Get all 12 Brendan Milburn releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of How Dare You (for Adam Schlesinger), When It's Right, The Future Of Us: OST, stop me if you've heard this one before (262 songs, vol.9), Songs For The End Of The World (262 songs, vol.8), Don't Get Too Comfortable (262 songs, vol. 7), 24 Hours A Day Until Further Notice (262 songs, vol. 6), Beautiful Poison demos (262 songs, vol. 5), and 4 more.
1. |
Ladder To The Sky (#197)
03:50
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You are replaceable
You’re not essential
You are erasable
You fritter away your potential
There’s a million other suckers with a story like you
They’re all singing “woe is me and tell me what shall I do,”
They got a million broken hearts, they're all bruised and bandaged, wondering why
did they fall off of that ladder to the sky.
You’re not original
You’re just a walking cliche, babe
It’s pretty traditional
To say the things that you say, babe
You’re like, stop me if you’ve heard this one before, well we did
We been up and down this road a million times before, kid
you're aiming for a certain slice of market share, but don't even try,
you're just climbing a ladder to the sky.
do you want to change the world?
do you want to be a star?
do you want to get that girl?
do you want that fancy car?
do you want your name in lights?
do you want to be up on that screen?
do you want to scale those heights?
do you want to be heard?
do you want to be seen?
well if that's all you want, you're as mad as a hatter
caveat emptor, beware
do you know what is up at the top of that ladder?
it's thin air.
yeah, that's not the point of this
it's not about climbing.
do this for the joy of this
and the fun of the rhyming
There’s a million other suckers who have not figured out
That the world is not a ladder, it’s a shadow of doubt
Where the best that you can do is shed a little bit of light before you die,
And make the lives of others just a little bit brighter by and by
And have pity on the poor deluded souls on the ladder to the sky.
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2. |
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chorus
help me heat my house
help me heeeeeeeeeeat my house
help me heat my house
help me heeeeeeee-eee-eeeat my house
well the good news is
I got myself a steady job
and the good news is
my wife she got herself a steady job
yeah the good news is
I can pay my bills, I feed my family soup and toast
but the bad news is our old gas furnace
just gave up the ghost
so:
help me heat my house
help me heeeeeeeeeeat my house
help me heat my house
help me heeeeeeee-eee-eeeat my house
help me heat my house.
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3. |
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Here's the text excerpt as I sing it:
The best thing
about time
passing
is the privilege
of running out of it,
of watching the wave
of mortality
break over me
and everyone I know.
No more time,
no more potential.
The privilege
of ruling things out.
Finishing.
Knowing I’m finished.
And knowing time
will go on
without me.
Look at me,
dancing my little dance
for a few moments
against the background
of eternity.
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When icicles hang by the wall
And Dick the shepherd blows his nail
And Tom bears logs into the hall
And milk comes frozen home in pail,
When blood is nipp'd and ways be foul,
Then nightly sings the staring owl, .
Tu-whit, Tu-who
Tu-whit, Tu-who, a merry note,
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.
When all aloud the wind doth blow
And coughing drowns the parson's saw
And birds sit brooding in the snow
And Marian's nose looks red and raw,
When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl,
Then nightly sings the staring owl, . Tu-whit;
Tu-who, a merry note,
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.
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5. |
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I had a buddy, let him stay on my couch, and I nursed him through his divorce when he was so damn low down he couldn't seem to see his way back up
I let him talk and talk about his sorrow, gave him a shoulder to cry on, secretly thinking I was filling the favor bank and he'd pay back up,
yeah, I thought I would be collecting interest, that he would pay a dividend,
and lo and behold, when my own marriage came to its bitter end
well he went and sided with my ex and became my new ex-friend
and I was so angry, so angry that I'd wasted all that precious time,
too angry to see he'd committed no crime.
Give more;
want less.
Send love and kindness out into the world with no return address.
Don't keep a tally of your transactions,
you know you're not supposed to be keeping score
There is no favor bank, no record of deposits made - you just got to give more.
I had a big idea, this very very big idea, an idea so big I could not possibly get the whole thing done all alone
I brought my big idea to a big idea producer, who got the rights and all the requisite parties all there on a party line on the phone,
the producer said my very big idea was very brilliant
then he said, I'm having trouble raising the last few milliont
we're gonna have to kick you off the team, kid, but hey kid, you're resilient.
go get more famous and successful, then don't call us, we'll call you.
Well, what's a boy like me to do?
Give more;
want less.
Send love and kindness out into the world no return address
It may cut you to the quick sometimes, or shock you to your tender little core,
when you've been tested and found wanting, but you'll be found wanting less if you give more.
Well, you want the things you want!
Yeah, you really really want the things you want!
and it can be tough to want the things you want and not get them
Other people flaunt the things you want
like they wanna taunt you with the things you want
and you know the things you want can haunt you if you let them
and if you want them too, too much, you start to reek of desperation
they can smell it from the moment that you saunter through the door
but the thing that takes the stink away, the thing that's your salvation,
well it's not perfume or aftershave, no, all you really gotta do is
Give more;
want less.
send love and kindness out into the world with no return address.
it's a paradox, it's difficult, but it turns out that it's what you are here for
you'll never get the things you want until you learn to want them less and just give more.
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6. |
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A
Well it feels like you don’t love me anymore
So I’m gonna do my best to win you back
I’ll pretend there’s evil demons at your door
And I’m sending in the troops to come attack
Yes I’ll lie and cheat and steal my way right back into your heart,
Committing each and every deadly sin
Cause we’re meant to be together, we will never be apart
So I’ll do what I have got to do to win
Oh I’ll pretend there are airplanes full of thugs all dressed in black
Going to shake up things around your little town
And I’ll swear to you I’ve really got your back
While I’m digging you this deep hole in the ground
Oh I swear to you I never did the things they say I do
And I swear to you I won't do them again
I’ll be just the man I say I am, and babe I’ll tell you true
I’ll be just the man I need to be to win.
I won’t acknowledge any natural disasters if they’re happening to people who don’t already think that I’m really great
If you all get sick and die after you come to cheer me on, well that’s the price you pay to personally praise your head of state
And if you all get sick and die after you come to cheer me on well that’s the breaks that’s how we cast off the dead weight
I'll sow dissent, distrust and disinformation, and dissuade you from what's best for you, 'cause that's what's best for me.
Because democracy's for losers, I'm the man you really need, in this home of the formerly brave and formerly free.
Well it feels like you don’t love me anymore
That you might like that other guy a bit more than me
But I will never give this up, I’m keeping score
so don't make this harder than it needs to be.
'Cause the world is my just my plaything and you all are just my toys
and you're never going back to where you been
I won’t share my prized possessions out with any other boys
And I’ll do what I have got to do to win
I been playing this game of monopoly with my own loaded dice
And you let me cheat and cheat because you love me and you’re nice
So shut up and take your medicine and take my good advice
We will make this ‘Merica great again & again & again
As long as you bend over and let me win.
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7. |
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every day
every day
every day I am just getting started
every day I am standing upright and I'm looking around to see what's what
every day
every day
every day I am just getting started
every day I am putting my brave face on as I ignore the butterflies in my gut
every day I am pulling a rabbit out of a hat for my dependents
every day I am walking a tightrope between mud pies and transcendence
every day I lean in and push that mountain another half an inch and wonder if we're all going to be okay.
that's what I'm doing every day.
every day
every day
every day I am just getting started
every day that's what I tell myself, and I believe it now and then
every day
every day
every day I am just getting started
every day I roll my creaky bones all up and out of bed and I get up and at 'em once again
every day I am finding that every day feels the same as the day before
every day the whole world is on fire and I'm putting these wet blankets under the door
every day I'm hanging on and getting by and running out of helpful thoughtful things to say
that's what I'm doing every day.
Every day the world is ending
Every day the apocalypse is pending
Every day the sky is falling
Every day the grim reaper is robocalling
And every day I get up and decide just one more day I'll see this through
Every day I choose this life, and I choose you.
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8. |
Chemistry (#179)
03:32
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Were the stars all in alignment on the day that we first met?
Needed help with your assignment, on a tricky problem set.
When you put your hand in mine,
you sent shivers up and down my spine,
and I knew it was a sign that we
were meant to be,
my partner in this lifelong duet.
It was right back in sophomore year
when I fell for you dear, that's a fact.
You were bright, you were charming and wise
I was one of those guys with no tact
You delight, you intrigue, you're way out of my league,
but you proved it that opposites attract,
when I asked you I guess, you decided on "yes" all because of our
chemistry.
then we pursued all our pursuits,
we made a life, we put down roots.
we had each other's back at every step of the way
then I watched your career rocket to the sky,
I stayed grounded so you could fly,
all around the world until you could land back in my arms today
'cause we're tight, we're a match, and we fit, when you're gone I'm a bit out of whack.
you're my light, when you're gone it gets dark, there's no fun, there's no spark, it's all black
now you're right here with me, with your light we can see that it looks like we're on the right track
that no matter how far you may roam in this world
you're the love of my life, you're my high-flying girl,
and I know that even when you're sailing across the sky or the sea,
no trip 'cross the pond can break this bond 'cause we got chemistry.
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9. |
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Mose, call your dad.
Mose, call your dad.
Mose, call your dad,
call your dad, Mose.
Mose, call your dad. (call your dad, Mose.)
Mose, call your dad. (call your dad, Mose.)
Mose, call your dad, (call your dad, Mose.)
call your dad, Mose.
Mose, call your dad.
Oh, Mose, call your dad.
Oh, Mose: call your dad.
CALL YOUR DAD MOSE
Mose, call your dad.
Mose, call your dad.
Mose, call your dad,
call your dad, Mose.
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10. |
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In this deeply divisive time
When each side despises the other
When it seems there’s no way we can see eye to eye
In this deeply divisive time
Pitting brother against brother
is our only thing in common that we all pay taxes and die? (Actually, not all of us pay taxes.)
It’s like the red states are from Mars and blue states are from Venus,
we've got to find a way bridge this great divide between us
And find some common ground, so we can see
There are some universal human truths on which we all agree:
Lying is bad.
Lying is very bad.
Lying is very very bad.
Lying is not good.
Stealing is bad.
Stealing is very bad.
Stealing is super duper bad.
You shouldn’t steal things even if you could.
Nazis are bad.
Systemic racism is bad.
Cops killing unarmed black people is bad.
That's a no-brainer, all right.
Grabbing pussies is bad.
A history of sexual assault is bad.
Raw-dogging a porn star a month after your wife gives birth to your son is pretty bad, yeah, it puts you in a bad light.
Mocking disabled journalists is bad
Disrespecting veterans and our armed forces is bad
Refusing to denounce white supremacy is bad
It gives the wrong kind of vibe.
Tear-gassing peaceful protestors so you can hold up a bible you’ve never read for a photo-op is bad
Saying that you are pro life but not actually caring about it one way or the other and only saying it so that you can get votes from single issue voters is bad because it means you’re not actually part of their tribe.
So if you think that lying and stealing and avoiding paying taxes and a failure to denounce white supremacists and nazis, and an extensive history of sexual assault and all of those things would make someone smell like a stinky turd
then let's get this motherfucker out on November third!
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11. |
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Well now all the social networks
Have decided it’s improper
To say the thing I really, really want to say
Oh those gosh darn social networks
Why they gotta put a stopper
On these bottled-up dark feelings I have today?
I cannot tell a lie.
A tear is welling in my eye.
I might break down and cry.
At the indescribably joyful thought that you might...
Decide that all this excellent healthcare you’re having at our expense
Should be freely available for every man woman and child. (And also non-binary persons.)
Decide that denouncing white supremacy makes an awful lot of sense,
And all these divisive factions would be better off reconciled (before the situation worsens)
but that's not gonna happen,
no that will never happen,
so here's what's going to happen instead
I'm gonna keep my toes a-tappin'
I'm gonna keep my lips a-flappin'
when I say that I really really really wish that you were...
Deciding to become transparent about your financial and political blunders
and own up to your massive mistakes and the loopholes you’ve exploited.
Deciding to admit that you’re not making America into one of the seven wonders
Of the world, and instead you’ve turned it into a laughingstock to be avoided
But that seems quite unlikely,
Yes it’s terribly unlikely
I don’t know what coulda put that notion in my head.
But I tell you, day and nightly,
I say this prayer so contritely,
Yes I’m praying for the day that you are
Dead last cause it’s the
Dead line, And you’ve been
Dead wrong, for a
Long time
So while you’re sipping supplemental oxygen tonight in your bed
I just want you to know that the majority of your constituents can’t wait until you are....
... In jail!
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12. |
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Your people send condolences.
Your people send their best.
Your people send you flowers and we hope you get some rest.
Because times are tough, and times are hard,
It’s one tough, hard, sad day.
So we made you this get well card,
And we sincerely say:
Serves you right you stupid motherfucker
Serves you right you narcissistic prick
You set a bad example, now you’re added to the ample
Evidence that going without a mask can truly make you sick
Serves you right you stupid motherfucker (stupid motherfucker!)
Serves you right, King Midas in reverse
You knew in February This was gonna be real hairy
Then you did everything you could to make it worse.
And maybe, pal, just maybe this is just prevarication
Like the million and a half lies you’ve told us all before
Maybe you’re not sick and this is just a fabrication
A sneaky way to save face and get out that exit door
Maybe you’ve been looking at the numbers and you’re worried
That those battleground state voters all want you to take a hike
Maybe you’re afraid of a debate with your opponent
where the moderator gets to mute your mic.
Either way,
Serves you right, you stupid motherfucker.
Doesn’t matter if it’s false or true,
I don’t think I can avoid a major case of schadenfreude
When this clinches it and we say goodbye to you.
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13. |
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I don't care if Monday's blue
Tuesday's grey and Wednesday too
Thursday I don't care about you
It's Friday I'm in love
Monday you can fall apart
Tuesday, Wednesday break my heart
Thursday doesn't even start
It's Friday I'm in love
Monday, I could wait till Tuesday
If I make up my mind
Wednesday would be fine, Thursday's on my mind
Friday'd give me time, Saturday could wait
But Sunday'd be too late
I don't care if Monday's black
Tuesday, Wednesday heart attack
Thursday never looking back, back, oh-whoa-oh
Last Friday night
Yeah, we danced on table tops
And we took too many shots
Think we kissed but I forgot
Last Friday night
Yeah, we maxed our credit cards
And got kicked out of the bar
So we hit the boulevard
Last Friday night
We went streaking in the park
Skinny dipping in the dark
Then had a ménage à trois
Last Friday night
Yeah, I think we broke the law
Always say we're gonna stop
This Friday night
Do it all again
This Friday night
Do it all again
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14. |
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It doesn't seem right
I want to say no
But the only thing to do is let you go
I wanted to speak
I wanted to say
But all these different words got in the way
Someone said to me
Be careful what you dream
It just might come true
Life's great mysteries
Tend to become clearer
Once you've seen them through
Holding your head above water
Holding your heart in your hands
Holding your sons and your daughters
We're just holding on...
It doesn't seem right
But it doesn't seem wrong
Just somewhere we've been heading all along
I wanted to say
I wanted to speak
I hope you find the happiness you seek
Another said to me
Be careful what you dream
It might not come true
Life's great destiny
Is knowing you are loved
And knowing you love too
Holding your head above water
Holding your heart in your hands
Holding your sons and your daughters
We're just holding on...
Holding your head above water
Holding your heart in your hands
Holding your sons and your daughters
We're just holding on...
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Brendan Milburn Seattle, Washington
Brendan Milburn is a music teacher and a dad. In his former life he wrote musicals, songs for animated movies, shows for theme parks and cruise lines. He used to play in a band called GrooveLily. Now he has chickens, cats, and kids, and he is making a song a week. ... more
Brendan Milburn recommends:
Jerry's got this laconic, kinda flat affect singing style which only makes his lyrics land even more. Great acoustic guitar playing, thoughtful lyrics from a generous and kind worldview. Recommended.
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