Smoke & Fiction, by X (2024)

1.

You stood in the center of a ruby churchA sunbeam glittered on your backThree women in red turned to seeYou laughing uncontrollablyYou turned around inA lonely state of graceYou stood your groundA smile upon you faceYou turned around inA lonely state of graceYou stood your groundA smile upon you faceYour raised your chin to the skyLaughter sparkled from your eyesThe smell of spring on a blossom breezeYou said, I'll be here. I'll be free.You turned around inA lonely state of graceYou stood your groundA smile upon you face

2.

Only renting, Only sublettingFences mending, Just pretendingReality bending, Signal sendingPatent pending, Just inventingLet's go round the bendGet in trouble againMake a commotionDrink a love potionAnd then then thenSweet 'til the bitter endSweet 'til the bitter endSweet 'til the bitter endSweet 'til the bitter endSeason ending, End over endingAlways defending, Always pretendingAnother beginning, Forever spinningAin't no winning, But we ain't sinningLet's go round the bendGet in trouble againMake a commotionDrink a love potionAnd then then thenSweet 'til the bitter endSweet 'til the bitter endSweet 'til the bitter endSweet 'til the bitter endSweet 'til the bitter endSweet 'til the bitter endSweet 'til the bitter endSweet 'til the bitter end

3.

I know you gotta go But that don't make it easierYou know I'm gonna leave but That still makes it hardThe devil & the deep blue sea Stole you away from meNow the moon has fallen down and You are not around That's just the way it isLike moon & stars & seaThat's just the way it isWe have to set you freeThat's just the way it isThe way it's gonna beSo why you gotta go So soon & so slowThe moon has got to set but That don't mean I like itWe were never just kids but We were pretty young We did what we did just to get along That's just the way it wasWe fell down on the streetWe did what we didTo set each other freeThat's just the way it wasThe way it's gotta beThe way it's gotta beThat's just the way it wasWe fell down on the streetWe did what we didTo set each other freeThat's just the way it isThe way it's gotta beThe way it's gotta be

4.

On the flipside of youSpare change & thin ice is trueNo dough & no diceThe runaround & bad adviceI got kicked out of paradiseHalfhearted sweeping up theLast of the questions marks theQuestions are always hard theDark is so dark w/out your sparkYour sparkOn the flipside of youEverything's blurry I'm in no hurryLoaded & railroaded Empty & explodedIt's always my turn to payHalfhearted sweeping up theLast of the questions marks theQuestions are always hard theDark is so dark w/out your spark Your sparkThere is no upsideOnly your flipsideThat's where the dark side residesOn the flipside of youOn the flipside of youOn the flipside of youOn the flipside of you

5.

Memories are gettin' lateNot erased like tapeNot replaced with fakeDrivin' state to altered stateHoldin' foldin ' mapsOn another pay phone breakA big black X on a white marqueeA naked Christmas tree on fireIn a Cherokee alleySilent movie genuflecting dreamHangin' off bumpers andScrapin' off tar and leatherL.A. Riverbed drag strip on acidAnd somethin' about a basement.Stay awake and don't get takenWe knew the gutterAlso the FutureStay awake and don't get takenHollywood letters fallin' downErrol Flynn's abandoned mansionScary Hillside guyAngel dust low-ridin' byWe swam into the Pacificand Windward intersectionViet Nan vet I met and cannot forgetBikers on the 101 and77 Sunset StripOld cars and new scars78's on cassette tapeAfter hours blues escape. AM radio dedicationsMadison,Lincoln, any old cityA tiny little x on a white marquee.Stay awake and don't get takenWe knew the gutterAlso the FutureStay awake and don't get takenStay awake and don't get takenWe knew the gutterAlso the FutureStay awake and don't get taken

6.

Through the smoke & fictionBooks & pages burningKilled with contradictionAll the heads are turningI still talk a little bitBut there's no words for thisI still talk a little bitBut there's no words for thisWrapped up tight in twilight In a bed I am borrowingMy face turns to sorrowingWhen I'm dreaming about tomorrowingI still hurt a little bitBut there's no cure for thisI still hurt a little bitBut there's no cure for thisWith a midnight prescriptionFor the star I am swallowingHeaven I am followingIf they will just allow me inI still wish a little bitBut there's no star for thisMy soul still goes out walking Over bridges that are burningA lesson I keep learningAll the leaves are burningI still pray a little bitBut there's no saint for thisI still pray a little bitBut there's no words for this

7.

A E I O UYou, you, you & youWhen are you coming backI try to face the factsWe promise not to feel & then we doA B C D E F GMe & me, me & meAll of those love notesYou said you sent & said you wroteAre locked inside of meI try to sing them free but I don't have the keyThe struggle is so real The struggle is surrealJust a dream from the other sideKeep your hands inside the rideThe struggle is surrealW X Y ZYou & me, you & meUphill cries & heavy sighsWine stained lips Tear stained eyesThe minus times & short goodbyesThe struggle is so real The struggle is surrealJust a dream from the other sideKeep your hands inside the rideThe struggle is surreal

8.

Is it raining Is it dark Is it easy was it hardIs it fever Is it fine Is it real Was it mine Winding up the time Turning up the loudTearing up the road Lost in the lost & foundAm I silver Am I stone Am I half Or am I wholeWas I never Was I strong Is it final Is it goneWinding up the time Turning up the loudTearing up the road Lost in the lost & foundSleeping on the blink, stars around my headLightning on my tongue Sparking hit & runIs it fever Is it fine Is it real Or is it mineWas it siren Was it song Is it never Or is it goneWinding up the time Turning up the loudTearing up the road Lost in the lost & foundSleeping on the blink, stars around my headLightning on my tongue Sparking hit & runRipping up the sky Staring at the starsHowling at the sun Sawing through the bars

9.

Flying down from San FranciscoGreasy plane unfriendly skiesSunrise as our eyes are failingPeeling back your thin disguiseFloating down the Hollywood FreewayGripping steering wheel so tight Arms so long and head so distantStreaming through the blackest lightI see your ghost in face of the moonWaxing and waning so confusedI see the shadow of your face at my doorYou stole the face in the moonFrom the freeway to the skiesYou get your way w/ a thousand liesAn ugly life that looks so prettyStealing through this tin can cityI see your ghost in face of the moonWaxing and waning so confusedI see the shadow of your face at my doorYou stole the face in the moonYou stole the face in the moon

10.

High in a treeIt's just you & meWe whisper secret wordsWe say that we believeAnd watch fireballsLike stars as they fallStars melting downMaking not a soundThey will never weepAs we try to sleepThey are crashing downAll over townSomeone tells a lieAnother says it twiceA third tells it too andThe lie comes a truthIt makes fireballsRain on us allThe stars out at nightNever burn so brightFrom our perch aboveWe send all our love As we start to fallBaby & all Baby & all

released August 2, 2024

Exene Cervenka - Vocals
John Doe - Vocals, Bass
Billy Zoom - Guitars, Bass Guitar
DJ Bonebrake - Drums, Percussion
Produced by Rob Schnapf
Engineered by Matt Schuessler
Recorded @ Sunset Sound Hollywood Ca & MANT Studios Eagle Rock CA
Mastered by Mark Chalecki @ Little Red Book Mastering Los Angeles CA
Management Mike Rouse Orange CA