Pressure

All songs written by Robert Amling.
© 2002 Robert Amling


Pretend Girlfriend
You’re not as interesting as I want you to be
Can you let me down if I’ve got no cause to be up?
I’m not looking for whatever it is I think I see
I wish this was more about you and less about me

I never should have said you were my pretend girlfriend
I never should have let you see the way I sort of feel
I don’t want to have to try to figure out what I mean
And I can’t pretend that I know how much is pretend

I was betrayed by the snowflakes in your hair
I try to stop but I am not of one mind
I know I’m using you and that’s what’s most depressing
How can I see so much but still be so blind?

You’re unattainable… I hope
So I’ll be unrequited… enough
And if I can feel a little pain
I’ll feel alive again


Ravinia
Beneath our tree, we drink the summer heat
Every year, it’s the same, but every time, so unique
Astride the cloth that spans a book of memories
Unpack our lives from the basket with the dishes

I smell the sun on your skin
I touch the rain in your hair
I taste the music in your kiss
I smell the sun on your skin
I touch the rain in your hair
I see tomorrow in your eyes

I pull you close to me…  the squirrels in the trees
Try to deconstruct society
And at that moment, we are free
Alone in our thoughts, but together in our dreams

Beneath our tree, we drink the summer heat
Every year, it’s the same, but every time, so unique
Astride the cloth that spans a book of memories
We pack our lives in the basket with the dishes


Tooth
It’s a piece of me you’re taking
Stripped of a weapon that I once held dear
It’s a part of me that’s been stolen
But this will not slow me down

Pain in my head… you’ll never know
Inscrutable… you’ll never see
The infection spreads… I’ll never blink an eye
Inflammatory…  I’ll never let it show

I’m so much stronger than you
See the set of my jaw and the curl of my lip
I’m so much stronger than you
Nothing can touch the stillness that is me

Beautiful… I was so beautiful
Beautiful… I am so beautiful
Beautiful… I will remain beautiful


Moat
You want to know what I’m thinking
You want to know how I feel
You want me to let you inside
You want to know what is real

A lifetime of defenses can’t be flung open
It’s not that simple for me
Barricades and barbed wire hem my emotions
I’ve mined the periphery

There’s a tunnel you can use if you don’t mind getting wet
An underwater channel to my soul
So take a deep breath and dive into my moat
And swim into me


Federalist
This scene was not of my making
I’ve made my way in the world that I’ve found
You cannot truly be so blind
You’d better stop and take a good look around

We’ve got to all hang together
So you decide… are you in, are you out?
Our strength is in unity
One future is what I’m all about

I’ve got it all thought out
I’ve considered everything
I’ve got it all weighed out
Why won’t you listen to me?

You can’t just back out on me again
Sometimes we must pay the debts that we owe
I never said I should be king
But sometime someone must take control


Lost
what do you see when you stare across at me can you see the pain inside that i try to hide what does it look like to you is there any sign of what you’ve done to me any echo of the way things used to be before i had to give so much of myself away to keep from giving it to you i’m sorry for all the things we did i tried to keep the rain off of you keep you dry i tried and i’m sorry i’m sorry i grabbed your wrist i tried to protect your hands tried to protect you from yourself and i’m sorry did you understand what i tried to give you do you have any idea what that’s worth you get under my skin like a sliver like fire ant colonies burning me up the heat haze blaze smoulder and rage white hot you fuel me my blood pressure’s up i can feel the pounding in my brain i’m drowning from the strain i never meant for things to turn out this way when i grow up things are going to change and i can’t be grown up if i feel like this i’ve still got time this life isn’t mine that’s a lie it’s what i need to keep going some things are more important some things you don’t let go of for any reason and not for some stupid reason i’m going to regain control to maintain some dignity i got lost somewhere along the way i lost a lot of time and a lot of space and i couldn’t find my way back so i’m shutting it all down i’m burning the ground salting the earth so nothing will grow i took a long path i couldn’t find my way back i didn’t go very fast but now i’m on the right track and i’m sorry.


Who’s In Control
Don’t bite my arm
Sound the alarm
Don’t bite your nails
It never fails

Who’s in control?  Who’s in control?
I want the good one this time
Who’s in control?  Who’s in control?
I want the good one this time

Let’s go to the zoo
I’m a monkey and you’re one too
Let’s go to the hall
If it’s muddy then I might fall

I don’t think the wires are hooked up right
There’s no sound coming out when there should be
I don’t think the wires are hooked up right
You keep talking but it don’t make no sense to me

I can’t believe what you do
How many are there inside of you?
I can’t believe what you say
I guess it’s true we’re all made of clay