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Pretend You Don't Know Me

by Anthony Oscar

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1.
Pretend you don’t know me— Pretend that I’ve never said a word Gather up all of my belongings and set them outside on the curb Imagine what happened the first time our thoughts were overheard I’m struggling through slumber My mind winds into a knot Twisting & turning every possibility I’ve got Doubling over before I get the chance to take a shot Strange ideas in the afternoon, weird sleep every night when it feels like they’re after you, you’re probably right There’s changes in the weather Like you like to change the way you wear your hair The changes in the world today have left us feeling unprepared Rock and roll the windows down, Let the sirens swim through the air I’ve got a lot inside me If you drive me I will drive you crazy in the afternoon, weird sleep all night because when it feels like they are after you, you’re probably right— when at last the night takes over & you drift off to dream, I’ll be behind the glass trying to find out what it means to have strange ideas
2.
Brainstorms 03:27
The cloud has been keeping me alive, telling me where to go & what to buy & all around the world is weird— I cut my hair & shaved my beard watch while the sky grows awful dark we are all plugged into one big heart wait a minute I’ll call back soon— before too long I’ll be with you & if you want I’ll fix some tea a cup for you, a couple cups for me we’ll sit and talk the whole night through— watch the sun replace the moon & cut me roses for my bed so many brainstorms in my head it rains and rains & rains some more but that is what I am thankful for so, remind me to tell you my dreams & wake me if I start to scream a dark horse keep me up at night neighing, braying, trying to fight me I’d fly around the whole wide world to be your boy, to be your girl & learn things that I never knew I’ll call you if I am feeling blue
3.
Gravity 02:41
If you fall like sugar falls from inside my mouth will you let me hold you by the hand & if it feels unexpected from this height— you feel weightless? will you let me hold you tight? Will you breathe deep into me, let me close your eyes? There’s no need to try to see just how high we may be Silently, we let ourselves inside gravity is actually a constant feeling that pulls me down gently to the ground & makes me think of you I’m restless & I’m breathless imagining your eyes, drawn to mine
4.
Take your teapot from the table Mix your mistakes with your mood Fix yourself a cup of whiskey Send your baby a couple of nudes Maybe hang me from your saddle As you cross the country cold I love it when you buy me I hate always getting sold If you have somebody over I can come back some other day I am a couple of months sober But that feeling never really fades If you find that I’ve grown quiet The words get stuck in my head And though I know I can’t deny it I want to take back what I’ve said
5.
The Fallout 02:52
There’s a full moon glowing over The ocean & I’m still alive They’re catching something in the Basin & the nets are full of lies— Well call the doctor! we’re all fainting, we’re all scratching at the door There’s a whistle in the wind that I have never heard before… Could you sing out Hallelujah before you fall to sleep? I’ve been praying, afraid the fallout is silently about to creep & the sickness that we bury in the closets, in the dark is taking shape & growing fingers…another lynching in the park. Call me Moses or call me crazy, I have heard it all before, chop a tree down, shoot the sheriff, or whoever is keeping score, cut the lights out, Tchoupitoulas, just be ready, be prepared there’s no need to be embarrassed, everyone I know gets scared Reach your hand out, I will kiss it, pull you up onto the train, but don’t worry if you miss it, I promise I’ll be back again
6.
Bouquet 03:28
Sixteen delicate roses tied together on display. Some humble way to make people pause: Come in & smell the bouquet! Kicking carols down a Christmas-cobbled street while wind whistles through the snow Can candlelight grow wings and carry me to the home I used to know? Sixteen sweet-petalled roses fit together so peacefully I’m a vase & I’m broken I’m only partially me ~ I’ve got secrets and you’ve got me, you’ve got what you need right now. I’ve got pieces I don’t intend for you to see The curtain calls us all to bow Sixteen quiet stolen roses starting to wilt in front of me— It gets hard for me to notice I need to step outside and breathe
7.
If I had a daughter, tell me how I could explain if everyone forgot her standing outside in the rain or if all of the monsters turn out to be real or if no one believes her when she tells them how she feels? Would I ever learn to trust the world to treat her right or would I find a way to never let her leave my sight? I know one day without warning she will wind up hurt— Another storm’s approaching and my worries are getting worse.
8.
Come on over sweetnsour Sally, come lay your headache on my heart, come in out of weather, we’ll watch as the winter falls apart Will it rain this time tomorrow? there’s an aching in my bones— A dying phone on the dining room table, seems I’ll be eating all alone Come on over sweetnsour Sally, Come with your questions & your doubt Please deliver me from evil, just pop your little pills into my mouth When it comes my time for dying worms will turn my body back to earth— You will see my smile in a mile of country flowers, splash some whiskey for me on the dirt Come on over sweetnsour Sally I found some shelter from the storm, I will show you my collections & teach you some old tricks for keeping warm
9.
Used To It 02:37
My best friend’s got snakes in her pockets She has got a real hard time digging for change And her brain is fried & her heart is a bleeding, bloody mess, but that’s the worst of it… she’s got real good friends in real high places, never forgets a face, but every time that she meets you, she will call you by a new name just get used to it & get used to love— it’s only confusing when you’re bruising from the slightest touch & your fingers hold fast to a hand you are losing just fold before you lose too much my girl’s got electric lips, fire in her hips & a real quick whip that will snap you into place, wipe a smile clean off your face turn & walk away & leave you with a touch of grace so get used to love…
10.
Broken Down 04:10
I’m tired, I’m tired, I’m tired, I’m tired of singing I’m tired, I’m tired, I’m tired, I’m tired of breathing so, I take out my teeth and I put them in a jar by the sink I sit down on the curb outside my apartment to think about where I’m at— it’s a gray morning and the cars are rolling slow seems something happened here last night I’ll never know the dust is blowing nobody’s meeting my eyes nobody’s talking too hurt to feel surprised about what’s happened right here— I’m tired, I’m tired, I’m tired, I’m tired of drinking I’m tired, I’m tired, I’m tired, I’m tired of thinking So I walk down to the river and I draw your name in the mud I find a little bottle and I fill it all up with my blood & I watch my arm bleed all over me I guess you hit a nerve when you asked if I was feeling all right, You see my little sister finally had her baby last night two thousand miles away might not be too far for some, there’s not much to say when you don’t have anyone to compare yourself to to see right through to be next to when you want to break down I think I’ve broken down
11.
Handstands 04:00
On the weekends, Quarter’s crazy There’s a baby in my brain So cut the music, cut the laughter Play some poker if you can behave cuz there are singing preachers & parasitic pictures & they all want to kiss her, though there’s a new one on the way. Oh! be careful of your heroes, every year is just more of the same damn shit Every summer it’s the same thing, it’s a bummer, so you leave California or New England, Anywhere is a relief from singing preachers & parasitic pictures who all want to kiss her, though there’s a new one on the way Oh! be careful of your heroes, no one always does what they say —there’s a woman selling roses with a basket full of bread, she has told me doing handstands has protected her from death & all those singing preachers …turns out everybody shares some blame
12.
Until 03:41
When you let your hair down I want to lay on the ground & feel your fingers hold my heart when the world pulls me apart I have walked many miles & I have talked through slanted smiles now when I find I’m all alone, it cools my mind to be your bone & as I lay me down to sleep I pray I may be yours to keep I’ll be your lover, I’ll be your friend I’ll be your burden until the end

credits

released September 30, 2020

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Anthony Oscar New Orleans, Louisiana

folk songs
joke songs
news songs
blues songs

new orleans, la

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