Binary Pairs

Appears on Souvenirs

I fell in love with static, its song my soothing balm 
It echoes through my spirit just like David played for Saul 
Once the tune has faded and I am blind to truth 
I say my prayers in binary pairs and hope I make it through 
I say my prayers in binary pairs and hope I make it through 

Avarice, my lover, have I set the world on fire? 
Will you leave me bitter or burning with desire? 
I’ve shouted down my enemies and friends I thought I knew 
Then I say my prayers in binary pairs and hope I make it through 
I say my prayers in binary pairs and hope I make through 

I’m betting on betrayal and how I’ll be done wrong 
I’m anxious for tomorrow and if you’ll play along 
So tell me that you’ll soothe me when words become my noose 
As I say my prayers in binary pairs and hope I make it though 
I say my prayers in binary pairs and hope I make it through

By Jason McGovern
© 2019 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP 

Burn Me Down

Appears on Burn Me Down

Like ultraviolet in a motel room
Time reveals the messy truths
Every hero is burnished bronze
'Til melted down and the idol is gone

So take a stand or take a bow
Time to reckon, burn me down

With ivy wrappings on display
(Like a serpent traps its prey)
There's hidden anguish in its throes
But hallowed halls are soon foreclosed

So take a stand or take a bow
Time reckon, burn me down

Oh, time to reckon
Time to reckon
Oh, time to reckon
Oh, time to reckon

Take a stand or take a bow

So play again the forgotten songs
That echo out repeated wrongs
A heavenly herald to us all
Saying every empire is blessed to fall

So take a stand or take a bow
Time to reckon
Time to reckon
Time to reckon, burn me down

Oh, burn me down
Oh, burn me down
Oh, burn me down

By Jason McGovern
© 2020 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP 

Come On, Nero

Appears on Come On, Nero

Saying that the summertime will save us 
Waiting on the hopeful warmth of June 
Catching all these hoaxes like a virus 
Come on, Nero, play your tune 

Come on, Nero 
Can you hear the angel voices 
Above all the cacophony? 
Come on, Nero 
Shut out all their lovely noises 
And play your song of victory 

Laughing in the face of any danger 
Signaling a war to end all wars 
Thinking only you can play the savior 
Come on, Nero, start your tour 

Come on, Nero 
Can you hear the angel voices 
Above all the cacophony? 
Come on, Nero 
Shut out all their lovely noises 
And play your song of victory 

Come on, Nero 
Can you hear the angel voices 
Above all the cacophony? 
Come on, Nero 
Shut out all their lovely noises 
And play your song of victory 
Come on, Nero 
Can you hear the angel voices 
Above all the cacophony? 
Come on, Nero 
Shut out all their lovely noises 
And play your song of victory 
And play your song of victory

By Jason McGovern
© 2020 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP 

Frightened

Appears on A

Do you feel your mind closing, are you done with discovery? 
What’s the sense in searching for the truth? 
You fear that any answer would bruise your dignity 
So you’re spitting wrath, rallying your muse 

But no one really knows 

The coded words you hear say to run from your own shadow 
Nobody’s deserving of your trust 
Close your heart instead, keep the field fallow 
Only let your anger breach the dust 

‘Cause no one really knows 
No one really knows 
That you are just a frightened child, frightened child 
You are just a frightened child, frightened child 

No one really knows 
No one really knows 

So you feel your mind closing and forget the melody 
As the songs you used to sing become a noise 
The unachieved you dreamed of now haunts your memories 
The muse that you let in left you destroyed 

You are just a frightened child, frightened child 
You are just a frightened child, frightened child 
Oh you are just a frightened child, frightened child 
You are just a frightened child, frightened child

By Jason McGovern
© 2020 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP 

Hide Your Eyes

Appears on Souvenirs

All those lines mark the face, painted by the passing days 
Souvenirs of what have been and gone 
You shuffled feet against the wall and couldn’t answer any call 
Your inaction was unstoppable 
You were swept up by the breeze and passed along her door 
But you hid your eyes and tried to be ignored 
But you hid your eyes and tried to be… 

So you favored lies and thieves drawing blood and bringing grief 
With the hope you let another by 
Now the vice bears down its teeth and you bow to its conceit 
Goading you to choose to leave the line 
While two turns into three, three turns into four 
Still you hide your eyes and try to be ignored 
Still you hide your eyes and try to be… 

Shut the doors and lock the gates, too afraid to be embraced 
Having never even really tried 
Are your still living on your guard with all of your defenses armed? 
Time to play the fool and numb the mind 
So you cage reality and unlock fiction’s stores 
Then you hide your eyes and try to be ignored 
Then you hide your eyes and try to be… 

You just hide your eyes and try to be ignored 
But don’t you hide your eyes and try to be…

By Jason McGovern
© 2019 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP 

Human

Appears on Souvenirs

Writing screeds across the chalkboard 
Connecting dots that never were 
With the scratches of a madman in a notepad 
I am harvesting the truth that I prefer 
You recognize my face? I recognize the score 

I am practicing an art form 
Keeping all my sins concealed 
Got my eyes upon the dawn of insurrection 
Hoping now that nothing is revealed 
But I’m counting down the days and adding up the score 
I’m not feeling human anymore 

All my words don’t really matter 
I could murder and I’d still be fine 
‘Cause anger is a powerful emotion 
It’s the only thing that’s keeping my alive 
But I’m terrorized by fate and haunted by the score 
I’m not feeling human anymore 
I’m not feeling human anymore 

I’ve been courting all you stand for 
For a promise that could never be 
Dangling the bait with bitter nothings 
Until I got you bowing down to me 
You sell away your faith to satisfy my score 
Oh you sell away your faith to satisfy my score 
No I’m not feeling human anymore 
I’m not feeling human anymore 
I’m not feeling human anymore

By Jason McGovern
© 2019 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP 

Liars

Appears on Souvenirs

You never fear the fire but you’re still drawn to dread the match 
Kinetic is a pleasure when potential fights you back 
Oh, imagination, how you dream up all the worst 
When every situation isn’t really as rehearsed 

When the winds prevail then you seem to grin and bear 
But when everything is quiet then you fear the peaceful air 
Lover of destruction, here to draw up all the plans 
Breaking what you love to try and fix it all again 

Oh, you liars keep on selling me your peace 
That makes me so uncomfortable when I should be at ease 
Oh, you liars keep on selling me your peace 
That makes me so uncomfortable when I should be at ease 

Your eyes won’t keep from searching for a signal in the night 
‘Cause trying to be still could mean an evening ill-designed 
Gardener of disaster, trimming hedges for your bets 
Pruning all the weeds to make sure no one else gets in 

Oh, you liars keep on selling me your peace 
That makes me so uncomfortable when I should be at ease 
Oh, you liars keep on selling me your peace 
That makes me so uncomfortable when I should be at ease 
Oh, you liars keep on selling me your peace 
That makes me so uncomfortable when I should be at ease 
Oh…

By Jason McGovern
© 2019 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP 

My Favorite Offering

Appears on My Favorite Offering

It's really academic 
Another number marked down 
But you seem to be worth it 
For my cardboard crown 
Oh thank you most dearly 
Thank you most kind 
For the cost of the living 
The capital price 

Ooh you're my favorite offering 
Ooh my sacrifice 
Ooh you're my favorite offering 
Ooh my sacrifice 

With a self-assured spirit 
And a wallet full of faith 
Oh I pray you accept 
I got the right DNA 
With the flex of a finger 
And the crack of my quill 
I'm your teletype general 
Looking for a kill 

Ooh you're my favorite offering 
Ooh my sacrifice 
Ooh you're my favorite offering 
Ooh my sacrifice 

Thank you most dearly 
Thank you most kind 
For the cost of the living 
The capital price 
With the flex of a finger 
The crack of my quill 
I'm your teletype general 
Looking for a kill 

Ooh you're my favorite offering 
Ooh my sacrifice 
Ooh you're my favorite offering 
Ooh my sacrifice 
Ooh you're my favorite offering 
Ooh my sacrifice 
Ooh you're my favorite offering 
Ooh my sacrifice

By Jason McGovern
© 2020 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP 

Oblivion

Appears on A

"Hey where's this party going," 
He asked surveying the scene 
Little worlds keeping busy 
Midst the tizzy of the dancing and the revelry 

"Hey darling, what's your function? 
Do you need rest or a thrill? 
If the fear doesn't get you," she whispered 
"Well baby, then the boredom will" 

Neurons firing all night long 
There ain't no sleep without some static on 

Just keep the party going 
There isn't time here to think 
Coke up the warriors 
And numb all the others with another drink 

Now everybody's gotta get in line 
Before they notice that they're out of time 

Get that music pumping 
And conga into the sun 
The shockwave's coming so 
Keep 'em humming to oblivion 
Oh 

He feels the panic growing 
"Was that my heart or the drums?" 
Now the floor won't stop quaking 
Midst the shaking of the bodies as the big one comes 

The fever keeps them going 
The orgy can't be contained 
As explosions of light 
Fill the night with the prose of the final page 

Whoever thought that it would end this way? 
Say goodbye to the human race 

Get that music pumping 
And conga into the sun 
The shockwave's coming so 
Keep 'em humming to oblivion 
The shockwave's coming so 
Keep 'em humming to oblivion 
Oh 

Whoever thought that it would end this way? 
Say goodbye to the human race 

Get that music pumping 
And conga into the sun 
The shockwave's coming so 
Keep 'em humming to oblivion 
Get that music pumping 
And conga into the sun 
The shockwave's coming so 
Keep 'em humming to oblivion 
The shockwave's coming so 
Keep 'em humming to oblivion 
The shockwave's coming so 
Keep 'em humming to oblivion 
Oh 

The legion liquifies 
Minds have entered a fugue 
As he melts into nothing 
He still feels the rhythm of the endless groove 

By Jason McGovern
© 2020 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP 

Playing Pretend

Appears on Souvenirs

She cried, “I thought you loved me!” 
As she melted in the rain 
But love was never something 
To be thought about again 

Taken as a token 
Captured like a prize 
A winner for the moment 
‘Til another caught his eyes 

“Am I more than a machine, 
A prop to hold your hand? 
A postman for your progeny, 
Was I ever more than that?” 

“My darling there’s no difference 
‘Tween the loving and game 
‘Cause everyone and everything’s 
A way to make my name.” 

“Can’t you tell that I’ve been playing pretend? 
Another mask to try to find my success 
All I know is you’re a means to an end 
And I’ll use you ‘til the day that I die.” 

He cried, “How could this happen?” 
As the steel ripped his back 
But it was only habit 
To let another bear attacks 

He followed like a shadow 
And groveled at his feet 
But so much for being loyal 
When you’re on a one-way street 

“Am I more than just your shield, 
The man to take the fall? 
Would you say that I’m a friend 
Or just a flunky that you call?” 

“My brother, there’s no difference 
‘Tween a friendship and game 
‘Cause everyone and everything’s 
A way to make my name.” 

“Can’t you tell that I’ve been playing pretend? 
Another mask to try to find my success 
All I know is you’re a means to an end 
And I’ll use you ‘til the day that I die. 
I’ll use you ‘til the day that I die.” 

(Inner monologue) 
“There’s no one here beside me now 
None to save me once the ship goes down 
Taken hostage by the blood I drew 
Fearing I could be forgotten so soon 
Fearing I could be forgotten so soon” 

“Can’t you tell that I’ve been playing pretend? 
Another mask to try to hide my distress 
All I know is you’re a means to an end 
And I’ll use you ‘til the day that I die. 
I’ll use you ‘til the day that I die.” 

(Anguished, to no one in particular) 
“Can’t you tell that I’ve been playing pretend? 
Another mask to try to hide my distress 
No one’s round to let me use them again 
As I slowly start to rot from inside 
Slowly start to rot from inside 
Slowly start to rot from inside…”

By Jason McGovern
© 2019 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP 

Rodents

Appears on Souvenirs

Dancing with the rabble down the same old route 
When the flashes lit the view 
Took a little turn until I saw the truth 
Blanketed in blue 
Cradling conviction when I got no clue 
As I try to look away 
While you’re frozen the pavement in the bitter truce 
That the earth and air have made 

Who the hell are you to kill my buzz today? 
When I’m running like a rodent in a wretched maze 

Flowers sang the chorus by the busy road 
As the evening came 
Few can remember why the traffic slowed 
And who cares, either way? 
So I bow to my ambition as I hide my grief 
To keep my belly fed 
I’ve taken time to cater to my every need 
But no time to mourn the dead 

Who the hell are you to kill my buzz today? 
When I’m running like a rodent in a wretched maze 
Running like a rodent in a wretched maze 

Now I’m trying to deny how much I love the race 
Running like a rodent in a wretched maze 

And I’m wondering how soon until your image fades 
Running like a rodent in a wretched maze 
Running like a rodent in a wretched maze

By Jason McGovern
© 2019 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP 

Satisfied

Appears on A

"Sing to me, sing to me," he said 
"Love me like we're already dead 
And I'll sing to you and you'll fall under my spell 
And grab my hand as we dance into hell.” 

“Forget the things you thought you knew 
‘Cause I’m selling you the news. 
So why don’t you…” 

“…Smother me in compliments 
I’ll feed you all my empty platitudes 
Show me some love and I’ll be your Baal 
I want to whisper dirty rumors 
I want to make sure half of them are true 
‘Cause I’m gonna be satisfied by nothing at all.” 

“Keep my face in the center of the frame 
I need to feel that you still know my name 
Then heed my call and there’s none for you to fear 
Just know that ‘yes’ is the only word I hear.” 

“My heart is nothing but a void 
Consuming all your joy 
Oh boy.” 

“Who don’t you smother me in compliments 
I’ll feed you all my empty platitudes  
Show me some love and I’ll be your Baal 
I want to whisper dirty rumors 
I want to make sure half of them are true 
‘Cause I’m gonna be satisfied by nothing at all.” 

“They say the mirror holds the truth 
But that’s nothing I can use 
So why don’t you…” 

“…Smother me in compliments 
I’ll feed you all my empty platitudes  
Show me some love and I’ll be your Baal 
I want to whisper dirty rumors 
I want to make sure half of them are true 
‘Cause I’m gonna be satisfied by nothing at all 
I’m gonna be satisfied by nothing at all 
I’m gonna be satisfied by nothing at all.”

By Jason McGovern
© 2020 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP 

Shut It Down

Appears on Souvenirs

Oh the waters keep him waiting 
‘Cause he can’t navigate these seas 
If he fights he fears what he’s got will be taken 
So he won’t say anything 
No he won’t say anything 

Shut it down, now 
Shut it down 

Another indecision 
That keeps him from the race 
Wandering around through a fruitless vision 
‘Cause he’s lousy at its games 
Oh ‘Cause he’s lousy at its games 

Shut it down, now 
Shut it down 
Shut it down, now 
Shut it down 

Shut it down, now 
Shut it down 
Shut it down, now 
Shut it down 

Oh the waters keep him waiting 
‘Cause he can’t navigate these seas 
So he takes a turn toward a new direction 
To find a gentler breeze 
Oh to find a gentler breeze 

By Jason McGovern
© 2019 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP 

Symptom

Appears on A

Are you looking for an answer? 
Are you looking for a line? 
Do you want just a little company? 
A distraction, a distraction to get by 

Or do you want your retribution? 
Do you want the final word? 
Must you win the conversation 
And earn the trophy, earn the trophy you deserve? 

I may offer you a moment 
Filled with nothing that you need 
But I can offer no solutions 
I’m a symptom, I’m a symptom of disease

By Jason McGovern
© 2020 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP 

Wait for Green

Appears on Souvenirs

Flash of feeling fills the mind, so visceral and pure 
With the sound of breaking glass in a molten metal cast 
From a moment dressed in peace to havoc’s great escape 
Smoke billows from the street when there’s no one there to see 
The face against the wheel and all that could have been 

I’m not moving but I keep on wondering 
How could I get hurt today? 
The brakes are on my heart is racing 
How could I get hurt today? 
I’m not moving but I keep on wondering 
How could I get hurt today? 
The brakes are on my heart is racing 
How could I get hurt today? 

Wait for green 
Wait for green 
Wait for green 
Wait for green 
Then pull away 

Flash of feeling fills the mind, so visceral and pure 
With the sound of breaking glass in a molten metal cast 
From a moment dressed in peace to havoc’s great escape 
Smoke billows from the street when there’s no one there to see 
The face against the wheel and all that’s yet to be

By Jason McGovern
© 2019 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP 

Walk

Appears on A

He walked alone, ambling to home 
The evening was the quietest the he had ever known 
No one there to see the light beyond the trees 
The whirling, shining terror built to break the gentle breeze 

Though he had never tried his hand at flight 
Suddenly all physics was denied 
In an open invitation to the sky 

Something cold and smooth in the palest of rooms 
Is this a delusion or is this just my doom? 
A hundred hollow eyes staring down their prize 
In and out of consciousness and in and out of time 

Would anybody know I disappeared? 
Would anybody even shed a tear? 
I feel I've been imprisoned here for years 

Then in a flash like not a moment passed 
Returned to the familiar, the path that he was last 
So he walks alone and none would ever know 
Everything he's seen so he continues down his quiet road 
To home 

By Jason McGovern
© 2020 Eel Diner Jukebox, ASCAP