The Ataris Album

You only know what you've been taught.
You'll never stop til' you get caught.
You control the future and it's looking bleak.
Seems like we're headed for another losing streak.And the fire's burning bright
And still we act like everything's all right
"I guess if we ignore it, it'll probably go away."
If you believe that bullshit please see exhibit a.Forget about friendship, hey! Let's destroy the enemy.
Well if there's one thing that I've learned
My enemies are just as close to me.You keep your problems deep inside.
You always play that game of run and hide.
Even though they told you to see is to believe,
It didn't take you long to know that looks they can deceive.Don't give up fighting 'til nothing else stands in your way.
Don't give up talking until there's nothing left to say
But no matter what you do.
Don't ever compromise what you believe.

Let me start this from the day we met.
You looked so beautiful, I never will forget.
Then you opened up your eyes, looked at me and kinda smiled.
I was scared, but still happy at the same time.
I never wanted us to be a superficial family.
But in the end it was the only thing we could be.Angie, I'm sorry I wasn't right for you
Just what did you expect for me to do?
You know that I would have done anything for you.I sometimes think about how things could be
If you would've took a chance and moved out here with me.
We'd cruise along the 101 in the California sun
Sing Descendents songs and have ourselves lots of fun.
Stay out drinking really late stumble home from lower State.
Treat every day like it would be our first date.Angie, I'm sorry that you weren't right for me.
I guess that it just wasn't meant to be.
I quit pretending you were in love with me.

Last night I had a dream that we went to Disneyland,
Went on all the rides, didn't have to wait in line.
I drove you to your house where we stared up at the stars
I listened to your heartbeat as I held you in my arms.We hung out at the rainbow where we drank til' half past two.
Nothing could go wrong anytime that I'm with you.
Like crashing a hotel room or leading up to that first kiss
Or searching for a high school that you know doesn't exist...These are the things that make me free
I feel like I'm stuck in "stand by me"
This night was too good to be true.Today I woke up alone wishing you were here with me,
I wanted us to be something that we'd probably never be.
Today you called me up and said you'd see me at our show,
But now I'm stuck debating if I even wanna go.Whitney, don't you understand that what I say is true?
I just want you to know I have a major crush on you.
I'd drive you to Las Vegas and do the things you wanna do
I'd even have Wayne Newton dedicate a song to you.I only wish that this could be
Just dump your boyfriend and go out with me
I swear I'd treat you like a queen.

You're better off without him, don't call him...
He's breaking your heart.
He's hanging with your best friend and your waiting there,
It's tearing you apart.He lied to you a thousand times,
When I was there he kept you waiting.And I'm still here waiting there
To catch you if you fall.
I don't know why I care so much
When I shouldn't care at all.Finally got the nerve to tell you
How much you mean to me you said that I was your best friend,
A real sweet guy, but that's all I'd ever be.

A star up in the sky goes slowly passing by,
The lights below...they spell out your name.
You're comfort on my mind and you're with me all the time.
And lots of feelings that I can't explain.I won't spend another night alone. [x2]Out of every girl I meet, no other can compete
I'd ditch 'em all for a night with you.
I know you don't believe you mean this much to me
But I promise you that you do.If I had one wish this is what it would be...
I'd ask you to spend all your time here with me,
And we'd be together forever.
We'd buy a small house in south central L.A.
Raise lots of kids then we'd both join a gang
Just as long as we're together.The things you make me wanna do
I'd rob a quik-e-mart for you
I'd go to the pound and let all the cats go free
Just as long as you'd be with me.I won't spend another night alone. [x2]

I really wanna call you, but I know that it's not right.
I probably shouldn't tell you but I dreamed of you last night.
I guess I'm not prepared to say...
Goodbye, so long, farewell, I won't be seeing you again
Until next time that he goes away.You told me that you loved me, I started tearing down those walls.
I really started to trust you but you set me up to take the fall.
I guess I'm not prepared to say...
Goodbye, so long, farewell, I won't be seeing you again
Until next time that he goes away.I guess that I'm wrong for falling in love,
But you're still the one that I'm dreaming of.
I guess that it's you I want to hold onto,
But you're holding onto someone else.

Time to burn it all away, time to think of what to say
Time to go right back to yesterday.
Time for movements in the past, time for something that won't last.
Not just fire quick and die off fast.Things are never what they seem,
I'm stuck inside of someone else's dream.
Problems never go away...
I'm sick of being caught in yesterday.Every day it's still the same, different faces, different names,
But still stuck here playing these stupid games.
Maybe soon I'll figure out what giving up is all about.
My heart is filled so full of doubt.Don't turn around, don't look ahead
I won't listen to all the lies I'm fed.
Don't have to listen to you
So don't you fucking tell me what to do.

Broken heart again today...
The flowers that I gave to you have withered all away.
Just when I opened up my heart
The one you used to love came and ripped it right apart.Why do I never seem to learn?
That love is wrong and girls are fucking evil.
I guess I'll never figure out
What womankind is all about.I heard your voice again today
I'm scarred by all the lies that were once promises you'd made.
I lie in bed awake at night
And wonder what went wrong or even more just what went right.

Well I've got a couple things to say about a guy and a girl
They met a few months back at a coffeehouse
He said 'I like that dress that you're wearing
Why don't you just let me take you home tonight?"I know you've heard it all before
And everyone makes mistakes these days... hey nobody's perfect
But the choices that you make may involve someone else.Well I met a girl I thought I loved but, unfortunately
I guess I didn't take the time to get to know that girl
Before I made a lot of choices
That I wasn't prepared to make.If you think you've found that one
That you really love...
Make sure they love you back.

Looking for a place to call my home
Where will I sleep tonight, even I don't know.
You ask yourself 'is this how I want to live?"
When empty hands have nothing more to give.So I drive around and pray that I will make it through today
There's got to be a better way.You miss your wife; you miss your little girl.
You left them stranded in a different world.
Can you forgive yourself for all the time you've lost?
I wouldn't give that up at any cost.There's more to life than being in a band,
Your friends are what will matter in the end.
I just want the chance to keep those promises I made
There's got to be better way.

I saw the stars fall from the sky
And watched the tail lights fade away
As the sun began to witness a new day.I drove five hundred thousand miles
To find a world unlike my own,
And now middle of nowhere seems like my home.Alone, unknown... Yet fearing nothing but ourselves
Could be scarier than any crowded room.
I'm more alone with you than when I'm by myself.Another night stuck on the vine,
Another low lit memory
Where time will slowly have it's way with me.We live our lives to expect the worst
But once it happens what is left?
We will never have to be surprised again.Just you and me not saying much of anything
Sometimes could mean more than a thousand words
Goodbye, farewell to this fucked up world that was my former self.We never seem to have the time until we waste it
All gone, goodbye...
Think and think alike, never seemed to have the time
Until one day it's all gone, you've thrown it all away.I'm glad you were a part of my hotel year.

Everything is turning grey, but I won't hold my breath today
Cause' I'm not scared and to tell the truth I just don't care.
Are you looking for an answer? When you still don't know the question.It's like lighting candles in the rain-
Sometimes life can be a pain,
But don't give up without a fight.Sometimes when you feel afraid, don't give up and run away.
Cause' two wrongs don't make a right.
What's the point in crying when you've don nothing wrong.
It was right there all along.The world's nothing but a lie and everyone is going to die
But what can I say? Just help me make it through today.
You don't need a destination just to go somewhere in life.It's like throwing feathers at the wind-
They come right back to you again.
So why not give it one more try?Just cause' things aren't what they seem
It doesn't mean you shouldn't dream
Just don't get your hopes to high.
Cause' when things don't turn out right
You world comes crashing down.

I sat and thought the other day how it seems strange
That we could walk through life so blind
And how a lot of people never change.I'm not trying to say I have the answer
All I know for sure is that we weren't put here
To serve ourselves, that's so selfish
To think that we're put on this earth just for pleasure
I know that there's much more than that.But I won't tell you what it is; it's up to you
To decide for yourself what is wrong and what is right
And know that we all make mistakes, there's always time
To turn your life around and change
All the wrong decisions that you've made.And I promise that I won't settle for less.I won't write it off.

I woke up from this dream to find that I was sleeping
So I went back to sleep and I dreamed I was awake.
I locked myself inside but you were on the outside
I stood outside and watched but I couldn't let you in.If only you could see that you that is a part of me,
Maybe you could see inside yourself.Wrote a letter to myself, but I couldn't bare to send it.
So I tore it up and wrote a letter to a friend.If only you could know that growing up means letting go
Maybe then you'd grow up by yourself.I'm growing up again...
I'm learning to accept that all good things must come to an end.
I'm growing up again...
I'm trying to understand what it's like
To let go of a friend.