modern living

[[ the whole thing is silly, a bad action movie script in a song - any part of it could be deleted or mixed and matched elsewhere ]] 

= = = = =

[[ sounds like a health regimen at first (take the stairs) or a home design magazine, but... no, it's how to take a building? what's going on? be vague -- words are pictures, noise ]]

skip the elevator

take the stairway

stay alive
for one more day

keep your head down

blow a mouse hole 

step next door
for rock and roll

door to door

wall to wall

floor to floor

modern living

= = = = =

[[ now we are in "the call is coming from inside the house" territory ]]

we could be underground

we could be on the air

we could be one small sound

we could be on the stair

we could be one old man

we could be in the trees

we could be on the phone

we could be all the bees

= = = = =

[[ escalation - scary guys threatening to do bad stuff  ]]

what if we watch every keystroke you make?

what if we hear every word?

what if we told all your enemies about you?

what if we heard? what if we heard? 

what if your package blew up in your face?

what if your home is on fire?

what if your family vanished forever?

what if we slip through the wire?

= = = = = 

[[ scary guys taunting their watchers ]]

you think you got us all?

we smell your dinner cooking (you need a new cook)

we see your curtain moving (peek-a-boo)

we hear your faucet dripping (I know a good plumber)

we feel the cloth she's wearing (good material)

we lick the lipstick (now we're licking your lips)

you cannot warthog

or predator us gone

now everyone has

a bomb and a drone

you like to watch us?

are you listening?

are we in Pine Gap?

or in Alice Springs?

go out to walk and  

watch the dust

in the evening

move in the evening

move in the evening

= = = = =

[[ scary guys taunting their watchers ]]

sink into the city

building by building

stairwell by stairwell

running down

sink into the city

down to the asphalt

down to the river 

flowing through

[[ contradictory images -- scary guys shot up or controlled by others or walking away or unreal? -- ambiguity is the point ]]

watch a puppet body

shaking on strings

watch a puppet body 

shake and walk away

this is a world 

we must move

to and through 

and from and under

to and through 

and from and under

to and through 

and from and under

to and through 

and from and under

= = = = = 

= = = = = 

listening song

[[ Surveillance society. ]]

Do you hear the whir

in the night air, children?

In the glow of 

an infrared picture evening?

The wash of a thousand

watching things watching?

This is the sound of the 

listening.

This is the sound of 

the great going wrong.

This is the sound of

the final song.

Mr Jones 

coils

in your toilet

Mr Jones 

crawls 

up your walls

Mr Jones 

hmmms above 

your love 

Mr Jones

is the whir of drones

Mr Jones
knows your bones

don't look away

they can't walk away?

you can't look away.

they can't walk away?

you can't look away.

you standing there?

get that phone in the air  

don't give it up ..

don't be scared ...

don't give it up ...

catch every word ...

rumble the numbers

from all of those badges

record the order

of all of those punches

man can't walk away?

you can't look away.

don't look away

but don't talk ...

to the cops ...

and don't look away

don't talk ...

to the cops ...

and don't look away

winding up the watch

[[ song for a censor ]]

I know you're listening

I know you're watching

I know you're fumbling 

at your crotch

Volunteered for this gig

Pretend you're a prig

but we know, we know, we know

you like to watch

Do you like 

what I'm doing now, 

mister lonely?

Do you wish 

you could click that button

and phone me?

But that would be contact

And you can't redact the fact

when we know, we know, we know

you like to watch