Solo — Craig Carothers

SURPRISE, SURPRISE

Sad and sorry here you stand
Suitcase and humble pie in hand
Guess you had a change of plan
Surprise, surprise

I still recall your fare-thee-well
When you told me I could go to hell
Now you're trying to un-ring that bell
Surprise, surprise

I don't know what you thought you'd find
But I'm not the one you left behind
So if you've come back lookin' for what used to be
You're gonna need your fool
But that's not me
Cause I got wise
Surprise, surprise

Don't tell me, let me guess
You’ve had a change of heartlessness
Now you’re crawlin' back to your old address
Surprise, surprise

Gone for good, that's what you swore
Nothin' here to come back for
But now look who's darkening my door
Surprise, surprise

I don't know what you thought you'd find
But I'm not the one you left behind
So if you've come back lookin' for what used to be
You're gonna need your fool
But that's not me
Cause I got wise
Surprise, surprise

Maybe you've got nowhere else to go.. or
Maybe you just wanna make amends, I don't know...

But if you've come back lookin' for what used to be
You're gonna need your fool
And that's not me
No I don't know what you thought you'd find
But I'm not the one you left behind
No I got wise...

Sad and sorry here you stand...

LOOKS LIKE YOU

As the sun sets down the hall
And the darkness starts to fall
There's a shadow on my wall
That looks like you

And it happens every night
And though it's just a trick of light
When the moon shines in just right
That looks like you

Looks like you, looks like you
Looks like you made you're mind up you're not comin' back
Looks like me and my jealous heart we made sure of that
Now the shape of the cold hard truth
Looks like you

My heart still races
In all our old familiar places
Every time I see a face
That looks like you

It's a habit I can't break
Every time I double take
But it's just one more mistake
That looks like you

Looks like you, looks like you
Looks like you made you're mind up you're not comin' back
Looks like me and my jealous heart we made sure of that
Now the shape of the cold hard truth
Looks like you

Someday I'll be free
But until that day I'll be
Clinging to this memory
That looks like you

Looks like you, looks like you
Looks like you made you're mind up you're not comin' back
Looks like me and my jealous heart we made sure of that
Now the shape of the cold hard truth
Looks like you

Now I see the shape of the cold hard truth and it looks like you

ISN’T THAT A GOOD ONE?

A few of us we got together
Thought we’d play a little joke
And Steve would be the object
Of our, our clever hoax

We’d stage a little kidnap
Only let it go so far
Drive around and have some laughs with Steve
In the trunk of the car

Isn’t that a good one?
Don’t that take the cake?
I know we’ll all be laughin’
Lookin’ back on this one day

So we snatched him up on Friday,
And drove out to the pier
And left him there while we went in to Sam’s
For shots and beers

Man, time flies when you’ve been drinkin’
Soon we were closin’ down the place
And we went outside to turn him loose and found
That empty parking space

Isn’t that a good one?
Don’t that take the cake?
I hope we’ll all be laughin’
Lookin’ back on this one day

They pulled that car out of the water
And the trunk was open wide
Soon they started askin’ questions when
There was no Steve inside

Steve, I hope you’re on the beach somewhere
And didn’t come to any harm
‘cause all of us are wonderin’ still
in here behind these bars

Isn’t that a good one?
Don’t that take the cake?
I still pray, we’ll all be laughin’
Lookin’ back on this one day

I GUESS I SHOWED THEM

D'you see that picture in the paper
Of that smokin' armored car
They say the culprit got away
But he won't get too far

Well I bet he's laughin' at 'em
In fact I know I am
Laying here on this bed of green
That's nearly 50 grand

They didn't think I had it in me
They won't make that mistake again
Thought I'd never amount to nothin'
But I guess I showed them
I guess I showed them

Far back as I remember
All those good people in my town
Made me out some kind of loser
And felt obliged to keep me down

I swore someday they'd be sorry
For makin' me the laughin' stock
And the night the grange hall caught on fire
All the laughin' stopped

They didn't think I had it in me
They won't make that mistake again
Thought I'd never amount to nothin'
But I guess I showed them
I guess I showed them

Outside the crowd's divided
Let him live or let him fry
But the Governor's decided
That it’s my day to die

Turns out that bank guard didn't make it
I had a feeling when he fell
And with his widow's testimony
They think they're sending me to hell

But last night I talked to Jesus
And he forgave me all my sins
So you can put this on my tombstone
“I guess I showed them”
I guess I showed them

They didn't think I had it in me
They won't make that mistake again
Thought I'd never amount to nothin'
But I guess I showed them

Just what I was made of
My true colors in the end
They thought I'd never amount to nothin'
But I guess I showed them
I guess I showed them

TIME STANDS STILL

Violets and Belladonna
Around her room
I lie here spellbound
On a grey afternoon
Late afternoon
She loves me not
she loves me

I’m a feather on her whim
I can’t wait ‘til
We’re together once again
And time stands still

She loves me not, she loves me
It’s understood
And I will stay
Because we got it so good
Yeah, it’s so good
Outside the leaves are burning

I’m a feather on her whim
I can’t wait ‘til
We’re together once again
And time stands still

Outside the leaves are burning
The moon appears
Soon she will be returning
The moment is near
The moment is here

I’m a feather on her whim
I can’t wait ‘til
We’re together once again
And time stands still

10,000 YEARS

In 10,000 years when they dig up my bones
They'll know all about me and how I died alone
They'll find traces of salt from my drowning in tears
The ones that I cried
That fell on deaf ears
In 10,000 years

In 10,000 years when I'm the big find
They'll line up to see me, the last of my kind
I won't even be nervous at my own premiere
Come see the hopeless romantic
Long gone but still here
After 10,000 years

Feels like a lifetime alone but I haven't given up hope
No I'm still hangin' on, but I'm near the end of my rope
Won't you please come home

In 10,000 years I'll be makin' the rounds
Schools and museums
Every city and town
There'll be T-shirts, and keychains, coffee cup souvenirs
They'll be selling like hotcakes
Till they all disappear
In 10,000 years

Feels like a lifetime alone but I haven't given up hope
No I'm still hangin' on, but I'm near the end of my rope
Won't you please come home
Please come home

In 10,000 years they'll unearth my remains
But I won't feel grateful and I won't feel pain
No I'll be as cold as the moon's atmosphere
The way are are now
So cold and so clear
And nowhere to be found
In 10,000 years

NO ONE GETS CLOSE

I know it's not polite to ask
Do you ever drop the mask?
Does anybody see your face
Or do you scare 'em all away

I believe you do
No one gets close to you

Nothing ever means that much
Not if it adds up to trust
You wouldn't wanna take the chance
Of weakening the warrior stance

No one gets close
In a million years
No weakness shows
And you hide your tears
No one gets close
No one gets close
No one gets close to you

No one can see you
Not even light gets through
Now I believe you
No one gets close to you

Nothing has become of us
But you're not even curious
You act as if you've always known
But where do the shut-outs go?

SHE NEEDS ME

My baby got a high IQ
Big job, big paycheck too
She's a gourmet cook
Her vichyssoise is off the hook

She plays the fiddle and the violin
Depending on the kind of mood she's in
She can dance and sing
Hell she can do anything

But still a woman's got needs
That call for a man like me

When it's time to kill a spider
Take out the trash or change a tire
If there's a jar with a lid too tight
Or strange noises downstairs in the middle of the night
If it's raining I can walk the dog
And every time the toilet's clogged
I'm down on my knees
Thank God she needs me

Cause she's the independent kind
A good woman of heart and mind
With a will so strong
It got her through the Boston marathon

She's a pilot and an engineer
Fire department volunteer
She's not a timid soul
Oh, and did I mention that she hablas Español

But I understand
That she still needs a man

When it's time to kill a spider
Take out the trash or change a tire
If there's a jar with a lid too tight
Or strange noises downstairs in the middle of the night
If it's raining I can walk the dog
And every time the toilet's clogged
I'm down on my knees
Thank God she needs me

When she's feelin' lonely
For a little heart to heart
And when she's in that special mood...

Like when it’s time move the sofa
Or practice something that she learned on Oprah
Rakin’ up a bag of leaves
Or hauling off the Christmas tree
Spider, tire, trash, or jar
Or settin’ up the DVR
I'm down on my knees
Thank God she needs me
Thank God she needs me

DON’T LISTEN

You made up your mind,
You made up your mind
But your hands still shake
Give it time, give it some time
You’re up on brand new legs

And all the bad dreams that you couldn’t sleep through
Will vanish in the distance and they won’t bother you anymore

Step into your new life
Hit the floor and kick up your heels
Circumstances from the past
Can’t hold you in their grasp
When You’re on a mission
And if anybody tries
To tell you otherwise
Don’t listen

After while, after a while
Those worry lines will fade
A few more miles, just a few more miles
When you’re beyond this place

And all the baggage that you carried this far
How can you claim it when that’s not who you are anymore?

Step into your new life
Hit the floor and kick up your heels
Circumstances from the past
Can’t hold you in their grasp
When You’re on a mission
And if anybody tries
To tell you otherwise
Don’t listen

I know it’s hard letting go
Take a deep breath, and take it slow

When You’re on a mission
And if anybody tries
To tell you otherwise
Don’t listen

HE STILL SEES HER YOUNGER

He still sees her younger
Sees the girl inside
Full of hope and wonder
And loved her at first sight

He knows they’re older now
But in his mind
He still sees her younger
After all this time

It still seems like yesterday
When he first saw her face
And she took his breath away
With such amazing grace

It doesn't feel so long ago
When he closes his eyes
He still sees her younger
After all this time

She never ages, never changes
There inside his heart

He still sees her younger
Sees the girl inside
Full of hope and wonder
After all this time

He still sees her younger
After all this time

A BLUE STATE

The votes have been counted
All the precincts are in
One side conceding
While another one wins

Banners and streamers
Both furled and unfurled
It's a brand new beginning
It's the end of the world

I'm in a blue, blue state
But not blue like the sky or the ocean
Yeah it's a sad sad place
And I don't like the view
But I'm just passin' through
This blue, blue state

The party is over
Yeah, all bets are off
Hope is abandoned
And paradise lost

There's no silver lining
No, I only see red
Out across the horizon
As darkness descends

In a blue, blue state
But not blue like the sky or the ocean
Yeah it's a sad sad place
And I don't like the view
But I'm just passin' through
This blue, blue state

It's just temporary
But it looks pretty scary from here
Stormy weather
That may not get better for years

And I don't like the view
But I'll make it through
This blue, blue state

HANGIN’ ON

We had a rift underneath the clouded moon
And careless words were said
You turned away and vanished into your room
And lay cryin’ on your bed

I came upstairs and was pounding at your door
Though you warned me give you time
But all noise and fury I pressed the matter more
And no refuge could you find

And I’m hangin’ on
To the way it used to be
I’m hangin’ on
Though you’re not comin’ back I know
I’m hangin’ on
There must be something wrong with me
For hangin’ on
I don’t know why I can’t let go

As you called for your carriage it started to rain
Though I begged you please do stay
You took the reins and shouted out the stallion’s name
And I watched you speed away

I ran down to the stables and saddled my mare
And came after in good chase
Following the ruts that your wheels had laid there
In that dark and stormy race

And I’m hangin’ on
To the way it used to be
I’m hangin’ on
Though you’re not comin’ back I know
I’m hangin’ on
There must be something wrong with me
For hangin’ on
I don’t know why I can’t let go

The lightning flashed and the thunder hit
And the mare was spooked and shy
And out ahead I could glean your silhouette
Painted stark against the sky

Then one report from the cannons of hell
Caused your stallion to rear back
And the carriage turned over and you both fell
Disappearing into the black

And I’m hangin’ on
To the way it used to be
I’m hangin’ on
Though you’re not comin’ back I know
I’m hangin’ on
There must be something wrong with me
For hangin’ on
I don’t know why I can’t let go

I came upon you so still in the roar
And I pulled you to my chest
But your dear heart wasn’t beating anymore
And your lungs they held no breath

Three days later they laid you down
Though I could not venture near
But in the distance you’ll still hear the sound
The falling of my guilty tears

And I’m hangin’ on
To the way it used to be
I’m hangin’ on though you’re not comin' back I know
I’m hangin’ on
A rope tied to a tree
I’m hangin’ on
And I’m never letting go

A BETTER PLACE

Now we’ll never work it out, never get it right
It wasn’t in the stars, though Heaven knows we tried
But somewhere in our history we got on different paths
Until only slings and arrows could get across the gap, but...

Nothing can hurt you now
You’ve gone beyond the war and all that fighting
Just lay that burden down we’ll speak of it no more
Whatever is done is done and time cannot erase all those memories
Nothing can hurt you now, or stop you on your way to a better place
It’s a better place

We were always on a rocky road, forever bumping heads
We’ve both got our scars and more than a few regrets
But you shouldn’t have to try so hard just to get along
It hardly matters anymore just who was right and who was wrong, ’cause...

Nothing can hurt you now
You’ve gone beyond our war and all that fighting
Just let that curtain down we’ll speak of it no more
Whatever is done is done and time cannot erase all those memories
Nothing can hurt you now, or stop you on your way to a better place

Maybe in another life, another place and time
We’ll lay our armor down and leave the past behind

Just lay that burden
Whatever is done is done and time cannot erase all those memories
And nothing can hurt you now, or stop you on your way
To a better place
It’s a better place

SURPRISE, SURPRISE

LOOKS LIKE YOU

ISN’T THAT A GOOD ONE?

I GUESS I SHOWED THEM

TIME STANDS STILL

10,000 YEARS

NO ONE GETS CLOSE

SHE NEEDS ME

DON’T LISTEN

HE STILL SEES HER YOUNGER

A BLUE STATE

HANGIN’ ON

A BETTER PLACE

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