.w.hirzel@gmail.com

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