The Colour Of Happy - lyrics © James Clark

 

LITTLE POWDER KEG

Nothing ventured nothing feigned. The stars aligned now the scars remain.

This time tomorrow will these feelings still instill the notion for you to detonate?

 

You’re a little powder keg. You’re a little powder keg.

You’re a barrel of fun until you’re barely contained. You’re a little powder keg.

 

Burning bridges burning love. Indecisive and out of luck.

Ruminating in a room full of problems that consume you whenever things get a little too vague.

 

You’re a little powder keg. You’re a little powder keg.

You’re a barrel of fun until you’re barely contained. You’re a little powder keg.

 

We were never a good match. I lit your fuse when I refused to dance.

Bombshell in a bomb shelter. You’re going to find yourself so in secured with just your face and gun powder.

Oh oh Woh oh woh.

 

Easy come and so easily goaded into situations you least expected.

He's got qualifications for a good cry on his shoulder. He can put out your fire but you’ll still smoulder.

 

You’re a little powder keg. You’re a little powder keg.

You’re a barrel of fun until you’re barely contained. You’re a little powder keg

Powder keg. Powder keg. My little powder keg.

 

YELLOW

Curtains thick with cigarette smoke have yellowed with time and your patience for my party jokes have yellowed with time.

We can try to hide it all behind friends and alcohol, but our vows and our know how have yellowed with time.

 

Yellow used to be the colour of happy now we’re facing the facts.

We’ve become so yellow bellied while we’re fading to black.

Fading to black. Fading to black.

 

Picture frames and kitchen stains are layered with dust and the private investigator employed by mistrust,

Awaits with his camera roll and envelopes full of findings he's found between dawn and dusk and dusk.

 

Yellow used to be the colour of happy now we’re facing the facts.

We’ve become so yellow bellied while we’re fading to black.

Fading to black. Fading to black.

 

Yellow used to be the colour of happy now we’re facing the facts.

We’ve become so yellow bellied while we’re fading to black.

Fading to black. Fading to black. Fading to black.

 

BROKEN BOY

I’m a lonesome toy forgotten in the past. I’m a broken boy with no one to sign my cast.

But when I heal I will run again. Far from here to find a new friend.

 

I’m an elementary card trick one they all have seen. I’m the very last pick for the intramural team.

But when I heal from the words they said, I’m going to make it my deal to find a new friend.

 

Time passes with every birthday card, waiting for the broken boy to mend.

Yeah yeah yeah. Waiting for the broken boy to mend. Yeah yeah yeah.

 

I’m a little bit left of centre but since when is that a crime? Mark my words come November I’m going to make up for lost time.

And when all is revealed and invitations sent, the party will be real dancing with my new friends.

 

Time passes with every birthday card, like wrapping paper in the wind.

Cake and ice cream melting in the back yard, waiting for the broken boy to mend.

Yeah yeah yeah. Waiting for the broken boy to mend. Yeah yeah yeah.

 

And when all is revealed and invitations sent, the party will be real dancing with my new friends.

 

Time passes with every birthday card, like wrapping paper in the wind.

Cake and ice cream melting in the back yard, waiting for the broken boy to mend.

Yeah yeah yeah. Waiting for the broken boy to mend. Yeah yeah yeah.

Waiting for the broken boy to mend. Yeah yeah yeah.

 

SELFISH PORTRAIT

I look at my face I could paint such a selfish portrait, using various shades of greedy green and other choices.

Right down to the finest detail of the brooding shadows that seem to call out your name.

 

It speaks to you about me. You could reach out and touch me.

It speaks to you about me. You could almost reach out and touch me now.

 

Your selfless love gets wasted on this tired subject, with plastic skin and weathered frame

If I could have just one single stroke of utter genius then none of this would have seemed a shame.

 

It speaks to you about me. You could reach out and touch me.

It speaks to you about me. You could almost reach out and touch me now.

 

It calls your name from this wall of shame.

 

And it speaks to you about me. You could reach out and touch me.

It speaks to you about about me. Don’t hang yourself on me (It speaks to you about me).

Don’t hang yourself up on me (It speaks to you about me). Don’t hang yourself.

 

I look at my face I could paint such a selfish portrait.

 

BLUE IN THE RED ROOM

Give me back my best years. Give me back my best years.

Give me back my, give me back my, Give me back my best years.

 

Here come the dregs of society now. I can feel the saturation upon my brow,

As I brace for another day that I’ll never ever get back again.

 

What am I doing here with you? What am I doing here with you?

Why should I stand so tall and ever so blue here in the red room? Here in the red room.

 

Here where the ignorance is bliss and their material possessions are based upon all the ass they kiss,

As I’m faced with another face that will follow me right up until the end.

 

What am I doing here with you? What am I doing here with you?

Why should I stand so tall and ever so blue here in the red room? Here in the red room.

 

From Monday through Thursday I’m working on my drinking problem.

From Chardonnay to Cabernet, from winter through autumn I’m deep blue in this crimson room.

 

Give me back my best years.  Give me back my best years.

Give me back my, give me back my, Give me back my best years.

 

What am I doing here with you? What am I doing here with you?

Why should I stand so tall and ever so blue here in the red room? Here in the red room.

I'm blue in the red room. I'm so blue. She is too. I'm so blue!

 

BETTER THAN I REMEMBER

Honesty was always the policy. But all the falsifiers and conspirators have gotten the best of me.

The narcissism in the shop window glances. The politicians with the x-ray glasses.

The competitions for disposable plastic, I’m staying home and listening to Nina tonight.

 

And the world will be better than I remember. Yes the world will be better than I remember.

 

Irony was never lost on you. That is why you won’t find my proposition mute.

We’re picking up where we last wandered. We’re putting down the hatchets and lawyers.

We’re lying where the liars don’t bother. Let’s put flowers on somebody’s grave.

 

And the world will be better than I remember. Yes the world will be better than I remember.

 

I remember finding out the hard way that for some, becoming beguiling is child’s play. Hey Hey Hey!

 

Manipulators draped in counterfeit green. Calculators cold as machines. The castrator sharpens her routine.

I’m staying home….

 

And the world will be better than I remember. Yes the world will seem better than I remember.

This whole world will be better than I remember. I remember.

 

SHOULD I TELL HER

Should I tell her what goes on inside of my head? I know I owe her an explanation for the contradictions I’ve said.

Sending her the missing clues before she becomes the mislead. Should I tell her what goes on inside of my head?

 

I try to keep my demons at an arm’s length. Sometimes I don’t even know their own strength.

Factoring in the factors, working out the kinks. My mind has a mind of its own I think. My mind has a mind of its own I think.

 

Should I tell her what goes on inside of my head? I know I owe her an explanation for the contradictions I’ve said.

Sending her the missing clues before she becomes the mislead. Should I tell her what goes on inside of my head?

 

Sitting on the fence with my predicament. Thinking about where my tenacity went.

Backbone I lack bone, I’m all out of sync. My mind has a mind of its own I think. My mind has a mind of its own I think.

Should I tell her?

 

I’d like to break this mould that I’ve bent. Dumb myself down and start all over again.

 

Should I tell her what goes on inside of my head? I know I owe her an explanation for the contradictions I’ve said.

Sending her the missing clues before I send her around the bend.

Should I tell her what goes on inside of my, should I tell her what goes on inside of my,

Should I tell her what goes on inside of my head?

 

SQUINT YOUR EYES

I know I wear you out like a favourite shirt. I know I tear you up like a paper insert.

Now we’ll never sing along with the words to the plagiarist's song.

 

But if you squint your eyes just enough I can be the one that you love.

Yes if you squint your eyes just enough I am still the one that you love.

 

I know I set you off with my false alarms and I know I’ll get you cross like impatient arms.

But if you have some time to kill for a moment it may stand still.

 

And if you squint your eyes just enough I can be the one that you love.

Yes if you squint your eyes just enough I am still the one that you love.

 

I took advantage of a situation. I did some damage to my reputation.

I re-examined by flirtation with self sabotage.

 

I have but a weak defence for your weekend of emptiness.

 

And if you squint your eyes just enough I can be the one that you love.

Yes if you squint your eyes just enough I am still the one that you love.

 

TRUTH SERUM TIME

I’ve been swimming in hot water, I’ve been circling the shallow end.

Waving goodbye to my moral fibre while I’m lapping up another mortal sin.

 

I’ve been lurking in forbidden shadows, I’ve been no model citizen.

I’ve been keeping late hours, waking the beast and then sleeping in.

 

Down on my dirty knees I feel the need to come clean.

 

It’s truth serum time. It’s truth serum time. I will be blunt. I may not be kind. Truth serum time.

 

I am worried I am blurry eyed. I’m afraid I’ve been taken in.

What gets fired up gets wired up. Long ago I pushed the wrong button.

 

Now I’m sinking in hot water. I’m drowning in the shallow end.

Like my father I have faltered yet I blame no one for this dire descend.

 

Up to these tattered sleeves with this battered routine.

 

It’s truth serum time. It’s truth serum time. I will be blunt. I may not be kind. Truth serum time.

 

I need a mess of truth serum. I have confessions and you need to hear them.

But I don’t need a lecture. I just want a cure. I don’t expect to ever see you anymore.

 

I’ll tell the whole truth, nothing but the truth. I'll tell the whole truth, nothing but the truth.

I'll tell the whole truth, nothing but the truth. I'll tell the whole truth!

 

It’s truth serum time. It’s truth serum time. I will be blunt. I will not be kind. Truth serum time.

Time. Time. Time. Time.

 

NEXT BEST THING

So I see you’ve had your eye on the prize and I have familiarized myself with your plight.

Sometimes you need a plan B to survive. Strategically, a plan C D E F G.

 

Then if let me be your next best thing. Let me be your next best thing.

Your hips will swerve, your mood will swing. Your lips won’t purse and your dopamine will offer up an extra gleam,

If you let me be your next best thing.

 

So I agree you were the one with the know how. So how did things get so sour?

When you would work the room for hours. But when things stop working out like it’s supposed to be,

It’s plan C D E F G.

 

Then if let me be your next best thing. Let me be your next best thing.

Your hips will swerve, your mood will swing. Your lips won’t perse and your dopamine will offer up an extra gleam,

If you let me be your next best thing.

 

I know you don’t want to settle for any substitute. But oh look over my credentials, I studied at the Institute

Of next best times and I’m the next in line and you’re sure to surmise that I’m your next best thing!

 

So when you’ve had the chance to ponder it. Then we’ll revise the script and the twists and turns and the lines.

Now you’ve memorized it, don’t be surprised if it’s take 1 2 3 4 5!

 

Then if let me be your next best thing. Let me be your next best thing.

Your hips will swerve, your moods will swing. Your lips won’t purse and your submarine will emerge in Pleasant Stream,

If you let me be your next best thing.

 

Your next best thing. Your next best thing. Your next best thing. Oh oh oh your next best thing.