Bitter Tea

The Fiery Furnaces Bitter Tea Lyrics
1.In my little thatched hut

In my little thatched hut
Where blue-green grass grows by the brook
I lounge and i look
(i lounge and i look, i lounge and i look)
For my own true love to return
To come rowing in his rowboat back.

In my little thatched hut
Where blue-green grass grows by the brook
I lounge and i look
(i lounge and i look, i lounge and i look)
For my own true love to return
To come rowing in his rowboat back

I'll go to the flower stall
And get a violet violet to put in my jet black hair
And make him tell me which one is the more fair.
And in the meantime i cry

In my little thatched hut
Where blue-green grass grows by the brook
I lounge and i look
(i lounge and i look, i lounge and i look)
For my own true love to return
To come rowing in his rowboat back

In my little thatched hut
Where blue-green grass grows by the brook
I lounge and i look
(i lounge and i look, i lounge and i look)
For my own true love to return
To come rowing in his rowboat back
Boat back!

I'll go to the flower stall
And get a violet violet to put in my jet black hair
And make him tell me which one is the more fair

And in the meantime i cry
But what does it matter
Because when i see him again, it'll be tears of joy

Tears of joy, tears of joy, tears of joy, tears of joy
Tears of joy, tears of joy, tears of joy, tears of joy

In my little thatched hut
Where blue-green grass grows by the brook
I lounge and i look
(i lounge and i look, i lounge and i look)
For my own true love to return
To come rowing in his rowboat back


2.I'm in no mood

I'm in no mood to comb my hair
There's a chill in the air
And it's catching
Catching

I'm in no mood to comb my hair
There's a chill in the air
And it's catching
Catching
Catching
Catching

I was so drunk last night i didn't even undress for bed
And the pin in my hair was still stuck in my head

I'm in no mood to comb my hair
There's a chill in the air
And it's catching
Catching

I'm in no mood to comb my hair
There's a chill in the air
And it's catching
Catching
Catching

I was so drunk last night i didn't even undress for bed
And the pin in my hair was still stuck in my head

I was so drunk last night i didn't even undress for bed
And i swear the pin in my hair got stuck in my head

I'm in no mood to comb my hair
There's a chill in the air

And the pin in my hair was stuck in my head
I didn't undress for bed
I was so drunk last night

I'm in no mood to comb my hair
There's a chill in the air
And it's catching
Catching
Catching
Catching

I was so drunk last night i didn't even undress for bed
And i swear the pin in my hair got stuck in my head
I swear the pin in my hair got stuck in my head
I didn't even undress for bed
I was so drunk last night.


3.Black-hearted boy

Darling black-hearted boy
All the color's gone out of my ribbon loom
As i've only got the worst to assume
Take your sheet metal sheers
Cut a slit up the side of my dark blue dress
For a last time lie your love confess

Get your gut
Some home made twine
String up silk your tiger bow
Don't paint your board
Moonlight white
Go dangle your fishook out in the gutter again

See the smoke from your kiln
Pine boughs burn the bricks dead hard in their fog
As i stand cold with my back broke by the bog
Find your cross cut saw
Come blunt and jagged and dry and try
Cut my tongue out to keep on your wall up high

I tipped my toe
On the bamboo strip
I took stone honey in exchange for my rags
Don't dare paint your board
Moonlight white
Go dangle your fishook out in the gutter again

See the smoke from your kiln
Pine boughs burn the bricks dead hard in their fog
As i stand cold with my back broke by the bog
Find your cross cut saw
Come blunt and jagged and dry and try
Cut my tongue out to keep on your wall up high

I tipped my toe
On the bamboo strip
I took stone honey in exchange for my rags
Don't dare paint your board
Moonlight white
Go dangle your fishook out in the gutter again

Darling black-hearted boy
I went down to wash my robe in the river
I thought of you and started to shake and to shiver
Leaning there on the rocks
I see myself slip down and float
'Til the brackish warm current stops up my throat

You swore you swore you'd never leave
You swore you swore you'd never leave
You swore you swore you'd never leave


4.Bitter tea

I've got a special category business
Down by the multifunctional Dr. Sun yat-sen memorial rollerblade
rink
Down by the home of bitter tea
Bitter, bitter, bitter tea
Bitter, bitter, bitter tea

I've seen you slinking off of snake alley
Why not come up through the hall of butterflies
And past lane 170
Into our dragon protector layout
And try some bitter tea
Bitter, bitter, bitter tea
Bitter, bitter, bitter tea

On the 13th day of the 5th lunar month
Outside a hot spring bath
The old banyan tree looked down on me

Aren't you curious
Aren't you curious
A little curious
About what the osmanthus blossoms taste like

I think you're curious
Yes, you're curious
A little curious
About what the osmanthus blossums taste like
With a cup of bitter tea
Bitter, bitter, bitter tea
Bitter, bitter, bitter tea

On the 13th day of the 5th lunar month
Outside a hot spring bath
The old banyan tree looked down on me

I am a crazy crane
I lost my true love in the rain
I am a crazy crane
I lost my true love in the rain


5.Teach me sweetheart

Come away
Teach me, sweetheart
Come on past
Brave young batchelors
I'm alone
Teach me, sweetheart

My mother in law was standing by the stove
Hissing like a snake, hissing like a snake
Hissing like a snake
She gave orders to spill my blood
She gave orders
To spill my blood, i thought

I thought, i thought, and i thought some more

Come away
Teach me sweetheart
Come on past
Brave young bachelors
I'm alone
Teach me, sweetheart

My father in law was lying on his bed
Growling like a dog, growling like a dog
Growling like a dog
He gave orders to spill my blood; he gave orders
To spill my blood, i thought

I thought, i thought, and i thought some more

Come away
Teach me sweetheart
Come on past
Brave young bachelors
I'm alone
Teach me, sweetheart

My sister in law was sitting on her stoop
Crawing like a crow, crawing like a crow
Crawing like a crow
She gave orders to spill my blood
She gave orders
To spill my blood, i thought

I thought, i thought, and i thought some more

Come away
Teach me sweetheart
Come on past
Brave young bachelors
I'm alone
Teach me, sweetheart

My brother in law was leaning on the love-seat
Tapping with his tail, tapping with his tail
Purring like a cat
He gave orders to spill my blood
He gave orders
To spill my blood, i thought


6.Waiting to know you

I'm waiting to know you, far away
Send up a balloon says write to me soon
I'm waiting to know you, far away
Set up at the pier, wait 'til you get here

And when i'm about to give up hope
But nope
With my telescope
I'm standing guard the navy yard to see
Could there one for me be
Baby oh no where did you go

I'm waiting to know you, far away
Flashlight the cave; listen short-wave
I'm waiting to know you, far away
Dredge up the lake; all the trees shake

And when i'm about to give up hope
But nope, with my telescope
I'm standing guard the navy yard to see
Could there one for me be
Baby oh no where did you go

I'm waiting to know you, far away
Send up a balloon says write to me soon
I'm waiting to know you, far away
Flashlight the cave, listen short-wave

And when i'm about to give up hope
But nope, with my telescope
I'm standing guard the navy yard to see
Could there one for me be
Baby oh no where did you go

Baby oh no where did you go


7.The vietnamese telephone ministry

I thought myself an unworthy thing
Despairing of my case all the time, boys
I thought myself an unworthy thing
Despairing of my case all the time, boys
Damn it all, damn it all to hell
Damn it all, damn it all

I thought myself an unworthy thing
Despairing of my case all the time, boys
I thought myself an unworthy thing
Despairing of my case all the time, boys
Damn it all, damn it all to hell
Damn it all, damn it all

Preserve me, preserve me, protect me, save me
So vile, so violent
Whose thoughts are spent
So vile, so violent
In thinking how they may
So vile, so violent
My steps betray
So vile, so violent
How in a foul mishap may me entrap
Who hid in traitor grass their cunning cord may catch me as I
pass

I thought myself an unworthy thing
Despairing of my case all the time, boys
I thought myself an unworthy thing
Despairing of my case all the time, boys
Damn it all, damn it all to hell
Damn it all, damn it all

I thought myself an unworthy thing
Despairing of my case all the time, boys
I thought myself an unworthy thing
Despairing of my case all the time, boys
Damn it all, damn it all to hell
Damn it all, damn it all

I went to the right road ministry at 4801 s. Normandie
I went to the armenian brotherhood bible church at 5556 harold
way and while i was at it went to st. Sarkis
And then i went to the inglesia evengelica rey de reyes y senor
y senores at 2605 w. 7th st.
And the alpha y omega--and the brotherhood of the cross and star
and kingdom of god in faith at 3810 w. Slauson
And i drove around listening to the greater bethany tape
ministry
And to the sweet hour of prayer mission
And i went to st. Innocent orthodox and jesus in delight
And then finally i called up the vietnamese telephone ministry
At 323-221-7625
323-221-7625
323-221-7625
323-221-7625


8.Oh sweet woods

I was in tahoe, on the california side
Waiting in the lobby at 665 1/2 frontage road
When two extra-blond, short-sleeve, button-down
White-shirt, blue-tie, mystery mormons
Came in and put this music on
Came in and took me by the arm
And as they had me marching through the parking lot
And as they were marching through the parking lot
They blew into their shirt-pocket microphones
Like this
And then they drove me to an albertson's outside of boise
And took me into a back room.
And they said they wanted to balance my checkbook
And they said the wanted to organize my receipts
And itemize my expenses
And that i had the key
To a safety deposit box
With treasury bonds and the key
To another safety deposit box
Where i'd stashed away
The only pewter pocket watch
That ever belonged to
Joseph smith's great-great uncle's brother-in-law
And i said you've got the wrong eleanor friedberger.
And then they sang at me like this


9.Borneo

I was so bored with my old life
I was so bored with decent odds

My new roommate left her debit card
Some sort of test for me. It's too hard
Try to run an errand. Nervous sweat
I rush back home and if i win i'll give her half
I bet
Online casino in the caymans
Legal disclaimer writ for layman's

I moved back into new canaan
Babysit my sister's kids; its rainin'
They fuss a bit while i put them to bed
And grumpy, sitting on the couch, i get it in my head
Take metro north. A silver candlestick
To aquaduct on lirr. Pick

I was so bored with my new life
I felt like i knew all the odds

I bet 'gainst myself i wouldn't wager
My boyfriend's mother's mansion (nothing major)
I stole the deed one night when she was drunk
I drove onto the reservation with it in my trunk
Sensors beep the threshold when i crossed it
Thirty thousand marker soon i lost it

Baltimore inner harbor (sports) zone
Being courted. He's talking on his cell phone
'let me tell you why i think i love her
She knows you always take the bye week dome home team to cover.'
Go up to pimlico and i choose
It's no fun if it's fine when you lose

I was so tired with all the angles
I was so bored with losin' easy

So i gambled on going further a-field
So i flew to sydney and then to bali and then to jakarta
And called on my step-father's ex-business partner
Major timmy sastrosatomo
And he set me up as a silver smith/batik dabber
In a house once owned by the princes of mataran.
And he told me all his troubles

We bribed a cfo at semen cibinong
To get them to buy a 40% stake
And we got a 5 million dollar order from nieman marcus,
Which we filled about 10%
But i did sell them my children's book
Which i said was a south sumatran
Folk tale--which went like this:

I played cards for seven days straight,
Was up $47 dollars late
Evening as the sun went down i saw
The ace of diamonds up his sleeve--black velvet on his paw.
I fold, say goodbye politely.
They bark, you don't get off that lightly

I dreamed of a casino way up in the hills of borneo
Where i lost with the giant flying squirrels and orangutans and
great
Morman butterflies all day long.
'Til the bulldozers turned us into whole fruit fruit bar sticks
and
China markers


10.Police sweater blood vow

Forget the dogs and forget the sheep
It's only you who affects me
On the fun fair track road and helter skelter fall
On my ice skater's bruised knees

Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
Tell me what time is it now
Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
Tell me baby what time is it now

Blood love sliver locket and police sweater blood vow
Nativity jingle, carole and cry
Chain smoking ashes all over himself
Laugh and hug your white wine wife

Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
Tell me baby what time is it now
Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
Tell me baby what time is it now

Parking lot reading, cover my eyes
You're a sick moaner, now hold your sides
On christmas eve and dizzy escaltor malls
Retrace steps for not lost gloves

Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
Tell me baby what time is it now
Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
Tell me baby what time is it now

Well i went to sleep sitting up
See the diary and cry out
That's not right, babe! You're here and i'm there
That's not right, babe! You're here and i'm there

Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
Tell me baby what time is it now
Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
Tell me baby what time is it now


11.Nevers

There's a town i know called nevers
No nevers
Never wasn't was what it weren't

When it wasn't once. Knew nevers
Knew nevers
Nothing never i'll ever learnt

There's a village i visit, that's vaguely
Sorta vaguely
Vaguely yes i seem to recall

Though it's unclear clearly- vaguely
Very vaguely
Can't say it's been there once and for all

I put back on my overshoes
And got in my renault
The trips reset so i'm unsure
How far it is to go
But then it hits me (slap)
I've left it off my map

There's a city i saw signed something
Must be something
Something never quite so defined

So much so how somewhere something
(though some sing)
So to speak's the uncertain kind

In an index looked up where-it-was
Exactly where it was
Just in fact to make sure i can't

Set a course straight through to where it ain't
And where it ain't
Ain't gotten to except at a slant

I put on my new black boots
And pack up my citroen
And out of town it huffs and puffs
I set off there alone
And then it hits me (slap)
I've left it off my map

There's a place i passed called once upon a time
Tiny once upon a time
Never wasn't weren't what it was

Set the clock back twice or once upon a time
In once upon a time
Never knew when it wasn't there because


12.Benton harbor blues

As i try to fill all of my empty days
I stumble round on through my memory's maze
Of all my past, only the sadness stays

I was moping down by the bridge
I rode a bike in the snow to the mini-mart
I thought of the ways that i've broke my own heart

It's not for me to fill the blue sea with tears
But when i think back on all the wasted years
All the good cheer and all of the charm disappears

I wore the exact same clothes for five days
The bailbondsman gave me a smile
I was just thinking of only my sins all the while

As i try to fill all of my empty days
I stumble round on through my memory's maze
Of all my past, only the sadness stays


13.Whistle rhapsody

The isolated lady
An isolated old lady
A dignified dame who keeps her own counsel
In love with the out-of-the-way
Identifying with the unfamiliar
Contemptuously turns her back on the wicked world
With its vulgar delusions and correspondingly
Scorns its regard

Our lady alone
With her scarf over her head
And her pricey purse over her shoulder strap
Wonders up at the heavens
And for yesterday yearns
The days of old

Often, she surrounds herself with
Like-minded bluestockings
And together they regret the dear beloved
Simple folk struggle with their own confused
Concerns, still

But she puts her pity on pause
And withdrawn from the delicate
And uncorrupted by the crude
She resigns even her/ own
Designs-
Then all at once
Brings in a breath
Purses her purple
Her honey-black lips
And lets loose a high
And round and resonant
And glad and grave
And westward, whistle


14.Nevers(Reprise)

There's a town i know called nevers
No nevers
Never wasn't was what it weren't

When it wasn't once. Knew nevers
Knew nevers
Nothing never i'll ever learnt

There's a village i visit, that's vaguely
Sorta vaguely
Vaguely yes i seem to recall

Though it's unclear clearly- vaguely
Very vaguely
Can't say it's been there once and for all

I put back on my overshoes
And got in my renault
The trips reset so i'm unsure
How far it is to go
But then it hits me (slap)
I've left it off my map

There's a city i saw signed something
Must be something
Something never quite so defined

So much so how somewhere something
(though some sing)
So to speak's the uncertain kind

In an index looked up where-it-was
Exactly where it was
Just in fact to make sure i can't

Set a course straight through to where it ain't
And where it ain't
Ain't gotten to except at a slant

I put on my new black boots
And pack up my citroen
And out of town it huffs and puffs
I set off there alone
And then it hits me (slap)
I've left it off my map

There's a place i passed called once upon a time
Tiny once upon a time
Never wasn't weren't what it was

Set the clock back twice or once upon a time
In once upon a time
Never knew when it wasn't there because


15.Benton Harbor Blues (Reprise) (Reprise)

As i try to fill all of my empty days
I stumble round on through my memory's maze
Of all my past, only the sadness stays

I was moping down by the bridge
I rode a bike in the snow to the mini-mart
I thought of the ways that i've broke my own heart

It's not for me to fill the blue sea with tears
But when i think back on all the wasted years
All the good cheer and all of the charm disappears

I wore the exact same clothes for five days
The bailbondsman gave me a smile
I was just thinking of only my sins all the while

As i try to fill all of my empty days
I stumble round on through my memory's maze
Of all my past, only the sadness stays