We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Mother Transit Authority

by Don Paris Schlotman

/
1.
Writer 03:34
lyrics
buy track
Don't give your love to a writer They only wanna short trip In your shoes Don't make a start With a journalist of the heart Unless you wanna feel like front page news Don't give yourself to a painter You never know which palette They’ll use With brushes and a knife They’ll draw their art straight from your life But the perspective always skews I gave my heart to a butcher Had her cut the thinnest slice She put the rest in the freezer And marked it down to half price Don’t give your soul to a preacher They never think your life's Yours to choose With sermons of fire Commanding a heavenly choir And they never take any excuse I gave my love to a gambler She put it all down on black The wheel spun round and round The bets all hit the ground But the house never pays you back Don’t give your love to a singer They’ll only throw it right back On your shoes With notebook and pen Words break your heart all over and over and over again And you think the song’s about you You think the song is all about you
2.
Coney 02:36
lyrics
buy track
The Wheel goes round and round And what comes up must come down So take a chance You never know You may win the biggest prize In the freak show The brass ring’s out of reach And we’re out of things to teach So come on down And pay the fare To get frightened in the dark Or go flying through the air So much history In the boardwalk So much mystery In your sweet talk Assault and battery Of the subtle kind But it’s like the lottery You’re never gonna win Unless you step in line See that Kewpie Doll Watch that sucker fall You think he's outta luck But you never know at all He may win the biggest prize In that carnie’s stall Walkin' hand in hand Past the one man band The roller rink and the cotton candy stand And I can see it in your eyes I can hear it in your sighs I think we won the biggest prize In the freak show The Wheel goes round and round And what comes up must come down So step right up You never know You may win the biggest prize In the freak show
3.
Lower the Gravity 03:20
lyrics
buy track
Turn off the telescreen Ignore the latest feeds Slow down half speed Lower the gravity Let’s take off tonight Slowly add density We're passing satellites Lower the gravity Lower the gravity And come and dance with me Lower the gravity Pretend we’re all alone In the whole galaxy Ignore Mission Control Lower the gravity Lower the gravity And come and dance with me Lower the gravity We'll watch the planets rise Spinning through galaxies My how time flies Lower the Gravity Stuck here in this tin can No one but you and me We’ll make our stand Lower the gravity The sky from above Such a sight to see There’s nothing but love Lower the gravity Lower the gravity And come and dance with me Lower the gravity Lower the gravity
4.
Problem 02:12
lyrics
buy track
I don’t know what is wrong with me Must be a problem with my chemistry Maybe I just need some therapy To help with this dependen- – cy– cy See, I gotta problem – see – see – see - see See, I gotta problem My mouth is dry and my hands are wet I can’t remember but I can’t forget Just a little, all that I can get 'Cause I’m breakin in a cold cold – sweat – sweat See, I gotta problem – see – see – see - see See, I gotta problem I can't get it on the radio I can'ta get it from the video My problem don’t leave a mark on me But the side effects are so easy to – see – see – see - see See, I gotta problem! – see – see – see - see See, I gotta problem! – see – see – see - see See, I gotta problem! It’s not a problem, I can quit any time! It’s not a problem I can quit any time! It’s not a problem, I can quit any time! It’s not a problem I can quit any time! It’s not a problem, I can quit any time! It’s not a problem I can quit any time!
5.
The Color of Morning 05:15
lyrics
buy track
It’s the color of morning After a night without end The kiss of a stranger The secrets of a friend It’s a bruise when it’s forming Or a cut that won’t mend It's your very last dollar That you can’t even spend It’s the blood on the highway The cold hand on a switch The fear of a small town As they burn another witch The color of mourning Or a letter not sent The package on your doorstep Hides your truest intent It’s that ring on your finger And all the money you spent So pray to your Jesus To sing this lament When we came together So much more than a spark So is it surprising? I woke up in the dark The true color of springtime And the rules you can’t bend That shape in your closet No matter how you pretend This is a song about nightmares And violence that you defend This is a song about love No matter how you pretend This is a song about love No matter how you pretend
6.
Continue The Trend 02:43
lyrics
buy track
Ages and ages ago Something crawled from the slime Despite evolution We all return at times There's nothing much different Although the players have changed The rules stay consistent And we stay deranged Sometimes you play predator And sometimes you're the prey We're all just like dinosaurs No matter what you say Look at the caveman With simple tools of stone is he so different? From what we feel in our bones So try to remember As you're runnin' up that hill You don't need a deal with God To feed me that pill Cause we all change places Years of trying on shoes The ape lives within me The ape's within you Despite evolution Despite our big brains We get what we give what we get This simple refrain And we continue the trend The song never ends Round and round the bend And we do it again And we continue the trend The song never ends Round and round the bend And we do it again And we continue the trend The song never ends Round and round the bend And then we do it again
7.
Carpe Diem 04:04
lyrics
buy track
Know you’re less than flattered But my mind is all but shattered Over you Just wanna see your face Not makin' plans for future days With you Got no expectations For family vacations I swear it’s true We’re both here on the same front lines We may as well enjoy our time What say you? My confidence is sinkin' And I just return to drinkin' Over you I know I’ve blown my cover But I want to be your lover It’s so true Sorry I misconstrued With my persistent attitude Toward you Not asking for forever Just tonight or whenever Alone with you Please don’t pull away Please don’t pull away Please don’t pull away Just seize the day Now some will call me lazy But we've been bustin' ass like crazy So much to do Is it such a crime To waste a little time Just me and you I know you‘ll laugh and scoff But let’s take the evening off Nothing to do Share a moment of tender bliss What’s the biggest harm in this? What say you? Please don’t pull away Please don’t pull away Please don’t pull away Just seize the day Please don’t pull away Please don’t pull away Please don’t pull away Just seize the day
8.
So Satisfied 04:24
lyrics
buy track
Everybody gotta go Everybody gotta go sometime Everybody gotta go Don’t go along for the ride Lazily sinking in Into that rising tide Remember when you go You gotta be so satisfied Aw now baby Love to see you by my side Oh now honey Give me a glow I just can’t hide I'm down on my knees Damn this foolish pride No matter what you say Ya gotta be so satisfied Everybody learned to walk On this I have not lied Everybody learned to talk Show what they feel inside Gotta get on your feet Don't be troubled by what's died No matter you do You gotta be so satisfied I'm so satisfied! I'm so satisfied! Ya gotta be so satisfied! Everybody gotta go We all gotta go sometime Everybody gotta go Don’t just go along for the ride Everybody gotta go Don’t go along for the ride... Everybody all aboard! Ride to the end of the line Everybody all aboard! Show what you feel inside Get up on your feet Damn your foolish pride Everybody gotta go And you gotta stay satisfied No matter what you do Ya gotta be so satisfied No matter what you say You got me so satisfied!
9.
Missed Connections 03:52
lyrics
buy track
You’d lost your breath As you dashed onto the train You check yourself And telecast your pain I caught my breath Then quickly looked away Get on get off And get back on again These missed connections We check but no one’s there Just dim reflections And half-vacant stares This book I’m reading You know it oh so well Your style is bleeding And you know it oh so well So well! We should be dancing! We should be dancing! We should be dancing! We should be dancing! It’s almost morning When you cast your net Without a warning I know I won’t forget... These Missed Connections! These Missed Connections! These Missed Connections! These Missed Connections!
10.
Birds 05:48
lyrics
buy track
Sometimes words escape from my mouth Untamed birds flying through an open window A flock of pigeons in hues of washed-out soot And on occasion a solitary snowy crane Or millions of annoying little songbirds heralding the dawn I once watched a murder of crows Bring the night down with their cacophony A noise that knows you far, far too well and preys on the light Or the red, red robin alone on a telephone wire With a song and dance of desperation For no one in particular A wise old barn owl who has no idea What's he hooting about The swallow-tailed kite, the lucky bluebird of spring The thrush in the brush, the rush of restless wings Sometimes words, they fly out of my mouth Untamed birds flying through an open window
11.
The Haunting 03:19
lyrics
buy track
Eleanor.... Eleanor.... Eleanor.... Eleanor.... You finally came home Eleanor.... Can’t you see that I am the house That you were made for? Board by board Stone by stone I’ll keep you dry and I'll keep you warm So glad to see you in my happy home There’s no more need for you to be alone Eleanor.... Eleanor.... Eleanor.... Eleanor.... You finally came home Eleanor.... Can’t you see that I am the house That you were made for? I rattle my chains I drive you insane You say you sleep on the left side 'Cause it wears your heart out faster Eleanor.... Eleanor.... Eleanor.... Eleanor....
12.
Brutality in Custody 03:25
lyrics
buy track
Arrest my heart Capture my soul Lock me away No hope for parole Put me behind bars Throw out the key Save me from myself Please capture me Come rough me up I’m beggin' you please Bust up my lip Bring me to my knees Force me to confess To everything I’ll say what you want Just make me sing I did the crime Freely admit it here I’ll do my time Have no fear Cause I’m a thief But it don't pay Arrest my heart Lock me away Arrest my heart Arrest my heart Arrest my heart Lock me away
13.
Dig! 03:35
lyrics
buy track
Cut-and-cover fifty feet underground We're like your mama 'cause we're all over town Workin' nights & weekends; can't bring us down Foreman cracks the whip "Don't give me so much lip!" You gotta dig! Dig! Diggin' tunnels so the pussy can flow Blood and money mixin' way down below Stop your whinin' 'cause your train's runnin' slow Ya got simply no idea What we go through down here! You gotta dig! Dig! One more mile it sounds like a cinch Fightin' tooth-n-nail just to go a whole inch We mine for gold but we die in this ditch Dig! You gotta dig! "Put yer back into it 'm losin' all hope. You love to goof off like yer mama loves dope. You got me hangin' on the end of my rope" Boss says we so damn slow But he should know We gotta dig! Dig! We gotta dig! Dig! Cut-and-cover fifty feet underground We're like your mama 'cause we're all over town Nights & weekends but you can't bring us down Foreman cracks the whip "Don't give me so much lip!" You gotta dig! You gotta dig! Dig! You gotta dig!
14.
Adrift on the Open Main 04:05
lyrics
buy track
Th' storm rent asunder As the lighting plundered Our ship in the dead o' the sea Waves crash through walls As the mizzenmast falls Our Lady struck down in calamity The frigate's been fragged And the crew's beyond shagged And the Captain is losing his voice We’ve lost half our wheel And most of our keel Direction no longer a choice     Adrift on the open main     I hope to see your face again      Some sweet day! The first mate is grumbling And our stomachs have stopped rumbling The Captain is losing his sight No sign of land And we’re well out of hand "There will be mutiny tonight!"     Adrift on the open main     I hope to see your face again     Adrift on the open main     I hope to see your face again      Some sweet day!      Some sweet day! “Away from those lifeboats You yellow-bellied turncoats! I’m not going down with the ship!” But the captain’s remarks Fell on the deaf ears of sharks As we took off and gave him the slip     Adrift on the open main     I hope to see your face again     Adrift on the open main     I hope to see your face again      Some sweet day!      Some sweet day!      Some sweet day!      Some sweet day!

about

Mother Transit Authority: inspired by thoughts of how a city - New York City specifically - is an organism. The transportation and communication systems are the circulatory and nervous systems, people are cells. The city is pregnant with creativity.

credits

released April 1, 2011

All songs ©2011 Don Paris Schlotman
Produced and engineered by E.W. Harris
Co-produced by Don Paris Schlotman
Cover design by Krista Froesch & Don Paris Schlotman

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Don Paris Schlotman image

Don Paris Schlotman Brooklyn, New York

Don Paris Schlotman is a Brooklyn-based solo musician.

The seventh son of a lightning bolt and a mountain lion. Plays music the way some people fall over. His artificial left eye can see 4 seconds into the future.

Past:
bass in neo-noir band Toshio; bass/synth in Brian Bonz & The Major Crimes; guitar and vocals in Dolphins Don't Love; bass and vocals in The Sky Captains of Industry; more ... more

contact / help

Contact Don Paris Schlotman

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Redeem code

Report this album or account

Don Paris Schlotman recommends:

If you like Don Paris Schlotman, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Fabiana Palladino stops by to talk about her mesmeric debut LP.
listen now