The Prequel — Craig Carothers

DAY AT THE BEACH

It's not imagination gonna shake you up
That's a day at the beach
You're livin' in a dream and you gotta wake up
Before it's all out of reach

Day at the beach,
It's a day, it's a day, it's a day,
It's a day at the beach...

You gotta a lot of money, well you got a good shot
That's the lesson the teach
You gotta a lot of nothin' then it's not so hot
It's no day at the beach

Day at the beach...

How many times do you hear the headlines?
What will it take you to make up your mind?

Day at the beach...

DON’T GO OUT TONIGHT

I keep running into you
Numbers never lie
But they don't tell the whole truth

You go out where you know you can find me
I go out where I know I'll find you
It's really no accident.

He thinks that it's all behind you,
A memory
He thinks that it's over and done

But there's gonna be a moment of weakness
There's gonna be an hour of need
And that's when you run into me

What you're afraid of might be true
Don't Go Out Tonight
If I run into you
Don't Go Out Tonight
You know what we will do
Don't Go Out Tonight
You might be sorry

I don't wanna be a weekend statistic
I don't wanna hear the alcohol talk
Don't Go Out Tonight

What you're afraid of might be true...

Something's gonna happen if you go out tonight
You let it happen, you make it happen
You know what's gonna happen if you go out tonight
You might be sorry

I WON’T LET GO

I see your eye, and my heart goes out
You search the sky, still you can’t fly south
I can’t help you, but I wan’t you to know
That I won’t let go

You comb perfection, with a microscope
And throw your reflection down a slippery slope
I can’t save you, still I wan’t you to know
That I won’t let go

You’re fading fast and you’re hanging by a thread
But no one's sayin' “hey, look out below”
Forget the past, yeah, just push it from your head
And lay your bets because I won’t let go

I won’t let go...

You think you’d find someone to hold your hand
Not just end up tryin’ to lead you around
When all you need is someone to understand
When it gets crazy, and you go tumblin’ down

Now your standin’ there like you’re gagged & bound
Never move a muscle, never make a sound
I can’t reach you, but I wan’t you to know
That I won’t let go

I won’t let go...

YOUR SIDE

So you‘re comin‘ back around,
You must have changed your mind
That‘s fine with me
I tried to track you down,
But you were just too hard to find

Meantime I locked away anything that could be broken
And I walked away ’cause I was standing in the open

What do you want me to believe?
I wanna hear your story
I wanna be on your side
I only know what I can see
I wanna hear your story
I wanna be on your side

Be on your side
Be on your side

Well it‘s nice to see your face
You get me with your eyes,
Without tryin‘
And when I saw you in the place,
Well it took me back in time

Before I walked away ’cause I was standing in the open
And I locked away anything that could be broken

What do you want me to believe?
I wanna hear your story
I wanna be on your side
I only know what I can see
I wanna hear your story
I wanna be on your side

Be on your side...

WORLD NEWS

Here in the melting pot we're just about to boil
And you can watch it on the World News
They got the corner on the trauma and turmoil
Hey did you catch it on the World News?

Each night we get the picture
Holy wars and bombs and torture
If it's too much to handle
You can always change the channel

It's enough to make you run and hide your head
The way they tell it on the World News
So depressing that you can't get out of bed
After you listen to the World News

Death and disaster came into my living room
So I could watch it on the World News
How much faster can we drive the road to ruin
Maybe they'll tell us on the World News

Each night we get to see them
Talk about the cost of freedom
With all this blood as payment
Is it only entertainment

You say there's not a thing a man can do
About the trouble in the World News
I say your corner of the world is up to you
You make a difference if you want to

World News...

SNOWMAN

So far north the needle spins
But I'm not going south again
Now the snow feels hot against my skin
And my tears turn to ice
Up on the mountain
Waiting for you

I stand here on the frozen ground
The whisper of the cold wind is the only sound
Now the arms of winter wrap around
And my tears turn to ice
Up on the mountain
Waiting for you

They call me the snowman
This is snowman's land
I'm the snowman

And if the sun begins to shine
They will not find this heart of mine
I'll melt away and leave no trace behind

I thought that you would change everything
But my tears turn to ice
Tears turn to ice
Yeah my tears turn to ice
Tears turn to ice
My tears turn to ice
Up on the mountain

DRIVE ME AWAY

I get the message I can take a hint
Actions speak louder than words
You make a motion, I can take it in
Actions speak louder than words

I don't care what you say you're gonna do
I just wanna see you follow through

Or else you're gonna drive me away
I think you wanna drive me away
Drive me away
Why do you wanna drive me away?

You've got a secret, but you won't let it out
Actions speak louder than words
But all your silence is crying out loud
Actions speak louder, so much louder

I don't care what you say you're gonna do
I just wanna see you follow through

Or else you're gonna drive me away.
Why do you wanna drive me away?
Drive me away
I think you're gonna drive me away
Drive me away
Why do you wanna drive me away?

You're breakin' promises as fast as you can
No chances taken even on the modern man
You are mistaken if you think I understand

Drive me away
Why do you wanna drive me away?
Drive me away
I think you're gonna drive me away
Drive me away

LAY YOUR WEAPONS DOWN

The blood of battle on your sleeve
I know it well,
I know it well and I can see
The shadow of your memory

I am not standing where you are
I am away,
I am away - but not too far
I still can feel my battle scars

Your armor must be melted down
You have no need of sword and shield
It's never easy laying down your guard
I know exactly how you feel

Lay your weapons down
Lay your weapons down
Lay your weapons down
Lay your weapons down

This may not be the perfect time
The freedom cry fresh on your lips and in your eye
Still carving out some peace of mind

But those defenses that you build
So strong and high
So well defined, the ones you build
They keep me out but lock you in

Your armor must be melted down...

I will not put up any fight
I am not good at waiting games
I want to have you in my life, my love
And I believe you feel the same

Lay your weapons down

EVERYWHERE

Search the faces in the place I always see you
But I know yours isn't there
Still at every sound I turn around
I think I see you every where

Everywhere
Think I see you everywhere
Everywhere, everywhere
Think I see you everywhere

Not your picture in the paper, not your picture in the magazine
They couldn't capture you
But from the corner of my eye in every car that passes by
Everybody looks like you

Everywhere...

How many places can you be
My eyes are playing tricks on me
But it's your face I think I see
Everywhere

In the quiet of the night I sit and stare out through my open window
And like a vision you appear
And even if I close my eyes you're like some kind of shining light
Everywhere I go

Shining Everywhere...

FORGET ABOUT HEAVEN

I see your light on but I can't come in
so I drive around the block
I think I'm actin' like a fool again
but I don't know how to stop

I don't go down by your street anymore
'cause it's the little things that make me crazy
so now I try and put it out of my mind,
but how can I forget about heaven?

I write these letters then I tear them up
'cause everything's been said
it won't be better if I call you up
why can't I get it through my head?

I know someday you're gonna let your hair down
wish I could be around to see it like that
now I gotta put it out of my mind,
but how can I forget about heaven?

Forget about heaven
can you forget about heaven
Forget about heaven
I can't forget about heaven

BUILD A WINDOW

You're out of the cold, you're going to be alright
And when you are strong you don't need a place to hide
So I go along and hope you will see the light

Build a window,
Build a window,
Build a window
Not a wall

Got that look in your eye, and you've put a hold on your heart
If you don't wanna try, it's uneven right from the start
But I guess I know why you want to fight it so hard

Build a window...

I know you've been scared and always running away
And now you take care to stay out of trouble's way
But don't close your eyes, you'll live to regret it one day

Build a window...

THE FOLD

Didn't your mother call you angel in her lullabies?
Didn't she tell you angels never fight?
You never hear an angel raising up her voice in rage

Oh, but it’s all right
You can raise your voice tonight
If there's tarnish on your halo
Welcome to the family
Just one shadow on your X-ray
Welcome to the family
Welcome to the fold

Didn't your father call you princess when you were just small?
Didn't he say a princess never bows?
You never see a princess with her crown about to fall

Oh, but it's all right
You can lose the crown tonight

If there's tarnish on your halo
Welcome to the family
Just one shadow on your X-ray
Welcome to the family
Welcome to the family

Nothing now will change your memories
But you can change your mind
If it scares you, not to worry
It will take some time
When you hear those voices in your head
They cannot hurt the skin you shed

Is there's tarnish on your halo...
Welcome to the family
Just one shadow on your X-ray
Welcome to the family
Welcome to the family
Welcome to the fold

IMPORT EXPORT

Look into the ska in Jamaica
Look into the British invasion
Look into the ska in Jamaica
Look into the British invasion
Look into the rock 'n roll in the USA

Import export
A cultural exchange
Import export
Customs remain

Rastas move up to London
English beat to America
Rastas move up to London
English beat to America
Gospel 'n soul down to the islands

Import export...

Look into the ska in Jamaica
Look into the British invasion

Import export
A cultural exchange
Import Export
Customs remain
Import Export
Supply and demand of
Import Export
Reggae propaganda