1. THE KILLER INSTINCT

We all wear our hunger on our heart
In the cold blooded academy of ghetto streets
It ain't treason if it's a good reason
We're only as real as the promises we keep
The strength of the wolf lies in the pack
And the loneliness can get you in trouble
Let's go feed the vultures down in this concrete jungle

There's a flag of inconvenience
that flies above this town
Where they build you up to touch the sky
Before they bring you down

You gotta live with a killer instinct
You gotta die a little to survive
You gotta love with a killer instinct
You gotta hurt a little to get by

The streets have burned since midnight
There's tension in the air
Another waste of time and life in another warlord's lair
Just one more shot in the mainline
Straighter than a preacher's dream
All the animals come out at night
It's a sundown primal scene

There's a flag of inconvenience
that flies above this town
Where they build you up to touch the sky
Before they bring you down

You gotta live with a killer instinct
You gotta die a little to survive
You gotta love with a killer instinct
You gotta hurt a little to get by

There's no saints in the wild kingdom
You gotta prowl like a beast of prey
You gotta live with a killer instinct
You gotta die a little everyday

You gotta live with a killer instinct
You gotta die a little to survive
You gotta love with a killer instinct
You gotta hurt a little to get by

You gotta live with a killer instinct
You gotta die a little to survive
You gotta love with a killer instinct
You gotta hurt a little to get by


2. BULLET BLUES

Drop the needle on the 45
What a crime to make life so tough
Another Sunday morning
In your Saturday clothes
Meeting your shadow when you've had enough
Lost reality's a lonely place
One way ticket to the blues
Don't take a chance if you know what you want
Heads you win, tails I lose

Get me out of this state of disgrace
When the moon gets too close
I'm so out of place
Take me out of this state of disgrace
There's nothing worse than being too late

Oh lord, help me and my bullet blues
Oh lord, help me please
My bullet blues
What am I gonna do

I put your picture up on my wall
I drank 'til you came alive
Your baby blues said nothing at all
I sat and watched you until I cried

Get me out of this state of disgrace
When the moon gets too close
I'm so out of place
Take me out of this state of disgrace
There's nothing worse than being too late

Oh lord, help me and my bullet blues
Oh lord, help me please
My bullet blues
What am I gonna do

All these immoral lies
Of virtue, vice and war
They burn, scar and scandalize
Nobody listens anymore
For judge and jury I've played the part
No surprises left in store
Show me a man that ain't gonna die
Give me a life worth living for

Get me out of this state of disgrace
When the moon gets too close
I'm so out of place
Take me out of this state of disgrace
There's nothing worse than being too late

Oh lord, help me and my bullet blues
Oh lord, help me please
My bullet blues
What am I gonna do


3. FINEST HOUR

Time turns another page
And a million years go passing by
Broken heartstrings and guitar strings
You and me all down the line
Running wild carving our names
On anything that we could find

Are you in there anymore my friend?
Are you in there anymore my friend?

This could be our finest hour
This could be our Shangri La
This could be our finest hour
If only we could keep it together
We could find our way

When the bands would come to town
We'd steal the money and go to the show
Singing their songs on the way down
Gave us something worth singing for
We were sixteen chasing our dreams
You and me all down that road

Are you in there anymore my friend?
Are you in there anymore my friend?

This could be our finest hour
This could be our Shangri La
This could be our finest hour
If only we could keep it together
We could find our way

Did we look better in black and white?
I don't know? I think so
I think I almost loved you then
That was such a long time ago

I shoulda called you I coulda wrote you
Just to know if you were alright
I know it's hard to stay on the highway
When you get off to look at the sights
So let's pretend we're still together
And We never said goodnight

Are you in there anymore my friend?
Are you in there anymore my friend?

This could be our finest hour
This could be our Shangri La
This could be our finest hour
If only we could keep it together
We could find our way


4. SOLDIERSTOWN

There's a stranger on the road tonight
On the way to Soldierstown
A stranger with his coat pulled tight
And his collar buttoned down
A stranger every sinner knows
A seasoned man of war
Marching to the fires of hell
Scarred by the cannon's roar

They know he's bound for Soldierstown
It's written on the moon
They're pulling all the shutters down
Listening fearful of his tune
He'll sing his song of sixpence
Break his fist upon a door
They know the score in Soldierstown
He's journeyed here before

There is no choice, no compromise
Give up one of your kin
(Tar a thighearna tar a thi)
To save the other children
To save your bone and skin
Tonight's the night, you must decide
Which son will stay or go
(Tar a thighearna tar a thi)
The devil rides in Soldierstown
His boots cut through the snow

A shadow falls on windows
Praying that he'll pass
Listening for the death knell
Of his breath upon the glass
You all must lose a finger
If you wish to save a hand
The stranger chants a mantra
That the townsfolk understand

Now every son and daughter
Has been taken in the night
Condemned they say to slaughter
If they dare to take the fight
It's midnight out in Soldierstown
There's a knock upon the door
The youngest pushed out in the snow
To save the other four

You can hear the screams in Belfast town
Or so the story goes
(Tar a thighearna tar a thi)
You can trace the sets of footprints
In the deepest winter snows
There's nothing here in Soldierstown
Save misery and poain
(Tar a thighhearna tar a thi)
The crops all failed in Soldierstown
They never grew again

The stranger though, misunderstood
Had to come to save their young
To steal them from their poverty
Turn their faces to the sun
To a place where law and love were taught
And peace it overflowed
One night a soulless father
Met the stranger on the road

I'll fight until one of us dies
He screamed into his face
(Tar a thighhearna tar a thi)
I admire your noble notion
Said the stranger, touched by grace
But first please let me show you
Where the young you gave me play
(Tar a thighhearna tar a thi)
In meadows filled with laughter
Growing wiser by the day

One day your son may save you all
From the hell of Soldierstown
But take him back the stranger cried
His patience wearing down
A stranger came to Soldierstown
When twenty years had passed
Looking for his father
Breathing slowly on the glass...

There is no choice, no compromise
Give up one of your kin
(Tar a thighhearna tar a thi)
To save the other children
To save your bone and skin
Tonight's the night, you must decide
Which son will stay or go
(Tar a thighhearna tar a thi)
The devil rides in Soldierstown
His boots cut through the snow

You can here the screams in Belfast town
Or so the story goes
(Tar a thighhearna tar a thi)
You can trace the sets of footprints
In the deepest winter snows
There's nothing here in Soldierstown
Save misery and pain
(Tar a thighhearna tar a thi)
The devil rides in Soldierstown
He's smiling once again


5. CHARLIE I GOTTA GO

I hawked around all my promises
Gave away every gave
If you never take a gamble
All the horses look the same
A man obsessed is a man possessed
Coattail riding a dreamer's dream
It's a fine line between love and fascination
It's a movie that I've already seen

Charlie I gotta go
Don't wanna hang around here no more
Charlie I gotta go
The summer's gone, your heart's grown cold
Sorry Charlie, I gotta go

Got in a whole heap of trouble
Yeah, stuff kept happening that year
Before the Altamont Speedway
Before love turned to fear
Seen it all on the treeline
Seen it all through my scope
But the words of a guru
Just get stuck in my throat

Charlie I gotta go
Don't wanna hang around here no more
Charlie I gotta go
The summer's gone, your heart's grown cold
Sorry Charlie, I gotta go

There's a world full of losers
Who cut and run too soon
Left to rot with the users
Left to howl at the moon
But I'm outta this canyon
I ain't digging this scene no more
Love ain't all you need, Charlie
I'm gonna walk out that door

Charlie I gotta go
Don't wanna hang around here no more
Charlie I gotta go
The summer's gone, your heart's grown cold
Sorry Charlie, I gotta go

If a million more like me
Left with time on the clock
Stood outside of the circle
Watched the lambs in the dock
Hey I'm still feeling the sunshine
But my breath's all but gone
I'm still taking the hard line
Through the words of a song

Charlie I gotta go
Don't wanna hang around here no more
Charlie I gotta go
The summer's gone, your heart's grown cold
Sorry Charlie, I gotta go


6. BLINDSIDED

Why should I live in history?
Condemned To a life of coulda been
I quit takin' dope, I quit drinking whiskey
I quit takin' chances

I gave her the ring my mother gave me
She said meet at the station 4:30
So I sit here waiting, patiently
Why should I live in history?

When the world shines up dirt
And calls it coal
They're selling the light at the church
At the end of the road
When angel's wings run out of veins
Looks like I'm blindsided once again

Why should I live in history?
Gave away my gun and joined the scene
Resurrection Mary's gonna set me free
Now, I'm a believer

But this mocking bird is mocking me
She's four hours late and I'm all at sea
One little taste is all it takes
To get me back to history

When the world shines up dirt
And calls it coal
They're selling the light at the church
At the end of the road
When angel's wings run out of veins
Looks like I'm blindsided once again

If I gave a damn of what you thought
I'd give you the bottle and ask
Now the streets are dead and I'm ashamed
Think I'll go call upon my past!
I'm all out of hope
I'm all out of you
There's nothing left
There's nothing new
And your judgement day is long past due
Now what am I supposed to do

Why should I live in history?
Underneath this tin foil moon
I just got tired of waiting around
For you to change your tune

In my desire for your company
If only time would let me be
And stop the world from stopping me
Why should I live in history?

When the world shines up dirt
And calls it coal
They're selling the light at the church
At the end of the road
When angel's wings run out of veins
Looks like I'm blindsided once again


7. THROUGH THE MOTIONS

Well, I've giving you all I got
Now I'm nothing
So get back to your own sweet oblivion
I'm going out to get hurt tonight
That's all there
We might as well just keep on dancing
I put my faith in original sin
A lifetime of lies went undiscovered
I put it all on black until I won it back
I left no tracks uncovered

You better change some things
Or some things are gonna change

Do you
Do you ever get the notion?
'Cuz you're
'Cuz you're going through the motions
You
Do you ever get the notion?
That you're
That you're just going round again

Modesty dies the minute we're born
You learn to swear before you can talk
Every fool that preys on honor and faith
Knows deep inside that the game is lost
The years we wasted, the tears we tasted
Tattoed our lovers' names under our skin
Be your own messiah in this mortal coled world
A halo, wings, horns and a tail

You better change some things
Or some things are gonna change

Do you
Do you ever get the notion?
'Cuz you're
'Cuz you're going through the motions
You
Do you ever get the notion?
That you're
That you're just going round again

Threw in my money and made a wish
wished for my own independence
So run on home before it's dark
Pull out the arrows
From your bleeding heart

Do you
Do you ever get the notion?
'Cuz you're
'Cuz you're going through the motions
You
Do you ever get the notion?
That you're
That you're just going round again


8. SEX, GUNS & GASOLINE

Billy went way out west
With a pawn shop stereo
And a junkie promise to himself
He left his soul on the bathroom floor of a Texaco
Tina was a blessing and a curse
An angel with a bullet in reverse
Never met the devil only God on junk
Black motorcycle boots she was on the run
Before she was all grown up

Sex, guns and gasoline
Make a poor boy richer than he's ever been
Love, hate and kerosene
Ease a dirty mind burn your conscience clean
Take it out on faith or call it a sin
Sex, guns and gasoline

Billy got a '38
Make his Saturday night so special
And a highway star that ran across his face
From his jawbone to his temple
Tina could been miss understood
In the land of Tulepo honey
While the emirs in his counting house
Counting oil and money
Before she was all grown up
Don't you love their wild ways

Sex, guns and gasoline
Make a poor boy richer than he's ever been
Love, hate and kerosene
Ease a dirty mind burn your conscience clean
Take it out on faith or call it a sin
Sex, guns and gasoline

Living is hard
When nothing dies easy
Living is hard
When you're on the run
Living is hard
When nothing dies easy
Tumbling dice you want the moon
All you got is a needle and a spoon

Before they're all grown up
Don't you love their wild ways

Sex, guns and gasoline
Make a poor boy richer than he's ever been
Love, hate and kerosene
Ease a dirty mind burn your conscience clean
Take it out on faith or call it a sin
Sex, guns and gasoline


9. TURN IN YOUR ARMS

C'mon let's go outside
Outside into the rain
I want to hear the cars go by
Smell the streets again
I Want to hear a raven's cry
C'mon let's taste the sea
I want to know where it all went wrong
Cause I'm standing on the "T"

MacKenzie rides again tonight
Across the prairie in pale moonlight
Soldiers of dust head for liquor stores
Outdated laws cause uncivil wars
Where's the point of no return
Unspoken word tear, slash and burn
Once were warriors of the nation
Now chase the wind in reservations

There's a new messiah
In this lethal paradise
So come home john and don't stay long
I know the wolves' howl
And the lightning strikes
So let's bury your dead and turn in your arms
Let's bury your dead and turn in your arms

I hear the call from the wild frontier
Still smell the blood, I taste the fear
Ain't given no quarter under the gun
They sold the land my people walk on
Like a blind man I'll follow your lead
Understanding is a nothing on which I believe
If you keep on keep coming I'll be back for more
Ice cold prison I hate and adore

There's a new messiah
In this lethal paradise
So come home john and don't stay long
I know the wolves' howl
And the lightning strikes
So let's bury your dead and turn in your arms
Let's bury your dead and turn in your arms


10. YOU LITTLE LIAR

You little liar
Lying through your teeth
You little liar
Why should I believe?
You little liar
You're just a common thief
You little liar
You little cheat

I don't need you to set me free
I want you to know

That I'm through
Through pulling you
Out of the fire
Pull me into the flames
You see I'm through
Through pulling you
Out of the fire
So pull me into the flames
You little liar

You little liar
Now I know the truth
You little liar
You're born to lose
You little liar
I'm done being used
You little liar
You little fool

I don't need you to set me free
I want you to know

That I'm through
Through pulling you
Out of the fire
Pull me into the flames
You see I'm through
Through pulling you
Out of the fire
So pull me into the flames
You little liar

Maybe, someday, sometime, somewhere
Somebody will pick you up
And hang you out to dry
This self-delusion
Is so confusing
Your dirty little white lies

I'm through
Through pulling you
Out of the fire
Pull me into the flames
You see I'm through
Through pulling you
Out of the fire
So pull me into the flames
You little liar


11. GABRIELLE

Angels name don't go down well
When you come from round this way
But even I could make a case
When you're asking me to stay
Cause I can fall for every word
That leaves that Celtic tongue
I could walk from all I know
With all my past undone

Oh oh Gabrielle
Oh oh Gabrielle
If I say I love you
Would you kiss and tell?
Oh oh Gabrielle

That rainy summer morning
I watched you from afar
Knew every raindrop by its name
I was standing there for hours
There were other invitations
And I could have sent you one
But I just keep on waiting
For that miracle to come

Oh oh Gabrielle
Oh oh Gabrielle
If I say I love you
Would you kiss and tell?
Oh oh Gabrielle

I can see the lights of our hometown
Shining in the night
Sad songs on the radio
Make everything seem right
Maybe I'm still hurting?
Should I turn the other cheek?
I know I'm still in love with you
I'm too afraid to speak

Oh oh Gabrielle
Oh oh Gabrielle
If I say I love you
Would you kiss and tell?
Oh oh Gabrielle


12. THE RECKONING DAY

One day the wind stopped blowing
The dust stayed on the hood
One day the hit kept growing
So we walked away for good
One day the kid I used to know
Came marching into town
Strung out his demons showing
His confidence shot down

If you value your freedom
Watch what you're dealing
How high a price will you pay?
Brothers and sisters
Vagabonds and drifters
Don't give it all away
Got no aces left to play
Here comes the reckoning day

One day I gave up hoping
You would see a little light
One day I gave up praying
That time would put you right
I ain't cuz I don't love you man
I ain't cuz I don't care
I'm looking for tomorrow
But I just don't see you there

If you value your freedom
Watch what you're dealing
How high a price will you pay?
Brothers and sisters
Vagabonds and drifters
Don't give it all away
Got no aces left to play
Here comes the reckoning day

One day you're gonna wake up
Face up to what you did
One day you're gonna realize
That you're not a little kid
One day the world stopped turning
No one would pay the bail
One day they all just leave you
Chasing dragons in the jail
Now I guess it rains when you need it
I guess it pours when you don't
And these letters that I sent
Just forget I ever wrote

If you value your freedom
Watch what you're dealing
How high a price will you pay?
Brothers and sisters
Vagabonds and drifters
Don't give it all away
Got no aces left to play
Here comes the reckoning day