We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

One Too Many

by Chris Ferguson

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Purchasable with gift card

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Includes unlimited streaming of One Too Many via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 7 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      $10 USD or more 

     

1.
One Too Many 04:17
I live in a town Where I have to work two jobs Just to keep my house That sits right on top Of the house next door I can hear my neighbors whisper Through my paper-thin door They hate me I drive in a swarm of bees Middle fingers for stingers Always cocked and ready Everybody's looking for any excuse It's as if they're afraid they'll lose them If they don't get used And it's hard to let it get under my skin But I do all that I can to keep from being sucked in Because there's not too many people There's just one too many a-holes Getting the best of us Messing things up for the rest of us I live in a country Where scratching backs Has become our currency And nobody feels any urgency To move on from a culture That makes royalty of vultures Yet we act so disappointed At the way things go When we turn grown men into puppets And then into scapegoats And we've come to accept That we must take what we get And so we line up just like sheep And eat what we're fed, but... How many castles have to turn to dust Before we realize that our leaders just don't care about us? But still there's not too many people There's just one too many a-holes Getting the best of us Messing things up for the rest of us I lost my true love to a better cause But she got locked in the gears And trapped in the jaws Her good intentions Were nothing for the machine Seems like it gets harder and harder To keep your nose clean Still, there's not too many people There's just one too many a-holes Getting the best of us Messing things up for the rest of us
2.
Trash Day 04:16
It was so hot outside That blinking hurt my eyes You were no longer golden But you weren't quite red Your impatience growing With each word I said But despite the sweat on your brow You needed to hear me somehow Though, you wanted to get up and go I wanted to stay And you know how stubborn I get When I've something to say And I know this habit I've made of beating dead horses Does nothing to help me convince you that I am for real But I was not trying to beat you down For the sake of beating you down I just wanted you... to feel what I feel Trash day has come and gone And it's still piling up, but what can I do? I've still got my fingers crossed That the trash man will still come through Cause all of this rubbish Only reminds me of you Now when it's so hot outside That blinking hurts my eyes I squint and off in the distance I see you standing But it's just a mirage, a figment my heart is demanding Yet there's some part of me That wants to prepare a soliloquy That will not only convince you You've no choice but stay But finally sway you To see things my way And I know that I never let you get a word in edgewise And I'm sorry my outpourings put you through such an ordeal But I was not trying to beat you down For the sake of beating you down And I still want you... to feel what I feel Trash day has come and gone And it's still piling up, but what can I do? I've still got my fingers crossed That the trash man will still come through Cause all of this rubbish Only reminds me of you
3.
This is from my point of view I do what you want, you do what you do Then you make checklists of what I put you through Pass them out to our friends for review You make the money, and I make the beds You head off to Palm Springs, leave me for dead You come back, feel guilty, take back what you said We head off to bed, and then do it again But it would be It would be so easy Easy for you To make it easy on me But you make it so hard Why you wanna make it so hard? This is us the way that I see it You won't be happy until I'm depleted It's not just how you cook it - it's how you eat it If it goes down the wrong pipe it won't taste as sweet You're all yang and no yin, all push and no pull You keep piling it on even though my plate is full How come you got the horns? I thought I was the bull You can sharpen your shears, but I'm all out of wool And it would be It would be so easy Easy for you To make it easy on me But you make it so hard Why you wanna make it so hard? I feel like an alarm clock You're stirred by my chime You slap the snooze button To buy you some time Then do it again Return to your funk Rationing peace Into 10 minute chunks But this could be This could be the best day that you'll get But you'll never know unless you get out of bed... I speak from the heart, and I speak the truth I got piles of evidence, mountains of proof The seasons are fading, they're long in the tooth Along with your beauty, along with your youth Here in the wasteland of your frozen heart My dreams have gone brittle - they're falling apart You display domination, and you call it art Your statistics support you, you brought your pie chart But it would be It would be so easy Easy for you To make it easy on me But you make it so hard Why you wanna make it so hard?
4.
Bodhi Tree 03:37
Sittin' under my bodhi tree The whole world sittin' next to me Still there came no philosophy To bridge the gap between us So I looked to my left and I looked to my right And still you weren't within my sites And then the day turned into night As I finished my meditations So I went down yonder to my local mosque There was a 7 foot man in a 2 foot box I told him of you and your golden locks And he said "she's out of your caste" So I went to look at the sacred scrolls To read about what they once told But they were dusty and they were old And gettin' on my nirvana Heaven above, Hell below Wherever you're goin', baby, I'll go I say my prayers, I'd sell my soul For a little of your sweet potato I'd shave my head and play the tambourine So I went to see chief Sitting Bull To see what magic he could pull And dance around his totem pole But it only started raining Then he offered me some peyote smoke But all that did was make me choke And when the storm it finally broke I was still hallucinating Heaven above, Hell below Wherever you're goin', baby, I'll go I say my prayers, I'd sell my soul For a little of your sweet potato I'd shave my head and play the tambourine Then I went to Rome to see the Pope Hopin' he could give me hope I asked for his help; he said, "nope" And told me to kiss his ring So all alone, nothing to lose I decided to go and see Tom Cruise... Heaven above, Hell below Wherever you're goin', baby, I'll go I say my prayers, I'd sell my soul For a little of your sweet potato I'd shave my head and play the tambourine Then I didn't know what to do So I decided to have some faith in you You said, "hey, you want an apple" But baby, I ain't got no ribs
5.
I knew when you came down from the highlands That I'd never be quite the same And I spent many nights lying awake Singing out songs in your name So I'll do what I must do to have you If that's what it takes, I will beg Cause I've got some mighty fine whiskey And you've got some mighty fine legs Ah, Priscilla don't have me go lonely Priscilla don't have me go dry Priscilla, Priscilla, would it kill ya To lay down with me tonight? You'd be a picture of beauty If beauty were doubly fair And I feel it's only my duty To see that I get my share So let's both rid ourselves of these cretans You've no time for these barroom twits Plus, I've got some mighty fine whiskey And you've got some mighty fine.....?? Ah, Priscilla don't have me go lonely Priscilla don't have me go dry Priscilla, Priscilla, would it kill ya To lay down with me tonight? I know you've known captains of industry And you have been courted by kings But I've something more satisfying Than all of their fancypants things So I hope that you'll walk by such suitors Their hearts cracking as they watch you pass Cause I've got some mighty fine whiskey And you've got a mighty fine.....?? Ah, Priscilla don't have me go lonely Priscilla don't have me go dry Priscilla, Priscilla, would it kill ya To lay down with me tonight? Priscilla I've known you forever And for your affections I've yearned So won't you just throw and old bugger a bone And I'll do the same in return Let the naysayers say what they will say Put it on me - I'll take the brunt Cause I've got some mighty fine whiskey And you've got a mighty fine....?? Ah, Priscilla don't have me go lonely Priscilla don't have me go dry Priscilla, Priscilla, would it kill ya To lay down with me tonight? Priscilla, Priscilla I know it don't thrill ya Story of my life
6.
Hell 04:22
I'm standing by myself Trying to figure out what to figure out And as usual without you And you can say that you're sincere And tomorrow's another day But somehow I can't help but doubt you I have a song but nobody's heard it I keep it all to myself I'd play it for you, but you don't deserve it, okay? I don't want to make you mad But this didn't turn out like I planned You say everything is gonna be alright But I can tell I'd call this hell But it's not going that well There's a constellation in the back of my brain somewhere Though it's a been a long time since I've seen it shine There's an invitation right in front of me Don't know just where it leads, but I know it's mine Here in my wishing well, where I go to drown my dreams Watching them sinking away I'm thinking of chasing them, rather than wasting them If I did, what would you say? I don't want to make you mad But this didn't turn out like I planned You say everything is gonna be alright But I can tell I'd call this hell But it's not going that well I wouldn't look for love if you gave me enough I wouldn't ever let you down if you were down on your knees Oh me oh my I wonder why I am that guy I said I'd never become Everybody needs a little sumpin' sumpin' Everybody needs a little something sometimes
7.
Revelations 03:48
8.
Blackout 05:26
Maybe there's something I should have told you But you'll figure it out soon enough Maybe you won't let it throw you Maybe you'll just shrug it off The open window in your room TV pulsing with the moon Your pillow soft beneath me My consciousness escaped too soon But I thought I heard you say That you need me But your blood takes what you give it You pick your poison and you live and die with it And I came to just in time to see you turn around Another lover leaving Another blackout Maybe it's time to work me over Get it all out of your system while you can Maybe I should be taking notes Or maybe we should both be making other plans But laid out on the hood of your car Flag-spangled stars rise and fall above me And just as things were going dark I thought I heard you say That you love me But your blood takes what you give it You pick your poison and you live and die with it And I came to just in time to see you turn around Another lover leaving Another blackout Maybe I'm just no good A fistful of flowers got me further than it should Maybe I'm just misunderstood Understand me Understand me Oh how I wish you would But I'm the owner of this mess And though I did my best to chase you away Everything inside my chest Beat to hear you say that you'd stay But your blood takes what you give it You pick your poison and you live and die with it And I came to just in time to see you turn around Another lover leaving Another blackout
9.
I know why the caged bird sings He takes comfort in the fact That he knows what every moment brings Oh how fulfilling it must be To avoid any surprises And just wallow in predictability Rather than lay awake and worry 'bout what happens next I can sleep in peace knowing tomorrow's just what I expect Punch the clock Nine to five Oh how I live to make that drive Back and forth To and fro I have not been around the block And yet I know that I was Born to punch the clock I set out on a quest for love to every corner of the world But then that seemed like so much effort just to find a girl So I stayed home instead - got married to my neighbor She ain't pretty but I guess She does her best with what God gave her There's no passion and that's fine Cause there's no drama and my breakfast Is always right on time Punch the clock And at the end of the day I come home to find my darling in the same seat Sitting in the same way Dinner at 5:30 and off to bed at 9 No more mysteries to unlock and that's just fine Cause I was born to punch the clock One day I went to a magic show I'd seen 100 times before I know the act. I know the tricks. I know the guy that works the door But I had not accounted for the lady in the 7th row One breath of her perfume and I was sure I could not let it go So then my system fell apart I'm not sure about tomorrow But today I know where I will start Punch the clock in the face Get off of the hamster wheel Abandon all the plans I made See the world Drink some wine Break off from the flock Yes I believe it's time for me to punch the clock Break its little arms off And stick them in its gears Fricassee the cuckoo Over a couple beers Reclaim all the time that I have wasted all these years And punch the clock Punch the clock I will break off from the flock Yes I believe it's time for me to Punch the clock
10.
Poison Pill 03:16
You've broken me of mind and will I cannot see a window sill Forced upon me - a poison pill Think I've had way more than just my fill This isn't what I signed up for I woke up rich but now I'm poor I make my way toward the door But you pull me back across the floor You can take my hand and lead me through the dark But just cause I'm on fire don't mean I'm looking for a spark Just cause you shake it, babe That don't make it a dance And I got a dollar Says you would not disagree When you say dance I expect you to dance with me You and your friends you've got it all A fancy car. A curtained wall But in the daylight all your flaws Are magnified - I see them all My mind is clouded by your perfume And by my beer But despite all my confusion There is still one thing that's clear Just cause you shake it, babe That don't make it a dance And I got a dollar Says you would not disagree When you say dance I expect you to dance with me It's time for you to stop pretending I'm something that I'm not We have no life, we have no love and this ain't our song You've taken something good and then you took it way too far What started out so right has ended up so wrong Thinking 'bout it now, I guess I never had a chance I have no virtue. You exist for guys like me When you say dance, I know exactly what you mean Yeah but... Just cause you shake it, babe That don't make it a dance And I got a dollar Says you would not disagree When you say dance I expect you to dance with me
11.
I couldn't get her soon enough Now you wish I would just disappear Why you wanna push my buttons? Why you gotta take things here? You say you can't believe The things I've done to you But I'm just getting started You'll be dust when I am through I'm trying to evolve, but it takes so long I try everything I know, still it goes so slow I wish that I could tell you It's not as bad as it seems It's not as bad as it looks Give you a reprieve Give you what you deserve Give you hope in me Give you understanding Give you clemency I'm trying to evolve, but it takes so long I try everything I know, still it goes so slow The world turns around and robs us of the day And I'm hanging from a cloud Watching you twist away
12.
I always loved the ocean So we pushed off from the shore Our lives are in the salt wind now The land is ours no more We used to be so hopeful That we'd turn it all around We locked our arms together And swore we'd take 'em down But ain't it funny how the best laid plans Are quickly cast aside When your pockets are full of nothing And your heart is full of pride Calmer seas are in the past The storms ahead, the die is cast The tattered sail drips off the mast We're still afloat afloat, afloat, afloat But my God, we're sinking fast these shark infested waters they do not compare to the shark infested buildings that line the streets back there when the one thing that you're good at makes you cry - then what's the use? they'll use your tears to drown you and your purse strings for a noose so let them dig till their hands bleed they'll still be in a hole and no one can tell the difference between gallows and polls Calmer seas are in the past The storms ahead, the die is cast The tattered sail drips off the mast We're still afloat afloat, afloat, afloat But my God, we're sinking fast And what can I say to you my dear Who followed me to the brine Who left so many broken When she left them behind You've never lost your faith in me Even when I've lost me reason For that you're everything I have And you're all that I believe in I'll follow my heart over the horizon And when the water swallows our toes With everything I have I'll pick you up And never let you go Press your lips against mine and I'll warm out the blue As we go down together a nation of two Calmer seas are in the past The storms ahead, the die is cast The tattered sail drips off the mast We're still afloat afloat, afloat, afloat But my God, we're sinking fast
13.

about

This is my second solo effort, and it continues to tell both my stories and those that I've witnessed first hand. It's a little more political, in very general terms, than my last record, but no less personal.

credits

released September 18, 2012

Bass on "One Too Many", "Blackout", "Punch the Clock" and "Nation of Two" by Keith Rosier
Backing vocals on "One Too Many" by Denise Rosier
Backing vocals on "One Too Many", "Watching you Twist Away" and "Nation of Two" by Allison Harper
"Bodhi Tree" written by Tim Brennan and Chris Ferguson
"Revelations" written by Bruce Dickinson

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Chris Ferguson California

contact / help

Contact Chris Ferguson

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

If you like Chris Ferguson, you may also like: