NEAR TO THE WILD HEART OF LIFE LYRICS

Near To The Wild Heart Of Life

the future is under fire, the past is gaining ground
a continuous cold war between my home and my hometown
i was destined to die dreaming, when one day my best friend
with passion and pure provocation, summoned me and said:

you can't condemn your love, to linger here and die
can't leave your dreams to chance or to a spirit in the sky
may your heart always be ardent, your conscience always clear
and succumb to the city and surrender, baby
i'll be waiting here

and it got me all fired up, to go faraway
and make some ears ring from the sound
of my singing, baby

so I left my home, and all I had
i used to be good, but now I'm bad

it was last call at my local, and i stalled saying goodbye
so the girl behind the bar came over, and she took me aside
she kissed me like a chorus, said give them hell for us
and last drink of the night, last night in town, baby
this one is on the house

and it got me all fired up, to go faraway
and make some ears ring from the sound
of my singing, baby

so I left my home, and all I had
i used to be good, but now I'm bad

it was bedlam in my bed that night, and like a silent scream
my body broke out in a sweat from seeing you in dreams
you called out to me, i sang back to you
and all i remember was it sounded, baby
like all hell breaking loose

and it got me all fired up, to go faraway
and make some ears ring from the sound
of my singing, baby

so I left my home, and all I had
i used to be good, but now I'm bad

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

bated breath and the guts to go
criss-crossing the continent, all aglow
leaving lovelorn, dating destiny
and living for the moment that she marries me

started this song in the southern states
rays by the river, sinning at the saint
hot and heavy when i hit the hay
in nola, usa

coast of california, the highway high
noise, narcotics, and the new york night
an unshaven shaman shaking down the day
and all manner of madness standing in my way

down in flames, with dice to roll
up in smoke, running roulette road
and man, america made a mess of me
when i messed with texas and tennessee

N-E-S-W, coast to coast, baby, the trouble that I get into
N-E-S-W, coast to coast, it ain't shit compared to loving you
N-E-S-W, coast to coast, baby, the trouble that I get into
N-E-S-W, coast to coast, it ain't shit, it's just kicks
and like the road i'm going on, and on, and on

flayed and gutted, so i've got to go
back home, hungry for a hand to hold
and no matter how much i fan the flames
canada always answers when i call her name

down and out, drinking dundas dry
up against the wall of a winter's night
toronto, i'm trusting you to cut the cane
cause i'm saving vancouver for a rainy day

learn to let it go, baby
shake, rattle, and roll, baby
out of the city and scene
and into some trouble with me

we'll go north east south west
we'll go north east south west
we'll go north east south west
we'll go north east south west

TRUE LOVE AND A FREE LIFE OF FREE WILL

flesh is foreign, friends are far
debts run deep, sleep is minced or marred
and it's all out war for the soul between
dreams that are hungry and the fears that feed

but i'll carry it, by chariot, through blood and blows
under starless skies of fire into great unknown
living on the lam, and the frontier of
a free life of free will, for the thrill of your love

spill your secrets and paint my days
passion is your palette, your canvases cafes
and null my nights in the harbour and hell
of the cantina's counsel and meals of mezcal

plans to settle down, plans to up and split
plans loose as the morals we are planning with
baby, be the beast, but free what burdens be
and i'll love you, if you love me

all life long
until I'm gone

cigarettes, sorcery, and biblical sins
hangovers, heathens, harlots, and anti-heroines
the cabarets, the getaways, and the afterglow
a little money, and whatever is on the radio

plans to settle down, plans to up and split
plans loose as the morals we are planning with
baby, be the beast, but free what burdens be
and i'll love you, if you love me

all life long
until I'm gone

I’M SORRY (FOR NOT FINDING YOU SOONER)

from every day at dawn
through to the dead of night

i'm sorry for not finding you sooner
i was looking for you all my life

from every day at dawn
through to the dead of night

i'm sorry for not finding you sooner
i was looking for you all my life

from every day at dawn
through to the dead of night

i'm sorry for not finding you sooner
i've been looking for you my whole life

from every day at dawn
through to the dead of night

i'm sorry for not finding you sooner
i've been looking for you my whole life

my whole life
i've been looking for you my whole life
all my life

ARC OF BAR

hustlers, whores, in rooms galore
a sinking city's stink
an arc of bar, a flesh bazaar
of diamonds, dust, and drink
the jukebox jamming, the lions lambing
the jokers doing the dealing
and queens are over jacks
remember that, or catch a beating

the night had come into her own
and i made the arc of bar my home
beneath my clothes, just a bag of bones
and under my skin, just skeletons
i was rolling like a pair of dice
one for laws and one for lies
but all of this i tried to hide
behind a glaze of sweat and fire

to some a mistress, to some a muse
something soft for something blue
she sussed my needs out of my dreams
and baptized me in flesh that seethes
then she lay me like a baby
on bed of spanish moss
and for her love, i would help the devil
to steal christ right off the cross

i lay blame on the arc of bar
and the hundred proof in me
but the arc, it blames the air
hundred percent humidity
well at least those damned mosquitoes
that fall flounder to the flood
get a thimble full of whiskey
with their paltry pint of blood

the sun is sound asleep, baby
so set your spirit free, baby
your secrets are safe with me, baby
so stay all night

this port of call, it ain't no port at all
but cap my cup and anchors up
the jokers, they tease another hand
but they're out of luck cause i'm out of town
and the sun, it’s like an omen
goading me toward the gospel
but i got no plans at all
except a drink as soon as possible

the sun is sound asleep, baby
so set your spirit free, baby
your secrets are safe with me, baby
so stay all night

some men offer confession
for their souls and grace of god
for others, women offer mercy
and mosquitoes their applause

the sun is sound asleep, baby
so set your spirit free, baby
your secrets are safe with me, baby
so stay all night

MIDNIGHT TO MORNING

born to marry the bottle, in a ceremony that lasts forever
and cursed to carry on, abuzz and all alone
weak and weary, on the run and on the road
but if you'll hide me and heal me in your sanctuary
i'll stay forever, so leave a light on
and i'll leave the bottle to its own

so many miles, so much to lose
devil by my side, right between us two
and i'm praying. those yellow lines on the I-5
bring me back home to you

NO KNOWN DRINK OR DRUG

passport, past life, a drifter's demons
alone, lost, and fast running out of reasons
for not falling in with the foreign legion

cold kicking the can around town one evening
streets all abandoned, bars barely breathing
a whirlwind, a woman, and a famous feeling

a cool, hard beauty, christened with composure
boots, skirt, blouse, shawl over her shoulders
skin soft, lips coloured crimson clover

slow burning sermon, to have and hold her
but ever since she started sleeping over
oh lord, i'm living like a holy roller

red animal romance in the summer heat
in parks, on patios, and in the streets
on mission, making moments into memories

and when winter's off the leash, and on the loose
we ward off the weather with a witches' brew
of dominoes, and prose, and delta blues

and no known drink, no known drug
could ever hold a candle to your love

IN A BODY LIKE A GRAVE

christ will call you out
school will deepen debt
work will sap the soul
hometown haunts what’s left

love will scar the heart
sun will burn the skin
just the way it is
and way it's always been

all in a lifetime, and all in a body like a grave

age is a traitor, and bit and bit
less lust for life, more talking shit
but remember there's heaven in the hellest of holes
and a drink for the body is a dream for the soul

well time will tell, but best beware
cause time is money, and money swears
so break the bank like you're breaking a bill
then love so hard that time stands still

if your name is shamed, or your love is lost
swap the city's lights for the southern cross
gather the gang, and make that night
an ultimatum to the universe, fuck or fight

from a mere mirage to the moment of
your cum of cums with your love of loves
it's all in a lifetime, but here and now
only god knows where, and devil knows how

all in a lifetime, and all in a body like a grave

CREDITS

All songs written by Japandroids, periodically throughout 2014-2015
in Vancouver, Toronto, New Orleans, and Mexico City.

Lyrics by Brian King except 'Midnight To Morning' by Brian King and David Prowse.

Songs 1, 2, 4-8 recorded by Jesse Gander at Rain City Recorders in Vancouver, BC (September-November, 2015).
Produced by Jesse Gander & Japandroids.

Song 3 recorded by Damian Taylor at Golden Ratio in Montreal, QC (February, 2015).
Produced by Damian Taylor & Japandroids.

Mixing and Additional Production by Peter Katis at Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, CT (May, 2016).
Assisted by Greg Giorgio.

Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound in New York, NY.

JAPANDROIDS
Brian King - Guitars, Lead Vocals (1-5, 7, 8), Back-up Vocals (6)
David Prowse - Drums, Lead Vocals (6), Back-up Vocals (1, 2, 5, 8)

Additional Vocals on 'Arc Of Bar' by Louise Burns, Melissa Gregerson, and Olga Straffon

PHOTOGRAPHY
FRONT COVER, BACK COVER (2016)
by Leigh Righton

WRITING, RECORDING (2014, 2015)
by Brian King and David Prowse

ON TOUR (2012-2013)
Photos by Brian King, David Prowse, Melissa Gregerson,
Lewis Lovely, Brent Wingen, Bob Smythe, Tom "Valentino" Rogers, and Jim Larson.
Additional photos by Leigh Righton, Jennilee Marigomen, and Trey Riedmayer

FRONT COVER, BACK COVER OF BOOK: ON TOUR (2012-2013)