1

I I I I I I I I

am am am am am am am am

the the the the the the the the

elephant king, the one and only blood of the lamb, I am the holy teller of tales, I am a story elephant king but I am lonely prophets confession on his deathbed soil of the earth, I am the purebred listener hearing all thats unsaid magazines hiding under your bed

When I was a boy of seventeen, I know its mean, but I I told my friend to give up on her dreams, she hated me, but I I knew that dreams were for the best of us, not for the rest of us, and I I didnt want to share with anyone I need a way to sing the greatest dance, and make them laugh, I could win the wars, or lose the battles too, whichevers true I can live in other peoples lives I CANT STOP PUTTING ON OTHER PEOPLES CLOTHES I love them til I leave I am a marathon runner and my legs are sore and Im anxious to see what Im running for I am a hot air balloon on a sailboat I would make this my home if Id learned to float So take my treasures, take my earthly life, Ill try to cry, I will live without the things I love the best So hold them to your chest I will lose my faces, lose my stolen wigs, the heads of kings I will run until I know what to believe I am a marathon runner and my legs are sore and Im anxious to see what Im running for I am a hot air balloon on a sailboat I would make this my home if Id learned to float Alex: vocals, guitar Michael: drums Jon: bass, organ

But if I was alive when you were alive Things would be better So I got not time for you Alex: vocals, piano, guitar, Korg MS-20 Michael: drums Jon: bass, bass clarinet, Korg MS-20 Beau: Korg MS-20

And you cant take my kingdom away from me I I I I am am am am the the the the elephant king, the one and only voice of the song, I am the lowly chosen protector of the dreary elephant king but I am lonely

If I see you, then youll know this has gone too far Cause our romance can only live behind all the walls there are No we never can meet We never can greet We never can say hello Cause our bones are too weak to be sold on the street To survive we must stay at home Ill think of you every other day just to throw them off Ill know you by the color of your walls and the beauty of thought Cause out there, every little bird is shivering and cold from the spiteful air and out there, every little spark is quickly fading dark from each strangers stare No we never can meet We never can greet We never can say hello Cause our bones are too weak to be sold on the street To survive we must stay at home Inside, inside is where I will hide from you Alex - vocals, guitar Michael - drums Jon - bass

So take my jewels and gems, take all that shines bright Take all the signs of my power away from my sight I will go to a land of constant daylight I will talk to myself til I am alright But take good care, Ill be back sooner than you think Cause you cant take my kingdom away from me Alex: vocals, guitar Michael: drums, vocals Jon: bass, trombone, euphonium, french horn, vocals

I wont let you bring me down Said the man with his grin Im in this war with an army, and were not letting you win Well make it complicated for you Ive read all that you have written I know they say youre a star But Ive heard stories from your daughter In the back of your car Well make it complicated for you We can make a deal, I know it Well Ive got things that you want And youve got what I need So why dont we be men, pretend were friends, and then move on (We can make a deal, I know it) Alex: vocals, guitar Michael: drums, vocals Jon: bass, baritone sax, tuba, trombone, euphonium, trumpet, cornet, peck horn, flugelhorn, vocals

I got no time for you When you were seventeen, I was nothing but a thought because you were then in 53, theres nothing yet of me When you were taking your first steps my grandfather took his test to get into the second grade a million miles away So I got no time for you I want your love I saw the pictures of the day when you grew up and moved away Your mother, she looked proud of you Its all that she could do I saw the photos when you cried, I saw the photos when you died I saw the start, I saw it all I know you better than yourself All that I take for granted is always right beside me And all the things I most want are miles away and happy Cause you wont know me if you try cause Ill make you a stranger I want your love I dont know if were still friends I dont know if youre happy But I will love you til the end Cause Ill still want you badly

And that is how Ill get by its my idea of danger I want your love I never said this to you when we were close together If I could take one thing back I would have known you sooner I know you live so far away but thats where all my dreams are If I could take one thing back I would have known you sooner I want your love Alex - vocals, optigan, piano Michael - drums, djembe, donkeys jawbone Jon - bass, baritone sax, bass clarinet, Korg MS-20

Ive got the same way of waiting for more Though I can run, I can never escape all of the things that will keep me the same Im Im Im Im writing stories that Ill never live making presents that Ill never give coming home and I dont know why coming home and

I can see it all now Up in the mountains I will be found There will be ponds and horses to ride and I will be free I could leave this behind all of the people making me sigh Ill be gone Maybe youll be there too, its up to you Alex - vocals, guitar, piano Michael - drums Jon - bass

Wear suits and talk about the futures of all your children Sing of serious things that kill you Wear suits and bring your love a flower Dont come home for hours Smile when asked about it Im coming home and I dont know why Im coming home and I dont know why Its three a.m. and I finished the lie Its three a.m. and I finished Wear suits and talk about the futures of all your children Sing of serious things that kill you Wear suits and bring your love a flower Dont come home for hours Smile when asked about it Alex - vocals, guitar Michael - drums Jon - bass, trombone, euphonium, trumpet

When the bridges all fall down and you think your words are dead sound I will wait for you Thats all I will do When the bears and tigers are chasing all the streetcar vendors erasing The fashion stops The curtain drops When your boyfriend leaves for the outside but hes cold the minute the horns cry I will see you then when weve reached the end A mass of black to pierce through a chance to focus on you The hunt of one The journeys done When all is dead and I am the only one with legs to stand Will it be right when were at the end? And to Adam, Eve was the only Cause nobody wants to be lonely So they settled down and she came around So if they could do it, its easy If you have no choice but to love me Will you settle down? Will you come around? When all is dead and I am the only one with legs to stand Will it be right when were at the end? Alex - vocals, guitar Michael - drums Jon - bass, baritone sax, trombone, trumpet, cornet, Korg MS-20

Sadie, can you break me? Cause Im calm now, but I could come around and Ill make you, if I see you in the Shakedown Sadie, bring your arms to me Cause I cant be still until Ive had my fill And these people, they are so cold and their stories, they get so old in the Shakedown But every now and then I see that no one is in front of me, no The people like to laugh and stare but I can live if there is someone there Sadie, can you save me? Cause Ive made up my mind not to ask you twice and these people, they are so cold and their stories, they get so old in the Shakedown Alex - vocals, guitar Michael - drums, vocals Jon - bass, vocals

To get to my home To get to my home, make known all of the things youd rather not say To get to my home To get to my home, breathe low The balance, it is hard to maintain I understand it all it never was so clear, but I see the answer staring right back at me I know it, I swear I know it, I swear, come near You tell me yours, Ill tell you mine then I can see it all now Up in the mountains I will be found There will be ponds and horses to ride and I will be free I could leave this behind all of the people making me sigh Ill be gone Maybe youll be there too, its up to you To get to my home To get to my home, be alone You cannot trust what you cannot control You leave it all behind You leave it all behind for me I am so grateful, youll be so relieved

Im coming home and I dont know why Im coming home and I dont know why Its three a.m. and I finished the lie Its three a.m. and I finished the lie I read about places Ill never see I sing about things that Ill never be Im coming home and I dont know why Im coming home and I dont know why Ive got the same people at my door

Produced by Yellow Ostrich and Beau Sorenson Engineered and mixed by Beau Sorenson Recorded at The Isokon in Woodstock, NY and The Drawing Room in Kingston, NY, in August 2011 Mixed at Type Foundry in Portland, OR in September 2011 Mastered by Jeff Lipton at Peerless Mastering, Boston, MA Assistant Mastering Engineer: Maria Rice All songs written by Yellow Ostrich (Eastman Locker Publishing, BMI) Alex Schaaf, Michael Tapper, and Jon Natchez Cover and back photographs taken by CJ Foeckler in Milwaukee, WI Layout by Michael Fusco Thanks to all our friends and family, Ryan Matteson, Beau Sorenson, Jeff Lipton, D. James Goodwin, Justin Rice, Darbie Nowatka, Molly Nearman, Eli Walker, CJ Foeckler, Trey Many and everyone at Billions, Josh Rosenfeld and everyone at Barsuk, Andrew Joanis, Alex Bunke, Michael Fusco, Adam Selzer, John Strohm, Michael Azerrad, Ever Kipp, everyone at Bank Robber, NH87sm, and anyone who has come to a show, bought a record, or supported us in any other way. www.yellowostrich.com