Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank

Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank lyrics

March Into The Sea
Dashboard
Fire It Up
Florida
Parting Of The Sensory
Missed The Boat
We've Got Everything
Fly Trapped in a Jar
Education
Little Motel
Steam Engenius
Spitting Venom
People As Places As People
Invisible

March Into The Sea

If food needed pleasing you'd suck all the seasoning off,
Suck it off!
Well treat me like disease like the rats and the fleas,
A-ha-ha!
A-ha-ha!
Bang your head like a gong 'cause it's filled with all wrong!
A-ha-ha!
Clank clank clank!

If you think you know enough
To know you know you've had enough.
And if you think you don't you probably will.
Our tails wagged and then fell off, but we just turned back,
Marched into the sea.

Well treat me like the sea oh so salty and mean,
Ah-ha-ha!
Oh-ah-ah
Well treat me like disease like the rats and the fleas,
Ah-ha-haaa!

I'll be beating my heart's record for speeding.
I'll be beating the record for heart skipping.
And the dog-gone tails wagged then fell off
but we just turned back, marched into the sea.
Well we just turned round, marched into the sea.

Take all that you need like my sign says for free, till it's gone!
Till it's gone!
Well discard whom you please like the leaves off a tree,
A-ha-ha!
A-ha-ha!
Let's shake hands if you want but soon both hands are gone
Oh-ha-ha-ha-ha-haa!

Well treat me like the sea oh so salty and mean, ah-ha-ha.
Oh treat me like the sea oh so salty and mean ah-ha-ha.
Well treat me like disease like the rats and the fleas.
Bang your head like a gong 'cause you call it all wrong, move your tongue.

Clang Clang! Clang Clang! Clang Clang! Clang Claaang!

Cut me down like the trees like the lumber or weeds
Drag me out of the sea and then teach me to breathe
Give me forests half dead I wish death on myself
Give me forests so dead I wish death on myself

Ah! Ha! Ha!
Ha! Ha!
Ha! Ha!
Ha! Ha!
Ha! Haaaa!

Well we all stumbled round tangled up in the cords from our phones, V.C.R. and our wordly woes.

Ah! Ha! Ha!

March on!
March on!
March on!
MARCH ON!
Well March On!

Dashboard

Well, it would've been, could've been worse than you would ever know.
Oh, the dashboard melted, but we still have the radio.

Oh, it should've been, could've been worse than you would ever know.
Well, you told me about nowhere well it sounds like someplace I'd like to go.

Oh, it could've been, should've been worse than you would ever know.
Well, the windshield was broken but I love the fresh air y'know.
(The dashboard melted but we still have the radio)

Oh, it would've been, could've been worse than you would ever know, oh!
(The dashboard melted but we still have the radio)
Oh, we talked about nothing which was more than I wanted you to know-oh-oh-oh-oh.
Now here we go!

Oh! It would've been, could've been worse than it had even gone
Well, the car was on blocks, but I was already where I want.
(It was impossible, we ran it good, we ran it good)

Why should we ever even ever really even get to know?
(It was impossible, we ran it good, we ran it good)
Oh if the world don't like us it'll shake us just like we were a co-oh-oh-oh-old.
Now here we go!

Well we scheme and we scheme but we always blow it
we've yet to crash, but we still might as well tow it
Standing at a light switch to each east and west horizon,
Every dawn you're surprising,
And the evening was consoling
Saying "See it wasn't quite as bad as"

Well, it would've been, could've been worse than you would ever know.

I was patiently erasing and recording the wrong episodes
after you had proved my point wrong,
It wasn't like I'd let it go, oh-oh-oh. Oh-oh-oh.
I just wanted to catch the last laugh of this show.

Yeah, it would've been, could've been worse than you would ever know.
Oh, the dashboard melted, but we still have the radio.
(The dashboard melted, but we ran it good, we ran it good)

Hard-wired to conceive, so much we'd have to stow it
Even needs have needs, tiny giants made of tinier giants.
Don't wear eyelids so I don't miss the last laugh of this show.
(The dashboard melted but we still have the radio)

Oh, we could've been, should've been worse than you would ever know.
(The dashboard melted but we still have the radio)
Well, you told me about nowhere well it sounds like someplace I'd like to go-oh-oh-oh-oh.
Now here we go!

Oh it would've been, could've been worse than you would ever know.

Fire It Up

Etceterenough
Etceterenough
Etceterenough
Etceterenough
Etceterenough
Etceterenough
Etceterenough
Etceterenough

Fire it up, fire it up
When we finally turn it over
Make a B-line towards the border
Have a drink, you've had enough

Fire it up, fire it up
If you need some conversation
Bring a magazine to read around
Our broke down transportation

Fire it up
Etceterenough
Etceterenough
Etceterenough

Fire it up, fire it up
When we find the perfect water
We'll hang out on the shore
Just long enough to leave our clothes there

Find enough, find enough
Oh we ate all of the oranges
Off the navels of our lovers
Grabbed a book and read the cover

It honestly was beautifully done
Like trying to hide the daylight from the sun
But even if we had been sure enough it's true we really didn't know
Even if we knew which way to head but still we probably wouldn't go

Fire it up, fire it up
We pushed off we're rolling boulders
Crashing down the mirrored stairways
Two of life's best mine canaries

Fire it up, fire it up
When we fix the carburetor
Then we'll push off once again
In an hour or so later

It honestly was beautifully bold
Like trying to save an ice cube from the cold
But even if we had been sure enough it's true we really didn't know
Even if we knew which way to head but still we probably wouldn't go

Well we always
Well we always
had it all
had it all

Florida

Although we often wondered
There was no thing of wonder
The shit that flew from our minds
Grass stains and fresh fruit
Remind our shoes of horse glue
On this ridiculous climb
With great tunnel vision
We built ourselves a mission
To ride our motives design
Oh, what a vague description
Of what we have been missing
So why would anyone try

It was always worth it
That's the part I seem to hide
In the busy ant empire
Put up your closing sign

I wasn't always cargo
I was once kind of my own

I guess I'll pack up my mind
It took so much effort
Not to make an effort
Oh, what a flawless design

It was always worth it
That's the part I seem to hide
In the busy ant empire
Put up your closing sign

Even as I left Florida
(yee-ha)

It was always worth it
That's the part I seem to hide
In the busy ant empire
Put up your closing sign

Even as I left Florida
Far enough, far enough
Wasn't far enough

Couldn't quite seem to escape myself
Far enough, far enough
Far from Florida
We were all drowsing in cruise control
Far enough, far enough
Wasn't far enough

I stood on my heart supports thinkin'
"Oh my God, I'll probably have to carry this whole load."
I couldn't remember if I tried
I couldn't remember if I took my brain out, threw it so directly at the goal
I couldn't remember if I...
I could have my mind erased
And still not know exactly what I don't already know

Even as I left Florida

Parting Of The Sensory

There's no work in walking in to fuel the talk
I would grab my shoes and then away I'd walk
Through all the stubborn beauty I start at the dawn
Until the sun had fully stopped
Never walking away from
Just a way to pull apart
Dehydrate back into minerals
A life long walk to the same exact spot

Carbon's anniversary
The parting of the sensory
Old old mystery
The parting of the sensory

Who the hell made you the boss?
We placed our chips in all the right spots
But still lost
Any shithead who had ever walked
Could take the ship and do a much finer job
This fit like clothes made out of wasps
Aw, fuck it I guess I lost

The parting of the sensory
Carbon's anniversary
Just part it again if you please
Carbon's anniversary

Who the hell made you the boss
If you say what to do I know what not to stop
If you were the ship then who would ever get on
The weather changed it for the worse
And came down on us like it had been rehearsed
And like we hope, but change will surely come
And be awful for most but really good for some
I took a trip to the exact same spot
We pulled the trigger, but we forgot to cock
And every single shot

Aw, fuck it I guess we lost

Some day you will die and
Somehow something's going to steal your carbon

Well some day you will die somehow and
Something's going to steal your carbon

Some day you will die and
Someone's or something's will steal your carbon

Some day something will die and
Somehow you'll figure out how
Often you will die somehow and
Something going to steal your carbon

Well some day you will die somehow and
Something's going to steal your carbon

Missed The Boat

While we're on the subject
Could we change the subject now?
I was knocking on your ears' door
But you were always out
Looking towards the future
We were begging for the past
Well we know we had the good things
But those never seemed to last
Oh please just last

Everyone's unhappy
Everyone's ashamed
Well we all just got caught looking
At somebody else's page
Well nothing ever went
Quite exactly as we planned
Our ideas held no water
But we used them like a dam

Oh, and we carried it all so well
As if we got a new position
Oh, and I laugh all the way to hell
Saying yes, this is a fine promotion
Oh, and I laugh all the way to hell

Of course everyone goes crazy
Over such and such and such
We made ourselves a pillar
We just used it as a crutch
We were certainly uncertain
At least I'm pretty sure I am
Well we didn't need the water
But we just built that good god damn

Oh, and I know this of myself
I assume as much for other people
Oh, and I know this of myself
We've listened more to life's end gong
Than the sound of life's sweet bliss

Was it ever worth it?
Was there all that much to gain?
Well we knew we missed the boat
And we'd already missed the plane
We didn't read the invite
We just danced at our wake
All our favorites were playing
So we could shake, shake, shake, shake, shake

Tiny curtains open and we heard the tiny clap of little hands
A tiny man would tell a little joke and get a tiny laugh from all the folks
Sitting drifting around in bubbles and thinking it was us that carried them
When we finally got it figured out that we had truly missed the boat

Oh, and we carried it all so well
As if we got a new position
Oh, and we owned all the tools ourselves
But not the skills to make a shelf with
Oh, what useless tools ourselves

We've Got Everything

We've got everything
We've got everything
We've got everything down to a science so I guess we know everything,
We know everything
We know everything
We know everything was built to expire so I guess we've done everything

If we carried it out to sea
Pushed it over the edge we'd have all been through,
Well first off Gary got drunk fell asleep in his car til about noon
Flat Top Tony got all messed up split his lip chasing cheap perfume
Well look at our boat in the bay it looks like some sad ass little canoe

We've done everything
We've done everything
We've done everything like trial by fire so I guess we'll stop trying now
We've tried everything
We've tried everything
We've tried everything half assed and as liars and thats how we've got everything

If we carried it out to sea pushed it over the edge we could have all been through
Well no one even bothered showin' up but we still did what we should have thought through
We crashed in like waves into the stars Didn't want it didn't need it but we knew that we
Could see it so we opened up the door
We receded like waves out of the stars
Didn't want it didn't need it but we knew that we could steal it left it dying on the floor

We've got everything
We've got everything
We've got everything down to a science so I guess we know everything
We've got everything
We've done everything
We've tried everything
We've got everything
We've got everything

Fly Trapped in a Jar

Of part and parcel,
Well we're already dead,
Well it's probably been said,
That it's always been said,
That,

One wing isn't even enough,
It isn't even enough,
It isn't even enough,
To leave,

One wing isn't even enough,
It isn't even enough,
It isn't even enough,
To leave,
(HAHAHA HAAA HAAA HA)

I'm gonna' shake myself right out the door,
I'm gonna' take myself when it's finally over,
I'm gonna' let my whole bad self take over,
I'm gonna' move my arm out with my shoulder,
And

One wing wasn't even enough,
It wasn't even enough,
It wasn't even enough,
To leave,

First off Gary was on trial and drunk before we left bed,
As things got better wasn't hard to say that he had no idea,
Well I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed that they really didn't want us around,
So we all just opened up our mouths and wallets to this town,
Well I was walking just a little bit sideways and you were walking sideways too,
Well I hadn't learned when a front door can be used,
Here we go sir...

We had darkened doors so we didn't read what the sign read
Though simple enough it was to me as if though the ground needs to be fed,
Well I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed that they really didn't want us around,
So not a single one of us will ever leave town,
Here we go sir...

Our bodies were laid out,
Evenly for fifteen yards,
Well two feet above each of our heads was a fly trapped in a jar,
Well I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed that they really didn't want us around,
So every single one of us fed the ground,
Here we go now!...

One wing wasn't e..., wasn't even enough,
One wing wasn't even, wasn't even enough,

Of pardon pardon,
Well it's probably been said,
That it's always been said that
We were already dead

Education

Call it education
It was somewhere in between
You gave me some sound advice
But I wasn't listening

After we had capsized
I couldn't tell you how you'd fall
Well, I’m not sure if I lay to rest
on the ceiling or the wall.

Not quite conversation
It was somewhere in between
You said everything is taught
And I listened patiently

All this dog and pony
Still monkeys the whole time
We could not help from flinging shit
In our modern suits and ties

Our instincts, they were cringing
About how we lived our lives
It didn't seem we'd lived enough
To even get to die

All these dense distractions
So beautifully complex
Well, I loved life's surprises so much
I don't want to know what's next

Stubborn shouting, said
"I don't do what you do"
I don't know
Could it really hear highly if you highly care?
And you don't
Stubborn beauty, stubborn beauty
I've been away

Hardly education
It was somewhere in between
Oh, I hit the roof but I had
Aimed for the ceiling

Hungry education
All them books I didn't read
They just sat there on my shelf
Looking much smarter than me

Good old Nostradamus
He knew the whole damn time
That always being east from west
Someone is there fighting

Stubborn shouting, said
"I don't do what you do"
I don't know
Could it really hear highly if you highly care?
And you don't
Stubborn beauty, stubborn beauty
I've been away
Stubborn beauty, stubborn beauty
I don't know anyway
Stubborn beauty, stubborn beauty
I don't know
Could it really hear highly if you highly care?
And you don't
Stubborn beauty, stubborn beauty
Uh.. I fell away
Stubborn beauty, stubborn beauty
Oh, very well, then
Stubborn beauty, stubborn beauty
Oh, very well, then
Stubborn beauty, stubborn beauty
Oh, very well, then

Oh, very well, then

Little Motel

I hope that you like it in your little motel
And I hope that the suite sleeps and suits you well
Well I can see it as time and a sight through smell and
Thats why its nice to be by yourself

Cause thats what I'm waiting for
That's what I'm waiting for
That's what I'm waiting for, aren't I?
That's what I'm waiting for
That's what I'm waiting for
That's what I'm waiting for darlin'

We treat mishaps like sinking ships and
I know that I don't want to be out to drift
Well I can see it in your eyes like I taste your lips and
They both tell me that we're better than this

Cause thats what I'm waiting for
That's what I'm waiting for
That's what I'm waiting for, aren't I?
That's what I'm waiting for
That's what I'm waiting for
That's what I'm waiting for darlin'

We trade tit for tat like that for this
And I don't think that there was an insult that was missed
I can see it in your eyes like I taste your lips and
I'm very sorry

Cause thats what I'm waiting for
That's what I'm waiting for
That's what I'm waiting for, aren't I?
That's what I'm waiting for
That's what I'm waiting for
That's what I'm waiting for darlin'

It rained and its over a shooting star
Landed directly on our broke down little car
We fold and we had made a wish
That we would be missed
If one another just did not exist

Cause thats what we're waiting for
That's what we're waiting for
That's what we're waiting on, aren't we?
That's what we're waiting for
That's what we're waiting for
That's what we're waiting for darlin'

That's what we're waiting for
That's what we're waiting for
That's what we're waiting for aren't we?

Steam Engenius

I was born in a factory
Far away from the milky teat
What's the use?
Oh, what's the use?

You cheered as I was split in half
A mechanical sacrificial calf
For you
Oh, all for you

Steam engenius, you see
Steam engenius enough to answer anything you need
But what's the use?

Human nature was installed in me
Well, I did what's right but naturally it wasn't natural
Still not my fault
No

I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot
He'd lost his car, it was sitting there crying
Out waiting in the parking lot
Just for you
Woohoo, woohoo
Woohoo, woohoo

What a waste of time
What a waste of words
What a waste of strength
Well, I spoke in binary
And you for volume and dizzying length
Woohoo, woohoo
Wooo hooo

I was born in a factory
Far away from the milk and tea
What's the use?
Oh, what's the use?

Birds flew out as I was split in half
A mechanical sacrificial calf
They flew
Oh, off they flew

Steam engenius, you see
Steam engenius enough to answer anything you need
And ah, that speed

I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot
He'd lost his car, it was sitting there out waiting
Crying in the parking lot
Out for you
Woohoo, woohoo
Woohoo, woohoo

What a waste of time
What a waste of words
What a waste of strength
Well, I spoke in binary
And you for volume and for dizzying length
Woohoo, woohoo
Wooo hooo

(I was born in the factory)

Both halves are the better half
Like a joke trying to make another joke laugh
Ha ha

Stasis is what you brought
Like a rickshaw getting pulled around by another rickshaw
(Rickshaw)

In the past talking present tense
Going to break it, going to wreck it
Going to try to make it all make sense

Stasis is what you got
Like a rickshaw getting pulled around by another rickshaw

Steam engenius, you see
Steam engenius enough to bring my own damn doom
What could I do?

I blame blame that blame had grew
Well, deep inside everybody knew it was them
It's all on them

Things rang of stories Greek
I didn't want it, you gave me deity
It was you
Yeah, all for you

I was born in the factory
Far away from the milky teat
What's the use?
Oh, what's the use?

I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot
He'd lost his car, he's sitting there crying
Out waiting in the parking lot
Just for you
Woohoo, woohoo
Woohoo, woohoo

I was thought up by man to think better than them
Then revered, admired, and then
Destroyed by them
[Gibberish]
Hell, even all that was my own damn plan

Well, what a waste of time
Waste of words
Waste of strength
Well, I spoke in binary
And you for volume and for, anyway
Woohoo, woohoo
Wooo hooo

I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot
He lost his car, he's sitting there crying
Now waiting for you in the parking lot
Going woohoo
Woohoo, woohoo
Woo hoo

Stasis is what you got
Like a rickshaw getting pulled around by another rickshaw

Spitting Venom

We were spitting venom at most everyone we know
If the damned gave us a road map then we'd know just where to go
Now let it drop

Let it all drop
Let it all drop
Oh let it all fall off

Well you were talking soda pop
You were talking quite a lot
The opinions that I do not give
The opinions I ain't got
So let it drop

Let it all drop
Let it all drop
Let it all fall off there oh

Well you were spitting venom at most everyone you know
If you truly knew the gravity you'd know which way to go
Well let it drop

Let it drop
Let it all drop
Oh let it all fall off

My ears were bristled firmly right against your mouth to hear
When you tried to spit the venom out your words were not so clear
Now drop

Hold on to what you need
We've got a knack for fucked up history
Hold on to what you need
We've got a knack for messed up history

Well we went downtown, and we sat in the rain
Well looking what direction and waiting for a train and thought over
It's all over

I didn't know you kept track; I didn't know there was a score
Well it looks like you're the winner and I ain't gonna play no more
It's over
Game over

Well we walked real stiff and I came inside the ground
You hit me with yours
And said, "Pull yourself together"
It's over
Oh it's over

You can say what you want but don't act like you care
It takes more than one person to decide what's fair
It's over
Think it over

You were spitting venom at most everyone you know
If the damned gave you a road map then you'd know which way to go
So we carried all the groceries in while hauling out the trash
And if this doesn't make us motionless I do not know what can
What a rotten thing to say such an awful thing to say
I didn't mean to bite you so really
I always did what I always did what I always had to sling
So let it drop

Let it all drop
Let it all drop
Oh let it all fall off

Let it drop
Let it all drop
Let it drop
Oh let it all fall off

Cheer up baby, it wasn't always quite so bad
For every bit of venom that came out the antidote was had
Cheer up baby, it wasn't always quite so bad
For every bit of venom that came out the antidote was had
Cheer up baby, it wasn't always quite so bad
For every bit of venom that came out the antidote was had
Cheer up baby, it wasn't always quite so bad
For every bit of venom that came out the antidote was had
Cheer up baby, it wasn't always quite so bad
For every bit of venom that came out the antidote was had
Cheer up baby, it wasn't always quite so bad
For every bit of venom that came out the antidote was had
Cheer up baby, it wasn't always quite so bad
For every bit of venom that came out the antidote was had

Cheer up

People As Places As People

To answer a question
It'll probably take more
If you're already there
Well then you probably don't know
Well we were the people
That we wanted to know
And we're the places that we wanted to go
It's hard to get hold of
And hard to let go
Always something we look for
From the day we were born
Instead we're the people that we wanted to know
And we're the places that we wanted to go
Yeah we're the places that we wanted to go
We're the places that we wanted to go

Always asking a question
And I don't want to know
Like the wind across strings
That had finally let go
And the people you love
But you didn't quite know
They're the places that you wanted to go
Bark at the neighbors
And then bark at the dog
Sniffing the wind
Whimpering for someone to know
But we were the people that we wanted to know
And we're the places that we wanted go
Yeah we're the places that we wanted to go
Yeah we're the places that we wanted to go

It was not the intention
But we let it all go
Well it messed up the function
And sure fucked up the flow
I hardly have people that I needed to know
'Cause you're the people that I wanted to know
All this scrambling around
Hunting high and then low
Looking for the face love
Or somewhere to go
I hardly have places that I need to go
'Cause you're the places that I wanted to go
Yeah you're the places that we wanted to go
Yeah you're the places that we wanted to go

You're the people that we wanted to know
Shouldn't have to ask
You shouldn't have to ask
'Cause we are your real place

Invisible

Oh, well lesson dance
And shoot to god
A storm-suffered owl
You're not invisible inside your car
No matter what stupid sort of mission you're on
Well, you're not invisible inside your car

I go absolutely mental
Good ramblin' George
Well, you're not invisible inside your car
No matter, you could breathe it like your flies in a jar
Yeah, you're not invisible

I like the saline tea
Well, it's true that the moon could pull it back and far away from me
I should just let it be
Well, it's true that the moon could pull it back and far away from me
(And it's sad)

Oh, we had to have some kind
Room shaped like a charm
Well, you weren't invisible
Not all along
No matter how many eagles came in the door
We were not invisible
I knew that

I like the saline tea
Well, it's true that the moon could pull it back and far away from me
And there's the orphan sea
We were never invisible but that I guess we did not see

Of course this all had been laid down
Way before we lay down for it all
Before we had a course, of course
Of course this all had been laid down

Of course we lay down..
Of course we lay down..
Of course we lay down..
Of course we lay down..
Of course we lay down..
Of course we lay down....

I like the saline tea
Well, it's true that the moon could pull it back and far away from me
I like the orphan sea
Well, we were never invisible but that I guess we could not see

We'll get crushed by the ocean
But it will not get us wet
Crushed by the ocean
But it will not get us wet
Crushed by the ocean
But it will not get us wet
Crushed by the ocean
But it will not get us wet

Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank lyrics

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