They Wanna Put Aligators In Our Apartments

My parents spent 20 years managing apartments. This is how I grew up. These are all true stories. This is a new song. It has me very excited!!!!

They wanna put aligators in our apartments
Big snakes to play with the kids in the backyard
Basketball players to beat us up
And just when you think that you've had enough
They break our legs and then run away
They chop down the trees then ask to stay
And just when you think that it can't get worse
YOU PACK THEIR BAGS AND YOU KICK THEM OUT!!!!

They fight and they scream and their voices seem
like samauri swords cut through paper walls
They shoot their guns down through the floor
once not enough so they shoot some more
They throw their cigarettes in the flowers
three days later it starts a fire
They track us down when we go to church
And it feels like they rule our universe

They wanna put aligators in our apartments
Big snakes to play with the kids in the backyard
Basketball players to beat us up
And just when you think that you've had enough
They break our legs and then run away
They chop down the trees then ask to stay
And just when you think that it can't get worse
YOU PACK THEIR BAGS AND YOU KICK THEM OUT!!!!

They like to get naked when they're alone
Then stand in the doorway when you get home.
They scream and convulse in the parking lots
And then they take up two parking spots
They ALL like to call us on Christmas day
The one day we want them to STAY AWAY
They wake us up at 3 am
Because somebody kicked their front door in
But you can't kick them out when they're selling drugs
Because they say they know karate and their daddy owns the place

The greatest Christmas we ever had is when we locked ourselves away
In a hotel in California in that city by the bay
Oh they couldn't find us if they wanted to NO WAY!
Oh they couldn't find us if they wanted to NO WAY!

They wanna put aligators in our apartments
Big snakes to play with the kids in the backyard
Basketball players to beat us up
And just when you think that you've had enough
They break our legs and then run away
They chop down the trees then ask to stay
And just when you think that it can't get worse
YOU PACK THEIR BAGS AND YOU KICK THEM OUT!!!!

Loving You Means Everything

I'm married to my best friend. Sometimes it is very surreal. Life feels to wonderful - she does not pressure me to change. She loves me. But in our world that might be newly wed bliss (I'm not so sure - we've been friends for a very longtime and worked through alot)... I'm learning that loving someone mean with everything I have which sometimes laying down my past ways of doing things and pressing on regarless of consiquence. Tessa I love you. You are - "Miss full of good ideas!"


I'm laying down my worries all my past mistakes
I'm burning all the the bridges to my past escapes

I'm praying for compassion because some things have to change
Yes me and my priorities Yes things have to rearrange

See I don't lack desired or ability to run
Run right over everything and run right over you

I'm praying for compassion because some things have to change
Yes me and my priorities Yes things have to rearrange

So I'm begging for forgiveness and I'm hoping you'll agree
Because loving you means everything means everthing to me

I'm laying down my worries all my past mistakes
I'm burning all the the bridges to my past escapes

I'm praying for compassion because some things have to change
Yes me and my priorities Yes things have to rearrange

Chords: D A G

Electrified

This song was inspired by a Vena Cava sticker, a book on dreams, and Bob Dylan's record "Desire," The Beach Boys "Endless Summer," some magnets on our fridge that formed the words "Hold her hand with soft desire and say "yes" - let's always make forever tonight" (this quote was influential in Tessa and I deciding to tour this summer) and some song titles off a Safari's record. I'm excited about this song it's most likely the lead track on our new record "Welcome To The Future."

Enjoy:

"last night I dreamed of nothing but I woke up with desire to change the world (to change the world) To live an endless summer to spend all of our nights out on the road"

i'm electrified you electrify me
i'm electrified, i'm electrified

"last night I dreamed of nothing but i woke up with desire to change the world (to change the world) to live a true adventure to live the the greatest story ever told"

i'm electrified you electrify me
i'm electrified, i'm electrified

And I will hold her hand with soft desire and say yes
and we will ways make forever tonight
and i will hold her hand with soft desire and say yes
and we'll press on till our dreams come into sight

i'm electrified you electrify me
i'm electrified, i'm electrified

"Last night I dreamed of nothing but I woke up with desire to change the world (to change the world)
And I will walk and not run unil the day is done
I will take a golden minute and sit down
YES I WILL LIVE IN SIDE THE CONTEXT OF THIS MOMENT
and dance like i'm the only fool around....

i'm electrified you electrify me
i'm electrified, i'm electrified

Chords: A E D

The Cops

Cops like to follow our van and make my life interesting. Whenever thers is a behind me I get very nervious. Last night when I was driving home a cop almost hit. That was also scary. I wrote this song in Sutherlin, Oregon on with The Intolerants. The first story if from Sutherlin (2 of the last 3 times I've pulled in to Sutherlin I've been followed by Cops - and gotten stopped once) the second story is from Kansas.

Jesus, Keep Us Safe From The Cops
Jesus, Keep Us Safe From The Cops
Jesus, Keep Us Safe From The Cops
Jesus, Keep Us Safe From The Cops

I swear we just rolled into this town
So why are tailing us trying trying to take us down

Jesus, Keep Us Safe From The Cops
Jesus, Keep Us Safe From The Cops

Well I was sleeping in a parking log
They "They'll kill you boy on this very spot"
Then a few hours later there friends came around
They said, "Listen here boy. You best get out of our town!"

Jesus, Keep Us Safe From The Cops
Jesus, Keep Us Safe From The Cops
Jesus, Keep Us Safe From The Cops
Jesus, Keep Us Safe From The Cops

Here We Are

A conversation with a friend yesterday inspired this song. Take from it what you will maybe one day I'll tell you what it's about.

Here We Are

Here we are on our broken wings
Praying fire from the sky on the evil things
Oh why oh why do the angels have to fly
Do the angels have to fly away?

Come my warrior come my king
Fly over all and everything
Oh why oh why do the good guys have to cry
Do the good guys have to cry today?

Well the day is over it's getting late
Have I decided my own fate?
Oh why oh why do these dream have to die
Do these dreams have to die this way?

Chords: D G A

Some Things

For Tessa's birthday I cleaned our spare room and made into a sewing room, complete with all Tessa's old rock n' roll posters from when we lived in SF. She loved it. I wrote this song on Tessa' birthday in the new room. She my inspiration. It was also greatly helped by a concert posters on the wall.

Some Things

You are my beloved and I love your tattoo
Whenever I'm lonely I just think of you
Somethings can't be explained they must be experience
And I'm so glad I ended up with you

Well these are strang days and this is funny weather
Wheneve I'm with you I'm so glad were together
Somethings can't be explained they must be experience
And I'm so glad I ended up with you

You were my favorite thing in San Francisco
You were my favorite thing in San Francisco
And it's true our Rebellion
And it's true our Resolution
And it's true our Evolution's just begun

Well today it's your birthday your turning 31
According to my records you make my life so fun
Some things can't be explained they must be experience
And I'm so glad I ended up with you

You were my favorite thing in San Francisco
You were my favorite thing in San Francisco
And it's true our Rebellion
And it's true our Resolution
And it's true our Evolution's just begun

She Used To Be

Some of these new songs contain my fabulous wife singing along on them... This is one of the first songs I wrote specifically for her to sing with me. All the lines he used to are Tessa singing about me. Tessa also helped write some of the lyrics on this number. We wrote this on the way to a friends house where we heard the Moldy Peaches for the first time. It seems they share some similiar dynamics. I guess I'm behind the times.

She used to be a drummer in the marching band
She used to be a person I don't understand
She used to be a stranger from so far away
And now she's my best friend

He used to be the singer in a punk rock band
He used to be a baseball player in the sand
He used to be a stranger from so far away
And now he's my best friend

She used to call a commune in Chicago home
She used to never ever wanna be alone
She used to be the truth behind my contradictions
And now she's my best friend

He used to be a cheerleader in Highschool
He used to wear hammer pants when they weren't cool
He used to be the truth behind my contradictions
And how he's my best friend

She used to drive me crazy and right up the wall
And then she'd go and answer all my phone calls
And then she went she went ahead and married me
And now she's my best friend

He used to be the answer to my greatest fears
You see he is my junior by a few years
And then he went he went ahead and married me
And now she's my best friend

Now were so happy to be living not alone
Yes were so glad to not be talking on the phone
Yes I'm with you and I'm so happy your with me
AND NOW YOUR MY BEST FRIEND!

Chords: G D C

Not Quite Yet

This song is about not Tessa and I not quite being ready to have kids yet. It's share some musicial commonality with Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis. It's easily one of my most complex and dynamic songs to date. It should be noted that while this song is about a real fear of ours, the whole story is not true. Our parents are not pressuring us to have kids or come visit. It is a whole hell of a lot fun to play live though.

Not Quite Yet

(we sing the chorus together)
I love you and you love me
Together we'll make a family
But NOT, NOT Quite Yet.

I got a call from my dear old mom
She said when you making babies well it's been to long
Well NOT, NOT Quite Yet.

I got a call from my mother in law
She said when you coming to visit well you live to far
Well NOT, NOT Quite Yet.

I got a call from my dear old dad
He said it will be the best time you've ever had
Well NOT, NOT Quite Yet.

I love you and you love me
Together we'll make a family
But NOT, NOT Quite Yet.

(tessa sings) See I wanna beat on this big old drum (tessa plays a drum solo)
I wanna travel the world and have lots of fun
Yes we wanna live life fit fancy and free (but were still working on it)
We wanna shoot for the stars be all we can be

I love you and you love me
Together we'll make a family
But NOT, NOT Quite Yet.

So here's our cry and hears our prayer
one day we want kids but were just not there
O NOT, NOT Quite Yet.

Whoooaaa Whoooaaa
Whoooaaa Whoooaaa

Tessa starts screaming like a baby.

I keep screaming whooaa whooaa..

I love you and you love me
Together we'll make a family
But NOT, NOT Quite Yet.

Chords: A D E G

Tonight

I wrote this song a few weeks ago laying out our bed while Tessa was reading a Tess of the d'Urbervilles. It's the catchiest new song so far and a really fun sing-a-long. It was originally a remix of the song Glad Tiding off Take It Easy but it quickly took on a life of it's own. You can hear an early mix over on my myspace page. This song has real sing-a-long / old green day feel. I love it.

Tonight

Here's to glad tiding and great great joy
Here's to talk of revolution with no dreams destroyed

Tonight ------ It Will Be Alright

Well my names Nate Allen I'm not a rock star
I work at a call center drive a broken down car

Tonight ------ It Will Be Alright

In this game of life there's nothing but possibilities
We have have skills and we all have abilities

Tonight ------ It Will Be Alright

So when the rains come down and the floods come up
And when your finally over it and when you've had enough

Tonight ------ It Will Be Alright

Because there's always an answer there always escape
There always tomorrow and it's never to late

Tonight ------ It Will Be Alright

Your like a rocketship headed to the moon
Our candles will be lighted soon
and don't you know....... YOUR FUTURES BRIGHT

Tonight ------ It Will Be Alright

So here's to glad tiding and great great joy
Here's to talk of revolution with our dreams deployed

Tonight ------ It Will Be Alright
Tonight ------ It Will Be Alright

Chords: B F# E