Overflow
Get all 10 Ruth Theodore releases available on Bandcamp and save 15%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Cherry Picker, Thompson (SINGLE RELEASE), People People (SINGLE RELEASE), Cactacus 7th Birthday (50% off), You Can't Help Who You Love (Single Release), Volume One: 'Earth to Shovel' EP, Dear Lamp Love Moth, Victor Menace (featuring Ruth Theodore on Violin), and 2 more.
1. |
False Alarm
03:52
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rule of thumb
the damage could already be done
but most likely it's a false alarm
siren sounds and stampedes
remind me to stay calm
and remember we are only young
so dig yourself up
old bones old bones
come on we're letting them get away
too afraid to make a big fool of ourselves
we've become withdrawn and more prone to decay
so I'm telling you now if i catch you alone i'll break all your teeth and make you walk home
rule of thumb the damage could already be done
but most likely its a false alarm
siren sounds and stampedes
remind me to stay calm
and remember we are only young
and though leaving as soon
we are far from as doomed
as the few who refuse to believe
that conceived down a backstreet
in a taxi on the back seat
they're only just finding their feet
rule of thumb the damage could already be done
but most likely it's a false alarm
siren sounds and stampedes
remind me to stay calm
and remember we are only young
and though leaving as soon
we are far from as doomed
as the few who refuse to believe
that conceived down a backstreet
in a taxi on the back seat
they're only just finding their feet
so dig yourself up
old bones old bones
come on we're letting them get away
too afraid to make a big fool of ourselves
we've become withdrawn and more prone to decay
and as successors we are forever
uncovering ruins
revealing un-doings
though what kills them off
may well be the death of us too
let me slave to the needs that
i have to believe i am saving you
since all that we've got
is to think we're invincible
since we are not
rule of thumb
the damage could already be done
but most likely it's a false alarm
and it won't take it's toll
until the day you're so old
you forget you are only young
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2. |
Eris
06:41
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Pluto puffs out his chest
takes a deep breath and says
Eris it would be nice
if we could have some time alone
but i know what it's like i've got moons of my own
and they circle me so close
as though they'll sneak beneath the skin
still i can't tell if they're drawn to me
or if i'm pulling them in
oh Solar stupid System
stupid Rule of Gravity
can't they all just turn the other way
and you be drawn to me?
when the sky wraps us tight
in a blanket of light
that renders us lovers
until the truth nestles in
in the dead of the night
and steals all the covers
but before i loose my nerve
as he creeps up beside you
before he crawls in
and curls up inside you
and i finally fall to bits
giz a kiss Eris
thirty-nine times
as far from the sun as Earth
and only two-thousandths of the size
Pluto must rely on his mind
being only one thousand
four hundred miles wide
so he tells her a joke he heard
about Mother Earth
and all her living cells
that are making their own craters
and spying on themselves
until they're rolling round the sky
but careful not to make a sound
cause if she hears them laugh
she'll cry and if she cries
she drowns
oh foolish clown thinks Pluto
looking down on his own empty ground
she must have quite a weight to carry round
and the sky wraps them tight
in a blanket of light
that renders them lovers
until the truth nestles in
in the dead of the night
and steals all the covers
and he raises his eyes
with that feeling of sinking
of what on Mother fucking
Earth was he thinking?
of finally falling to bits
and it's only a kiss
Eris
but Eris the gracious
and misleadingly friendly
smiles with warmth and says
firmly but tenderly
Pluto please go and get some sleep
i've got to be up early in the morning
and your tambourine just can't keep the time
so if in the dark someone steals my heart
however hard your shaking
your tambourine just won't keep its beat
from racing
plus the over-thinking
over-complicating
Pluto has a habit of exaggerating
of making
white holes of mole hills
so it's sort of funny and it sort of isn't
how he can't make plans
or simple decisions those
white holes of mole hills
and the harder he tries
the harder he finds it to stop
and the harder it gets
the harder it gets
to watch
but Pluto un-ruffles his feathers
pulls himself together and says
oh Eris it would be nice
if we could have some time alone
but i know what it's like
i've got moons of my own
and not for the length of your legs
or because you
mean more to me now
than the heavens above do
but because i love you
to bits
giz a kiss Eris
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3. |
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cut in to quarters
and still half the problem
we started moving the pieces around
trying to find the sweet spot
where we both got
what we'd
blown out of proportion
and into perspective
it makes sense
when drawn to scale
we are less than insects
i guess
but honestly i don't believe
that we can change my mind for me
when it already knows that the overflow
is the hole that leads to the sea
but its out with the cortex
and in with the forceps
now we're mincing the memories around
trying to find the best bits to make best fit
what was
any beautiful moment is haunted by its context
and i bet this ghost you speak of
is not the only piece of
my past i possess
so honestly i don't believe
that we can change my mind for me
when it already knows that the overflow
is the hole that leads to the sea
cut into quarters
and still half the problem
we started piecing the movies around
trying to tie a bit knot in my sweet spot
with my
blown out of proportion
is in to perspective
it makes sense
when drawn to scale
we are less than insects
i guess
so honestly i don't believe
that we can change my mind for me
when it already knows that the overflow
is the hole that leads to the sea
cutting corners and going in circles
reminds of a time when we thought that
the earth wasn't round until
we put it all back where we'd found it
still i find it too hard to process
that there's far more than sky overhead
i wish i was an insect instead
well you say i should watch what i say
but i say you should watch where you tread
when
for some
your sheer proportions
are far too much to process
so you believe what you believe
because you did not change my mind for me
did i go down the overflow?
or did i just leave?
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4. |
Friendly
07:42
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an arm around the shoulder
can easily creep around the neck
and like more and more
the more you struggle
the tighter it gets
and more often than not
it'll stop at a head-lock
where it's the hardest to define
who's been holding who up
for all this time
i said its in my interest to keep you afloat
cause you and I are in the same boat
where there's lots to be said for avoiding the question
but if our voices wrestle round the walls of this vessel
we're missing sunsets
will we ever learn?
that the more we pin the corners down
the more they fly away
but the more we had to sit and talk
the less I had to say
now even I know you and I
or something must be done
when you can see the water rise
from whoever's side you're on.
Friendly,
Friendly I'm not proud of this.
But it's my side of the story
and that all it is.
And strangely
everywhere I've been,
it seems the truth will not come out
until the water's coming in.
so clearly i was in the wrong
and quickly loosing virtue
and sealing up the leaks with
what you don't know doesn't hurt you
instead of facing facts i turned my back and
suddenly everyone had something
they were trying to pin on me.
Friendly,
Send me when you can.
I wake up and don't know where I am.
And though I don't know
where I'd say I've been,
You know I'd contact you tomorrow
but for the trouble you said I'm in.
cause i tried to run from a pack of wolves
through a fog as thick as thieves
and hide inside a pack of lies
from the police.
and for a moment there i'd swear i was
impossible to spot
cause some of them were white
and some of them were
not
I Hope you get this, this time.
This is the third time I've tried.
Friendly,
Friendly bless your heart.
Some days I bear it and some days I can't
that I'm bad for you Friendly
I've always been.
Funny how the truth will not come out
until the water's coming in
and how i always knew my trail
would be dismantled and disputed
and eventually I'd run aground
and out of excuses
and of my mind and of your sight
now i'm impossible to spot
and some of us are white
and some of us are not
I hope you get this in time.
This is the last time I'll write.
Friendly,
Friendly I made you these.
Wish I was coming home
I'm sorry oh forgive me please.
Though I don't know
where they’ll say I've been,
I know you'd contact me tomorrow
but for the trouble they say I'm in.
you'd contact me tomorrow but for the trouble.
and you'd say
hey where you trying to run to?
i don't hold a grudge or a gun to your head
just tell me when you're wearing thin.
and if its all just a bit of fun for you
can't walk away after all you're done for
you'd say and I'd tell you i was wearing thin
and that nothing can tell you
what a fool I've been
quite like how you're gonna feel
when this all starts sinking in
cause it's bad for you Friendly
its always been
the truth should not come out
until the water's coming in
the truth should not come out
until the water's coming in
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5. |
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Mr Charisma pudding and pie
kissed all the girls until
he made himself cry
and you think i don't understand
you think i don't see
you're in love with another man
but he can't help you now
so if you've got a head
hold it up and be proud
cause everything clever
has already been said
so there's nothing
that he can say now
cause for once we are winning
the world's jumping on
cause the tables are spinning
so put away your cigars
and that cognac and
run along with the rest i'll be
watching your back
and they're only
sticks and stones
but i'm not gonna lie
they do break your bones
leave then bruised
leave them sore
but its not over yet
because i can throw more
so they can't hurt you now
and if you've got a head
hold it up and be proud
cause everything
hurtful has already been said
so there's nothing
that they can say now
you could file yourself a failure
for not turning out to be
'man the tool maker'
or leave it to me
and the chimpanzees
we are our own makers
and we thrive off hard labour
cause they're only
sticks and stones
until they're spears
and they're bridges
they're fences and homes
so we could run and jump
from our high expectations
or just grow a bit taller
with each new generation
still they can't help you now
so if you've got a head
hold it up and be proud
cause everything clever
has already been said
so there's nothing
that they can say now
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6. |
Sisyphean Rock 'n' Roll
06:12
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7. |
Race Cars
03:14
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i have a clock's face
of nervous twitches
bridges houses hedges and ditches
hang from eye lids
lids light switches
and thoughts fly past like
race cars too fast
selfish bastards
they're gonna kill somebody
one of these days
so pull yourself pull
yourself together
better now
better now than never
hold on
hold on forever
cause years fly by like
race cars too fast
selfish bastards
they're gonna kill somebody
one of these days
you can't go
you're gonna panic
you can't go
you're gonna panic
you won't make it down
the stairs in time
into the air in time
stop it you're making me nervous
no it's you
your doing it on purpose
belong in the circus
think of the murders
shut up
what if she heard us
bound to make a sound
you didn't mean to make
give me a break
for fucks sake
i have a clock's face
of nervous twitches
bridges houses hedges and ditches
hang from eye lids
lids light switches
and thoughts fly past like
race cars too fast
selfish bastards
they're gonna kill somebody
one of these days
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8. |
The Bluer The Better
04:17
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Get a load of me drifting out to sea
And young enough to be in my twenties
I’m definitely gonna make a plan
to get out while I can
So if you’re coming put your
Hands in mine or up where I can see them
So you’re not the type but
You said you loved me once and even
If it was with your fingers crossed
I know you know
I feel like I rush everything
Like I crush everything
Feels like I crush everything
Like I rush everything
And Like I owe you one
Just for keeping your head on.
Strapped in by skin so tight it pinches
Are your wrongs and rights
All stacked up in to feet and inches
I’ve got to try if it takes all night
To bring you back to life
So if you’re coming put your
Hands in mine or up where I can see them
So you’re not the type but
You used to love me once and even
If it was with your fingers crossed
I know you know
I know you tell lies
When you’re looking down
the barrelof my eyes
but my taste for the truth knows
its only our faults that are fool proof
So night after night
I hold myself up to those bright lights
So you can see right through
And that I tell them too
So its all right
To pick a fight and start a battle
By now I only shake you cause you rattle
You’ll agree if you’re coming with me I am
Old enough to be in my twenties
And definitely gonna make that plan to get out while I can
So if you’re coming put your
Hands in mine or up where I can see them
So you’re not the type but
You know you loved me once and even
If it was with your fingers crossed
I know you know
I feel like I rush everything
Like I crush everything
Feels like I crush everything
Like I rush everything
And Like I owe you one
Just for keeping your head on.
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9. |
Taradiddle Scuttlebum
05:05
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you do not take leaps of faith
and clearly i do not have what it takes
to remain unphased
not to run aground
when you're making waves
when all or nothing goes
and you're running
so hot and so cold
i waited for you cause at the time
you said you wanted me to
you're not coming are you?
cause you do not take leaps of faith
and clearly i do not have what it takes
to remain unphased
not to run aground
when the look in your eyes
has a lot to hide
and its giving you away
for the difference it makes
i only waited for you cause at the time
you said you wanted me to
you're not coming are you
i waited for you cause at the time
you said you wanted me to
is that rocket science for you?
that sentiments
heavy as bricks and mortar
can carry
like sound over water
and words
that hold their weight
so effortlessly
begin to strain
and quake at the knees
and at curtain call
they falter and stall
and i say nothing at all
you're running
so hot and so cold
i waited for you cause at the time
you said you wanted me to
you're not coming are you?
i like to be alone
but its nice to know
i'm not the only one
and thats rocket science for you
that's rocket science for you
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Ruth Theodore UK
Establishing her own unique sound and signature guitar style whilst busking in doorways on detuned guitars. Ruth has gone on
to perform alongside legendary artists Ani Difranco, Dar Williams, Nick Harper & Hamell On Trial. Collaborating with multi award winning producer Todd Sickafoose.
linktr.ee/ruththeodore
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