That Time

Written by: regina spektor

Available Recordings: Click to view

Lyrics (from the Begin to Hope liner notes):

Hey remember the time when I found a human tooth down on Delancey
Hey remember that time we decided to kiss anywhere except the mouth
Hey remember that time when my favorite colors was pink and green
Hey remember that month when I only ate boxes of tangerines
So cheap and juicy!
Hey remember that time when I would only read Shakespeare
Hey remember that other time when I would only read the backs of cereal boxes
Hey remember that time I tried to save a pigeon with a broken wing
A street cat got him by morning and I had to bury pieces of his body in our building’s playground
I thought I was gonna be sick
Hey remember that time when I would only smoke Parliaments
Hey remember that time when I would only smoke Marlboros
Hey remember that time when I would only smoke Camels
Hey remember that time when I was broke
I didn’t care I'd just bum from my friends
Bum ba bum ba bum bum...
Hey remember that time when you OD’ed
Hey remember that other time when you OD’ed for the second time
Well in the waiting room while waiting for news of you
I hallucinated I could read your mind
And I was on a lot of shit too but what I saw, man,
I tell you it was freaky
Freaky

Time Is All Around

Written by: regina spektor

Available Recordings: Click to view

Lyrics (fan transcription):

You step on all my parts
and then you walk right out the door
and I know that your love ain't ever coming back no more
Time is all around
except inside my clock
Everybody's waiting for their lover to unlock

Leaves become most beautiful when they're about to die
when they're about to fall from trees
when they're about to dry up
Time is all around

I hallucinate a cat between my feet
I'm stepping lightly so as not to hurt it
Everybody wants to say that you have changed
Of course you've changed, you've changed, you've changed
your mind's been rearranged

What am I supposed to love if I don't want to love?
Why am I supposed to? I'm so tired
What am I supposed to love if I don't want to?
I don't want to…

Two Birds

Written by: regina spektor

Available Recordings: Click to view

Lyrics (fan transcription):

two birds on a wire
one tries to fly away
and the other
watches him close
from that wire
he says he wants to as well
but he is a liar

I'll believe it all
there's nothing I won't understand
I'll believe it all
I won't let go of your hand

two birds on a wire
one says, come on
and the other says, I'm tired
the sky is overcast
and I'm sorry
one more or one less
nobody's worried

I'll believe it all
there's nothing I won't understand
I'll believe it all
I won't let go of your hand

two birds of a feather
say that they're always
gonna stay together
but one's never going
to let go of that wire
he says that he will
but he's just a liar

two birds on a wire
one tries to fly away
and the other
watches him close
from that wire
he says he wants to as well
but he is a liar

two birds on a wire
one tries to fly away
and the other

Uh-merica

Written by: regina spektor

Available Recordings: Click to view

Lyrics (from the Begin to Hope Special Edition liner notes):

Mrs. E Roosevelt never heard me shoot my gun
Mrs. E Roosevelt didn't even knew I owned one
Somewhere betweeen the cobblestone floor and the slated wooden ceiling
Cuddling my semi-automatic, what a very fuzzy feeling
Oh...There's nothing like emptying a cartridge at the sun

Uh-merica

Oh we're born alone and then we're covered by m-m-m-mothers' kisses
The mind has already forgotten what the body still misses
Somewhere between the sticky floor and the cracks in the ceiling
Cuddling my semi-automatic, what a very fuzzy feeling
Oh...There's nothing like emptying a cartridge at the sun

Uh-merica

There's nothing like emptying a cartridge at the sun

Uncle Bobby

Written by: regina spektor

Available Recordings: Click to view

Lyrics (fan transcription):

some people's stories, they go nowhere at all
some people's songs are catchy but they don't touch the soul
but yours are like a feeding tube right through my ears
they fatten up my dreams and run through my bloodstreams

uncle bobby, uncle bobby
uncle bobby, I love you so
uncle bobby, I love you, love you, uncle
uncle bobby, you'll never know

I love you not like a husband to have and to hold
I love you not like a child to do as they're told
I love you not like a sculpture love her mold
I love you not like a masterpiece bought and sold

uncle bobby, I love you, love you, uncle
uncle bobby, I love you so
uncle bobby, I love you, love you, love you, uncle
uncle bobby, you'll never know

I know you're just a man of flesh
and a bit of sand and blood and cash
but I'm so glad you've been born
unto us, unto us

you leave me torn and lovelorn
you leave me crying, ready to mourn
you leave me waiting for that eternal storm
you leave me happy and reborn
you leave trying to break down doors
and waiting for more, waiting for more

uncle bobby, I love you, love you, uncle
uncle bobby, you'll never know
uncle bobby, I love you, love you, love you, uncle
uncle bobby, I love you so
uncle bobby, uncle bobby, I love you
uncle bobby, I love you so

not like a husband to have and to hold
not like a disciple who do what they're told
not like a masterpiece that's been bought and sold
not like the frontiers when love is gold
not like the icicle love the winter cold

uncle bobby, I love you, uncle
uncle bobby, I love you so
uncle bobby, I love you, love you, love you, uncle
uncle bobby, you'll never know
uncle bobby, uncle bobby, I love you
uncle bobby, I love you so
uncle bobby...you'll never know

Us

Written by: regina spektor

Available Recordings: Click to view

Lyrics (from the Soviet Kitsch liner notes):

They made a statue of us
and put it on a mountain top
now tourists come and stare at us
blow bubbles with their gum
take photographs have fun
have fun

they'll name a city after us
and later say it's all our fault
then they'll give us a talking to
then they'll give us a talking to
cause they've got years of experience

We're living in a den of thieves
rummaging for answers in the pages
We're living in a den of thieves
and it's contagious
and it's contagious

We wear our scarves just like a noose
but not cause we want eternal sleep
and though our parts are slightly used
new ones are slave labor you can keep

We're living in a den of thieves
rummaging for answers in the pages
We're living in a den of thieves
and it's contagious
and it's contagious
it's contagious
it's contagious

They made a statue of us
they made a statue of us
the tourists come and stare at us
the sculptor's mama sends regards
They made a statue of us
they made a statue of us
Our noses have begun to rust

We're living in a den of thieves rummaging for answers in the pages
We're living in a den of thieves
and it's contagious
and it's contagious
it's contagious, it's contagious
it's contagious
it's contagious
it's contagious
it's contagious

The Virgin Queen

Written by: regina spektor

Available Recordings: Click to view

Lyrics (fan transcription):

men who would shoot their
horses are the
same men who would
like to kiss your hand
(??)
men who shoot their
horses are the
same men who will
draw and shoot your friend
(??)

the virgin queen...

headless (mother?)
heartless (?)
ghosts of yes men past and future
in the bedroom you would suture
up that hole
where babies come from
england, oh, england
never forsake me
won't you take me to have and to hold
i may be a cruel, crude woman
but in the distance i hear shakespeare mumbling

whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer
the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
or to take arms against the sea of troubles...

england, england, never forsake me
won't you take me to have and to hold
i can hear the voices rising up

the virgin queen...

(??)
you try to rule
as best as you can
but the crown gets cold
(??)
on the distant shores new voices are rising...
(??)

The Wallet

Written by: regina spektor

Available Recordings: Click to view

Lyrics (fan transcription):

I found a wallet
I found a wallet
inside were pictures of your small family
you were so young
your hair dark brown
you had been born in nineteen fifty-three

your winter birthday
was stamped on the plastic
of a license so recently expired
I was so tired
as I walked through my door
I laid all the contents of your wallet on the floor

and like a holy relic
or a mystery novel
I thumbed them in the dim light
searching for a clue
a blockbuster card
an old stick of juicy fruit
a crumpled receipt
for a pair of leather boots

I have no wallet
I have no wallet
I keep my cards together with a blue rubber band
and with a free hand
I search in my pockets
for pieces of, pieces of paper and change

I'll take your wallet
to my local blockbuster
they'll find your number
in their computer
you'll never know me
I'll never know you
but you'll be so happy
when they call you up

Wasteside

Written by: regina spektor

Available Recordings: Click to view

Lyrics (as originally posted by Regina on brümstix):

I was sleeping by the wasteside of tomorrow
but its better than sleeping by the wasteside of today
all the barbershops and funeral-homes were open
and the customers were coming and the business was doing great

I was sleeping by the wasteside of tomorrow
just dreaming dreams and drooling on my bed
all the people in my town would be born
then they'd get themselves a little hair cut
and then promptly after they'd be dead

I was sleeping by the wasteside of tomorrow
when a drunk girl awoke me on the train
but I did not see her stumbling and I did not hear her mumbling
as I dubbed myself a passenger
and kindly stepped away

I was sleeping by the wasteside of tomorrow I was sleeping
I was sleeping I was sleeping by the wasteside of tomorrow
I was sleeping by the wasteside of tomorrow of tomorrow
ladies and gentlemen
I was just sleeeeee-ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I was sleeping by the wasteside of tomorrow
but it's better than sleeping by the wasteside of today
all the barbershops and funeral-homes were open
and the customers were coming and the business
was
doing
great...

"woolen gloves" (title unknown)

Written by: regina spektor

Available Recordings: Click to view

Lyrics (fan transcription):

come downstairs
I'll put flowers in your hair
won't you forgive me now?

somedays are like woolen gloves
you feel warm but you can't touch things properly
can't hold on to glass
can't hold on to rocks
can't hold on to love
while wearing woolen gloves

won't you forgive me now?

if I lived here I would swim every day
my skin would turn darker and I'd have babies and they'd drink all my milk
but I live in New York
with my woolen gloves
falling in and out
of my woolen gloves

won't you forgive me now?

You

Written by: regina spektor

Available Recordings: Click to view

Lyrics (fan transcription):

never give up loving
unless you have to
never give up loving
unless you must
cause it will haunt you
in the future
will try to crawl into your bed at night

never leave your lover
unless he makes you
by being cold and
awful mean
even then you'll probably
always miss him
he will visit in your dreams

Names and dates and faces
places you were happy
I'll never fall
never fall like that again...

never give up loving
unless you have to
never leave your lover
unless you must
cause it will haunt your
empty heart forever
til your body turns to dust

I want you...

Your Honor

Written by: regina spektor

Available Recordings: Click to view

Lyrics (from the Soviet Kitsch liner notes):

I kissed your lips and I tasted blood
I asked you what happened and you said there'd been a fight
You said I've been fighting for your honor but you wouldn't understand
I said hold on your honor I'll get ice for your hand

Oh you been fighting for my honor and I don't understand
but hold on your honor I'll get ice for your hand...

You said come on baby let's just make love it's the only thing to make me better
you said come on let's just get you out of that sweater
I said I don't kiss losers and I don't kiss winners
And I don't fight for honor cause we all are born sinners

Gargle with peroxide a steak for your eye
but I'm a vegetarian so it's a frozen pizza pie
You tell me that you care and you never do lie
and you fight for my honor but I just don't know why

Mary had a little lamb with fleece as white as snow
You've got me and I'm just a common 'ho
but I know what I am and I know what I ain't
so don't get cut cause I still won't be no saint

Gargle with peroxide a steak for your eye
but I'm a pizzatarian so it's a frozen pizza pie
You tell me that you love me and you never do lie
and you fight for my honor but I just don't know why
You fight for my honor and I don't understand
but hold on your honor I'll get ice for your hand...