The Apocaloptimist Lyrics

Living the Party Life

Once upon a time,                           every tale begins the same

Once we had it all,                           now it’s anybody’s game

What do we do when we win?                 We party

What do we do when we lose?                 Party harder

And when we’ve paid no dues?               More party

What’ve we got to lose?

 

What we’ve got to lose?               There’s a question for the age

Borders disappear                           No one reads the printed page

Talking heads all day                     Kim and Kourtney everywhere          

(while) Leaders all betray          Every  vote that put them there

What do we do when we win?                  We party

What do we do when we lose?                 Party harder

And when we’ve paid no dues?               More party

What’ve we got to lose?  

Raise your hand and swear,        take the stand and testify

Nothing but the truth,                   No one needs another lie

What do we do when we win?                  We party

What do we do when we lose?                 Party harder

And when we’ve paid no dues?               More party

What’ve we got to lose?

Words and music by james lee stanley @2012 the real james lee stanley music, sesac may 21, 2012

 

Gypsies in the Hallway

There’s gypsies in the hallway with their potions and their spells

They’re waiting there in silence, But I hear their tiny bells  

They’re waiting without knocking but I can feel them there

No secret’s safe outside your door …Open if you dare  

Open if you dare, Open if you dare

No secret’s safe outside your door

Open if you dare  

 

There’s gypsies in the hallway.  There’s gypsies on the stairs

They never stop their whispers, Their violins in the air  

The melodies are haunting;  confuse your secret fears

You think you‘ve lost a moment, But really it’s been years  

Listen if you dare, Listen if you dare

Time is like quicksilver Listen if you dare  

 

Yesterday is what it is, a weave of joy and sorrow

Today is all you really have, no guarantee of tomorrow  

 

There’s gypsies in the hallway, Your fortune’s up for sale

Twenty bits of silver, Your palm will tell the tale  

There’s gypsies in the hallway.  There’s gypsies on the stairs

They say the play for free, but I warn you, have a care  

No one plays for free, No one plays for free

Somewhere there’s a bloody bill No one plays for free

Words and music by james lee stanley, @2012 the real james lee stanley music, sesac

 

Last Call

A9

We were in the Red Pony, on the coast of Monterey Sipping margaritas, as the sunset kissed the bay       F9   (with a b that goes up to c)

We laughed at karaoke, we toasted one and all                                                               

                                                                         Esus 4 (+ 6, a C#)  E

It seemed as tho no time had passed, until we heard “last call”

 

 

F#min7             Esus 4  +6    E         Esus 4  +6    E

Last call,           last             chance,                 

F#min7 -11 (+b)         Esus 4  +6    E         Esus 4  +6    E        

last call,                       last           dance            

A9

In that cool and empty hour, we were shadows in the night

The waves were whisp’ring to us, the moon hung low & bright        

F9

The sand was shining silver, as fools we raced that moon                                                               

Esus 4+6    E Esus 4+6    E                

Til breathless then and laughing, we fell behind a dune    

F#min7             Esus 4  +6    E         Esus 4  +6    E

Last call,           last             chance,                 

F#min7 -11 (+b)         Esus 4  +6    E         Esus 4  +6    E        

last call,                       last           dance           

                 

F maj7                 C maj 7             Esus4 Es4+6  E           

We were so high, we were so high, we were so high  

 

With salty kisses on our lips, and jose cuervo’s grin

We melted into darkness the joy of skin on skin

And when your heart beat time with mine, We lingered face to face

And found inside each other, love’s secret hiding place

Last call, last chance, last call, last dance

Words and music by james lee Stanley, @2010 The Real James Lee Stanley Music,  SESAC

 

Here We Have My Father

Here we have my father, moving kind of slow

He’s the one who taught me everything I know

Keep your word, he told me, keep the golden rule

Here we have my father, some say he raised a fool  

 

Here we see my sisters, full of joy and grace Everybody loves them

you can see it in their faces

Always have a kind word, always lend a hand

Here we see my sisters, who always understand  

 

Here we have my mother, in Texas plains somewhere

Gone but not forgotten, she’s here in every prayer

She’s the one who gave me love to light my way

And love is all that matters, (she said) Live it every day

Will you live it every day?  

 

Life goes one within you, without you too, it seems

We settle for survival or struggle for our dreams

Every day we witness the fight between right and wrong

To turn away in silence proclaims we’ve gone along

Are you gonna go along?

(extra verse)

Now everybody’s talking, but nobody’s heard

No one heeds the warning, no one says a word

Someone light a beacon, someone ring the bell

Troublesome horizon, anyone can tell

Words and music by James Lee Stanley, @2009 the real james lee stanley music, sesac 21 may 2012revision

 

Highway 23

Watching the highway line wind easy Loving you use to feel the same

Wide open and running free Now about all I see Are double lines and trouble signs  

 

Anticipation seems to speed me up Til indecision slows me down

I don’t know where to turn And there’s no time to learn

Where to go, I still don’t know  

 

A crossroads lies between us

It gives me moments more

When moments are forgiving  

Watching the highway line wind easy

Turn in my sleep and find you there

Silver the sliding moon

Morning will be here soon

Sleep won’t come and time won’t go…

Words and music by james lee stanley@2014 the real james lee stanley music, sesac

 

When You Get Right Down To It

I’ve got too much of nothing, time on my hands

And too many days I’m stoned

I don’t feel much like moving, can somebody get that phone

When you get right down to it, this is life in the loading zone  

 

If you once tried to tell me, it would turn out this way

I’d have laughed in your face for sure,

Ah, that was back in the day when I knew what life had in store

Now the question arises…what is this whole thing for.  

What’s it for?   What’s it for?  

 

Out of all we’ve accomplished and all we’ve been through

What’s the least you can do in the end?

Leave a song, leave a poem, leave a picture of way back when

When you get right down to it, either you break or you bend

 

What’s the worst that can happen?   The best you can do?

The easiest row to hoe?

The answer is simple, whether you’re high or low

When you get right down to it, there’s nobody really knows  

Nobody knows, nobody knows  

 

We can stare into darkness, blink at the sun, But see really nothing at all

Life’s a Halloween party, it’s some kind of costume ball

When you get right down to it, we’re all gonna take the fall  

 

At the line into Heaven they x-ray your clothes

The guard pats you down too slow

Then they take all your water and tell you that you can go

When you get right down to it, it’s really just who you know

Words and Music by James Lee Stanley, February 29th, 2012 on the occasion of Davy Jones’ passing

 

Last All Night

There is comfort in the ritual There is comfort in the song

There is comfort in a stranger, But it never lasts for long,

No It never lasts for long, and though you hope it might

It never lasts for long, but at least it lasts all night It lasts all night  

 

There is kindness you can count on There is kindness that is wrong

There is kindness comes from pity But it never lasts for long,

No it never lasts for long, and though you hope it might

It never lasts for long, but at least it lasts all night

 

It lasts all night   Last all night.  Lasts all night,

Lasts all night At least it lasts all night  

 

You count on me for comfort You count on kindness too

But I don’t count on anything For very long with you,

No It never lasts for long, and though I hoped it might

It never lasts for long, but at least it lasts all night  

Last all night, Lasts all night, Lasts all night 

Words and music by james lee stanley, @2009 the real james lee stanley music, sesac

 

Any Other Way

I was talking to a scarecrow

We were standing in an endless field of cornrows   

And he told me we must all dream

If we don’t dream, what is heaven for?

 

It’s a wonder, it’s a mystery

And I knew if from the moment that you kissed me

You’re my angel, my desire

And I couldn’t love you any other way  

Any other way, any other way

No I couldn’t love you any other way  

 

Like a candle, one dark candle

In the center of a room that’s bright and empty

How you tempt me, it’s a scandal

And I couldn’t love you any other way  

 

I was talking to a scarecrow

We were standing in an endless field of cornrows

And he told me, yes he told me

That I couldn’t love you any other way 

Words and music by james lee stanley @2014 the real james lee stanley music, sesac March 2nd, 2012

 

The Twinkle In Your Eye  

The first time I heard you laugh my heart just skipped a beat

I think I knew for certain then that we were bound to meet

I crossed the room to find you and I’ve never lost the rush

I feel each time you smile at me, I feel each time we touch  

There‘s a twinkle in your eye each time you look at me

A twinkle in your eye and I always feel such joy to see

The twinkle in your eye when you look at me  

 

We had our ups and downs for sure with all that we’ve been thru

I would not be the man I am today if not for you

And when I lost my own belief, you still had faith in me

Now every day I’m living for the moment I might see…  

The a twinkle in your eye each time you look at me

The twinkle in your eye    I always feel such joy to see

The twinkle in your eye when you look at me                      

 

Can’t say when things began to change.       It happened all so slow                    

Though questions cloud your starry eyes,     There’s one thing I still know.

You’ve always been there for me, now I won’t let you down

And though you can’t remember me,… I’ll always be around  

For the twinkle in your eye each time you looked at me

The twinkle in your eye   (I always felt such joy to see)

The twinkle in your eye, (I still look to see)

The twinkle in your eye, (in my heart there’ll always be)

The twinkle in your eye …when you looked at me

Words and music by james lee Stanley,  @2012 THE REAL JAMES LEE STANLEY MUSIC, feb 25 2012, Memphis, TN, Folk alliance song challenge given the phrase, humor in your eye

 

Lullabye for Chloe

Outside the window the pine trees are covered with snow

Inside there’s wood on the fire, The bedroom’s aglow

Here we’re safe and warm  Here we’re safe and warm  

 

Head to the pillow, now Say your goodbyes to the day

Here comes the sandman, He’ll guide you as you drift away

Hush now little one, Here we’re safe and warm  

 

I’m here if you need me,  Don’t worry, now just close your eyes,

You’re all tucked in now, Safe as the stars in the skies

hmmmmmmmm  

 

Hush now my little one, Soon it will be a new day

The Sandman is here, He’ll guide you as you drift away

Here we’re safe and warm  Here we’re safe and warm

words and music by james lee stanley @2013 the real james lee stanley music, sesac Chicago, February 17 2013   for john and patti’s first grandchild