1. |
Reprise ft. Paul Gordon
00:58
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An entertainer at heart, his name is Buck Bowen
He helps the others embrace, reason and skepticism
And to think critical, thru music art and lit
Truth Before Comfort, you’re going to love this shit
Oooooooo his name is Buck Bowen
Ooooooo his name is Buck Bowen
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2. |
The Adult Table
02:21
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Let's be sincere in our questions, honest in our answers
Open minded and respectful in our manners
At the adult table take a seat
People deserve respect, they deserve dignity
Because they're humans, not because of their beliefs
So when you're at the table, with adults talkin'
No belief is sacred no subject is off topic
You may not believe it
But here adults can share ideas without getting heated
Cause if you yell, call names, or use threats
Go back to the kid's table, where you get spoon fed
We welcome questioning, we think wonder's good
Seek first to understand, then be understood
You want to hang with us, come sit and listen
But understand no belief's immune to criticism
Whether religion, philosophy, or politics
At the adult table you can discuss all of it
But if you like to bully or get upset and pissed
You shall be seated with the rest of the kids
Let's be sincere in our questions, honest in our answers
Open minded and respectful in our manners
At the adult table take a seat
Come have a conversation with me
You can raise your voice or you can raise your words
You can talk over others or you can take your turn
You can throw a fit or spit insults
Or you can, grow up and come and join the adults
There's no need for you to ridicule
Unless you're immature and haven't graduated middle school
So what you gonna choose?
To dive deep into topics, or belly flop in the kiddie pool?
If you came to mock and shame or play the Gotcha game
I got news for you this is not the place
For that type of behavior
If you can't keep your cool then you need to move to the kid's table
Cause where we sit, there's no heated debate
Only grown ups who can peacefully engage
So if you're with non-confrontation conversation
We adults are waitin'
Let's be sincere in our questions, honest in our answers
Open minded and respectful in our manners
At the adult table take a seat
Come have a conversation with me
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3. |
Pull Your Own Strings
02:15
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You say manic Monday, I say Tuesday Eve
And I don’t let my mood swing based on what you think
I live a life dictated by the thoughts of others?? Please
I could never give over the key to a person who doesn’t even know… Me
That’s where the difference lies
You guise it as a kindness blindly being victimized
While I, don’t tolerate that type of treatment
People only treat you and behave to you in ways you teach them
That’s worth a repeat
In every interaction ask yourself how do I teach others to treat me
Cause often you’ll see
People don’t suck you’ve just allowed them to pull on your strings
Are you a victim, who is choosin’
To complain and make excuses
If this is You then stop what you’re doin’
It’s time to pull your own strings now get to it
If you want more demand more, what do You stand for?
Whether you think you can or can’t either way you’re right
So why? Do you choose a losing attitude
You’ll never get where you want with your negative thoughts attacking…
You, often get what you expect
So do you expect the best or neglect and disrespect?
We love fulfilling our own prophecies
You’ll notice how you’re so good at predicting when You’ll not succeed
It’s not an accident, we like to bitch about our problems
And to solve them means we’d have to, quit
It’s funny how we don’t see
Our own deeds often entangle us in our own strings
Are you a victim, who is choosin’
To complain and make excuses
If this is You then stop what you’re doin’
It’s time to pull your own strings now get to it
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4. |
Achieve Mode
03:00
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There’s four basic reasons people don’t have goals
The first one’s Fear, huh, what do ya know?
There’s fear of success and of failure but here’s the deal
It’s all False Evidence Appearing Real
Number two, poor self-image
Cause how you see yourself, you’ll act consistent with it
Thinking positive works but forget it if
You’re the type of person who’s self-image is negative
Number three they’ve never really been sold
But that’s about to change, you must have goals
You can shoot a target in the dark a hundred feet back
But how you gonna shoot a target you don’t even have?
Number four, they don’t know how to set goals,
It’s understandable
But when you learn to set one you can set any
So grab that pen and get busy
You gotta put your mind on Achieve Mode
You gotta put your mind on Achieve Mode
You gotta put your mind on Achieve Mode
Go for your goals boom boom explode!
When you’ve got a solid base with a solid objective
Plus a solid commitment you’ve got a much better chance of
Reaching your goals, so keep persistin’
Failure is the path of least resistance
There’s no debatin’,
Most of us would set goals, if we only had the motivation
But that’s backwards, cause see the fact is
Motivation, follows the action
Creating energy, so get on with it
But don’t confuse activity with accomplishment
There’s no time for hesitation
Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation
Life isn’t easy, life is tough
But when you’re tough on yourself life becomes easier plus
When you do what you ought to do when you ought to do it
The day will come when you can do what you want to do, when you want to do it
You gotta put your mind on Achieve Mode
You gotta put your mind on Achieve Mode
You gotta put your mind on Achieve Mode
Go for your goals boom boom explode!
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5. |
Interludicrous
00:10
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Butcher the boys
Massacre the mothers
Debauch the daughters
It’s all in Numbers!
31:17
Referring to Numbers 31:17 in the Bible
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6. |
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If I was Jesus, and I came to start a new religion
I would have written it myself without the contradictions
Or procured a person to put it onto paper
To write it while I was alive and not decades later
I would have made sure, all was clear with nothing vague
There’d be no need for interpretation of what I had said
And consequently, no denominations
Nor a single copy error to another language
You wouldn’t see me heal a bunch of lepers
I would do better and remove the disease altogether
There’d be no sermons, only topics worth hearing
Such as the scientific method, physics, and the germ theory
I’d turn the golden rule into platinum
By simply quoting the brilliant Dr. Linus Pauling maxim:
Do unto others twenty percent better
Than you’d expect they’d do to you to correct for subjective error
There’d be no second coming, if I were Jesus
I’d finish the mission first time task completed
Cause if it’s really ‘bout love
I would improve humanity without the spilling of blood
If I were Jesus, and I came to do the will of God
I would have thought that me being tortured to death was really odd
Cause if God is all loving he,
Could have snapped his fingers and done away with suffering
Which is what I would have done
Plus conquered evil so I wouldn’t need to make a second run
Cause if I came to challenge status quo
I would have mentioned that slavery has to go
The proof is in the pudding
I’d have it written that women are on an equal footing
And so it isn’t vague
I’d also add that they can be better in many ways
God may have gave the devil a job
But if I were Jesus, I’d lay down the law
I would put hell out of business, done and end it
By telling Satan he’s fired, pun intended
There’d be no second coming, if I were Jesus
I’d finish the mission first time task completed
Cause if it’s really ‘bout love
I would improve humanity without the spilling of blood
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7. |
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Atheism is the arrogant belief
That this entire billion galaxy universe wasn’t made for me
Let me define it once more
An atheist is one who lacks invisible means of support
Now if you want, you can love religion
But God made me an atheist, who are you to judge his wisdom?
I was born without belief as every baby is
And after finding reason became a born-again atheist
The proof for other gods always gets ignored
The reason you dismiss theirs is why I dismiss yours
We’re all atheists, one way or another
The difference is I take it one god further
While your church and messiah engage in legal tax evasion
Atheism is a non-prophet organization
I have faith there is no god, I’ll admit it
I’m not an atheist, I’m God’s loyal opposition
If religion is the
Belief in a super-human controlling power then atheism
Is precisely not that
It’s precisely not that
If religion is the
Worship of a super-human controlling power then atheism
Is precisely not that
It’s precisely not that
But atheism’s a religion! You dare utter
OK it’s a religion like bald is a hair color
See atheists have no one to blame
But still we sin so God’s sacrifice wasn’t in vein
And when I’m mentioning thanks
I give credit where it’s due instead of to a list of saints
See I’m weird and a wee bit odd
I’m a dyslexic atheist I don’t believe in dog
So put the ball away
You get like Christmas and Easter while 365 is my holiday
Take a breather
You think I worship the devil? Lol, I don’t believe in Satan either
They say I have no basis for morality
Yet when I do something wrong they all get mad at me
But if it’s true in fact,
Then it’s not my fault, since I wouldn’t know what counts as good or bad
Every dogma has its day
In the beginning was the word, in the end the cliche
Some atheists attack religion
And this is true but they won’t stone you to death for your beliefs like some religions do
If religion is the
Belief in a super-human controlling power then atheism
Is precisely not that
It’s precisely not that
If religion is the
Worship of a super-human controlling power then atheism
Is precisely not that
It’s precisely not that
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8. |
Ghost Blunders
05:23
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It was late when my friend called freaking out
I guess some paranormal stuff had happened in her house
She knows I’m a skeptic, who likes to question claims
And so she asked if I would do the task and come investigate
I was half asleep, but knew she was scared
And so I said that I’m headed over just let me get prepared
I grabbed the garlic, holy water, crucifix
Wait, I don’t believe in ghosts, the hell I’m gonna do with this?
When I arrived I tried to calm her
Told her a couple jokes and poured her a glass of water
Once she relaxed a bit, and could sit composed
I kindly asked her, “what exactly is a ghost?”
She tried to explain
But couldn’t quite describe it and kinda was vague
And, mentioned energy and white light
And then I thought of Einstein and E=MC2 but whatever
I was there to listen
I guess she had been dosing off and saw an apparition
Walking close to her side
But it disappeared once she fully opened her eyes
Plus she heard noises from the basement
Movement in the kitchen and just couldn’t explain it
But then claimed to it was a ghost
But if she can’t explain it why does she claim to know?
If there’s something strange that you can’t explain
It’s ok to just say
I don’t know I don’t know
I don’t know I don’t know
If it’s, unexplainable
Then don’t make a claim to know
It’s ok to say I don’t know I don’t know
I don’t know I don’t know
We began our investigation
Grabbed some flashlights and headed for the basement
Which I was teeny bit afraid to search
So I opened the door, smiled and said “ladies first”
She just gave a dirty look at me
And so I turned on my flashlight and took the lead
As we decended a recommended we hold hands
When all of a sudden, fwoom! the door slammed
She let out a screech and I jumped a bit
But fortunately it was just the pressure from the wind
And those noises she heard from before
Sounded a lot like the wind blowing under the door
I held her hand again, but she was sweating galore
Saying she heard footsteps on the floor
So now I’m bugging out, is this a booby trap?
My only thought was to pop me a Scooby snack
Man I bum rushed the door
And nearly borke my shoulder as I rolled on the floor
Of course it was nothing! Just a false alarm
Even tho it felt like somebody had ripped off my arm
I told her listen up
Her imagination’s gonna get me killed and I’ve had enough
And I got more to say
But first, let’s take a chorus break so I can nurture this shoulder pain
If there’s something strange that you can’t explain
It’s ok to just say
I don’t know I don’t know
I don’t know I don’t know
If it’s, unexplainable
Then don’t make a claim to know
It’s ok to say I don’t know I don’t know
I don’t know I don’t know
I asked why she was freaking out, this is a creaky house
Then I gave her something to think about
If you’re a ghost, then it seems to me, if you can float
You’d have no need for feet
She heard stuff ruffle in the kitchen
Then she found that cups and bowls and pots and pans had shifted
But, hold up, let me get this straight
A ghost can walk thru walls and then pick up a plate?
For what? To let us know it’s here by moving this or that?
And throwing fits but why don’t it just go get a pen and pad?
Enough of the drama, let’s cut to the chase
It could put it down on paper if it’s got something to say
I know to her it’s all seemingly wild
But to me it seemed like we were dealing with a child
This ghost would, cry at night, slam doors, and throw stuff
Clearly this is not the hallmark of a grown-up
Then she showed me photos of orbs
With a pixelated image of a human-ish form
But, they looked like nothing to me
Except light being reflected off of dust and debris
Oh and just a question more
Why does it always seem that ghost only show up when visibility’s poor?
Or during the hypnagogic state
Or out the corner of your eye when you’re alone and it’s late?
If there’s something strange that you can’t explain
It’s ok to just say
I don’t know I don’t know
I don’t know I don’t know
If it’s, unexplainable
Then don’t make a claim to know
It’s ok to say I don’t know I don’t know
I don’t know I don’t know
We jump up in fright when things go bump in the night
We evolved this propensity to help us survive
Just like recognizing faces
We’re a pattern seeking species so we see things in meaningless information
Like the clouds or a piece of toast
So keep that in mind next time you think you see a ghost
My friend had an experience, no doubt that she did
I just don’t think that it happened outside of her head
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9. |
Zodiacrobat
06:29
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She was like an itch I couldn’t scratch
I knew it wouldn’t last but I still pursued the path because…
She was stunningly pretty, fun loving and friendly
At least that’s how it seemed in the beginning
Until it dawned on me
I was dating a woman into astrology, for example
I bought her shoes which she refused to unbox
Because her horoscope said avoid the color black for one month
There’s more tho,
She would never even leave the house without first checking her horoscope
It’s amazin’ the amount of frustration
You tolerate when, you really think you care for someone
She’d rarely offer an apology
But instead would blame her behavior upon astrology
She could justify, just about anything anytime
By going back to the zodiac signs
And to make it worse
When I met her mom and dad they insisted on knowing my date of birth
But why? So they could pigeon-hole me?
Instead of taking the time to get to know me?
It didn’t matter tho
They had made up their minds, saying our signs were incompatible
I said thanks it feels great to be judged
By a preconceived opinion that you read in a book
Yeah, cause astrology at its core
Is stereotyping a person by the time of year they were born
We had a lot in common but were barely alike
I guess she just wasn’t my stereotype
We got along great but everyday we would fight
I guess she just wasn’t my stereo type
We had a lot in common but were barely alike
I guess she just wasn’t my stereotype
I hate to admit it I think her parents were right
I guess she just wasn’t my stereo type
I had enough of their arrogance
They thought they had an accurate system by which to judge others and that’s unfair to them
But I wanted to be open to
Listening to the reasons of how they know it’s true
So I asked, how does it work?
They said it has to do with the position of the stars and planets at your time of birth
I said wait a minute, I got a question
Why the time of birth and not conception?
They gave a puzzled look
And as they flipped thru the pages looking something up in a book I asked
How could the planets, possibly function
To signify what physiologically goes on with someone?
They closed the book, looking mad at me
And said perhaps it has to do with light or gravity
I said yeah but we already know
The obstetrician has a greater gravitational pull
Than any planets, plus you’d have to admit
None could be compared to the sun’s massive affect
And if how you say it works is how it happens actually
Then twins should always have the same fate and personality
But they don’t, perhaps I’m missing something
But it just seems this stuff is a joke
They looked upset and said they didn’t wanna talk now
Put the book on the table and walked out
We had a lot in common but were barely alike
I guess she just wasn’t my stereotype
We got along great but everyday we would fight
I guess she just wasn’t my stereo type
We had a lot in common but were barely alike
I guess she just wasn’t my stereotype
I hate to admit it I think her parents were right
I guess she just wasn’t my stereo type
We were alone now and neither of us said a thing
The silence was so loud that the sound of it was deafening
I looked around the room for words, I wouldn’t find
Cause she used the last few to say you’re so much like your sign
I was annoyed beyond belief
She could see I was upset and tried to kiss me on the cheek
A typical pretty girl, move, who’s always had her way with men
But my only thought was how to get out the relationship
Not every couple lasts forever
But it’s a massive treasure if you learn from what you had together
I know I did, I just couldn’t help that I’d become
So disenchanted with the soothing beauty of her Siren song
OK so getting back on topic
We both knew that we were thru yet we sat around talkin’
Smiling bout the good times, laughing at the bad ones
Crying, realizing it’s the last time we’d have fun
I held her close, knowing I was gonna miss
The warmth of her body, the taste of her supple lips
So with a subtleness
I leaned in gently, giving her one last passionate kiss
It was time for me to leave
My eyes were so full of tears that I could hardly see
So as I closed the door, knowing there was no going back
I couldn’t help but think she’ll probably blame this on the zodiac
We had a lot in common but were barely alike
I guess she just wasn’t my stereotype
We got along great but everyday we would fight
I guess she just wasn’t my stereo type
We had a lot in common but were barely alike
I guess she just wasn’t my stereotype
I hate to admit it I think her parents were right
I guess she just wasn’t my stereo type
Is astrology ridiculous
Or does it give our lives a sense of cosmic significance?
And can it help some of us cope
Or is it bunk and what it’s really offering is false hope?
If it’s fun to think about is it funny when
You’re being treated differently because of what somebody read?
And is it dangerous
If it plays upon your fears and often manipulates your trust
Several months had passed
When I found myself, reminiscing about the past
And wondering if I made the right decision
Or is it just I can’t get along with these types of women
You know the ones who think it’s fun to
Ask your birthday so they can judge you
Plus they love to place a lot of weight in
Basing decisions off of the constellations
I mean yeah the companionship is nice
Besides the constant Barnum statements and the confirmation bias
I guess I just can’t stand to watch
Somebody I love pay money to get taken advantage of
Look I get it, this world can be cold
So I understand why people need a sense of control
And, to feel connected, to be accepted
To believe that positive things are pre-destined
This is why I’m concerned
Cause people searching for comfort can often get burned
By those who offer answers for a costly price
And the astrologers favorite house seems to be the dollar sign
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10. |
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Let’s suppose I seriously claim
That a fire-breathing dragon lives in my garage what would you say?
I mean, with all the stories about dragons throughout history
But, no real evidence now here’s an opportunity!
“Show me,” you say
And so we look in my garage but all we see is empty cans of paint
“Where’s it at?” you question
Oh she’s right here, but she’s an invisible dragon, I failed to mention
And so you suggest
We spread flour on the floor to capture the dragon’s steps
That’s a good idea, and I suppose it’s fair
But see this dragon’s always floating in the air
You’ll use an infrared, sensor to detect,
The invisible fire, but hold on a sec’
See the thing is
That’s a good idea, but the invisible fire is also heatless
You’ll spray paint the dragon to make her visible
But the paint won’t stick she’s incorporeal
And so on, I counter every physical test
With a special explanation of why it can’t be met
Now, what’s the difference?
Between the dragon I described and one that never existed?
If, you can’t disprove my contention and nothing counts against it
What’s it even mean to say my dragon’s in existence?
Your inability to invalidate
My hypothesis is not at all the same
As proving it true
A claim is veridically worthless if it’s immune to disproof
Despite whatever value it may have in
Exciting our sense of wonder and inspiring action
What I’m asking you to do
Is to believe me in the absence of evidence because I say it’s true
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Buck Bowen Long Beach, California
"Trying to bridge the growing gap between 'would-be' and 'has-been.'"
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