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Camera Obscura

by Paul Melancon

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1.
Overture 03:31
By now you’ve reached the turnpike I know you so well From the hills the park at night waves the beach farewell Read my message scrawled in light I guess you can tell I hear what you’re saying but here’s my chance to weigh in and tell you all the things I know Like two weeks are not a lifetime but it’s all the time I’ll need to show Maybe it’s me that’s not right but this is how things always go where I come from Could you see the plans I was making ever since you got home The well-lit undertaking A monument to show that here is the fire I’ve been saving in the time I’ve spent alone When you left the last time you never even knew that every chance I had to call was swallowed up by what I thought So when you came back home I swore I’d make this subtle overture I know what you’re thinking and your resolve is breaking now I’ll tell you what you need to know and two weeks will be a lifetime with me inside to feed the show and maybe it’s me that’s not right but this is how it’s supposed to go where I come from (©2002 UbikMusik, BMI)
2.
King Sham 03:21
Look up, see the curtains are falling Look up, that’s my name they’re all calling It fits only too well but it’s not mine I know it seems easy to claim it, but it’s so and I’m here to defame it I stepped backwards and fell Wore this outfit until it fits only too well but it’s not mine and if I were somebody else maybe he’d see the joke or at least that it’s a waste of time But I’m too weak to resign Look up, see my subjects have had it Look up, that’s my name they’re all damning There’s a chance I can tell Well, at least one in hell It fits only too well but it’s not mine Every glance you’ve taken All the days spent shaken Every breath is working only to break your world She’s a test that’s given with the answers written out on the back so you’ll know, King Sham So look up, see the curtains are falling Look up, that’s my name they’re all calling It fits only too well but it’s not mine King Sham (©2002 UbikMusik, BMI)
3.
Sherman 04:46
She’s headed south with debts left to pay and just one tired line to get by I’ll never make this last stand in time and she’ll come on down See the path she has left behind I’m falling back a little too slow and I’m sure she can see it’s a lie Maybe I never wanted to fight as she comes on down As the toll climbs maybe I’m not at home but I left a key for her to find and a note ‘welcome home, love’ How many years did it take just to find me? And the face that you left me to see only serves to remind me that each time you speak I forget what to say But the signs line the streets of this familiar parade and each one repeats that you get what you pay She’s laid the trap so well even I could see it Dead sure I know that there’s one way out As the smoke rises up above the horizon I’ve learned enough to lay down and take what comes Welcome home, love (©2002 UbikMusik, BMI)
4.
Is this your song? It’s been a long time since you backed in Your smiling face could lead you any place Pick your destination Take your time if only for awhile No, pack it up, it’s not enough for now Are you even home? I called to tell you things have changed But you went away to feed your disgrace And your ticker tape aspirations And so we see you wave to the crowd It’s your big day And will the traffic break up long enough for me? So look to the sky There’s a spot you forgot to white out And I won’t be deceived again or hang around and fight and I’ll be waiting now for last year Could I get you to stay? Could we ever hope to be all right? I only let you in so we could just begin To wrap it up and say it’s over But take your time, I know that I am wrong No, I’m better off the sooner you are gone And so we see you wave to the crowd It’s your big day And will the traffic break up long enough for me? So why did you go? Didn’t you know I’d change my mind? And it’s a given that your spotlight leads you blind So look to the sky There’s a spot you forgot to white out And I won’t be deceived again Or hang around and fight And I’ll be waiting now for last year (I called to tell you I’ll be fine) And I’ll be waiting now for last year (You left your exit polls to remind me) And I’ll be waiting now for last year (©2002 UbikMusik, BMI)
5.
Entr'Acte 03:25
The moon is out tonight Lonely satellite Drifting in the sky Silver firefly Up above, things are how they should be The moon is out tonight Lonely satellite Drifting in the sky Silver firefly There you shine, the lantern in my mind Show yourself at twilight, please Little face I want to see, reveal yourself to me The moon is out tonight Lonely satellite Drifting in the sky Silver firefly Up above, things are how they should be
6.
Jeff Lynne 04:25
She says it’s alright She always knew that I’d prefer to be alone than try to prove her wrong Well, maybe I just might or maybe to me it’s clear you’re determined to go no matter what I might show So I won’t pretend I’m even surprised that the look of you leaving is there in your eyes I’d have to say I could see it all along Though I know more will just follow I’ll take my chances tomorrow and I will keep it all inside You’ll never know that I feel just like Jeff Lynne She’s on the next flight She calls to say she doesn’t need to run away I could show her anything to stay But though there’s a chance at the airport gate well, I can just see it’s already too late I’d have to say I could see it all along They say I do myself in things will pick up if I just try Can’t they see that I that I have tried to be just like Jeff Lynne Another rainy night alone A silent tear cried on the phone And isn’t that just why I even try? The feeling I get when you love me doesn't compare to you leaving me I will keep it all inside you'll never know that I that I have tried to be just like Jeff Lynne just like Jeff Lynne just like Jeff Lynne (©2002 UbikMusik, BMI)
7.
Could we both be honest here this time? I won’t spit your name if you’ll learn mine I’ll be fine Got this feeling that love might have shown but it’s clear now that I’ll have to go Where’s all the angels in your name? Why can’t I leave and be the same? I’ll be fine and it’s clear now that I’ll have to go but there’s one thing that I’d like to know now And whoever said you were willing to shine could never have seen you from behind in a clear light I almost believed that I’d been saved in bed with the lie that we both made I’ll be fine There’s just one thing that I’d like to know Couldn’t we both have left it alone? You in your world and me on my own? Hey, California You had it in for me when I arrived Hey, California Now you’ll spread your freakish wings and fly Hey, California Sing me your sleepless lullaby (©2002 UbikMusik, BMI)
8.
Little Plum 04:04
Here in the springtime I hear you breathing and every smile you give me is so revealing I'm caught up inside your eyes the sunlight plays a tune and I can't help but feel the same descant in you Hooray for showing Hooray for feeling love inside Hooray for knowing I've got something that I just can't hide I'm green this summer I swear it's so There's nothing jealous to it not that you'd know Maybe you're too busy while you ripen for the crowd but these misgivings I will never share aloud Hooray for stumbling Hooray for mistakes in my touch Hooray for something but I'm guessing that’s asking too much It's cold this winter and I'm not sleeping Your love has left me but the secret's keeping That while the leaves were falling I had found you on the ground Your heady bloom was plucked while I was not around Hooray for needing Hooray for covering it up Hooray for leaving Hooray for what I let go of Hooray for sorrow and I hope tomorrow comes alone But who will love you, little plum? (©2002 UbikMusik, BMI)
9.
She calls ahead to the front desk at night unaware the bellman’s long since gone Hanging up the phone she switches off the light Heaven help them both if she’s guessed wrong Alright, as darkness starts to fall she wets her hair and dyes it Hitchcock blonde He pours another Chelsea and watches the time knowing full well their scene is done Totally devoted and ignored, she plays it fine but he can see it’s clear her role has run Alright, he’s ripe to move along and shape himself another Hitchcock blonde But something lurks within her fragrance and her smile She’s no idiot and she’s known it for awhile Alright, she slips the gun out of sight and tells herself she’s no one’s Hitchcock blonde (©2002 UbikMusik, BMI)
10.
Finé 06:44
If there's no rain now then I'll be alright I'll keep 'til everything falls I sit here warmed by the note that you left and the light from the carnival stalls You couldn't leave well enough alone you pressed 'til you pushed it down So now you'll have something new to tell Try hard to miss me when I come around Will you come to see me shine? It's not the letter that leaves me to wish there was something that I could do But I'll try to give you what you say you want I'll burn your bridges for you It's not that the phrases have gone to my head not the indifference that makes me so bold It's just that it seems that the fire in my eyes was too big for this town to ever hold Will you come to see me shine? Who could blame you? I will For the wreck that this place has become For your papercut symphony For this fire I sit here warmed by the heat in the air and the light from what's left of the walls Believe me whenever you make the mistake of coming back here after all Will you come to see me shine? Who could blame you? I will When you find out it’s me in this show A bright star too late but it seems that’s how things always go where I come from (©2002 UbikMusik, BMI)

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released September 17, 2002

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