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May day! Lyrics
Well I don’t care your cameras caught me crying as I left your gates
Or that your maintenance men they caught our last embrace
Well you were on the verge of tears when I first knew I would know you
And now your ancient black tears they stain your robe
Calypso will come with me on that morning April day
To the city of my childhood in a cage
On the broad back of the earth we will drive twelve hours straight
And we’ll take turns feeling crazy and okay
On May Day, May Day listen for the sound
Of the ambulances singing rounds drowning out the blue
Well the Captain of America he sings through his toothpaste
And the bubbles of his words will float away
As he gargles out a hymn in the funny fish voice way
And all the sorrow seems to go away
On May Day, May Day listen for the sound
Of the Geiger counters counting down
To one and blast off baby to the inter-space of stars
Out to the star encrusted boulevard
On May Day, May Day can you hear the sound
Of the megaphones calling out instructions
And I need your quiet empire where forgetful Persians roam
And with two hands full of silver I’ll go home
Return me to my kingdom where my children wait for me
To build them flying saucers …
On May Day, May Day they are going down
Send the fleet of black-and-whites wailing downtown
May Day May Day May Day…
Or that your maintenance men they caught our last embrace
Well you were on the verge of tears when I first knew I would know you
And now your ancient black tears they stain your robe
To the city of my childhood in a cage
On the broad back of the earth we will drive twelve hours straight
And we’ll take turns feeling crazy and okay
Of the ambulances singing rounds drowning out the blue
Well the Captain of America he sings through his toothpaste
And the bubbles of his words will float away
As he gargles out a hymn in the funny fish voice way
And all the sorrow seems to go away
Of the Geiger counters counting down
To one and blast off baby to the inter-space of stars
Out to the star encrusted boulevard
Of the megaphones calling out instructions
And I need your quiet empire where forgetful Persians roam
And with two hands full of silver I’ll go home
Return me to my kingdom where my children wait for me
To build them flying saucers …
Send the fleet of black-and-whites wailing downtown
Song Info
Submitted by
mctaggey On Mar 31, 2007
More Elvis Perkins in Dearland
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Ash Wednesday
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how does this not have any comments?
This is a great song. Knowing what Elvis Perkins' life events it's hard not to think that this has something to do with the Sept 11th crashes.
This is a great song, and I'm sure that it, as well as all of his songs, was influenced by his unfortunate past. However, the song is called "May Day!" which is a holiday in remembrance to the working class, and to equality formed in the US. So, I believe that this song vaguely portrays Elvis' beliefs on that subject, but I have not been able to figure that out yet, it's a very indirect song, with a bunch of loose ties.
Check out his live version of this song; I think it's very revealing about what and whom he's talking about:
the captain of our america, he lies through his shit face while the rubble of other worlds, they smoulder away when he gargles out our ?? in his fucked up fish voice way all your sorrows appear to go away
It seem to be about Bush and his initial reactions to the September 11th attacks, particularly his advise for everyone to go about their business, to not let the terrorists change their lives, and act as if nothing happened. Since Elvis' mother died in those attacks, Bush's impotent leadership or worse, his malicious omission of the evil, was even more infuriating.