lyrics file for yam, the king of crops
thanks go out to leslie kleinsberg for transcribing this tape!!
the rain didn't come for one calendar year
so when the man with the sunflower seeds in his hand came here
we sent him away, we sent him away
the rain didn't come for twelve months more
so when the man with the seed catalogs darkened our door
we sent him away (4x)
and i know you're waiting for the ironic ending
and i know you're waiting for the punchline
and i know you're waiting for the rain to come by
so am i (4x)
he came spitting fire
on a day like no other
tried to hold you near to me
i heard him passing over
he made a banquet for the stray dogs of the air
he put our love in clear perspective
blue, red and green plumage
trailing behind him now
swaddling the sky in its aftermath
the last day coming down
he made a banquet for the stray dogs of the air
he put our love in clear perspective
rising, rising, rising, rising
you've come back from yosemite
you brought an aromatic cedar bookmark for me
and a brand new stuffed bear
it's summertime, you've cut your hair
and i am leaving you, and i am sorry
you come in through the back door
why're you coming in like that, smiling for?
i've got something i need to tell you
i can feel your smile burning through
and i am leaving you, and i am sorry
a neighboring clan went on the attack
and stole all the giant coco-yams from the barn out back
i will make them pay for taking my yams away
i carved out little figurines of thieves
burned a palmful of red dust from the medicine bag
broke a kola nut in half, i hate half of it myself
sat back and watched the evening drag
i will make them regret that they haven't brought my yams back yet
the new rose floating on water in the old plain bowl
the white clouds on night sky
the way they just roll on by made me think of you
and the religious cult of flesh disillusion you've committed yourself to
alagemo, alagemo
the night crawlers poking their little slimy heads through the dirt
made me think of you again
made me think of you a third time
i don't know where you've gone
but i hear your voice droning on
alagemo, alagemo
how have we come to be mere mirrors to annihilation?
whom do we aspire to reflect our people's death?
for whose entertainment shall we sing our agony?
one hopes that the destroyers aspiring to extinguish us
will suffer conciliatory remorse at the sight of their own fantastic success
the last imbecile that dreams such dreams is dead
killed by the saviors of his dreams
how have we come to be mere mirrors to annihilation?
lay out on the patio, dreaming (2x)
and the chinese rifles sounded in the evening air
i heard them popping off everywhere
i lay out on the patio, on the chaise lounge
i lay out on the patio, and i let my hand rest against the hot redwood frame
and the chinese rifles sounded again
could not stomach their acumen
felt sick, felt good
the heat burns, old wood
muscles in my arms pump like machines
the jericho palm tree is plush and green
bright sun, the new day
i felt sick in a good way
felt the fever climb when you came down
all the way across town
and you brought me a plate of sweet potatoes
sun fading overhead
the sunset, bright red
your green eyes, your smooth walk
fresh tomato, celery stalk, you cook
pot of pari basmati rice
i felt good, you looked nice
you stood like galatea, over me
fried garlic, kimchi
and you brought me a plate of sweet potatoes