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Modest Proposals

by The Taxpayers

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1.
Black Batons 02:05
They weren't bloodied up by black batons or swallowed up by an angry mob. No, they got fucked up in a goddamn bar, got into their mama's brand new car and drove on and on... When the lights go down on an empty boulevard, you get people reliving the critical center start. When walls erode into a crushing water grave, They slip away. They weren't bloodied up by black batons or swallowed up by an angry mob. No, they got fucked up in a goddamn bar, got into their mama's brand new car and drove on and on...
2.
And the things that you felt on your skin, in your bed, were the aftermath of an arrangement gone awry. And the place that you live and the people that you love are a testament to the arrangement you aimed to fight. When you smell the rubber burning from the tires, And the people start to scream as if we set a guy on fire, It'll be danger, danger, danger down the line. And the food that you ate and the water that you drank Were the poisonous kind. And the words that you hate and the shit that you take Will remind you of what you will do with your life. When the rotting gets embodied in your breath And the buildings start to look like the contusions on your chest. There'll be beating hearts. It'll mean danger, danger, danger down the line.
3.
The Lights 04:10
And the lights go on as the belts grow tighter; It seems more difficult to walk through the fire on your own. You gotta hold it back when you learn it early on that you can have what you want if you take it away from someone; from somebody else. Because you try to do the best that you can, but it gets taken away again and again and again; it gets to be tougher to be a person that you respect. Do you get desperate when you get alone? And the lights go off and on and off and on. And the lights go off as the wallets get bigger. It makes the few good folks left feel sicker and sicker. You gotta hold it back when time wears thin; Learn not to get that upset about this sort of thing, and just hope that it all works out. But hope got trademarked by elected politicians, and now it's so tough to hope without feeling deceptive. But I believe it's alright to believe it's gonna be alright.
4.
Wake up at 11 am in the morning, put the kettle on high. Make the bell stop ringing. Listen to the screaming all the time. Well, you goddamn people sure do make it clear, if you don't got the cash, you ain't welcome here. If you don't got the money, you better have the looks, you better have the time. It's a knock knock knock knock knock on the front door of the house all through the night. Somebody isn't doing alright. Go to sleep at 6 am in the morning, drunk as hell, smelling like cheap wine and bread. Wake up hungry, feeling like a bomb went off in your head. Well, you goddamn people sure do make it clear, if you don't got the cash, you ain't welcome here. If you don't got the money, you better have the looks, you better have the time.
5.
We are the ones with the birthday candles and the plastic guns that are hiding the kids with the unwashed clothes under trash can lids. Down at the market, there's a New Age mother having heart attacks. Down at the market, there's...(~~i can't remember, it was so long ago! ~~) We are the ones with the birthday candles and the plastic guns that are hiding the kids with the unwashed clothes under trash can lids. Down the b-b-b-bank, there's a business man always giving out handjobs. Down at the bank, there are billions of dollars covered in Teflon. Raid on Mobile, Exxon, run up the cost of the fight with the rakes, cover up every trace of the kids with the tanks. Raid on Mocile, Exxon, kiss every mouth of the dauntless elite, settle down with a man who is wise and discreet. We are the ones with the birthday candles and the plastic guns that are hiding the kids with the unwashed clothes under trash can lids. And yes, wielding a pie pie pie is an unfit worker in an unfit uniform. And yes, wielding a pie pie pie (~~i can't remember, it was so long ago! ~~) Spies for a day!
6.
7.

about

ALL DONATIONS FROM USELESS STATE'S DIGITAL SALES GO TO DIFFERENT CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM/ADVOCATE GROUPS.

100% OF JUNE 2020 PROCEEDS GO TO THE NATIONAL BAIL OUT FUND. secure.actblue.com/donate/freeblackmamas2020

If you want to support The Taxpayers directly, go here:
taxpayers.bandcamp.com

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From the back cover of the physical EP:

"Hello,

Thanks for checking in.

The object you hold in your hands is a collection of songs that were initially intended for previous albums, but didn't fit the mold for whatever reason. Nothing too fancy. Just a few modest proposals. Or maybe, at best, a reverence for starvation in the face of abundance.

Either way, we hope you enjoy it.

Stay hungry,
The Taxpayers"

credits

released December 1, 2011

Alex Taxpayer
Eric Taxpayer
Nasrene Taxpayer
Nate Taxpayer
Noah Taxpayer
Phil Taxpayer
Rob Taxpayer

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about

Useless State Portland, Oregon

"Record Label" out of Portland, OR. Home of The Taxpayers, Anxiety Cat, Shitty Weekend, Potsie, Never Better, The Trusty Snakes, and more.

We have been around since 2007. Took a log nap, but now we're awake and ready.

uselessstate.com
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