Take You Apart

Now I Don’t Feel So Bad

This was the last song we wrote before recording the album. It happened almost all on its own one night as we were absent – mindedly standing around the practice room. 3 chords- you can’t get better than that.

Kicked around and left to drown my collar’s in my mouth / left at home in summer when kids are heading south / I feel I’m on a rope and I’ve got no room to run / and I don’t want the fighting but it’s pastime number one / sometimes I feel like I’m a stranger in my town / I never thought that it could be the other way around / I hear what people say but I try not to care / I can walk down the street with my own sense of belonging somewhere / sometimes I’m immune to my surrounds / but sometimes being young is enough to get you down / I never associated feeling young with being sad / I hated being wrong / but now I don’t feel so bad / wishing for a kissing from the lips of summertime / trying to get my kicks out of wasting all my time / I ain’t seen the sun from December through to May / I couldn’t find a reason I could give to you to stay / I thought you wanted more of summertime’s caress / it never struck me you’d be happier with less / I never associated having less with feeling glad / I read you wrong I guess / but now I don’t feel so bad / now I don’t feel so bad / I lay down and dreamt that I lay down and had a dream / I felt myself dissolving and I don’t know what it means / every second another piece disappears from sight / there ain’t enough of me left to keep you warm at night / I’m gonna get myself back together soon / you can turn a corner in an afternoon / I do believe it’s the worst I ever had / I can’t get back to sleep but now I don’t feel so bad / now I don’t feel so bad / I’m cutting all the corners / but now I don’t feel so bad / I’m busting through the undergrowth / but now I don’t feel so bad / I’m stuck here in the middle / but now I don’t feel so bad

Needles

This one is the oldest song of all of them, we had written it for Rocks O T S but somehow there wasn’t much interest in it at the time. It’s been through various incarnations, but this is its shortest and most concise, and least ‘country”. About a dream I had where a doctor wanted to perform a life – saving operation on me and I wouldn’t let him.

It was hard for me to wake up / I’d just heard the bells / the doctor was alarming me / with trouble making cells / in two places in my heart / that only he could feel / a malevolent intrusion only surgery could heal / he used some poignant phrasing I can’t remember now / to describe the tainted chambers that I was carrying around / he pulled out two long needles to insert into my heart / he said “you might die soon if you do not let me start” / I said “I’ve got things to do I can’t accept your help / I’ll pay the price I’ve gotta pay but I’ll fix it by myself” / he said “you know more things than I do” / I disagreed with him / the things you’ve learned they’re good to purify the world within / I wish I wish I wish I knew what you know / it would help me fight against my impure corners and against the world outside / I wish I knew those things that you know / they would help me fight against my impure corners and against the world outside

I Don’t Know What To Do Any More

A simple song, written around the title, it had been lying around in my head for about 6 months before I actually did anything with it.

I ain’t saving myself for a rainy day / I ain’t saving you up ’til I can pay / you don’t care what I’ve got to say / you tell me that I’m a bore / and I don’t know what to do any more / I called the doctor and he laughed at me like I was on dope / he kept putting me on hold every time I spoke / he’s all booked up and I’m broke / and now I’m feeling sore / and now I don’t know what to do any more / he’s all booked up and I’m broke / and now I’m feeling sore / and I don’t know what to do any more / can’t call me this can’t call me that / but she calls me it all / and I can’t help it I’ve just gotta wait for her to call / she’s the blinding sun in my eyes and I just stand in awe / ’til I don’t know what to do any more / she’s the blinding sun in my eyes / and I just stand in awe / and I don’t know what to do any more

And Tigers They Roam

This one was written in the room we used to share with Powderfinger, along with Make Up, very early on. We demo-d them on the 4 track and the versions on the album are more or less identical.

The street’s full of shooting / and tigers they roam / you could get electrocuted out there alone / I know that you’re angry but pick up a phone / I know you don’t wanna / but if you’d just come home / I’d do whatever it is that I’m supposed to do / though I could count on ten fingers the ways I couldn’t count on you / I don’t wanna be unfair but every time we fight I’m scared I’m pushing you out of my door / it turns me from the man I am to the man I’m not / don’t wanna push my luck any more / now we ain’t criminals / but this is a crime / don’t count on an ambulance to get there on time / I would do anything you ever asked me to though I could count on ten fingers the ways I couldn’t count on you / I don’t wanna be unfair but every time we fight I’m scared I’m pushing you out of my door / it turns me from the man I am to the man I’m not / don’t wanna push my luck any more / I don’t wanna be unfair / don’t want you out of my hair / I don’t care I ain’t a millionaire / ‘cos I’ll still share your taxi fare / even though we swear / I don’t want an intermittent love affair / if we dare to mend the tear / make me don’t be scared any more

Same Mistakes Again

This one’s been through so many changes it ain’t funny, it used to be longer and slower with a great long chorus on the end. It didn’t feel quite right so we cut it back and sped it up, gave it the “soul” feel and it seemed to work best

I’m going back to the city / I’ve gone and made up my mind / ‘cos I’ve seen people from all around / and they’re just cold and unkind / I’m going down to the station / I’m gonna get on a train / ‘cos I don’t know what I’d say / if you asked me to explain / I’ll leave no note and no number / I’ll leave my keys and my chain / I’ll take my chance if I go under maybe I won’t make the same mistakes again / (under maybe I won’t) / make the same mistakes again / I’m going back up my mountain / going back from where I came / ‘cos I don’t care if you don’t understand / I don’t care if you don’t remember my name / down by the banks of the river / it’s gonna wash me away / a drop of water might clean my soul / but hey, that ain’t a reason to stay / I’ll leave the rest of my lumber / just take a pocket of change / I’ll take my chance if I go under maybe I won’t make the same mistakes again / (under maybe I won’t) / make the same mistakes again / I’ll take my chance and I’ll go under if I ever make the same mistakes again / (I’ll leave my keys and my chain)

I’ve Got The Knife

This one was slower originally too. About the second last song written, we were pretty unsure of it for a long time, as it’s pretty ‘straight” for a screamfeeder song. However it’s one of our faves on the album now.

Out in the morning I felt so tall / but down in the playground I couldn’t feel at all / I didn’t feel like talking / didn’t wanna have to take control / I could collect you / I could take you somewhere / or I could connect you with someone who would care / or I could forget you like you were never there / so don’t start without me ‘cos I’ve got the knife / to cut ourselves out from this cardboard kinda life / don’t start to doubt me it’s gonna be alright / I’ve never known the morning to not give up the night / and there must be ways we haven’t discussed / to stop going crazy from doing what we must / had a falling out with love and a falling in with lust / and falling out of favour with the folks on the hill / behaving like a child with your hands in the till / and you’re fuckin’ around with love / and it’s just a fuckin’ bust / so don’t start without me cos I’ve got the knife / to cut ourselves out from this cardboard kinda life / don’t worry about me you know it’s gonna be alright / I’ve never known the morning to not give up the night / I’ve never known the morning to look so fuckin’ bright

You And Me

Another ‘standing around absent – mindedly” song. 3 chords, A, Bm and D. Kel came up with the chorus on the spot and we sat down together and traded lines to make the verses. It was the best fun to record with at least 10 people in the studio singing the ending together, and clapping. The surprise package.

Hey now hey now the devil’s at my feet / hey now hey now it’s time for us to meet / you and me we died a long long time ago / though we tried we couldn’t be high for being low / hey now hey now the devil’s at my feet / hey now hey now I won’t admit defeat / hey now hey now there’s fighting in the street / hey now hey now there’s lying and deceit / you and me we died a long long time ago / though we tried we couldn’t be high for being low / hey now hey now I won’t admit defeat / hey now hey now cos I’m not fuckin’ beat / hey now hey now the devil’s at my feet

Bunny

Came up with the riff waiting outside our practice room in the Valley one night, waiting for the others to show up. We went inside and knocked the chords together pretty quickly and I wrote the words the next day. Like most of our songs it’s in B.

Last night I let myself out in the cold / can’t go back I’m breaking parole / ‘cos I made up a story with some words that I stole / I’m gonna find a chemical to take you apart / I wanna find a way I can appeal to your heart / listen while I dig myself into a hole / got no money now / couldn’t make the bail / just woke up and I’m living in a jail / ain’t so funny now / now you’re on my trail / I’m a little bunny and you’ve got me by the tail / can’t relax cos it’ll be trouble / can’t retract cos I know it’ll be double / I’m just trying to make a living by doing what I’m told / and you can make a killing making love to the world / I heard they made a gun in the shape of a girl / I’m trying to buy something that ain’t being sold / got no money now / couldn’t make the bail / just woke up and I’m living in a jail / ain’t so funny now / now you’re on my trail / I’m a little bunny and you’ve got me by the tail / I’m a little bunny and you’ve got me by the tail / I’m a little bunny and you’ve got me by the tail

On A Plane With Just One Wing

Dean went into a bit of a lyric – writing phase about a year ago, and he came round one night with this. We finished off the music together. Another song which used to have a long intro, and we scrapped that and wrote an outro for it instead. Lucky, it’s the best bit of the song now.

Taken back by the girl I love / I got a message on a ticket stub / she said “ok I’m coming down to land / if you’ll take my bags I’ll let you take my hand” / she’s flying on a plane with just one wing / I sit beneath her and I start to sing / I’m singing “baby just get off that plane” / she said “alright you’ve talked me down again” / taken back in from the cold / taken back we’ve regained control / taken back don’t look down / taken back from the lost and found / 10.11 on the j.a.l / you left me by the baggage carousel / I’ve been so long in the wind and rain / just tell the man he’s gotta land the plane / ‘cos I’ve been singing to a lonely tune / come back over my horizon soon / bring my baby home safe to me / I’m waiting forever at gate 23 / taken back don’t look down / taken back from the lost and found / taken back glad that you’ll be back around / taken back in from the cold / taken back we’ve regained control / I’m singing “baby” / I’m singing “baby just get off that plane”

The Space That’s Left

This song is not autobiographical. I wrote this after I read a book called Intimacy by Hanif Kareishi. It’s about a man who decides to leave his life, his family and everything he knows. Someone made a movie about it and it sucked, but the book is great. So this song came from that. (Kellie)

Have not spoken for more than 3 days / smoothed out even and lies have been laid / there isn’t even anything left to prove / no bones are broken but it’s so hard to move / scratched initials on the bottom of all your things / the kettle’s screaming the phone it always rings / it’s hot inside and the air begins to sear / so many ways in but I want out of here / you and me are silenced because of this / you and me are silenced because of this / you and me are silenced because of this / you and me are silenced because of this / injured hearts they can settle on the dust / just let them lay if you say that’s what they must / we can halve everything we own / but we can’t erase everything we’ve known / given time space and care then we will heal / driven further from memories to feel / can we delve into our heart’s damaged cleft / and jolt some life into the space that’s left / you and me are silenced because of this

Make Up

This is another one which more or less wrote itself, a coupla hours work and it was done. A fave of our live.

Lights are falling but the feeling’s strong / I woke up with my make up on / I’ve been stretching out across the lawn / I’ve been waiting for you much too long / the sky will open and a light will come / I can laugh because I don’t belong / but I will wake up and I’ll find you gone / a lot of time to kill but no more time to run / the future sparkles like a diamond ring / we’ve been so far but our shoes are clean / the sky will open and it won’t mean much / there ain’t nothing that I wouldn’t do to feel your touch / lights are falling but the feeling’s strong / I woke up with my make up on / I’ve been stretching out across the lawn / I’ve been waiting for you much too long / the sky will open and a light will come / I can laugh because I don’t belong / but I will wake up and I’ll find you gone / a lot of time to kill but no more time to run / I will wake up and I’ll find you gone / a lot of time to kill but no more time to run / I’ve got time but now I don’t have fun / a lot of time to kill but no more time to run / I will wake up and I’ll find you gone / a lot of time to kill but no more time to run

12345

Written by me and Kellie Lloyd in the kitchen one afternoon, using repetition in the verses and a simple killer melody in the choruses to make its point. We even played it as an instrumental for a while before I’d written the words we liked it so much. Lyrically simple or complex? Deep or shallow? It’s both at once. Contradictions and dualities abound within Screamfeeder.

1 2 3 4 5 / can’t you tell that I’m alive? / my writing’s bad but here’s my letter / I’ll let you know I wanna make it better / 5 6 7 8 9 / it’s a crime it’s a crime / my talking’s bad / but listen hard / I feel alone when you put up your guard / 6 7 8 9 10 / can’t we just begin again? / my luck was bad / can we go back if I make up for all I lack? / 3 4 5 6 7 8 / it ain’t so hard to get it straight / my life was bad but it was living / now you’ve just gotta come and be forgiving / if I get to 10 I won’t count again / a long time listening to the phone call ring / I’m almost at 9 / I’m almost out of time / and there’s a lot of places that I’ve never been / there’s a lot of places that I’ve never been

Ice Patrol

Almost didn’t make it on the album because we thought for a moment that it didn’t fit. But now we think it does. Almost as old as Needles, another song written for but left off Rocks O T S. The words are inspired by some guys in the arctic circle who have to go out “on ice patrol” to protect themselves from icebergs. (I saw it on telly)

I’m on ice patrol / I’m looking out for ways we could be crushed / I fly above the secret sea checking out what we can’t trust / controlling my balance isn’t instinctual I must remember to really try / I feel if I move I’ll fall like I’ve been shaken loose inside / trying to remember a dream that died / the moment I awake I’m watching it dissolve a split second at a time / here’s my paper back I wrote my name but then I changed my mind / I want to go where there are no dreams / where there are no dreams / by the water’s edge we watch the icebergs flow / they can kill us in a blink although they move so slow / we tried to shoot them up and bomb them / we painted them black / they didn’t break or melt or even acknowledge our attack / by the water’s edge we watch the icebergs flow / they can kill us in a blink / we tried to shoot them we painted them black / they did not acknowledge our attack / the biggest things move slowly you don’t notice them arrive / they’ll dispatch some danger and they’ll sail on by / on patrol there’s too much to know I’ve got too little to lose / I want to know where there are no dreams / I want to go where there are no dreams / where there are no dreams