Lyrics to The Modern Dance

The Modern Dance, 1978

Nonalignment Pact.
I wanna make a deal with you girl
and get it signed by the heads of state.
I wanna make a deal with you girl.
Be recognized round the world.
Well, it's my nonalignment pact.
Nonalignment pact. Nonalignment pact. Nonalignment pact.

At night I can see the stars on fire
and I can see the world in flames.
And it's all because of you girl
or your thousand other names.
Peggy. Carrie Ann. And Betty Jean.
Jill. Joan. Jan. And Sue.
Alice. Cindy. Barbara Ann.
You know. It's all because of you.
It's all because of you girl. You know.
It's all because of you.
It's all because of you girl. You know.
It's all because of you.
You better sign my nonalignment pact.
Nonalignment pact. Nonalignment pact. Nonalignment pact.

Nonalignment pact.
Nonalignment pact. Nonalignment pact. Nonalignment pact.
Writers: Herman - Krauss - Maimone - Ravenstine - Thomas.

© 1978 Ubu Projex, administered by Bug Music (US/Can).
© 1978 EMI Music (ROW).
Lyrics by David Thomas.

The Modern Dance.
Down at the bus. (Merdre Merdre)
Into the town. (Merdre Merdre)
Our poor boy can't get around. (Merdre Merdre)
Eight fifty-five. (Merdre Merdre)
Down at the show. (Merdre Merdre)
She leaves early. He'll never know. (Merdre Merdre)
Cuz our poor boy. (Merdre Merdre)
He believes in chance. (Merdre Merdre)
He'll never get the modern dance.
And it moves like...

Under the door. (Merdre Merdre)
An eye on the place. (Merdre Merdre)
He watches for the shadow race. (Merdre Merdre)
Watch real close. (Merdre Merdre)
Look real fast. (Merdre Merdre)
He's in touch. He'll never last. (Merdre Merdre)
Cuz our poor boy. (Merdre Merdre)
He believes in chance. (Merdre Merdre)
He'll never get the modern dance.
And it moves like...

Our poor boy. (Merdre Merdre)
He believes in chance. (Merdre Merdre)
He'll never get the modern dance.
And it moves like this...

Writers: Herman - Krauss - Maimone - Ravenstine - Thomas.
© 1978 Ubu Projex, administered by Bug Music (US/Can).
© 1978 EMI Music (ROW).
Lyrics by David Thomas.

Laughing.
My baby says. Uh. My baby says.
We can live in the empty spaces of this life.
My baby says. Uh. My baby says.
Far away the stars are coming all undone.
My baby says. Uh. My baby says.
But that's far away. We're young.
My baby says. Uh. My baby says.
If the devil comes we'll shoot him with a gun.

My baby says. Uh. My baby says.
We can live in the empty spaces of this life.
My baby says. Uh. My baby says.
In the desert sands our hearts are brighter than the sun.
My baby says. Uh. My baby says.
When the devil comes we'll shoot him with a gun.
My baby says. Uh. My baby says.
And if he shows his face. Ha. We'll laugh.

Writers: Herman - Krauss - Maimone - Ravenstine - Thomas.
© 1978 Ubu Projex, administered by Bug Music (US/Can).
© 1978 EMI Music (ROW).
Lyrics by David Thomas.

Street Waves.
I ride a street wave uh right by her side. I said uh.
And I can hear the city city coming round. And.
The things I say hit the air and seem to fall apart. And.
And I can see the faces faces falling down there.
Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone by her heart.
I'm gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone by her heart.

I get a picture of what it'll be like. I said uh.
I turn the channel round to Channel 43. And.
I see electricity jump and spark. I said uh.
I see electricity uh real and stark. And then I.
Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone by her heart.
I'm gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone by her heart.

I ride a street wave uh right by her side. I said uh.
And I can hear the city city coming round. And.
I see electricity jump and spark. I said uh.
I see electricity uh real and stark. And then I.
Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone by her heart.
Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone by her heart.

Writers: Herman - Krauss - Maimone - Ravenstine - Thomas.
© 1978 Ubu Projex, administered by Bug Music (US/Can).
© 1978 EMI Music (ROW).
Lyrics by David Thomas.

Chinese Radiation.
No. I won't.

He'll be the Red Guard.
She'll be the New World.
He'll wear his grey cap and she'll wave her red book.
Then he'll tell her I want you all ways.
One way and then they'll sin. Now.

Yeah. Now listen to me.
Listen.
Now I was lost at sea.
She was lost with me.
Then across the broad horizon.
Ah. Out on the Big Waves I saw it coming.
I saw it coming.
I saw the Red Guard.
I saw the New World.
I saw the Big Wall out on the Big Waves.
Ah. It was an experience.
Hooray!
That's what I had to say.
Hooray! Hooray!
We will purify.
We must purify.
For that bright security that we all want we will purify.
You know what I'm saying.
Here comes the Red Guard.
Here comes the New World.
Here comes the Big Wall out on the Big Waves.
Hooray! Hooray!
We will purify.

He'll be the Red Guard.
She'll be the New World.
He'll wear his grey cap.
She'll wave her red book.

Writers: Herman - Krauss - Maimone - Ravenstine - Thomas.
© 1978 Ubu Projex, administered by Bug Music (US/Can).
© 1978 EMI Music (ROW).
Lyrics by David Thomas.

Life Stinks.
Life stinks.
I said I'm seeing pink.
I said uh I can't wink and now I can't blink.
I said I like the Kinks cuz I need a drink.
I can't think cuz I like the Kinks.
I said life stinks.
I said I need a drink.
Yeah life stinks.
I said life stinks.
I said Yeah.

Life stinks.
I said I'm seeing pink.
I said I can't wink and now I can't blink.
I said I like the Kinks cuz I need a drink.
I said I like the Kinks cuz I can't think ya'know.
Life stinks.
I said life stinks.
I said life stinks.
Yeah life stinks.
I said...

Writer: Laughner.
© 1978 Ubu Projex, administered by Bug Music (US/Can).
© 1978 EMI Music (ROW).

Real World.
Out in the Real World in Real Time uh city streets uh bright shine.
Out in the Real World in Real Time Cindy makes a bad joke.
Out in the Real World in Real Time girlie goes uh goodbye.
Out in the Real World in Real Time Techniramic Heartache™.

Out in the Real World in Real Time what's that talk? Girl talk.
Out in the Real World in Real Time I wander round OK!
Out in the Real World in Real Time birdie goes fly fly bye bye fly fly.
Out in the Real World in Real Time Techniramic Heartache™.

Out in the Real World in Real Time what's that talk again oh?
Out in the Real World in Real Time oh that girl made a bad joke ha! ha! ha!
Out in the Real World in Real Time girlie goes uh goodbye.
Out in the Real World in Real Time Techniramic Heartache™.
Writers: Herman - Krauss - Maimone - Ravenstine - Thomas.

© 1978 Ubu Projex, administered by Bug Music (US/Can).
© 1978 EMI Music (ROW).
Lyrics by David Thomas.

Over My Head.
It's pretty cute the way she tucks me in at dawn.
And how I pray that I never should sin again.
Here it comes going over my head.

In the gas her eyes are imagined.
And what she sees cannot be detected.
Well, here it comes.
It's over my head. It's over my head. It's over my head.

That she said and that went by.
This she says and this may too.
Oh no there it goes.
It's over my head. It's over my head. It's over my head.

Writers: Herman - Krauss - Maimone - Ravenstine - Thomas.
© 1978 Ubu Projex, administered by Bug Music (US/Can).
© 1978 EMI Music (ROW).
Lyrics by David Thomas.

Sentimental Journey.
Uh.
Window. [Mumble.]
Out.
Nice. Nice. Nice.
Someone says to me. [Mumble.]
Unh-hunh. Nope. Nope. Unh-hunh
Yeah.
I'll go home. I'll go home.
Who? Who? Who? Who?
Umh. I guess so.
I'll go home.

Bump. Bump. Bump bump bump bump.
Cross the floor to the door.
Out the door to the hall.
Down the hall to the...
Crocus. Crocus. Crocus. Crocus.
I guess so.
Round and around and around and around and around and around.
Round. Round. Round.
Wait.

Ah. Oh oh, unh-hunh.
Table and chair and tvs and books and lamps and other stuff.
It's home.
It's a rug it's a home it's a rug it's a window.
I don't...Phhght! Ah-pa.
I'll go home. I'll go home.
It's home. It's home.
Umm.

Original lyrics:
Window. My size.
Outside. Monoxide.
Inside. Paradise.
Curtain. No breeze.
Motion. Attraction.
Here she comes. Girl.
She says Why don't you just go home?
I don't know. I guess so.
I guess I'll go home.

Motion. Retraction.
Down the hall to the stairs.
Down the stairs to the street.
Down the street to the corner.
Round the corner. Nowhere. Nowhere to go.
I don't know. I guess I'll just go home.

Motion. Attraction.
Table chairs tv books other stuff.
Home. It's home.
Window. My size.

Writers: Herman - Krauss - Maimone - Ravenstine - Thomas.
© 1978 Ubu Projex, administered by Bug Music (US/Can).
© 1978 EMI Music (ROW).
Lyrics by David Thomas.

Humor Me.
Oh. Unh?
It was the first thing that I saw.
Oh you never see that kind of classical girl.
Understand that it was the first thing that I saw.
Unh. That was fate.
It was the ballistics mahn.
That was fate.

It was a world. What a world.
What a world. What a big world.
But a world to be drowned in.
It's just a joke mahn.
It's just a joke mahn.
It's just a joke mahn.

Another day. Well suffer.
For that's the way of the west.
Suffer.
Oh it's a joke.
Oh it's a joke.
Oh it's a joke.
You bet.

Oh it's a joke.
Oh it's a joke.
Unh-hunh.
Well then humor me.
Well then humor me.
Well then humor me.

Writers: Herman - Krauss - Maimone - Ravenstine - Thomas.
© 1978 Ubu Projex, administered by Bug Music (US/Can).
© 1978 EMI Music (ROW).
Lyrics by David Thomas.