For Those Left Behind Leftovers

Previous: Hard Fought Defeat Leftovers (2015) > Jump To Current Lyrics > Next: Nocturnal Leftovers (2018)

 

Reviewing these lyrics unearthed a few new opinions about this era that surprised me quite a bit.

 

Although there were still some duds, I’m actually a bit shocked at how many good things didn’t make the cut here. Truth be told, I could’ve justifiably included at least eight things in these leftovers but save some for the Fireteddy National Library. (These might be the first sessions that get uploaded actually.)

 

As for these lyrics specifically, Flirting With Mortality is something I didn’t finish on time for Hard Fought Defeat and Drown In My Doubts is some unused material from my Seasons In Colour side hustle. Both were also a part of a concept for the next grouping that ultimately got scrapped. It was going to be called Love Terrors and focus on the ugly/imperfect aspects of love. It worked for a few things but quickly ran its course and became too restrictive.

 

Our Defeat is about the Charleston church shooting and Ribbons In Red was inspired by the launch of Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s red ribbon campaign that year. Re-reading both things (and another in the library,) it’s made me wonder if I should’ve taken a different approach with For Those Left Behind. It ended up focusing mostly on people who get left behind, but that only carried it so far. In retrospect, using that concept to explore more subjects and situations outside of my own would’ve been a lot more interesting. Our Defeat and Ribbons Of Red would’ve fit in perfectly along with some other things that didn’t make the cut. Set This Down would’ve felt a lot less out of place if I’d done this too.

 

In the end, For Those Left Behind and its leftovers are almost like the lyrics that got away. Being crafted from something so personal, this realization actually feels a bit weird.

 

Lyrics Content

 

01. Flirting With Mortality

02. Drown In My Doubts

03. Our Defeat

04. Ribbons Of Red

 

Flirting With Mortality

 

Man wasn’t made to reach for the sky

So he built himself a rocket  and learnt how to fly

Now we’ve got a million different ways to get high

But I haven’t tried a single one

 

Well maybe in the end, there’s a lesson to learn

As the saints all ascend and every sinner gets burned

While somewhere in between, I’ve been trying to discern

If faith can be earned as I run

 

When everyone’s life is imperfect

In their death lies a grim absolute

With so much to explain I’can make one last claim

I won’t ever stop waiting for you

 

Man wasn’t born to sink to the depths

So he built himself a raft and came out of the wreck

Rising with the sun while burning off some regret

Now a mission’s been set here in stone

 

Though somewhere in darkness love can show us the way

As two hearts  both unite for another escape

Eventually we’ll all be departing someday

But a piece will stay with you to hold

 

When everyone’s life is imperfect

In their death lies a grim absolute

With so much to explain, I can make one last claim

I won’t ever stop waiting for you

 

So come and find me by the hanging tree

Where innocence and romance meet

Always flirting with mortality

It’s never where you want to be

It’s what you need, it’s what you need

 

When everyone’s life is imperfect

In their death lies a grim absolute

With so much to explain, I can make one last claim

I won’t ever stop waiting for you

 

I won’t ever stop waiting for you

I will never stop waiting for you

 

Man wasn’t made to reach for the sky

So he built himself a rocket  and learnt how to fly

Now we’ve got a million different ways to get high

And there’s nothing else I’d rather do

There’s nothing else I’d rather do

 

Back to lyrics content 

Back to top

 

Drown In My Doubts

 

See it in plain view, a house on the hill

With white picket fences and gardens to fill

Nothing outlandish, a suburbanite’s dream

Can’t remember the past but it’s not what it seems

 

So even before I open my mouth

I already know that the words will go south

Been lining up my antidotes but nothing comes out

So I’ll drown in my doubts, yeah I’ll drown in my doubts!

 

Nothing to rise from will come without fear

With wasted ideals that have all disappeared

If life is decided with nowhere to steer

What are we doing here? What are we doing?

 

Brighter horizons, a life up in flames

Excuses to foster and addictions to claim

All things repugnant, every shot in the dark

Can’t skip to the future when there’s nowhere to start

 

So even before I open my mouth

I already know that the words will go south

Been lining up my antidotes but nothing comes out

So I’ll drown in my doubts, yeah I’ll drown in my doubts!

 

Nothing to rise from will come without fear

With wasted ideals that have all disappeared

If life is decided with nowhere to steer

What are we doing here? What the hell are we doing?

 

I’ll keep biting my tongue, never holding my breath

As I choke down each word that this silence misread

Breaking these habits, I’ve learnt to move past them instead

 

Even before I open my mouth

I already know that the words will go south

Been lining up my antidotes but nothing comes out

So I’ll drown in my doubts, yeah I’ll drown in my doubts!

 

Nothing to rise from will come without fear

With wasted ideals that have all disappeared

If life is decided with nowhere to steer

What are we doing here? What are we doing here?

What are we doing here? What are we doing?

 

Back to lyrics content 

Back to top

 

Our Defeat

 

Somewhere in an alley underneath the pouring rain

In the shadows with a gun, he thinks the world has gone insane

We’ve got terrorists and anarchists but nothing can compare

To the right man with a wrong thought and the means to get him there

 

One by one they all go down

Like turning horses on a merry-go-round

 

Running through these backdoors to the latest tragedies

We’re still trapped in finding reasons to protect the enemy

Now with every senseless massacre, there’s a vigil on the street

So we can bask in our defeat, yeah we can bask in our defeat

 

His nerves have left him twitching with a plot inside his mind

It’s unending like the nightmares that you hope you’ll never find

Screw the racist, mental illness is the colour of the week

Now they’ll paint a perfect picture made in blood red casualties

 

One by one, we all pretend

Like herded cattle as the slaughter begins

 

Running through these backdoors to the latest tragedies

We’re still trapped in finding reasons to protect the enemy

Now with every senseless massacre, there’s a vigil on the street

So we can bask in our defeat, yeah we can bask in our defeat

 

First comes love and then comes hate

Blurring some ideals but they’re never erased

Next comes numbers, counting 21

Discriminating colours and he’s given a gun

We can take down targets from so far away

Yet there’s still no stopping the NRA

Now 7 good people have died for his sins

But there’s no use fighting when the devil’s within

 

No one gives a shit, just give them a pill

Don’t we always take care of the mentally ill?

Looking for a scapegoat, it’s a perfect excuse

Now hunters are the victims in this gross abuse

Why deal with the problem when it’s easy to run?

We can always change the focus if we’re under the gun

Ban a flag, kill our children but the ending’s the same

It’s funny how there’s always something different to blame

 

They say a bad man with a loaded gun

It’s a bad thing, so you better run

But a good man with the right idea

Can protect himself, he’s the victim here

Though the victims here, they no longer speak

Because they’re in the ground, so if you ask me

Is this freedom now? Well it’s hard to see

When the price you pay is never free

 

Until there’s nothing left to see

It’s like a terminal disease

You know there’s nothing left to see

Until there’s something to agree on, I’ll concede

 

Back to lyrics content 

Back to top

 

Ribbons Of Red

 

White lights, so bright

That it feels you’re drowning in

Cold nights, you might

Never really surface from

 

I’ve heard no words

That can ever seem to speak

In part for hearts

Broken by such tragedies

 

Red light, lost sight

Of what we’re truly living for

In time, you’ll find

It doesn’t matter anymore

 

I’ve seen these dreams

Swallowed up and taken whole

Though blind, I’m mindful

Of the ones who lost it all

 

Wrapped in ribbons of red

We’ll honour memories instead

For every one in this room

Attached to those gone too soon

 

I know it’s not what they meant

But choices aren’t accidents

Let’s learn to learn from mistakes

Take care and try to stay safe

 

What made them think that they knew better then?

Made them think that they were better men?

Too wise to then repeat

 

Well that’s the problem with this proving ground

Losing arguments are never sound

No odds on the deceased

 

But when you say that you’re all in

And there’s nothing left to win

You play for keeps

 

Wrapped in ribbons of red

We’ll honour memories instead

For every one in this room

Attached to those gone too soon

 

I know it’s not what they meant

But choices aren’t accidents

Let’s learn to learn from mistakes

Take care and try to stay safe

 

Take care and try to stay safe

Take care and live to stay safe

 

Back to lyrics content 

Back to top