THE DEAR HUNTER – What You Said

Starved eyes looking for something soft.
Don’t go astray. You were in love before tonight.
And what made you change your mind,
was it what she said?
Was it what you said?

Don’t spend you time
worried about what’s right…
turn around, walk away
and close your eyes.
Imagine what you would say
if she treated you that way.
It wouldn’t feel good…
but this feels better.

Flush skin, glowing from treachery
plotting an exit.
It never ends as good as it begins
And what of her?
What will she think?
Does she even need to know?

Don’t spend your time
worried about what’s right…
turn around, and walk away
and close your eyes
Imagine what you would say
if she treated you that way.
It wouldn’t feel good enough
to risk it all; to spoil your love…
but this feels better.

THE DEAR HUNTER – What Time Taught Us

Love you crawl, it’s all coming back now,
But the thing of it is, that it never really was.
Intuition never suited, so I kept it outside.

Be alive, cause nothing last for good or like you thought it would,
Nothings as it seems or what you though it’d be.

Alive, cause nothing last for good, or like you thought it would,
Nothings as it seems or what you thought it’d be.

Alive, cause nothing last for good or like you thought it would,
Nothings as it seems or what you thought it’d be.

Alive, cause nothing last for good or like you thought it would,
Nothings as it seems or what you thought it’d be.

Alive, cause nothing last for good or like you thought it would.
Nothings as it seems or what you thought it’d be.

…
Alive, cause nothing last for good or like you thought it would,
Nothings as it seems or what you thought it’d be.

THE DEAR HUNTER – We’ve Got A Score To Settle

Calm down, you won’t gain any ground if you’re shaking from head to toe
And if you’d wake up you’d be weary to lie ’cause discerning eyes will know
Your words carry the weight of the world
And they’re waiting for that shoe to drop
So you sit down, you give in, and they get up, and they yelled

Someone’s got blood on their hands
With a stone cold glare and a crooked grin
You know exactly what we’re saying when we say
Someone’s got blood on their hands
“Forget about truth and consequence
We’ve got a way to deal with this.”

And if you’re good maybe they’ll be light on you
Long as you dance just like they want you to
Just shelter that look in your eyes
And think about staying alive
Sit down, give in, when they get up, and they yell

Someone’s got blood on their hands
With a stone cold glare and a crooked grin
You know exactly what we’re saying when we say
Someone’s got blood on their hands
“Forget about truth and consequence
We’ve got a way to deal with this.”

Someone’s got blood on their hands
With a stone cold glare and a crooked grin
You know exactly what we’re saying when we say
Someone’s got blood on their hands
“Forget about truth and consequence
We’ve got a way to deal with this.”

THE DEAR HUNTER – Tripping In Triplets

There must be something that keeps me awake,
Or some kind of pill I can take,
To break these bad habits.

I would lie if I said that this didn’t get tough,
Two left feet on the floor in a Waltz,
At an odd tempo.

Am I stuck at the ankle, or caught at the knee?
A curious puzzle still cursing me,
To follow or lead.

You gave me a heart and then taught me to hurt,
I can’t tell just which option is worse,
Dying pure or aware.

So these feet keep on tripping in triplets to beats,
Too far off for my ears to reach,
Just a hint of timing.

Am I stuck at the ankle, or caught at the knee?
A curious puzzle still cursing me,
To follow or lead.

And I don’t know where I’m going,
Cause I can’t see the road, oh it’s winding,
Just as long as I keep breathing,
I’ve got this uncomfortable feeling,
Heavy feet, shakey hands, troubled hall.

THE DEAR HUNTER – This Body

I’m struggling on strange extremities
To run after a light that keeps on dimming
But these bones will only brittle and decay
While the space between my body and my mind keeps caving
In…(Oh my God)

This body’s not a temple, it’s a prison (Yeah)
And every wall inside here is on fire (Yeah)

I’ve been stirred by something wretched, something weary
But the sentiment is starting to seduce
(Oh my God)

This body’s not a temple, it’s a prison (Yeah)
And every wall inside here is on fire (Yeah)
But I can’t say that I mind my body burning (Yeah)
Cause this body’s not a temple it’s a prison (Yeah)

Somewhere I went wrong and gave into this holy terrible mess in an attempt to do what I thought was right

This body’s not a temple, it’s a prison (Yeah)
This body’s not a temple, it’s a prison (Yeah)

This body’s not a temple, it’s a prison
This body’s not a temple, it’s a prison
Your body’s not a temple, it’s a prison
This body’s not a temple, it’s a prison

THE DEAR HUNTER – The Collapse Of The Great Tide Cliffs

I thought that I was framed
front and center.
But I’m distant and your depth
of field is shallow.

Low light
turn to night
and all can be ignored.
Blind eyes
preoccupied
with the surface more than the core.

Though my lens is cracked, right down the center I saw you,
and through shattered light, your beauty remained flawless

THE DEAR HUNTER – Take More Than You Need

Torn away from the one thing I can rely on.
Beaten down to the core.
Just as long as there’s enough to go around.

Take more than you need.
Take enough to hollow me out.

You give,
and you give,
and you give
till there’s nothing left to give
just a hole and the sin of the charitable
I’ve been around long enough to remember
why I don’t give anymore.

Now wave goodbye
and pray for peace of mind.

THE DEAR HUNTER – Saved

Amongst the stone and smoke
We never laid before
Images floating all about
Life in the afterglow

My decaying mind pretends
None of this ever happened
We either learn to live a lie
Or we’re waiting here to die

And after all this suffering
I could lie here for good
But with a mind on fire
I try and stand my ground

Illuminate and I will follow

Amongst the stone and smoke
Rising above it all
Broken but not beyond repair
Let’s see how this soul fares

And after all this suffering
I could lie here for good
But with a mind on fire
I try and stand my ground

Illuminate and I will follow you…

The Private does as
The General says
The General does as
The President says
The President does what
The First Lady says

So, So they say …

THE DEAR HUNTER – Red Hands

Even if you never strayed from me
I’d question your fidelity
There’d always be a shroud of suspicion
And my heart’s a liability

With your hands marooned so freshly red
You’d wrap your lips around my neck
Try and forced to love the thought of me
Simple motions make me ill

Was it bitter when you tossed and turned
On his under cover mattress,
Did it feel so good
Hope it felt so good
Don’t know what I’d do if you lost sleep over little old me
He’s so much better
They’re all much better
Take off your sweater your shoes and your shirt
And get to work

Maybe this is just a work of art
Scripted players in a play of lust
Hope the end is well worth waiting for
Everything you wished it be
Was it bitter when you tossed and turned
On his under cover mattress,
Did it feel so good
Hope it felt so good
Don’t know what I’d do if you lost sleep over little old me
He’s so much better, they’re all much better
Take off your sweater your shoes and your shirt
And get to work

Oh my god what have I done
Now my darling put your clothes back on
Oh my god what have I done
Now my darling put your clothes back on

Because you can’t be caught red handed
If you’re not red handed
My darling I would never say those words to you
I was pulling out my heart so I could pin it to my sleeve
On display for you to see I’m on display

Because you can’t be caught red handed
If you’re not red handed
My darling I would never say those words to you
I was pulling out my heart so I could pin it to my sleeve
On display for you to see I’m on display

(Oh my god what have I done)
(Now my darling put your clothes back on)
(Oh my god what have I done)
(Now my darling put your clothes back on)
(Now my darling put your clothes back on)

Because you can’t be caught red handed if you’re not red handed
My darling I would never say those words to you
I was pulling out my heart so I could pin it to my sleeve
On display for you to see I’m on display

(Oh my god what have I done?)
(Now my darling put your clothes back on)
(Now my darling put your clothes back on)

THE DEAR HUNTER – Progress

Your heart is open but your eyes stay closed enough to keep actuality away.
In such impassive motion you cast a careless hand to the air.
“Give me something to hope for.”

And the only thing that brings me back is love.

Your mind is open but your mouth stays closed enough to keep
painful words from falling out.
With every ounce of passion I speak till my lungs both billow out.
“I’ll give you something to hope for.”

And the only thing that brings me back is love.

THE DEAR HUNTER – No God

No god could teach me what my father did
No promise of heaven kept me warm when my mother tucked me in
No hope for salvation kept me from sin,
Just a small intuition not to do what all the bad ones did
And what comes next is a mystery to me
I guess I’ll have to wait and see
‘Cause everything I ever knew could just fall apart

I only know what I’ve been told
And I was told what others know
And others know what they were told
And they were told what others know

And I’ll wait to tell what’s wrong or right
And no fear of dying keeps me alive

And all we know is what we’re told
And we were told what others know
And all they know is what they’re told
And they were told what others know

And I’ll wait to tell what’s wrong or right
And no fear of dying keeps me alive

THE DEAR HUNTER – Never Forgive, Never Forget

Man, you’ve got a cold dark heart,
and it burns with a guilty smoke.
You tell me ‘just give in,’
and ‘you’ve got nothing to lose,’
and I guess I would never know.

But I was damned from the very start
and bound by crooked plan,
then I was left for dead with my head to the ground
and my hands behind my back.

Oh, you want to watch me crash?
You want to see me burn?
Just enough to fall apart, and then
You want to see me crawl?
You need to watch me beg and lose it all.

Is it easier to take a hit
Than it is to throw the stone?
Better blood on your face
better blood on you the ground
well I guess I’ll never know…

Cause it’s best not to give a shit,
and to speak in a timid tone.
Keep my tongue to my teeth;
keep my ear to the ground
and a blind eye to everyone.

THE DEAR HUNTER – Mandala

I lost my place in the world;
it left me behind.
Now my soul is unbound
and my mind is free to roam
around and around

Thoughts drip down to words on a page scrawled in a foreign tongue.
Circles tending toward the center lead you back to none.
You can cry, you can beg, you can plead, you can pray…

You may doubt it, apathetic,
but you never had control.
You saw what you wanted,
but the rest was terrible.
Pull back the curtain
and reveal the guilty, so
the veil can be lifted.
The well will overflow.

You’ve been here before.
You’ve seen it all
but your conscience won’t recall.
And your eyes are barely wide enough
to recognize what your heart keeps giving up.

And someday it might win
if your mind’s giving in.
Just try to lose yourself;
or do your best till then.

THE DEAR HUNTER – Life And Death

When we dance
It looks just like fire
When we sing it
It sounds the same tone
We all have hearts
We all have homes
But when we die
We die alone

Oh, what a mess
As everything descends
Oh, what a mess
But everything amends

Such it was so long ago
We always tried but failed
And now with new found consciousness
We stand and wait
Waiting, waiting to die

Oh, what a mess
As everything descends
Oh, what a mess
But everything amends

One of these days
You will learn to love again
One of these days
He will learn to love again
One of these days
He will learn to love again
One of these days
He will learn to love again
One of these days
He will learn to love again
One of these days
He will learn to love again
One of these days
He will learn to love….

When we dance
It looks just like fire
When we sing
It sounds the same tone
We all have hearts
We all have homes
But when we die
We die alone
When we die
We die…

THE DEAR HUNTER – Home

With the good chance that we crash, let’s say our grace (our grace)
In your final breathe believe, you’re not alone.

Help will come,
Yeah you can come back home.
‘Cause help is on the way,
Yeah you can come back home.
So come back home

As your eyes begin to fade, your mind will wander (will wander)
This life is just a game we play, that we can never win.
But don’t give up, no don’t give up.

Help will come,
Yeah you can come back home.
‘Cause help is on the way,
Yeah you can come back home.
So come back home

Now in the end it’s coming clear, you’re not alone
‘Cause everyone you’ve ever loved is waiting here for you
So don’t give up, no don’t give up.

Yeah, ’cause help will come,
Yeah you can come back home. (You can come back home yeah)
‘Cause help is on the way,
Yeah you can come back home. (You can come back home)
So come back home

THE DEAR HUNTER – His Hands Matched His Tongue

A long walk home, riddled with regret
Uncommonly comfortable, but still I believe
That in time I think I’ll see just what’s been weighing down on me
An unearthy void collapsed, exposing what was trapped
To release this serendipitous design

The smell of smoke, the evening sky was proof
Belated conversation saturate anticipation for the answers that simply won’t come

But not I, I won’t ask
Forget my place amongst the grass
The leaves and the trees remember me
And in my naivety it might be seen
The pale has leaks and even if
You put all your water into it
You end up with nothing left to drink
The well has gone dry and I with it

Oh, someday she’ll be gone
Oh, someday she’ll be gone
Oh, someday she’ll be gone
Oh, someday she’ll be gone

(We’ll still have her song to sing)

Sing softly, bring me to the lake
Sing softly, sing me to the lake

THE DEAR HUNTER – Filth And Squalor

Somewhere there’s a choice being made,
for the mass by the will of a broke few.
Guided by the hand of the guilty.
Praised as a cure for a curse.
When really this is all catastrophic,
and we’re tethered to the hull of a sinking ship,
scratching for a breath at the surface,
praying for the ropes to slip.

I always knew that the damned would inherit the earth.
As soon as the learned to speak
we would be suffering.
Sucking on the scraps of the wicked wealth,
we were bound by need
to vicious villainy.

Tear it down
Start again
erasing every trace so stale scare can mend.
Then we will sing,
“The way things used to be.”

I always knew that the damned would inherit the earth.
As soon as they learned to breed
we would be suffering.
Sucking on the scraps of the wicked wealth.
We were bound by need
to vicious villainy.

THE DEAR HUNTER – Fall And Flee

We all become memories after having gone.
Dancing in the light flickering behind their eyes.

I’m hoping it’s showing my heart never stopped growing,
I’ll take comfort in knowing, this melody has never been sung,
With these words!

We come and then we go, goodbye!
Our hopes will tend to fall and flee awry.

Try to make the most, even after we all know,
We’re giving up the ghost, a final glow before we burn.

I’m hoping it’s showing my heart never stopped growing,
I’ll take comfort in knowing, this melody has never been sung,
With these words!

We come and then we go, goodbye!
Our hopes will tend to fall and flee awry.

Oooh, Goodnight!
Oooh, Goodbye!

I’m hoping it’s showing my heart never stopped growing,
I’ll take comfort in knowing…

THE DEAR HUNTER – Evicted

I have been evicted
From a soul constricted
By the flameless fire
Can we all just go cold

If you need a little cash you sell yourself
To everything
A dollar in exchange for failing hearts
So loudly say

“Oh, how I surely know that frame of mind
Sleeping softly curbside
Comfortably abroad on a stolen ticket
None of this will last
All of this will pass
When bed sheets are broken glass
I know you hearts will skip a beat in empathy.”

If you need a little cash you sell yourself
To everything
A dollar in exchange for failing hearts
So loudly say

“Oh, how I surely know that frame of mind
Sleeping softly curbside
Comfortably abroad on a stolen ticket
None of this will last
All of this will pass
When bed sheets are broken glass
I know you hearts will skip a beat in empathy.”

It’s just that easy pick yourself up and go give the world a great big smile
Hey, hey, kid, hey, kid, get a job
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, kid, get a job
Wash that mouth out, ditch those morals, sleep your way right to, right to the top
Hey, hey, kid, hey, kid get a job
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, kid, get a job

THE DEAR HUNTER – Echo

Swaying back and forth,
drunk, looking for more

Pressing my tongue to my teeth,
no sound.

Skin begin to crawl.
Stomach start to fall.

Feeling my lungs quicken pace
and blood begin to run.

Echo a name in the night.
Bodies alone battle cry.
Are we in love, or did we cross the line?
Maybe we’re passing time one on one.