The story goes just like this: Picture a girl as beautiful as you can possibly think She’s got a crush on a guy, and she smiles with a *wink* She sends her message of love as they skate through the rink On their very first date, but She doesn’t know that he’s torn Doesn’t know that he has been having some doubts She Doesn’t know that he’s constantly fighting about Whether or not the feelings he’s had for this girl Are coming from his heart So let’s move on to: Two hours later the DJ had seen them brought the energy down Playing slow-dancing songs for the coupled-up crowd And the chance to move up in his mind was endowed to her And here’s what she did next: The couple went out to dinner but they never quite figured it out They’re going steady I guess that they found common ground And they’re smiling and laughing and singing aloud Until you consider That he was stuck inside a fabricated past That made him wait before committing to a “second best” He compromised And far away from here St. Cupid lined up his shot But when you took that arrow, was love all that you got? He didn’t mention the pain in the ass That always follows when you get stabbed in the back. *(Not So) EPIC 16-BAR GUITAR DUEL* Flashing forward: She tried to go for a kiss, he saw her coming, he dodged and she missed At least that’s what it had looked like from here I’d insist And the reason for why he did just doesn’t exist At least until things got Some kind of rough cause she started to scream, and pushed him back, held in place While he tried to get out, get home he yelled in her face And said a whole bunch of shit that he couldn’t erase And then she considered That he was stuck inside a fabricated past That made him wait before committing to a “second best” He compromised And far away from here St. Cupid lined up his shot But when you took that arrow was love all that you got? He didn’t mention the pain in the ass That always follows when you get stabbed in the back. Austen Gray/Joker’s Republic ©2016

PICK IT UP, PICK IT UP, PICK IT UP! *Totally RUDE Horns Skank In* Woke up today, just like any other day When suddenly I thought of something It occurred to me, for the first time that I could see I was alone, and I had nothing Where did all the time go? It’s been so long I’ve got nothing to show For all the time that I’ve spent neglecting my friends, and wasting my life Where did it go wrong? Forgetting it’s all about having a balance of pressure and fun before reality comes along *Totally RUDE Reggae Horns, Rasta* I thought about my newest revelation And then I said “What else is new?” The T.V.’s on, and it’s showing me a celebration For someone better off than me or you Where did all the time go? It’s been so long I’ve got nothing to show For all the time that I’ve spent neglecting my friends, and wasting my life Where did it go wrong? Forgetting it’s all about having a balance of pressure and fun before reality comes along You better watch your ass You can’t escape the attack There’s no turning back Oh no... There’s nowhere left to go This is so OUT OF CONTROL! Well it’s fucked up how quickly things can change I hate it so, but it’s the truth And it’s too late to try and change my fate I’ve given up, but why should you? Where did all the time go? It’s been so long I’ve got nothing to show For all the time that I’ve spent neglecting my friends, and wasting my life Where did it go wrong? Forgetting it’s all about having a balance of pressure and fun before reality comes along *Punk-Ass Horns Play Us Out* Before reality comes along Before reality comes along Austen Gray/Joker’s Republic ©2016

We haven’t spoken since we broke up About a year of silence And now you’re reaching out to me Well, I think you missed your opportunity It started out where we were friends And then we took it further Now you’re begging for my company Weren’t you the one who told me I should leave? I dealt with all your bullshit I dealt with all this pain I don’t need to be reminded You did too little, and it’s too damn late I said you did too little, and it’s too late Those lonely nights were so pleasant I have you to thank for that Waking up and feeling like I’m sick Crying quietly for you to take me back... You found me, just the other day But I’m not looking for you Get the message and go away I’m guessing you don’t even know That I’m over it, so just give up and take care of yourself I don’t love you, my heart’s with someone else *KDC Inspired Guitar Solo* *(Please Don’t) DROP THE BASS* We shared some special moments But now our time is through You left your mark on my soul Hope when you think of us it’s good You found me, just the other day But I’m not looking for you Get the message and go away I’m guessing you don’t even know That I’m over it, so just give up and take care of yourself I don’t love you, my heart’s with someone else Someone else... I don’t love you my heart’s with someone else. Someone else. I don’t love you, my heart’s with someone else. Austen Gray/Joker’s Republic ©2016

Hello, sweet innocence What are you doing here? Amidst the haziness of stranger tides I fear you’re wasting away, and no matter how I try I can’t retain a string of words... that can help describe what I feel Am I okay? What have I done to myself? Can I forgive me? Or am I paranoid? Am I making it all up...? I’m getting caught up I’m getting caught up I’m getting caught up in the specifics of my life I’m getting caught up I’m getting caught up I’m getting caught up in... Normal is a funny word, that you use all the time But for me it’s just another dream that long ago had died And you said there was something on this Earth worth living for I thought I found it in you, but I can’t be sure When your best days have you feeling nothing, numb and broken down, on the floor Am I okay? What have I done to myself? Can I forgive me? Or am I paranoid? Am I making it all up...? I’m getting caught up I’m getting caught up I’m getting caught up in the specifics of my life And it’s too much, I can’t focus in on the reason that I think I don’t belong I’m getting caught up I’m getting caught up I’m getting caught up in the specifics of my... You always ask if I’m okay Well what am I supposed to say to that? It isn’t like I don’t want help You would know because you care You tell me that you’re “here for me” But how long before I tire you out? Please get me out of this NIGHTMARE WAKE ME UP, OH WAKE ME UP Before it’s too late... I’m getting caught up I’m getting caught up (Oh, I’m getting caught up) I’m getting caught up in the specifics of my life And it’s too much, I can’t focus in on the reason that I think I don’t belong I’m getting caught up I’m getting caught up (Oh, I’m getting caught up) I’m getting caught up in the specifics of my fucked up life And it’s too much, I CAN’T FOCUS IN... Austen Gray/Joker’s Republic ©2016

*Snakes ‘N’ Barrels Inspired Drum Intro* Listen up: This is a warning and the signs there on the road say you should turn around Before you are transformed into a burnout As the best years of your life go flying, passing by And the sad part is that you got left behind Stuck inside a living hell of nothing left to do but hold on, wait Isn’t there another way to dull or numb the pain Of the everlasting boredom that you always face Cause you never had the urge to even try To pull yourself together And try to make a better life for you And now I think you’re screwed beyond belief Fear of the unknown kept you right at home Paranoia set in Common in... The Ass-End of Nowhere Sucks out all of your ambition! The Ass-End of Nowhere Makes the whole world feel like fiction to you! It’s not too late To try and fix the situation that you find yourself about to be Wrapped up in, like a blanket cradled tightly And I guess it sounds nice metaphorically, But in reality you are fucked If you don’t get away from here you really need to learn to take a chance Adapt and move along to any song or dance that life can throw your way So you don’t shit your pants when you see how cruel the world can really be At least that’s what they tell you Your friends who live here who Have never left these walls and they don’t want you to go “You’re safer while you’re here, feeding into fear What could possibly be better than what you already know?” The Ass-End of Nowhere Sucks out all of your ambition! The Ass-End of Nowhere Makes the whole world feel like fiction to you! *”Fuck You, Nick Jonas” Guitar Solo* You know they’re wrong, deep down inside You know they’re wrong Someday you will break free You know they’re wrong, deep down inside You know they’re wrong Someway you will break free You know they’re wrong, deep down inside You know they’re wrong Somehow you will break free You know they’re wrong, deep down inside You know they’re wrong BUT WHAT IF THEY WERE RIGHT!? The Ass-End of Nowhere Sucks out all of your ambition! The Ass-End of Nowhere Makes the whole world feel like fiction to you! Austen Gray/Joker’s Republic ©2016

“You’re throwing your life away You’re making a big mistake You won’t even last a day...” Let me start at the beginning: Or I guess it was the ending of my Senior year of High School When I was young and grinning and I said that I didn’t want to go to college I didn’t want to waste my time or throw away a lot of money That I will need to follow my dream Which is to make a Ska-Punk record and dominate the scene The people that I talk to they don’t understand me They look at me like I’m a freak They all say the same things they say “You’re throwing your life away You’re making a big mistake You won’t even last a day... You’re throwing your life away!” They say I’m throwing it away And it guess it looks that way when for twelve years All of our supposed teachers teach us to fear What our life will become without some DUMB piece of paper That I can print at Kinko’s and it would mean the same thing as anyone else with a degree to me I have a direction for me to be I have a direction but society doesn’t see what I want to do as good for me and they put the pressure on me they say “You’re throwing your life away You’re making a big mistake You won’t even last a day... You’re throwing your life away!” I know that I’m taking a big fucking risk But I can’t do anything else right So I might as well take a chance on the things I can And if I fail I will let everyone down All the people that have helped me get to where I want to be All the time and all the money everybody’s faith in me All of that will go to waste if I can’t make it And all the guilt that follows that will surely be the death of me But I’m committed now and I’m not turning back! Oh no. *”Shred Or DIE” Guitar Solo* “You’re throwing your life away You’re making a big mistake You won’t even last a day... You’re throwing your life away!” I’ve been told that I’ve got a bit of an ego And it’s been said that I’m not politically correct And I’ve never been diagnosed, but I’m pretty sure I have Imposter Syndrome... Yeah, I know that I’ve got a really bad temper And I’m well aware my pride gets in the way Of doing what is right, and I know what it looks like But beneath it all my heart’s in the right place Oh, you don’t have to tell me I already know Please don’t waste my time I’m well aware I already know I’m full of it, I’m far from perfect And it doesn’t bear repeating, so let’s move on Yeah, I know, that I’m, way too clingy And I don’t know when to let things go I can see that I’m rough around the edges And I know that I’ve made some poor decisions Oh, you don’t have to tell me I already know Please don’t waste my time I’m well aware I already know I’m full of it, I’m far from perfect And it doesn’t bear repeating, so let’s move on *”Dave Grohl May Be Slightly Amused” Guitar Solo* And I’m sure that I have hurt some people That I cared about somewhere along the line And I’m sorry that I did I’d do anything to fix it But even if I could fix everything I’m not changing who I am so... You don’t have to tell me I already know Please don’t waste my time I’m well aware I already know I’m full of shit, I’m far from perfect And it doesn’t bear repeating, so let’s move on Oh, you don’t have to tell me I already know Please don’t waste my time I’m well aware I already know I’m not pretending I already know Oh you don’t have to tell me I already know.
 Austen Gray/Joker’s Republic ©2016

Oh, did you ever have your shit together? I bet you never thought it through You made your choices based on intuition Could that be your last mistake? All of your friends left you, oh did you ever have them? Did you fall for a false truth? There’s no way around it, YOU ARE ALL ALONE NOW And you’re calling out for help But no one’s listening No one’s interested... They’d rather throw you to the wolves No one really cares But everybody’s there... Just to watch you fall apart I bet you never thought that this would happen Your family thinks you’re a disgrace Sitting on your ass now, waiting for your moment And it might not ever come I can’t believe it, you’re so fucking useless And your name means “Useful One” You wanna change but, YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO And you’re screaming now for help But no one’s listening No one’s interested... They’d rather throw you to the wolves No one really cares But everybody’s there... Just to watch you fall apart *Spoopy AF interlude + Metal Ass Solo* No one’s listening No one’s interested... They’d rather throw you to the wolves No one really cares But everybody’s there... Just to watch you fall apart No one’s listening No one’s interested... They’d rather throw you to the wolves No one really cares But everybody’s there... JUST TO WATCH YOU FALL APART (They’re gonna throw you to the wolves) *2spooky Outro* Austen Gray/Joker’s Republic ©2016