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Optimist

by Ben Franklin

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1.
Tell Us How You Really Feel 04:14
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I wash, I run the water down my back I try to clear my head I have to tell myself, "this is what you're doing, You're washing yourself right now" But the moment I let go I let go of the loofa I lose control of my heartbeat And I lose control of my memories They're all I can see in front of me Best friends and back stabbers Go ahead and fuck yourself I sing alone in the show I was the loyal one, remember? Remember? I believed in you before you believed in yourself Too cruel, the way you spoke to me Too cruel to wish you well I'd like to think I've earned a Little more than that from you When I was a little boy My father told me about friends He said, "son, when you get to my age, You'll be lucky to have two good ones" Now I'm gettin' older, I cannot help but believe it I lose control of my heartbeat And I lose control of my memories They're all I can see in front of me Best friends and back stabbers Go ahead and fuck yourself I sing alone in the show I was the loyal one, remember? Remember? I believed in you before you believed in yourself Too cruel, the way you spoke to me Too cruel to wish you well I'd like to think I've earned a Little more than that from you
2.
Drink to Forget 03:50
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This week is gonna be better than last week I feel so low, I've gotta get up again somehow Mostly I drink to forget, and you know it's a safe bet When I get to Monday, my problems haven't gone away So I'm goin' thru a cleanse It's like goin' thru the bends I live off lemonade I'll drop all this extra weight And it's only until Friday My friends, they do it for ten days But I won't pretend I just do it for the weekend Nobody believes you get a fresh start So I'm throwing back and I'm giving up They say self-control is all you need Still got the shakes from last night I shake it off Tonight, tonight On the rocks I'm served Don't you say another word At all your speeches I fall to pieces At all your barbs I fold my cards But tonight's the night Pleasure shivers down my spine I drink to forget and that's just fine If I've got to stop I'll stop Stop on a dime Mirror, mirror on the wall Who's face is this in front of me? Am I looking at the past or the future? Is this the price you pay for memories? Tonight, tonight On the rocks I'm served Don't you say another word At all your speeches I fall to pieces At all your barbs I fold my cards But tonight's the night Pleasure shivers down my spine I drink to forget and that's just fine If I've got to stop I'll stop Stop on a dime Soon, I will save myself as Soon as I change myself, I said Soon, I will save myself as Soon as I change myself But not now
3.
Ghosts 03:05
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She said: Aren't you afraid That someone better will come along and take me away from you? And I answered: I am not afraid I don't think anyone will take me away from you? I don't believe in ghosts I don't believe in fate I don't believe in staring at the past It can't come back to hurt us now So please don't mind me when I still frown I'll be right here, I won't let you down I'll do whatever I can to make you feel loved I'll do whatever I can to stay all your fears I don't know how to make it last I don't know how it falls apart But I know how to love a broken heart We start with hearts made of pure gold And they're robbed like tombs in the night In the morning light we sew up the wounds And we wonder if we've ever really been loved I don't believe in ghosts I don't believe in fate I don't believe in staring at the past It can't come back to hurt us now So please don't mind me when I still frown I'll be right here, I won't let you down I'll do whatever I can to make you feel loved I'll do whatever I can despite all your fears I don't know how to make it last I don't know how it falls apart But I know how to love a broken heart
4.
Montclair 02:35
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Goodbye, my Jimmy Jones I'm sorry, I've got to go If I stay here, I'll lose my mind So I'm never coming home This town, it knows my business This town, it knows my shame So I'm going back to the ocean Where no one remembers my name Well, I moved away when Amelia never came home She was still in town But I don't think she slept alone And I was tired of seein' her face Though I never saw her again Every time I'd leave the house I'd see a ghost in the street or my day dreams We painted this town red Got caught by the cops once or twice And I told her parents they could go to Hell, And I took her in with me But she couldn't run from her problems And she couldn't run from her family When she finally left I shouldn't have been surprised by the relief I packed one bag for the train (Lord, I end up in such strange places) Bought a ticket back to the coast (Lord, I end up in such strange places) I wasn't gonna tell anyone that I was leaving (Lord, I end up in such strange places) But I stopped to write my only friend a note, and it said (Lord, I know I done it to myself) Goodbye, my Jimmy Jones I'm sorry, I've got to go If I stay here, I'll lose my mind So I'm never coming home This town, it knows my business This town, it knows my shame So I'm going back to the ocean Where no one remembers my name
5.
The Face of Proposition 8 02:45
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They start with the clarion cry: "We've got to save our culture!" (Our vulture culture!) Under attack, we're under attack We've got to save our sons from the advancing horde Marriage! Straight and narrow It's such a sacred, ancient institution Until we get bored and we're sick of the kids Then we lawyer up for half and go back to the chapel They march on the capitol Dung forks glitter in the sun They march to stop the sodomites Taxes for all and marriage for some The opposition, under the overpass The screaming nutter with the over-weight children Don't get too close, they're known to attack For the love of God bears a righteous sword A proposition made under the overpass It's hard to hide from the love of the Lord Don't get too close, they're known to attack For the love of Man bears a constant stain So keep your secrets to yourself Don't confess a crush, don't tell no one else your love When they find out, they might be ashamed They might fly into a blind rage! Homo-sexual Panic Disorder: It's the humiliation of the straight-shooter It's a legal defense for murder It's a legal excuse for murder They march on the capitol Dung forks glitter in the sun They march to stop the sodomites Taxes for all and marriage for some The opposition, under the overpass The screaming nutter with the over-weight children Don't get too close, they're known to attack For the love of God bears a righteous sword A proposition made under the overpass It's hard to hide from the love of the Lord Don't get too close, they're known to attack For the love of Man bears a constant stain
6.
Catalyst 04:29
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He's an agent, he's an agent of the status quo Loves his country, he's never gonna let it go Into the hands of us freaks and losers This is America, If you don't like it you can fucking leave Never forgive, never forget It's the mission number one: neutralize the threat Never forgive, never forget You watch what you say, they heard what you said now He's an agent, he's got money and time A world of ideas, connections and designs He's working for us all when he's working the phones He heard what you said, he's coming to your door now Never forgive, never forget It's the mission number one: neutralize the threat Never forgive, never forget You watch what you say, they heard what you said now You couldn't pay me enough to forget it, forget it! I'm a volunteer corps And I'm in love with your cross-hair You couldn't pay me enough to stay quiet, to stand down I'm an easy target And I'm in love with your cross-hair Now friends, I'm not conspiracy theorist But the agents of change, they're crawlin in the walls And I read it in the papers, I saw it in the tubes This is America! If you don't like it you can fucking leave! Never forgive, never forget It's the mission number one: neutralize the threat Never forgive, never forget You watch what you say, they heard what you said now You couldn't pay me enough to forget it, forget it! I'm a volunteer corps And I'm in love with your cross-hair You couldn't pay me enough to stay quiet, to stand down I'm an easy target And I'm in love with your cross-hair Never forgive, never forget It's the mission number one: neutralize the threat Never forgive, never forget You watch what you say, they heard what you said now Never forgive, never forget The screech of the sirens, the roar of the jets, yeah Never forgive, never forget The roar of the silence, the screech of the jet set You couldn't pay me enough to forget it, forget it! I'm a volunteer corps And I'm in love with your cross-hair You couldn't pay me enough to stay quiet, to stand down I'm an easy target And I'm in love with your cross-hair
7.
Credit Default Swap Bop 01:44
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8.
Timmeh 04:14
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Timmeh! Geithner! Where are my taxes? Where are my taxes? Where are my taxes partying tonight? Are your investments paying off alright? How is that viper with the yellow racing stripe? Do you suggest I stop paying my tithe today? Buy friends and land a job at the Treasury? I don't know what I have to do or say Timmeh! Geithner! I betcha don't think I'll put up a fight, right? Well I think I'll take it lying down I think, I think I'll take it lying down I'm not Biggie I'm not ready, I'm not ready to die Gun to my head I'll pay and pay Pay 'til I'm dead I don't know what I have to do or say I guess it's good your kids will have an easy way And it won't matter because it's me who had to fucking pay Don't mind him he's just the help Larry Summers, you can go to Hell! It's too much for you to understand I guess you're right, I should just trust that man named Timmeh! Geithner! What am I workin' for you for? What am I workin' for you for? Is it your Summer home on the Jersey shore? Does it pay for the help that cleans your floors? What am I workin' for you for? What am I workin' for you for? Is it your Summer home in the Hampton hills? Does it pay for your wife's four thousand dollar heels What am I workin' for you for? What am I workin' for you for? What am I workin' for you for? Who am I workin' for?
9.
Had it Comin' 04:17
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Let's keep this simple We'll make it easy And no one'll get hurt We'll keep your conscience clean We'll say what we mea We'll keep our noses out of the dirt I don't wanna know where you've been I don't wanna care too much Just don't lie to me, don't lead me on And save the pet names for your boyfriend What did you expect? What do you deserve? What do you expect when you know My heart's as loose as yours? Baby give it a shake or you can Maybe give it a jump start But you won't get very far This heart won't break for yours Well, you've gone and done it now 'Cause I'm pretty laid back except for when it counts (Is that right?) Yeah, my skin ain't as thick as I'd like to admit And I think that, oh maybe, I love you I know we all need our space But your clothes are all over my floor You came in, took off your pants And you spoke of romance And I think that I had it comin' What did I expect? What do I deserve? What do I expect when I know My heart's as loose as yours? Baby give it a shake, (it's broken!) Maybe you should drop it or kick it Baby take it back to the store The safety seal is broken
10.
You Is Me 03:04
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11.
Fren Banklin 03:30
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Lifetime .551 average! 75 home runs!

about

Optimist is our first full-length record.

credits

released September 3, 2009

All performances by Ben Franklin:
Billy Gray on Guitar and Vocals
Eddie Garza on Bass and Vocals
Sarah Tomek on Drums and Vocals

Recorded at Pigeon Club in Hoboken, NJ.
Engineering and mixing by Daniel Schlett at Pigeon Club.
Mastering by Roger Quinn at Asbury Media.

All songs are © 2009 William Gray and Eddie Garza. All songs (P) 2009 William Gray except tracks 7 & 10 (P) 2009 Take Me Music and track 8 (P) 2009 William Gray & Take Me Music

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