1. |
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YOU SET THE WORLD ON FIRE
(Ratts/Kern)
thank you mister copernicus
it all started out with you
dogma surrendered when you gave the sun her due dit doo
thank you mister darwin
for explaining such a lot
the “single greatest idea in the history of thought.”
we gotta hand it to you
you set the world on fire
grabbing truth out of the sky
winning hearts and minds
with an idea for all time
handed over free, so enlightening,
what could be finer?
a history maker and writer
you set the world on fire
aristotle and davinci they’re still
here with us today
as newton and einstein
they showed us a better way
there’s so much to discover
so much left to be divined
who’ll be the next great one to be famous for all time?
perhaps me, maybe you
will set the world on fire
grab the truth right from the sky
win over hearts and minds
with an idea for all time
and hand it over free, so enlightening
there’s no calling higher
than being wisdom’s sire
we’ll set the world on fire
we’d like to thank you:
galileo, louis pasteur, lord rutherford, and thomas edison,
madam curie, adam smith, frank bacon, and ben franklin,
the wright brothers, neils bohr, brother mendel, and henry ford,
and john locke who made men free,
and mom and dad who made you and me
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah…
they set the world on fire
with a union for all time,
creating hearts and minds
and raising us up right
giving so freely,
helping us succeed,
making our lives better than our predecessor’s
and the world is getting better every day,
as we aspire
to set the world on fire.
|
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2. |
||||
SALT WATER TAFFY
(Purol/Kern/Ratts)
now is the time to shut the store down
drive a little bit over and a little bit south
where the shops sell raybans and wings to go
and the ladies wear sandals and banana boat
'cause life is sticky sweet:
salt water taffy
we crash into town with our boards and beer
where the outside world can't touch us here
gonna buy me a necklace with a shark tooth now
and sip on margaritas 'til the sun goes down
'cause life's salty and sweet
both smooth and sandy
and every girl i see's
salt water taffy
meet under the shark
and then we'll hit the cork
and catch the late bus home
when it's all said and done we'll be lying in the sun
back down to sharky's where the waves are great
there's shrimp and bloody marys at the surf 'n spray
tell this hectic life that i'm all done
i'll be lying in the sun
we'll bury our hassles in sand castles then
just watch them wash away
'cause life's salty and sweet
both hard and happy
and every girl i see's
salt water taffy
drop by for a mai tai on the balcony
we'll watch the summer sun setting into a sea
of salt water, yeah
salt water, yeah
salt water taffy.
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3. |
Cool Things
03:39
|
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COOL THINGS
(Kern/Ratts)
i've got two napkins
from our meal in bethesda
and two ticket stubs
from better than ezra
i've got some newly
emptied picture frames
that used to feature us
in the everglades
i've got one bad disposition
from missing too many good times
so it's my intuition
to get rid of what reminds...
i've got a boom box
that used to play your tdk's
i've got that jacket that you bought me
over winter break
i've got a shot glass
we smuggled back fro mexico
and a secret stash of movies
that i can't let go
well i could box it away
with lots of packing tape
but i can't archive my love
like all of the cool things
we used to do
do do doot doot doot doot do do do
do doot doot doot doot doot do
do do doot doot doot doot do do do
cool things that we used to do
i've got your tape of the 'surfers
doing hairway to steven
and that great big cup
from seven eleven
i've got that night stand
where you kept remote controls
and some other secret things
that no one needs to know
i've got some pictures in my smart phone
and some pictures in my mind
i've got your disc of frank sinatra
i've got to leave those things behind
i've got your lipstick on a card
from my last big birthday
and that green growing thing
you got me for earthday
and the turntable
where you'd listen to my vinyl
and the front door
where i knew that it was final
i've got an ashtray
from a hollywood hotel
and your cd stand
that never stood so well
and the socks we bought
that night in shenandoah
it's time to pack it up
everything must go-ah
gonna dump it all in
the recycling bin
but i can't archive my love...
like all of the cool things
we used to do
when all is done
it still is strange
what do i use to fill
to fill woh woh woh woh
these empty picture frames?
do do doot doot doot doot do do do
do doot doot doot doot doot do
do do doot doot doot doot do do do
cool things that i'm going to do
|
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4. |
Nikki's Plan
03:05
|
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NIKKI'S PLAN
(Ratts/Kern)
nikki works nine to five
and she keeps her hopes alive
listening to the radio
from a place that she's gonna go
nikki likes to break it down
and build things up from the ground
it's the only way she knows
plant a seed and then let it grow
nikki does the best she can
little nikki's got a great big plan
first she'll walk out of this bar
with everything she owns inside her car
and a thousand dollars to her name
a beat-up honda and a tattered map of maine
heading south for new york lights
and the promise of a hard won life
and she knows
success is gonna take some time
the world is on her side
and maybe no one understands
but things are going just as nikki planned
well nikki got turned down today
but she's anything but phased
working on her routine
she's gonna be the best they've ever seen
and she knows
success is gonna take some time
the world is on her side
and maybe no one understands
but things are going just as nikki planned
and she's gonna give it everything she's got
she's gonna be ready when she gets her shot
she's working her way to the top
and when she finally takes the stage
and a million people scream her name
since the day she planned the whole thing out
little nikki never had a doubt
and she knows
success is gonna take some time
the world is on her side
and maybe no one understands
but things are going just as nikki planned
yeah, they're going just as nikki planned
things are going just as nikki planned
|
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5. |
Broadway
00:40
|
|||
BROADWAY
(Ratts/Kern)
my baby's on broadway
my baby's on broadway
she got the part
it broke my heart
'cause i can't compete
with roses thrown at her feet
the trappings of fame
and all that show biz acclaim
i'm sorry to say...
my baby's on broadway
|
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6. |
||||
EMPATHIA
(Kern/Ratts)
from the light on the corner
down on market and main
i must have looked just like
i was out of my brain
with two bloodshot eyes
and a plastic cup of champagne
she told me politely
"you're a pitiful sight"
while she flagged me a taxi
and an empathy smile
and paid the man a twenty
and walked right out of my life
from where i lie
she was so beautiful
its clear from behind blurry eyes
empathia
it was so nice to meet ya
you've got a smile for all the creatures
and a hand for your brother
and a wink and smile
empathia
i wish they all could be ya
you're making me a believer
you've got me thinking
maybe everything will be alright
(i'm thinking everything is
gonna be alright)
and now it's five years later
and i'm minding my own
just calling my old girl up
on my cellular phone
to say its been ok but now
im ready baby to come home
she said "you're sweet, but
now i'm all about another guy"
so i turned around and
standing right there in line
empathia said "how 'bout
i give you a ride?"
from where i stand
she was so beautiful
its clear behind my tired eyes
empathia
it was really nice to meet ya
you've got a smile for all the creatures
and a hand for your brother
and a wink and smile
empathia
i wish they all could see ya
you're like a radio receiver
you've got me thinking
everything is gonna be alright
(i'm thinking everything is
gonna be alright)
charity breeds reciprocity
now ive got to tell the world
about it and i will
now i've got to share the way
you're making me feel:
filled with philanthropy
from where i stand
she was so beautiful
its clear behind tired eyes
empathia
it was really nice to meet ya
you've got a smile for all the creatures
and a hand for your brother
and a wink and smile
empathia
i wish they all could see ya
you're like a radio receiver
you've got me thinking
everything is gonna be alright
(i'm thinking everything is
gonna be alright)
c) 2013 Wandering Songs / BMI
|
||||
7. |
||||
EVERYBODY WANTS AN ATOM BOMB
(Ratts/Kern)
everybody wants an atom bomb
put your weapon in a holster and strap it on
don’t slap leather just move along
and everybody wants an atom bomb
everybody needs their own atoll
a nuclear test site to call their own
no one wants to drop it
no one wants to fight,
but deterrence only works if they know you might
bikini, bikini
want have we done to you?
martini, martini
have a drink or two
liberty, liberty
we’ve taken you this far
we’re the u.s. of a
thank god we are
pax americana is running strong
american culture is catching on
cowboys, and movies, and rock and roll songs
and everybody wants an atom bomb
bikini, bikini
looks very good to me
martini, martini
i’ll have another please
houdini, houdini
free at last
veni, vidi, vici :
what a blast!
the atom is the smallest suit around
sure it’s passé now
but once it was profound.
science meets culture in a cold war stare,
america split the atom
and they did it there
bikini, bikini
what have we done to you?
martini, martini
have a drink or two
liberty, liberty
we’ve taken you this far
we’re the u.s. of a
thank god we are
we’re all here ‘till we’re all gone
and everybody wants an atom bomb.
|
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8. |
Julianne
04:13
|
|||
Julianne
(Kern/Ratts)
she booked a red-eye flight
transferred in vancouver
an exit row fit her right
leg room to maneuver
so there you go again
just vapor trails
that pass me by
but once there was a friend
a pacific view
an orange sky
and you were all i needed back then
you were all i needed back then
hey julianne
i'm writing you a song
for those things that were strong
and the nights that just went
on and on and
so now i grill outside
and listen to the fountains
and you're long out of sight
somewhere past the mountains
and i'll go through my life
and you'll fly through
flourescent skies
but once we were aligned
to summer beats
and 4:4 time
and you were all i needed back then
you were all i needed back then
hey julianne
i'm writing you a song
for those things that were strong
and the nights that just went
on and on and
hey julianne
yeah, here's to you tonight
those things that we got right
are the finest things in life
its clear to see
in hindsight
we flew echelon
with afterburners on
to share the sunrise
now i'm on the ground
and you fly free
i always wanted to see
you happy
hey julianne
i'm writing you a song
for those things that were strong
hey julianne
yeah, here's to you tonight
those things that we got right
are the finest things in life
its clear to see
in hindsight
|
||||
9. |
||||
Snow Day
(Ratts/Kern)
snow's coming down
kinda hard
melting on the drive
but sticking in the yard
i see another school closing coming
supermarket's full of people
man, are they hustling
loading up on milk and bread
and snacks and people magazine
and all the kids yell "yeah!"
it's gonna be another snow day
no school no work
and nowhere that we gotta go
everybody knows
there's nothing better in the world
than a snow day
sliding down a hill in a backyard
filled with snow
waking up early
with the radio on
i'm not interested
in any kind of song
just listening for the radio man
to talk about the weather
'cause i gotta know the plan
the waiting is so hard
i think the dj's messing with me
and then i hear him say
it's gonna be another snow day
no work no school
and nowhere that we gotta go
everybody knows
there's nothing better in the world
than a snow day
sliding down a hill in a backyard
filled with snow
(radio announcement)
please mother mature
can you help me?
here's my request
there's only one thing i need
and i won't make you guess:
frozen drops of rain
are what will get me by
small white flakes of heaven
falling from the sky
one after another
'till they pile up three feet high
we all hope and pray
we're gonna get another snow day
sleeping in, snowmen,
and hot chocolate on the couch
there can be no doubt
there's nothing better in the world
than a snow day
sliding down a hill in a backyard
filled with snow
|
||||
10. |
Late June
04:09
|
|
||
LATE JUNE
(Kern/Ratts)
you and me on a rainy night
driving around with a dead headlight
it was late june and we didn’t have to be nowhere
We took a turn down a country road
and you were singing with the radio
it was late june and we didn’t have to be nowhere
i saw the gifts that were given to you:
the way you moved and your eyes so blue
and all i let you see
was the summer side of me
and you told me:
“i’ve got a thing for you
yeah baby I do,
yeah baby i do.
i’m hung up on your laughter
and i get high on your smile
i’ve had a thing for you for little while”.
that summer burned you in my mind
you’d call me up and we’d talk all night
it was july and we didn’t have to be nowhere.
every night we’d look at the stars
‘till august came and you broke my heart
it was autumn and the winds were blowing us elsewhere
i dug the gifts that were given to me
out by the lake and in my dad’s camry
though all i let you see was the summer side of me
then i told you
“i’ve got a thing for you
yeah baby i do
yeah baby i do
i’m hung up on your laughter
and I get high on your smile
i’ve got a thing for you for all time
well, winter comes
don’t a hundred winters come?
they leave you feeling older
years go by and we’re still alive
but cold, somewhat colder
except you make me feel new
and i’ve got a thing for you
yeah baby I do
yeah baby still do
still hung up on your laughter
i still get high on your smile
i’ve still got a thing for you
after all this time.
|
||||
11. |
Open Roads
02:52
|
|||
OPEN ROADS
(Kern/Ratts)
open roads, take me out of here
gotta go, the world is waiting dear
girl you know, we can disappear
down open roads
open roads, life is calling me
gotta go and see what I can be
you move me so
won't you come with me down open roads?
and we can have a lovely ride
with your lane merging into mine
and girl, you know we'll make it
if we leave tonight for open roads
and we can have a lovely ride
if you'll spend your life by my side
and girl, you know we'll make it
if we leave tonight for open roads
open roads, take me out of here
gotta go, gotta disappear
girl you know
the world is waiting down open roads
don't you know?
the whole world's waiting down open roads.
|
||||
12. |
My Lost Colony
03:03
|
|||
MY LOST COLONY
(Purol/Kern/Ratts)
we sailed into new roanoke
in an overloaded u-haul boat
set up in a countryside
where some just live and others
thrive
wind filled sails pass highway signs
familiar face far behind
seeking out a better life
where danger lives with promise
with hearth and home far behind me
will my heart beat in dare county?
we wait for our john white and moan
of secotans and croatoans
london's glow fades from our minds
the natives growing restless
left my old life like a gypsy
one more lost soul in dare county
go on, say it:
we are here now to stay
part of me vanished out there
gone like miss virginia dare
laid to rest an unlived life
where danger lives and promise dies.
|
||||
13. |
|
|||
RINGS AROUND THE SUN
(Ratts/Kern)
running rings around the sun
you can’t count them when you’re done,
always numbering too few
still we’re fortunate, it’s true.
winners, every one,
running rings around the sun
the countless days that came before
eternity opened her door
only to close on what will be
won’t you circle around with me?
just you and I and everyone
and every soul that is to come
so catch me if you can
try to hold love in your hand
and pass it on to everyone
so catch me if you can
the speed of love is faster than
any of us will ever run
here on earth around the sun
how the universe exists
we’ve yet to figure out
but why we’re here today?
let there be no doubt
so catch me if you can
try to hold love in your hand
and pass it on to everyone
so catch me if you can
the speed of love is faster than
any of us will ever run
here on earth around the sun
some pretend to something more
they claim an ever after is in store
and though I would like to believe
it never made much sense to me
a short time, then we’re done
running rings around the sun
if, like the stars, the answer ever shines
if the truth would ever be so kind
to empathize with how we feel
and if her secrets were revealed
would it matter to us all
on our little spinning ball?
and my mind is filled with awe
to know how fortunate we are.
i’m in awe…
|
||||
14. |
||||
DROPS OF GOLD
(Ratts/Kern)
she’s cooking in her robe
standing at the stove
I hear the hotcakes sizzling
a new day gets it’s start
this one’s a piece of art
a perfect play without a line…
and we’ve got time
we’ve got lots of time
I love the morning when
we’ve got all day to spend
and everything is still to be
choices all around
like ripe fruit on the ground
harvest comes effortlessly…
and we’ve got time
we’ve got lots of time
time to spend
endlessly
just you and me
sharing the minutes as they unfold
all we need is an hourglass
filled with sand to last
every grain a drop of gold
and as the day winds down
and evening comes around
the quiet speaks for all we share
the day ends gracefully
with you asleep by me
the night will bring another day
and I can’t wait
no, I can’t wait
for time to spend
endlessly
just you and me
sharing the minutes as they unfold
all we need
is an hourglass
filled with sand to last
every grain a drop of gold
drops of gold
|
||||
15. |
||||
COOL CHANGE
(Shorrock)
if there's one thing in my life that's missing
it's the time that i spend alone
sailing on the cool and bright clear water
there's lots of those friendly people
they're showing me ways to go
but i never want to lose their inspiration
time for a cool change
i know that it's time for a cool change
now that my life is so pre-arranged
i know that it's time for a cool change
well i was born in the sign of water
and it's there that i feel my best
the albatross and the whales
they are my brothers
it's kind of a special feeling
when you're out on the sea alone
staring at the full moon like a lover
time for a cool change
i know that it's time for a cool change
now that my life is so pre-arranged
i know that it's time for a cool change
i've never been romantic
and sometimes i don't care
i know it may sound selfish
but let me breathe the air
if there's one thing in my life that's missing
it's the time that i spend alone
sailing on the cool and bright clear water
it's kind of a special feeling
when you're out on the sea alone
staring at teh full moon like a lover
time for a cool change
i know that it's time for a cool change
now that my life is so pre-arranged
i know that it's time for a cool change
c)1979 Wheatley Music Pty. Ltd.
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Vegas With Randolph Washington, D.C.
Vegas With Randolph’s music has been called “ebullient, unabashed power pop”, “thinking man's party music,” and “blissful
pop songwriting at its finest” and their music has been compared to Fastball, Sloan, and Fountains of Wayne.
VWR is currently working on tracks for a fifth CD - look for this release in late 2023! VWR includes John Ratts, Eric Kern, Brock Harris, and David Purol.
... more
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