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Music

Geek Out: Here's All the Lyrics for 'Tyranny' by Julian Casablancas + the Voidz

Plus a brief word with Julian…

Photo by Abby Ross (in collaboration with Warren Fu) // Chessboard Art by El Teneen.

Recently we met up with Julian Casablancas to talk about his lately released album Tyranny—his first with new musical partners in crime, The Voidz. It's an album that's as fantastical as it is unpredictable, excitably irascible one moment, disconsolate and downcast the next, meanwhile, exactly what Casablancas is saying can, on occasion, be tough to decipher. Until now only the lyrics for "Human Sadness" and "Where Eagles No Fly" have been fully disclosed. Below is a playlist of the entire album, plus the lyrics for each song, but first a little chat with Julian about his words…

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Noisey: It was important for you to release your lyrics in a readable format which strikes me as funny because you obscure your voice so much, you often can't hear what you’re saying.
Julian Casablancas: I tried to make it clear so that if you’re really trying to hear it you could make it out. That was a struggle. We’d finish a song and I’d be like, "Shawn [Everitt, producer] that sounds amazing, but it would be nice to be able to make out the words." So we did make an effort to make sure it was audible. It’s maybe not super easy, but if you’re listening on headphones, I think you can make it out. At least we thought so.

Do you feel like you have something more to say now than you did 10 years ago?
I’m trying to think about how to say yes without sounding totally cocky…

Well, the line in “Take Me in Your Army” when you sing “I was not ready for the podium yet / Just the stage,” suggests that yes you do.
I think so. I think I’ve focused more on lyrics for the last six or seven or eight years. I’ve definitely been more focused on that. Before I just approached music and I was interested in that: the composition; lyrics were secondary. Now I read people like Rumi and I feel like it’s so good and so deep and so inspiring, and he was a musician so I’m imagining all those poems used to be songs. Obviously this was in the year 1200 so there’s no recordings of it. So yeah, I want to have something that’s hopefully powerful.

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I still haven’t hit the nexus yet. I still feel like I have to compromise because… I want it to look cool written, but some things read better than they're sung. You have to make a decision and I chose for it to sound good musically, but hopefully one day I’ll get to the point where I don’t have to choose.

///

There will be more from this interview soon, but until then, here are the lyrics from Tyranny, below.

Tyranny is out now via Cult Records.

1. Take Me in Your Army
Something to do, something to do
When you don't want it anymore,
I was not ready for the podium yet
Just the stage In all my dreams I'm waiting for you,
Innovators and shameless imitators,
The best time is when I feel your lashes lashing me Take me in your army
Take me in your army
Take me in your army
Take me in your army This is not for everybody, this is for nobody ~
It took a thousand days to build and only a day to destroy
The customer is obviously oblivious and wrong Take me in your army
Take me in your army
Take me in your army
Take me in your army Take me in your army
Take me in your army
Take me in your army
Take me in your…

2. Crunch Punch
Devils, evangelicals, they puppet my eye
He is the creepiest guy in the sky.
Re-runs on the radio, the DJ is wrong
He's just a preacher who pushed play on this song. I can't live on a farm forever,
Please just tell them I'm gone,
But not until tomorrow, when I've made it out somehow.
Can I pray for you, 'ma---? Police they get in their face
Officer down on the scene
'Calling all cars we have an officer down, I repeat…' Best repeat what is not true
Watch my neighbor
We wont tell them what to do
Aaaahhhhhh
Can you rescue me, everybody wants what they can’t see
Aaaahhhhhh
Yes I want it for me, but I want it for you, too
-
Come meet the ventriloquist who puppets my eye,
He is the creepiest guy in the sky
Everybody loves him and he kisses your hand
He likes to pretend that he sings in a band.
- Okaay. Please don't take the pain
It's running all down on your face… "Don't miss the show, okay?"
"-Ah, I can't have time" I can't live on the farm forever
We live too far away
From everything,
I pray for some things to change,
Your mother is a murderer,
Trust me I know.
'…Shit, I got excited, oh-oh' Can't beat them it's so hard
Wanna meet them in my prime.

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3. M.utually A.ssured D.estruction
Chasing all your dreams like any fool
Observing the absurd from a piano stool
It's the first time you got the truth - that's for sure.
Now the bad feelings they come in waves Feeding on your nightmares to procure
Trusting in their words today no more
It's the first time you got it right - that's for sure.
Black hole sucking us into oblivion

4. Human Sadness
beyond all ideas of right and wrong there is a field, i will be meeting you there
-Rumi put money in my hand
and i will do the things you want me to Vanity… overriding wisdom,
usually common sense. should i delete it,
you said you'd read it
you promised you would never ruin it with sequels, I wake for you… on and on beyond all ideas of right and wrong there is a field,
i will be meeting you there.

the moon's a skull, i think it's grinning
the room is full of people now i think it's spinning

wanted you… didn't ask for nothing. wait for you… on and on

and i don't need your tie, i don't need to, tired of saying it.
we don't need more talk, don't empty out your canteen on the desert floor.
…ahhh, it's all my fault

never wanna spell it out,
i just want to say that it is all my fault,
i could never spit it out,
i don't wanna fix your tie…

never want to say we're sad,
thankful that we got some chance,
i know you won't get back your time,
i wish that you could take it back…

beyond all ideas of right and wrong there is a field,
i will be meeting you there.

he wanted it more than me, i suppose
i was in a rush to wait in a line.
now i hear echoes of my old self,
this is not the way to be.
all at once,
i lost my way… is it not true, the things that we did?
come here at once and look what they did
come here shut down and tune in tonite,
learn the words that they teach you without you realizing it
come here sit down and watch some tv mine all mine / wait your turn
cross my cross / slice his hand
not your son / not your friend / not your enemy i rely on the little things to get me by,
conscience says "i'm ok",
you don't hear what they say.
"he's not my son, search his home"
off to war,
it's time to go hide inside
-
soft skin,
weak chin,
just walk me thru it, tell me what to do i'll do hurry hurry, that's my baby
ohh, do what you can. all the time - he waits for me.
and now we talk from time to time, hits you on the head when nobody's there,
then he says 'come here could you fix my tie?' it's never gonna be,
to be is not the way to be. show me where to go don't get angry so quickly,
fuck depression… beyond all ideas of right and wrong there is a field,
i will be meeting you there
~
understanding is more important than love,
if not money will always trump justice all is lost,
i'll find my way…
so i say,
to be is not to be.
to be is not the way to be.

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5. Where No Eagles Fly
please, come on babe, they'll end up all confused,
what's the point of telling people if they won't use it? fly on the wall, bird of prey in the mall
it's the eye in the sky, where no eagles fly meat,
predators eat meat.
predators eat meat. ceremony or a speech,
in a church or on a beach,
predators eat. the wolf will cry sheep as they take him away,
we plot in our sleep but follow orders all day the rhythm is for you but the song is for me,
the meaning might be secret but the melody is free meat,
predators eat meat.
predators eat meat. let all my big dreams sink in,
no one to enjoy it with.
oblivious… stay oblivious,
why can you not be more like me?
hiding in a nearby tree. business, business, i forget,
pray for predators i guess
uh-oh, uh-oh, here we go, all our future's thru that door future future's come to this, everybody cheats i guess
let's go down to mexico, 'there's a couple guys i know' all our future's come to this, i don't want my friends to know
all our future's come to this, i don't want our friends

6. Father Electricity
Like harmonies, locks in keys,
Lightning in every drop. We're tricked again, lost at sea,
When we find land, can I climb your tree?
I know it's hard to see I wanna believe what you're saying
But I'm seeing the games that you're playing
I know-know-know-know-know-know-know
What I'm gonna d-d-d-d-d-do In the wrong place, at the wrong time
They're attracting all the wrong people to the wrong line I do not wanna see the whole mess,
I wish I could live in retrospect 5 steps, remember them well,
As you're coming down,
Down the well,
And you drop 500 tons of hell You are everything I see - every time I blink - despair. Who's asleep at the wheel? They fight for every meal, who likes that bad idea?
You. Undo… What I feel, Qualia,
What I am, Qualia. Wait, wait,
No, I don't want it
No, I don't want it
-
You are everything I see - every time I blink - despair. Lock the doors and hide the keys,
And wake the doctor, call a priest,
Born out of electricity, I wait for you in the second life.
Who's asleep at the wheel? Who likes that bad idea? Who wants a happy meal? oooh …You are everything I see - every time I blink - despair,
I will take what I can grab, but I, I don't want your money bags Oh-ooh-ooh-ooh
What else can I say,
What else can I say,
What else can I say tonite? 7. Johan Von Bronx
Don't forget the wrong guy in line-up
Trying hard to be strong always rolling over
I will try guitar out, quoting scripture
Soon you won't have memories, only pictures I wait but the time is not right, oh-oh-oh
I chase it much better every night, oh-oh-oh
I wait for the dark of his eyes, oh-oh-oh
My ego is quite out of hand, oh-oh-oh Watch the flames go out,
Soon – No, now, that's my mission
I’ve taken away your natural purpose
That is what a loving--selfish, loving human does
That is what it sounds like to an insect
~
Hold that trial by night
I've been sitting with him all night
Hold my ears it's wrong
I can't listen to this too long
Pitchforks, fires in hand
I can't turn it around tonite
I want to get back,
Back to where I can sleep at night. Wait for the back of his heart
Lesson learned
I'm trying but maybe too hard, like an Eskimo
I listen, but I - but I can't -- what I want to say…
My ego is out of control, yes I know Please, can I go?
Can I hold it?
- It's part of the show.
It saves me 2 dollars if kids do the work
Can we shake it
Up in time? I don't know Destroy it
So destroy it
Just destroy it
Destroy it. Burn it down, to the ground

8. Business Dog
Take me to your business place
I'm gonna be there 20 minutes late
I'm gonna %$#@* your face for breakfast
I love being weird, it's so weird
Quiz in the morning the police outside
She's been missing since late last night
'I wrote my name on the world,' regretting as he makes his license plates Leave it all to me, yeahhh
Just leave it to me, yeahhh
Leave it all to me, yeahhh
Make and model number, please …Waiting for my license plates,
Meet you at your breakfast place
I'm gonna be at your place for business
Let me work it, work it - work it - work it
Wage war on the listener
I can't fight cause I can't fight
He does it on a plane
- - - I bet my lies
You can trust him. Leave it all to me, yeahhh
Just leave it to me, yeahhh
Leave it all to me, yeahhh
Make and model number, please "That's how ya do it in the business, kid…" Leave it all to me, yeahhh
Just leave it to me, yeahhh
Leave it all to me, yeahhh
Model number, please Good job, business dog.

9. Xerox
I won't fight, it's not the time or place
Stone-age mind in a space-world age, In the dark, violent space,
Kids learning how to mosh again Will the sky open up and destroy everyone I loved,
One way out,
You don't take it to heart,
Until it tries tearing you apart Hard to avoid the past,
I guess the only way is acknowledging it,
Everyone lies to me and tries to sell me stuff, but I guess that's just love
I love the beginning; the way women give in - the velvet rope unhinged
I'll give you everything that you ever wanted, but you won't want it then I'm the worst, I'm the worst
I'm the worst, I'm the worst
I'm the worst, I'm the worst
I'm the worst, I'm the worst Very late at night when cities turn into forests again
When the devil offers you
A devil sip of his devil brew
"In my day, trained in a distant life, I won't think of it, I won't cry"
Summer days, I'd be at the playground…
Please… please… please… I can't wait to make it through
Our awkwardness Hard to avoid the past,
I guess the only way is acknowledging it
Everyone lies to me and tries to sell me stuff, but I guess that's just love
I love the beginning, your clothes slide off your skin, giving is receiving
Patterns of emptiness,
Tomorrow is laughing,
Money b----- tyranny I'm the worst, I'm the worst
I'm the worst, I'm the worst
I'm the worst, I'm the worst 10. Dare I Care
Hit the knee - ow - heck, they're ready
S.O.N.'s SAT, how magenta are you? Daddy, I owe Doc Luke a Mercedes
Barely up and I'm looking for jobs. Yup, they been at your house already
Who, me? Sad? I'm last to hear Yeah, they been at your house already
Who me? Fuck, I'm last to hear. What a real woman won't mind
But don't be weird with me
I won't be weird with you
But I wanna be weird my way It won't be my way
American always our way
What can I say? In the band I put the key, cause I did my time
What can I say? Your memory's no good, leave your clothes on
Our bodies crave a lot of things that end in loss
Don't try and turn this into something else,
Too late to change your mind this time and hit eject Now that I'm here
I been wasting half my life
Right here is where my friends they used to live Hit the knee - ow - heck, they're ready
S.O.N.'s SAT, how magenta are you? Daddy, I owe Doc Luke a Mercedes
Barely up and I'm looking for jobs.
Who, me? Sad? I'm last to hear
Yeah, they been at your house already. Who the fuck? I want my money back
That wasn't fun.
The bricks and the gravel and the mud and the blood
Another wild teenager in search of success, welcome to the jewel of the modified west Now that I'm here, o-o-oh
I've been wasting half my life
Right here is where my friends they used to live…
-
I don't care anymore
I'd don't dare anymore. Now that I'm here, where my friends they used to live
I don't care anymore, I'd dare anymore That’s how they know, that's how they know,
"Calm down"
That's what they say, that's how they know

11. Nintendo Blood
Her eyes were black and white and blue
I listen to your favorite songs backwards
Do you have a plan for who to surrender to?
I've been training for you… It won't stop now Imprisoned us in a song
Asleep in the dead of wrong
No return beyond this point
In theory Will you drift into that dark war-path,
When the blood runs down their face sideways?
As the party stays in the city forever, it seems
Like ugly hippy neon art We let the schoolboys in your eyes run out
When you asked me to blow smoke in your mouth
Like anybody the gloves I find I try
Can you think back to that time? I was so angry I got up and out of bed
I spent 25 minutes reading what you said
A face I know so well, I've memorized your teeth
I've worked so hard I haven't looked at you in weeks Will you solve your problems in the day-light?
They like to change the rules as they go
By chapter 2 he got killed by the author
Momma won't let me out Take me in your android arms mom-Jeanette
Made up of every lonely person you've met
Of every pretty stranger you'll never regret ---
I can't help it, it's not my fault, gotta be possessive
Each man for his own, arm in arm in arms Imprisoned us in a song
Asleep in the dead of wrong
Motha-f. Don't page me tonite
Don't stop, react, attack. "When man has conquered the earth he will have destroyed himself
His appetite will devour the earth and leave behind only a desert
The end of living & the beginning of surviving,
Our land, our brother we treat like an enemy
But "when man has conquered the earth he will have destroyed himself
The end of living & the beginning of surviving…" Our land is a brother we treat like an enemy - oh oh
Cause nothing exists except molecules and empty space - oh oh The moon is cracked I think it looked at me and grinned
The room is packed I look around and now it spins
Cyborg, I need to sit down, I need to shut up
Universe everything's wrong, I think I fucked up Only trust myself
Level with myself
Level with myself
I am not myself

12. Off to War…
Our eyes see colors our mind made up I wait for the light to shine,
I wait for the light to shine. They're tugging on your pride to help them win
…Yeah, baby I wait for the light to shine,
I wait for the light to shine. When I look at you - (I realize) it was shining all along… I wait for the light to shine,
But someone else got to you.
I wait for the light to shine,
I wait for the light to shine.