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Longarm
The Passenger
Can't Make Love
Struggle
Ring Of Fire
Granma's House
End Of An Era
Tomorrow
Animal Day
Longarm
Invisible Man
Red Light
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly / Hang 'Em High
Back In Flesh
Call Box (1-2-3)
The Passenger

longarm

Let's go
Wanted:
Strong and able-bodied worker
Minimum wage
Fifty-eight hour week

An average joe from the grand design
He breaks his back for big talk
He pulls up, he pulls down
He's the one over at the lever that puts the lids on the jars

Chorus:
Big talk
Big talk
Big talk
Big talk

Mister Simpson says this business needs a strong arm
Some new part to clear out all the deadwood
So be sure and install that new long arm by next week
'Cause that short arm over there is through

Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
It's big talk

Chorus:
Big talk (start to fall in line)
Big talk (I was watching you)
Big talk (when efficiency is cut)
Big talk (better buy more glue)
repeat once

An average joe from the grand design
He breaks his back for big talk
He pulls up, he pulls down
He's the one over at the lever that puts the lids on the jars

Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
It's big talk

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1980 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: synthesizer
Bruce Moreland: bass, piano
Marc Moreland: guitar
Joe Nanini: percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, organ

the passenger

A telepathic line to a shadow
On the wall, just a passenger and that is all
Taking off on a midnight flight
The airline ticket in his hand held tight

Polar route, destination: oblivion
"Can I take that little box that you're sitting on, sir?"
"No, that's alright, miss, I'll hold it right here
I'll need it later on when I go up in the air"
And one false move will give it all away
Just one false move will give it all away

Long distance calling everyone around
Bad connection, better let the operator dial
I feel the speed of the traffic zoom
A train in a tunnel and an empty room

Time for take-off, extinguish all cigarettes
In emergency, you know where the exits are
His hands are white on the box he grips
No one knows but it's their last trip
And one false move will give it all away
Just one false move will give it all away

Long distance calling everyone around
Bad connection, better let the operator dial
Taking off on a midnight flight
The airline ticket in his hand held tight
And one false move will give it all away
Just one false move will give it all away

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1980 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: synthesizer
Bruce Moreland: bass, piano
Marc Moreland: guitar
Joe Nanini: percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, organ

can't make love

Well, I can't make love
To the girls in this city
'Cause the girls
Say I abuse them
And I won't go out
With girls because
Girls will fall in love with you
Everybody's lonely, that's true

Maybe it's psychology
I don't know, I gotta move someplace

I can't make love
To the girls in this city
'Cause the girls
Say I abuse them
And I won't go out
With girls because
Girls will fall in love with you
Everybody's lonely, that's true

Maybe it's psychology
I don't know, I gotta move someplace
Where the girls are easy
And it makes me miss my lonely city
And the girls are so easy
And it makes me miss my lonely city
And it seems so easy
But I can't say the words that are on my mind

Chorus:
"I'm a nice guy but I don't love you––
I just wanna sleep with you."
"I'm a nice guy but I don't love you––
I just wanna sleep with you"

Well, I can't make love
To the boys in this city
'Cause the boys
Say I abuse them
And I won't go out
With boys because
Boys will fall in love with you
Everybody's lonely, that's true

Maybe it's psychology
I don't know, I gotta move someplace
Where the boys are easy
And it makes me miss my lonely city
And the girls are so easy
And it makes me miss my lonely city
And everybody's so easy
But I can't say the words that are on my mind

Chorus repeat

"I'm a nice guy..." repeat until fade

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1980 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: synthesizer
Bruce Moreland: bass, piano
Marc Moreland: guitar
Joe Nanini: percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, organ

struggle

(instrumental)

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1980 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: synthesizer
Bruce Moreland: bass, piano
Marc Moreland: guitar
Joe Nanini: percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, organ

ring of fire

Also found on Songs That Made This Country Great

Love
Is a burnin' thing
And it makes
A fiery ring
I was bound by
Wild desire
I fell into a
Ring of fire

Chorus:
I fell into a burnin' ring of fire
I fell down, down, down, and the flames got higher
And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire
The ring of fire
The ring of fire

Chorus repeat

The taste
Of love is sweet
When hearts
Like ours meet
I fell for ya
Like a child
Oh
But the fire went wild

Chorus:
I fell into a burnin' ring of fire
I fell down, down, down, and the flames got higher
And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire
The ring of fire
The ring of fire
Yes––it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire
The ring of fire
The ring of fire

credits

Written by: June Carter, Kilgore Merle
Published by: © Copyright 1962, 1963 Painted Desert Music Corporation (administered by BMI, copyright renewed)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: synthesizer
Bruce Moreland: bass, piano
Marc Moreland: guitar
Joe Nanini: percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, organ

granma's house

(instrumental)

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1980 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: synthesizer
Bruce Moreland: bass, piano
Marc Moreland: guitar
Joe Nanini: percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, organ

end of an era

The end of the daydream
The end of the side
The end of relations
The end of my mind
The end of the shoreline
The end of the heat
The end of the cold
The end of an era

My conscience calls me to the phone
Speaking voice telling me it's time to go
I think of the past, and the present, and the future
I start to say

The end of the almost
The end of the sigh
It's the end of the highway
It's the end of the lie
The end of the girl
The end of the world
The end of the romance
It's the end of an era

My conscience calls me to the phone
Speaking voice telling me it's time to go
I think of the past, and the present, and the future
It's all the same

Speaking voice telling me it's time to go
I think of the past, and the present, and the future
spoken in bad Italian accent:
I sink of ze past, and ze present, and ze future
And it's all de same
It's all de same

notes

The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1980 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: synthesizer
Bruce Moreland: bass, piano
Marc Moreland: guitar
Joe Nanini: percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, organ

tomorrow

Also found on Call Of The West

Wake up in the morning, pull myself outta bed
Think about the night before and everything I said
I've made lots of promises I know that I can't keep

So I'll do 'em tomorrow
That seems like a pretty good idea to me

Life is movin' faster––I can feel it everyday
I have trouble keepin' up with what other people say
Big problems in the world, my life's just a social swirl
But I'll do it tomorrow
That seems like a pretty good idea to me
What's wrong with tomorrow?
I'm watchin' him, and who's watchin' me?

Out my window there's nothin' where a city used to be
Phone line dead, the power gone, there's nothin' on TV
Can't understand what happened to all the plans I made
I turn on the radio and hear the signal fade
(It's pretty loud in here...)
But I'll do it tomorrow

Life is moving faster, I can feel it every day
So I'll do it tomorrow
That seems like a pretty good idea to me
What's wrong with tomorrow?
I'm watchin' him, and who's watchin' me?

I'll do it tomorrow
Hope I've got enough time
I'll do it tomorrow
And things'll be fine
I'll do it tomorrow
Can't spare today
I'll do it tomorrow
That'll be okay
I'll do it tomorrow
I'll do it tomorrow
Let's do it tomorrow
I'll stop the clock
Let's do it tomorrow
Talk, talk, talk
Let's do it tomorrow
I'll do it tomorrow
What's wrong with tomorrow
It just goes on now, y'know,
I'll do it tomorrow
The money starts rollin' in, yah.

credits

Composed by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1983 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Richard Mazda

performers

Chas T. Gray: synthesizer, bass, backing vocals
Marc Moreland: six and twelve string guitars
Joe Nanini: percussion, drums, vocals
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, harmonica, keyboards

animal day

Also found on Dark Continent

Grandma is a rhino
My brother is a dog
I can tell it's Animal Day
'Cause my best friend just turned into a frog
Mommy is a monkey
My girlfriend is a horse
But I'm not turning into anything––
I never caused animal wars!

Uh-oh!
Fur has covered my hands!
I'd better run to the mirror!
I'm an animal!

Chorus:
It's Animal Day
It's Animal Day
It's Animal Day
It's Animal Day

Now the animals have cars
They're starting to run us over
Notches on the steering wheel
My pet is calling me Rover
Deers are hunting for humans
Seals keep crushing our heads
Animals betting on us at the track
My animal's in my bed

Chorus repeat

notes

Not one of my favorite tracks, and I'm guessing not one of Stan's either. Listen to the live version on The Index Masters; he sarcastically says "It's pretty creative stuff, here..." after the first stanza, and a joyless "Yessiree, bob, it's Animal Day. What other day could it be but Animal Day." at the start of the instrumental section at the end. The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1981 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: keyboards, synthesizers
Bruce Moreland: bass, keyboards
Marc Moreland: guitars
Joe Nanini: drums, percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, keyboards, harmonica

longarm

Let's go
Wanted:
Strong and able-bodied worker
Minimum wage
Fifty-eight hour week

An average joe from the grand design
He breaks his back for big talk
He pulls up, he pulls down
He's the one over at the lever that puts the lids on the jars

Chorus:
Big talk
Big talk
Big talk
Big talk

Mister Simpson says this business needs a strong arm
Some new part to clear out all the deadwood
So be sure and install that new long arm by next week
'Cause that short arm over there is through

Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
It's big talk

Chorus:
Big talk (start to fall in line)
Big talk (I was watching you)
Big talk (when efficiency is cut)
Big talk (better buy more glue)
repeat once

An average joe from the grand design
He breaks his back for big talk
He pulls up, he pulls down
He's the one over at the lever that puts the lids on the jars

Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
It's big talk

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1980 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: synthesizer
Bruce Moreland: bass, piano
Marc Moreland: guitar
Joe Nanini: percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, organ

invisible man

When you're out on the street, he's a face in the crowd
He's a voice in the back, and he's never very loud
In a tribal mask, or a business suit
He'll stab your back and steal your loot

Chorus:
Invisible––invisible man
Invisible––invisible man
Invisible––invisible man
Invisible––invisible man

Well, I saw him one night and he gave me a chill
He was drivin' down the freeway in a Coupe de Ville
Pulled up like a ghost and he hit his lights
Saw his shades––man, they're outta sight

Chorus repeat x2

Well, I saw him one night and he gave me a chill

notes

The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Stanard Ridgway
Written by: Stanard Ridgway
Published by: © Copyright 1980 Mondo Spartacus / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: synthesizer
Bruce Moreland: bass, piano
Marc Moreland: guitar
Joe Nanini: percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, organ

red light

Also found on Dark Continent

If it's the rough stuff ya want
You can point yer finger at me
'Cause I can dish it out good
But I don't give it away for free
There's a price for my vice
And I want it in cash
In a plain brown bag
You can put it out by the trash

Chorus:
There'll be a red light by the window
And a blue light by the car
He'll be running
But he won't get far
There'll be a red light by the window
And a blue light by the car
He'll be running
But he won't get far

This modern world deserves a
Modern attitude
You've gotta stick it to them
Before they stick it to you
I want the money
And I want it in cash
In a plain brown bag
You can put it out, put it out, put it out by the trash

Chorus repeat

Red light
Blue light
Red light
Blue light
This modern world deserves a modern attitude

notes

The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1981 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: keyboards, synthesizers
Bruce Moreland: bass, keyboards
Marc Moreland: guitars
Joe Nanini: drums, percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, keyboards, harmonica

the good, the bad, and the ugly / hang 'em high

(instrumental)

credits

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Written by: Ennio Morricone
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Published by: © Copyright EMI Unart Music Catalog, INC. (administered by BMI) / Eureka Edizioni Musicali (administered by SIAE)
Hang 'Em High Written by: Ennio Morricone, Joseph L. Kirkland, Derek Murphy, and Ali Malek
Hang 'Em High Published by: © Copyright EMI Unart Music Catalog, INC. / EMI Blackwood Music Incorporated / Dusty Fingers Music / Empire International Music Incorporated (all administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: synthesizer
Bruce Moreland: bass, piano
Marc Moreland: guitar
Joe Nanini: percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, organ

back in flesh

Also found on Dark Continent

Someone smashed my alarm
It's got me on the edge
You know it's so sharp
(Aaaaaaaa...)
And you know I won't go
You know I won't go
I don't wanna go
(He won't go)
The corporation's boiling over
Everybody's taking over

Chorus:
And I'm back in flesh
Back in flesh
Back in flesh
Back in flesh
Back in flesh

You better sign your time card now
They don't care about you anyhow
Sign in, your minimum cut
You're late again, your salary's cut!

Someone smashed my alarm
It's got me on the edge
You know it's so sharp
(Aaaaaaaa...)
And you know I won't go
You know I won't go
I don't wanna go
(He won't go)
The corporation's boiling over
Everybody's taking over

Chorus repeat

I won't go
(He won't go.)
I don't wanna go
(You must go!)
Is it time to go?
(The orders are in!)
Well, I'd rather go bowling!
(The lanes are closed!)
Maybe a little tennis?
(Your racket's got a hole.)
How about some baseball?
(Field's rained out.)
Maybe a little fishing?
(The fish are on vacation.)
Well, how about some golfing?
(The greens are overgrown.)
Well, what about some swimming?
(I don't think so!)
Well, what about this––and that––
(No, no, no, no, no!)
Well, you can't tell me what to do!
Well, you can't tell me what to do!
(Hey, fuck you!)

notes

For the TV performance on Showbusiness Is My Life, "Hey, fuck you!" is softened to a gentle "Aw, shut up!" The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1981 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: keyboards, synthesizers
Bruce Moreland: bass, keyboards
Marc Moreland: guitars
Joe Nanini: drums, percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, keyboards, harmonica

call box (1-2-3)

Also found on Dark Continent

I press the buttons now
Voice keeps poppin' on the call box out
Mop-man, do you receive?
Ten-four, I gotta pull out
I got an ETA, five-thirty on the dot
A little bit later, it'll thicken the plot

Chorus:
They always tell me what's not is not
I just gotta get that 1-2-3
It's funny how these things always happen to me
I just gotta get that 1-2-3

Now, by the force of circumstance
And by the belt that holds up my pants
I'm held responsible
For this idea that never had a chance
When they call out the guard tonight
He'll cut the alarm and switch off the light

Chorus:
I get a funny feeling that wrong is right
I just gotta get that 1-2-3
It's funny how these things always happen to me
I just gotta get that 1-2-3

1 2 3
A B C
Like you and me
Like 1 2 3
1 2 3
1-2-3
A B C
1-2-3
1 2 3
1-2-3
It's a combination...

I press the buttons nowwww!

I press the buttons now
Voice keeps poppin' on the call box out
Mop-man, do you receive?
Ten-four, I gotta pull out
I got an ETA, five-thirty on the dot
A little bit later, it'll thicken the plot

Chorus:
They always tell me what's not is not
I just gotta get that 1-2-3
It's funny how these things always happen to me
I guess I gotta get that 1-2-3

1 2 3
A B C
Like you and me
Like 1 2 3
Not is not, not is not!
Not is not, not is not...

notes

The lyrics to this song have not been published; they were transcribed by Larry Hastings.

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1981 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: keyboards, synthesizers
Bruce Moreland: bass, keyboards
Marc Moreland: guitars
Joe Nanini: drums, percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, keyboards, harmonica

the passenger

A telepathic line to a shadow
On the wall, just a passenger and that is all
Taking off on a midnight flight
The airline ticket in his hand held tight

Polar route, destination: oblivion
"Can I take that little box that you're sitting on, sir?"
"No, that's alright, miss, I'll hold it right here
I'll need it later on when I go up in the air"
And one false move will give it all away
Just one false move will give it all away

Long distance calling everyone around
Bad connection, better let the operator dial
I feel the speed of the traffic zoom
A train in a tunnel and an empty room

Time for take-off, extinguish all cigarettes
In emergency, you know where the exits are
His hands are white on the box he grips
No one knows but it's their last trip
And one false move will give it all away
Just one false move will give it all away

Long distance calling everyone around
Bad connection, better let the operator dial
Taking off on a midnight flight
The airline ticket in his hand held tight
And one false move will give it all away
Just one false move will give it all away

credits

Written by: Wall Of Voodoo
Published by: © Copyright 1980 Big Talk Music / Illegal Songs (administered by BMI)
Produced by: Jim Hill, Paul McKenna, and Wall Of Voodoo

performers

Chas Gray: synthesizer
Bruce Moreland: bass, piano
Marc Moreland: guitar
Joe Nanini: percussion
Stanard Ridgway: vocals, organ

Lyrics to The Index Masters / Larry Hastings / larry@hastings.org