FOB

(Jay-Z:)
Yeah, what you critics said would never happen.
We dedicate this album to anybody, people who said we couldn't make it.
To the fans that held us down till anybody came around.
Welcome. It's here.

That summer we took threes across the board
But by fall we were a cover story
Now in stores
Make us poster boys in your scene
But we are not making an accepting speech
I have found the safest place to keep all of our mistakes
Every dot com's refreshing for a journal update

So long live the car-crash hearts
Cry on the couch till the poets come to life
Fix me in 45

So long live the car-crash hearts
Cry on the couch till the poets come to life
Fix me in 45

I can take your problems away
with a nod and a wave
Of my hand,
'Cause that's just the kind of boy that I am.
The only thing I haven't done that is done
And it's me and my password at the after life
Crowds are won, lost and won again
But all hearts beat, for the dead heart

So long live the car-crash hearts
Cry on the couch till the poets come to life
Fix me in 45

So long live the car-crash hearts
Cry on the couch till the poets come to life
Fix me in 45

Long live the car-crash hearts
(Long live the car-crash hearts)
Long live the car-crash hearts
(Long live the car-crash hearts)

Long live the car-crash hearts
Cry on the couch till the poets come to life
Fix me in 45

The Take Over, The Break's Over

Baby, seasons change but people don't.
And I'll always be waiting in the back room.
I'm boring but overcompensate with
Headlines and flash flash flash photography.

But don't pretend you ever forgot about me.
Don't pretend you ever forgot about me.

Wouldn't you rather be a widow than a divorcee?
Style your way for fashion magazines.
Widow or a divorcee?
Don't pretend it.
Don't pretend.
We don't fight fair.
We don't fight fair.

Say, your head could be a prison.
Then these are just conjugal visits.
People will dissect us till
This doesn't mean a thing anymore.

Don't pretend you ever forgot about me.
Don't pretend you ever forgot about me.

Wouldn't you rather be a widow than a divorcee?
Style your way for fashion magazines.
Widow or a divorcee?
Don't pretend it.
Don't pretend.

We do it in the dark, with smiles on our faces.
we're trapped and well concealed, in secret places (woah).
We do it in the dark, with smiles on our faces.
we're trapped and well concealed, in secret places
We don't fight fair.
We don't fight fair.
We don't fight fair.
We don't fight fair.
We don't fight fair.

We do it in the dark, with smiles on our faces.
we're trapped and well concealed, in secret places (woah).
We do it in the dark, with smiles on our faces.
we're trapped and well concealed, in secret places.
We don't fight fair.
With smiles on our faces.
we're trapped and well concealed, in secret places.
We don't fight fair.

Don't pretend you ever forgot about me.
We don't fight fair.
Don't pretend you ever forgot about me.
We don't fight fair.

This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race

I am an arms dealer
Fitting you with weapons in the form of words
And don't really care which side wins
As long as the room keeps singing
That's just the business I'm in

This ain't a scene, it's a god damn arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a god damn arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a god damn arms race
I'm not a shoulder to cry on
But, I digress

I'm a leading man
And the lies I weave are oh-so intricate, oh-so intricate [x2]

I wrote the gospel on giving up
(You look pretty sinking)
But the real bombshells have already sunk
(Prima-donnas of the gutter)
At night we're painting your trash gold while you sleep
Crashing not like hips or cars,
No, more like p-p-p-parties

This ain't a scene, it's a god damn arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a god damn arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a god damn arms race
Bandwagon's full
Please, catch another

I'm a leading man
And the lies I weave are oh-so intricate, oh-so intricate [x2]

All the boys who the dance floor didn't love
And all the girls whose lips couldn't move fast enough
Sing, until your lungs give out

This ain't a scene, it's a god damn arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a god damn arms race
(Now you)
This ain't a scene, it's a god damn arms race
(Wear out the groove)
This ain't a scene, it's a god damn arms race
(Sing out loud)
This ain't a scene, it's a god damn arms race
(Oh, oh)
This ain't a scene, it's a god damn arms race

I'm a leading man
And the lies I weave are oh-so intricate, oh-so intricate [x2]

I'm Like A Lawyer With The Way I'm Always Trying To Get You Off (Me & You)

Last year's wishes
Are this year's apologies
Every last time I come home
I take my last chance
To burn a bridge or two
I only keep myself this sick in the head
Cause I know how the words get you

We're the new face of failure
Prettier and younger but not any better off
Bulletproof and loneliness
At best, at best

Me and you
Setting in our honeymoon
If I woke up next to you
If I woke up next to you
Me and you
Setting in our honeymoon
If I woke up next to you
If I woke up next to you

Collect the bad habits
That you couldn't bare to keep
Out of the woods but I love
A tree I used to lay beneath
Kissed, tear-stained and vain
From a sour bottle baby girl
With eyes the size of baby worlds

We're the new face of failure
Prettier and younger but not any better off
Bulletproof and loneliness
At best, at best

Me and you
Setting in our honeymoon
If I woke up next to you
If I woke up next to you
Me and you
Setting in our honeymoon
If I woke up next to you
If I woke up next to you
Me and you
Setting in our honeymoon
If I woke up next to you
If I woke up next to you
Me and you
Setting in our honeymoon
If I woke up next to you
If I woke up next to you

The best way
To make it through
With hearts and wrists in tact
Is to realize
Two outta three ain't bad
Ain't bad

Me and you
Setting in our honeymoon
If I woke up next to you
If I woke up next to you
Me and you
(Honeymoon)
Setting in our honeymoon
(In a honeymoon)
Me and you
Setting in our honeymoon
If I woke up next to you
If I woke up next to you
Me and you
Setting in our honeymoon
If I woke up next to you
If I woke up next to you

Hum Hallelujah

It's all a game of this or that
Now this is there
that out of all the girls worse for wear
And you're someone
Who knows someone who knows someone
I once knew
And I just want to be a part of this

The road outside my house
Is paved with good intentions
Hire a construction crew
Cause it's hell on the engine
And you are the dreamer
And we are the dream.
I could write it better than you ever felt it.

So hum hallelujah,
Just off the key of reason
I thought I loved you
It was just how you looked in the light.
Our teenage vow in a parking lot
Till tonight do us part
I've seen the blues
And I've swallowed them too.

My words are my fate to hell
With our good name.
We mix up your guts
Your insight x-rays, and
One day we'll get nostalgic for disaster
we're a bull, your ears are just a china shop

I love you in the same way
There's chapel in the hospital
one foot in your bedroom
And one foot out the door
Sometimes we take chances,
Sometimes we take pills.
I could write it better than you ever felt it.

So hum hallelujah
Just off the key of reason
I thought I loved you
It was just how you looked in the light.
Our teenage vow in a parking lot
Till tonight, do us part
I've seen the blues
And I've swallowed them too.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelu...
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelu...
(Hum hallelujah (Hum hallelujah), hum hallelujah (Hum hallelujah))

Our teenage vow in a parking lot
Till tonight do us part
I've seen the blues
And swallowed them too.
So...

Hum hallelujah
Just off the key of reason
I thought I loved you
It was just how you looked in the light.

Our teenage vow in a parking lot (Hum hallelujah)
Till tonight do us part
Our teenage vow in a parking lot (Hum hallelujah)
Till tonight do us part
Our teenage vow in a parking lot
Till tonight do us part
I've seen the blues
And I've swallowed them too.

Golden

How cruel is the golden rule?
When the lives we lived are only golden-plated
And I knew that the lights of the city were too heavy for me
And though I carry karats for everyone to see

And I saw God cry in the reflection of my enemies
And all the lovers with no time for me
And all of the mothers raised their babies
To stay away from me

Tongues on the sockets of electric dreams
Where the sewage of youth drown the spark of my tears
And I knew that the lights of the city were too heavy for me (too heavy for me)
And though I carry karats for everyone to see (everyone to see)

And I saw God cry in the reflection of my enemies
And all the lovers with no time for me
And all of the mothers raised their babies
To stay away from me

And pray they don't grow up to be me

Thnks Fr Th Mmrs

I'm gonna make it bend and break
(It sent you to me without wait)
Say a prayer but let the good times roll
In case god doesn't show
(Let the good times roll
Let the good times roll)

And I want these words to make things right
But it's for wrongs that make the words come to life
Who does he think he is?
If that's the worst you got, better put your fingers back to the keys

One night and one more time
Thanks for the memories
Even though they weren't so great
He tastes like you
Only sweeter
One night, yeah, one more time
Thanks for the memories
Thanks for the memories
See, he tastes like you
Only sweeter

Been looking forward to the future
But my eyesight is going bad
And this crystal ball
It's always cloudy
Except when you look into the past
One night stand
(One night stand)

One night and one more time
Thanks for the memories
Even though they weren't so great
He tastes like you
Only sweeter
One night, yeah, one more time
Thanks for the memories
Thanks for the memories
See, he tastes like you
Only sweeter

They say
"I only think in the form of crunching numbers
In hotel rooms
Collecting paycheck lovers"
Get me out of my mind
Get you out of those clothes
I'm a letter away
From getting you into the mood
Whoa

One night and one more time
Thanks for the memories
Even though they weren't so great
He tastes like you
Only sweeter
One night, yeah, one more time
Thanks for the memories
Thanks for the memories
See, he tastes like you
Only sweeter

(One night, one more time)
One night and one more time
Thanks for the memories
Even though they weren't so great
He tastes like you
Only sweeter
One night, yeah, one more time
(One night, one more time)
Thanks for the memories
(For the memories)
Thanks for the memories
(For the memories)
See, he tastes like you
Only sweeter

Don't You Know Who I Think I Am?

Whoa oh oh oh
Whoa oh oh oh
Penny for your thoughts but a dollar for your insight
Or a fortune for your disaster
And I'm just a painter and I'm drawing a blank

We only want to sing you to sleep in your bedroom speakers, whoa
We need umbrellas on the inside
Give me a sign

They say quitters never win
We walk the plank on a sinking ship
There's a world outside of my front door
That gets off on being down

Oh oh oh oh

I could learn to pity fools as I'm the worst of all
And I can't stop feeling sorry for myself
Whoa

We only want to sing you to sleep
In your bedroom speakers, whoa
We need umbrellas on the inside
Give us light

They say quitters never win
We walk the plank on a sinking ship
There's a world outside of my front door
That gets off on being down
They say quitters never win
We walk the plank on a sinking ship
There's a world outside of my front door
That gets off on being down

We only want to sing you to sleep
(Your bedroom speakers, whoa whoa)
We only want to sing you to sleep

They say quitters never win
We walk the plank on a sinking ship
There's a world outside of my front door
That gets off on being down
They say quitters never win
We walk the plank, we walk the plank
There's a world outside of my front door
That gets off on being down

Walking down on memory lane
We're alone together, we're alone (Woah)
Walking down on memory lane
We're alone together, we're alone

The (After) Life Of The Party

I'm a stitch away
From making it
And a scar away
From falling apart
Apart

Blood cells pixelate
And the eyes dilate
And the full moon pills got me out on the street at night

Could it last
Watch you work the room
Could it last
Watch you work the room
Could it last
Watch you work the room
Could it last
Watch you work the room

Oh
Put love on hold
Young Hollywood
Is on the other line

A nose runs ruby red
Death's in a double bed
Singing songs that could only catch
They were the desperate

Could it last
Watch you work the room
Could it last
Watch you work the room
Could it last
Watch you work the room
Could it last

I'm a stitch away
From making it
And a scar away
From falling apart
Apart

Blood cells pixelate
And the eyes dilate
Kiss away how it feels and kills on the mouths of all my friends

Could it last
Watch you work the room
Last
Watch you work the room
Could it last
(Watch you work the room)

(I'm a stitch away)

The Carpal Tunnel Of Love

We take sour sips
From life's lush lips
And we shake shake shake the hips
In relationships
Stop by this disaster town
You'll put your eyes to the sun and say "I know"
You're only blinding to keep back what the clouds are hiding
And we might have started singing just a little soon
We're throwing the stones in a glass room

Whoa ah oh we're so miserable and stunning
Whoa ah oh far from the genuine becoming

We keep the beat,
With your blistered feet
We bullet the words at the mockingbirds, singing
Slept through the weekend
And dream
We're sinking with the melody of the kiss of eternity
Got postcards from my former self, saying "how you been"?
We might have said goodbyes just a little soon
(Stop by this disaster town)
Our beliefs of kissing beats over this room

Whoa ah oh we're so miserable and stunning
Whoa ah oh far from the genuine becoming
Whoa ah oh we're so miserable and stunning
Whoa ah oh far from the genuine becoming

It was ice cream headaches and sweet avalanche
When the pearls in our shells came out to dance
You call me a bad tipper of the cradle
But I'm tired yawns for fawns on hunter's lawns
We're the has-beens of husbands
Sharpening the knives of young wives
Take two years and call me when you're better
Take teardrops of mine, find yourself wetter

Whoa ah oh we're so miserable and stunning
Whoa ah oh far from the genuine becoming
Whoa ah oh we're so miserable and stunning
Whoa ah oh far from the genuine becoming

Bang The Doldrums

I wrote a goodbye note in lipstick on your arm
When you passed out
I couldn't bring myself to call
Except to call it quits

Best friends
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
And not the other way around
Racing through the city
Windows down
In the back of yellow checkered cars

Yoahhh woahhh
Are we Yoahhh woahhh
Yoahhh woahhh
Are we Yoahhh woahhh

This city says...

Come hell or high water
Well I'm feeling hot and wet
I can't commit to a thing
Be it heart or hospital

Best friends
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
And not the other way around
Racing through the city
Windows down
In the back of yellow checkered cars

Yoahhh woahhh
Are we Yoahhh woahhh
Yoahhh woahhh
Are we Yoahhh woahhh

The tombstones were waiting
They were half-engraved
They knew it was over
Just didn't know the date

And I cast a spell over the west to make you think of me
The same way I think of you
This is a love song in my own way
I believe the raftor didn't know the waist

Best friends
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers

Racing through the city
Windows down
In the back of yellow checkered cars

Yoahhh woahhh
Are we Yoahhh woahhh
Yoahhh woahhh
Are we Yoahhh woahhh

Best friends (Yoahhh woahhh)
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers (Yoahhh woahhh)
And not the other way around
Ex-friends till the end (Yoahhh woahhh)
Better off as lovers (Yoahhh woahhh)

Fame < Infamy

I'm a preacher sweating in the pew
For the salvation I'm bringing you
I'm a salesman, I'm selling you hooks and plans
And myself for making demands

When I'm home alone I just can't stop myself
And you pull my hips so close lying goes with the truth
Signing off I'm alright in bed but I'm better with a pen
The kid was alright but it went to his head

I am god's gift but why would he bless me with
Such wit without a conscience equipped
I'm addicted to the way I feel when I think of you, woah
It's too much green to feel blue

When I'm home alone I just can't stop myself
And you pull my hips so close lying goes with the truth
Signing off I'm alright in bed but I'm better with a pen
The kid was alright but it went to his head

When I'm home alone I just can't stop myself
And you pull my hips so close lying goes with the truth
Signing off I'm alright in bed but I'm better with a pen
I'm alright in bed but I'm better with a pen
I'm alright in bed but I'm better with a pen
The kid was alright but it went to his head

You're Crashing, But You're No Wave

The D.A. is dressed to the nines
In the mirror he practices all his lines
To his closing argument twelve hearts beat in favor
I'm guessing that he read the morning paper
The headline reads "the man hangs, but the jury doesn't"

And everyone's looking for relief
United States versus disbelief
Mothers cast tears on both sides of the aisle
You're thrown, face the war
The verdict falls like bachelors or bad luck girls
Only breathing with the aid of denial.

Case open, case shut,
But you could pay to close it like a casket
Baby boy can't lift this headache up...
Isn't it tragic? (Whoaaa-ooo)

He glances at his peers sitting, seven to twelve sacked
On one to six the gallery is hushed
Boys in three pieces dream of grandstanding and bravado
The city sleeps in a cell not withstanding what we all know
Hang on a rope or baited breath
Whichever you prefer

And everyone's looking for relief
A bidding war for an old friend's grief
The coffin kid, the coffin's charm and the cause
Not a word that could make you comprehend
Too well dressed for the witness stand
The press prays for whichever headlines worse

Case open, case shut,
But you could pay to close it like a casket
Baby boy can't lift this headache up
Isn't it tragic? (Whoaaa-ooo)

Fresh pressed suit and tie
I am desperate, sing and die
Can talk my way out of anything
The former reads the verdict
"In the above entitled actions we find the defendant
Guilty..."

Case open, case shut,
But you could pay to close it like a casket
Baby boy can't lift this headache up
Isn't it tragic?
[x2]

(Whoaaa-ooo)

I've Got All This Ringing In My Ears And None On My Fingers

You're a canary, I'm a coal mine
Cause sorrow is just all the rage
Take one for the team
You all know what I mean

And I'm so sorry, but not really
Tell the boys where to find my body
New York eyes, Chicago thighs
Pushed up the window to kiss you off

The truth hurts worse than anything I could bring myself to do to you [x2]

Do you remember the way I held your hand?
Under the lamp post and ran
Oh, this way so many times
I could close my eyes

The truth hurts worse than anything I could bring myself to do to you [x2]

The truth hurts worse than anything I could bring myself to do
The truth hurts worse than anything I could bring myself to do to you
The truth
The truth