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I Don't Know Why I Do Anything

by LIPS

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    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Never Have I, Heave Ho (DJ Sweat remix), I Don't Know Why I Do Anything, Guilty Talk, Traces of Teddy, Ghosts and Demons, Look, Listen, Lips Songs, and 1 more. , and , .

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1.
Heave Ho! 02:20
Nobody takes me seriously anyway Nobody's trying to hear what I got to say They can try and pull me down But my feet stay off the ground And I'll face em down on my own terms Comes as a shock, no they'll never learn I can see em cast the net But they ain't got me cornered yet Heave ho Come get it Heave ho It's your loss Heave ho So petty Heave ho At what cost to you And I'll take my lead from the one who cares She had my back till she wasn't there Doesn't matter who I tell They got me boxed up on the shelf Heave ho... Someday soon my ride will come around I suggest you be there Heave ho... Someday soon my ride will come around You make sure you'll be there
2.
Empty Hours 02:57
Lying doubled up on the couch Each trying not to fall off Making each other laugh You're so funny when you're falling asleep Thinking you make sense when you don't Then we're sitting up front in the van No one else sees us hold hands No one else understands Cuz nobody gets me the way you do No one else gets me like you Empty hours float on by Feel so happy when it's you and I Does anyone else know you like me? And I'm holding my head up high Trying my best not to cry Flicking the hurt off my shoulders Some days there's nothing you can do Some days all I want is you And I think of us high in the dunes soaked in the warmth of the sand Time slipping through our hands So many things I could say Nothing else I need to say Empty hours roll on by Feel so happy when it’s you and I Does anyone else know you like me Nobody knows me like you
3.
Your deodorant doesn't work Crystals do not work against dirt Maybe that shit flies in Scandinavy I would not move there with you if you paid me This thing between us is a no go I don't have the patience and you should know My stuffs still in boxes from last year (when she moved) I haven't seen my cat since I got here (meow meow mew) Why don't you stop looking at me Why won't you stop needing me I can't give you what you want So why don't you stop looking at me At first I was leading you on And for that I'm truly sorry But I can never make you happy So why don't you stop looking at me No I haven't heard of your band Yes maybe my head is in the sand Yes I saw the clip you sent last week The faces that you make are quite unique But I look weird when i play too I have this scrunchy face that I do I don't even know why I do that (with her nose) I don't know why I do anything (and it shows) (Chorus) And I'm truly sorry I never meant to hurt you Wonder what a better person would do Wonder what Jacinda would do? Wonder what Beyonce would do? What would Michelle Obama do? What would Candice Bergen do? What would Reese Witherspoon do? What would Ali Wong do? What would Dolly Parton do? What would Cher do? Wonder what a better person would do Wonder what a better person would do
4.
Guilty Talk 03:44
No more of that guilty talk Stand up for a second look You were the one to comfort me I won’t believe it when you say you’re less than me Prune back, don’t let him run wild for the sake of the middle child It’s not the way that it should be I won’t believe it when you say you’ve got nothing on me These aren’t the rules, mum Sure way to lose, mum I don’t believe in this charade No more of that foolish talk Take a page from a foreign book Roll out the red, the lights turn low Crowd in together Now this is our kind of show Step back, don’t want all to see Blend in with good company (cheers!) It’s not the way that we should be I won’t believe it when you say you’ve got nothing on me. These aren’t the rules, mum Sure way to lose, mum I don’t believe in this charade Favour the meek ones Too scared to speak, mum I Don’t believe in this charade It’s just the way that things will be I tried bravado but it didn’t suit me (Chorus)
5.
Take My Call 02:54
Take my call I’m sorry I didn’t know what I was doing Take my call babe I’ve changed I’m sorry that I was foolish with you Take my call I promise I won’t treat you like that again I’m so sorry I dream of the day that this is over My only wish is that we’ll resolve this All I can do is compose this, my version of two dozen roses Two dozen roses Take my call You’re hurting and I understand that I did that to you Take my call I wasn’t thinking I hurt you baby, and you’re right to hate me Take my call I messed up I hurt you baby I’m so sorry (Chorus) Take my call I’m so sorry
6.
Sometimes I'm afraid that I have nothing to say No point of interest, don't stand out in any way I feel it especially when your bandmates come around All I want to do is go to ground I don't remember always feeling this weird When we first got together you hung on every word I said Now all I want to do is write a song with you But sometimes I'm afraid that you don't want to Maybe we could start again Maybe meet again as if it were brand new and take our time again Cos all I want to do is be myself with you Sometimes I'm afraid that the writings on the wall But maybe you won't read it and nothing will change at all Sometimes I'm afraid that I'm not who I used to be Sometimes I'm afraid that that's why you won't stay with me
7.
It's a quarter after nine I'm at the front of the line I've had a little wine I'm tipsy (I'm gon’ get it) I'm on a juice cleanse diet It's only my second night I think I can combine it with vodka I think they let you do that Anyway I'm gonna try it Cos that's the way my night's going I try to call you You just ignore me I thought that we were friends but I guess not anymore then Or maybe I remind you of something you're afraid of Or maybe I'm not useful cos I can't make you famous What the HELL?! And I'm out on the town I'm tripping like a clown cos one of my heels has worn down (Cheap shoes- always get you) And I paint my eyes smokey Doing metal karaoke I try to keep it low-key I can, I can really scream but I'm trying to keep it cool cos I've been going a little crazy (Chorus)
8.
Locked eyes in the first five after curtain call When we crossed the dateline I knew we’d be back for more Now bathed in the liquor light, we’re headed for the door And I see you wanna know Brought close by coincidence through a friend of a friend If we’re gonna be starting something I wanna know how it ends I think I dance better than I do when I pin you ‘gainst the fence. And I see you wanna know I feel you wanna know Frozen in time I want you to be mine I want you to be mine Just can’t push it away Frozen in time I want you to be mine I want you to be mine Some say it’s a fools game and they tell me to beware But I’m sitting on a burning train and I don’t know if I care Sometimes the only thing you can do is ride it ‘til the end (Chorus) I made a vow, took a bow and ran away Later on I thought of things I could’ve said I dream of the day that we can reconnect It’s a thought that I have, just can’t get it outta my head Just can’t push it away
9.
Not Today 03:35
Worlds pass me by I can’t quite see blue skies There’s a flag flying somewhere down the road Trapped in the car is a bee He’s so far from his people Will he ever get back home? Mama always told me there’s an angel on my shoulder but I’ve never seen a sign that it exists In her mind I think she hoped she could protect me at least somehow indirectly But if she’s trying then she’s still not found a way Buried at the beach with my limbs out of reach and the tide soon leans in to say hello Coke in my hand spills all over the sand but it’s all just a part of letting go Mama always told me there’s an angel on my shoulder but I’ve never seen a sign that it exists In her mind I think she hoped she could protect me at least somehow indirectly But if she’s trying then she’s still not found a way ...at least not today Shuffling her papers the clerk takes my name and I wonder how long I’ll have to wait I’m last in line in a room full of nine but what does it matter anyway? (Chorus)
10.
Miles out of reach lies a heart undercover I’m crying out to be there in the arms of my lover A peculiar state to be in I don’t know if we’ll see the season through Sinking down slowly like a stone in the water Will he reach to hold me or is it too late to bother Many obstacles line the way and I dunno if we’ll face them down I need some time away from it It’s flicking outside the framework Neither one is to blame but it isn’t anything I’d rely on Folding in the dark One hand in another Blissful is the spark that lights up my lover Any moment the bell will call and it already feels too soon But slicing through the stone is a brimful of laughter A gift to carry home and we’ll dream of it after The balance swings and sways and who knows which way we’ll fall down? (Chorus)
11.
You 03:20
I see you walking to the sea voices in your ears keeping you connected to the world In your favourite cardigan with colours that don’t match But you’ve never been afraid of that Always hated being told what’s cool Keep us connected the worlds getting crazy We live in uncertainty, times are a’changing All I want is to be by you forever If I had just one wish that’s what I’d ask for Just you I see you: an orphan in the world You’re often on your own Muddling through the best way you know how The words you love to rearrange Most don’t know what you’re saying but you’ve never been afraid of that You’ve never paid attention to the rules Keep us connected the worlds getting crazy We live in uncertainty times are a changing All I want is to be by you forever If I had just one wish that’s what I’d ask for We live on a ball that we’re slowly destroying We’ve messed with it and with each other for too long All I want is to be by you forever if I had just one wish that’s what I’d ask for. Just you Just you Just you

credits

released July 16, 2021

Produced by Lips

Recorded by Fen Ikner at Casa Lips (Auckland), Greenpoint Recording Collective (Brooklyn, NY), Wavelab (Tucson, AZ) and myriad other houses, apartments, hotel rooms, ski chalets, etc from 2013-2020.

All songs mixed by Fen Ikner except “Guilty Talk,” mixed by Kody Nielson

Mastered by Alex DeTurk at the Bunker, Brooklyn, NY.

Cover art designed by Steph and Fen with help from the esteemed Daniel Ward.

Steph Brown- Vocals, keyboards, programming, stuff
Fen Ikner- Drums, bass, guitars, keyboards, programming, vocals, stuff

Ruby Walsh- Bass on "What the Hell"
Derek Prellwitz- Lead guitar on "Sometimes I'm Afraid"
Kelly Pratt- Horns on "Take My Call"
Emily Holden- Violin on "Take My Call"
Kallie Ciechomski- Viola on "Take My Call"
Clara Kennedy- Cello on "Take My Call"
Jeremy Toy- Additional synths on "It Isn't Anything I'd Rely On"

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LIPS Auckland, New Zealand

Lips is a girl with giant lips for a head.

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