Lyrics:

My moleskin’s out of pages
But how many times can I underline one name?
I’m sketching all your faces
Tried to erase, but you’re stained inside my brain
There’s pleasure in this pain
   
I know it’s been a minute
The sands of time just slide and they can’t stop  
The sky would be our limit
We shared our balloons, 
And shot straight to the moon until they popped
Been long way down to drop

What I want is what’s best for you
Yeah, whatever makes your heart
Sing a song that climbs your chart
Like we used to

What’s best for me
Only the universe can see
If the fates will let us be again
In my mind, 
It’s all good, It’s all fine
Take my little red pen
Rewrite the end
Rewrite the end
I’ll get to edit it over and over again

Thumbs are numb from scrollin’  
The dopamine soon means I’ll hit a wall
We tried a game of hold ‘em  
The hand we folded
It coulda been a winner after all
We’ll never know 
Maybe shoulda called
     
What I want is what’s best for you
Throw a penny in the well
If we wish to love ourselves
Make it come true

What’s best for me
Sometimes it takes a break
To get your head above mistakes
In the deep end
Think I’ll keep the end 
Gotta stop believing pretend
This is now and that was then, my friend

What’s best for we? 
The only attitude 
Is just a wave of gratitude
Wanna ride with me?  

Jonathan Schwartz - 2024

What's Best

There’s a line, a line we don’t need to be crossing.
Crossing lines, it seems as though that’s the thing we do the best.
Even though even though we don’t mean to
We can’t stop, it’s who we are. 

There’s a point, a point we both know needs repeating.
Making points, we’ve got it down to an art, but we often forget.
Even though even though we don’t mean to
We can’t stop, it’s who we are. 

She’s always right, I’m never wrong. Is there a middle to meet?
She’s too uptight, I don’t belong, but here I am.
Neither of us has the courage to fight for long. That seems wrong.

There’s a dream, a dream we both have, and it’s happ’ning. 
Dreaming dreams, sometimes we dream with the same set of eyes.
Even though even though we don’t mean to,
We can’t stop, it’s who we are.

Crossing A Line

People we know say that we don’t have any reason to disagree.
Split level house, two car garage; one for you and one for me.
Long time ago, I would agree – things were so diff’rent for you and me.
The money’s been good, the loving hard – somehow baby I can’t see us …

Falling out of love; there’s too much of nothing going on
Out of love; Tryin’ to be pleasin’, there’s just no reason for
Falling out of love, we’ve been together too long to give it up, just wait and see.

When we began, we had a plan; Who knows which one didn’t understand?
Shake off hard knocks, check off a box. Reformulate and start again.
Neither one of us saw – the fatal flaw – that started unwinding and destroyed it all.
Looking back now, it’s plain to see; some of you – a lot of me.

Falling out of love; there’s too much of nothing going on
Out of love; Tryin’ to be pleasin’, there’s just no reason for
Falling out of love, we’ve been together too long to give it up, just wait and see.

And if we decided - to cut our losses and run,
Would you be blind-sided? Would it truly break your heart?
From the beginning we knew the odds were long.
We knew that much – right from the start.

Falling out of love; there’s too much of nothing going on
Out of love; Tryin’ to be pleasin’, there’s just no reason for
Falling out of love, we’ve been together too long to give it up, just wait and see.

Falling Out Of Love

Once is a mystical land far away, yet not that far just the same.
Lived a wee little boy and a dog he called Copper. Andrew was the boy’s name.
“There they go, there they go,” the people all said,” balancing on a log.
Doing flips, jumping ditches and standing on heads,
The boy with a smile and a dog, oh, the boy with a smile and a dog.

Together they traveled from city to city, taking in all of the sights.
There they saw wagons, castles and dragons, damsels in search of their knights.
“There they go, there they go,” the people all said,” balancing on a log.
Doing flips, jumping ditches and standing on heads,
The boy with a smile and a dog, oh, the boy with a smile and a dog.

Andrew and Copper had nothing to fear, nothing could keep them apart.
You never saw one, lest you saw the other, the two of them sharing one heart.

One day their travels took them to a mountain, down in the valley below.
“Who are you,” they asked of a strange looking creature. Who are you they wanted to know.
"Though I've been round here forever and ever, never a name cros't my ear,
But you, my young friends, I will answer to Nothing, Nothing, the one that you fear."

So Andrew and Copper had nothing to fear, nothing could keep them apart.
If they ever hoped to defeat dreaded nothing, something must stay in their heart.

There is that mystical land they call home now, there in that mystical land.
The two then decided to always do something, something was part of their plan.
“There they go, there they go,” the people all said,” balancing on a log.
Doing flips, jumping ditches and standing on heads,
The boy with a smile and a dog, oh, the boy with a smile and a dog.

The Boy With A Smile And A Dog

I guess time will tell if I have messed it up again.
I suspect I have, and I suspect you knew I would.
I won’t make excuses, but I know you understand my intentions are good.

There’s a line that separates, it keeps us all on track.
Doing what we clearly know we should.
Sure, I crossed that line, and I keep tryin’ to take it back, my intentions are good.

But intentions don’t mean anything, trying’s not enough.
The road to hell, they say, is paved with what I’m trying to do.
But I don’t have the time to try out all that fancy stuff.
We both know it’s true. I love you, and you do too.

I don’t have a problem with the way you’re loving me.
Wouldn’t change it, even if I could.
Coulda, woulda, shoulda, guess it’s just a tragedy,my intentions are good.

But intentions don’t mean anything, trying’s not enough.
The road to hell, they say, is paved with what I’m trying to do.
But I don’t have the time to try out all that fancy stuff.
We both know it’s true. I love you, and you do too.

There may come a time when I stop tryin’, but until I do,
I’ll admit I haven’t got a clue.
I have got it figured out, guess I always knew
We both know it’s true. It’s always been ‘bout you. I love you, and you do too.

Good Intentions

She’s got an answer to the question,
But it’s not the answer that you’re looking for
She’s taking the long way around; she’s found this best suits her style.
She has grinded to a stop now,
It’s an impasse, nothing’s gonna get her moving.
‘Till she is ready to go, she’s going slow for a while.
Some call her quirky, some say strange, up in the air, a kite.
Bohemian and bon vivant, but I say she’s just right.

She reads poetry and classics,
And she needs to read at least a book a day.
She blushes at the drop of a hat, and that makes her blush even more.
She wants to rescue every dog she sees
And score points in every single game we play.
She’s willing to share what she can, and plan every minute of your day.
Her culinary skills are great if you like mac & cheese.
And she’s not scared of trying things if you say, “Pretty please!”

She lets the music take her where she’s going,
And I guess that’s why she keeps me around.
She’s taken my heart for a ride, and it’s no surprise that I
Am spellbound, I’m tumbling, my head is spinning
‘round & ‘round & ‘round & round & ‘round it goes
So, if I can convince her to try, she’ll be my bride one day.
I’ve had my eye on her a while, she is the girl for me.
There is no doubt that she’s the one, she is my favorite she.

She put up a wall of alabaster ‘round her heart.
Dense enough to keep me out, but let the light shine in.
Even when I asked her, she could not recite her part.
She’d just cry.

She described herself as needing more, but could not say
What it was she needed - what her plan was - why she cared.
Even when I asked her, she could not confront the truth.
She was scared.

It looks so hard, like stone and steel, but still the light shone in.
But once the light went in, it’d stay right there.
A heart like that cannot survive to say just where it’s been.
Or even if it’s been anywhere.

INSTRUMENTAL

She could not control the circumstances she was giv’n.
So, instead, she let it die, she let it crash and burn.
Even when I asked her, she could not describe the pain.
She’d just burn.

It looks so hard, like stone and steel, but still the light shone in.
But once the light went in, it’d stay right there.
A heart like that cannot survive to say just where it’s been.
Or even if it’s been anywhere.

Alabaster Heart

At the crack of dawn you’re out the door, cup of coffee in your hand,
Tell me again how this has always been your plan.
You said you were gonna be a star; the stage was custom built for you.
Is this just one more stage that you’ll be going through?
I know you said not to bring it up; what’s done is done – can’t be undone.
Is this the price you pay for reaching for the sun?

There’s a road less-traveled; that’s the road I’m on.
Let’s get our lives unraveled; throw this old dog another bone.
We’ve both got lives for living, so let’s start giving thought to leaving home.
There’s a road less-traveled; let’s pack it up and hit that road.

Our mantra used to be, “Let’s have a ball; time won’t wait for anyone.
Do you remember how much fun we had back then?
Somehow it turned into, “Let’s have it all; tomorrow we can have our fun.”
Tomorrow turned into tomorrow once again.

There’s a road less-traveled; that’s the road I’m on.
Let’s get our lives unraveled; throw this old dog another bone.
We’ve both got lives for living, so let’s start giving thought to leaving home.
There’s a road less-traveled; let’s pack it up and hit that road.

Road Less Traveled

We might have answered the world’s greatest problems.
We might have won the war.
We might have sung every song that’s been written.
And maybe a couple more.

We might have dreamed up the greatest plot ever.
We might have keyed the lock.
We might have solved every riddle presented,
If not for that stupid clock.

Why is it all of the greatest times ever come to an end way too soon?
Time spent with friends should never be ended, time for another tune.
“I’ve gotta work in the morning,” won’t cut it. Why does it have to stop?
Time spent with friends is the greatest gift ever. Let’s just ignore the clock.

No one will ever accuse us of wisdom.
We’ve no agenda here.
All we require is a song for the singing,
And maybe another beer.

Why is it all of the greatest times ever come to an end way too soon?
Time spent with friends should never be ended, time for another tune.
“I’ve gotta work in the morning,” won’t cut it. Why does it have to stop?
Time spent with friends is the greatest gift ever. Let’s just ignore the clock.

We might have found Jimmy Hoffa, the Loch Ness
Monster, the matching sock.
So many things we that we might have accomplished
If not for that stupid clock.

If Not For That Stupid Clock

Lightning crash, and thunder roar, wind rip ‘cross the sky.
Looks like it’ll rain some more.
Water level’s rising high, clouds and darkness fill the sky.
Limbs and branches start to fly.

Hurricane is on its way, say it will be bad.
This might be our judgment day.
Watch the maps, it’s getting near, lots of anguish, lots of fear
Third one that we’ve had this year.

Every time you look there’s a disaster going on.
Bombs exploding, guns reloading, it’s a heart attack, start coding.
When you go to bed each night, what’s it gonna be?
What’s tomorrow’s calamity?

INSTRUMENTAL

Earthquake’s got the ground a’shaking, tearing down the walls.
It’s so hot the earth is baking.
Just what good is being free, when the sun beats down on me?
Just one more calamity.

Every time you look there’s a disaster going on.
Bombs exploding, guns reloading, it’s a heart attack, start coding.
When you go to bed each night, what’s it gonna be?
What’s tomorrow’s calamity?

Calamity

We were too young to think ‘bout dying, but we had to anyway.
Fidel was gonna send those bombers flying real soon.
Digging deep inside the basement, storing water and canned goods.
Hope we live to see another day.

But things soon calmed down in the palace, order restored to Camelot.
Then that fateful day in Dallas, order died.
Watching grainy film on repeat, nobody knows what’s what.
We watched little John John and we cried. You’re all safe they told us, but they lied.

Down in Memphis they shot Martin, out in L.A. Bobby too.
Watching all our heroes dying in prime time.
in Chicago they were cracking heads and knee caps, they kept showing us the news.
What were we supposed to do and say? Act like them and look the other way
Sorry, that’s not happening today!

Every night we’d watch the footage, bombing kids in Vietnam.
If you watch it long enough, it’ll dull the senses.
They turned the guns on us in Ohio, Nixon dropped another bomb.
This is gonna shape the thing you do. Questioning the things you thought you knew.
Fifty years have passed, it still rings true.
You will either take a stand - or watch Fox News.

What's Best

Jonny and the Shoe Racks

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