You’re feeling nervous, aren’t you, boy? With your quiet voice and impeccable style Don’t ever let them steal your joy And your gentle ways To keep ’em from running wild
They can kick dirt in your face Dress you down, and tell you that your place Is in the middle, when they hate the way you shine
I see you tugging on your shirt Trying to hide inside of it And hide how much it hurts
Let ’em laugh while they can Let ’em spin, let ’em scatter in the wind I have been to the movies, I’ve seen how it ends And the joke’s on them
You get discouraged, don’t you, girl? It’s your brother’s world for a while longer We gotta dance with the devil on a river To beat the stream Call it living the dream, call it kicking the ladder
They come to kick dirt in your face To call you weak and then displace you After carrying your baby on your back across the desert I saw your eyes behind your hair And you’re looking tired, but you don’t look scared
Let ’em laugh while they can Let ’em spin, let ’em scatter in the wind I have been to the movies, I’ve seen how it ends And the joke’s on them
Let ’em laugh while they can Let ’em spin, let ’em scatter in the wind I have been to the movies, I’ve seen how it ends And the joke’s on them
Best of the Night: Billie EilishActually Looks Happier Than Ever
Did Billie Eilish even know she was performing at the Grammys? The way she rocked out while singing “Happier Than Ever,” jumping up and down and smiling at her brother, guitarist-producer Finneas, she seemed like she was owning a moment all her own. Not even pouring rain — or the fact that she would walk away with zero trophies among the seven she was nominated for, an egregious shutout given the year she had — could ruin the good time she was having on top of a prop mobile home as she belted “Just leave me aloooo-ho-ho-hone.” But she didn’t lose herself completely; she still remembered to hold up her T-shirt, repping late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, sharing in her triumph.
Lyrics
When I’m away from you, I’m happier than ever Wish I could explain it better I wish it wasn’t true, hm Give me a day or two to think of something clever To write myself a letter To tell me what to do, mm-mmm
Do you read my interviews? Or do you skip my avenue? (My avenue) When you (when you) said you were passing through Was I even on your way? I knew when I asked you to (when I asked you to) Be cool about what I was telling you You’d do the opposite of what you said you’d do (what you said you’d do) And I’d end up more afraid
Don’t say it isn’t fair You clearly weren’t aware that you made me miserable So if you really wanna know
When I’m away from you (when I’m away from you) I’m happier than ever (happier than ever) Wish I could explain it better (wish I could explain it better) I wish it wasn’t true (wish it wasn’t true), mmm-hmm
You call me again, drunk in your Benz Driving home under the influence You scared me to death, but I’m wasting my breath ‘Cause you only listen to your fucking friends I don’t relate to you I don’t relate to you, no ‘Cause I’d never treat me this shitty You made me hate this city
And I don’t talk shit about you on the internet Never told anyone anything bad ‘Cause that shit’s embarrassing, you were my everything And all that you did was make me fucking sad
So don’t waste the time I don’t have And don’t try to make me feel bad I could talk about every time that you showed up on time But I’d have an empty line ’cause you never did Never paid any mind to my mother or friends So I shut ’em all out for you ’cause I was a kid
You ruined everything good Always said you were misunderstood Made all my moments your own Just fucking leave me alone
You’re feeling nervous, aren’t you, boy? With your quiet voice and impeccable style Don’t ever let them steal your joy And your gentle ways To keep ’em from running wild
They can kick dirt in your face Dress you down, and tell you that your place Is in the middle, when they hate the way you shine
I see you tugging on your shirt Trying to hide inside of it And hide how much it hurts
Let ’em laugh while they can Let ’em spin, let ’em scatter in the wind I have been to the movies, I’ve seen how it ends And the joke’s on them
You get discouraged, don’t you, girl? It’s your brother’s world for a while longer We gotta dance with the devil on a river To beat the stream Call it living the dream, call it kicking the ladder
They come to kick dirt in your face To call you weak and then displace you After carrying your baby on your back across the desert I saw your eyes behind your hair And you’re looking tired, but you don’t look scared
Let ’em laugh while they can Let ’em spin, let ’em scatter in the wind I have been to the movies, I’ve seen how it ends And the joke’s on them
Let ’em laugh while they can Let ’em spin, let ’em scatter in the wind I have been to the movies, I’ve seen how it ends And the joke’s on them
He went to sea for the day He wanted to know what to say When he’s asked what he’d done In the past to someone That he loves endlessly Now she’s gone, so is he
I went to war every morning I lost my way but now I’m following What you said in my arms What I read in the charms That I love durably Now it’s dead and gone and I am free
I went to sleep for the daytime I shut my eyes to the sunshine Turned my head away from the noise Bruise and drip decay of childish toys That I loved arguably All our labouring gone to seed
Went out to play for the evening We wanted to hold onto the feeling On the stretch in the sun And our breathlessness as we run To the beach endlessly As the sun creeps up on the sea
County Tyrone native Paul Brady used his song ‘The Island’ to draw some comparisons between the Troubles and the civil war in Lebanon that began in 1975. A pacifistic song highlighting the tragedy of the cycles of violence that Ireland had been experiencing for centuries, it contrasts the peaceful image of a couple making love on an island with acts of terrorism and war.
Lyrics
The Island (Paul Brady)
They say the skies of Lebanon are burning. Those mighty cedars bleeding in the heat. They’re showing pictures on the television. Women and children dying in the street And we’re still at it in our own place. Still trying to reach the future through the past. Still trying to carve tomorrow from a tombstone…
But Hey! Don’t listen to me!. This wasn’t meant to be no sad song. We’ve heard too much of that before. Right now I only want to be here with you. Till the morning dew comes falling. I want to take you to the island. And trace your footprints in the sand. And in the evening when the sun goes down We’ll make love to the sound of the ocean
They’re raising banners over by the markets Whitewashing slogans on the shipyard walls Witchdoctors praying for a mighty showdown No way our holy flag is gonna fall Up here we sacrifice our children To feed the worn-out dreams of yesterday And teach them dying will lead us into glory…
Now I know us plain folks don’t see all the story. And I know this peace and love’s just copping out. And I guess these young boys dying in the ditches. Is just what being free is all about. And how this twisted wreckage down on main street. Will bring us all together in the end. And we’ll go marching down the road to freedom…. Freedom