Challengers

The New Pornographers Challengers Lyrics
1.My Rights Versus Yours

Lyricist:Carl Allan Newman

Under your wheels, the hope of spring
Mirage of loss, a few more things
You left your sorrow dangling
It hangs in air like a school cheer

Complex notes inside the chords
On every wall inflections carved
Deep as lakes and dark as stars
Remember we were the volunteers

Courts knew this and nothing more
Now it's my rights versus yours

Under your wheels, your hopeless reign
You fall too hard, we're up too late
We hang suspended from the heights
Until it's safer to walk here

Under your wheels, your chance is with
The easy call, the called-off search
The medicine, it still won't work
But there's dangerous levels of it here

Same thing as the other time
But now it's your rights versus mine

The truth in one free afternoon
The truth in one free afternoon

Under my wheels the chance is held
Gave me to save me from myself
Spectacles painted with my shaking hand

Fingers in paints, in paints we brought
Thinking we'd leave them when we're not
Flying the flags of new empires in rags
The new empire in rags

The truth in one free afternoon
A new empire in rags
The truth in one free afternoon
A new empire in rags

The truth in one free afternoon
A new empire in rags
The truth in one free afternoon

Under your wheels, the fits and starts
The time to dabble in the arts
To tease the packs of dogs in charge
But kid, it's always still me

Under your wheels, the hope of spring
Mirage of loss, a few more things
The medicine it still won't sing
But there's dangerous levels of it here

Your rights over my rights now
We came to the right place
Your rights over my rights now

Your rights over my rights now
We came to the right place
Your rights over my rights now
Your rights over my rights now


2.All The Old Showstoppers

Lyricist:Carl Allan Newman

When John, he saw the numbers he lied
Made up the whole thing, he failed when he tried
To cash in on his cautious new fame
Always the numbers but never the name

When we hit the numbers we broke
Broken and changed them, changed as we spoke
We knew that we would always be down
Hitting the numbers spun way 'round

And somebody beside you
Slipped your head inside the crown
The princes of the paupers
And all the old showstoppers
Till this moment's still unknown

Siren's songs have tried, too
Yet, she takes you as her own
The princes of the paupers
And all the old showstoppers
Till this moment's still unknown

And when he got the numbers he thought
Thought of his friends who slowed to a halt
Who had questioned to no avail
Some knew the answers, some wouldn't tell

When Gabriel saw the numbers he fell
Fell through the clouds into the great well
But woke up before he hit the ground
No one had noticed still he looked around

And somebody beside you
Slipped your head inside the crown
The princes of the paupers
All the old showstoppers
Till this moment's still unknown

Siren's songs have tried, too
Yet, she takes you as her own
The princes of the paupers
And all the old showstoppers
Till this moment's still unknown

With her hand to guide you
You are nothing if not home
The princes of the paupers
And all the old showstoppers
Till this moment's still unknown


3.Challengers

Lyricist:Carl Allan Newman

Yes I know it's late
We were greeting the sun, before long
And you live with someone
I live with somebody too, leave it there

For safe keeping
One of the west village in plains
That was the custom come dawn

On the walls of the day
In the shade of the sun we wrote down
Another vision of us
We were the challengers of the unknown

â½Be safe', you say
Whatever the mess you are you mind okay
That is the custom come down

Until I see you around
Until we clear the accounts leave it there
Leave it to us
We are the challengers of the unknown


4.Myriad Harbour

Lyricist:Daniel Bejar

I took a plane, I took a train
(Ah, who cares, you always end up in the city)
I said to Carl, look up for one
(See just how the sun sets in the sky)

I said to Jon, do you think the girls here?
(Ever wonder how they got so pretty?)
Oh well I do

Look out upon the Myriad Harbour
Look out upon the Myriad Harbour
Look out upon the Myriad Harbour

All the boys with their home made microphones
(Have very interesting sounds)
All the girls falling to ruin dropping out of school, breaking
daddy's heart
(Just to hang around)

I walked into the local record store and asked for
An American music anthology, it sounds fun
They tore off my skirt, then stuck it on the walls at PS 1

I took a plane, I took a train
(Ah, who cares, you always end up in the city)
Stranded at Bleeker and Broadway
Looking for something to do

Someone somewhere asked me
Is there anything in particular I can help you with?
(All I ever want to help with was you)

Look out upon the Myriad Harbour
Look out upon the Myriad Harbour
Look out upon the Myriad Harbour
Look out upon the Myriad Harbour


5.All The Things That Go To Make Heaven And Earth

Lyricist:Carl Allan Newman

All those things that go to make heaven and this
Midnight, who was a girl
Midnight, who lost control and he found this world

With matter removed of divine dimension
Our time reduced to an honorable mention
This world, which time forgot
This world, it lost control and then saw God

All of the things that go to make heaven and earth are here
All of the things that go to make heaven and earth
Put your new weight in gold and see what it's worth

All of the things that go to make heaven and earth are here
All of the things that go to make heaven and this
Success was survival and kid it still is
Success was survival and kid it still is

Did you think of something He didn't think of?
Crashing into horizons on the brink of success
Success which was survival gone too far

All of the things that go to make heaven and earth are here
All of the things that go to make heaven and earth
Put your new weight in gold and see what it's worth

All of the things that go to make heaven and earth are here
All of the things that go to make heaven and this
Success was survival and kid it still is
Success was survival and kid it still is
Success was survival and kid it still is
Success was survival and kid it still is


6.Failsafe

Lyricist:Carl Allan Newman

Ready to bolt at the first glimpse of failsafe
Signing my checks with a name that's not mine
Clocking the hours that spin round through the tail end
Scolding those hills ahead, we both had a hand in it

You and me both kid
You and me both kid

Raising a flag at the first sign of failsafe
Another red flag and we've lost half the team
I left the game to find you at the pavement
Scolding those hills ahead, we both had a hand in it

You and me both kid
You and me both kid

You and me both kid
You and me both kid
You and me both kid
You and me both kid


7.Unguided

Lyricist:Carl Allan Newman

In every story, every secret told
You are not the first to wake up
To learn your lines before you have the part

You woke up early and you walk up torn
You the temporary boarder
The heat wave humming in the house of cards

You spun chapter into rapture there
Yeah, you were as brave as traffic
You chased the spotlight into her arms

And you forgot that you could file the knot
That you were still the person sleeping
The heat wave humming in the house of cards

A play for the girl, a cross for a hook
Sinking into the green sea wonder
Under the sea, walking the floor
Over the waves, the wheeling thunder

Something's unguided in the sky tonight
There is something unguided in the sky

You wrote yourself into a corner safe
Easy to defend your borders
A fallen saint into a whispered time

Killing time because I have to, why?
Because it isn't mine, remember?
Killing time because it wasn't mine

You're earning your stripes, you're counting the stars
You're winding your barely working watch
You're lucky to be on the land like you are
Lucky you've already become

There is something unguided in the sky tonight
There is something unguided in the sky

And why wait for the weakened state
To lie next to the weaker sex?

And why wait for the weakened state
To lie next to the weaker sex?

You're earning your stripes, you're counting the stars
You're winding your barely working watch
You're lucky to be on the land like you are
Lucky you've already become

There is something unguided in the sky tonight
There is something unguided in the sky

There is something unguided in the sky tonight
There is something unguided in the sky


8.Entering White Cecilia

Lyricist:Daniel Bejar

Cruising the magnetic strip, I seized the ship
I wanted it to be me that was with you
Site unseen shot through with meaning
I ran to the door, looked around
I fell to the floor just to see if it was down there

Your little chorus of angels
Howling, 'What gives in? Hey, what is with you?'
Just look around at how the other half lives
So you did, but you couldn't decide it

Entering white Cecilia, entering white Cecilia
What's eating you tonight? Who cares?
There's a bunch of them
So what if you saw one of them go?

Cruising the magnetic strip, I seized the ship
I wanted it to be me that was with you
Site unseen shot through with meaning
You ran to the door, I fell to the ground
You had a view and the ballroom was down there

Entering white Cecilia, entering white Cecilia
What's eating you tonight? Who cares?
There was a bunch of them
So what if you had one of them go?


9.Go Places

Lyricist:Carl Allan Newman

Yes a heart will always go one step too far
Come the morning and the four corners I see
What the moral of the back story could be?
Come with me, go places

And a heart will always stay one day too long
Always hoping for the hot flashes to come
For the glue to dry on our new creation
Come with me, go places

Come head on, full circle, our arms fill with miracles
Play hearts, kid, they work well
Like classics play aces, stay with me, go places
Once more for the ages

Yes a heart should always go one step too far
Come the morning and the day winding like dreams
Come the morning every week blue shade of green
Come with me, go places

Come head on, full circle, our arms fill with miracles
Play hearts, kid, they work well
Like magic, play aces, stay with me, go places
Once more for the ages

Come one now, come all year, this story breaks free here
Tales from the back pages
From somewhere, Encida Deus ex machina
Good morning, Christina

Come head on, full circle, our path blocked but sure we'll
Make records, then set them
Make copies, win races, stay with me, go places
Once more for the ages


10.Mutiny, I Promise You

Lyricist:Carl Allan Newman

Sweetheart, I was trapped in transit my lost ride
When your wild eye wandered here
Lady go out by the sweetheart tree but don't let go
It's how my friend history here made me

What's the weight of the world worth to ya, kid?
Go write down what you see and see how far it can go
What's the weight of the world worth to your side?
Here is where you got lost and here is how you got by

And here's the mutiny I promised you
And here's the party it turned into

Heartbeat, you abandoned searches, your lost ride
You're in my lost country now lady
Sweethearts in the crosstown wild you don't let go
To the new live history goes with me

What's the weight of the world worth to ya, kid?
Go write down what you see and see how far it can go
What's the weight of the world worth to your side?
Here is where you got lost and here is how you got by

And here's the mutiny I promised you
And here's the party it turned into
Here's the mutiny I promised you
And here's the moment it turned into

And here's the moment it turned into
And here's the moment it turned into
Here's the moment it turned into

Sweethearts on the green, flung pistols in high tide
Like my friend history here told me
Clear-skied when the clear eye opened
My new moon to the new land, won't you come with me?

What's the weight of the world worth to ya, kid?
Go write down what you see and see how far it can go
What's the weight of the world worth to your side?
Here is where you got lost and here is how you got by

And here's the mutiny I promised you
And here's the party it turned into
And here's the mutiny I promised you
And here's the moment it turned into


11.Adventures In Solitude

Lyricist:Carl Allan Newman

Balancing on one wounded wing
Circling the edge of the never ending
The best of the vanished marvels
Have gathered inside your door

More than begin but less than forget
But spirits born from the not happened yet
Gathering there to pay off a debt
Brought back from the wars

We thought, we lost you
We thought, we lost you
We thought, we lost you
Welcome back

Sleeping for years, pick through what is left
Through the pieces that fell and rose from the depth
From the rainwater well deep as a secret nobody knows

Less than forget but more than begun
These adventures in solitude never done
To the names of our wounds
We send the same blood back from the wars

We thought, we lost you
We thought, we lost you
We thought, we lost you
It will all come back

I know you want to run far away
From one more and that it's comin' at a bad time
Some cold place heartless ways for all we know

I know you need to breathe through
Come back, come too but it's comin' at a bad time
Tangled day for all we know

I know you want to run far away from one more
And that's comin' at a bad time
Some cold race heartless ways for all we know

I know you want to breathe through
Come back, come too but it's comin' at a bad time
Old scarred face survivor's guilt, for all we know


12.The Spirit Of Giving

Lyricist:Daniel Bejar

You went looking for shelter in all the wrong spaces
You grew gluttonous and famous with faces
Nameless and blank, superstitiously you name them

St. Christopher and Johanna
St. Christopher and Johanna
St. Christopher and Johanna

Overcome with the holiday spirit
Mark says the Herald angels won't hear it
And remember the wolves
That you run with are wolves, don't forget

They exist to give you something to regret
I'll beat them to it

With something sadder than that brass portrait
That shines through your morning din
Something sadder than that brass portrait
That shines through your morning din

I'll give you something to be sad about
Hey, the picture really captures your mouth
Poised to say, it's your turn to go down now

It's your turn to go down now
It's your turn to go down now
It's your turn to go down now
In the spirit of giving in

Glad prayer Mary come on
Glad prayer Mary come on
Glad prayer Mary come on

All I wanted was an answer to the secret
Ground floor Mary come on, outboard Mary come on
All I wanted was an answer to

Your money or your life? Your money or your life?
I was sick of America and her screaming decay
I was in a band we were singing 'Hooray' quite often

But your momma was poor, your daddy was poor
What you gonna do?
Your mother was poor, your father was poor
What you gonna do about it?

Glad prayer Mary come on
Glad prayer Mary come on
Glad prayer Mary come on
...


13.Silent Systems


Words down this crystal lane*
Spread like long shadows through
One law friend to the rich
The next one no one knew
Hung for a sheep or lamb
Our hero knocks but once
One knock worth two pressed men
Our doors burst open then

Silent systems breaking down
Over the windows in my soul
We'll now betray this design
This old house and broken home
Silent systems breaking down
Silent systems breaking down

Mind your days in the sun
Secret until you're told
Silent in your consent
Gold in your chest this went
On horseback and hellbound
Son until he takes a wife
Our friend spun silver voice
Reflects upon his choice

Lost in the telling found
Inside the lion's den
Our hero in his church
Reflects upon his end
Kneel down upon this flame
But do not speak or follow
New logs but no new laws
Lost in this ancient cause

Silent systems breaking down
Arrow pare right on my soul
Share this certain favorite sign
And restore his rightful home
Silent systems breaking down
Silent systems breaking down
Silent systems breaking down
Silent systems breaking down


14.Fortune


There's a straight line between suburbia and graveyards*
And as we wander zigzag, short mysteries on our side
Then she reads them to me as we lunch on Sunday
Picnic baskets on the grave of Lola Montez

Bingo games and black lights
Apocalyptic, walking
Apologies accepted, spurred by sure design
Something fled on Henry(?)
Blazing blue down Cobb Street
We surround it, singing
(???)

I was the lucky one, too
I was the lucky one all the same
I was saved
In the summer of my (???) flame/fame(?)
I rock myself in its arms, forgiven
In the face of fortune

And with the lucky one, too
And with a broken heart, broke apart
Into pieces that were sold as art
I had to rock myself into famous places
To replace my fortune
To replace my fortune
To replace my fortune

A dance, we turn on rest here
Left like breadcrumbs for you
Dropped from these skyscrapers
Pieces from (???)

Apocryphal and shining
Come the new crop circles
Our avenging angels
Singing in a secret code

I was the lucky one, too
I was the lucky one all the same
In the summer of my (???) flame(?)
I had to rock myself in its arms, forgiven
In the face of fortune

And with the lucky one, too
And with a broken heart, broke apart
Into pieces that were sold as art
I had to rock myself into famous places
To replace my fortune
I had to rock myself into famous places
To replace my fortune
I had to rock myself into famous places
To replace my fortune
I had to rock myself into famous places
To replace my fortune