Todd Rundgren

[fox69]

"Chain Letter"

"Chain Letter"



Don't take yourself too seriously
There are precious few things worth hating nowadays,
And none of them are me
I was only trying to say how things used to be
'til we grew up and we all went our separate ways
Looking for our own paths to immortality

This is how I thought I'd start my song
And it seems a little silly when I think of it
But now I'm so far along
And no one really wants to know that he's wrong
That his ears can't really hear or he's blind a bit

Or that he's really weak when he thinks that he is strong
Now I'm in the middle and I just don't know
If I'll make it any further if the words don't flow
When you live in silence any sound is dear
But for those who don't, take heart because the end is near

This is the ending of my song
It has made me blind and deaf and weak but most of all
It shows you that I'm wrong
For you see it's really twice this long
And if I should die tomorrow it will carry on

 

[fox69]

"Change Myself"

"Change Myself"



Half of me wants to knock you out
Half of me wants to tell you that I'm sorry, so sorry
Meanwhile, half of the world wants to scream and
Shout at half of the world
Just like you and i
Just another fact of life
We plan and we scheme
'til there's nothing left of our little dream
But half of the time I can't decide and
Half of the time I'm petrified

I want to change the world
I want to make it well
How can I change the world
When I can't change myself
Try again tomorrow
I'd love to change your mind
Capture your citadel
How could I change your mind

If I can't change myself
Try again tomorrow

Both of us want to win this fight
Both of us think the other is mistaken, so mistaken
Meanwhile, everyone wants to take up sides
So everyone helps us to fall apart
Just another fact of life
It's hard to play fair
And it's so easy to pretend to care
But if nobody wants to share the blame
Then everyone gets more of the same

If I want more peace in the world
Then I must make peace with myself
If I want more trust in the world
Then I've got to trust in myself
If I want more love in the world
I must show more love to myself

 

[fox69]

"Chant"

"Chant"



We can't turn back the clock
But we can chant for love
Let's cut the idle talk so we can
Chant for love
We always have the time to quarrel
About such problems as money and war
Let's put it off until tomorrow
Who needs another dose of sorrow?

It don't necessitate an act of faith
To chant for love
What alibi is strong enough to wait
To chant for love
Though we don't hold the reigns of power
Somebody else seems to be in control
We mustn't waste another hour
We'll get directly to the soul
If we can

Chant
For a world united
Chant
For a world that's dying for love

The hare krishna plays a drum and bell
When he chants for love
The tribal priest is afraid of hell
So he chants for love
I am not pushing some religion
Don't get me wrong,
I never mess with such things
Just be true to your own vision
This is your personal decision

The dervish spins to a "hu hu hu"
When he chants for love
Nobody knows what the angels do
When they chant for love
You're at the bottom of the ladder
Someone may try to tell you where you should start
But the words, they never matter
If you can feel it in your heart
Then you can

Why don't you chant?
You can chant
Chant, chant, chant...

 

[fox69]

"Cliche"

"Cliche"



One more game, one more chance
One more orchestrated song and dance
He'd be up front and speak his peace
And ask for her time
To put their heads together
And try to make the knot unwind
And it strikes home that it's time to make his move
Or it's time to turn and walk away
So he plays that old cliché

Silent tears, bleeding heart
Well our prima donna plies her art
Defenses of defenses of faultless design
Still she's only asking him
To help her make the knot unwind
And if the very next words
Leaving her lips could decide
If he'd go or if he'd stay
She would play that old cliché

Who makes up the rules for the world?

Haven't we been down this road before?
Isn't anything peculiar here?
Certainly there must be something more

Where are the words, where are the words,
Where are the words
Where are the words, where are the words,
Where are the words
And it's almost not worth singing about,
It seems so everyday anyway
Still we play that old cliché

And here sit i, one man show
I vivisect and then pretend to know
All it ever gets me is an ache in the mind
Can't somebody help me to try to make the knot unwind
And I say what I say when I know
There's really nothing left to say
Then I play that old cliché
Throw away that old cliché

 

[fox69]

"Cold Morning Light"

"Cold Morning Light"



I believe if I was all alone
I would be better off in a world my own
I'd forget I ever knew of you
And this dream every night that you put me through

We walk along a Hollywood sea
And you dance once again with me

We are close, we are friends
And our love never ends
But in the cold morning light I see
That you won't be back for me

The wound you left is healing and then
It starts itching and I scratch it open again
So the pain comes out and I give in
And indulge my imaginations, whims

We sit and drink Victorian tea
And your face wears a smile for me

I was yours, you were mine
Our hearts bound, lost in time
But in the cold morning light I see
That you won't be back

For me there can be no peace
For me there can be no rest
I believe though I've tried my best
I'm condemned it seems
To a life of restlessness and broken dreams

We are close, we are friends
And our love never ends
But in the cold morning light I see
That you won't be back for me

 

[fox69]

"Come On In My Kitchen"

"Come On In My Kitchen"


Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm
Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm
Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm
Mmm mmm mmm

You better come on
In my kitchen
Babe, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors

Ah, the woman I love
Took from my best friend
Some joker got lucky
Stole her back again
You better come on
In my kitchen
Baby, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors

Oh-ah, she's gone
I know she won't come back
I've taken the last nickel
Out of her nation sack
You better come on
In my kitchen
Babe, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors
[Spoken:] Oh, can't you hear that wind howl?
Oh-y', can't you hear that wind would howl?
You better come on
In my kitchen
Babe, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors

When a woman gets in trouble
Everybody throws her down
Lookin' for her good friend
None can be found
You better come on
In my kitchen
Baby, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors

Winter time's comin'
Hit's gon' to be slow
You can't make the winter, babe
That's dry long so
You better come on
In my kitchen
Cause, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors

 

[fox69]

"Compassion"

"Compassion"



You want more, and still more,
Until you get more than you ever bargained for.
Now it's plain, clear as rain,
I've seen your symptoms many times before.

Lying on your bed of pain
What will you have now?

What are riches untold in a life without compassion?
For there's no winter as cold
As a life without compassion.
There's no prescription that's sold
That can heal you like compassion.

Well you tried and you cried,
And let your disappointment make you hard inside.
You have doubt, you reach out,
Still you're the only one you care about.

Hiding in your sack of woe
What do you need now?

For there is nothing so sad

As a life without compassion.
And even love has turned bad,
It was love without compassion.
And you don't need what you had
'cause you did not have compassion.

Dying on your bed of pain
What will you have now?

You'll get no judgment from me,
I can only feel compassion.
And if that's what you need,
I will give you my compassion.
Just don't forget about me
'cause we all need some compassion.

Open up your heart
So you can start to feel compassion.
Get down on your knees,
Pray to heaven for compassion.
Everybody needs compassion.
If you want to be healed
Then you know you got to feel compassion.

 

[fox69]

"Cool Fire"

"Cool Fire"



I remember, but I don't remember
I was captured, I was hypnotized
Look away from the cool fire
Look away, you could burn your eyes

Take it easy, 'cause it's much too easy
To surrender, to be drawn inside
Look away from the cool fire
Look away 'cause you might go blind
Look away from the cool fire

Look away, look away
It's satan who is calling
Look away, look away
Listen to my warning

Look away, look away
From the light of the cool fire

All my fortunes, all my strength and power
Taken from me before I realized
Look away from the cool fire
Look away 'cause you might go blind
Look away from the cool fire

Look away, look away
Hear me calling brothers
Look away, look away
Listen to me sister
Look away, look away
From the light of the cool fire

 

[fox69]

"Couldn't I Just Tell You"

"Couldn't I Just Tell You"



Keep your head and everything will be cool
You didn't have to make me feel like a fool
When I tried to say I feel the way that I do
I want to talk with you
And make it loud and clear
Though you don't care to hear

But couldn't I just tell you the way I feel?
I can't keep it bottled up inside
And could we pretend that it's no big deal
And there's really nothing left to hide?

Something sure doesn't seem right to me
When you can turn your back whenever you please
And you stroll away and calmly bid me adieu
Why can't I talk with you
And put it in your ear
Though you don't care to hear

But couldn't I just tell you the way I feel?
I can't keep it bottled up inside
And could we pretend that it's no big deal
And there's really nothing left to hide?

(Hear me out, ooh) Why don't you lend me an ear
(Hear me out, ooh) You got no reason to fear
(Hear me out, ooh) I'll make it perfectly clear
I love you

I don't come whining with my heart on my sleeve
I'm not a coward, if that's what you believe
And I'm not afraid but not ashamed if it's true

I got to talk with you
And then I'll make it clear
Make it clear
Make it clear

Couldn't I just tell you the way I feel
I can't keep it bottled up inside
And could we pretend that it's no big deal
And there's really nothing left to hide

 

[fox69]

"Courage"

"Courage"



It's good to be the king, I've heard it said
That's why I let you put a crown on my head
Hoping that I'll never be forced to fake
Actions that I'll never have to take

I let you think I was a better man
With pretty words about how true I am
Humbly pretending to be brave and strong
Inside I'm wondering, what if I'm wrong?

Every once in a while you'll see
Things are not what they seem to be
Like the moment you saw through me

Ah, but when push comes to shove
I had lost the thing I love
When I lost the courage of my convictions
(Courage of my convictions)

I never let you see my doubting side
I've always felt there's things you can't confide
I need to be what I need to be
However artificially

And now I haven't got a thing to show
For all the posing and the bravado
You tested me and I had to fail
No longer am I a super male

I was proud and I had to fall
Now my image has grown so small
And to think that I had it all

Ah, but when push came to shove
I had lost the thing I love
When I lost the courage of my convictions
(Courage of my convictions)
And I live in constant fear
That I'll never have you here
Til I find the courage of my convictions
(Courage of my convictions)

Ah, but when push comes to shove
I will have the thing I love
If I have the courage of my convictions
(Courage of my convictions)
And your heart I would enslave
And this whole world I would save
If I have the courage of my convictions
(Courage of my convictions)