Violent Femmes - Add It Up (1981–1993) Album Lyrics

The Violent Femmes,
They bring all their equipment on the bus.
And you can't f*ck with the Violent Femmes.
You can not f*ck with this band.

We got the mother and her kids
We got the guy and his date
We all get mad
We all get late
Looks like somebody forgot about us
Standing on the corner, waiting for the bus

Say hey mr. driver man, don't be slow
Cause i got somewhere i gotta go
Say hey mr. driver man, drive that thing fast
My precious time keeps slipping past

Let's call the mayor, let's complain
Looks like the city's done it to us again
Tied up in traffic, what do you know
The damn city bus, it moves so slow

Say hey mr. driver man, don't be slow
Cause i got somewhere i gotta go
Say hey mr. driver man, drive that thing fast
My precious time keeps slipping past

[*talking, instrumental*]

When I'm out walking
I strut my stuff
And I'm so strung out
I'm high as a kite
I just might stop to check you out

Let me go on
Like I blister in the sun
Let me go on
Big hands, I know you're the one

Body and beats
I stain my sheets
I don't even know why
My girlfriend, she's at the end
She is starting to cry

Let me go on
Like I blister in the sun
Let me go on
Big hands, I know you're the one

When I'm out walking
I strut my stuff
And I'm so strung out
I'm high as a kite
I just might stop to check you out

When I'm out walking
I strut my stuff
And I'm so strung out
I'm high as a kite
I just might stop to check you out

Body and beats
I stain my sheets
I don't even know why
My girlfriend, she's at the end
She is starting to cry

When I'm out walking
I strut my stuff
And I'm so strung out
I'm high as a kite
I just might stop to check you out

Let me go on
Like I blister in the sun
Let me go on
Big hands, I know you're the one

Beautiful girl, lovely dress
High school smiles, oh yes
Beautiful girl, lovely dress
Where she is now I can only guess

'Cause it's gone, daddy, gone -- your love is gone
Yeah, it's gone, daddy, gone -- your love is gone
Yeah, it's gone, daddy, gone -- your love is gone
Yeah, it's gone, daddy, gone -- your love is gone away

When I see you, eyes will turn blue
When I see you, thousand eyes turnin' blue

'Cause it's gone, daddy, gone -- your love is gone
Yeah, it's gone, daddy, gone -- your love is gone
Yeah, it's gone, daddy, gone -- your love is gone
Yeah, it's gone, daddy, gone -- your love is gone away

Tell by the way that you switch and walk
I can see by the way that you baby-talk
I can know by the way you treat your man
I can love you, baby, 'til it's a-cryin...

'Cause it's gone, daddy, gone -- your love is gone
Yeah, it's gone, daddy, gone -- your love is gone
Yeah, it's gone, daddy, gone -- your love is gone
Yeah, it's gone, daddy, gone -- your love is gone away

Beautiful girl, lovely dress
Fifteen smiles, oh, yes
Beautiful girl, lovely dress
Where she is now, I can only guess 'cause it's...

Hello,
this Gordon of the Violent Femmes and I've just been locked inside
my house,
so I can't go out and get my bus and stuff and get up there by one 'clock. I'll...Someone's coming over to rescue me so... it wasn't my fault,
my parents had locked me in.
So I'll get there whenever I can.
Maybe I'll try calling Victor at his house or something like that.
O. K., ah bye

Come on dad gimme the car tonight

Come on dad gimme the car tonight

I got this girl I wanna....

Come on dad gimme the car

Come on dad gimme the car tonight

I tell'ya what I'm gonna do

I'm gonna pick her up

I'm gonna get her drunk

i'm gonna make her cry

I'm gonna get her high

I'm gonna make her laugh

I'm gonna make her...shh

woman, woman, woman

she gotta knows she's it

cause I'm gonna touch her

all over her body

gonna touch her

all over her body

gonna touch her

all over her body

gonna touch her

all over her body

and she can touch me

all over my body

she can touch me

all over my body

she can touch me

all over my body

she can touch me

all over my body

time goes by I can feel myself growing old

burning inside makin' this boy turn out cold

What's wrong, What's right

I don't care when I hate my life

What's wrong, What's right

why'know people don't care when they hate their life

but how can I explain personal pain

how can I explain personal pain

how can I explain my voice is in vain

how can I explain the deep down

driving, driving, driving,

weredriving, weredriving, weredriving

hey dad speaking of driving

come on dad gimme the car tonight

so much he don't understand

just might never make it to a man

Come on dad gimme the car

I ain't no runt

come on girl gimme your...

cause I ain't had much to live for

I ain't had much to live for

why'know I ain't had much to live for

why'know I ain't had much to live for

I had me a wife, I had me some daughters.
I tried so hard, I never knew still waters.
Nothing to eat and nothing to drink.
Nothing for a man to do but sit around and think.
Nothing for a man to do but sit around and think.

Well, I'm a thinkin' and thinkin', till there's nothin' I ain't thunk.
Breathing in the stink, till finally I stunk.
It was at that time, I swear I lost my mind.
I started making plans to kill my own kind.
I started making plans to kill my own kind.

Come little daughter," I said to the youngest one,
Put your coat on, we'll have some fun.
We'll go out to mountains, the one to explore.
Her face then lit up, I was standing by the door.
Her face then lit up, I was standing by the door.

Come little daughter, I will carry the lanterns.
We'll go out tonight, we'll go to the caverns.
We'll go out tonight, we'll go to the caves.
Kiss your mother goodnight and remember that God saves.
Kiss your mother goodnight and remember that God saves.

A led her to a hole, a deep black well.
I said "make a wish, make sure and not tell and
Close you're eyes dear, and count to seven.
You know your papa loves you, good children go to heaven.
You know your papa loves you, good children go to heaven.

I gave her a push, I gave her a shove.
I pushed with all my might, I pushed with all my love.
I through my child into a bottomless pit.
She was screaming as she fell, but I never heard her hit.
She was screaming as she fell, but I never heard her hit.

Gather round boys to this tale that I tell.
You want to know how to take a short trip to hell?
It's guaranteed to get your own place in hell.
Just take your lovely daughter and push her in the well.
Take your lovely daughter and throw her in the well.

Don't speak to me of lovers, with a broken heart.
You want to know what can really tear you apart?
I'm going out to the barn, will I never stop in pain?
I'm going out to the barn, to hang myself in shame.

I dig the black girls, oh so much more than the white girls.
I was so pleased to learn they were faster.
C'est, c'est, c'est vous i'm after.

All comes a faggot white boy.
Said look, look, look first kind of joy.
They come around so queer and quiet,
As i rebel and riot.

Shall I dig the white boys?
All so much more that the black boys.
I was so pleased to learn they're not smarter.
Go on, give, give, give it to me harder, harder, harder, just say harded.

You know I love the lord of hosts,
The father, son, and the holy ghost.

I was so pleased to learn that he's inside me
In my time of trouble he will hide me.

I dig the black girls.
I dig the black girls.
I dig the black girls.
I dig the black girls.

Gordon gano: vocals, guitar
Brian ritchie: electric bass, slide bass, jew's harp, vocals
Victor delorenzo:drums,vocals
John zorn: sax, clarinet peter balestrieri: sax drake scott cornetto
Produced by mark van hecke
Recorded at secret sound studio, new york city

Oh my, oh my, oh my, what if it was true?
And oh my, oh my, oh my, tell me is it true.
Did he, did he, did he die upon that cross?
And did he, did he, did he come back across?

Jesus walking on the water.
Sweet Jesus walking in the sky.
Sinking sand, took my hand, raised me up,
And brought me up.
I can hold my head up high.

Will I, will I, will I be true to my birth?
And will I, will I, will I give what I'm worth?
Oh yes sir, yes sir, yes sir, I come when you call,
And yes sir, yes sir, yes sir, sweet Jesus, my all-in-all.

36-24-36!

See a girl walkin' down the street, just the kind of girl that I'd like to meet.
It ain't her hair, her clothes, her feet -- somethin' much more discreet.
Now I ain't loud, baby, I ain't proud -- I just want what I'm not allowed.
Movin' on up and I help myself to do a world of good for my mental health.

36-24-36 -- something's broken that needs to be fixed.
I don't know how to tell you this,
But I'm getting bored and I need some kicks like 36-24-36.

Man, oh, man, oh, man, oh, man -- I got a red hot plan if you understand.
Cannot fail, it's plain to see -- I'm havin' fun and makin' money.
I know this summer's gonna be the best if I don't die from lack of rest.
Experience what my daddy said, that's what I got, just like he said.

36-24-36 -- something was broke but I got it fixed.
I don't know if I should tell you this,
But I was gettin' bored and I got my kicks like 36-24-36.

Something's special 'bout her personality,
Something's special 'bout her psysiology.

36-24-36 -- I want lots of pretty chicks.
36-24-36 -- I want lots of pretty chicks.
36-24-36 -- I want lots of pretty chicks.
36-24-36 -- I want lots of...

I'm gnawing on the knowledge
That I have been burnt
And I'm learning things that I
Should've already learnt
Everyone I ever knew
Was so kind and coy
I was with a girl
But it felt like I was with a boy
I can't even remember
If we were lovers
Or if I just wanted to
But I held her in my arms
I held her in my arms
I held her in my arms
But it wasn't you
I will not kill
The one thing that I love
In this world of wreckage
I look above
Help me Lord
Help me understand
What it means to be a boy
What it means to be a man

I hate the TV
I hate the TV
I hate the TV
I hate the TV
Y'know that it's killing me
Y'know that it's killing me

I hate the president
I hate the president
I hate the president
I hate the president
Y'know that he's killing me
Y'know that he's killing me

Oh my love
Do not fear
Satan's army will never win
Oh my love
Do not despair
God is with us
Living prayer
He's killing me
He's killing me

America is
America is the home of the hypocrite
America is the home of the hypocrite
America is the home of the hypocrite
American dream, so full of it

Look at the Indians, look at the blacks
Look at the figures, look at the facts
Look at the facts, the facts, not the lies
When you find out -- big surprise

That America is the home of the hypocrite
America is the home of the hypocrite
America is the home of the hypocrite
American dream, so full of it

Check out the Indians, check out the blacks
And then you check out the figures, and then you check out the facts
Just check out some facts, check out the facts, not the lies
Then you'll find out, it's a big surprise right between the eyes

America is the home of the hypocrite
America is the home of the hypocrite
America is the home of the hypocrite
American dream is only a dream

No desperation limit, new desperation level
Even though my nose don't work
I smell trouble, I smell trouble
No desperation limit, new desperation level
Murder, murder in the government
Say you're sorry, say you're sorry
No desperation limit, new desperation level
Turn the key, turn the lock
Nationalism, you can suck my
No desperation limit, new desperation level
Watch how the world's progressin' everywhere
Aggression, aggression
Aggression, aggression
Aggression, aggression

Old Mother Reagan
And her crew
Took away
From me and you

I hope she goes far away
She better go far away
Y'know it ain't right
When it's all wrong

This is the Old Mother Reagan
Protest song
Old Mother Reagan
She's so dumb

She's so dangerous
How come
Old Mother Reagan went to heaven
But at the pearly gates
She was stopped!

Ladies and gentlmen.
The violent femmes.
Come witness
The beauty of their degradation.
Mothers bring you sons.
Mothers bring your daughters to this most educational exhibit.
The alternative has constitute has spared
No expense to bring these amazing freak babies to the oriental theatre.
Friday, march 29th.



Eight o'clock.
Tickets: $8.50 in advance, $10 the night of the exhibition.
Tickets available at oriental box office, main stream records,
Radio ????, and the uwm bookstore.
Violent femmes.
Degradation.
Violent femmes.
The oriental theatre.
Violent femmes.
The 29th of march.

When I say dance, you best dance motherf*cker

Dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
I say dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
I say dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, whohoo...
You suckin' ugly motherf*cker dance

Dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
I say dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
I say dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, whohoo...
You suckin' ugly motherf*cker dance

You suckin' ugly motherf*cker dance

Dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
I say dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
I say dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, oh...
You're such an ugly motherf*cker dance

I say dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
I say dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
Dance motherf*cker dance
I say dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, whohoo...
You're such an ugly motherf*cker dance

Well I'm reading this poem and it's so profound
And I like it's rhythm and I like it's sound
It's by a very famous poet no critic can criticise
And then I pause a moment and I start to realize
He's tellin lies lies lies
On the motel T.V. I dig the evangelist
He'll tell you all about that
And then he tell you all about this
He's preachin' up a storm by the sea of Galilee
He's mixin' up the truth with something funny
I start to see
I never had this problem with nobody in the government
I guess I always figured they never mean what they meant
And GOD help us all not to be so stone surprised
When we wake up in the stars with the skies
In our eyes if we keep tellin'

Do you like American music
I like American music
Don't you like American music baby
I want you to hold me
I want your arms around me
I want you to hold me baby
Did you do too many drugs
I did too many drugs
Did you do too many drugs too baby
You were born too late
I was born too soon
But every time I look at that ugly moon
It reminds me of you
It reminds me of you ooh ooh ooh
I need a date to the prom
Would you like to come along
But nobody would go to the prom with me baby
They didn't like American music
They never heard American music
They didn't know the music was in my soul baby
You were born too soon
I was born too late
But every time I look at that ugly lake
It reminds me of me
It reminds me of me
Do you like American music
We like American music
I like American music baby
Do you like American music
We like all kinds of music
But I like American music best
Baby you were born too late
And I was born too late
But every time I look at that ugly lake
It reminds me of me
It reminds me of me
Do you like American music
It reminds me of me
Do you like American music

Life was fun

Life was great

'Til I made my big mistake

Oh no it'll never happen to me

Life was short

And life was sweet

I was thinking as I hit the street

I could hardly believe

I could scarcely conceive

But I had gone out the window

I had gone out the window

I had gone out the window

She was fine

She looked great

And so we made our big mistake

I swear I swear I swear

It'd never happen to her

But the pavement knocked her head around

When she hit the solid concrete ground

From 30 flights above

And she was thirty something loving nothing

Gone out the window

She had gone out the window

She had gone out the window

Catch me if I'm falling,

Catch me if I'm calling

He was smart he was wise

He'd profoundly philosophize

Empathy for all humanity

'Til one day by an open window

There's a note that read

I've gone out the window, I'm dead

He said yes to life for all of his life

But then one day he said no

I gotta go out the window

We all go out the window

Catch me I am falling

Catch me I am calling

Catch me we are falling

Catch me we are calling

I need someone a person to talk to
Someone who'd care to love
Could it be you, could it be you
Situation gets rough then I start to panic
It's not enough it's just a habit
Hey kid, your sick, well, darling this is it

You can all just kiss off into the air
Behind my back I can see them stare
They'll hurt me bad but I won't mind
They'll hurt me bad they do it all the time
Yeah, yeah, they do it all the time, yeah, yeah
They do it all the time (do it all the time)
They do it all the time (do it all the time)
They do it all the time, do it all the time

I hope you know that this will go down
On your permanent record
Oh, yeah, well, don't get so distressed
Did I happen to mention that I'm impressed

I take one, one, one 'cause you left me
And two, two, two for my family
And three, three, three for my heartache
And four, four, four for my headaches
And five, five, five for my lonely
And six, six, six for my sorrow
And seven, seven for no tomorrow
And eight eight I forget what eight was for
And nine nine nine for a lost God
And ten, ten, ten, ten for everything, everything, everything, everything

You can all just kiss off into the air
Behind my back I can see them stare
They'll hurt me bad but I won't mind
They'll hurt me bad they do it all the time
Yeah, yeah, they do it all the time, yeah, yeah
They do it all the time (do it all the time)
They do it all the time (do it all the time)
They do it all the time (do it all the time, do it all the time)
Do it all the time

Day after day
I will walk and I will play
But the day after today
I will stop and I will start

Why can't I get just one kiss
Why can't I get just one kiss
Believe me, there'd be somethings that I wouldn't miss
But I look at your pants and I need a kiss
Why can't I get just one screw
Why can't I get just one screw
Believe me, I know what to do
But something won't let me make love to you

Why can't I get just one f*ck
Why can't I get just one f*ck
I guess it got something to do with luck
But I waited my whole life for just one

Day after day
I get angry and I will say
That the day is in my sight
When I'll take a bow and say goodnight

Oh, ma-mama, mama-mo-ma-mum
Have you kept your eye, your eye on your son?
I know you've had problems, you're not the only one
When your sugar left, he left you on the run

Oh, ma-mama, mama-mo-ma-mum
Take a look now at what your boy has done
He's walking around like he's number one
Went downtown and you got him a gun

So don't shoot, shoot, shoot that thing at me
Don't shoot, shoot, shoot that thing at me
You know you've got my sympathy
But don't shoot, shoot, shoot that thing at me

Don't shoot, shoot, shoot that thing at me
Don't shoot, shoot, shoot that thing at me
You know you've got my sympathy
But don't shoot, shoot, shoot that thing at me

Broken down kitchen at the top of the stairs
Can I mix in with your affairs?
Share a smoke, make a joke
Grasp and reach for a leg of hope

Words to memorize, words hypnotize
Words make my mouth exercise
Words all failed the magic prize
Nothing I can say when I'm in your thighs

Oh, ma-mama, mo-ma, mo-my mother
I would love to love you, lover
City is restless, it's ready to pounce
Oh, here in your bedroom, ounce for ounce

Say, ma-mama, mo-ma, mo-my mother
I would love to love you, lover
City is restless, it's ready to pounce
Oh, here in your bedroom, ounce for ounce

I've given you a decision to make
Things to lose, things to take
Just as she's about ready to cut it up
She says, "wait a minute, honey, I'm gonna add it up!"
Add it up! Add it up! Add it up! Add it up!
Add it up! Add it up! Add it up! Add it up!

Day after day, I get angry and I will say
That the day is in my sight
When I'll take a bow and say goodnight

[Instrumental]

Oh Johnny
Do you miss your mother
Do you miss your father
Oh an johnny, do you miss me
Oh and I was so hungry
I just wanted to attack
And I was so hungry
And that mean I'll never look back
Oh Johnny
Sometimes I wonder
Sometimes I wonder
And I
And I wonder
What it's like to die
No yah see I could'da been a star
I could'da been a whip
I tell y'a somethin' else right now
We could'da been
Sailing along on our ship
Is this ring that he wore
It's just another thing that he wore
But there's something about this ring I just can't ignore
So I keep it though I don't no were it's from
Oh Johnny
Do you miss all the old the old ladys
Do you miss all of the crazys
Oh an johnny, do you miss me
Oh Johnny
Do you miss your mother
Do you miss your father
Oh johnny there's something that I'd like to know
And I, and I
Could you tell me john,
Could you tell me what it's like to die

Gordon Gano: Vocals, Giutar
Brian Ritchie: Bass
Victor DeLorenzo: Drums

Recoded by Victor DeLorenzo at The Beneath It All Cafe, Milwaukee, 1981