The Singles Collection (1996-2001)

My Ex-Boyfriend's House
written by Rusty Spell

Lisa said it's a-okay, she didn't like him anyway. I'll take her word if she'll take mine that in a night I'll be just fine. And I know she's right, and she knows I'm lying.

Christopher was all to me, and anyway adultery is commoner than heroine, as common as the state I'm in. And I know he's weak, and I know I'm unhappy. And I guess I'll go to my ex-boyfriend's house.

Periwinkles all around, the ocean making not a sound. I lost my hearing at a show, standing close in the front row. But I know it'll come back, and I know he will not.

Lisa drops her bathing top, her boyfriend gawking like a fop. Their cute love antics killing me, I wish they'd drift into the sea. But I know they'll stop, they'll be sad like me one day. And I guess I'll go to my ex-boyfriend's house.

To my ex-boyfriend's house. He's always been so nice to me. I hurt him 1993, but he always lets me in. To my ex-boyfriend's house. I sleep good on his living room floor, and he always leaves open his door with a nightlight in the hall.

Christopher, what have you done? I thought I set my switch on stun. You flipped it off with tuxedo vows, but now you're in another town. And now I am here in this two-story misery.

Options, options, what are those? The color of my panty hose? All the choices in the world, but I only want to be your girl. And now I am here in a thirtysomething episode. And I guess I'll go to my ex-boyfriend's house.

To my ex-boyfriend's house. He's always been so nice to me. I get drunk with him on daiquiris while tanning by his pool. To my ex-boyfriend's house. He doesn't expect anything, won't steal my heart with a gold ring from his mother's jewelry box. To my ex-boyfriend's house, though Lisa says it's a terrible idea, that I'll marry him also in a year. I'll just have to take that chance, I fear. To my ex-boyfriend's house.

I Like You
written by Rusty Spell

Turn away. I don't want you to see me, 'cause it's hard to be so honest. Day by day, I'm thinking lots about you, and I've tried to make it stop. But I must say there's no other way: I know I've got to give in if I want to keep on livin'.

(So) (Yeah) (And) I like you. Junior-highish as it sounds, I just have to get it out: I like you. And that's all that I can say; you can answer any way: I like you.

So you say? I've been holding something in, banging my head on wooden bedknobs. No more play. I'm sick of all these riddles, all this garbage, all this nonsense. And by the way, the news today is there is no mistaken all these feelings that are shakin'.

(You say this song should have been a duet? Well, that's too cheesy, and I'm close enough already. You want to know a huge secret? If you work around the edges, then that's when it rocks.)

Clear away the path of all that's not worthy... Destroy those bad euphemisms: they're like scurvy... We're gonna make this fake world much more real, more topsy-turvy... And I like you.

Should I Talk Slower?
written by Rusty Spell

I thought about it, what you said to me that day, how the thoughts were crystal perfect in your mind. I don't really doubt it, that we weren't cut out that way. I know you were only being kind. But should I talk slower when I say that I love you?
Because you don't really seem to understand. And could I grow weaker, could I faint and break into? Would it cause you to finally hold my hand?

And I never knew I could finish just thinking of you. Not a single touch in sight. I was only thinking of you.

If you don't love me, I'll evaporate and float away. I'll get torched in the sky like Icarus' magic wings. And when people listen to me, I will only say your name, your name, your name, your name, your name.

Cherries
written by Rusty Spell

A blonde-haired beauty is a sight to behold when you're newly-single from a six year run. And I don't know but I've been told,
that the Good Lord above likes for us to have fun. If you want to try your hand now, she's standing over there by the pink punch bowl. She's the cute one dressed in pink too; don't be fooled by her camouflage.

Dance, dance. Ask her to dance. I don't care if you think she won't say yes. And I don't care if your moves are old: Chubby Checker did the twist his entire life.

Look, you're really going now. Have you ever seen a smile like hers? Did you ever realize that a party can completely change your life? Don't think ahead too much, just enough to keep up with your new friend. If I were more than your shoulder's angel, I'd be tempted to jump off and join right in.

Cherry Coke, cherry wine, cherry jubilee. Cherry you, cherry me, merry cherry we.

Boy, you better get to dancin'... Dance... all night long. Dance... with this girl. Dance... all night long. Dance... with your girl.

Anyway
written by Rusty Spell

Why do you suddenly cry when I kiss you? Why do you say goodbye, and I miss you? Why is it at night when you should be holding me tight, you stay awake by yourself in the armchair?

Why do you drive at night when it's raining? Why do you make it sound like complaining? Why don't we go out? You need the time, no doubt. But you would rather die very slowly.

You need to tell me, or you'll risk it; I'll just walk away. You made a promise, now you're proving yourself wrong. It's not a matter of who you are or what you say. I'll love you anyway. I'll love you anyway.

Six o'clock at night and I'm hurting. At least I know for sure you're not flirting. But worse, you're all alone, unhooked your telephone. And now our history rests in the basement.

What made you lose your grip of the handle? Why is your light as dim as a candle? I shouldn't even care. You're nothing but a stare. You're simply a robot made of paper.

I guess I'll go now; there's no point; there's nothing more to say. I've lived the lyrics far to long to this song. It's so pathetic: You're unmolded, you're just hardened clay. I would have loved you anyway. I would have loved you anyway.

Finally
written by Rusty Spell

When all the hourglass sands on your mantle have gone, when all the painters are dead, when you take out a small loan for a pint of Oxygen, that's when I'll know you're in love.

I know the time will come someday, but for now it is all that I can do to live. None of your reincarnated souls have ever known I've been alive, but someday my karma will win.

Then the endless summer. Then the days when my death spots are gone. Then the boring washeteria. Then the hard chore of falling in love.

In love, in love, in sweet love I've fallen in love, in love in love. Love, in love, in love in sweet love, I've fallen in. Oh, yes I've fallen in love.

Take an account of the days, months, and eons the planet's been and keep all those numbers in your mind. Add the time QVC commemorative plates take to rise in value. That's how long I've waited for you.

Through the middle ages. Through the days of the factory scene. Through the Reagan Era. Through the times when I have been in love.

Y3K you finally looked around and saw me standing there lined by the ATM machine. When Jesus peeped through the purple clouds and angels' trumpets blasted, that's when you actually kissed me.

Then internal fireworks. Then the sound of a race's last breath. Then I heard us dying. But finally we'd fallen in love.

In love, in love, in sweet love we've fallen in love, in love in love. Love, in love, in love in sweet love, we've fallen in.
Finally fallen in love.

I Want You, Girl
written by Rusty Spell

You are so fine. I wanna make you mine. But you don't care if I live or die. I need you bad. This love's not just a fad. I'll be your dad: I'll be your sugar dad. My friends they say, I should let you get away. But I think about you every day. I'll set a trap. I'll find you at The Gap. You're the only one can end this crap.

Girl... You got me on my knees, and I am beggin' you, please. I want your love to increase. Oh, girl... Please come home with me, and I will make all time freeze. Won't even mind if you tease.

I need you more. I've started keeping score. But you still think that I'm a crashing bore. You are for me. I wish that you could see. Please look me up in the directory. In your back yard, I stare at you so hard. It makes me wanna charge like Master Card. When you're at school, I see you lookin' cool. Like Kevin Spacey, girl, you know you rule.

Girl... I've fallen hard for you, and you should fall for me too. I think you know that it's true. Oh, girl... I've given every clue I want you part of my crew. I'd stick to you like glue.

You and me, don't that sound good? Say it over-over like I wish you would. Me and you, that sound nice? Please don't take your older sister's advice. We and we, meant to be. I learned it fifth period in History. Just like Napoleon and Josephine. Lovin' like ours has not been seen.

Girl... I know I can have any girl that I want, and that I should consider it your loss. But when I look into your eyes, I know that I gotta fight for what's mine. I love you girl...

Girl... If you get into my car, we could drive to the stars or to an all-ages bar. Oh, girl... You know I'm stayin' chaste for you. I'm goin' to wait. It doesn't matter how late. Oh, girl... Your perfect hair. And your blank little stare And your white underwear. Yeah, girl... Your tiny physique, your name's Dominique. You shop at Clinique. Girl... I'm singing to you. What else can I do? You should love me true. Oh, girl... I'm fadin' away. There's nothing to say. Please don't think I'm...

Our Hurricane
written by Rusty Spell

Well, the beach it is lonely post-hurricane time. It's waiting for people in cars in a line on the highway, driving, waiting, wishing it wouldn't take so long.

And the houses are shambles, look well past their prime, though some are brand new and were left there just fine while the people are driving and hoping belongings inside aren't gone.

And we left the town with our lives intertwined with problems you had and pretended were mine while I did the same to you, insisting it was never me.

And the palm trees are swaying, the ones that are standing. And I'm simply obeying the morals my grandfather had. 'Cause I'd leave tomorrow if I had my own way. And I'd never come back here, and I'd never have to see you again.

Our toothbrushes are packed while our bathroom decays, and our room's been crashed in on the bed where we lay: A brilliant metaphor for you and me, baby.

And your guitar is broken, my Chia Pet shaved and I can't help but picture the large tidal wave that I'd have let wash me away if I would have stayed behind.

There Is You
written by Rusty Spell

I know that there is suffering, and I know that there is dying, and I know bad things are meant to be, and I know that it's the end of eternity.

But then I know that there is you, and that's all I need to know, that there is you. Please don't ever let me go. And I love you, and I need you, and all that I care about is you.

Lately, the earth's been like a drunken man reeling from all the booze we gave to him. And we know the crazy weather is a sign that soon we will have to see the end of time.

You and only you. Oh, you. You and only you. We're almost dead, our lives been bled, but one more time just let me look at you.

I Used Up All Your Icons
written by Rusty Spell

We used to dance and sing in the rain, like two English majors in love. We held hands in the summer and drank wine cruising down the highway. We smoked cigarettes on wilderness roads, and kissed 100,000 times. Our smoky breath choked us both, but that is not the reason we cried.

There was a time when our eyes were young, when we thought we would never die. We counted stars in the sky that were scattered like grains of sand. The moon never looked away, 'cause it would follow us to London on a train. But, baby, in the mirror, see the winter in the sky and say goodbye.

(And) (But) I used up all your icons, then threw them all away. Familiar like a lover's embrace, it seemed to me cliche. I used up all your icons then plugged them in a hole. Now at least that knot's not empty, but who will fill my soul?

We sung songs on the sugar beach, said "ciao" to the New York city life, chased fireflies, drank cocktails in our 20th century world. But now it is June and I pine for the cold of the candy snow. I would chase you if I knew that you were somewhere but Tokyo.

You took pictures with my Nikon, then threw them all away. But their image is still burned in your mind, so, darling, won't you stay? You need a shoulder to cry on. You need the country songs I could write. I could give you everything if you would only come back tonight.

Missing You
written by Rusty Spell

Zamphir was right when he panned through the night, when he tried to find gold for his lady. Neil Diamond was, too, when his song was sung blue, all that wind took him right through the eighties.

And the loop to me seems like it's out of a dream, and the snippets are forming whole songs. When the TV is on, when I'm sitting alone, I don't know how I'll manage to go on.

Could it be I stayed awake too long and slept right through the morning? Could it be that there's a reason why I'm constantly yawning? Could there be an explanation to my nightly complication? Could it be that missing you has caused my devastation?

When I turn over at three, my little sister hits me, and says, "Welcome to the land of the living." But I go back to bed, 'cause if I truly were dead, then it's better than what I'm given.

Six o'clock rolls around without making a sound; my Weeble- Wobbles were never that quiet. I don't know what to do; I'll pop a pill or two. At this point there is no reason to fight it.

I've Got To Go
written by Rusty Spell

When the train blows a whistle, I'll remain as the whisper in your yard when you said you loved me, when I turned, and gave you a big hug and touched you on your pug nose, ignoring what you said.

I told you that I'd stay until I knew hat you'd be all right alone, and now I know that you won't, but I can't help that now. It's been too long. Somehow you'll make it on your own.

Cigarettes will lead me to my death. It's the only truth I know. The rest I'll search for. In a way, I really want to stay, but that way is very small. I've got to go.

In a year you'll think of me and fear you've lost your only love, and he was the worst man of all. How sad, how pathetic and how bad. It really sucks out loud. I've got to go.