We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Tell Your Friends

by Mary Prankster

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $9 USD  or more

     

1.
According to my father there was only every one war And he didn’t even bother ‘cause he knew that he was done for When to his call his congressman replied, “Take the wife and kids and hide.” Past imperfect futures dreamed up chrome and abalone With their retinal scans and hovercraft meticulous and phony He said, “Girl, don’t you leave your mother’s side” He didn’t love me, but he tried Oh my melancholy baby Is the whole world going crazy? ‘Cause it sure does seem that way these days I say, it’s getting awful hot in here Waves of mass indifference brainwashed all across the nation And at 6 PM the anchormen began their recitation Celebrities and all the trades they plied Viewer true and fewer tried Shoplift ideology so at a loss for leaders When the flame retardant books came out they had to burn the readers And the politicians' patriotic pride Seemed more convincing when they lied Oh my melancholy baby Is the whole world going crazy? ‘Cause it can’t be me who’s mad, I got it bad But man, it sure is hot in here Oh my melancholy darlin’ Will you respect me in the mornin’? ‘Cause each day may be our last, it’s been a blast Alas, it sure is hot in here Oh my melancholy sweetheart Just stick with me ‘til the neat part When from sea to shining sea, truth sets us free Is it me or is it hot in here?
2.
I got excellent intentions and unbeatable excuses And I’m moderate in vices with the usual abuses I got entertaining stories and a cheerful disposition And fanatical devotion to a kamikaze mission You can take your common sense and head it out the door If you have no confidence in what I’m fighting for I love you baby, I just love me so much more And so you see, my vanity comes through for me More often than you do for me And in the end I’ll choose the path of most resistance And you’ll say, “It doesn’t have to be this way” Try and pull me back in play Rue the day you ever learned of my existence I got well-examined motives and a preordained direction I’m utopian by preference, but I’ll settle for perfection I got friends of every flavor, evangelical and shifty And if I can crack this open, I’m taking everybody with me You can take your common sense and head it out the door If you have no confidence in what I’m fighting for I love you baby, I just love me so much more And so you see, my vanity comes through for me More often than you do for me And in the end I’ll choose the path of most resistance And you’ll say, “It doesn’t have to be this way” Try and pull me back in play Rue the day you ever learned of my existence And you can take your precedents and head ‘em out the door ‘Cause this ain’t like anything that’s ever come before I love you, baby – I just love me so much more And so you see, my vanity comes through for me More often than you do for me And in the end I’ll choose the path of most resistance And you’ll say, “It doesn’t have to be this way” Try and pull me back in play Rue the day you ever learned of my existence Yes, you will
3.
I know exactly what I ain’t I put it here in this complaint You think my childhood passion just needs a pan to flash in Cash in you sinner, I’ve got patience like a saint It shouldn’t get me, but it does I only bring it up because I know the way you pander to any second-hander Some slander how I’m not the lock you thought I was Heard what you said about me, you’re better off without me Heard I was beggin’ you to stay Don’t have to do this, do we? Each word gets right back to me This town’s too small for you to say (and since you’ll say it anyway) You can tell your friends that I changed Heard what you said about me, you’re better off without me Heard I was begging you to stay So we’re above this, are we? Why won’t you say you’re sorry? I get more sorry every day And you can tell your friends that I changed
4.
Sun 02:31
Sunshine rise in the West Virginia skies, yeah And I made this with my own two hands There’s gold in them thare hills, it’s cold in them thare hills I’ve walked every road, now they call me a man The autumn and the winter knocked a small familiar splinter loose And sometimes I feel incomplete She’s not the only one, I keep my eyes fixed on the sun ‘Cause I can’t stand to see her when she’s at my feet Think of days gone by, of coffee and of friends Dream of future days when we will meet again Deep dark conversations, stories that we’ll tell ‘Cause when it gets dark, it looks like anywhere else Sun burns bright in my evergreen eyes And I close them shut to review my choice One day when I’m able, there’s a number on the table And I’ll call her up, hear her voice In-jokes, old lines, bad puns, cheap wine Recollection comforts me on nights like this Calloused hands, smooth flesh, deep dark secret Tremble with the memory of a long-lost kiss Train of thought derailed ‘cause I kept losing track Hit the highway and I find myself looking back Here before the sun I stand to reclaim myself ‘Cause when it gets dark, I look like anyone else Sunshine sets on a pack of cigarettes And I smoke one slow as the sun goes down Gonna take some time, gonna figure out what’s mine And it’s not as simple as it sounds Kneel down, give thanks, go west, rob banks Gonna make my mark before I’m done The future lies with her legs spread wide And I’m gonna write my name in Sun Think of days gone by, of coffee and of friends Dream of future days when we will meet again Deep dark conversation, stories that we’ll tell ‘Cause when it gets dark...
5.
I got your dollar short, it came a day too late I really love ya, boy – but you just don’t appreciate There’s consequences for an irresponsible woman I double-crossed my eyes and doddered through my tease Took no kind of life as fine and still did my best to please There’s consequences for an irresponsible woman Chalk it all up, write it all down And come apart at the seams I see the new girl you take around town Who wears her hair a lot like me I wish I wished you luck I wish I wished you health But I don’t really give a fuck if I don’t have you for myself There’s consequences for an irresponsible woman You chalk it all up and you write it all down And you come apart at the seams I see the new girl you take around town Who wears her hair a lot like me I wish I wished you luck I wish I wished you health But I don’t really give a fuck if I don’t have you for myself There’s consequences for an irresponsible woman
6.
Arm's Length 03:56
Your presence meant more than I’d anticipated Took my breath away so I asphyxiated Forgive me but I just don’t think I have that kind of strength My weakness is fragile and it’s feminine And one’s benediction is another man’s sin Fools rush in where wise men stay at arm’s length If you were a hundred miles away If you were a thousand miles away If you were a million miles away It would be better than having you here at arm’s length I wish I had known when I lay by your side That it was to be for the very last time How much more would I have thought to savor? Or that one sweet final kiss Nice girls aren’t supposed to write songs like this Fell so deeply in love, just as deeply out of favor If you were a hundred miles away If you were a thousand miles away If you were a million miles away It would be better than having you here at arm’s length Some distances can’t be measured by miles Pain that I feel at each one of your smiles Nice girls aren’t supposed to even think these thoughts If you were a lightyear gone from time I’m telling you, boy – the pleasure is mine Look at me here with all this trouble that I bought so willingly If you were a hundred miles away If you were a thousand miles away If you were a million miles away It would be better than having you here at arm’s length
7.
Spill 03:32
Time is a lie and so, for that matter, is patience Holding in all of the thoughts one dares not speak aloud A variable has confounded my best-laid equations Blowing the cool of which fools are so terribly proud You’re a mystery that’s just begging to unravel You’re a secret looking for a place to spill Given similar proclivity for travel Hey, if we don’t do this now we never will Chance is a game and abrading the rules of engagement Can often result in a less-than-ideal consequence Hope my lips don’t look too eager to end their estrangement And try not to act like I comb conversation for hints You’re an answer in the form of a question You’re a riddle that’s just aching to be solved If I may be so bold as to venture a suggestion Hey, I would love to see the way this gets resolved Because you’re hotter than an August in El Paso And you’re cooler than a January 5th And you tie my silver tongue up like a lasso And your smile shines like the ribbon on a gift
8.
None For Me 03:16
Wake up every morning in the breaking heart of town On the half of couch I can’t be bothered to fold down Here’s the thought that gets me out of bed and to the bong What if when I said I could do better I was wrong? ‘Cause there’s no one for me, no one for me And lonely’s such an awful thing to be No one for me, no one for me And lonely’s such an awful thing to be Every night before I sleep I wish upon a star Someday that I might see things the way they truly are Here’s the thought that gets me out of bed and to the bar Running out of safety nets and you’re the best so far And there’s no one for me, no one for me And lonely’s such an awful thing to be No one for me, no one for me And lonely’s such an awful thing We could start all over and pretend we’re meeting cute Skip the idle chatter and the ritual pursuit Here’s the thought that gets me from the bar onto the floor You coulda been the one true love I learned to settle for And there’s no one for me, no one for me And lonely’s such an awful thing to be No one for me, no one for me And lonely’s such an awful thing
9.
You’re wrong and I’m right And that won’t change, not even if we fight I’ll take that bet And this will be the last of me you get Offered the riches that went along with the realm A seat at the table, even a turn at the helm Just not too certain about the points that you’re sure on ‘Cause you know “negative feedback” is such an oxy-damned-moron You’re there and I’m here And that’s the long and short of it, my dear I live this way And that is all Her Highness has to say Offered the riches that went along with the realm A seat at the table, even a turn at the helm But that bad machinery’d only tear me to tatters And I got plans for the future – well, you know, not that it matters Offered the riches that went along with the realm A seat at the table, even a turn at the helm Whispering voices too soft and soothing to measure Why be a regional hero when you’re a national treasure? And you can tell your friends that I changed
10.
Darlin' 02:50
Did you care, my darlin’? Do you now? Did you care, my darlin’? Do you now? ‘Cause my whole heart’s gone broken, And the whole world knows how Did you care, my darlin’? Do you now? Was it fair, my darlin’? Do you think? Was it fair, my darlin’? Do you think? ‘Cause if that’s your last nerve I’ll make this my last drink Was it fair, my darlin’? Do you think? Well, I thought that the worst was behind me But the loneliness knew where to find me Got a prayer, my darlin’? Let it loose Got a prayer, my darlin’? Let it loose ‘Cause this bullet don’t care If you got an excuse Got a prayer, my darlin’? Let it loose Did you care, my darlin’? Do you now?

about

Produced by Mitch Easter and Mary Prankster
Engineered by Mitch Easter
Additional Engineering by Mark Williams
Recorded at The Fidelitorium, Kernersville, North Carolina
Mixed and Mastered by Shelly Yakus and Mike Newman
at Scullville Studios, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
Preproduction Engineered by Mike McAree
at Wright Way Studios, Baltimore, Maryland

Mary Prankster - Vocals, Guitar
Jon E. Cakes - Bass
Phil Tang - Drums

Additional Instrumentation:
Mitch Easter: lead guitar, additional guitars
Jon E. Cakes: lead guitar on "La Resistance," additional guitars, organ, tambourine
Phil Tang: timpani, glockenspiel, marimba
Mary Prankster: chamberlin, cowbell
Jon M. Thorton: horn arrangement, trumpet, flugelhorn
Tim Gordon: clarinet, tenor sax
Rick Blanc: trombone, bass trombone
Cliff Retallick: piano
Additional percussion on "Spill" courtesy of The Baltimore Sound Machine

Cover photo courtesy of the Museum of History & Industry, Seattle, Washington
Band photography by Wenona R. Daniel
Telephone pole photo by Mary Prankster
Sleeve design by Phil Tang

credits

released January 1, 2002

Ballsy and literate Indie Rock

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Mary Prankster

Lyrically merciless, genre-promiscuous Charm City cult hero with a fanbase of thinking men's men and fierce, god-like women. Sign up for the mailing list at maryprankster.com for info on new tunes and more...

contact / help

Contact Mary Prankster

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Report this album or account

Mary Prankster recommends:

If you like Mary Prankster, you may also like: