DIRTY WATER DOG

Written by:
Edward Van Halen, Gary Cherone,
Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen.
© 1998 Van Halen Publishing, LLC ASCAP
All Rights Reserved
---

no candidate would i support
his platform could i endorse
another accomplice slinging dirt
campaign promises falling short
i don't belong to any race
pledge allegiance to a place
no borderline in the sand i'd trace
i'm just a sucker for a pretty face

uncomfortable in the realm of the political
position's always been a little left of cynical
i'm fundamentally for the individual
preoccupied purely with the physical

when heavy is the weight of the world,
and the river runs a little too deep
like a hound dog chasing a bird
sometimes a certain tom gotta peep
i'm a peek-a-boy, looking at girls
and i think i like, i think i like, i like what i see

ONCE

Written by:
Edward Van Halen, Gary Cherone,
Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen.
© 1998 Van Halen Publishing, LLC ASCAP
All Rights Reserved
---

once embraced, can't ever be let go
once revealed, can't ever be not shown
once believed, can't ever lose faith
once shared, can't ever be separate
once sown, once can't ever be not reaped

like the dawn of a brand new day
with the power of deity
i can feel it inside of me
feel it, can you feel it

once born, can't ever be not conceived
once present, can't ever be past
once first, once can't ever be not everlast

returning home of the prodigal
holding the intangible
to believe in a miracle
believe it, can you believe it

have you ever been touched
once really touched
could it ever be too much
can you tell me

once seen, can't ever lose sight
once dawn, can't ever be not light
once, once felt, once felt
can't ever be untouched

the assurance only hope can bring
with the conviction of the unseen
see it's greater than everything
see it, can you see it

have you ever been touched
once really touched
could it ever be too much
can you tell me
have you ever really touched
love once

FIRE IN THE HOLE

Written by:
Edward Van Halen, Gary Cherone,
Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen.
© 1998 Van Halen Publishing, LLC ASCAP
All Rights Reserved
---

in a word to the wisdom tooth
to tell, or not the truth
so open up and say ahh-men
rinse cup, then spit again

forked tongue in double speak
pretty soon you just might
spring a leak
inhale before you begin
your iron lung's a bag of wind

there's a fire in the hole
fire in the hole
there's a fire in the hole, fire

sweet 'n' sour, filiblister
faucet pouring, fresh 'n' bitter
come on smile and say cheese
on a count of three
got a mindful of decavities

chew your words, lest you choke
you better watch your mouth
wash it out with soap
tongue tied in a tangled web
your bile inside better left unsaid

there's a fire in the hole
fire in the hole
there's a fire in the hole, fire

rudder of ship, which sets the course
does not the bit, bridle the horse
great is the forest, set by a small flame
like a tongue on fire, no one can tame

JOSEPHINA

Written by:
Edward Van Halen, Gary Cherone,
Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen.
© 1998 Van Halen Publishing, LLC ASCAP
All Rights Reserved
---

Josephina
there's so much i want to know
i've known you for all of mine
but not all of yours
you're not a stranger
no, nothing could be further
i look back and i wonder
what you were like, long before

Josephina
if i asked you, would you tell me?
the fact from the fancy
and the dreams in between
tell me a story
all about yours truly
photographs from the past
imagine, the mystery

did your head get lost in a daydream
cinderella, waiting for her charming
did you break a heart, like little girls often do?
pigtails and painted toes
all dressed up in your mother's clothes
can you shine the light
can you shine the light
please can you shine some light
can you shine the light?
shine the light on a shadow

Josephina
would you lay down your defenses?
so i can make sense of
those colors fading to grey
it's not that you're hiding
that's something, i'd never imply
yesteryear may be gone
can't say the same for today

how else am i to know, that all the while
there was a mischievous look, behind the smile
it's hard to tell, when innocence comes and goes
i'm sure that there were times, life could be so unkind
when there wasn't always, a shoulder to cry
can you shine the light
can you shine the light
please can you shine some light
can you shine the light
can you shine the light?
shine the light on a shadow

YEAR TO THE DAY

Written by:
Edward Van Halen, Gary Cherone,
Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen.
© 1998 Van Halen Publishing, LLC ASCAP
All Rights Reserved
---

i woke up to yet another day
grown to expect
expect more of the same
except for, for a subtle change
and that is, i'm slowly fading away

harvest moon, soon will pass
crop is gone, left only chaff
a bitter pill, and an overcast
a flag unfurled, at half mast

a year to the day
since you went away
a moment in time
when you were last mine
i'm here standing still
with more time to kill
i barely survived
i barely survived

like pouring salt on an open wound
memory filling
filling this empty room
i'm as bare, i'm as bare
as a barren womb
still like the air
in a whitewash tomb

a year to the day
since you went away
a moment in time
when you were last mine
i'm here standing still
with more time to kill
i barely survived
i barely survived
three sixty-five

BALLOT OR THE BULLET

Written by:
Edward Van Halen, Gary Cherone,
Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen.
© 1998 Van Halen Publishing, LLC ASCAP
All Rights Reserved
---

give me liberty or give me death
no truer words, have ever been said
are you prepared
for your very last breath
don't you dare start
what you cannot finish

so when we face, face the adversary
no longer are we the minority...

and when history repeats her hour
the pendulum will swing
swing into power
though not in vain like our forefathers
freedom, never had no room for cowards

for in the end, there will be equality
be any means necessary

the ballot or the bullet
the choice is up to you
the ballot or the bullet
tell me what you gonna do
the sword and the pen
can be held, by the same hand

what's it gonna take to liberate
an emancipation, a false proclamation
all these token words that you legislate
sound a little bit absurd, and a little too late

when a house is divided
it just will not stand
once it's decided
a line drawn in the sand

HOW MANY SAY I

Written by:
Edward Van Halen, Gary Cherone,
Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen.
© 1998 Van Halen Publishing, LLC ASCAP
All Rights Reserved
---

are you ever so silent, when she wanted to talk
or couldn't keep quiet, when she needed a hug
come on too strong, when a little's too much
how many, how many, say i

go on and say yes, and really mean no
would you rather guess, when you just don't know
and then say i love you, but aren't willing to show
how many, how many, say i
how many, how many, say i

how many, how many, say i
how many, how many, say i

say live and let live, then so quick to judge
slow to forgive, when you're holding a grudge
don't always believe, all you need is love
how many, how many, say i
how many, how many, say i
how many, how many, say i

how many, how many, say i
how many, how many, say i
how many, how many, say i
how many, how many, say i

did you ever look down when the homeless walked by
or changed the channel when you saw a hungry child
know something to be true, then deny
how many, how many, say i
how many, how many, say i
how many, how many, say i

A Different Kind of Truth (2012)



Tattoo

[Intro solo]

I got Elvis on my elbow
When I flex Elvis talks
I got hula girls on the back of my leg
And she hula's when I walk

Speaking cherry red
Screaming electric green
Purple mountains' majesty
You can talk to me
Talk to me babe!

Swapmeet Sally
Tramp stamp tat
Mousewife to Momshell in the time it took to get that new tattoo
(Tattoo, tattoo)

(Tattoo, tattoo)
Show me your dragon magic
(Tattoo, tattoo)
So autobiographic

Best believe that needle hurts you
Best to see these true colors than follow one of your false virtues

Tell you a secret to make you think
Why is this crazy stuff we'd never say poetry in ink?
Speaking day-glow red, Explodo opaque
Purple mountain's majesty
Tell me you, I'll show you me

Swapmeet Sally
Tramp stamp tat
Mousewife to Momshell in the time it took to get that new tattoo
(Tattoo, tattoo)

Woo!
(Tattoo, tattoo)
Sexy dragon magic
(Tattoo, tattoo)
So very autobiographic
(Tattoo, tattoo)
Got a hold on me
(Tattoo, tattoo)
You put a spell on me-eehh

Baby-yeeaahh

[Solo]

Uncle Danny had a coal tattoo
He fought for the unions - some of us still do
On my shoulder is a number of the Chapter he was in
That number is forever like the struggle here to win

Everybody!
Swapmeet Sally
Tramp stamp tat
Mousewife to Momshell in the time it took to get that new tattoo
(Tattoo, tattoo)
Tattoo, Ta-ttoo!

(Tattoo, tattoo)
Sexy dragon magic
(Tattoo, tattoo)
So very autobiographic!
(Tattoo, tattoo)
You got a hold on me
(Tattoo, tattoo)
You put a spell on me
(Tattoo, tattoo)
I'm in love with you
(Tattoo, tattoo)
Show me, show me your
(Tattoo, tattoo)
Look at me, look at you!
(Tattoo, tattoo)
Whoa!

She's The Woman

A little low on cash
but I'm high on luck.

I wanna be your knight in shining pick-up truck

with a Chevy for my summer home.
Let's get the party started.

It's looking like the city towed
my other apartment.

She got a doorbell sign that said:
"bring it or don't ring it."

She's the woman (Go on:)
She's the woman
She's the woman
She's the woman

Fate is my pimp
but she was cool.

(I) said If you're doin' business with me, honey
what does that make you?

Some Casablanca gin joint?
You're a nervous wreck.

Your I.Q. plummets fourteen points.
Her thunder thong around your neck.

The song ain't dirty
it's really just the way we sing it. (Sing it:)

She's the woman (Sing it:)
She's the woman
She's the woman
She's the woman

[solo]

She wanted something to regret
tomorrow morning.

This suburban garage-a-trois
was worth exploring.

Yeah dreams come true
but it remains to be seen.

By the time mine usually do
it's no longer me!

She got a doorbell sign:
"you better bring it, or don't ring it."

She's the woman
She's the woman
She's the woman

You And Your Blues

Ain’t no Red House over yonder.
No Stormy Monday waits for you.
Ain’t no Midnight Train To Georgia
and I'm not Looking For The Truth.

And I’ll tell you what I’m getting rid of next:
You and your blues.

Yes I am.

Your bad mood's permanent.
Communication Breakdown.
Like watching someone reinvent
their 19th Nervous Breakdown.

Woman, you suffer from a color.
I suffered ‘cause of you.
Now everybody’s suffered
‘cause of you and your blues.

Ain’t goin’ down to no Crossroads.
Ain’t gonna Dust No Broom.
No Evil Woman got a hold on me.
Ain’t Going To Heaven anytime soon.

Your bad mood's permanent.
Communication Breakdown.
Like watching someone reinvent
their 19th Nervous Breakdown.

Woman, you suffer from a color.
I suffered cause of you.
Now everybody’s suffered.

I’m done with coexisting.
This is heavy lifting.
No more growing codependent over you.
And baby while we at it i’ve had it
with you and your blues.

[solo]

Woman, you suffer from a color.
I suffered cause of you.
Now everybody’s suffered.

Woman you suffer from a color
and I suffered 'cause of you.
Now everybody’s suffered.

Now everybody’s suffered
‘cause you and your blues.