Tag Archives: drugs

Doll-eyed again…

She’s Got Eyes Just Like a China Doll

“Never trust a junkie.” She’d told him that a million times… when she wasn’t using or jonesing. Just about every junkie he’d ever known more than 15 minutes had said it at one point or another.

But he wasn’t good at tough love, only the stupid, hopeless kind.

And that’s how he loved her. And that’s how it was. Hopeless. Stupid.

And that was how he felt one day — one day after she’d been so good for so long — when he came home and found his computer and his only good guitar gone, along with a couple of small suitcases and some of her clothes. Most of her stuff was still there. The box of stuff she’d dragged around since high school — somehow — was still there. Her favorite winter clothes were there — and why not, it was the first hot spell of the summer.

But the only two things of his in the entire world that could bring over $20 in a pawn shop — or net anything at the local trade-and-barter heroin and crack dealer, for that matter — were gone.

But her prized possessions, for the most part, were still there.

It was like she thought she could come home again.

And the sad thing was, he thought as he sat on the couch looking at the corner of the living room where his computer had been and his guitar had leaned up against the desk in its case, the sad thing was… she probably could,

previous [acoustic] versions
Just Like a China Doll
She’s got eyes
just like a china doll
They look painted on
and yet they’ve seen it allAll around Long Beach
and all the way to LA
the shattered lives are scattered
the hearts are spiked up on staves
— From the ocean to the mountains
from the birthplace to the grave
Once you behold her
nothing will ever be the sameShe’s got eyes
just like a china doll
They look painted on
and yet they’ve seen it allEverywhere you go
everythings about the same
they wander around dazed
just barely whispering her name
— They walk in front of buses
they throw themselves under trains
but the sick smile on their faces
show those sorry saps are still glad she came[bridge]
well I looked into her eyes
and I saw my life flash by
Now I wake up screaming
every time I see a doll’s eyes I looked into the void
and I saw myself fall in
i see it every time
i see it in her eyes
t’s always beenHere I stand the last man to fall
under her spell
a moment close to heaven
an ice age on the cold side of hell
and how can I face  
the other lost souls I find
When I laughed at all of them and then now
here am I the last in line

She’s got eyes
just like a china doll
They look painted on
and yet they’ve seen it all

(C)1997, TK Major

 

Share

How many times must I fall down? [Video]

Q: What’s up with all the vids?

A: Get with it, jack. No one reads anymore. This is 2008. It’s all about nowbaby.

Q: Can’t help notice there are subtitles…

A: This is the sing along version. I envision the whole family home, together, nights, clustered around the big screen monitor, singing along… “How many doors must I kick in / before I find the magic one?” Junior and Sissy can take the high harmony parts this happy little ditty cries out for while Mommy and Daddy take the root and low harmony. Family home together… does it get any lovelier?

Q: What is this “magic door” and why does it have to be kicked in?

A: If you have to ask… you can’t afford it.

Q: Have you ever had to sleep in the sand?

A: Yes. But I remembered who I was when I woke up. I was a recent graduate of one of the most academically mediocre suburban high schools to ever pull down a string of state athletic championships.

Q: Did you ever “see how it’s all done”?

A: Yes. Yes, I did.

Q: Does your cat ever get up off that chair behind you?

A: Yes. Sometimes she sleeps on the couch.

previous

version: 6/24/2007

lyrics

How Many Times Must I Fall Down?

How many roads
must I walk down
before I can sleep in the sand?
How many times
must i fall down
before I can
take someone’s hand?

How many doors
must I kick in
before I find
the magic one?
How many dreams
must I tear apart
before I see how it’s all done?

How did i get here?
where have I been?
How long have
I been this way?

I remember a time
I remember a place
I just don’t
remember the way

How many clowns
does it take to screw down
a reason for a man
to exist?

How many times must
I see the light?
There must be
something I missed…

How did i get here?
where have I been?
How long have
i been this way?

I remember a time
I remember a place
I just don’t remember the way

How many roads…


(C)2007, TK Major

Share

Once you behold her, nothing will ever be the same…

Once you behold her...
Ah… memory. Frail sibling of the dream, grandchild of illusion.

Don’t ask me how I ended up doing this twice in three weeks… I had my mind on other, thoroughly mundane things like trying to make a living, mastering evolving toolsets, and meeting yeterday’s challenges tomorrow… or something like that. It’s not all a blur but I kind of wish it was.

Anyhow, this seems to be a better version in some ways, though both are painfully sloppy (yeah, like that makes them stand out, here) and both are far from living up to the song’s potential. It’s this damn heat and humidity… it sits on the brain like a hot, steamy fog…

Internet Archive page for this recording

July 2 version
January 1 version

songwriter demo version‘ [soundclick page]

Just Like a China Doll

She’s got eyes
just like a china doll
They look painted on
and yet they’ve seen it all

All around Long Beach
and all the way to LA
the shattered lives are scattered
the hearts are spiked up on staves
— From the Ocean to the mountains
from the birthplace to the grave
Once you behold her
nothing will ever be the same

She’s got eyes
just like a china doll
They look painted on
and yet they’ve seen it all

Everywhere you go
everythings about the same
they wander around dazed
just barely whispering her name
— They walk in front of buses
they throw themselves under trains
but the sick smile on their faces
show those sorry saps are still glad she came

[bridge]
well I looked into her eyes
and I saw my life flash by
Now I wake up screaming
everytime I see a doll’s eyes

I looked into the void
and I saw myself fall in
i see it every time
i see it in her eyes
t’s always been

Here I stand the last man to fall
under her spell
a moment close to heaven
an ice age on the cold side of hell
and how can I face
the other lost souls I find
When I laughed at all of them and then now
here am I the last in line

She’s got eyes
just like a china doll
They look painted on
and yet they’ve seen it all

(C)1997, TK Major

Share

Doll Eyes

XXXXX

 

 doll eyes [däl Iz]
(slang) : the flat, lifeless eyes of a drug addict

Internet Archive page

songwriter demo version‘ [soundclick page]

Just Like a China Doll

She’s got eyes
just like a china doll
They look painted on
and yet they’ve seen it all

All around Long Beach
and all the way to LA
the shattered lives are scattered
the hearts are spiked up on staves
— From the Ocean to the mountains
from the birthplace to the grave
Once you behold her
nothing will ever be the same

She’s got eyes
just like a china doll
They look painted on
and yet they’ve seen it all

Everywhere you go
everythings about the same
they wander around dazed
just barely whispering her name
— They walk in front of buses
they throw themselves under trains
but the sick smile on their faces
show those sorry saps are still glad she came

[bridge]
well I looked into her eyes
and I saw my life flash by
Now I wake up screaming
everytime I see a doll’s eyes

I looked into the void
and I saw myself fall in
i see it every time
i see it in her eyes
t’s always been

Here I stand the last man to fall
under her spell
a moment close to heaven
an ice age on the cold side of hell
and how can I face
the other lost souls I find
When I laughed at all of them and then now
here am I the last in line

She’s got eyes
just like a china doll
They look painted on
and yet they’ve seen it all

(C)1997, TK Major

Share