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The Chris Tape, Volume Two

by Christopher Michael Jensen

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1.
(Verse) The same year Run-D.M.C. dropped Raising Hell, I was born to perform on a stage, as well, a baby from the 80's, raised up well, instilled with the ability to make myself, before I ever give up I'd take a belt, get it tied real high and then hang myself, even when angst was felt, I turned adversity into a verse on beats and made it sell, I stayed original in a world obsessed with trends, retreads, and clichés predictable, I can't lose any more time, every day is critical, and every move made is pivotal, I chose a career where the payment's minimal, 'cause payin' dues doesn't always bank residuals, but even when thangs were pitiful, I still made sacrifices like a Pagan ritual, I'll make a nonbeliever see the truth in this, and strike when it's right like a feisty pugilist, hip hop has a cancer and I ain't talkin' Unicus, so I'm slicin' where the tumor is, 'cause it fucked everything up and it's still confusin' us, it's a new day in the music biz, but as long as I still have a set of vocal cords, I'ma show the world what real music is (Outro) Yeah, Christopher Michael, Jensen, uh huh
2.
(Verse 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) Life's unpredictable, one minute you feel invisible, then everything can alter and it's like you're invincible, I busted on the scene like fuck it, I'ma do things, even though I had the budget of a shoestring, but I laced 'em up, and I ran the track back, and spat raps that had cynics clinchin' up their clap traps, and did everything I could to make a name, still a lot o' work ahead, but it's nuts how quick the pace can change, I started gettin' coverage and love from the Internet, rocked a lot more crowds with people really into it, prior to I had a lot o' days where I was sick of it, but I aspired to follow through and never quit at it, this is legitimate, there ain't no backup plan, if there was, by now I'd probably have packed up, man, and ran for the hills, instead of chasin' the dream, so I try to keep one step ahead to stay in the lead (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen & Model Citizen) Chris: These days I'm just tryin' to keep up Citizen: 'Cause these days things move so fast Chris: Yo, I'm just tryin' to reach up and take everything I can grasp Citizen: These days I got a lot more shows Chris: But these days I got a lot less time Citizen: It's kind o' crazy how the story unfolds, but it's more than I can fit in a rhyme *Sample*: "Ah, yeah" (Verse 2: Model Citizen) These days the flow's dope enough to freebase, vintage like a fine wine, order up a cheese plate, to pair with it, I don't care if the crowd is only ten people deep, we'll be tearin' it down, but, these days I know I'm gettin' jaded, and I won't make it to your show unless I play it, I won't play the fuckin' show unless I'm faded, I'm just sayin', though, I may have overdosed on entertainment, yooo, when I was younger and gung ho, but these days I'm still hungry for some, so, I settle in and take a seat at the table, when the break beat hits, that's it, I'm unable to resist the urge, me and Christopher may never be as rich as we wish we were, but if food's in the fridge and my daughters are healthy, I'll be cool even if I'm not wealthy, uh huh (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen & Model Citizen) Chris: These days I'm just tryin' to keep up Citizen: 'Cause these days things move so fast Chris: Yo, I'm just tryin' to reach up and take everything I can grasp *Sample*: "Yeah" Citizen: These days I got a lot more shows Chris: But these days I got a lot less time Citizen: It's kind o' crazy how the story unfolds, but it's more than I can fit in a rhyme (Verse 3: Christopher Michael Jensen) I'm so lucky, long days used to bug me and irk me until they started working and amounting to something, people tell me I got so much passion and heart, but how could I not, this rap is my art, I've had hip hop vets tell me they dig my sets, and it means so much, 'cause I've always been a hip hop head, so go and check the time on your wristwatches, because now it's mine, yeah, Chris got next, I can't express how much it means, that kind of validation, so many new friends' hearts I've found a place in, so many different individuals I've met in the scene, gettin' a buzz around town, people mentionin' me, and I know there's highs and lows, you can rise and drop, but these days I got a lot more stock, so I strap myself in for the ride and never stop, 'cause opportunity walks as fast as it can knock (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen & Model Citizen) Chris: These days I'm just tryin' to keep up Citizen: 'Cause these days things move so fast Chris: Yo, I'm just tryin' to reach up and take everything I can grasp Citizen: These days I got a lot more shows Chris: But these days I got a lot less time Citizen: It's kind o' crazy how the story unfolds, but it's more than I can fit in a rhyme (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen & Model Citizen) Chris: These days I'm just tryin' to keep up Citizen: 'Cause these days things move so fast Chris: Yo, I'm just tryin' to reach up and take everything I can grasp Citizen: These days I got a lot more shows Chris: But these days I got a lot less time Citizen: It's kind o' crazy how the story unfolds, but it's more than I can fit in a rhyme
3.
(Verse 1) A wise man once said, you can do anything in this world that you put your mind to, but that wise man's dead, he couldn't overcome death, so maybe he lied, too, it's blindin' me, but I can see the time I need might exceed this life I lead, the line between wants and needs blurs, what I need's out of reach, what I want's not first, it grinds on my gears, it works on my nerves, the curse of a loner, scourge of the Earth, I search for the words to express it, pensive 'cause every entrance looks like an exit, it seems like the pride in me dies, the same moment I take my eye off the prize, so I'm caught between the side of a lie and a restaurant where I eat pie in the sky (Chorus) And I wish I knew what it is that I should do, yeah, I wish I knew what it is that I should do, I wish I knew what I should do, 'cause I'm gettin' mixed signals, nothin' ever gets to be simple (Verse 2) The sun can shine on cloudy days, hope can float as you row your boat in and out this maze, flooded by ten thousand lakes, my cup runneth over, then it dries up, every ounce away, looking down today, then up tomorrow, but sometimes the diamonds we mine are really charcoal, gettin' burned as you learn, branching out like a fern, but feeling uprooted 'cause I'm startled, by these new things I find comfortin', 'cause red herrings swim in my circumference, must be in love with this hatred because I feel it so much the real looks like fakeness, patience may be a virtue, but it's got me anxious and it really hurts, too, still waitin', don't know what to do, 'cause I'm drawing blanks and I feel confused (Chorus) And I wish I knew what it is that I should do, yeah, I wish I knew what it is that I should do, I wish I knew what I should do, 'cause I'm gettin' mixed signals, nothin' ever gets to be simple
4.
(Verse 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) Some know where they're going and other people do not, some people measure their pleasure by how much treasure they got, some people go and find the time that other people have lost and make investments in excesses and still wind up on top, man, where's the logic in finding sense in the nonsense that exists, tryin' to stake a claim amidst the aimless ways of the randomness, an abundance of brushes add colors to canvases, but what will be left when each artist fades away and then vanishes, I'm a dreamer, only thing that's holdin' me back is a lack of cash on my Visa, and I see the writing on the wall, but I covered it up with graffiti, see, I write my own rules, never let those fools tell me how to play this game, because I'm a schemer, so you better get out my way, and I be the one who's gonna come through and kick this door down, and it's war now, so I fight for my life with this mic until it shorts out, 'cause if words are weapons, then I guess I'm gettin' my strength from these vowels and consonants, so I can bench press the weight of the world up off my chest (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen) All of the things that I've pondered and seen in my life, my life, from the places I've been to the faces I've met in my life, my life, and I'm just one man doin' what he can 'cause it's my life, yeah, it's my life, and every day that goes by, it creates and inspires what I write, what I write (Verse 2: Zac HB) I live inside of a glass house that's just bigger than me, but barely, and sometimes I can hardly breathe, but so far I've been able to bear with it alright by makin' sure that I've always got a pen with me, see, we see through windows, and everybody's got those, and when yours aren't tinted, it shows what kind o' beast is behind the glass watchin' the world roll, so when you see me, you'll know, watch my eyes, does it look as if I need something to hide behind, I'll never lower my blinds, all I've ever asked for is some way to really reach through the window into the world outside, I tried love, but it really only bit me in the same malicious way as when I tried drugs, why some things are so sweet just to dry up never will make sense, so I shrug, sometimes I sit inside the box, the glass makes up my window into the present, future, and past, and wonder why I really ask anyway, 'cause if love can't do it, then how can so many say that it's the only way, then I remembered the lady, wait, wasn't I there, how come I couldn't stay beyond the window, and then I remembered what this pen's fo', and that it'll never let me go, yes, I really grew up in a cubicle as Plato had suggested, and it's a message, just a bunch o' windows makin' me claustrophobic and tryin' to send me a message, and it's test, it's tryin' to remind me to keep writin' down every thought on the glass that surrounds me, 'cause when I craft my own world however I want, I can always at least place myself outside the foundry (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen) All of the things that I've pondered and seen in my life, my life, from the places I've been to the faces I've met in my life, my life, and I'm just one man doin' what he can 'cause it's my life, yeah, it's my life, and every day that goes by, it creates and inspires what I write, what I write
5.
(Verse 1: Ackronem) So (hi), hello, hello, how are you doin' this evening, I generally have the same response and feelin', hour after minute, wonderin' if I fit in to the box outside my house, 'fore it tears me down, to see these clowns simply slave away their life, the edge of the knife is on some skin again, fightin' with friends invented in they head, it's all just limited to if you're free and timid, kid, get out and really eliminate the stress, and then just crush kill all the rest (Ackronem, Eloda, & Christopher Michael Jensen) It's called the hunger (Ackronem) Follow dreams not certainty, certainly livin' on the edge, holdin' by a thread, simply fueled by aggression up in my head, I would feel dead to show not tell you the road I roam in a story or a poem, for it's slightly unknown where it will go, for this life is like sharp knives, and everyday is up for grabs, who wants a stab at it, make it a habit before I've had it with these cats actin' static, yeah, we stay ahead, we Crucible, we livin' on that ledge, yeah (Chorus 1: Christopher Michael Jensen & Eloda) Chris: Livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, high stakes similar to the price paid, livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, high stakes Eloda: (Shame, fame, blame, play, games, it's all so strange, die, live, fly, sin, cry, grin, it's all so strange, pain, shame, fame, blame, play, games, it's all so strange, die, live, fly, sin, cry, grin, it's all so) (Verse 2: Eloda) I escape into my, crooked reflection upon the blade, knowin' my head is just awfully crazed, lost my ways, don't call me a slave, get out of my way, alright, okay, just don't go spillin' my wine, up and slit my throat, until then I'll spit these jokes, and cut these ropes, bust your hopes of livin' in fear, I'm right here, livin' in clear, livin' so pure, just kiddin', I'm livin' in fear, ferociousness, toastin' this notion of my spirit awoken, the rosen roamin' the ocean, yeah, you're loathin' it, I can see it in your eyes, I can see it in your smile, I can feel it in your nerves, I can feel it in your words, for a while it feels absurd to the point where ya light up a joint and see your, demons screamin' on the ember, go on a bender, aim for the pain, no shame in the games you play, aim for the vein, shoot up the Ape, so in lust with the love, and it feels real great when ya fuck 'til ya dust, huff and ya puff, but ya can't beat the hunger, knife tight to the jugular of the hell-born hustler, he's smilin', so your luck's up, what (Chorus 1: Christopher Michael Jensen & Eloda) Chris: Livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, high stakes similar to the price paid, livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, high stakes Eloda: (Shame, fame, blame, play, games, it's all so strange, die, live, fly, sin, cry, grin, it's all so strange, pain, shame, fame, blame, play, games, it's all so strange, die, live, fly, sin, cry, grin, it's all so) (Verse 3: Christopher Michael Jensen) You can be high off life and still fucked up, because a fall from the top can leave you punch-drunk, becomin' pessimistic, gettin' beaten and battered, so much repetition, day after day of your dreams bein' shattered, because a lot o' times, those who don't compromise are the ones who end up the most ostracized, I took ninety-nine bottles and poured 'em out in the sea, and I'm alone with no smoke to cloud what I see, I have an unfettered look at reality as it really is, hurt feelings mixed with banality and I'm filled with this sickness deep inside of my gut, like a bullet hole in my navel, both eyes squeezin' shut, head spinnin' like a dreidel and my mind's in a rut, imagine being disabled and tryin' to jump, 'cause when those highs get lower and lower, it's not an easy thing to embrace when you're facin' it sober, I hold my head in the palm of my hand, trying to weigh these dark thoughts against the odds that I have, but the question is loaded, you think it's easy for someone to follow their heart when it doesn't even know how to get where it's goin', and so I'm (Chorus 2: Christopher Michael Jensen) Livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, high stakes similar to the price paid, high stakes similar to the price paid, high stakes similar to the price paid, livin' life at the edge of a knife blade, high stakes similar to the price paid
6.
(Intro) *Sample*: "You, and me, please, let's be like children, together" (Verse 1) I look at things today and think how life is, then reminisce on childhood when times were good and priceless, what would you pay, what would you bid for it, to go back for a couple o' days and be a kid again, I'd probably do things a little bit different, but with that premise, the possibilities are limitless, they say you should look at life through the eyes of a child, but a child is ignorant, I guess that's the price you pay to remain and stay innocent, and it makes you stop and think a bit, 'cause every time you grow, everything you take and add to life, there's something else from yourself you have to sacrifice, the evolution of a man, do I wanna grow up, yes, and I'll get through it if I can, I just don't wanna forget where I sprang from, and how I got where I am today from when I came up (Chorus 1) Do you remember when everything you knew was so simple then, yeah, I'm just takin' you back, just thinkin', reminiscin' on the days of the past, do you remember when everything you knew was so simple then, those old rose-colored memories, it's funny how we look back at everything (Verse 2) I look at my past and it gets me to think 'bout a bygone era, I remember when things were a lot less complicated, before all these complex problems got me jaded, when my only concern was levels in Nintendo games I would play in the basement and would get so frustrated if I couldn't beat them, a time when school gave us recess, and the teachers told us things that I learned weren't true when I grew up and found out about the real truth, a time when everything seemed so black and white, and you could always assume mom and dad were right, life as a kid has a sheltered view, but my imagination was safe and it helped me bloom, but what was light changed from bright days to darker, 'cause slowly growing up got harder, but (Chorus 1) Do you remember when everything you knew was so simple then, yeah, I'm just takin' you back, just thinkin', reminiscin' on the days of the past, do you remember when everything you knew was so simple then, those old rose-colored memories, it's funny how we look back at everything (Verse 3) But eventually everything halted, when I was catapulted into adulthood, because I came to a juncture of my life, when I finally felt that somethin' wasn't right, around the age of 18 the air was taken out of me like my lungs had been punctured with a knife, these challenges must have snuck in overnight, coming of age and I'm running from the sight, a brand new world of depression, girls and rejection, pent up stress, felt like hurlin' intestines, sick to your stomach, tears on your cheeks, the blissfulness plummets and the fear in ya peaks, and you can succumb if you're careless, growin' pains got your head hung and embarrassed, that's when nostalgia has ya wonderin' where did everything go that ya loved and ya cherished, askin' (Chorus 2) Do you remember when everything you knew was so simple then, 'cause I'm just takin' you back, just thinkin', reminiscin' on the days of the past, do you remember when everything you knew was so simple then, those old rose-colored memories, it's funny how we look back at everything (Outro) Yeah, it's funny how we look back at everything, and I remember everything
7.
(Verse 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) Good friends are hard to come by, a cliché may say they're like a ray of sunshine, so I opened up my window and you brightened up my life, light rekindled, I can finally see clear and peer through the mist that obscured the appearance of bliss, the seriousness of my problems seems to fade away when we're talkin', late night by myself, all alone, but I get excited when you call my phone, we laugh for hours and rehash about our past when each of us asks about it, I've told you things I've never told all my guy friends, and when we hang out, you're full of surprises, and when people ask if we're a couple, I say no, even though I love you (Chorus 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) But I gotta be honest, sometimes I wish things were more than platonic, and it's a thin line between friendship and romance, that's why I'm so cautious, of whether or not I should try to cross it and ruin what we've built in the process, 'cause it's astonishing how good things can be with a girl even if she don't want it (Chorus 2: Christopher Michael Jensen) For everything you've ever said, and helped me through, I'm so glad that we met, it's so unreal how good that you've been, sometimes I wish we were more than just friends (Verse 2: Christopher Michael Jensen) And I don't mean to sound creepy, but when you're alone this long ya start dreaming, and it's not that I'm needy, I just want someone else to help me provide meaning, a heart with a hole inside could use healing, and you seem like you'd be so good at treating, this condition I'm in, and put me in a position to win, listen to him, ya might be thinking, but you're so cool, can ya blame me for wishing, been searchin' for a person like you 'til this day, and ya probably don't feel the same, but that's okay, 'cause what we have is still great, and I appreciate the fact that ya still take time out your day to be there for me even if we don't date (Chorus 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) But I gotta be honest, sometimes I wish things were more than platonic, and it's a thin line between friendship and romance, that's why I'm so cautious, of whether or not I should try to cross it and ruin what we've built in the process, 'cause it's astonishing how good things can be with a girl even if she don't want it (Chorus 2: Christopher Michael Jensen & Sean Hogan) For everything you've ever said, and helped me through, I'm so glad that we met, it's so unreal how good that you've been, sometimes I wish we were more than just friends (Chorus 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) But I gotta be honest, sometimes I wish things were more than platonic, and it's a thin line between friendship and romance, that's why I'm so cautious, of whether or not I should try to cross it and ruin what we've built in the process, 'cause it's astonishing how good things can be with a girl even if she don't want it (Chorus 2: Christopher Michael Jensen) For everything you've ever said, and helped me through, I'm so glad that we met, it's so unreal how good that you've been, sometimes I wish we were more than just friends (Chorus 2: Christopher Michael Jensen & Sean Hogan) For everything you've ever said, and helped me through, I'm so glad that we met, it's so unreal how good that you've been, sometimes I wish we were more than just friends (Outro: Christopher Michael Jensen & Sean Hogan) Chris: More than just friends Chris & Sean: More than just friends Chris: More than just friends Chris & Sean: More than just friends
8.
(Intro) *Sample*: "Out of here, out, out, out of, out of here, out, out, out of, out, out, out, out" (Chorus) *Sample*: "Out of here, past the atmosphere, squint your eyes and no one dies or goes to jail, out of here, past the atmosphere, squint your eyes and no one dies or goes to jail, pass the" (Verse 1: Nickle Nelly) Uh, yo, I'm gettin' out o' here, out of this body, out of this sphere, seein' red, need a second to clear my head, how 'bout a beer, these dark clouds of fear are parting and now there's beams of light darting through the cracks, starting to reappear, coast is clear, it's oh, so weird how these folks are all like doe-eyed deer, no idea what the hell's goin' in their ears, or so I hear, four, five years down the line, I look back at the road I steered, and I'll go my dear, better throw my rear into high gear and drive until I'm cured, I'm goin' ghost like a poltergeist, call me Walter White, cookin' these nice hot crystals of hip hop that are cold as ice, breakin' bad habits, a class that I haven't mastered, what can I say, I'm a rap lab addict, and sadly, rehab ain't happenin', I'm finally graspin' the big picture, Nickle and Christopher are sickly gifted with these words, serve up a thick mixture of spits in an elixir, then we'll split the purse, gettin' richer's so simple, let's hit the bricks, it's time to get to work (Chorus) *Sample*: "Out of here, past the atmosphere, squint your eyes and no one dies or goes to jail, out of here, past the atmosphere, squint your eyes and no one dies or goes to jail" (Chorus) *Sample*: "Out of here, past the atmosphere, squint your eyes and no one dies or goes to jail, out of here, past the atmosphere, squint your eyes and no one dies or goes to jail" (Verse 2: Christopher Michael Jensen) I'm lookin' out past the atmosphere, even past the Milky Way, the universe is vast and it's expandin' every single day, it's infinite, we get caught up in the busyness of life, even though we're just dust mites in the thick of it, so insignificant, enough to make a man feel impotent, 'cause time's short and that's why I'm clingin' to every increment, this world's full of imprisonment, I try to prevail, and if squintin' meant I could find a way not to die in this jail, I would, I'd look into parts unknown, and discover what's been under all these barnacles, keep my head above water and rid myself of attachments that latch on us and continue to keep me from happiness, hopin' to happen upon happenstance, and if I'm struck by luck, it might happen on accident, but if the odds aren't in my favor and I stay a slave to the labor, I'll just create another way to escape from these chains and make it out of here (Chorus) *Sample*: "Out of here, past the atmosphere, squint your eyes and no one dies or goes to jail, out of here, past the atmosphere, squint your eyes and no one dies or goes to jail" (Chorus) *Sample*: "Out of here, past the atmosphere, squint your eyes and no one dies or goes to jail, out of here, past the atmosphere, squint your eyes and no one dies or goes to jail" (Interlude: Christopher Michael Jensen) Uh huh, yeah, this goes out to anyone, that's sick of being confined their whole life, fuck sittin' in a box, man, go and get it (Chorus) *Sample*: "Out of here, past the atmosphere, squint your eyes and no one dies or goes to jail, out of here, past the atmosphere, squint your eyes and no one dies or goes to jail"
9.
(Verse 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) I'm pullin' out beats from the underground like a farmhand, somethin' soulful to flow to, it's all about the art, man, do it for the culture, but also for my sanity, I was raised on all the great songs and emcees, hip hop, I live off beats and breaks, it runs through my blood, it's in my DNA, me, I'm C.M.J., I give ya what ya want, always cookin' up somethin' hot like P.F. Chang's, you know the sayin', keep your nose to the grindstone, look for opportunity and never keep your eyes closed, I got the desire in every single fiber, from the top of my head down to my toes, and they're startin' to get blisters from so much runnin' around town, tryin' to take care of my business, gratify myself, but satisfy the listeners, too, and that's exactly what I'm gonna do (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen) Because I'm runnin' in high gear, and this time, man, it's gonna be my year, never settle for less than the best, give it everything I got 'til every breath is spent, because I'm runnin' in high gear, and this time, man, it's gonna be my year, never settle for less than the best, give it everything I got, yeah, that's what I represent (Verse 2: Rich Garvey) Rhymes handcrafted like a blacksmith, refined over time, yo, the truth is what I transmit, scribin' words, lookin' similar to Sanskrit (uhh), I played big, put my thoughts in perspective, my adolescence, Pac fueled my aggression, he understood the black plight so I had to listen, it culminates to the emcee that ya see today, materialistic, fixated on a CLK, fast mindset, cruisin' like a Corvette, grindin' super hard from sun up to sunset, puttin' fear in emcees, they got cold sweats, now they know who I be 'cause I'm on next, no denyin' that success is what I'm eyein', black, known to shut the house down like Freddie Mac, or Fanny Mae, verses indicate I'm underpaid, so now I'm gon' get it, what else can I say (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen) Because I'm runnin' in high gear, and this time, man, it's gonna be my year, never settle for less than the best, give it everything I got 'til every breath is spent, because I'm runnin' in high gear, and this time, man, it's gonna be my year, never settle for less than the best, give it everything I got, yeah, that's what I represent (Verse 3: Christopher Michael Jensen) What's the alternative, if I was workin' in a normal job, I could afford a lot more but I would feel purposeless, my circuits gettin' blown in a circus full o' clones, chokin' on the bones that upper management throws, fuck it, I want duckets but not at the expense of jumpin' through a hoop for you to buy something expensive, the emptiest pockets are like electrical sockets, energizin' my mind and this time I'm ready to knock it out of the park like I'm Kirby, I'm takin' charge and I'm burning up massive calories, and my lack of salary's hurting, but I'm working for something that only few achieve, but if you believe in yourself, then it can be true, indeed, to proceed is a challenge, and it's hard to keep your balance when walkin' on tightropes, tryin' to succeed, 'cause my talents are all that I have, so I'm breakin' my back, I never settle, take it to the next level and make it in rap (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen) Because I'm runnin' in high gear, and this time, man, it's gonna be my year, never settle for less than the best, give it everything I got 'til every breath is spent, because I'm runnin' in high gear, and this time, man, it's gonna be my year, never settle for less than the best, give it everything I got, yeah, that's what I represent
10.
(Intro) Yeah, I think, I think we should have a little bit of fun, maybe a lot o' bit of fun, yo (Verse 1) Soon as the DJ drops the jam I'm like Prof and Elton John because I rock it, man, I get it hotter than Carmen Elektra, and the party commences at the start of the sentence, let my voice vibrate through your mind state, bump it in your whip while you're cruisin' down the highway, I get it poppin' like airbags in crashes, and similar to that shit, we snap necks and smash it, rappin', without safety precautions, came to break a leg on stage and kept rockin', bang your head like it's a mosh pit, there ain't no stoppin', so throw it up like your nauseous, 'cause even if I ain't the most popular rapper, I still make the fans put their hands high like the top of a ladder, throw my weight around while I'm droppin' a phat verse and knock 'em out their socks 'til they're topplin' backwards (Chorus 1) If you wanna get down, if you wanna get wild, then come on, stand up, if you wanna get loud, if you wanna just shout, then put your hands up, 'cause I don't wanna have to stop and cut the song out, but then you gotta help me rock, come on, come on now (Verse 2) What's goin' down tonight, anyone know, 'cause since I woke up, I've been ready to go, and when I get to a show, I don't even need a sound check, give me a mic, and I'm ready to astound, yep, lyrical, servin' it up like Cheerios, too many act like someone copped a squat in their cereal, Debby Downer needs to loosen up, she's too high strung, and I've come to turn the music up, so let your spirit elevate, let's have fun like Wang Chung and just celebrate, 'cause there's so much negativity, and maybe together we can put an end to it and breathe, just a little bit easier, 'cause I know a lot of us have been feeling hurt, so if ya feel the words that I'm sayin' now, then come on, get up, so we can break it down like this (Chorus 1) If you wanna get down, if you wanna get wild, then come on, stand up, if you wanna get loud, if you wanna just shout, then put your hands up, 'cause I don't wanna have to stop and cut the song out, but then you gotta help me rock, come on, come on now (Bridge) So if you're gettin' down, I'ma put it down, and if you're gettin' wild, I'll be wilin' out, and if you're gettin' loud, let me hear you shout, one, two, three (ohhhhhh), if you're gettin' down, I'ma put it down, and if you're gettin' wild, I'll be wilin' out, and if you're gettin' loud, let me hear you shout, one, two, three (ohhhhhh) (Chorus 1) If you wanna get down, if you wanna get wild, then come on, stand up, if you wanna get loud, if you wanna just shout, then put your hands up, 'cause I don't wanna have to stop and cut the song out, but then you gotta help me rock, come on, come on now (Chorus 2) If you wanna get down, if you wanna get wild, if you wanna get loud, if you wanna just shout, put your hands up, 'cause I don't wanna have to stop and cut the song out, but then you gotta help me rock, come on, come on now
11.
(Verse 1) On the brink of destruction, livin' destructive, politicians thinkin' of hittin' the button, in a discussion right now about how to kill, it's disgustin', often the response in conflicts is overboard, so it doesn't take much to go to war, if a country's willing to strip the rights of its own, just think what they'll do to those outside of their home, 'cause those who oppose from abroad are easily deemed to be prone to assault, anything can be justified from the right angle, but tangle yourself up enough and wind up strangled in the lies that you feed yourself, fuck everything up and then plead for help, ideologies butt heads, agreements cease, and when that happens the peace is breached (Chorus) Warfare's not fair, anything but, does anyone win when everything sucks, what are we doing, what are we proving, if no one's winning, then everyone's losing, and I know you've heard that before, but day in, day out, we still clash in war, learn from the past or stare down an arsenal, 'cause the fights of today are tomorrow's sorrow (Verse 2) So much violence, addicted like masochists, are we civilized 'cause we're livin' like savages, there's no rest, protests, pickets from activists, uniting with the pacifists, all the casualties, for every dead serviceman, there's thousands more innocent murdered men, and if you're innocent, I'm not sure why it matters what your origin is or what country you're livin' in, and in addition to all the blood that's shed, everybody gets punished with the brunt of it, look how high the budget is, we're in a deficit, and the government is wonderin' where our money went, imagine if we could use it elsewhere, we could fix education and provide healthcare, I know the world's not perfect, but how much strain on the Earth is worth it (Chorus) Warfare's not fair, anything but, does anyone win when everything sucks, what are we doing, what are we proving, if no one's winning, then everyone's losing, and I know you've heard that before, but day in, day out, we still clash in war, learn from the past or stare down an arsenal, 'cause the fights of today are tomorrow's sorrow (Verse 3) There's two sides to every story, but no matter how ya slice it, the ending is gory, there's no pageantry in tragedy, so many ghosts badgering war-torn families, peace starts with reason, so conscientious objection's not the heart of treason, so many opportunities squandered foolishly, in favor of reading lots of eulogies, and it doesn't seem right, some things in life are just fright mixed with hype, not everything is quite worth the fight, not worth counterstrike after strike, an eye for an eye's sight sacrificed, as we descend from light into night, so what's the point in igniting war, if we're left with nothing left, to fight it for, what's the point in igniting war, if we're left with nothing left, to fight it for, what's the point in igniting war, if we're left with nothing left, to fight it for
12.
(Verse 1) There's a thin veil that separates these retinas from a world that elevates the regular, I'm taken there on a nightly basis where I live out fantasies in unlikely places, I can replay past days any way that I choose and don't have to embrace what is true, in one fell swoop every hunger pang is satiated and I become numb to pain, in this land I can live out suppressed emotions, supplin' on a teet that leaks seratonin, oceans of brainwaves wash ashore, and I'm taken away, I unlock the door, that leads me down a deceptive road, but the lies are much nicer than what I get from home, I can create the space that I rest my soul, and nothing ever gets to be set in stone (Chorus) The sheepherders resurface and march their flocks around me, I'm counting as they dart across, and the moments that follow are not quite real, the sheepherders resurface and march their flocks around me, I'm counting as they dart across, and the moments that follow are not quite real (Verse 2) As I sleep, I ride on the backs of the sheep to the Sandman's beach, where I can reach and grab anything I desire, and it's taking me higher, higher, closing my eyes to the world that's behind us, trying to find what is hiding inside us, that subconscious yearning, burning like a fire, inspiring me to continue the climb up, but as my chest heaves and my heart keeps pounding, I grow weary of what is around me, always the dream and never the reality, always the seed, but it's never the flowering, escape doesn't always lead to freedom, you can look to the angels but keep your demons, dreamin' is the closest thing to an afterlife, and for some, the only thing that we have at night (Chorus) The sheepherders resurface and march their flocks around me, I'm counting as they dart across, and the moments that follow are not quite real, the sheepherders resurface and march their flocks around me, I'm counting as they dart across, and the moments that follow are not quite real (Interlude) So come away, come away, because I don't wanna stay, some how, some way, someday, so come away, come away, because I don't wanna stay, some how, some way, someday (Chorus) The sheepherders resurface and march their flocks around me, I'm counting as they dart across, and the moments that follow are not quite real, the sheepherders resurface and march their flocks around me, I'm counting as they dart across, and the moments that follow are not quite real
13.
(Verse 1: Panash) In my young life I lost a couple friends to death, Tommy D, and my brother by the name o' Clef, on the road is where they both died, man, and they both had so much drive, damn, and I ain't tryin' to make a joke of it, 'cause right now is a lump in my throat that's 'bout the size of a poker chip, they the reason that I no longer fear death, as well as the sad clown face I wear like a joker fish, at times I feel emotionless, at least that way I don't get caught up inside my feelin's o' hopelessness, I'm on some bi-polar tips, shouldn't really complain, at least I got a life that I can be hopeless with, yeah, but enough with the sad words, I'd rather pour some Bud Light out on that curb, these are just my late night thoughts that I'm ponderin', I miss my brothers, right now I'm just wonderin' (Chorus 1: Panash) Where are they now, I wanna know, where are they now, because I look around and I don't see 'em anymore, I'm frustrated so I'm airin' it out, where are they now, I wanna know, where are they now, and how much can you invest in everybody else before it starts wearin' ya down (Verse 2: Christopher Michael Jensen) In my young life, never lost a friend to death, but I've lost some friendships from senselessness, and some people I miss bitterly, I'd still be close with if they were closer in proximity, and other people in the same city as me, I don't even get a chance to talk to digitally, because they don't respond to Facebook messages, I mean how long does it take to write me back a few sentences, it troubles me, it's bubbling underneath, it's got me up at night wondering, if I can't keep a friend's company, how am I supposed to get a girl to fall in love with me or abstain from dumpin' me, everyday pain weighs on my brain, and the stress escalates, please take it away, 'cause it's tainted the way that I look at the world around me, feels like I lost them but no one found me, so I'm askin' (Chorus 2: Christopher Michael Jensen) Where are they now, I wanna know, where are they now, because I look around and I don't see 'em anymore, frustrated so I'm airin' it out, yeah, where are they now, I wanna know, where are they now, and how much can you invest in everybody else before it starts wearin' ya down (Chorus 3: Panash & Christopher Michael Jensen) Panash: Where are they now, I wanna know, where are they now, 'cause I look around and I don't see 'em anymore, frustrated so I'm airin' it out Chris: Where are they now, I wanna know, where are they now, and how much can you invest in everybody else before it starts wearin' ya down, wearin' ya down
14.
(Verse 1) Yo, the hardships of the first world, sort of embarrassin' against those of the third world, they pale in comparison, but even with that in the back of my mind, I still feel like shit like half of the time, zoned out in my bedroom, tryin' to kick back, annoyed by the void, my eyes seein' pitch black, I rub 'em hard just so I can see the colors, feelin' so lonely beneath the covers, but I'm less concerned 'bout tryin' to get laid and more with money to get an apartment and keep the rent paid, an explosion of emotions, hard to explain, tryin' to see through these problems like an x-ray, excavate my way to the core of it, and look around at the surroundings and explore a bit, but the ditch is so big, can I dig myself out, if I can't, then damn, I need some help now (Chorus) 'Cause when the walls collapse, and everything falls on your lap, it's hard to get it all off your back, so I let it out on the track, 'cause when the walls collapse, and everything falls on your lap, it's hard to get it all off your back, so I let it out on the track (Verse 2) If it doesn't kill me, does it really make me stronger, am I strengthened by great lengths of trauma, I'm a good guy, shouldn't I have enough saved up karma to prosper and stay away from drama, it's like every time I try to conquer all these hangin' ailments, another stake is nailed in, and so I get hung up, I'm out to dry, while wet tears spout from eyes like a baby who cries, life shouldn't be just wasting your time while you're waiting to die, man, I'm saying, 'cause I think about death so much, and for a guy my age, it might be something that I need to let go of, but somehow I just can't do it, my solution is to use this music as a way to get me through it, shootin' for the best while I'm hedgin' my bets, I'm feelin' bushwacked, I've taken my licks and it's gettin' me stressed (Chorus) 'Cause when the walls collapse, and everything falls on your lap, it's hard to get it all off your back, so I let it out on the track, 'cause when the walls collapse, and everything falls on your lap, it's hard to get it all off your back, so I let it out on the track (Outro) Yeah
15.
(Verse) Sometimes I feel deadlocked, wrestle with it everyday, caught in a headlock and I'm livin' with the shame, 'cause I'm sayin' uncle, try to slip and get away, but recently I became an uncle, it's a different day, facin' troubles with a new perspective, it all changed so I changed direction, found a new conception of what it would take to overcome the slumps and not succumb to the pain, to abolish problems, accomplish my dreams, constantly lost but I finally got on my feet, hit the ground runnin', in the face of defeat I lay down the challenge and I race to succeed, I basically see what the answer is, I just need to be on board and not abandon ship, 'cause the tides are turning, I'ma stay on course, and if it don't come easy, I'ma take by force, I'm reflectin', I'm reflectin', yeah, I'm reflectin', yeah, man, I'm reflectin' (Bridge) It's so hard sometimes, I wonder where, I could possibly go and be more prepared, it's all come down to this, and I've been so remise, this is not the end, not yet, not yet, no, it's not the end just yet
16.
(Verse 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) Flashbacks of my past years, a quarter century old, used to be naive, confused by the lessons told, I depressed gradually, 'cause time flies when you're havin' fun, but even when havin' none, it's still passin' me, things are better now, but at times feels like they're still a mess, painstakingly walking aimlessly through the wilderness, rings reveal the age of older trees, but even those with the most rotten roots can turn over leaves, I'm no longer 18, don't hold it against me, amazin' how a change in scenery opens an entry to a whole new different way of livin', but with each change in thinkin' came a pain and distance, alienated like an alien spaceship with my head up in the clouds where the hail and the rain is, so I stormed the streets, feelin' bitter and cold, 'til I reached my inner peace and came into my own (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen) I wanna go where there aren't any roads so I can travel any avenue that I choose to stroll, I wanna believe that I can be me, I wanna know what it's like to really be free, it's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder how I'm supposed to stay above it and not plummet when I come runnin', it's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder how I'm supposed to stay above it and not plummet (Verse 2: Irenic) Deeper and deeper I move into the jungle's mystery, and it's like lookin' in a mirror of past struggle and history, which I keep alive even though they died long ago, until I recognize in the flow of time we all let go, it will get more difficult to build a thicker canopy, if I try to rip a hole, it will unleash calamity, if I try to fit a mold, others see it as sanity, guess I'll just accept the whole and find a way less damaging, but that isn't the way that brought me the fortune of bein' a creature so meek, to the other display that follows a path with enemies that'll prey on the weak, falling out of the sky, to which the wind, the soul, and body can't compromise, boring when nice, yours when it's mine, so you should go take a bite, fly, find a new storm, make a new norm, and the canopy's torn open, tell everyone I'm jokin' as innards peel out, sometimes I feel loud, sometimes I feel destructive, but in the end at least I didn't do it like a puppet (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen) I wanna go where there aren't any roads so I can travel any avenue that I choose to stroll, I wanna believe that I can be me, I wanna know what it's like to really be free, it's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder how I'm supposed to stay above it and not plummet when I come runnin', it's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder how I'm supposed to stay above it and not plummet (Interlude: Christopher Michael Jensen & Irenic) Chris: But I'ma chop it down, I'ma chop it down, everything in my way, yeah, I'ma chop it down Chris & Irenic: I'ma chop it down, I'ma chop it down, until that place that I'm lookin' for is finally found (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen & Irenic) Chris: I wanna go where there aren't any roads so I can travel any avenue that I choose to stroll Chris & Irenic: I wanna believe that I can be me, I wanna know what it's like to really be free, it's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder how I'm supposed to stay above it and not plummet when I come runnin', it's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder how I'm supposed to stay above it and not plummet (Outro: Christopher Michael Jensen) It's like a jungle, it's like a jungle, it's like a jungle sometimes, it's like a jungle, it's like a jungle, it's like a jungle sometimes
17.
(Intro: Alex Frecon) C.M.J., Alex Frecon, man, C.M.J., you're gonna kill this, I can feel it *Sample*: "Check, check, check, check it, check, check, check it out" (Verse 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) Put the beat on so I can surf on a WAV file, cowabunga, I flow from Chowen up to 8 Mile, keep gettin' better, never remain the same, stayin' sharp like Shredder and my brain is Krang *Sample*: "What" (Christopher Michael Jensen) Take a trip into Christopher's psyche, when I diss rappers, I don't just spit on the mic, I spit on their Nikes, and spit on their Chucks, I'm rippin' their tongues out their mouths and shovin' 'em down into their lungs, everybody wants to blow up like Libya, son, but fame is a funny and beautiful thing like Olivia Munn, 'cause some people love it and they're livin' it up, and other people hate it, wishin' it would be done, but fuck it, I'm in it to win it, I've given enough, time to take what's mine in this business of chumps, if ya feel what I'm sayin', let's have a round of applause, and put a fist in the air if you're down for the cause, come on (Chorus 1: Alex Frecon & Christopher Michael Jensen) Alex: So if you're sick o' bein' pushed Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up Chris: If you're sick o' gettin' looks Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up Alex: And your picture gettin' booked Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up, put your fingers up, put your fingers up Chris: If you're sick o' hearin' lies Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up Alex: If you're barely gettin' by Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up Chris: If you just wanna survive Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up, put your fingers up, put your fingers up (Verse 2: Alex Frecon) Yeah, Frecon, here's the difference (what), I'm gettin' sick o' this (okay), little bitches on my nuts like syphilis (ewww), and for reference, this isn't bitterness, I'm just goin' nuts 'cause you pussy like a clitoris (fuck you), I'm in this game to make changes, while you just bitch like Great Danes 'cause my rhymes came with (what), a little bit o' change from your lame mundane shit, it's painful to say but you just can't make it (sorry, dude), and I can't take it anymore, I'm ready and your up shit's creek, ya better get in the oars, I've been steadily been gettin' out ahead o' you, boy, you're forgettin' that I'm heavily embedded with coy (ha ha), you already drop it, so why don't you talk shit (just do it), I know that you been sprayin' it, but I won't stop it (nah uh), I know you keep on sayin' it, your music is not sick (nope), the only way it's shopped is if somebody shoplifts (ha ha) (Chorus 2: Alex Frecon & Christopher Michael Jensen) Alex: So if you're sick o' bein' pushed Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up Chris: If you're sick o' gettin' looks Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up Alex: And your picture gettin' booked Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up, put your fingers up, put your fingers up Chris: If you're sick o' hearin' lies Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up Alex: If you're barely gettin' by Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up Chris: If you just wanna survive Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up, put your fingers up (Verse 3: Christopher Michael Jensen) I never need a warm up, I roast a rapper to get fired up, half these artists' parents paid for their careers, man, I'm tired of dudes jumpin' on stage sayin' I'm the man, when they're just children, writin' rhymes in crayon, I'm gettin' sick of all this little boy crap, an ugly blemish on hip hop, forget your pretty boy swag, man, I don't get it, and they say sex sells, but fuck it like a zygote fetish, how is it that I stay hotter than pyrotechnics and at the same time cooler than cryogenics, I guess I'm an anomaly who speaks prophesy, it should go without saying but there's truth in honesty, while you lie in bed, I stand up for what I believe, 'cause I was born to give birth to what I've conceived, the kind o' music that'll move your soul, so get lost in the song and just lose control, come on (Chorus 1: Alex Frecon & Christopher Michael Jensen) Alex: So if you're sick o' bein' pushed Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up Chris: If you're sick o' gettin' looks Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up Alex: And your picture gettin' booked Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up, put your fingers up, put your fingers up Chris: If you're sick o' hearin' lies Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up Alex: If you're barely gettin' by Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up Chris: If you just wanna survive Alex & Chris: Put your fingers up, put your fingers up, put your fingers up (Outro: Alex Frecon) Damn, C.M.J., I told you you were gonna kill this
18.
(Verse 1) What's real, and what's moral, and what does it really mean to be mortal, these are the questions of mortality, 'cause one's point of view on reality is determined by their vantage point, which is based on what you face and the way you were raised, which most can't avoid, some try to punch their way out, but it's too hard, they only end up with their hand destroyed, see, it's easy to hide in that place you reside, it's more comfortable to stick with what ya know, it's simpler to just go with the flow even when you're being pulled down by the undertow, I might be wrong, but I can't help thinking we put too much faith in unlikely gods, enticing thoughts, and exciting plots that never seem to pan out just like we want, biting off more than we can chew, desperate measures for similar times forcing you to do things that you couldn't imagine, catching curve balls thrown while looking at madness (Chorus) What's behind this door, what's inside that hall, what would you come across if we could walk through walls, we may never know and we may never get it, but everybody is invested, everybody is invested, look it over thoroughly and inspect it, what's behind this door, what's inside that hall, what would you come across if we could walk through walls, we may never know and we may never get it, but everybody's tryin' to connect it, tryin' to connect it, put it all together and find a message (Verse 2) It's amazing what you can build an idol with, or how many lies you can fill a Bible with, so when the deity you held no longer holds weight, who do you look to with full faith, a travesty, 'cause friends and family can turn away, and everything you know can burst in flames, your intuition can be controlled by magicians that don't know magic, just how to play their position in a complex system that everybody lives in, our third eye's vision inflicted with a stigmatism, while politicians get elected by decisions that are often fostered upon some fiction, paranoia will destroy ya, but it's hard not to be, in a world where you have to be guarded constantly, honestly, lies are way more appealing when the actual facts aren't really what you're feeling, some say they wanna clear their head and wipe their mind clean, but I don't think being brain washed is what they mean, it's your own thoughts that will haunt ya, 'cause everybody's tormented by their dogma (Chorus) What's behind this door, what's inside that hall, what would you come across if we could walk through walls, we may never know and we may never get it, but everybody is invested, everybody is invested, look it over thoroughly and inspect it, what's behind this door, what's inside that hall, what would you come across if we could walk through walls, we may never know and we may never get it, but everybody's tryin' to connect it, tryin' to connect it, put it all together and find a message (Chorus) What's behind this door, what's inside that hall, what would you come across if we could walk through walls, we may never know and we may never get it, but everybody is invested, everybody is invested, look it over thoroughly and inspect it, what's behind this door, what's inside that hall, what would you come across if we could walk through walls, we may never know and we may never get it, but everybody's tryin' to connect it, tryin' to connect it, put it all together and find a message
19.
(Verse 1) How many of us lash out in our twenties because our teen years weren't quite what we wanted, the facts of your life can hurt as much as gettin' cracked with a pipe, so I write what is honest, losin' sight of our options, I could do so much good if I really wanted, but I'm boxed inside with a locksmith, and he lost his key, so I'm tryin' to find it, my mind is a vessel inside of a pretzel, so I try to unwind it, on the verge of a nervous breakdown, every word in this verse is a way out, rhymin' is an escape for me, and everyday that I wake up thankfully I have something to relieve the tension, but still stumbling, man, I need direction, I'm walkin' around, dreaming of being the talk of the town, but seeing's believing, gotta watch it go down, tryin' to better my chances, running in a rat race for cheddar advances, everybody got a little bit of advice, but it's hard to distinguish which of it's right, and I admit that I might not be the best at figurin' out which of the routes I should pick when I hike, it's hard to be positive when everything in your life feels like it's the opposite, and common sense says I should relax, if I could just feel up to the task (Chorus) Try to stay functional, but I'm uncomfortable, everything just keeps skipping out on me, and when the summer goes, and you start running cold, everything isn't always what it seems, even when nothing's known, it can be colorful, if you paint your dark days you will see, a tie-dye sky, a tie-dye sky (Verse 2) Lost my luster, the same time that my lust for love became rusted, disgusted 'cause I cling to pipe dreams, but they blow up in my face like pipe bombs combusting, interrupting my plans, so I get down like a frown, let's dance, the night seems young while I'm gettin' older, things heat up but I'm gettin' colder, I shoulder a load of responsibility, do right but the response is killin' me, why bother, I ponder, should have learned by now what time taught us, I'm cautious, while nauseous, trying to shake the feeling, fight off it, I just need more feathers in my cap, before I can fly and get up on the map (Chorus) Try to stay functional, but I'm uncomfortable, everything just keeps skipping out on me, and when the summer goes, and you start running cold, everything isn't always what it seems, even when nothing's known, it can be colorful, if you paint your dark days you will see, a tie-dye sky, a tie-dye sky (Verse 3) I try to navigate the path of fate while holding the helm, but the floodgates have opened and I'm feeling overwhelmed, I try to jot it down, my spirit's forcing me to write it, so come away with me, you are cordially invited, this ain't the life my mother wanted for me, 'cause I'm just tryin' to cope and stay afloat, broke as a joke with a college degree, then I met Ashley who taught me to let it go, and embrace the unexpected 'cause our direction is never known, when I was younger, I used to write about God, but now I write songs that are inspired by that façade, and the void that it left in a boy and his head when he was just trying to find his way in a world destroyed by deception, askin', what's the analysis, it's like I'm hooked up to dialysis, fluids drippin' while stricken by paralysis, markin' days off calendars, tryin' to overcome these challenges and pull something out of me so that I can snap out of it, 'cause I (Chorus) Try to stay functional, but I'm uncomfortable, everything just keeps skipping out on me, and when the summer goes, and you start running cold, everything isn't always what it seems, even when nothing's known, it can be colorful, if you paint your dark days you will see, a tie-dye sky, a tie-dye sky (Chorus) Try to stay functional, but I'm uncomfortable, everything just keeps skipping out on me, and when the summer goes, and you start running cold, everything isn't always what it seems, even when nothing's known, it can be colorful, if you paint your dark days you will see, a tie-dye sky, a tie-dye sky
20.
(Verse 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) You ever think about your destiny, like what you were meant to be, and if everything you ever did amounted to your legacy, the best in me has yet to be implemented, and so my energy is invested in overcoming intersections and crossroads, but I turn the fork into a knife, carvin' out a niche to make more out of my life, turn lemons into lemonade and lemonade into wine, then turn fermented fruits into the fruits of labor and pride, I'm taking my time, but the hourglass is so slow, every grain of sand's ingrained in my soul, I don't know if I can make it to the top alone, the plateau's so high, I guess that's why I feel so low, it feels like every single moment, I should own it, so I steer clear of fear in the mirror and face my real opponent, the component of a life worth living is adding your own revolution to this Earth spinning (Chorus 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) When I'm old and gray and I look back on my days, I don't wanna say that I lived my life in vain, 'cause when I'm old and gray and I'm reaching for the grave, I just hope and pray that a piece of me remains (Verse 2: Kristoff Krane) It's gonna take me a second to understand the perspective that will help me break free from the chains of imperfection, my brain's a foreign weapon, familiar triggers surround me, I'm sick o' shootin' blanks in the dark, my heart is pounding, I need to take a minute to reexamine infinity that's livin' under my skin, be a kid and kiss the imagery, with eyes like I was born, accept the sky in all it's form, whether a rainbow or a storm or an angel hiding his horns, so forgive me if I've been distant, but I've been busy picturing a future with my wife, two kids, and a pinch of mystery, the window's always open just enough to let the wind in, which reminds me that my vision's like a flame and it's still flickerin', so when I'm old and gray I won't need to know which road to take, I'll know what I'm supposed to make, a difference and that there's no escape, no one ever goes away, 'cause even though our bones decay, we keep on livin', when we're broke we cope and learn to fix it today (Chorus 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) When I'm old and gray and I look back on my days, I don't wanna say that I lived my life in vain, 'cause when I'm old and gray and I'm reaching for the grave, I just hope and pray that a piece of me remains (Chorus 2: Christopher Michael Jensen) Yeah, 'cause when I'm old and gray and I look back on my days, yeah, I don't wanna say that I lived my life in vain, nah, uh uh, 'cause when I'm old and gray and I'm reaching for the grave, yeah, I just hope and pray that a piece of me remains (Outro: Christopher Michael Jensen) A piece of me remains, remains, just a piece of me remains

about

The Chris Tape, Volume Two features 20 tracks, all with original production.

credits

released August 15, 2012

Executive produced by Christopher Michael Jensen.

Mixed by Christopher Michael Jensen & Wesley Opus.

Mastered by Wesley Opus.

All songs written and performed by Christopher Michael Jensen, except where noted.

Producers include Andre Lipsey, Ecid, Rich Garvey, Thawed Out, DJ Adatrak, Andre Mariette, The New Monarchs, Dayweed, Christopher Michael Jensen, PCP, .dB, Ackronem, Wesley Opus, J Merce, Xela, and Megan Hamilton.

Guest appearances include Model Citizen, Zac HB, Ackronem, Eloda, The New Monarchs, Nickle Nelly, Rich Garvey, Panash, Irenic, Alex Frecon, and Kristoff Krane.

Cuts and scratches provided by Epistêmê.

Photography and artwork design by Christopher Michael Jensen & Ashley Seeler.

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all rights reserved

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