videos and lyrics for 2023 album “collaborations volume 1”
01. downtown
when you go downtown, don’t you tone it down
cuz shit is burning
you make the loudest sound you know how to
boyfriend, which one?
02. what’s that say
how bout it
did you think you’d hear from me again
and is it out of character
well it really won’t matter
i doubt it
i doubt you’ll hear from me again, after this
sifting through the theater
well it really won’t matter
it really won’t matter
it really won’t matter
how bout it, can you be direct?
just come out and say it if you need my help
if you come to me, you better come correct and say what you’re after
but it really won’t matter
climb up, climb up on that silken ladder
it’s how they’ll get you, you’ll climb forever on that silken ladder
climb up, climb up on that silken ladder
but you can do better, don’t climb forever on that silken ladder
03. which is worse
you can run or you can hide
no point in deciding which is worse
which is worse
you don’t see all your options
cuz you can’t see past your pride
that’s how it works
that’s just how it works
don’t be surprised
you talk about everyone else, you should see yourself
you talk about everyone else, see yourself
you’ve run out of disguises
i found your shoes untied
it could be worse
things could still get worse
but there is another option
to throw away your pride
and that would work
i think that could work
wouldn’t be the least bit surprised
04. respect
i better write all this down
and sort it out later
take it – a little easier
there’s always some way
to take advantage of the situation
but you can’t take respect
said you can’t take respect
no you can’t take respect
we walk the hallway
but we look straight ahead
barely an inch between us
we mean in no way, disrespect
but we don’t mean respect
i packed a suitcase
with my favorite toys
barely can close the zipper
i got a headache
waiting for whoever’s next
if they don’t show respect
no, if they don’t show respect
cuz you can’t take respect
05. fall in your family
don’t try to run faster
don’t try to run fast next time
you belong with us
so fall in
whatever the chasm
i’m never too far between
so try to land on me
fall in your family
I see i’ve always held life in these hands of mine
To take it with a grain of salt since the hands of time
But Mirror Mirror on the wall what kind of man am I
What kind of man am I
What kind of man am I
I dont try I just fly I go high I go high I go
Always in my genes but I didnt have the ware with all
To acknowledge that I’m the bell at this family ball
I got a spine like a giraffe kept me standing tall
Peep the science, I did the math then i add it all
Okay,
Then see what the plan will be, don’t look for the canopy
Running over is my cup and I’m toastin and living up but
Problems want me sleep like off the ambian and zanny tea
It’s gonna take the man in me to conquer this insanity
Beauty or the vanity, random or I plan to be
Real vs the fantasy, reversing life’s calamity
Generational hella confrontational panicking
Mishandling of my dreams left me stiff like a mannequin
But I see over my fa-mi-ly tree where my father
Had to become a man in this jungle and go farther
Snakes lions tigers and bears looking for problems
Past and Present Monsoons to future waters
I do realize that my eyes are real eyes
And I’ve seen the real cries
And the prize so I rise
And I dive in my pride and I ride with the tide
hit me up faster
hit me up fast next time
you belong with us
so fall in
whatever the chasm
i’m never too far between
so try to land on me
fall in your family
I do realize that my eyes are real eyes
And I’ve seen the real cries
And the prize so I rise
And I dive in my pride and I ride with the tide
06. running
try to imagine, what could happen to make you change your mind
cuz it’s so hard to exist, as it is, living for in under alongside
highway robbery
who gives a fuck, keep on running as long as i got legs
sometimes i fall i stumble up on what’s inside my head, so
who gives a fuck, keep it coming as long as you’re alive
cuz when you fall you stumble up on what you’re really like
will you survive?
try me
i’m not to cool
and i never lie, a liar wouldn’t mind
but i’m running out of helpful things to say
i’ve been running my whole life
i’ve been running my whole life
i’ve been running my whole life
so it’s not exactly my place to say
i’ve been running my whole life
highway robbery keep on running, as long as i’m in charge
and when you call you can check up on a very dear friend of ours, so
i’ll be running my own life
i’ll be running my own life
but how?
07. firewall
the only information that could help you
would never make it past your firewall
cuz the only information that could help you
it never makes it past your firewall
typo on the lightpost
even when your friends call, you don’t recognize em
and now we know why
the only information that could help you
would never make it past your firewall
and that’s what everyone’s been trying to tell you
and that’s what ties your heart up in a knot
you’re living a lie
and now we know why
now we know
typo on the lightpost
i didn’t mean to do it
but the light called me
and i know only what i did before but
when all your friends keep saying they don’t recognize you
well now we know why
now we know
08. promise me
she said “why we got a problem and you never call home?
i’ve been waiting up, i’ve been waiting up all night”
to which i replied: “there ain’t any problem cuz i’m never coming home again
never coming home again”
that’s when she said:
“promise me
promise me, promise this one, don’t delete my number from your phone”
she said “yeah we got a problem cuz you never call home
and i’ve been keeping up, i’ve been keeping up at night
and now i got a problem cuz you’re never coming home again, at least that’s what you said
promise me, promise this one, don’t delete my number from your phone
follow me, can you follow this one, i won’t change the locks on any doors
that’s for sure
promise me
promise this one
promise me
follow this one
promise me
09. far away
i never look back and forth
i never look back and forth
when i cross the street
but i always turn back around, uh huh
like someone’s chasing me
and they know everything
i lost my intuition
somewhere in my mind
i never look back and forth
that’s right
when i cross the street
but i always turn back around, uh huh
like someone’s chasing me
and they know everything
far away, far away and the space is only growing
when you’re far, you’re so far i can’t take it
somewhere in my mind
10. trill shit
feet connect, feet connect to my legs
i could do that trill shit
i could do it if you need
long as my feet connect to my legs, i’ll be reaching
long as my feet connect to my legs, i’ll be reaching
but i can do that trill shit
i can do that trill shit if you need
but i might be reaching up
<muttering and complaining from matt rezetko>
i can do that trill shit
<expletive from matt>
but i might be reaching up
<more abject muttering and apologizing from matt>
11. asking polite
i’m asking polite
two of us just sitting back getting polite
apple jam and the peanut butter toast
and if you were not inclined, i could see exactly why
but still you’d have to go
i’m asking polite
12. the habit
cross it off
clean it up
put all the blocks away
energy
bubbling up
gotta get the tension out
feeling sweat
cools you off
then you get the sticky fits
for most bodies that’s the way it is
sure enough
cross it off
move on to something larger
stand it up
on the heel
you’ll feel it when you’re on the right track
energy
building up
all the support you need child
cuz there’s no need to freak out
lean it back, case you lose your balance
you gotta lean it back and you’ll break the habit
case you forget
face is right
hair is right
baby if the shoe fits
hit it hard
pound the road
get everything you wanna get back now
feel your feet
pound em straight
let all your muscles help to lift
baby if the shoe does fit
wear that bitch
lean it back, case you lose your balance
you gotta lean it back and you’ll break the habit
lean it back, case you lose your balance
you’ve got it in the bag once you drop the habit
case you forget
lean it back, case you lose your balance
you gotta lean it back and you’ll break the habit
lean it back, case you lose your balance
you’ve got it in the bag once you drop the habit
lean it back, case you lose your balance
you’ve got it in the bag once you drop the habit
13. i’m in love
i’m on it
i’m on it
i’m on it
i’m coming through
i’m on it
i’m on it
i’m in love
but i don’t get it
my mind won’t make up
but i know love comes from your heart
and i want mine to speak up
talk to me
careful where she’s running from
more likely
i’m scared because she’s running toward me
i’m on it
i’m on it
i’m on it
i’m coming through
i’m on it
i’m on it
i’ll follow you
but can your love open my heart
if you’re coming through
i’m coming too
talk to me
careful where she’s running from
more likely
i’m scared because she’s running toward me
talk to me
(i’m coming through)
careful where she’s running from
more likely
(i’ll follow you)
i’m scared because she’s running toward me
14. worship me alone
you were fast asleep
least you pretended to be
the door was left cracked open
the more the merrier
buy can you rise up to the stone
find yourself another one
you must worship me alone
and burn the rest
so can your rise?
but can you rise up to the stone
find yourself another one
you must worship me alone
and burn the rest
burn the rest
burn the rest
burn the rest, cuz you can’t take this chain up off your neck
it fits you too well
15. stuck on zoom
we open on
i set it up close enough
to study myself
the lights blink red with focus
my camera is waiting
but it’s stuck on zoom
and blown out
it’s whites or it’s shadows
and i can’t find my balance
picture perfect
the scene is picture perfect
gotta essence fa yo flavor
i’d love to see u later but i’m
stuck in a room clouded in this empty space
and I’m just trying to figure out ,which route to take
take some people fall
some fold when there under pressure
but I done learn to figure out can’t let it stress you .
It ain’t pleasure in it noing it won’t last forever .
it’s all a story so yo life gotta make it write .
Now the sun is shining you no the sun is shining huh
I’m in that motion that motion that’s reclining , huh
take your ambition and dream gotta let it can’t let it stick to me so I let it Fly away.
you’re stuck in a room
you’ve outgrown
but the world’s in your window
jump out while you can
come on open up
but what if i opened up enough already
and it’s the sort that never closes
and pandora would envy
you’re stuck in a room
you’ve outgrown
and the world’s in your window
jump out while you can
cuz you’re stuck on zoom
and blown out
so jump out the window
but first find your balance
16. across the night
across the night and past the sea
down a whole called how you’ll remember me
is where i put the last one
fetch a compass and get a reading
where i got lost and who i remember meeting
at least who i met since last time
could this be my last time
don’t get precious we gotta leave it
why you got lost at all, well you mustn’t read into it
press the lever, unwind the string
go get lost and hope that you follow me
cuz this could be the last one
this could be the last one
this could be the last one
could this be the last time
cross the night, you will find me
remember that no one will remember this
the nightmare, the fantasy
remember that no one will remember this
(could this be the last time)
cross the night, you will find me
remember that no one will remember this
the nightmare, the fantasy
remember that no one will remember this
(could this be the last time)
17. far be it from me
fortune isn’t fair
don’t count me in less you see me there
cuz far from it all i can still catch a glimpse
stricken with malaise
counting backwards, missing some days
but oh, through it all i’ve been stealing a glimpse
and far be it from me
far be it from me, to try
far be it from me, least for a while
frozen to my chair
i squint, but i can’t see past the glare of the world
that doesn’t look like the one on the screen
but far be it from me
far be it from me, to try
far be it from me, least for a while
far be it from me, but i’m trying
18. trees
back then, trees were the people
at least, that’s who trees thought of when they heard the word “people,” they thought of other trees. and trees ruled the world, so whatever they thought was all that really mattered.
they were just so much bigger and stronger than everyone else. they could go wherever, eat whoever, and do whatever they wanted.
so they did, for the most part. they’d step on an ant just to get that much taller, snatch a fish out of a river for a shiny piece of jewelry. fight each other for a moment’s glory, unaware of the many lives destroyed underfoot.
back then, they didn’t bear any fruit or nuts, no sap or pine cones. anything falling from a tree that could be of use to anyone was purely coincidental.
eventually and inevitably though, trees started to wonder whether they had things wrong: was it not a logical backbend to say that they alone deserved the mantle of “people?” so then what of the other living things who suffered from a tree’s actions? and also the nagging paradox, that past a certain point, the more one sought luxuries and comforts, the more restless, dissatisfied, insecure, and lonely, one would feel.
that last incredible fact was the final blow to the old way of thinking, and the trees finally achieved a new consenus:
actions taken for survival were justified, no matter how vicious. but anything beyond that beared too great a cost.
and with that understanding, trees decided to move more slowly, carefully, and if possible, not at all.
today, they still compete with one another, and a fallen branch can still end an entire civilization.
but trees found their natural place, each a steadfast provider and shelter for their own little ecosystem, and we live in a much more peaceful world because of it.
also interesting is that as this whole discussion was raging, trees were quite large creatures. but it wasn’t until they perfected the practice of non-movement that they grew into the colossal towers of today. incredibly strong, resilient, long lives counted in rings, open arms come rain or shine, fire or frost, until it’s time to finally move out of the way, and give someone else their turn in the sun.