1. |
Younger Days
03:53
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YOUNGER DAYS
words and music by Michael Patrick Vitale and Daniel Blake Wilson
I'm searching in the attic
For something long abandoned for survival
I used to feel ecstatic
When horizons were the frame of your arrival
But nothing seems to stay the same as how we pictured it
People every changing like the shifting continents
And there's no sense in fencing in or building walls to save
The emotions we were swimming in
In our younger days
A shoebox full of moments
The memories that made us who we are
We're smiling in these pictures
The last light from a dying star
Because nothing seems to stay the same as how we pictured it
People every changing like the shifting continents
And there's no sense in fencing in or building walls to save
The emotions we were swimming in
In our younger days
Because nothing seems to stay the same as how we pictured it
People every changing like the shifting continents
And there's no sense in fencing in or building walls to save
The emotions we were swimming in
In our younger days
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2. |
Time Machine
03:10
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TIME MACHINE
words and music by Michael Patrick Vitale
Cogs and wheels that spin and spark
Driving alone on a highway in the dark
Steampunk brain, this lone machine
Behind my random access memory
I've got Legos sprawled all across my floor
My brothers and I are going to war
Force fields furnish the perfect protection
For a space ship powered by our predilection
I'm a time machine
I am senescence
A dinosaur book
Adolescence
A onesie sleep
On my parents couch
Loving me to bed
With caring slouch
Cogs and wheels connect with the power train
Playing with my r/c car in the rain
I'm behind the wheel of my own creation
An 88 mile an hour rumination
I'm a time machine
I am senescence
A dinosaur book
Adolescence
A onesie sleep
On my parents couch
Loving me to bed
With caring slouch
I jump like Indiana Jones down a flight of stairs
Avoided hot lava on the kitchen chairs
I saved the whole world from a fierce invasion
I'm an observer in a widening age dilation
I'm a time machine
I am senescence
A dinosaur book
Adolescence
A onesie sleep
On my parents couch
Loving me to bed
With caring slouch
I'm a time machine
I am senescence
A dinosaur book
Adolescence
A onesie sleep
On my parents couch
Loving me to bed
With caring slouch
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3. |
Home
03:42
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HOME
words and music by Michael Patrick Vitale
When you're feeling empty I will fill your glass
When you're confused you can focus through my looking glass
If you're ever lost, I can try to help you with the map
And if this is too far for you to reach I can help you fill the gap
Even if I don't have the answers, even if I don't have a clue
I can listen to every word you say should you ever feel the need to
If you can't stand the weight, I will try to help you share your load
And If you need a shoulder to cry on baby I'll be there for you to hold
Home ain't a place
But the prettiest face
To ease my woes and wear
Home ain't a destination
Unless I know
That I'll find you there
If life is feeling shaky, you can stand on my firm foundation
If you're ever lowdown, I will provide you with elevation
Should you ever misplace your happiness hereafter
I'll do everything in my power, until all I can hear is your laughter
Home ain't a place
But the prettiest face
To ease my woes and wear
Home ain't a destination
Unless I know
That I'll find you there
Even if I don't have the answers, even if I don't have a clue
I can listen to every word you say should you ever feel the need to
If you can't stand the weight, I will try to help you share your load
And If you need a shoulder to cry on baby I'll be there for you to hold
Home ain't a place
But the prettiest face
To ease my woes and wear
Home ain't a destination
Unless I know
That I'll find you there
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4. |
Empty Circle
05:26
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EMPTY CIRCLE
words and music by Michael Patrick Vitale
I was a table
But now I'm a rug
It's raining outside
Your shoes are covered in mud
I was a Christmas tree
But now it's past Christmas Day
I got tossed out
With the crumpled gift wrap you throw away
It was fun while it lasted
Now I'm left here feeling slanted
Walking in footsteps
Don't seem to be mine
A snowy path of prints
Through a forest of pine
Off in the distance
There's a vanity light
It shines through the window
Of my home at night
Wearing the same clothes I wore yesterday
Chill of snow numbs my pain
As a crooked line
Becomes an empty circle
I was opine
But now I'm nonverbal
I am a footnote
To your storied life
I'm all alone
You're someone else's wife
A tiny table
Place setting for one
The holiday supper
Has already begun
As a child lost in the woods at night
Searching for a pathway towards the light
As this crooked line
Became an empty circle
I was opine
But now I'm nonverbal
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5. |
Gone
03:35
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GONE
words and music by Michael Patrick Vitale
Found a picture of the two of us while we were out drinking
You were smiling at the camera and I was blinking
And as quick as any moment ever comes along
There you were and now you're gone
Like a rowboat song floating on downstream
Maybe happiness and hurt in life is truly just a dream
'Cause like anything good that ever comes along
It floats downstream until it's gone
And as the crazy stops pacing between my ears
The silence between us goes from days to weeks to months to years
Boy, you keep trying you're gonna make it worse
Until everything she says is cordial but terse
Fighting for a heart that'll never bend
it's like starring at love through a looking glass from the opposite end
It was close to you before you looked along
Now it's far away, and then it's gone
And as the crazy stops pacing between my ears
The silence between us goes from days to weeks to months to years
Boy you keep trying you're gonna make it worse
Until everything she says is cordial but terse
Found a picture of the two of us while we were out drinking
You were smiling at the camera and I was blinking
And as quick as any moment ever comes along
It floats downstream until it's gone
It was close to you before you looked along
Now it's far away and then it's gone
Because like anything good that ever comes along
You close your eyes and then it's gone
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6. |
The Nerve
03:23
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The Nerve
words and music by Michael Patrick Vitale
I wish I knew the words
The words you'd want to hear
But I feel half-empty
Half-empty like this pint of beer
I've been working up the nerve to speak my mind
But I'm a burnt-out letter on a neon sign
Trying to hold on to water with an open hand
I could say it again, but you'd misunderstand
I wish had the words
The words to say it right
But I feel like the wind
Blowing through your blinds at night
I've been working up the nerve to speak my mind
But I'm a burnt-out letter on a neon sign
Trying to hold on to water with an open hand
I could say it again, but you'd misunderstand
I wish I knew the words
The words you'd want to hear
But I feel half-empty
Half-empty like this pint of beer
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7. |
Running Away From Home
04:29
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RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME
words and music by Michael Patrick Vitale
Watching the movie Teen Wolf put the notion in my head
That being human's boring and I'd rather be a werewolf instead
But knowing getting bit by one could be a difficult proposition
I reckoned that the wilderness would improve this disposition
So we lit out at dawn for the mountains in the distance
My best friend Brandon along in tow no doubt from my insistence
1985 was the year of our independence
Two empty seats in a second grade class while the teachers calling attendance
But there's no need to worry
I've got everything I need
A sandwich and a blanket
And the will to succeed
I'm heading towards the hills
Where all the lone wolves roam
So long momma, I'm running away from home
In order to ensure a proper werewolf transformation
My days before departure were spent researching Scholastic publication
And according to my sources folklore lent it several options
All of which I applied myself to their immediate adoption
One of which involved drinking water from a werewolf footprint
But since that wasn't handy I felt a dog's would be sufficient
And when the full-moon changing never came I was left with one volition
To pursue a pack of wolves to bring my dreams into fruition
But there's no need to worry
I've got everything I need
I would have asked for your approval
But I knew you'd never agree
I'm heading towards the hills
Where all the lone wolves roam
So long momma, I'm running away from home
And getting to the foothills would be a days worth of travel
But getting spotted by adults would make my well-laid plans unravel
And knowing we wouldn't make it far walking streets in broad daylight
We walked the inner parts of canals to keep us out of sight
The sun was near to setting and my plan was sitting pretty
Brandon and I had one street left to reach the outskirts of the city
Yet one small problem remained and left Brandon and I debating
The portal that would lead us beneath the street was covered by metal grating
But there's no need to worry
We've got everything we need
We can climb this chainlink fence
And then you and I will be home free
We're heading towards the hills
Where all the lone wolves roam
So long momma, I'm running away from home
And just as we reached the top of the fence a squad car changed the setting
The officer rolled down his window and asked where we were heading
We pointed towards the mountains and he got a twinkle in his eye
He said, "man, that's a long ways away boys, hop in, I'll give you a ride."
But there's no need to worry
I've got everything I need
A sandwich and a blanket
And the will to succeed
I'm heading towards the hills
Where all the lone wolves roam
So long momma, I'm running away from home
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8. |
No Vacancy
04:11
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NO VACANCY
words and music by Michael Patrick Vitale
Dancing with a lover on a dead-end street
Stepping on toes with my two left feet
I fell asleep under a vacancy sign
The no was burned out but then she changed the lights
A foggy walk alone on a new moon night
She disappeared altogether when I closed my eyes
The street lights flicker on and off, on and off, on and off like her emotion
Until I find I'm off the deep end of an abstract notion
I forgot the melody a caged bird sings
The door's wide open but I've got clipped wings
The seed went sour in the dying light
So I'll sing for my supper 'til the water runs dry
The quick hide hid under a broken nail
The Essex split in two over an angry whale
There were rumors of cannibals living on the island nearby
So the survivors took the opposite course and ate each other when the truth was in short supply
I forgot the melody a caged bird sings
The door's wide open but I've got clipped wings
The seed went sour in the dying light
So I'll sing for my supper 'til the water runs dry
Parallel lines in the wilderness
Train tracks broken by a small recess
And as the casualties are listed by a talking head
She limits the emotion behind words she read
I forgot the melody a caged bird sings
The door's wide open but I've got clipped wings
The seed went sour in the dying light
So I'll sing for my supper 'til the water runs dry
I forgot the melody a caged bird sings
The door's wide open but I've got clipped wings
The seed went sour in the dying light
So I'll sing for my supper 'til the water runs dry
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9. |
Straw Man
04:30
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STRAW MAN
words and music by Michael Patrick Vitale
This here scarecrow became your straw man
You dress me up and put me working in the fields
Old crows hanging 'round straw man
Eating them seeds before they ever bare yield
I was just a hollow set of clothes
Laying useless across the floor
Someone else had worked hard in me for years
Now I lay there dirty from a day of chores
This here scarecrow became your straw man
You dress me up and put me working in the fields
Old crows hanging 'round straw man
Eating them seeds before they ever bare yield
There was a time I felt brand new
Worn proudly on body lay
Now these torn and worn threads seem like old shoe
Good for nothing but to scare the birds away
This here scarecrow became your straw man
You dress me up and put me working in the fields
Old crows hanging 'round straw man
Eating them seeds before they ever bare yield
I ain't got a word in wise to say
Farmer's got me tied and beat
Onlookers see me hanging right there
Whispering gossip 'bout me from the street
They say "Don't gotta leg to stand on
Ain't got no foot in the door
That boy's quite the strange phenomenon
For all the crows to ignore"
This here scarecrow became your straw man
You dress me up and put me working in the fields
Old crows hanging 'round straw man
Eating them seeds before they ever bare yield
This here scarecrow became your straw man
You dress me up and put me working in the fields
Old crows hanging 'round straw man
Eating them seeds before they ever bare yield
Eating them seeds before they ever bare yield
Eating them seeds before they ever bare yield
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10. |
Human
03:28
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HUMAN
words and music by Michael Patrick Vitale
People are a walking contradiction
Placing one foot in front of the other
And me, I had no idea that I could walk this way
So I learned it from my father and my mother
Everyone here's doing the best they can
Based on whatever their parents already covered
And I'm doing my best to do my best myself these days
So together, let's see what we discover
Truth be told everyone tells a lie
And honesty can be delicately laid
Language was created to understand one another
And so I choose my words carefully to say
We're human
Take it easy if you're feeling down
Everyone trips from time to time
It's a forgone conclusion to maintain the resolution
That you're a perfect circle or a perfect line
Truth be told everyone tells a lie
And honesty can be delicately laid
Language was created to understand one another
And so I choose my words carefully to say
We're human
We're human
So go on and be mean if that's what you're feeling
Or maybe decide to turn the other cheek
Have a sense of humor or maybe spread a rumor
We get back what we put into this world
We're human
We're human
We're human
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11. |
Puppy Love
03:45
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PUPPY LOVE
words and music by Michael Patrick Vitale
Puppy love tore up the garden diggin' up old bones
Puppy love tore up the garden diggin' up old bones
Now I'm chained up in the backyard, whining them painful moans
'Cause puppy love tore up the garden diggin' up old bones
Pretty little lady I'm a hungry for your love
But I've got nothing but an empty bowl
Pushing it around the yard
With the end of my nose
Wishing you would feed me something
But all the lights in the house are dark
So I curl up in the corner
Waiting for the sound of your car to park
And puppy love tore up the garden diggin' up ol' bones
Puppy love tore up the garden diggin' up ol' bones
Now I'm chained up in the back yard whining them painful moans
'Cause puppy love tore up the garden digging up old bones
I gotta one leg perched up and twitchin' in my sleep
I can still smell you on my coat
I've been dreaming about you forgettin'
The finer details of this anecdote
It's like I've got an itch that I can't scratch
So please help a poor dog out
I completely lose my command of English
Anytime that you're around
And puppy love tore up the garden diggin' up ol' bones
Puppy love tore up the garden diggin' up ol' bones
Now I'm chained up in the backyard whinin' them painful moans
'Cause puppy love tore up the garden
Puppy love tore up the garden
'Cause puppy love tore up the garden digging' up ol' bones
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12. |
Kathy's Song
03:05
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KATHY'S SONG
words and music by Michael Patrick Vitale
Baby steps
Your hands on my waist
Showering kisses on my tiny face
My clumsy dance
Living life's ballet
But your outstretched arms met me there half-way
Mum was magic
And her grand illusion
As sorceress of candy and its sweet diffusion
Lollies would vanish
And Cool Mints too
Appearing under pillows from across the room
When we were young
Zizi couldn't say
The suitable pronunciation of our names
Amanda was Memo
And Brett was Bert
And Mum would say she loved us all the much in the world
We took long drives
With no destination
While mum and dad would hold hands in adoration
The passing scenery and years rolled by so quick
We're kids in the backseat listening to music
Your wheel chair
I engage the brake
Showering kisses on my mother's face
This mysterious dance
Breaks my heart
But nothing in this Universe will ever keep us apart
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Mike Vitale Los Angeles, California
Mike Vitale is a singer-songwriter and producer based out of Los Angeles, CA. When not preoccupied with other stuff, he enjoys short walks on long beaches with his two border collies, Border and Collie. He is certain that this sentence is useless, but also doesn't believe in absolutes. The dogs may or may not be fictional. All the other stuff is probably true. ... more
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