"Easy Rider"

There's signs warning me but I pass right by
I'm not concerned about what they disallow
Whatever they say can wait until I die
Cuz I've got better things to do right now
I'm cutting my way through the mountains
On the edge and ragin' out of control
Neck and neck as we race to the finish
I'm closing in but you've grabbed the pole

- And I'm trying to get a free ride -
But you know they rarely come along
The stick is always stuck in neutral
When it goes where rubber don't belong

Everything around me starts to go black
It's just my eyes rolling back in my head
It's awfully easy to lose myself in you
Even if you might be a bit thin on tread
I look at you and you flash your headlights
Tryin' to warn me about your curves
You know that all of us easy riders
We manage to never get what we deserve

- Chorus -

solo

- Chorus -
I'm trying to find an easy ride
But they just don't happen to come along
And when you think to yourself you've found one
Boy will you be sorry if you're wrong

"Crimson Glow"

The light shines red and it burns your face
A crimson glow with a demonic trace
The embers die out just like your every dream
Ashen reminders of your long dead beliefs

The dancing light captivates your mind
A hypnotic glow with a tantric rind
The heat radiates and it dries your tears
Evaporating the traces of all your fears

When the fires aren't burning, and you need to go home
No smoke screens your yearning, not to be alone

And you know
Everything falls apart in the end
When you're spent
And you don't think you can soldier on
And you know
Everything is in your mind
When you're blind
And you long once more to see the dawn

Flames display the power that you wish you had
An unquestionable truth on which you can stand
They scorch a path to the heart of your soul
Taking the time to consume you whole

- Chorus -

The fires glow red and bathes you in hell light
A crimson reminder of the power of life
The embers die out and are replaced by the cold
Ashen reminders of the loves that you hold

- Chorus -

"Done"

As I count the ceiling tiles, I can't belive that you're gone
They know as much as I do about where I have gone wrong
In hindsight I wish that I could take all this back
I deserve a second chance to make our love strong

The guilt is wasting me away, I'm sure you can see
I'm haunted by your spectre since you're not here anymore
MY heart stops beating when my blood turns ice cold
As I feel frozen out every time I walk out the door
'Cuz you're gone

And I know you're never coming back
You're the most important thing that I lack
I need you
Don't you see
That you are my everything
And without you I am done

My heart felt shattered as I watched you walk away
But each passing day my lacerated heart bleeds even more
I could never comprehend what was running through your mind
How without shedding a tear you you could walk right out the door
Now you're gone

And I know you're never coming back
You're the most important thing that I lack
I need you
Don't you see
That you are my everything
And without you I am done

I've glued the pieces back together but I don't know for how long
I can keep everything together if you don't walk back in my life
A broken heart is a puzzle that I can only solve this once
I may be cut down again but I won't let you be that knife
'Cuz I'm gone

And you know I'm never coming back
I'm the most important thing that you lack
You need me
Don't you see
That I am your everything
And without me you are done
And without you I am done

"Emotional Stigmata"

Your tears run your mascara
And paint black lines down your face
They reveal your true colors
And say more than any words can say
If you hold those tears back
They'l water down your soul
Drown your heart from the inside
And short the wires of your control

- And you know there's nothing you can do -
When there's larger forces at work
You can only hold on and try to pull through
When you rest your head
When your soul has bled

Your tears streak your rouge
Flowing pale blood down your cheek
It's an emotional stigmata
That screams louder than you could speak
Those tears give you a color
That makes your sullen face look blithe
It's the first sign you've given
That through it all you're still alive

- And you know there's nothing you can do -
When there's larger forces at work
You can only hold on and try to pull through
When you rest your head
And you know there's so much left for you
That you can't let yourself go
You need to hold on and try to pull through
When you rest your head
When your soul has bled - oh

Your tears stain your porcelain skin
Tracing the paths of where your pain's been

Your tears run your mascara
And paint black lines down your face
They reveal your true colors
And say more than any words can say

- And you know there's nothing you can do -
When there's larger forces at work
You can only hold on and try to pull through
When you rest your head
And you know there's so much left for you
That you can't let yourself go
You need to hold on and try to pull through
When you rest your head
When your soul has bled

"Ask For More"

I've got things on my mind that I can't ignore
They're telling me that I have to search for something more
I can't just sit back and let life pass me by
But to say that I can change would be such a lie
I know that this means nothing in the grand scheme of things
But that isn't gonna keep me from waiting in the wings

- Til then I'm gonna -
Watch the rain fall outside my window
And wash away my hopes and dreams
The scent of dampness lingering
And suppressing my memories

There's so many things that I've wanted to see
But I've been caged in this room by the fears within me
I don't know what it is that I have done wrong
But my punishment is to watch everything for which I long
There's no telling if I will ever be let loose
So I'm tying my strands of useless hope into a noose

- Chorus -

What can I do when I'm paralyzed?
I want to feel the sunlight but am under cloudy skies
There's something about life that's holding me down
I don't know how to live but I don't want a crown
There's far too much to ever explore
But when you have nothing all you can do is ask for more

- Chorus -

"Where Were You When I Needed You? (I Missed You)"

You came around - to find me there - the only one who stood my ground
I never thought - that this would be - the second chance I never got
I needed help - in the worst way - if I could ever save myself
I was so lost - and frozen out - my memories covered with frost
There was no way - for me to hope - for anything beyond today
The past was dead - the present sick - and the future filled with dread
Of everything - and everyone - who would try to clip my wings
I'd fly away - if I could - but my honor made me stay

- And I could never forgive you for those things you did -
And I could never understand just why you ran and hid
You didn't need to be afraid of anything but the truth
And even though I hate you - babe - I missed you

You came around - and found me there - my eyes closed, my watch unwound
I couldn't bear - to know how long - it took for you to hear my prayer
I was just glad - you came along - and you found me when you had
I couldn't tell - how long I had - before the world turned into hell
And I would leave - of my own hand - just so I could be relieved
Of my post - as a sentry - guarding you from your own ghost
Who would haunt you - for your mistakes - hollow threats that would ring true
Which if you heard - you would cry - and ask how this could be deserved

- And I could never forgive you for those things you did -
And I could never understand just why you ran and hid
You didn't need to be afraid of anything but the truth
And even though I hate you - babe - I missed you

Oh - I can't believe this happened
I can't believe I fell this far
I know this isn't your fault
But you should have to share this scar

solo

- And I could never forgive you for those things you did -
And I could never understand just why you ran and hid
You didn't need to be afraid of anything but the truth
And even though I hate you - babe - Oooh
I could never forgive you for those things you did
And I could never understand just why you ran and hid
You didn't need to be afraid of anything but the truth
And even though I hate you - babe - I missed you

Oh - I missed you

"Deviant"

You held the girl in your arms until you choked her blue
You let her fall when she went limp, her breath it was like glue
You didn't understand why you couldn't let her go
Though you were permanently cold, you sniffed a pheramone

And you seemed ill-at-ease
When she left your sight
You couldn't see without
Her existential light

And you wanted to steal her heart
You wanted to steal your heart

You told her to cleanse her soul and you forced her head below
The blue colour of her cheeks gave her a deep and healthy glow
You thought that it was beauty and needed a souvenier
A little piece of her that you could always keep near

And you savored the taste
Of your prized possession
She was the antidote
For a lifetime of rejection

And you wanted to steal her heart
You wanted to steal her heart

Your hand shook with fear as you cut straight to her heart
Whether forced or voluntary, you were gonna leave your mark
You'd longed for a connection, to be a part of someone else
It didn't bother you that you had to do it yourself

And you cracked a smile
For the first time in ages
Love is the sweetest thing
Or so the proverb says

And you managed to steal her heart
Oh - you managed to steal her heart
"Land of Confusion"

The times have changed from the ones - I knew when I was young
There was a sense of decency - when we weren't always on the run
Now nothing is sacred - and we have to sort it on our own
The hope of meaning's been shattered - and and has cut through to the bone

- And I live for the days I once had -
When everything was as it should be
And now I live in this land of confusion
When nothing can make me complete

And I live for the days I remember
When I wasn't afraid of myself
And now I live in this land of confusion
When nothing can give me some help

The world that I knew has been - replaced and shoved into a box
To sit in a pile of notions - antiquated and under locks
Only brought out to reminice - and for us to laught at ourselves
Decrying the past as useless - and relagating it to shelves

- Chorus -

I never pictured
A world that could be so cold
I always had hope
That there's comfort in the unknown
It's knowing too much
That causes us to feel so bad
When we see the nothing
That reminds us of what we have
Apathy festers
And threatens to shut us down
But it's too late
Cuz some of us are already gone

solo

I gave up trying
A long, long time ago
And I gave up believing
When I realized I couldn't know

- Chorus -

I gave up trying
A long, long time ago
And I gave up believing
When I realized I couldn't know


“Fruits of Rage”

Sheaths of leather hit the pavement
Ragged in their refinement
Cracks in the surface are never hit
One kinds of soul finds itself split
The cement buckles and it gives way
The flesh of the earth is displayed
And you dive inside to taste the juice
You were always easy to seduce

With rage, rage, rage….

Protective covers they fall away
Nothing’s behind you to make the save
Being exposed could be good for you
Molting lets you start anew
Grime and fear and shame they drip right off
And you collect them in a great trough
They fertilize the roots of the plant
Who’s fruit you’re holding in your hand

With rage, rage, rage….

Sheaths of leather hit the pavement
Searching for someplace to repent

With rage, rage, rage….

Rubber stamps imprint with every step
Blemishing the nape of a perfect neck
Pushing too hard against a delicate skin
Releasing the juices that flow within
Bruises brown and soften with age
Lasting reminders of the sin of rage
Markings of hatred mar porcelain skin
An ugly reminder of where you have been

With rage, rage, rage….

"A Matter Of When (Place in the Sun)"

I scrawled my pen over the yellowed sheets
Crossing off one by one every one of my dreams
Until I'm left with nothing but a blotch of ink
To mirror the darkness into which I shrink

I never thought that I would fade this way
To dissipate like the last sun rays
Turning darker and sickly before I'm gone
And not even remembered at the break of dawn

So why do I try
To keep up hope?
I know that it's stupid but I just can't cope
So why can't I
Begin to move on?
I know that it's pathetic but this is as far as I've gone

- I don't know why I can't find my way home -
It's not like the path is foreign and unknown
I've been there before and I'll get there again
As long as I believe it's just a matter of when

I saw your name as I struck it out
It was the one moment of weakness that I was allowed
And to see it gone brough a tear to my eye
Don't be mistaken, I sure as hell didn't cry

I wouldn't let myself fall apart that way
If I admit defeat I'd have to break down and pray
But there's nothing there to hear my pleas for help
And so I have to stay strong and reach down inside myself

But why do I try
When there is no hope?
I'm only lying to myself if I think I can cope
So why can't I
Begin to move on?
I'm only fooling myself if I don't say I'm wrong

- Chorus -


The letters that I wrote to myself
Were a plaintive effort of failing self-help
I know now that I was just wasting my time
But self-mental-destruction isn't a crime


I touched a match to my document
To feel the ashes is the only way I can vent


I'm not a phoenix or a becon of light
It's more a miracle that I'm even alive
But I know one day my smile will return
But until that day I'm gonna watch this fire burn

So why do I try
When there's so far to go?
I guess my eyes are blind to what I should know
So why can't I
Begin to move on?
I'm only waiting in line for my place in the sun

- Chorus -
As long as I believe
It's just a matter of when
Until my wait is over
And I find my place in the sun

"Behind These Words"

You don't hear what I'm saying
When I point my words at you
You put up your defenses
To shield when my shots ring true
Afraid of being torn down
You drown out everything
There's safety in the silence
And there's pain when your ears ring

- But if you know what I'm saying -
You can't bury the truth inside
It's more than any words on my lips
It's a force from which you can't hide

You can't bear the sound
When the truth comes crashing down
The waves are overpowering
And you look like you will drown
The words pull you under
Like an anchor tied to your feet
You swear they're your death
You bought into your conceit

- But if you know what I'm saying -
You can't bury the truth inside
It's more than any words on my lips
It's a force from which you can't hide

But if you know what I'm saying
You can't run and try to hide away
The words are only the vessel
And your deafness is but a delay

And you can never run away from your fears - oh no
They're more than just the words you can hear - oh oh

- But if you know what I'm saying -
You can't bury the truth inside
It's more than any words on my lips
It's a force from which you can't hide

But if you know what I'm saying
You can't run and try to hide away
The words are only the vessel
And your deafness is but a delay


“As The Crow Flies”

Traveling down the country roads
I would ride when I was young
To see the scenes I left behind
And to feel where it had begun

But something was different
And something unrealized
The memories are shaded
Hidden under black skies

- No one ever thinks that it will happen
No one ever wants to be let down
But the time will come for everyone
When they don’t know why they stick around
It becomes hard to let go
And it’s painful to realize
That there comes a time for moving on
When you must go as the crow flies

I wonder how much time has passed
Since the last time I fixed my eyes
Upon these lands I once called home
That brings these tears to my eyes

But something was different
And something unrealized
The memories are shaded
Hidden under black skies

Chorus

I can’t believe the transformation
That’s taken place behind my back
And if I didn’t know better
I would swear the sky’s turned black

But something was different
And something unrealized
The memories are shaded
Hidden under black skies

Chorus

“Never say Never”

You never say never, a contradiction in terms
It’s just like the salt, that gets rubbed in your burns
You try to fake resolve, but it doesn’t seem the same
It smacks of fraudulence, and it makes tatters of your name

You never say never, for you don’t know what it means
It’s an old cliché, that’s dangerous as it seems
It paints you single minded, and draws your curtains closed
It forbids a retraction, or the life you’ve chosen

- These words -
That we’re speaking
They keep us from ever succeeding
These words
That we’re sharing
They keep us from ever repairing
The broken, shattered shells
That we use to save ourselves

You never say never, to protect against attack
Going back on your word, will tighten up the slack
Hanging from your neck, that allows you to breathe
The option of sometimes, is the loophole that sets you free

You never say never, but everybody does
And one mere utterance, can erode a sacred trust
We live in the unsure, we survive on shreds of doubt
Nothing can be certain, else we’ll all die in the drought

Chorus

Never say never, is to never believe
To never surrender, and never to grieve

You never say never, but everybody does
And one mere utterance, can erode a sacred trust
We live in the unsure, we survive on shreds of doubt
Nothing can be certain, else we’ll all die in the drought

Chorus

“Pillars of Heaven”

The sun rises in the distance
Pulling back the blanket of stars
Bathing light across the landscape
And bringing life back to our scars

The new dawn illuminates
Every blemish that we fear
Exposing naked emotions
Stripping away the veneer

- And we climb these pillars of heaven -
Trying to leave this world behind
The mortal coil is bleak and helpless
Toughening our bitter rinds

We’re paralyzed by the light
Flashing in front of our eyes
Overloading our sensations
And flash freezing our minds

The starkness of the scene
Cuts to the core of our hearts
It causes an arrhythmia
By which we are not harmed

- And we climb these pillars of heaven -
Trying to leave this world behind
The mortal coil is bleak and helpless
Toughening our bitter rinds

And we climb these pillars of heaven
Trying to leave this life behind
Everything here is bleak and helpless
The reason for our bitter rinds

And we pull back the layers of masking
To try to get in touch with ourselves
We’ve spent so much time covering up
We’re not even sure what we’ve felt
These disguises are more than personae
They’ve embedded themselves in our minds
And when we try to separate ourselves
We’re afraid of what we might find

- And we climb these pillars of heaven -
Trying to leave this world behind
The mortal coil is bleak and helpless
Toughening our bitter rinds

And we climb these pillars of heaven
Trying to leave this life behind
Everything here is bleak and helpless
The reason for our bitter rinds

The new dawn illuminates
Every blemish that we fear
Exposing naked emotions
Stripping away the veneer

- And we climb these pillars of heaven -
Trying to leave this world behind
The mortal coil is bleak and helpless
Toughening our bitter rinds

And we climb these pillars of heaven
Trying to leave this life behind
Everything here is bleak and helpless
The reason for our bitter rinds

All songs copyright Christopher M Colavito