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Imaginary Dancer

by The Shut-Ups

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    Click on the titles for song-by-song commentary from Don Condescending.
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1.
Ugly Man 04:18
Ugly man Somewhere an ugly man Hippo head, mosquito face, the evidence of evolution gone awry He thinks of you And he thinks of me And he thinks about the glitter, the glamour, the glory we embodify He lives for us And what we represent And what gets him through the evening Is the dream that our existence is magnificent As a younger man He was a troubled soul He kneel beside his bed at night and pray to God a better life awaited him. And in a way it did Cuz he gave up on love Reluctantly accepting that his mother had severely overrated him. I’m a pretty boy And you’re a pretty girl The world demands we get it on And when we get it on we look real good! The Ugly Man I’m he understands I’m sure he tries to be content That somewhere someone’s making somebody feel good. The ugly thing Would be to humor him Pretend you find him charming and your smile will stalk him in his little dreams tonight Just turn your back Let him fade to black ‘Cuz if he’s doomed to darkness, how cruel it is to make him think he’s seen the light There is no light for him So raise a beer And shed a tear That, in the end, the love you make Is not at all related to the love you crave We could have been like him No, but we’re not like him All we can do is be ourselves And hope he finds salvation in an early grave And so tonight We’ll dedicate our love To the Ugly Man And we’ll let it be The best we ever had! Cuz shouldn’t we be just as lovely As he thinks we are?
2.
I’ve waited by the telephone so many times I’ve had to say “that’s okay” so many times They sympathize, they condescend They say they love me as a friend I’ve lived and breathed in the old and the new And if I had the secret I would share it with you I’ve got my chest hair, I’ve grown a beard But I’m the same old chump they’ve been having for years Girls are weird Girls are weird Girls are weird They’re weird When the Son of Man went out to Galilee He got no love from the Pharisees He didn’t even bother with my petty concerns Now he is who he is, so why won’t I learn? To give up, to abandon hope Tune out, turn in, jump the boat Somewhere out there’s a cross for me I’d feel a lot better nailed to a tree They’re not for me Girls are not for me When I was a boy I didn’t know nothing It was great. I’ve waited by the telephone so many times Screamin at the telephone so many times My love is like a hand grenade That never clears the barricade I’ve lived and breathed in the old and the new But no one calls me the King of the Jews My chest hair is raging up to my beard But my face is all blotted and my name’s disappeared. Girls are weird
3.
It's the Law 03:36
I get back from work The door is open DJ scratchin my Bee Gees records There’s boozy bimbos Hungry hippies And a dancing doofus He’s shouting something: It’s the law: You have to party. Don’t you know it’s the law? They refuse to leave So I call the sheriff She arrives With rope and handcuffs She ties me down And joins the party I try to protest She just says: It’s the law: You have to party. Don’t you know it’s the law? I express some doubt So I’m sent to prison Vicious killers They won’t come near me They seem to feel that I’ve crossed a boundary I’m quite the scandal I hear them whisper: It’s the law: You have to party You know it’s the law. Hello, Electric Chair It’s you and me now If I were sorry, They’d show me mercy But a man don’t like What a man don’t like And I don’t like parties So let me die! So let me die! It’s the law: You have to party! Let me die, let me die, let me die!
4.
Everybody likes a party There is no such thing as too much fun But all of your enchanted evenings Slither off into oblivion If I were a party I wouldn’t end so soon If I were a party I’d last a million moons Everybody likes a party But you sometimes feel so out of place He says it’s very nice to see you Then he’s looking for another face But If I were a party, I’d be a party just for you I may not be a party, But I’ll see what I can do Sure I may have had a little wine Woman, let me be your party All the time All the time Are you tired of being lonely When there’s no more love to make? Did the evening make a promise the morning had to break? When every day is your birthday Every errand is an escapade Every move you make a dance move Every song you hear a serenade Yes I will be your party Just leave it up to me You don’t think I mean it Give me time, You’ll see Pure devotion isn’t yet a crime Woman, let me be your party Woman, let me be your party Woman, let me be your party All the time I may not be that good at it But I’ll try
5.
The night before I break your heart It seems for all the world that you’re convinced That we could always go on dancing Like we’re dancing tonight It’s the night before I break your heart And soon you’ll know at last that you’re unwanted When you thought you were entrancing You were never that bright I do it all for the feeling of it For the feeling The feeling If you only could you’d do the same The night before I break your heart Your blinded eyes adore me You’re relying on the Permanence of passion In the face of despair And even in the flashing light You think that you can see into my soul Beyond my current sense of fashion But I am what I wear I do it all for the feeling of it As we dance, the music twirls us round Shows us off as if the world has found Its faith in love But the music is as deceived as you are The night before I break your heart I’ll savor every second of this final hour We’re spending here together We’ll go out in style How precious is your innocence! And even though you bore me And our glory was as fleeting as a feather I’ll remember your smile I do it all for the feeling of it For the feeling, The feeling If you only could you’d do the same (Break your heart in two) Just remember when you curse my name The only thing I know for sure The only thing I can’t ignore I wanna feel it more and more And that is why the night before I reach my goal THe night before I crush your soul I throw myself into the dance I find the feeling is enhanced The sweeter it’ll be to see your sorrow When I break your heart tomorrow. I’m just feeding my eternal flame
6.
Salvation! 03:16
Your love’s unfairly mine Unfairly mine Your love’s unfairly mine Unfairly mine I’m the guy The fires of hell are flaming for Don’t know why I got what I was aiming for: Your love. For the good man: desolation For the bad man: salvation! You know you played your part You chose my blackened heart Your love’s unfairly mine Unfairly mine Your love’s unfairly mine Unfairly mine God decides whom to curse and whom to bless Why would I surrender what he gave me to possess: Your love?
7.
Honk just to say hello Honk for the joy of noise Isn’t it nice when good people honk for you? Honk if you need my help Honk if you fear a crash But try not to use your horn as a weapon, please! I don’t know why I mind at all But it matters It matters Maybe I drive too slow Maybe you drive too fast Baby we’re so much more than the way we drive I don’t know why I mind at all But it matters It matters We’re two strangers in the night (think, think about it) One and only rendezvous (think, think about it) You may find it odd, But I’m a child of God Aren’t you? So why did you ruin my life? Why did you ruin my life Honk to express desire Honk to endorse my cause Honk unto others as you would honk at yourself I don’t know why I mind at all But it matters It matters
8.
Meanie 03:30
You wear the cross of your salvation Right upon your chest You used to drive me to damnation Where I’ll stay unless You save me from the hell That you yourself have made But I’m not leaving Meanie You used to be so exciting When your wit was still biting When my pride was still black and blue from you Though I know I’m not supposed to like trouble I’m a boy in a bubble And nothing else will do Don’t let the sun Shine through Preach the savior resurrected Sing those songs of grace But you’ll never be selected At the end of days The devil’s saying mass The swine are casting pearls You won’t deceive me Meanie I can forgive all the sinning If it’s just the beginning And I suspect it is Despite your prayers Meanie Longing to be elevated But you’re predestinated You were made to be mean So please be mean to me Does heaven really smile On girls gone wild gone good Don’t believe it Meanie I can admit I’m addicted To the pain you’ve inflicted And I’m sick of His grace Amazing you Meanie Still looking good in a nightie Reject the Almighty And go to hell I mean Come back to live With me.
9.
Hey, I got a secret Nobody knows it Come closer Let me whisper in your ear: I hate people Hey, what did you say? You got a secret? Nobody knows it You’re gonna tell me What you’ve wanted me to hear: “I hate people” Hey, so we agree about that Does that mean we’re in love? Were we meant to be? Negative. I can’t wait til I get home I hate people
10.
I saw a movie tonight I always laugh at the wrong time I’m sure you’d say to yourself “Why does he laugh at the wrong time?” If I have no social grace Just let me explain My imaginary dancer Has been with me so long I don’t remember What it was like to be a man in need Because she reads my mind And she takes my lead And to me, she is more than a woman Sometimes I see through her smile And I know that I have retreated She only came to my side So I wouldn’t feel so defeated But when I see how people are I know I can’t complain My imaginary dancer Will meet with me tonight In some enchanted dancing hall where fantasy meets fact And she will hold me close Til the lights go black I’m so lucky I have such a partner She is words and music I am skin and bone But we will dance till doomsday Thank God I’ll never be alone
11.
Come on!
12.
We had to live So far apart Your aching heart My lonely tears Hungry for love But mad at fate We had to wait so many years For so long I merely dreamed you Never thought I could be yours But since you were revealed to me I don’t dream anymore One step away One step away I believe our love Is just a step away But what if we stay One step away We’ll curse the day We ever met We’ve waited so long To have this dance And just one chance Is all we get And you’ll be mine forever Have you heard these words before? Well, let’s just take that one last step And I won’t speak anymore One step away One step away I believe our love Is just a step away
13.
We are the world So says the ghetto blaster If we are, bring Armageddon faster The weather’s nice But why are you forecasting Endless bliss and sunshine everlasting? Maybe love will last Til worms devour your shoes But I just want these names off my tattoos There’s no time No time as sweet as goodbye We are one That’s what we tell each other But if we were There’d be no need to say that Every heart’s unclean Every mind’s impure I can’t wait until you find the cure There’s no time No time as sweet as goodbye The only problem is We don’t remember this Forgetting all we know, We’re doomed to say “hello.” Hello! How are you? Go on and chase your dream Then what will you find A dream is just a nightmare minus time So there’s no time No time as sweet as goodbye
14.
It 03:51
It - is driving me crazy It - is driving me crazy Tossing me aside As I’m hitting my stride It - what brings us together What tears us to pieces Breaking down our pride Adding us up just to divide Everybody needs it (Yes, I need it too) Everybody needs it (Yes, that goes for you) Everybody needs it What can we do? Cuz I don’t want to be What I really want to be And I don’t want to sing I don’t want to sing about It - is what keeps us going It - but never arriving It won’t let us drive We’re along for the ride Yo Yo It - what makes us make music It - when nobody’s listening We know this band’s no good We’d stop playing if we could Everybody needs it (Yes, I need it too) Everybody needs it (Yes, that goes for you) Everybody needs it What can we do? Cuz I don’t want to be What I really want to be And I don’t want to sing What I really want to sing
15.
Me is good enough for me It’s all I really need It’s good enough for me And me Is good enough for me It’s all I really need It’s good enough for me In sickness and health For better, for worse From cradle to grave From blessing to curse You You tell me what to do But I’m not gonna listen Cuz I’m not you Reach out my hand Reach out my hand Other hand’s there! (Hello, other hand.) Him Is good enough for him But even if it’s not What is that to me? One - is wonderful One - is wonderful One - is wonderful One Wonderful one. Me It’s good enough for me It’s all I really need It’s good enough for me
16.
There’s a place we can go Nobody’s on their tippytoe Do you want to go? There’s a place where we make sense Speaking only in the present tense No consequence We’ll go, but there’s one little problem… I’m with me So I can’t be what you want But we’re gonna find a solution: I gotta get rid of myself Then we’ll be okay But here we are with this introvert (Here you are with this introvert) His terror level: red alert So he won’t get hurt (So I won’t get hurt) So self protective (so self-protective) And there’s no corrective Send him back He’s defective (I’m defective) But he’s me, and that’s our little problem… I’m with me So I can’t be what we want Me to be (It’s inconvenient as hell) But there is a final solution: I gotta get rid of myself Then we’ll be okay
17.
18.
Good Music 03:45
Here I am at the rave It’s a scene from beyond the grave I don’t know if we’re damned or saved But at least we’re excited I’m hanging out by the door I won’t get on the floor What did I come here for? Why was I invited? Though I’ll stay behind From the bump and grind If I could find Good Music I would dance Maybe I’m sick Or maybe it’s just my shtick Maybe I’m just a dick Who doesn’t play well with others Ah, but what if I’m not And everything’s gone to rot And nothing that’s really hot Is ever discovered? Though my heart’s resigned To a nevermind, If I could find Good Music, I would dance When it comes I want to be there with you When it comes I want to be there with you But will you still be dancing? I’m not gonna volunteer To hang from the chandelier But if I hear Good Music I’ll dance If I could hear Good music, I would dance Let me hear Good Music And I’ll dance So keep on dancing Keep on dancing I’ll see you in a while When I’m ready

about

A devastating song-by-song rebuttal to the Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack. To buy a CD, visit store.cdbaby.com/cd/shutups1

credits

released January 1, 2009

Don Condescending: keyboards, vocals, programming
Ben Spraker: guitar, vocals
Thaddeus Thompson: bass, vocals, keyboards
Shadraq Meeshaq: more guitar, vocals
Teenage Man: drums

Recorded at Bel*Air Studios, Athens, GA, USA
Produced by Don Condescending and Jason NeSmith
Engineered by Jason NeSmith

Cover photograph by Liz Page (info@robotlizz.com). Inside photo by Liz Reisman; retouching by Richy Ferrell. Design by Sam Mitchell (www.sammitchell.net).

All songs by Don Condescending, Copyright ©2008 Down Syndrome Superhero Music (ASCAP) except as otherwise noted. “Girls Are Weird” and “Me is Good Enough for Me” by Andy Nowicki and Don Condescending, Copyright ©2008 Down Syndrome Superhero Music (ASCAP). The former is Mr. Condescending’s adaptation of an old Lana Becomes a Man song of the same name. The latter is a song that liberally steals lyrics from another of Mr. Nowicki’s Lana songs, “One is Wonderful.”

People we don’t hate: Ourselves, Mrs. Condescending, Daughters of the Condescension (Zoe and Phoebe), and all other Condescendings, including but not limited to David, Mary Lou, Erik & Austin, along with assorted Sprakers, Thompsons, Meeshaqs and Mans.

Frequently we allow ourselves to be seen with: Andy Nowicki, Katy Tubesing, David Yougman, Lucas Jensen, Vanessa Preiss, Tracey Wolf, Leann McElroy, Liz Reisman, Jason NeSmith, Kay Stanton, Yoichi Sakamoto and Waikiki Record and the entire nation of Japan. And several other people who hang out, uninvited. Special thanks to Billy bin Laden, Shut-Ups 2004–2008 for playing drums on this album.

©2008 Waikiki Record. All Rights Reserved.

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The Shut-Ups Atlanta, Georgia

We're a five-piece new-wave power-pop band from Atlanta and Athens, GA and practice daily at 6AM. We do more before 8AM than most bands do all week.

We're not about Pleasure or Fun. You may enjoy listening to us. You may not. You may pretend to enjoy us because others you respect seem to. They may be pretending, too. In which case you may want to consider what else they're pretending about.
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