Misguided Roses

Seven million years of progress handed down on silver wings
Of gossamer and protein still we haven't learned a thing
Are we caught up in our anger, locked up in our rage
In the opera of selection on this our earthly stage

And charlie's spinning laughing, laughing in his grave
Laughing at the prophecy, the prophecy he gave
Can we spread our wings like angels, can we break out of the grind
Are we destined to be darwin's children this time

The ribbons of our cigarettes vanish in the ai
Rin the glow of our great teacher we sit and blankly stare
And the sky could open up and what would we have to say
Something cute about burning out, better than fading away

And charlie's spinning laughing, laughing in his grave
Laughing at the prophecy, the prophecy he gave
Can we spread our wings like angels, can we break out of the grind
Are we destined to be darwin's children this time

On the wings of invention now we hurdle toward our fate
As sure as the sunset burns
Collective resignation, evolutionary fate
When will we ever learn

And charlie's spinning laughing, laughing in his grave
Laughing at the prophecy, the prophecy he gave
Can we spread our wings like angels, can we break out of the grind
Are we destined to be darwin's children this time

The rhythm of life
Heaven withstanding and smiling we're all swept away
The rhythm of life
Is not so demanding as some caught in narrows would say

Fragile as ships as we pass through gibraltar
The sirens have long given way
Dark as the murky graveyard of sailors
Whispering secrets told in the crashing waves

The beating of hearts
Set walls to trembling the power of silence persuades
The stumbling feet
Stagger predestined we all end up wild eyed and crazed

And from the madness most jaded of vision
Reflections of horror invade
Running and falling relinquish your venom
The antidote surely will cause your affliction to fade

How little we know of what we are blessed with
Our shimmering island it turns
How little we look at what we see clearly
Of tragedy's lessons not learned


Sleeping through classes we'll make it up later
There's still so much time left to go
Misguided roses we bloom in october
Emerging triumphant in time for the season's first snow

I'm a hack driver in new york city
I've got seven kids on the lower east side
I'm not a strong man, i'm not very pretty
But in rush hour hell you should see me drive


I'm a dressmaker in louisiana
Stick my finger ain't that a shame
People come to haggle and paw on my artwork
But no two of my dresses are ever the same

How strange it seems to be me
If tomorrow i opened my eyes
And found myself somewhere else
I wonder who i'd be

I'm the house man at a place called the exit
The last band i heard bored me to tears
But every so often i hear one that moves me
Love for the music is what keeps me here

How strange it seems to be me
I f tomorrow i opened my eyes
And found myself somewhere else
I wonder who i'd be

I'm a rich man
I ain't talking 'bout money
I'm blues singer at the eight by ten
You go out searching for some grand tomorrow
Don't worry 'bout me just drop by now and then

How strange it seems to be me
I f tomorrow i opened my eyes
And found myself somewhere else
I wonder who i'd be

Midnight in the holy city
Playground for restless souls
Graveyards for the sons of ft. sumpter
And the ghostly daughters
Wait for their boys to come home

Moonlight in the holy city
So thick it warms the air
Burned my heart on a sweet southern flame
Like a hug from your mama saying it will be ok

Spilt my blood, in the holy city
Seen the flood of a thousand rains
I ran away from the holy city
Heard the spirits in the steeple singing
You'll be back again


Sunrise in the holy city
The kings and queens shuffle by
I'm born here of my own ashes
Just lay me down here when i die

Spilt my blood, in the holy city
Seen the flood of a thousand rains
I ran away from the holy city
Heard the spirits in the steeple singing
You'll be back again

I've seen visions
Lord i've seen visions
Hanging in the summer sky
I fell in love, lost my heart
Laughed until i cried

Pacing gently, summer wind
The king stares softly to the sky
Will he ever see his home again
Deep from his heart he starts to cry

As his songs hit the air and young hearts are awake
Soon they join in the chorus sharing all his ache

There's a lifetime out there somewhere
Somewhere in the dark
And summer's on, the lion's song
Sung from cleveland park

And the high school kids ignore it
They have their own tune
They're just showing off the speakers in their ride
I know what i'm sayin'
I grew up too soon
And youth goes hand in hand with foolish pride

As their song hits the air and young hearts start to break
The lions join in the chorus sharing all their ache

There's a lifetime out there somewhere
Somewhere in the dark
And summer's on, the lion's song
Sung from cleveland park

In cleveland park trees breathe a sigh of all the summers gone
Skeletons in wintertime, they sing the lions song

There's a lifetime out there somewhere
Somewhere in the dark
And summer's on, the lion's song
Sung from cleveland park