English III 2/11: Bright Eyes "Landlocked Blues"

If you walk away, I’ll walk away

First tell me which road you will take

I don’t want to risk our paths crossing some day

So you walk that way, I’ll walk this way

And the future hangs over our heads

And it moves with each current event

Until it falls all around like a cold steady rain

Just stay in when it’s looking this way

And the moon’s laying low in the sky

Forcing everything metal to shine

And the sidewalk holds diamonds like the jewelry store case

They argue walk this way, no, walk this way

And Laura’s asleep in my bed

As I’m leaving she wakes up and says

“I dreamed you were carried away on the crest of a wave

Baby don’t go away, come here”

And there’s kids playing guns in the street

And ones pointing his tree branch at me

So I put my hands up I say “enough is enough,

If you walk away, I’ll walk away”

And he shot me dead

I found a liquid cure

From my landlocked blues

It’ll pass away like a slow parade

It’s leaving but I don’t know how soon

And the world’s got me dizzy again

You think after 22 years I’d be used to the spin

And it only feels worse when I stay in one place

So I’m always pacing around or walking away

I keep drinking the ink from my pen

And I’m balancing history books up on my head

But it all boils down to one quotable phrase

If you love something, give it away

A good woman will pick you apart

A box full of suggestions for your possible heart

But you may be offended and you may be afraid

But don’t walk away, don’t walk away

We made love on the living room floor

With the noise in the background of a televised war

And in the deafening pleasure I thought I heard someone say

“If we walk away, they’ll walk away”

But greed is a bottomless pit

And our freedom’s a joke

We’re just taking a piss

And the whole world must watch the sad comic display

If you’re still free start running away

Cause we’re coming for you!

I’ve grown tired of holding this pose

I feel more like a stranger each time I come home

So I’m making a deal with the devils of fame

Saying “let me walk away, please”

You’ll be free child once you have died

From the shackles of language and measurable time

And then we can trade places, play musical graves

Till then walk away, walk away

So I’m up at dawn

Putting on my shoes

I just want to make a clean escape

I’m leaving but I don’t know where to

I know I’m leaving but I don’t know where to

WORDS OF THE DAY

5. fervent – impassioned, intense, ardent, earnest

6. corroborate – to confirm, to substantiate

7. pragmatic – practical

8. enigma – puzzle, mystery