Constantly Travelling

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If you’re confused by most of these lyrics, you’re not alone.

Written in 2001 and revised over the years, Constantly Travelling is kind of a mess. I did some extensive work before posting it here but it still leaves me scratching my head a bit. While I’d been guilty of writing lyrics I thought sounded cool before ones that actually meant something, these took it to a new level. What came out was a really mixed bag.

As mentioned in my Under The Microscope commentary, some lyrics here take the “less is more” approach to its limit. A few things are extremely short and…. I don’t know. It really works in some cases but also leaves some other stuff feeling really half-baked. I’d probably be more selective with the technique if I used it again.

That isn’t to say there aren’t some good things on here though. Favourites include Quick Escape, Notions Of Transparency, Song For Karen, Constantly Travelling and Montreal. It’s probably not a coincidence that those are the most personal/coherent lyrics from the grouping too. SFK in particular introduces a muse that is referenced again in the future, so it has some added significance.

Despite the idea of keeping lyrics short, the original version of Constantly Travelling actually had 15 different things. Those interested can check it out on the Fireteddy National Library. You can also find what was cut from the grouping here.

Lyrics Content

01. One Minute

02. Quick Escape

03. Notions Of Transparency

04. Anti-Drunk

05. Song For Karen

06. Not Getting Through

07. Impaired

08. Planting Of The Seed

09. Constantly Travelling

10. Secret Transmissions

11. Montreal

One Minute

You’re bringing me back

Stuck me in here

Still under attack

There’s nothing to fear

There’s one minute left

You’ve pushed me to this

Been pulling some strings

The love that you’ve missed

Keep twisting your ring

There’s one minute left

I thought you should know

One minute to go

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Quick Escape

Going out to hit the road

I figure that it’s not that tough

Stay behind as time implodes

Or just say you’ve had enough

Pictured all the longing days

With feelings that I won’t receive

I still remember things you’d say

Things hardest to believe

Time to escape but nobody cares

And just up above everyone stares

Time to escape but nobody cares

Just go up above and get out of there

Going out with false intentions

Trying hard to find the words

I’m left alone with my inventions

Alone with the absurd

Take me in or let me go

Sorted out with such discretion

All the things you seem to know

Are things that you won’t mention

Time to escape but nobody cares

And just up above everyone stares

Time to escape but nobody cares

Just go up above and get out of there

I’ll shoot myself through open skies

Then I’ll find my way somehow

As plain as day, don’t close your eyes

I want you and I want you now

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Notions Of Transparency

Well I sleep then I eat then I wake, concentrate

I work then I play then I sleep, go away

I know then I think I should part, wanna leave

I stop just to start then I run, can’t believe

Nothing here is wrong

We were losing all along

But nothing here is wrong

I feel then I touch, yes I know I’ve got too much

I love just to bleed then I hate, left too late

I know but I don’t then I drown, want to float

I stop then I go then I run, want to know

Nothing here is wrong

We were losing all along

But nothing here is wrong

I saw then I heard things I felt, so absurd

I’ll take what I steal then I’ll cheat, I’m not real

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Anti-Drunk

There’s nothing left to talk about

There’s nothing left to say

It’s not that I forget her voice

That drifted in our wake

Now sometimes I might wander off

As I lay beneath the sky

There’s nothing left to talk about

And still I wonder why

Is she happy where she’s sleeping?

Is she happy when she’s not?

Is she happy with the things she has?

And the love she never got

There’s nothing left to hold on to

And nothing that remains

With nothing left for me to do

It’s drilled into my brain

Now some days I can let it go

When I’m drifting off to sleep

While other times I wish I knew

What led to this defeat

Is she happy where she’s sleeping?

Is she happy when she’s not?

Is she happy with the things she has?

And the love she never got

I still think of her a lot

It’s not like it’s the first time

And I know it’s not the last

I’m always going to wonder why

But now our time has passed

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Song For Karen

Buckle up kiddo

Step in for the ride

Nothing’s gone wrong

No reasons to hide

Aren’t you so lucky?

You’re feeling so great

With the rest of your life

Another thing to berate

So now tell me, Karen

Do you remember the time?

My clocks are all melting

So it must be a sign

It must be a sign

Now cheer up there beauty

You can rest in your bed

You still feel some pain

But it’s all in your head

Oh aren’t you unlucky?

Well you should feel sick

With the things you’ve been doing

From the flip of a switch

So now tell me, Karen

Do you remember the time?

My clocks are all melting

So it must be a sign

It must be a sign

Now the things you don’t have

They’re all things you won’t take

So the things you don’t have

You’ll just have to fake

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Not Getting Through

I’ve been drifting in space

Out of the atmosphere

Did I find my place?

Picking apart your fears

I thought that I’d help

But there’s nothing to do

I can’t keep this up

I won’t do this for you

I’d sail through the sun

Disappear in black holes

Only coming undone

It’s our fate left unknown

I thought I’d could help

But there’s nothing to do

I can’t keep this up

I won’t do this for you

Now you’ll find your way

I’m sure of it too

I can’t keep this up

When I’m Not getting through

When I’m not getting through

I’m not getting through

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Impaired

Grinding on the pavement

Been trying to gain some speed

Coming from the past tense

A reason now to bleed

Well maybe I was wrong to stay

But I might have been correct

Since every mother’s fallen son

Needs a meaning to reject

You go in and out of traffic

As the circulation moves

Can you even think a moral thought?

Or is this something to abuse?

Still easily amused

Sleeping on the front lawn

I’ve watched these smokey spires

Passed out as some gnomes talk

I think they’re getting tired

Maybe I was wrong to think

Or maybe I was right

While every mother’s secret lover’

Conspires to stay the night

You go in and out of traffic

As the circulation moves

Can you even think a moral thought?

Or is this something to abuse?

Still easily amused

Walk a line and touch your nose

Then we’ll see just how it goes

Pat your head and rub your chest

This is more than I’ll digest

It’s more than I’ll digest

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Planting Of The Seed

Been awake for half my life

The rest was just a dream

Nothing here is working out

And nothing’s what it seems

Start sweating all the details

Before we get some clues

I’ve been going off the rails

But I blame it all on you

This is what you need

A new release to feed

This is what you need

The planting of the seed

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Constantly Travelling

Road maps are futile when you’re going nowhere

If you smile and then nod, you can act like you care

Sometimes I’m crying, but most times I’m lost

If you stopped all the talking you could untie these knots

While the bombs were always falling

They fell long before tonight

The only difference now is…

We’re constantly traveling, destination unknown

A relationship fading and accident prone

Sometimes I’m dying but most times I’m here

If you stopped all your talking, we could play it by ear

While the bombs were always falling

They fell long before tonight

The only difference now is

They’ve got the target right

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Secret Transmissions

These distances travelled

While still nothing more

They’re all of the things

That we’ve all seen before

With some private transmissions

Now they’re not coming through

But they were only for me

They were never for you

So it all boils over

I know I’ll sink awhile

A field of four leaf clovers

Where desperation’s filed

Are you really all that livid when you’re living in denial?

In this rush hour commute

We expect nothing less

With another dispute

Now it’s all politics

From these secret transmissions

That refuse to come in

Since they aren’t where you’re at

They’re all back where you’ve been

So it all boils over

I know I’ll sink awhile

A field of four leaf clovers

Where desperation’s filed

Are you really all that livid when you’re living in denial?

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Montreal

In all this time of changing
This change is all I have
I still have the choice to lose it
When things really aren’t so bad

All the talk of getting better
While the breeze is giving way
Though all my friends are feeling happy
I just hope to god you’re still okay

But did you ever think to call?
Did you ever think to yell?
I think it’s too late now
Still you can never tell

In all the changing seasons
One thing will still remain
Our lives still have a reason
But some things I can’t explain

Now I think we’re getting better
We’ll surely make it in the end
Like with everyone I’ve ever known
I just want to be the same again

But did you ever think to call?
Did you ever think to yell?
I think it’s too late now
So I can only wish you well
I can only wish you well

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