THRICE - the artist in the ambulance


1. Cold Cash And Colder Hearts 
2. Under A Killing Moon 
3. All That's Left 
4. Silhouette 
5. Stare At The Sun 
6. Paper Tigers 
7. Hoods On Peregrine 
8. The Melting Point Of Wax 
9. Blood Clots And Black Holes 
10. The Artist In The Ambulance 
11. The Abolition Of Man 
12. Don't Tell And We Won't Ask 



1   Cold Cash And Colder Hearts 
they are sick
they are poor
and they die by the thousands and we look away
they are wolves at the door
and theyāre not going to move us
or get in our way
cause we donāt have the time
here at the top of the world
feeling alright
here at the top of the world
we hold our own
by keeping our hearts cold
different god
darker skin
they are just not a burden that weād like to bear
they are living in sin
there are so many reasons for us not to care
but iām feeling alright
here at the top of the world
doing just fine
here at the top of the world
weāve learned money matters most
so we keep our cards held close
here at the top of the world
we hold our own
by keeping our hearts cold
and weāve learned what matters most
so we keep our hearts cold
they are no one
they are nowhere
they are not our problem
no one seeing
non existant
if we keep our hearts
they are no one
they are nowhere

2   Under A Killing Moon
the air my lungs first loved
carves craters from my eyes
they said breathe deeply son 
or be the next to die...

Beneath the falling night
and heaven's shutting gate
pray keep your tongue held tight
or suffer the same fate

the blood on our black gloves
it is none of your concern
if you want to call our bluff
get in line and wait your turn
and watch the witches burn"

Don't flinch when innocents
are dancing with the flame
if they wanted to live
they'd learn to play the game

You can still walk away
if you just hold your tongue
if you'd just walk away
you'd live to see the sun but"

Under this killing moon
under this burning sky
the fire's shining groom
I hold my breath and close my eyes

"The blood on our black gloves
it is none of your concern
if you want to call our bluff
get in line and wait your turn
and watch the witches burn
we'll watch the witches burn"

3   All That's Left
one day the dreamers died within us 
when all our answers never came 
we hid the truth beneath our skin but 
our shadows never looked the same 

a ghost is all that's left 
of everything we swore we never would forget 
we tried to bleed the sickness 
but we drained our hearts instead 
we are the dead 

and when we couldn't stop the bleeding 
we held our hearts over the flame 
we couldn't help but call it treason 
after that we couldn't fill our frames 
after that our shadows never looked the same 

in summers past we'd challenge fate 
with higher pitch and perfect aim 
and standing fast, we'd radiate 
a light we loved but never named 
but the answers never came 
and our shadows never looked the same 

a ghost is all that's left 
of everything we swore we never would forget 
we tried to bleed the sickness 
but we drained our hearts instead 
we are the dead 
a ghost of everything we thought but never said 
we tried to bleed the sickness 
but we drained our hearts instead 

we are the ones who lost our faith 
we dug ourselves an early grave 
we are the dead, can we be saved?

4   Silhouette
Your eyes, followed me here. 
Your eyes, seamless and sure. 
They leave me broken and, in need of a cure. 

Your eyes, followed me here. 
Your eyes, sifting my soul. 
They leave me broken hands, those diamonds from the coal. 

They lace me along, 
Giving synapse of white lines. 
Then chasing the dawn, 
Story book syntax. 

Your eyes slit the throat, of all I know. 
About myself and this life. 
Silhouette lies. 

And your eyes, speaking in tongues. 
Vigilant still, filling my lungs. 
Testing my will. 
They leave me broken and, bruised and bleeding. 

Your eyes, resting in flame, 
Leaven me breathless again. 
Like hydrogen spread on fault lines. 
Or dead, kissing me with exposure to radon. 

Your eyes slit the throat, of all I know. 
About myself and this life. 
Silhouette lies. 

Your eyes, Your eyes. 
Speaking in tongues. 
Vigilant still, lead our way. 
Filling my lungs. 
Testing my will. 

You slit the throat, of I know. 
About myself and this life. 
Silhouette Lies. 

You slit my throat. 
Because I know, 
That this life, is a lie. 
So slit my throat. 

5   Stare At The Sun
i sit here clutching useless lists 
and keys for doors that don't exist 
i crack my teeth on pearls 
i tear into the history 
just show me what it means to me in this world 

'cause i am due for a miracle 
i'm waiting for a sign 
i'll stare straight into the sun 
and i won't close my eyes 
'til i understand or go blind 

i see the parts but not the whole 
i study saints and scholars both 
no perfect plan unfurls 
do i trust my heart or just my mind 
why is truth so hard to find in this world 
yeah in this world 

'cause i am due for a miracle 
i'm waiting for a sign 
i'll stare straight into the sun 
and i won't close my eyes 
'til i understand or go blind 

i know that there's a point I've missed 
a shrine or stone i haven't kissed 
a scar that never graced my wrist 
a mirror that hasn't met my fist 
but i can't help feeling that i'm 

due for a miracle 
i'm waiting for a sign 
i'll stare straight into the sun 
and i won't close my eyes 

6   Paper Tigers
they preach to the choir, always in the permanent daylight 
they toss paper tigers from their perfect porcelain skylines,
shatterproof spires 
listen for the sound, as it all comes crashing down 
they light the world on fire, just to watch it burn 
it'll be their funeral pyre, but they never seem to learn 
and we paid the price, we paid for their crimes with our blood 
and our lives 

7   Hoods On Peregrine
the blue light spills like oceans 
we smile and let it in 
it cures us of our questions 
like hoods on peregrine 

knowledge locked in a tower 
barons will hold the key 
but if knowledge is power, 
know this is tyranny 
all we're asking for is what's ours 

you think they're selling you truth, 
truth is, they're selling you out 
truth is, they're selling you out 

the black ink fuels our notions 
that all the facts are in 
it cures us of our questions 
like hoods on peregrine 

knowledge locked in a tower 
barons will hold the key 
but if knowledge is power, 
know this is tyranny 

all we're asking for is what's ours 

you think they're selling you truth 
but they're just selling you 
and if we keep buying in 
the line between lies and truth 
will wear paper thin, 
paper thin 

you think they're selling you truth, 
the truth is, they're selling you out 

8   The Melting Point Of Wax
I've waited for this moment
All my life and more
And now i see so clearly
What i could not see before.
The time is now or never
This chance won't come again
Throw caution and myself to the wind.

There's no promise of safety with these secondhand wings
But im willing to find out what impossible means.
A leap of faith.

Parody of an angel
Miles above the sea
I hear the voice of reason
Screaming up to me
"You flew too high, for now your too close to the sun
Soon your makeshift wings will come undone"

But how will I know limits from life if i never try?

Theres no promise of safety with these secondhand wings
But im willing to find out what impossible means.
Climb to the heavens on feathers and dreams
Because the melting point of wax means nothing to me.
Nothing to me
Nothing to me

I will touch the sun or I will die trying.
Die Trying.

Fly on these secondhand wings
Willing to find out what impossible means
Climb to the heavens on feathers and dreams
Because the melting point of wax means nothing to me
Nothing to me
Means nothing to me
Miles above the sea 

9   Blood Clots And Black Holes
here's your new drug 
shoot it in the left eye 
feel it on the right side 
no it's not love 
though it sets up shop behind your ribcage 
building blood clots and black holes 
like using an axe to pull 
a sliver from your skin 

and they say this is medicine 
an overdose of oxygen 
a severed head as sedative 
to be at peace would be a sin 
and surely un-american 
i'm breaking 

here's your new blood 
transfusion took us all night 
tell us that you're all right 
no it's not love 
though feels like fire inside of your veins 
burning right beneath the wrist 
begging for a razor's kiss 
to free it from your skin 

and they say this is medicine 
an overdose of oxygen 
a severed head as sedative 
to be at peace would be a sin 
and surely unamerican 
i'm breaking down 

lift the veil, it's not medicine 
and my heart fails, time and time again 

10   The Artist In The Ambulance
late night, brakes lock, hear the tires squeal 
red light, can't stop so i spin the wheel 
my world goes black before i feel an angel lift me up 
and i open bloodshot eyes into fluorescent white 
they flip the siren, hit the lights, close the doors and i am gone 
now i lay here owing my life to a stranger 
and i realize that empty words are not enough 
i'm left here with the question of just 
what have i to show except the promises i never kept? 
i lie here shaking on this bed, under the weight of my regrets 
i hope that i will never let you down 
i know that this can be more than just flashing lights and sound 
look around and you'll see that at times it feels like no one really cares 
it gets me down but i'm still gonna try to do what's right,
i know that there's a difference between sleight of hand,
and giving everything you have 
there's a line drawn in the sand, i'm working up the will to cross it 
rhetoric can't raise the dead 
i'm sick of always talking when there's no change 
i'm sick of empty words, let's lead and not follow 
late night, brakes lock, hear the tires squeal 
red light, can't stop so i spin the wheel 
my world goes black before i feel an angel steal me from the 
greedy jaws of death and chance, and pull me in with steady hands 
they've given me a second chance, the artist in the ambulance 
can we pick you off the ground, more than flashing lights and sound 

11   The Abolition Of Man
wake up everyone! It's not too late 
to save the remnants of our hearts, 
so stop giving up our last shot at love, 
our only chance to find the meaning of 
the beat beneath the blood 

we laugh at honor and are shocked to 
find knives in our backs 
we follow those who cheat and steal 
men without chests are making a comeback 
our only compass smashed under our own heels 
reason abandoned to appetites and addicts arms 
shotguns and silence have always been the best of charms 

wake up everyone! it's not too late 
to save the remnants of our hearts, 
so stop giving up our last shot at love, 
our only chance to find the meaning of 
the beat beneath the blood 

we laugh at honor and are shocked to 
find knives in our backs 
we champion those who cheat and steal 
men without chests are making a comeback 
our only compass smashed under our own heels, under our iron will 

the abolition of man is within the reach of science 
but are we so far gone that we'll try it? 

12   Don't Tell And We Won't Ask
paint the target 
we don't need no evidence 
flood the market 
we do it all in self defense 
you're a smart kid 
never work without your gloves 
if you're a smart kid 
you'll stay the hell away from love 

and if it comes to murder 
don't tell and we won't ask you how 
you sleep at night when the lights go out 
and you're all alone 
with all the ghosts of lesser humans 
whose lives you've spilt to suit your own 

sit and think of 
all the dollars and the cents 
and your blue blood 
you'll see it all makes perfect sense 
drink from this cup 
a better life awaits us all 
you're one of us 
remember conscience comes before the fall 

your actions all are justified 
your actions all are justified 

and if it comes to murder 
don't tell and we won't ask you how 
you sleep at night when the lights go out 
and you're all alone 
with all the ghosts of lesser humans 
whose lives you've spilt to suit your own 
but don't we all bleed red blood? 
don't we all bleed red blood? 


--------------------------------------------------------------------