Tune-Yards - Nikki Nack Album Lyrics

Find a new way

My dreams aren't about the future
You tried to tell me that I had a right to sing
Just like a bird has to fly
And I wanted to believe him cause he seemed like
A really nice guy
Oh, but I trip on the truth when I walk that wire
When you wear a mask, always sound like a liar
I tried to tell him all the reasons that I had to never sing again
And he replied "You better find a new way"

Find a new way
Find a new way
Find it today
Find a new way
Don't need to look too hard, yeah
Somehow we find a new fine way

And now they say
"He come, he come, he come"
And your sleep is a frame of
He comes, shake 'em, tell'em
"Be unafraid"
And now they say
"Here come, here come, here come"

You and me, never free
Attached by bands
Are cutting off the blood to our hands
You and me are never free
You pull and I bend and I am ready for the end
Cause I've tried, I've tried, I've tried, I've tried
It's a dangerous ride

I'm never free
I bend 'til I break
And every bone is in stake
She tried to tell me that I had a right to scream
Just like a bird had to sing
And I believed her, but in truth
If you're convincing, I'll believe anything
I only speak when I'm feeling sad and lonely
But what I speak doesn't have to do with being sad and lonely

Little white lies
You rode my sight
When I look into his eyes so

Find a new way
Find a new way
Find a new way
Find it today
Find a new way
Don't need to look too hard, yeah
Somehow we find a new fine way

A sippy cup to keep a cap on all the screaming of songs
What happens when the drink is gone?
Nothing, stuffing down a stifled little yell
Desperation now, numb me at night
I pray to learn to pretend so I can sleep tight
But something doesn't feel right

When I see you changing
It makes me think that I could change too
Oh, change-o strange-o
'Nother rearrange-o
Oh, change-o strange-o
'Nother rearrange-o

When I see you changing
I believe that I could change too
Oh, change-o strange-o
'Nother rearrange-o
Oh, change-o strange-o
'Nother rearrange-o
Oh, change-o strange-o
'Nother rearrange-o
Oh, change-o (change-o change-o change-o...)

And now they say
"He come, he come, he come"
And your sleep is afraid
But we comes, shake come, tell' em
"Be unafraid" (Ha!)
And now they say
"He come, he come"
(Find a new way)
And now they say
(Find a new way)
"He come, he come, he come"
(Find a new way, find a new way)
But we come she come, tell' em
"Be unafraid"
(Find a new way)
And now they say
"He come, he come"

No water in the water fountain
No side on the sidewalk
If you say, "[?]
Whatchu doing now
Nothing but you do when you're going nowhere?

Woo-ha!
Woo-ha!
Catch it
We're gonna get the water from your house (your house)

No water in the water fountain
No wood in the wood stalk
And you say, "[?]
Whatchu doing now
Nothing but you do when you're going nowhere?

Woo-ha!
Woo-ha!
Catch it
We're gonna get the water from your house (your house)

Nothing feels like dying like the drying of my skin and lung
While we just sit here while they watch us wither till we're gone
I can't seem to feel it
I can't seem to feel it
I can't seem to feel all new all new all new the cold stew
You will ride the whip
You'll ride the crack
No use in fighting back
You'll sledge the hammer if there is no one else to take the flak
I can't seem to feel it
I can't seem to find it
Your fist clenched my neck
We're naked naked naked naked naked

No water in the water fountain
No phone in the phone booth
And you say, "[?]
Whatchu doing now
Jump back jump back Daddy shot a bear?

Woo-ha!
Woo-ha!
Catch it
We're gonna get the water from your house (your house)

I saved up all my pennies and I gave them to the special guy
When he had enough of them he bought himself a cherry pie
He gave me a dollar
A blood-soaked dollar
I cannot get the spot out but it's okay
It still works in the store

They see men come and take my world
Life without your water is a burning hell
S[?] me up with your home-grown mice
Anything make ship [?]

And the two-pound chicken taste better with friends
A two-pound chicken taste better with two
And I know where to find you

So listen to the words I say, baby
Say give me your head
I'll barely going round and round and round
Now I'm in your bed
How did I get ahead?
Whoop!
Your, your finger through my hair
Finger through my hair
Give me your chest
Give me oppress
I'll give a thing to caress
Wouldya wouldya wouldya listen to the words I say?
Sound like a [?]
[?] round and round and round okay
Take a picture [?]
Your fingers in my hair
[?]
[?]

No water in the water fountain
No side on the side walk

We're gonna get the water from your house
We're gonna get the water from your house
We're gonna get the water from your house

I know you're carrying me under a blanket of coal
I feel you carrying me under a blanket of coal

Living in the time of dark
And I don't dare to look very far
Young man
She's just a whisper
Step too loud, the sound of the ground
Will just eclipse her

I leave all my doubts behind
(See through me)
I'll give up my sight
I'll tear it out so I can see the signs
My steps are small
(See through me)
Walking blind
Spinning to the clouds
Hoping I don't choke on all the truth that they bring

[Chorus]
See me over the mountain
I know you're carrying me under a blanket of coal
See me over the mountain, yeah
I know you're carrying me under a blanket of coal
If you see me to the darkest time
There'll never be a mountain that I cannot climb
See me over the mountain
I know you're carrying me under a blanket of coal

See right through me to the sky
Down is up and up is down
A crumble climbing high
I've met you twice before
When you put breath in my lungs when my own kin had me gagged
When you taught me to breathe underwater
When I had myself drowned

So don't cry
It's nothing
(See through me)
Even in silence
There are voices who will sing
(See through me)
But oh little child
Understand a single thing
Your music's in your pocket
With the power you can even imagine
It will bring

[Chorus]
See me over the mountain
I know you're carrying me under a blanket of coal
Won't you see me over this mountain
I feel you carrying me under a blanket of coal
If you see me to the darkest time
There'll never be a mountain I'm not willing to climb
See me over the mountain
I know you're carrying me under a blanket of coal

Hey hey hey, hey-o
(Hey hey hey, hey-o...)

See through me
See me over this mountain, yeah

Living in the time of dark
And I don't dare to look very far

Givin' up what you've got
And what you are, you're simply not
Aren't you tired of this game?
And all the emptiness of your fame
You can't hold tight to what you have
Cause there is nothing there to grab
Now life is a shadow of the butt
You never did have what you thought you got

I'm no real thing
They say I'm the real thing
(Oh no)
I sound like the real thing
(Oh no)
Sing it real loud like the real thing
Makin' 'em proud like the real thing
(Lalala)
I come from the land of slaves
(Lalala)
Let's go Redskins
Let's go Braves
(Lalala)
You want the truth in tomes
Dig this dirt and sift out the bones
They said I'm the real thing
(Oh no)
I sound like the real thing
(Oh no)
Joke's on you
All askew
Heard my name in Timbuktu
(Lalala)
Now I got it
All mangled
(Lalala)
Cut it out it's all tangled
Star spangled

Givin' up what you've got
And what you are, you're simply not
Aren't you tired of this game?
And all the emptiness of your fame
You can't hold tight to what you have
Cause there is nothing there to grab
Now life is a shadow of the butt
You never did have what you thought you got

Oh, I'm no real thing
Water ain't water if water is wet
(Oh no)
Don't ever pay me
I look good in debt
(Oh no)
Red, white, blue course through my veins
Binge 'n purge the USA

Why are you afraid about pants size ten?
Humadum, rumadum
They're chosen girls
While you worry about chest size 6
They're winning the tricks
Those tricks, those tricks, oh

Just what is the real thing?
(Oh no)
Don't call my the real thing
(Oh no)
The search for the real thing
(Oh no)
The curse of the real thing
Lalala
I come from the land of shame
Blood and guts are all I claim, singing

Givin' up what you've got
Aren't you tired of this game?
You can't hold tight to what you've got
You never did have what you thought you got

Oh my god I use my lungs
(Bless my lungs, bless my lungs)
Soft and loud, anyway feels good
(Bless my lungs, bless my lungs)
Oh my heat up in my bones
(Bless my lungs, bless my lungs)
Perched atop my drumming flam
(Bless my lungs, bless my lungs)
Ate food that fed me
(Bless my lungs)
Seed planted itself in my stomach and bled me
Read some words that led me
Knee ache, skin leathery
Put up a fight and you're my pride
Swell, my fist right through a tube
Glory, glory it's good to be me
Ugly one be you, who you are
Ugly one be you, who you are
Ugly but pretty you're all ready
It's complicated

I'm a real thing
Real thing [x14]

There will be
Always something you can lean your weight into
There will be
Always something you can rely on
I will be
Always something you can lean your weight into
I will be
Always something you can rely on

There will be
Always something you can lean your weight into
There will be
Always something you can rely on
I will be
Always something you can lean your weight into
I will be
Always something you can rely on

Never thought I'd call you baby
But look around, look around, look around
We are the dreams that we were made of
Our friends have died
Waging war against their rulers
Come here, don't cry
We won't let anybody fool us

There will be
Always something you can lean your weight into
There will be
Always something you can rely on
I will be
Always something you can lean your weight into
I will be
Always something you can rely on

You wouldn't believe what I saw in the city tonight
The most brilliantly rhyming terrors
I come home, zipped up so tight
Bear my metal teeth to you
The power went out, so I started hoarding water
How do you open your arms so wide?
Never turn my fear in fire

Cause I never knew
Oh, I never knew
(Never knew, never knew)
[?]
(Never knew, I never knew)

On the one hand, there's what sounds skirt
On the other hand, there's what's true
Beware the empty promise
All around me, all around you
Let's not pretend
That the world around us isn't falling

But look around, look around, look around
All we need is all that we can see

(There will be
Always something you can lean your weight into
There will be
Always something you can rely on
I will be
Always something you can lean your weight into
I will be
Always something you can rely on)
(Never knew, never knew)

Hey life, I am still here
Hey life, I am still here

Hey life, I am calling your name
But all I hear is an echo
Unless your voice and mine sound the same
But hey life, I love you so much I scream and shout
But I'm one foot in, one foot out
Just kinda like running on a roundabout, you know

Now I don't wanna run out
But I'm runnin' runnin'
I don't know where to go
But I can't seem to go slowly, no
I don't wanna run out
So I'm runnin' runnin'
Hey hey hey hey life
Why do you keep me around?

I can never seem to focus on the task at hand
Ten times a day, I don't seem to understand
I've spent twelve thousand, nine hundred and forty four days alive
Amazing how a human being can still thrive
But I know my days are numbered
I should enjoy the climb
I like to smell the roses but I'm runnin' runnin
Out of the time

I don't wanna run out
But I'm runnin' runnin'
I don't know where to go
But I can't seem to go slowly, no
I don't wanna run out
So I'm runnin' runnin'
Hey hey hey hey life
Why do you keep me around?

I don't wanna run out
But I'm runnin' runnin'
I don't know where to go
But I can't seem to go slowly, oh
I don't wanna run out
So I'm runnin' runnin'
Hey hey hey hey life
Why do you keep me around?

I woke up feeling albatrossy
Flossing my teeth
I look fine on the surface
But I'm worried about what's underneath
I woke up with a heartbeat
Like a panic attack
Yackity yackity yackity yackity yack
I can't tell my brain to not talk back
But hey life
Won't you push me around
Like a baby in a carousel
You pull me underground
Like a kid who is lost
Waiting to be found

One two three o'clock
Four o'clock
Walk and walk
And talk and talk
And walk and talk
And then five six seven
Seven seven
Heaven heaven
Take me again
[x4]

I don't wanna run out
But I'm runnin' runnin'
I don't know where to go
But I can't seem to go slowly, oh
I don't wanna run out
So I'm runnin' runnin'
Hey hey hey hey life
Why do you keep me around?

Peace
Peace and love
Love is waiting
For the feeling of discomfort to pass before killing
[x4]

We argue round then
Unrolls the ground and
The Earth curls up and
The mulch slaps down
Oh the white face brown
World upside-down
World upside-down
Ring-a-ding a dinner bell loud

Sink-O! The Earth will swallow you up
Sink-O! The Earth will swallow you up
It literally ate him up
It literally ate him up
Hmm, it wants your first born kid
Hmm, it's time you ran and hid
Hmm, it will eat you up
It literally ate him up

Peace, peace and love
Love is waiting
For the feeling of discomfort to pass before killing
[x4]

You'll be ok, you'll be ok
Turn into the sun when the sky goes grey
Turn into an egg when the sky goes salt and pepper
Say nothing and you let her (this time won't last forever)

Sink-O! The Earth will swallow you up
Sink-O! The Earth will swallow you up
It literally ate him up
It literally ate him up
It literally ate him up
It literally ate him up
Sink-O! The Earth will swallow you up
Sink-O! The Earth will swallow you up

I'm holed with popcorn
Holed up with Pop Tarts
VHS The Voice can't wait 'til it starts
Tweedle-deedle oh diddy oh didee-ay
Cannot fall asleep but cannot face the day

If I went up to your door
You wouldn't let me in
So don't say you don't judge by the color of skin
[x2]

Peace
Love is waiting

Peace
Peace and love
Love is waiting

Peace, peace and love
Love is waiting
For the feeling of discomfort to pass before killing
[x2]

There was one part on there where I didn't unmute the claps...

Interlude:
Why Must We Dine on the Tots?

Old grandfather Lou begged a question at supper as mother defrosted the meat from the tupperware dish with the red polka dots, "why must we dine on the tots?"

"Oh grandpa!", she said, with disparaging tone, "you've been spending too much of your dying alone time by reading those books having radical thoughts. (radical thoughts) Of course we must dine on the tots. What good were those kids before they were our food, outrageously smelly, impulsive and rude. Thus you know very well that the fresh produce rots. So clearly, we'll dine on the tots."

"I remember," said Lou, "when we all looked ahead. Your rationale's crummy. Who'll live when I'm dead? My nightmares these days ties my insides to knots. Oh, why do we feed on our tots?"

But before he could finish (but before he could finish), his daughter placed a fork to his lips and transformed by the taste he exclaimed, "Oh the flavor! How I savor it! How did we live before dining on tots! (tots tots tots...)"

He wanted what is mine
But I've paid too much
To let him walk away
Without the love's touch
A city to wreck
To crack in some nuts
We'll have to be our own policeman

Please
Stop that man
Stop that man
Stop that man
[x3]

So sick of watching [?] like a weak man
I needed the trigger in my own hand
A little something [?]
Crack his spine his spine
Your life for the very first time

Who else gets to be king of wood in my neighborhood
Who else gets to be rattled back with the help of the pack
Who fell? The neighborhood fell
It sounds that we'll never get a grip and
Splish splash, can't find cash
Splish splash, can't find cash

Please
Stop that man
Stop that man
Stop that man
[x4]

In the cab
Splish splash, splish splash

He wanted what is mine
Splish splash, splish splash

Who else gets to be king of wood in my neighborhood
Who else gets to be rattled back with the help of the pack

Wait for a minute
I

Monday I wake up with disgust in my head
Could not forgive myself another moment spent in the bed
Monday the mirror always disappoints
I pinch my skin until I see the joints

Today I'm feeling like I live on the ledge
Any moment I just know I'm gonna fall off the edge
They say, "hang on"
I promised them I will but I don't know for how long

Wait for a minute
I'll, I'll, I'll, I'll
[x5]
I'll wait

Why do I spend the [sole/soul?] of my day
Looking for any way to waste away?
The pain is in the empty time
Just twiddling my thumbs and hoping for the words to rise

Today I couldn't stand to be all alone
And sick of hearing my voice on the telephone
A thousand roads to injury
Most of them so smooth it doesn't feel they are hurting me

Wait for a minute
I'll, I'll, I'll, I'll
[x4]
I'll wait

Oh, I'll still try to leave the higher violence behind
I'll wait for relief but the illness is my mind
Why should I worry? I'm already too late
Why should I wait?

Not knowing what the future will bring
Is always wrecking my day
I guess I'll drown my fear and seal my fate
A haze of cravings, easier to do it then to just sit here and wait

Easier to do it then to just sit here and wait

Wait for a minute
I'll, I'll, I'll, I'll
[x6]
I'll wait

Easier to do it then it is to just sit here and wait!

My mind

This place has really changed its ways
Luckily there's only really rich folk living here
Remember what you used to do to me?
Remember the way it used to be?
Cruisin' in the block
Burnin' like it was all meant to be
Burnin' all the rubber in the f*cking land of the free

Nikki Nikki Nack
She told me "never bend back"
That Nikki Nikki Nack
Turn her around and spit on her back
We said we wouldn't let 'em take our soil
We said we wouldn't let 'em take our soil
These days don't it just make your blood boil
We said we'd never let 'em take our soil

Been
Left behind
Been, been been

My my
On my mind

This place has really changed its ways
And it's been ruined by the boats of rich folks coming here
Remember what he used to do to me?
Remember the way it used to be?
Micky D milkshake and a cigarette
Every Sunday a little bit of lightning
Good ol' Michael Mack
He said we'd better fight back
Checkered suit and tie to match
Then turned around and shot him in his back
We said we wouldn't let 'em take our soil
We said we wouldn't let 'em take our soil
With a swipe and a poke the land that we toiled
We said we'd wouldn't let 'em take our soil

Been
Left behind
Been, been been

My my
On my mind

Been
Left behind
Been, been been
[x3]

Holiday, holiday
Let's go crazy
[x5]

Now I'll never know
What's going on

Been
Left behind
Been, been been

Holiday, holiday
Let's go crazy
[x19]

Let's go cra-

The weight of me broke the rocking chair
Now I can't get to sleep
The weight of me broke the rocking chair
Now I can't get to sleep
The weight of me broke the rocking chair
Now I can't get to sleep
The weight of me broke the rocking chair
Now I can't get to bed

Oh how will I
Rock me, rock me, rock me
Rock me to sleep
How will I
Rock me, rock me, rock me
Rock me to bed
[x2]

The weight of me broke the rocking chair
Now I can't get to sleep
The weight of me broke the rocking chair
Now I can't get to sleep
The stink of me made the flowers dead
Now I can't get to sleep
The stink of me made the flowers dead
Now I can't get to bed

Oh how will I
Rock me, rock me, rock me
Rock me to sleep
How will I
Rock me, rock me, rock me
Rock me to bed
[x2]

The weight of me broke the rocking chair

When [?] cause I'm not sure

Not gonna say yes when what I really mean is no
Not gonna say no unless you know I mean it
[x4]

I mean it
Don't beat up on my body
I mean it
Don't beat up on my body
[x3]

I've got something to say
Oh little manchild
Look at your pants
An accident happens each time we dance
Oh there were some times
Among the other times
When I could stand to do this little jig with you
Left right right left

It's time to mean it

I've got something to say
[x4]

Not gonna say yes when what I really mean is no
Not gonna say no unless you know I mean it
[x4]

I mean it
Don't beat up on my body
I mean it
Don't beat up on my body
[x3]

I've got something to say
Oh little manchild
Look at your pants
I've got something to say
Happens each time we dance
I've got something to say
(Oh little manchild
Look at your pants)
I've got something to say