Gift Shop - Lyrics

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Last played: 2013/02/14 Toronto, ON
Debut: 1995/06/24 Wercher, BEL
Notes: A live concert staple since it's inception.

The beautiful lull,
the dangerous tug
we get to feel small
from high up above
and after a glimpse
over the top
the rest of the world
becomes a giftshop

The pendulum swings
for the horse like a man
out over the rim
is ice cream to him
the beautiful lull,
the dangerous tug
we get to feel small
but not out of place at all

We're forced to bed
but we're free to dream
all us human extras,
all us herded beings
and after a glimpse
over the top
the rest of the world
becomes a giftshop

I don't know what to believe,
sometimes I even forget
and if it's a lie,
terrorists made me say it
the beautiful lull,
the dangerous tug
we get to feel small
from high up above

from high up above


Next song: Springtime In Vienna




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Springtime In Vienna - Lyrics

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Last played: 2013/02/02 Halifax, NS
Debut: 1994/07/24 Glastonbury, ENG
Notes: Earliest live debut of any TATH song.


Instructions from the manual
could not have been more plain
the blues are still required
the blues are still required again
past territorial piss-posts
past whispers in the closets
past screamin' from the rooftops
we live to survive our paradoxes

Men here of the secret
the pass in upholstered silence
they only exist in crisis
they only exist in silence
past territorial piss-posts
past whispers in the closets
past screamin' from the rooftops
we live to survive our paradoxes
we'll live to survive our paradoxes


Next song: Ahead By A Century
Previous song: Gift Shop




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Ahead By A Century - Lyrics

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Last played: 2013/02/14 Toronto, ON
Debut: 1996/05/06 Toronto, ON
Notes: Great song but completely overplayed live.


First we'd climb a tree
and maybe then we'd talk
or sit silently
and listen to our thoughts
with illusions of someday
casting a golden light
no dress rehearsal,
this is our life

that's where the hornet stung me
and I had a feverish dream
with revenge and doubt
tonight, we smoke them out

You are ahead by a century

Stare in the morning shroud
and then the day began
I tilted your cloud,
you tilted my hand
rain falls in real time
and rain fell through the night
no dress rehearsal, this is our life

That's when the hornet stung me
and I had a serious dream
with revenge and doubt
tonight, we smoked them out

You are ahead by a century
but this is our life
and disappointing you's gettin'
me down


Next song: Don't Wake Daddy
Previous song: Springtime In Vienna




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Don't Wake Daddy - Lyrics

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Last played: 2009/11/26 Utrecht, NED
Debut: 1996/05/06 Toronto, ON

Sled dogs after dinner
close their eyes on
the howlin' wastes
Kurt Cobain, reincarnated,
sighs and licks his face
then they drift past strips
of Serengeti and the gates
of Sleepy Hollow too
you can pause in wonder,
they paused in wonder and
yea, I paused in wonder too
just don't wake daddy

They can lay their heads
on their futon-beds,
so many miles from home
you can teach your children
some fashion sense and they
fashion some of their own
for when the policy-weary
commune on the untamed land
through white sheers
whispers in their ears,
you're damned
and don't wake daddy

You can stuff yer void
with the asteroid
that's hurtlin' toward the earth
you can drop the bomb
that restores some calm
then promises rebirth
just don't wake daddy

It's the perfect time now
for an eclectic choice
they're all asleep but us now
it's time to hear your voice

Sing to end all songs
to end all songs


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Flamenco - Lyrics

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Last played: 2009/11/25 Groningen, NED
Debut: 1996/05/06 Toronto, ON
Notes: Flamenco has always been around. It doesn't pop up a lot, but it does pop up. And that's the main thing.


Does it diminish your
super-capacity to love

Walk like a matador,
don't be chicken-shit
and turn breezes into rivulets

flamenco-sweep the air
and weave the sun
and stamp your feet for everyone

Does it exhibit your
natural tendency to hate

Maybe a prostitute
could teach you
how to take a compliment

maybe I'll go to New York,
I'll drag you there
you said, "no one drags me
anywhere"

Does it diminish your
super-capacity to love


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700ft Ceiling - Lyrics

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Last played: 2004/11/27 London, ON
Debut: 1995/10/21 Ottawa, ON
Notes: Played just 7 times since 2000/10/24.


Let's go to the park,
let's go watch'em floodin'
out there after dark,
don't have to think of nothin'
and I love that for,
for the way I'm feeling
700 foot, 700 foot ceiling

Let's take it to the top
of the tobacco nation
we can aim the dish
for hardcore invitations
and I hate that for,
for the things I'm thinking
when the clouds are low,
700 and sinking

It's part hard, hard to remember
it's part hard to say
parts unknown, unknown forever
and those parts fade away
but leanings toward,
toward a full-stop's
all I hear you say

One foot on the stump,
the other's on the pulpit
700 foot, 700 foot pulpit
and I love that for,
for the way I'm feeling
700 foot, 700 foot ceiling
In our own backyard, we can do
some floodin'
when its cold and dark,
don't have to think or nothin'


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Butts Wigglin' - Lyrics

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Last played: 1997/05/14 Berlin, GER
Debut: 1996/05/06 Toronto, ON
Notes: Currently holds the record for longest setlist M.I.A. of any TATH song.


The sweet sound of patent approval
comin' down in a not quite fog
The sweet sound of patent approval
comin' down in powdery sparks
The sweet sound of patent approval
comin' down with holiday concern
The sweet sound of patent approval comin'
down in a world of hurt

In my opinion the drug is ready

The warm hand of abject approval
comin' down with its' ropey veins
The warm hand of abject approval
comin' down to the fingerbowl

In my opinion the drug is ready

The cold eye of constant approval
comin' down to freeze the blood
The cold eye of constant approval
comin' down to look real close

In my opinion the drug is ready


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Apartment Song - Lyrics

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Last played: 2000/11/19 Prince George, BC
Debut: 1996/05/06 Toronto, ON

Notes: Only played 20 times live. Yeah, I know. WTF? All versions were in 1996 except the 2000 Prince George show. This would be a very popular bust-out among fans because the song is really fuckin' good. I just got angry typing that.

Illuminate the obvious
it's standing right here in front of us
what our apartment does when we're not around
does not concern us

Simulate the obvious
and it's standing, standing right here in front of us
just what our apartment does when we're not around
does not concern us

She's the horrible esthete
and she hates her ugly feet
at a place where her friends all meet
she takes her shoes off and invites everyone to see

Eliminate the obvious
and it's right here, right here in front of us
just what our apartment does when we're not around
does not concern us

She's the horrible esthete
at the place where her friends all meet
while her clock reinforces its' conceit
and her mirror checks out other things
the walls stand a little more at ease
and her books they chat so expertly
and her cups and saucers get some sleep
and things get all together neat
and at the clicking of the key
returns the horrible esthete


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Coconut Cream - Lyrics

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Last played: 1997/07/30 Darien Center, NY
Debut: 1996/05/06 Toronto, ON
Notes: I don't get this song.

There's a cannon shooting coconut cream
40 gallons in a steady stream
There's a cannon shooting coconut cream
40 gallons in a steady stream

It's wing music to a happy cat
he likes his butterflies slow and fat
and wing music to a happy cat
he likes his butterflies slow and fat

Us little Christians in a circle jerk
til our daddy gets home from work
All us good Christians in a circle jerk
til our daddy gets home from work

There's a cannon shooting coconut cream
40 gallons in a steady stream
There's a cannon that shoots coconut cream
40 gallons in a steady stream



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Let's Stay Engaged - Lyrics

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Last played: 2007/04/16 Burlington, VT
Debut: 1996/05/06 Toronto, ON

Notes: This song has only been played live once since 2000/12/05 and a mere 23 times in all. I love this tune.

It might be late but it won't be early
You got me to the gate with time for a coffee
It's getting late sounds like a departure
It's getting close sounds to me like a departure
Until we meet again let's stay engaged
until then let's stay engaged

Lies over time float to the surface
Lies over time they equal surface
Lies over time though the reasons desert us
Lies over time with no apparent purpose
Until we meet again let's stay engaged
until then let's stay engaged

See the dead art and you see your reflection
Fear no art and you fear no reflection
but don't look at me
I'm not the artist in question
Sounds good to me but I'm not the artist in question
Until we meet again let's stay engaged
until then let's stay engaged


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Sherpa - Lyrics

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We were High. We were Sherpa High.  I think...

Last played: 2007/06/30 Lewiston, NY
Debut: 1995/08/10 Houston, TX

Notes: Sherpa has come back twice after notable setlist gaps having been shelved between 1996/11/29 -> 2000/10/03 and again from 2000/12/21 -> 2006/06/24 (The 38 Years Old bust-out show)

Me and the vivid girl in our hammock to the stars
staring into the fire before TV, the remote-control's on Mars

In the dope of the pigment, in a poetic state of mind
in a flood of the country we lay down to kill some time

And we spoke languidly of the Northern Bee
and collecting dewdrops for tea underneath the cannonball tree

We were high, we were sherpa-high,
we conspired against old friends
we said we must be friends or die
and we've died a thousand times since then

And we spoke long, at length of the fight or flee
and of nothing in particularly underneath the cannonball tree

We spoke off-handedly of the new extremes
and of nothing in particularly underneath the cannonball tree

We're at the point where we love or hate it
we can write it down and obliterate it
when we're at the point when we neither love nor hate it
we can lay down and obliterate it


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Put It Off - Lyrics

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Last played: 2007/10/10 San Francisco, CA
Debut: 1996/05/06 Toronto, ON

Notes: Put It Off was in the rotation for about a year following the release of TATH. It has only made 1 appearance since 1997/05/14 and that was after a 10 year hiatus inexplicably showing up at San Francisco's famed Warfield.

I wrote unfriendly things, truly cruel, on the day that you were born
to prove that words cannot touch beauty but I was torn
I put it off, I put it off, I put it off again

I made degenerate art for the religious right on the day that you were born
I had a passion to experiment but I was torn
I put it off, I put it off, I put it off again

I played Love Tara by Eric's Trip on the day that you were born
I had to find the cuteness in the unadorned but I was torn
I put it off, I put if off, I put it off again
I put it on, I put it on, I put it on again


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Trouble At The Henhouse - Lyrics

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Welcome to to lyrics post page for The Tragically Hip's Trouble At The Henhouse album.  Click on a song title below for the lyrics and Digital Lyric Art.

Released: May 7, 1996
Recorded: Kingsway Studio - New Orleans LA;  Bathouse Recording Studio - Bath, ON
Length: 52:34
Label: MCA
Producer: The Tragically Hip; Mark Vreeken
Certification: 5 x Platinum (In Canada)

Track Listing:
Gift Shop
Springtime In Vienna
Ahead By A Century
Don't Wake Daddy
Flamenco
700ft Ceiling
Butts Wigglin'
Apartment Song
Coconut Cream
Let's Stay Engaged
Sherpa
Put It Off

Photo by Avery Crounse

Next album: Phantom Power
Previous album: Day For Night




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