awake but half in slumber
both strangers who have shut ourselves away
we’re unencumbered
with no real contact getting in the way
we keep it secret
indulge our curiosity for play
no need to speak it
we can type the words we’re too ashamed to say
and lead our hearts astray
just wasting time till we hear the sound
that takes us out of the underground
renew our minds and become ourselves again
let’s leave the ways that have held us down
the sins and crimes that we dragged around
let’s find a way to be human once again
resigned to our stagnation
we’re sense deprived and craving something new
no complications
we’re only letting distant signals through
it’s all distraction
we take the pointless as our point of view
ourselves abstractions
what matters is what seems and not what’s true
but that’s not me and you
just wasting time till we hear the sound
that takes us out of the underground
renew our minds and become ourselves again
we need a place where we all belong
but won’t give in just to get along
why don’t we to try to be human once again?
I choose to believe
that honest songs still can reach us
that songs can make us feel
like we’ve rediscovered love
our hunger never sated
we lurk for hours to feed our appetites
of course we’re jaded
we witness casual cruelty day and night
it’s all around us
we can sink under the wave without a fight
and let it drown us
‘cause who can figure out what’s wrong and right
with all extremes in sight?
just wasting time till we hear the sound
that takes us out of the underground
renew our minds and become ourselves again
‘cause we’re not fools and we won’t be pawns
we’re not machines or automatons
we just need to be human once again
Released in 2001, “The Convincer” is a gentle gem in the Nick Lowe catalog; an anniversary edition provides opportunity for rediscovery. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 20, 2021