Live at Sidewalk Café, Vol. 3: April 3, 2008

(click on the song to play)
1. musical chairs
2. white horse
3. snapdragon
4. self-portrait in your colors
5. adrian
6. la linea
7. pretty girls
8. all of this will stay
9. charlene

Live at Sidewalk Café, Vol. 3: April 3, 2008
Recorded in New York City, 2008
All songs written and performed by Michael Novick
MKN: vocals and acoustic guitar

musical chairs (2006)

i don’t sleep, i don’t even try / you got a big head but you used to be shy / i feel so bad, but i try to be good / you’ve always been a little misunderstood / it feels like love / or a lack thereof / it’s a sad state of affairs / we’re still playing musical chairs / i play a few tunes, take out the trash / you watch tv and count my cash / i don’t mind the quiet but I miss the noise / you make up with brains what you lack in poise / and it feels like loveor a lack thereof / it’s a sad state of affairs / we’re still playing musical chairs / and it feels like love… / watch tv, take out the trash... / but it feels like love / or a lack thereof / it’s a sad state of affairs / we’re still playing musical chairs / and it feels like love…

white horse (1994)

he bites his tongue / she looks away / he is no fun / she lives today / she is a young girl and he is an old hand with thinning hair / she is a gambler and he is a source / she rides a white horse / we watch them fight / laughing in turn / she's in the light / he'd only burn / she is a young girl and he is an old dog with one eye blind / she is a fighter and he just takes his course / she rides a white horse / he bides his time / she looks for air / he sees her heart / she dances for him slowly / she is a dancer and he has a song he made for her to dance to / but she is a white horse and he is a man / they do the best they can / she is a young girl and he is an old hand with thinning hair

snapdragon (1992)

there you are, invited / bees buzzin' 'round the queen / words are lost in the lightning / so ancient and serene / you used to be a soldier / you used to have a dream / but now your eyes are swollen / so practiced, it's obscene / hush, delilah / i'll come around / though you've sent me so low that i can't even find the ground / i'll put up with the snapdragon / if you can put up with me / i laid it on the table / but your dishes were not yet clean / and i could see the expression you sent out / you shut my right to dream / living without you would still be a life / i'm not above the struggle / but don't you know the man inside your door? / he's nothing but heartache and trouble / so hear me, delilah / i will come around / when that other is past, i will make sure you are found / i can deal with the snapdragon / but will you wait for me? / i tell you i'll take care of the snapdragon / if you can take care of me

self-portrait in your colors (2001)

someday you'll learn that i'm a hard man to know / you only get to see what i'm inclined to show / i'm too sensitive / i'm too shy / too judgmental to lie / too shallow / i'm too deep / but i'd sweep you off your feet / i always bet too much when i've got nothing to gain / but you have to play your cards if you want in on the game / i'm too intense / i'm benign / but i won't stop until you're mine / i'm a genius / i'm a fool / and you are nothing if not cruel / i'm your salvation / i'll be your end / i'm the part of you that will not bend / i'm the singer / i'm the tune / i'm eternal / i'm too soon

adrian (2006)

never play chess with a debutante / they’re always so well trained / men of leisure, all we are is men restrained / oh, adrian, you were right to not let me begin / you used to be such a good actress / but now you’re too jaded to lie / and I’m too lazy to tell you that it means goodbye / oh, adrian, you were right to not let me get in / i felt much safer in your arms than i could ever say / but you never sleep with a debutante / you just roll in the hay / oh, adrian, you couldn’t live with me in sin

la linea (2001)

we took the train to la linea/in spite of all the rain/invitations sound like promises and company is pain/on the sidewalks of new york and in the shadows of your face i found a home in you but i couldn't take his place/i'm sorry you couldn't see/behind my eyes there's a man in me/when i look into the past and think of things you said it starts me laughing but what we had is dead/i told you it would end this way with me in north dakota/i feel so far away from that night at la linea when you accepted me/but that was just a cruel dream it was never meant to be

pretty girls (2004)

took my chances with a wallflower / she handed me my head / and i couldn't help thinking that life is too short for wild geese and red herrings / is it wrong to say you're weak when i'm the one who can't speak? / close up your stained-glass eyes / put a sock in your alibis / i'll cut off those dirty blonde curls / i've had just enough of pretty girls / it must be something in the genes / you're probably so proud / but behind that face, you're a disaster / it's like you were born yesterday / i wouldn't kick you out of bed / not unless you're sleeping / i was only in it for the score and a set of keys to your little house on the shore / and all your little friends with their second-hand pearls / i've had my fill of those pretty girls / and you're not even that pretty... / close up your stained-glass eyes / put a sock in your alibis / i'll cut off those dirty blonde curls / i've had just enough of pretty girls

all of this will stay (1994)

the air, the walls, the hinges of the screen door / the hum of lights, my own broken breath / music, subtle / fingernails against skin / a tree, the sun / my spinnning conscience / your voice and "goodbye" / all of this will stay / your hair, twisting into gold / and i stumble / your eyes, punching holes in mine / i think, i speak / and it's not the same / your heat, my dream / splitting each other / and your voice is the swell in my chest / calling from the fringes of the day / "all of this will stay" / your flaming breath across my back / the sleepless nights, i can't keep track / call me weak / you never will know / the strength it took to let you go / the distance screams and i try to keep little pieces / but i cry, "more, more, more" / it never comes / i fight to close the gap, but it grows / and you say, "you can keep me in your head" / and what i've come to know / and the sweet words that you say / all of this will stay

charlene (2004)

you had a hand in the jar and one eye on my pocketbook / i could see it from afar / you were always worth a second look / call me old-fashioned but i like to take my women like my wine / dry, bold, and australian / you were always dumb, but you were kind then / you'll never be that dumb again / if i'm the best that you could find / i pity all those other men / call me a coward / call me anything that makes you free / i'm just trying to keep the part of me that breathes / charlene, take what's yours and disappear / charlene, look away and let it go / it's too late to be sad for something we never had / i'm thinking of a number / what's it going to take to make you leave / i'm cool, drunk, and carniverous / charlene, take what's yours and disappear / charlene, look away and let it go