Music

I have been using these ears all my life

Heard both the river and trucks rushing by

I’ve heard how the girls giggle at first

And then whisper and burst into laughter

And boy do I know the sound of a blow-up

And the ringing of a slap right after

But hear hear, this sounds like fun

I wanna spend all day this way

Just lying on the floor

Just lying on the floor

Your sister is ugly and mean, that’s the truth

We’re not supposed to be here in her room

But there’s no way to run, our bodies are numb

And we still have a B-side to cover

I don’t know the words but I know that it hurts

All the way from one head to the other

And hear hear, my heart beats fast

I wanna be like them some day

I’m lying on the floor

Just lying on the floor

Just lying on the floor

Hear hear, that must be life

And it goes yeah-yeah-yeah

And it goes yeah-yeah-yeah

Words and music by Ida Gard

Take this gift

Take it and turn it into magic

Merge with it

Keep it safe up in the attic

You were born in the snow

Taught to be cold

Meant to be warm

But you had to hold on

In the slow nights

You were all alone

You’ll be a fire! But you don’t know it yet

You’ll be a fire! You just don’t see it

I can tell it by the way you light up, it’s overdue

You’re a fire and your flames are bright blue

I’m not the one

With electricity inside

You’ll switch on

And we’ll see particles collide

And I’ll be the one who once knew you

And that’s something too

You were born in the snow

Taught to be cold

Meant to be warm

But you had to hold on

In the slow nights

You were all alone

You’ll be a fire! But you don’t know it yet

You’ll be a fire! You just don’t see it

I can tell it by the way you light up, it’s overdue

You’re a fire and your flames are bright blue

I can’t become a true fire like you

Cannot become a burning blue fire like you

But I can become another color, another fire

Keep the fire burning, burning, higher, higher

And whatever happens there will still be

Flames and colors left in Sweden

You’ll be a fire! But you don’t know it yet

You’ll be a fire! You just don’t see it

I can tell it by the way you light up, it’s overdue

You’re a fire and your flames are bright blue

Words and music by Ida Gard

Iron man, metal mother

Would you mind if I was a kick inside you?

Well I’m a man, mother

I’ll keep growing

One day you’re gonna have to burst

Womb!

Time flies by quickly, quickly

Sounds like Womb!

Time flies by quickly, quickly

Sounds like Womb!

Don’t you hear it in the ground and all around us?

Womb! Womb! Womb! Womb!

Iron man, your stiff shoulders

I’ll fill them and break the mold open for you

Metal crash, hollow

Do you see this bigger, better, brand new me?

Womb!

Time flies by quickly, quickly

Sounds like Womb!

Time flies by quickly, quickly

Sounds like Womb!

Don’t you hear it in the ground and all around us?

Womb! Womb! Womb! Womb!

Look at me now

Look at these huge hands

Look at my genitals

Wow …

Womb!

Time flies by quickly, quickly

Sounds like Womb!

Time flies by quickly, quickly

Sounds like Womb!

Don’t you hear it in the ground and all around us?

Womb! Womb! Womb! Womb!

Words and music by Ida Gard

Underneath the surface of the city

We’re all enlisted

Any blond-haired boy who’s from this city

Will go there

Far below this redbrick row of houses

We are an army

Any blue-eyed boy who’s from these houses

Will know where

To the woods, that’s where we go

Are you in or do you run?

In the woods, life is a battle

Do you win or are you done?

Do you run, do you run, do you run?

Like a wolf you flee into the forest

They’re right behind you

Hear the voices pellet through the forest

You’re home soon

To the woods, that’s where we go

Are you in or do you run?

In the woods, life is a battle

Do you win or are you done?

Do you run, do you run, do you run?

And do you weep?

And do you fight?

And do you hide?

And do you kill?

And do you cry?

And do you bleed?

And do you run?

Or do you?

Words and music by Ida Gard

How can someone be so soft?

Vittula …

Then with one touch become hard as a rock

Vittula …

I’m the key and you’re the lock

I won’t tell anyone anything

Like how we got undressed

In the changing room

How our lips turned blue

And how I changed you

If girls walk in circles

Would you come back soon?

I miss you

How can something feel so good?

Vittula …

If most of it you’ve completely misunderstood

Vittula …

I think you should go to Hollywood

I won’t tell anyone anything

Like how you left me there

In the parking lot

How my cheeks were hot

But my heart was not

If girls walk in circles

Would you come back soon?

I miss you

What did I do

That made you turn to stone

Between my hands?

Or did I say something I shouldn’t have said?

Whatever it is you’ve got to let me know

Or I’ll do it over and over and over and over …

I won’t tell anyone anything

I won’t tell anyone anything

But how could you be snow cold

When you’d been completely different

Just a second earlier

Did I hurt you?

Vittula …

There’s a million words I would have said

If you’d told me what went wrong inside you

And there’s a million things I could have changed

If I’d known that I should

Vittula

Words and music by Ida Gard

I live a mile from the center of town

Right where the woods begin

I ride a yellow bike to go

And buy my groceries and stuff

I go on Mondays

I didn’t pick this dress

The boys refuse to look me straight in the eye

I think they’re scared of me

Even the gravel gets the shivers

When they knock on my door

There’s coffee waiting

I didn’t pick this dress

But I’m comfortable in it

I didn’t ask for this

But I’ll take what I’m given

They both smell like soap

Mmm …

I am nobody if she’s not here

I am nobody if she’s not here

I live a mile from the center of town

Right where the woods begin

Prefer the company of

Memory and thought

We sit in silence

The boys tell us things

They don’t want us to know

They let us in

Where no one’s allowed to go

I’m behind his face

That’s my hiding place

I have nowhere else to go

I’ll tell them all they need to know

Then I will go back inside him

Prison

I’ll wait for someone else to show up

One who’s all set and ready

To take me in

He will hold me for a thousand years

I am nobody if he’s not here

Right where the woods begin is where I will be

If you should need me

Words and music by Ida Gard

Wanna come with me to China?

That’s where the world ends, that’s where I want to go

What your mommy says, who cares!

She doesn’t have to know

So you’re scared to leave the playground

Do as you like but I won’t wait, no!

Just jump on the bus and we’re off

There’s no one around to say: Stop

Do you see, the trees are changing?

The road’s got a brand new leather jacket on

And the back seat’s ours to rule

It’s meant for having fun

All the Germans feed us candy

This, my friend, is life when you’re on the run!

Just hand them a lie and we’re off

There’s no one around to say: Stop

Follow the chopsticks, hurry up, go!

We don’t belong but they don’t know

Follow the soy sauce, go!

We don’t belong but they don’t know

Look at that, we’re on an airplane!

Service is great, they gave us Apfel Juice

And some crayons too

Whoo-hoo! Now who could have the blues?

If they ask you any questions

Don’t say a word just smile and keep cool

If they look away once, then we’re off

There’s no one around to say: Stop

Just point at some guy and say: Dad

Whatever it takes to get to China

Follow the chopsticks, hurry up, go!

We don’t belong but they don’t know

Follow the soy sauce, go!

We don’t belong but they don’t know

They don’t know, they don’t know

Words and music by Ida Gard

Here he comes

Hear his healing words

I was in the darkness, nothing did I see

Till that little boy spoke to me

And I saw

That I should not fear

There is but one language we all need to speak

And that little boy spoke to me

In a language

Sounding sweet and clear

Unfamiliar words were tickling my ears

When that little boy spoke to me

And my ears

Heard the angels weep

He shall live forever and eternally

That little boy who spoke to me

Amo estas la nura amiko

And he said:

There is no time to dwell on mistakes

Love is the only answer you will ever need

Close your eyes and you will see

Close your eyes and you will see

Words and music by Ida Gard

I’m the secret path and you’re the road

I’m hiding things that you would show

I don’t like it when you ask me things I wouldn’t know

I’m the reason we need to go

By now your mom and dad have gone to bed

I doubt they’d notice if you got a ride with me instead

I will take you ‘cross the bridge, far into the night

Oh, my father’s really rich, and I do this all the time

Fasten your seat belt, boy

We’re going to Vittula

We’re going to Vittula

Vittula

You’re the virgin and I’m a dog

My fluorescent skin is only a danger to your heart

I’ll confuse you with my smile, then I’ll look away

You can touch me if you like, but that won’t make me stay

I don’t like it when you throw emotions my way

I’m a creature the Devil made

Words and music by Ida Gard

You say I’m worth nothin’

Unless I’m in a trap

I gotta mind where I’m steppin’

Cause one of these days

There will be a gap

Ooh, out of nowhere

I wanna stay alive

I just know that some day

It’s gonna take me by surprise

I’m a rocking rodent

I’m a rocking rodent

I’m a rocking rodent

Just a rocking rodent

Now he’s gonna pay you

Ten cents for a tail

Well I gotta tell you

You can’t buy your way out of Hell

I’m a rocking rodent

I’m a rocking rodent

I’m a rocking rodent

Just a rocking rodent

My work is done

Now where’s that slimy paycheck

I must go on even though it makes me sick

I’m just doing my job, cleaning up

Mice are money to me

All mice are money to me

Mice are money to me

All mice are money

I’m a rocking rodent

I’m a rocking rodent

I’m a rocking rodent

Just a fucking rodent

Words and music by Ida Gard

Bring it on!

Cold water, hot stone is all I need

To prove you wrong

Feel it burning

When the waves make their attack

And the sweat comes trickling, kisses your back

And you feel like giving up

I’ll tell them

Bring it on!

My skin has been hardened by hard work

Unlike anyone

From where you’re from

Now my lips taste like will power

And my nostrils sense the scent of a coward

You feel like giving up

I tell you

You can’t beat the heat, the heat

But to conquer me you must breathe into it

Like a rare disease, the heat

Brings you to your knees, the heat

The heat, the heat, the heat

Turn it up!

That sizzling sound of broken pride

Hey Lamb Chop

You getting tender?

So let’s get this over with

It’s another minute more till you quit

This time you’ve met your match

I tell you

You can’t beat the heat, the heat

But to conquer me you must breathe into it

Like a rare disease, the heat

Brings you to your knees, the heat

The heat, the heat, the heat

Words and music by Ida Gard

You have told this story many times before

You have told this story many times before

Now we’re striding through the snow

The feeling grows, the time has come

The mountain rises, the sky is

Painted orange by the sun

You have told this story many times before

But it has never crossed your mind

Who the victims were, of your sacrifice

It’s you! It’s you!

When you constantly walk uphill

You cannot see how far you’ve gone

You built the altar, cut the wood

We followed you like proper sons

And you say you’d never sacrifice your kids

But that is all you’ve ever done

Don’t you call it God, blame the guilty one

It’s you! It’s you!

We have been the sons of Isak long enough

We are two more than you

Do you give up?

Words and music by Ida Gard

This is my house

These are my spoons

I own these flies

They love your soup

Look at me, child

Lend me your breath

I want to slip

Inside your head

This is an ending I don’t wanna recognize

It’s only an ending, it don’t mean I have to die

I hold my tongue

They cannot know

That I’m still here

I said I’d go

My precious boy

With eyes that see

The flesh and bones

I used to be

This is an ending I don’t wanna recognize

It’s only an ending, it’s not like I have to die

Some people don’t need more than one goodbye

But I keep pretending that I am still alive

I cannot sleep

‘Cause you keep me up at night

I hear you weep

So I stay by your bedside

Gently kiss your cheek

And hope to secretly

Steal your life

If this is an ending …

If this is an ending, then it’s an open kind

Words and music by Ida Gard

Now there’s no one who can help

I am up here by myself

In this social suicide, called rock ‘n’ roll

Bet the boys will have a laugh

When my voice breaks right in half

With my throat stuck to the wire of a microphone

Staring at the curtain, it’s a dirty one

But the world is waiting on the other side

My body is an amplifier and I’m a string

Pick on me, people, pick on me

My nerves are taking us higher and out of key

And my hands are shaking uncontrollably

Is it already over?

Is it already over?

Words and music by Ida Gard