'Walking Blindly into Other People’s Lives' I don’t know how you manage to survive Walking blindly into other people’s lives Do they make excuses when you arrive? Sliced by knives Sliced by knives Well I’ve got a reason – I don’t need an excuse Fate is a fickle friend so I prefer my approaches obtuse There are no humble opinions – where is modesty now? Perhaps it has been disallowed I don’t know how you keep your face so straight When all they do is lacerate Or did you over-exaggerate? Dirty slate Dirty slate I much prefer my media unsocial the best So many hot-headed opinions and too much fucking unrest Well I weep for the future – it doesn’t look good I always feel misunderstood

'Protect me not' Do not protect me – I know not what I face Do not protect me – I’m not a special case Do not provoke me – or underestimate Do not provoke me – I may retaliate Protect me not! Do not believe me – when I say I don’t care Do not believe me – when I say ‘I’ll be there’ Do not involve me – in your petty games Do not involve me – or make me weather the blame Protect me not! Words don’t seem to matter Don’t know why I bother Trash my reputation You’ve still got plenty of time Do not protect me – a liability Do not protect me – from your civility Do not inform me – of anything you change Do not inform me – and I will do the same Protect me not!

'I’m not Afraid' You’re not what I expected A concept I can get behind I wish that I had stayed I’m not afraid, May boredom never strike you Between your unblinking eyes From many paths I’ve strayed Because I’m not afraid – I’m not afraid Although I need to decide, need to decide Need to decide what I am Oh I need to decide, need to decide Who or what I am If only I was clever Or had a modicum of common sense I’m tired of the charade Because I am afraid, I shouldn’t even be here But I’ve decided it can’t be helped All my ends are frayed Because I am afraid – I am afraid Although I need to decide… Meanings are lost on me Mistakes of the last century resonating Boredom and self defence No refuge or recompense or release My mind is always racing Without a finish line in sight At least I still get paid I’m not afraid, My empathy is waning And so is my attention span I’ve cancelled all the plans I’ve made I’m not afraid – I’m not afraid Although I need to decide, need to decide Need to decide what I am (4x)

'What Do You Like?' You can’t handle destruction Basic carnage or violent outbursts No – neither can I, You can’t stand the downtime I understand it actually brings you down Can’t get back up Pouring salt and pepper too Into any open wound Treating every statement like it was the last My liberation is a bittersweet affair You don’t want to be ready Rather bask in inertia’s lazy glow At least there it’s warm, You can’t take criticism This in particular comes as no surprise Not many people can Tomorrow brings a faded laugh And possible mental collapse I realise how that statement sounds But I’m so sick of hiding my discontent What do you like? Do you like anything? What do you like? You must like something What do you like? Could be a film or food What do you like? Or being in the nude Today’s the best day of your life So prove to me that you’re alive I can’t guarantee you will go far But as long as you find out who you are What do you like? Have you decided yet? What do you like? How about the internet? What do you like? Do you like Taylor Swift? What do you like? The Continental Drift? What do you like? I think you ought to know What do you like? At least I hope so What do you like? Is it quite hard to choose? What do you like? You’ve got nothing to lose

'A Week without Worry' A week without worry is a beautiful thing The best thing a week can bring The most I can hope for is a day without tears Bottle of rum and a couple of beers A week without worry is a lovely idea Seven days free of stress and fear The best I can manage is a moment alone Try and switch off my mobile phone Do you believe that this could happen? Sounds like a dream or a fantasy Do you think we could make it happen to you and me? A week without worry or sadness or pain To bask in sunshine instead of rain The most I can hope for is ignorant bliss I’d have an hour or two of this I know this won’t solve all our problems But it’s a nice thought all the same There are far worse things for which to aim

'Wherever You Are, I Hope you’re Happy' Memories are all I have Things I can’t hold in my hands Memories are all we are Make it a good one if you can Wherever you are I hope you’re happy I suppose I’m happy too The ideal way to remember you I felt that I had done you wrong It made me write a sad, sad song I never got to say goodbye I never got to say goodbye Wherever you are I hope you’re happy It’s the best that I can do The ideal way to think of you The ideal way to think of you Wherever you are I hope you’re happy I suppose I’m happy too The ideal way to remember you The ideal way to remember you The ideal way to remember you The ideal way to remember you

'The Obvious' Sometimes I can’t help singing the obvious In the hope that someone out there understands Endangered thoughts I struggle to preserve In silence give attention they deserve But I know that come tomorrow I’ll change my mind And I’m sure that sudden happiness makes me blind To all those painful disappointments and regrets Because I’m not completely over them as yet Sometimes I can’t help singing the obvious Most people don’t expect anything less The way I felt’s not always the way I feel And it’s getting even harder to conceal Well I know that I’m not the chosen one And I’m sure in spite of that I’m still having fun All the regrets and disappointments can go to hell And they can take my low self esteem with them as well Sometimes I can’t help singing the obvious I doubt if many people will complain I feel it more and more with every day We are one nation under a cliché But I know that come tomorrow I’ll change my mind And I’m sure that sudden happiness makes me blind To all those painful disappointments and regrets Because I’m not completely over them as yet Sometimes I can’t help singing the obvious

'Uninspired' I have nothing to lose but I wish I did I never cut my tongue when I was licking the lid That’s not to say I’m blessed I just take my time Like an archaeologist or an aging wine I’m digging for fortune with all my worth But I’ve hit quite a rocky patch of earth So I down my tools and I call it a night Then I lie in the darkness and consider my plight What’s that on my shoulder would you like a chip? It might taste bitter here’s a tasty dip And while we’re on the subject would you like a drink? To wash it all down and help you think A nice cider or gin or perhaps a beer And then I suddenly recall you’ve been dry for a year Well that’s highly admirable – I couldn’t do that Some of my best nights involved the arse of a rat Why am I so uninspired – why am I asking you? Maybe I’m determined to bring you down with me too Why am I so uninspired? I can’t appreciate Stumble to an ending that I didn’t help, I didn’t help create I’ve got so much to gain but my uptake’s slow I’ve got my mind on other things you know But there lies the problem with the modern age When your brain feels like an overstuffed cage Worry, envy, resentment too There’s all manner of ingredients in this stew But you don’t have to eat it put it in the right bin With all the rotten apples and potato skins If I was a genius and I’m sure I’m not I’d find better ways of spending the time I’ve got It’s an art-form I can’t get my head around So I fill it with all kinds of musical sounds Like glockenspiels and electric guitars Questionable vocals and melodicas If you find a chorus gonny let me know After this verse here I need somewhere to go Why am I so uninspired – why am I asking you? Maybe I’m determined to bring you down with me too Why am I so uninspired? I can’t appreciate Stumble to an ending that I didn’t help, I didn’t help create I once kicked a daffodil in the face That’s not a euphemism it’s a botanic disgrace I wasn’t feeling particularly nice It got in the way and paid the ultimate price Flowers aren’t the only things to feel my rage The most common victim is the A4 page Bitter regrets on every side A woe-inducing white knuckle ride Define a daydream – the rebel in my mind Uses it as a mask to hide behind Reality ends up being redesigned I much prefer it with vague blurry lines I hear you seek truth though you will consider A half truth abandoned by the highest bidder Would you accept someone who’s a rubbish liar? Even though they’re fairly uninspired Why am I so uninspired – why am I asking you? Maybe I’m determined to bring you down with me too Why am I so uninspired? I can’t appreciate Stumble to an ending that I didn’t help, I didn’t help create

'Broken Circles' Sometimes I forget this is not my world I get carried away – it’s an easy mistake In awkward silence mine does turn Or should I say it glumly rotates I always forget where I’m supposed to be My wandering mind does it so effortlessly I promise I will turn up soon If I can find a moment free Broken circles turn no more Wakened sleepers pound the floor Friends and strangers rearrange Some wounds heal, some weep with shame Sometimes I forget what I came here for And then it dawns on me far too late I think I came for a good time Not one steeped in this incessant hate Broken circles have an end They have no effort left to spend Fight the urges to repair Leave the pieces over there

'Bitter Friend' Only you can change your mind You can’t blame others all the time Only you can change your mind, You alone can understand The meaning of the world held in your hand You alone can understand Bestill your aching heart The boredom and the hurt The bitter friends and po-faced enemies Only you can change your mind Come up with a new design Only you can change your mind Time and tide your brain has fried Your dreams are drowned in grease Try to salvage what you can From ruined memories

'Unexpected Tenderness' On the verge of a controversial feeling I’m working real hard to conceal In a state of permanent confusion I can’t tell the fake from the real In the time it took you to convince me I’m not the man I used to be Why does it hurt so much I can’t say? When I don’t miss that part of me I keep my expectations low Although I care more than you know Unexpected tenderness Much better than emptiness I confess I’m so hard to surprise, Undiluted eagerness More fun than bitterness I’m impressed! On the cusp of an existential impasse No note of solace to be found The rush of thoughts make me uneasy As I come crashing to the ground Impossible to see it from all sides Even though it’s dancing before my eyes Unexpected tenderness Much better than emptiness I confess I’m so hard to surprise, Undiluted eagerness More fun than bitterness I’m impressed!

'People You May Know' This is a song about love But don’t let that put you off Nothing is sacred – nothing is ever enough, Every embrace a punch in the face You’d get less vacuum in outer space This is a song about all the senseless waste This is a song about trust And all the mites amongst the dust A plaintive ode to all the uneaten crusts, Even in rest can’t help but stress Or somehow feel I’m underdressed This is a song that’s maybe not my best Take a look around – I see too much Not all of it is humorous or pleasant to touch It’s a jungle that I am lost in I can’t find my feet or locate my grin This is a song and it’s slow I found it lurking down below Conspiring with the people you may know, I dusted it down shook it around I dug its melancholic sound It’s the kind of sea in which I’d gladly drown You are deceived if you believe That there’s nothing they won’t thieve They’ve nothing but contrivance up their sleeve

'Innerglow' Somehow bright and somewhat indisposed The calm disturbed – see how resentment grows Something clean but mostly uninspired Where before there was so much to admire I can’t see in the dark anymore I can’t stand to let my feet touch the floor Like a wave that cannot reach the shore Or a key that’s never seen a door before I puzzle over passing time My thoughts congealing – maybe yours will too If I scream does that make me alive? And does two plus two equals five? Don’t let them dampen your inner glow Draped in black like some demented crow Testing patience daily don’t you know Resting conscience gaily on we go