Stepping on cracks on the sidewalk
My ma’s already gone
Breaking all the mirrors
What’s another seven years

I don’t give a fuck ‘bout my kind of luck
You can take a look
I ain’t stopping
It’s all cherries and hot sauce to me
I’m topping 

Topping 

Getting off on the thirteenth floor
Cuz I know how to count
Crossing the path of a black cat
That’s my black cat—get back here Jack!

I don’t give a fuck ‘bout my kind of luck
You can take a look
I ain’t stopping
It’s all cherries and hot sauce to me
I’m topping 

Topping

Topping

Go pack a bag today
It’s one attack away
Did you get off a day	
And grab enough for tea
You can snack on the way
The backup’s on the way
Can you fight the fatigue
And join the justice league
Too much to tolerate
It’s time to operate	

It’s going down

Go place your bets on time
At the scene of the crime
You get to choose a side
Win, truce or lose, decide
Then make your journey home
The place you call your own
Try to catch the welcome sign
Temporary by design—
it’s going down

It's Going Down

A man-made deathwish upon a star
Paves a path into heaven's arms
You come unglued to find you're not far
from a heinous act of love

Your master and guide
Praised your courage not your pride
You pass the point where you can hide
from a heinous act of love

Why be careful
when you could be free?
You gave an earful, 
but soon your cheers will
tumble short of victory

A man-made deathwish upon a star
Paves a path into heaven's arms
You come unglued to find you're not far
from a heinous act of love

Why be careful
when you could be free?
You gave an earful, 
but soon your tears will
tumble short of victory

So angel let's get used to it
Where's the danger if we quit?
In only moments we'll commit more
Heinous acts of love

Heinous Acts Of Love

I got reasonable doubt that I’ll finish this song
That the chorus will be strong
That you’ll want to sing along

I got reasonable doubt that I’ll finish this song 
Don’t ask me why I started at all

I’ve got reasonable doubt that I’ll have a good hook
That the verses will cook
That the bridge is by the brook

I have reasonable doubt that I’ll finish this song 
Don’t ask me why I started at all

If you want to put me before the jury
Better hurry
Time is getting precious

And let’s face it I’m pretty defenseless
Music’s senseless
Yet I struggle on...

But I have reasonable doubt that I’ll finish this song
That the chorus will be strong
That you’ll want to sing along

I have reasonable doubt that I’ll finish this song 
Don’t ask me why I started at all

©2017 Soultrainee Music
Music and words by Adam Sultan

Reasonable Doubt

Love gropes in the dark
Love hopes for a spark
But I’m telling you Love 
You’re better off leaving it
Alone on its mark

Love waits for the gun
Wound tight for the run
But the track is a circle
You can’t get around it
Despite your imagination

Two fools overflowing yet
Can’t quench their thirst
Each one knowing they’re making it worse
Forcing love
Through the icy narrows
We’ll get by when we learn to let go
And fly like arrows

Love lives in the dark
Love gives up its spark
Pretending the truth is out there
When it’s better left
Bare in your own heart

Love can’t we be just
Look inward and trust
That the answer is never
A question of quenching our
Neverending lust

Two fools overflowing yet
Can’t quench their thirst
Each one knowing they’re making it worse
Forcing love
Through the icy narrows
We’ll get by when we learn to let go
And fly like arrows

Music and lyrics by Adam Sultan
©2017 Soultrainee Music

The Narrows

Where are we going
The walls are growing
The time is slowing 
We must be knowing

Count me out 
Belly up
Hold my breath

Feel the doubt
Peeling out
Be my guest

Enjoy your stay here
We’ll never play here

I can’t pay for the ticket
The price is insane
Back in the thick of the 
line I stay

You can’t hold onto
The rails of the ride
This house is haunted
You must decide

Where are we going
We must be knowing

Music and Lyrics by Adam Sultan
©2017 Soultrainee Music

The More You Know

Here’s the color blue I promised you
Here’s another pointless point of view
Should we end it all before we’re through
Writing our story 

This is how we stay another day
This is how we play each other
Say you will and we won’t 
color it any other way

Arm in arm again
Harmony does no harm
Till one of us lost the key,\
We’re still keeping time
Feeling beat, too tired to see 
  
It’s a fine line drawing 
Afraid to fill it in
Ask me for a duller hue, well

Here’s the color blue I promised you
Here’s another pointless point of view
Can we end it all before we’re through
Writing our story 

This is how we stay another day
This is how we play each other
Say you will and we won’t 
color it any other way

On and on it goes
Showing up for the shows
Brightened smiles in the dimming light
We’re still hanging tight
Feeling beat, too tired to fight

It’s a fine line drawing 
Afraid to fill it in
Ask me for a duller hue, well

Here’s the color blue I promised you
Here’s another pointless point of view
Can we end it all before we’re through
Writing our story 

This is how we stay another day
This is how we play each other
Say you will and we won’t 
color it any other way

Words and Music by Adam Sultan
©2017 Soultrainee Music

The Color Blue

They heard the Rumors straight
from her stepdaddy’s eight-
track cassette tape deck

Cruising the oceanside
With Fleetwood Mac beside them
They nearly ran into the wreck

It was a classic rock
Plummeting from the bluff
Causing the damn road block  
Too wide to get around

They knew they had enough
fuel to get turn back and slough
off this wasted Saturday

But just a mile ahead
Another cliff had shed --
What’s with this California terrain?

Another classic rock
Plummeting from the bluff
Causing the damn road block  
Too wide to get around

It was a classic rock
Plummeting from the bluff
This time they had to laugh
So high, they couldn’t get over it

Words and Music by Adam Sultan
©2017 Soultrainee Music

Classic Rock

Traded her scrubs for camouflage
Left the city for the fields,
Her lodgings are lean
She’s tough but she’s clean

Military nurse

Hair is blonde and a little orange
Devils depart as she 
tends to the poor injured soldiers
Takes cream with her Folger’s

Military Nurse

Piece it together in wartime
Just when you thought it was your time
She’s got what ails you
When armor fails you

Whether the battle is won or lost
It’s always comes at a certain cost
But the deal is,
now you can heal

How does it feel?

Military Nurse

Music and lyrics by Adam Sultan
©2017 Soultrainee Music

Military Nurse

Hitching a ride on the dolphins of france
Leaving the light on for Bryan Cranston
Your chances are pretty thin
This scene will happen  again

Have an affair with the cast of Bewitched
Hire the Secret Service to be your bitch
You only get one life
How will you sharpen your knife?

Let’s take the easy way out of 
These old undergarments
Let’s break the knees of those who doubt
We’re gonna make it
We’re gonna make it! 
Oui Oui!
Whoa Whoa!

Woooow!

(Dolphins of France)

Hitching a ride on the dolphins of France
Writing a modern version of the 
Emancipation Proclamation
And changes all the verbs to adjectives

Taking a nap through the apocalypse
Popping a cap in the ass of the hips
of the legs of the torso
of the horse who was
too damn slow to win

Words and Music by Adam Sultan
©2017 Soultrainee Music

Dolphins Of France

this sticky key
this ragged lock
this red fan, shattered pot
gold egg, silver bottle 

Pockets of currency, currents of love

Hollywood or bust
burn it if it’s in the way
Hollywood or bust
churn it, if it’s a good one 

black thick lash load
bones like barricades
lids like shutters
mouth a ripe fig, a rose. 

Pockets of currency, currents of love.

Hollywood or bust
burn it if it’s in the way
Hollywood or bust
churn it, if it’s a good one 

Oh the timing! And

the mining of time, the gold of the moment, 
running on dirt before dawn
a whole mountain gets lifted overhead       
It’s the diamond in the flowerbed

Lyrics by Liz Belile
Music by Adam Sultan

©2017 Soultrainee Music

Hollywood Or Bust

This is a story
About an emotion
That couldn’t stay in my body
Because I gave it a name

He came from a dark place
And worked his way to the city
Giving me hell
Was the name of the game

It’s just words, people
Say what you want
What hurts people is
All these thoughts about these thoughts…
It’s a never-ending story

This is a story
About an illusion
That didn’t come from the present
But it’s here 24/7

She came from a big space
Where nothing comes from 
It could’ve been heaven
If I left it alone

It’s words, people
Say what you want
What hurts people is
All these thoughts about these thoughts…
It’s a never-ending story

You can’t contain the storm
Until you can weather whatever the conditions
It may feel  safe and warm
But if you don’t make room for the competition
You’ll shoot for distraction 
Instead of for glory

This is a story
Just like any other
It may not have a beginning
Or even a name

Words and Music by Adam Sultan
©2017 Soultrainee music

Storylines

The fire and the fury
Is fought on the Internet
The crowd is in a hurry 
To have their opinions met

There is no judge, no jury,
Not even a referee
Language becomes a bloodsport
Everyone plays for free

The fire and the fury
Is fought with a dull blade
To sharpen it would worry
The minds that are already made

There’s no time in history 
We’ve ever really split
From those we’re bound to serve
Set the table—I think that’s it

Your guest is as good as mine
   
The fire and the fury
Is burning to the ground
The crowd is in a hurry 
To bring their wisdom down

There’s questions to this story
That loiter like a ghost
Have we been the parasite
Or are we now the host?

Your guest is as good as mine

The Fire and The Fury (Your Guest is as Good as Mine)

I’m sinking under all this pressure
To say something meaningful
What if it wasn’t I love you
But did you finish your taxes?

Oscar’s got to get his shot
I’ll pick up the laundry 
This chamomile tea relaxes
Have you seen the New Yorker?

I’m sinking under all this pressure
To keep you entertained
What if it wasn’t through music,  
words, or even pain?

Can I rise to the occasion
of our boredom shared
Can I lift you with a little
detail known as life?

I’m sinking under all this pressure
To say something meaningful
What if it wasn’t I love you
But “I’m sinking under all this pressure”?

I’ll see you on the bottom
Of the murky seas
What if I didn’t love you
On such days as these?

What if I didn’t love you
On such days as these

@2021 Adam Sultan

All This Pressure

I watched the black postcards curling in the flame
Added some photos to the fire
A stack of love letters, a bunch of recipes
Burning memories to keep me sane

There’s lots to tidy up, the sparks bring me joy
I once was so naïve, just a little boy
But I’ve outgrown you, and found my own true
act to clean up

I’m taking out the trash that gathered over years 
Dragging the dumpster to the curb
I should turn the compost once before I leave
It’s not like me, it’s undisturbed

Magic has entered my life, but the trick’s on me
I’ve pulled you out of my hat, time to set you free
So much collected, I can’t protect it anymore

Can’t believe the estate I’m in
Packing boxes, pacing, pouring all this gin
Alternating calm and mad
As I remember Mom and Dad



©2021 Adam Sultan

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

A Couple of Night Hawks

Remember when we hung up our trophies
Tusks and antlers shining down, from
over the kitchen table?

We were able
To own our lion’s share

Now the times are sparer
And it’s rare that you can

Cast your own spell
Capture a thrill
Cuz lately it’s getting hard to kill

Remember when time was on our side
And there was no other side
hellbent on murder?

There was no burden 
The beast was in our power

Now is the hour
That rising shadows

Cast their own spell
Capture your thrill
Lately it’s getting hard to kill

Remember when we hung up our trophies
Tusks and antlers shining down…

@2021 Adam Sultan

Hard To Kill

We wish we had the speed
To get things done
A simple remedy to 	
To wake us up

We lie upon the ground
Cursing our shitty draft
We never hear the sound
Beyond our fear

We walk away from work we 
worried was the worst, when there’s a
Very revised version, 
vastly varied from the first

A universe of stars
We think there’s one
This whole blank page is ours
You can’t make a mistake

It just a choice we have
To start over
Beginning’s always rough
Why treat it like the end

We walk away from work we worried was the worst when there’s a
Very revised version, vastly varied from the first

Why walk away from work you
worried is the worst, when there’s a
Very revised version, 
vastly varied from the first

Rough Draft

Why are you making sounds, way down there?
I put you in the ground, so stay there
You say I get around, well, hey there--
I got a life

I don’t believe in ghosts, why should I?
Won’t be your gracious host, why would I?
I cared about you most, back when we
Both walked the earth 

Now just accept it – you’re a daisypusher
Just accept it – you’re a daisypusher
Now that I swept you under the rug, 
Quit haunting me!

Do you remember when you told me
That just your memory would hold me
Long after you were laid down cold beneath
The soil

Why are hanging round to spook me?
You don’t know how damn long it took me
To move along and cook me up a decent meal

Now just accept it – you’re a daisypusher
Just accept it – you’re a daisypusher
Now that I swept you under the rug, 
Quit haunting me!

@2021 Adam Sultan

Daisypusher

She lays her blissful smirk on the world
I know the world ain’t her world but it would if it could

She makes her master work for the kill
It’s not the work that worries him, it’s the thrill of it all

All she has to do is flash an eyelash catching sparks off of the sunset
And you get all you need but one more breath

She takes you down and out of this world
I know the world ain’t her world but it would if it could

She brings her summer sneer to your ear
Tells you that winter’s for losers and you wish she’d cool it

Her manners are not up for debate
She’s out of the world, why you think you can fool her with it?

All she has to do is set you free, plenty of wishes in the sea
And you’ll catch all you need but one more breath

She lays her blissful smirk on the world
I know the world ain’t her world but it would if it could


@2021 Adam Sulltan

Not Of This World

From my Bowie tribute Super Creeps (Austin, TX). 

See the video here: https://youtu.be/RSfwKZRnxvg

We Are The Dead (David Bowie cover)

Austin, TX musician, writer, host.
www.adamsultan.com

Adam Sultan

Popular tracks