Live at Sidewalk Café, Vol. 4: August 22, 2008

(click on the song to play)
1. the fast track
2. reunion
3. damsel
4. light me up
5. self-portrait in your colors
6. oliver wendell holmes, jr.
7. there
8. post call
9. set you free
10. something simple

Live at Sidewalk Café, Vol. 4: August 22, 2008
Recorded in New York City, 2008
All songs written and performed by Michael Novick
MKN: vocals and acoustic guitar

the fast track (2008)

home is anywhere you choose to hang yourself / blinding faith’s the worst thing for your health / i’d say anything to cut to the head of the line / i’d sell my soul just to travel through time / glued to the fast track, feels like the first time / glued to the fast track, feels like the first time / you put your hand on the top my head / i can’t recall one thing that I said / lost in the world with a schoolboy crush / i clung like a leach to the very first blush / riding the fast lane’s such a rush / riding the fast lane’s such a rush / just when I thought the dream was dead / i get the kit and caboodle instead / you can’t blame the man for the cut of his spine / you can’t blame the poem for the rhyme / glued to the fast track, feels like the first time / glued to the fast track, feels like the first time

reunion (2005)

kathy is sunning herself in the rain / she's closing her eyes to the scene she's folding up / her friends are an elegant mess, they're breeding / they'll do anything just to be seen at the ball / her boyfriend is writing a book, it's the story of his life / she leaves him asleep at the wheel and locks the door / she dances with someone she knew in high school / she loses herself in the music / she's spinning like a top / like a coin on edge / she used to be so weak, she cried herself to sleep / all the boys turned their heads to stare but never spoke / and her heart broke into a million stars / "it's the pain," she says, "that reminds us who we are" / she loses herself in the night / in the dream she's the queen of the prom / but the dream is a dream and the dream is gone
damsel (2004)

got a call from california from a new york number / but i didn't dare to answer / i was busy with the rain / there's safety in a damsel / there's sugar in my tea / there's traffic in a pencil and flowers corner me / you take too much, you fall into yourself / before too long the song will end and you'll be left to your bitter end / took a walk through central park with a circus in my head / i've learned to play a decent fool and i look too far ahead / i saw a black girl climb a tree on a hill above the dust bowl / she tumbled in the world / what a lucky girl / you didn't know me when i lied to save my soul / i remember me when everything was still a dream i owned / i know we never change / i know we never die / we only rearrange in pieces in the sky / there's safety in a damsel...

light me up (2004)

you can fade away into a brighter day/and when you wake light me up/close your eyes/i'll sing you lullabies to touch your heart/and that's a pretty good start/i know you're tired/i know you're scared/i'll hold your hand/i'll understand/i'll be your man/so hold on/we're almost home/just say my name/we'll never be the same

self-portrait in your colors (2001)

someday you'll learn that i'm a hard man to know / you only get to see what i'm inclined to show / i'm too sensitive / i'm too shy / too judgemental to lie / too shallow / i'm too deep / but i'd sweep you off your feet / i always bet too much when i've got nothing to gain / but you have to play your cards if you want in on the game / i'm too intense / i'm benign / but i won't stop until you're mine / i'm a genius / i'm a fool / and you are nothing if not cruel / i'm your salvation / i'll be your end / i'm the part of you that will not bend / i'm the singer / i'm the tune / i'm eternal / i'm too soon

oliver wendell holmes, jr. (2006)

the parking lot is full of freaks / i lost the will to fit in there / the political dissenter speaks / in the language of despair / i have to play a different tune / it's not the one you adore / i'd still follow you to certain doom / but i can't glorify it anymore / it's a long story / about a guy named william james / yes, the famous writer's brother / he wrote the taming of the shrew / or was it the turning of the screw / i know for sure he wrote persuation / or maybe that was emily bronte / the point is he was a writer / who knew oliver wendell holmes / yes, he knew oliver wendell holmes / i'd make the rules up as i go / if i thought that there were rules / but i know a lot more than i know / it's the blissfulness of fools / i have to play another tune / not the one i wrote for you / about howling at a vacant moon / nothing i knew then is still true / and it's a longish story / about one charles sanders peirce / whose father taught at harvard / and they all believed in god / and they listened to the beatles / smoked opium and hash / they read way too much for comfort / and they all had nervous breakdowns / except for oliver wendell holmes / no, not oliver wendell holmes / a thrice-wounded union soldier / who became a supreme court justice / named oliver wendell holmes

there (1991)

if you had the chance to run away / would you have the strength to be alone? / and given a reason to change your life / would you find a place to belong? / i follow my heart somewhat blindly / it takes me to the strangest places / so here i am at the crossroads / this fate has many faces / i've been lost before / i've been down to the doori've been there / but i've never been here / so you want to run through this life / and figure your way / but what'll you do when the road turns sour / and you want so much to stay? / do you get angry, get mad, throw hell at the wind / take a piece of her direction? / maybe you should save yourself the trouble / and follow it up to the sun / i've been lost before / i've been down to the door / i've been therebut i've never been here / in the next scenelook for a chance to see yourself through someone else's eyes / if you had the chance to run away / would you have the strength to be alone? / and given a reason, would you change your life / just to find a place to belong? / you could be a hero or you could be a thief / if your heart so desires / but when you get down and you can't stand the heat / don't give in to the fire / i've been lost before / i've been down to the door / i've been there...

post call (2004)

i have six friends that i know of and two of them don't even like me / i could use a friend right now but you'll do/sometimes i can see you coming / sometimes you catch me by surprise / i was proud to play the sucker / i'll do anything for a laugh / but now i'm tired and i can't sleep / and i just need something warm to hold / sometimes i think that i still want you / sometimes it hurts to see you happy / but it's gonna be alright... / i'm a pretty decent singer but i'm not good at much else / i learn everything the hard way if i learn anything at all / sometimes i wish for things i already have / sometimes i take things i don't need / but it's gonna be alright...

set you free (2001)

are you satisfied with the scenery? / is it pleasing to your eye? / or would you give it all away for the perfect alibi? / languishing in tangles with mona lisa’s ghost / always playing chicken with the things you love the most / you’re not fooling anyone / least of all me / the life you have is passing / the truth will set you free / you doubt your second guesses / you never name your price / i’m tired of all the glory / i’m sick of being nice / this music is a weapon / my breath is poison air / and no amount of reason can win the lady fair / you’re not fooling anyone / least of all me / this life you have is passing / the truth will set you free / and you’re not fooling anyone / your eyes are full of me / he’s just a grand illusion / the truth will set you free

something simple (2001)

i watched the sun go down / i was thinking of your past / i’ll pray for you when you sail away / but it’s such a long way to go for something simple / and i feel so small / clouds in the shape of sunday parade across the sky / i feel the world is changing colors / and a new day has come for me / it’s something simple / and it makes me smile / yeah, something simple can carry me home / and it was such a long way to go / it was such a long way to go / yeah, it was such a long way to go