ANNA LEE (SWEETHEART OF THE SUN)

Got a picture of you sitting in the kitchen
Without a stitch on
Beautiful and natural as can be
Later in the gloaming hours
In the garden
Painting flowers
All the boys they flock to you
Wanna do more than talk to you right now
Dontcha wanna be

Anna Lee
Anna Lee

Maybe it was love and peace and
Living in the sweetest season
Wonderland the sweetheart of the sun
Now we want to celebrate her
All of us who came in later
Quiet power, simple grace
No man could put you in your place right now
We all wanna be

Anna Lee
Anna Lee

"We wrote this in the studio together, all three of us. For some reason, I really wanted to write in the studio, and it's something Matthew was pushing us to do. The music came together very fast. It started with the riff, and then we all just chimed in singing. It's very '60s and '70s, but hey, that's fine – that's the idea. The lyrics we worked on separately. Interestingly, a character sort of developed in the song. We had all just read Girls Like Us, the book about Carly Simon, Carole King and Joni Mitchell, and we were inspired by it. We sort of made up a portrait of a person based around those women – it's kind of mythical." - Susanna

LAY YOURSELF DOWN)

Darlin’ don’t you lay yourself down
We live in a fable
We live in a make-believe town
All cardboard and dust
It’s not so important

Darlin’ there are tears in your eyes
You’re weakened and wearied
You feel compromised
And ‘though they long to carry
My arms can only surround

Don’t you lay yourself down

Even if the battle is won
The war is not over
It’s only begun
If there’s one still standing
One still standing his ground
Don’t you lay yourself down
Don’t you lay yourself down

Baby, be strong for me, please

Even if the battle is won
The war is not over
It’s only begun
If there’s one still standing
One still standing his ground

Don’t you lay yourself down
Don’t you lay yourself down
Don’t you lay yourself down

"This actually dates back to 1990, and I just recently rediscovered it. I'd written it for Bobby, my late fiance who was struggling to find his place in the music business. It became even more meaningful to me after Bobby was diagnosed with leukemia and had to start a fight for his life. I'm happy to see it find a place on this Bangles record - recording the drum line was a blast!" - Vicki

UNDER A CLOUD)

It’s August again and I’m on my own
I’m under a cloud and I’m staying home
The telephone rings and I am hiding out
Rituals carved on a well-worn path
It’s up with people but I’m failing that class
So many reasons to smile but I’m happy to doubt

I’m under a cloud and no one knows
Under a cloud while beauty unfolds like a rose

I’ve been down so long I’ve got a fear of heights
My mind keeps telling me that something’s not right
So I walk in the sun in my rain hat and overcoat
It makes no sense and it’s so surreal
Despite what you see I fear what I feel
And I’m bailing out water from this lush lifeboat

I’m under a cloud and no one knows
Under a cloud while beauty unfolds like a rose

It’s a terrible life
But none of it ever happened
I have my sunny, sunny days
Always served blackened

I’m under a cloud and no one knows
Under a cloud while beauty unfolds
I’m under a cloud and no one knows
Under a cloud while beauty unfolds like a rose
Like a rose

Bailing out water from this lush lifeboat
Bailing out water from this lush lifeboat


I'LL NEVER BE THROUGH WITH YOU)

I’ll never have you completely
But somehow I don’t care
I don’t want to give up this feeling
Deep as the ocean
Floating on air

And I wish you could love me
Like I love you
And I wish you would leave me
But I’ll never be through with you

Say goodbye
And I will let you go
Darling
I will never be through with you

You’ll never see me crying
No you won’t taste my tears
‘Cause you slip away in the darkness
Before the morning light
Makes this heartache clear

And I wish you would want me
Like I want you
And I wish you’d believe me
That I’ll never be through with you

Say goodbye
And I will let you go
Darling
I will never be through with you

And I wish you could love me
Like I love you
And I wish you would leave me
But I’ll never be through with you

Say goodbye
And I will let you go
Darling
I will never be through with you
No, no never be through with you
I will never be through with you

“It's a song that Susanna had written years ago. She played it for me, and I always liked the melody of it, so I helped her with the lyrics, where we polished them up, and there you have it!” - Vicki


THROUGH YOUR EYES)

We've been drifting sadder than ghosts
Silently building the walls
Between us
Parallel lines you know
They never touch

And I see
All that you are to me
Through your eyes
Through your eyes
I see

All these moments slide into years
Suddenly strangers again
Please tell me
We can be close
Closer than we've ever been

And I see
How much you need me
Through your eyes
Through your eyes
I see

And I needed to hear
That I was getting better
You needed to hear
That I love you now more than ever

And I see
How much you love me
Through your eyes
Through your eyes
Through your eyes
I see

"Vicki and I wrote this right around when the band regrouped. It's a song that we wanted to leave sparse instrumentally because the vocals had to carry it. We love putting two and three voices on every cut – it's very Bangles." -Susanna

BALL ‘N’ CHAIN)

I’ve been thinking ‘bout it night and day
Try to make sense of all the games you play
You don’t even know what you wanna do
If you had a mind you could make it up
Wasting my time, do you call me a slut?

The simplest thought is your cross to bear
If brains were clothes you’d have nothing to wear
How you gonna go with your foot on the brake?
A terminal case of hurry up and wait
Going nowhere

You’re a Ball ‘N’ Chain
(dragging me down, dragging me down)
You’re a Ball ‘N’ Chain
(dragging me down, dragging me down, down, down)

There’s a thousand reasons why I can’t stay
And every one of them has your name
You tell your little lies but it’s plain to see
You only fool yourself you don’t fool me
Going nowhere

You’re a Ball ‘N’ Chain
(dragging me down, dragging me down, down)
You’re a Ball ’N’ Chain
(dragging me down, dragging me down, down, down)

You tell your little lies but it’s plain to see
You only fool yourself you don’t fool me
Going nowhere

"This was written around 1993, when I was writing quite steadily with Walker Igleheart -- as clever Banglers may remember, "Ask Me No Questions" was another Igleheart/Peterson creation -- Many of the songs we wrote together ended up on my Kindred Spirit CD. This one, however, just didn't feel right for it and I always thought the Bangles should do it... It has a very sassy, tongue-in-cheek feel to it. We had a blast writing the lyrics!" - Debbi

ONE OF TWO)

I keep waiting for the moment to arrive
When the words I say get through to you
I need to keep this little dream of mine alive
But I need you too

I am One of Two
One of everything I thought I held true
And there’s always room for another point of view
We are one all together
We are two, me and you

You won’t see me you don’t know me anymore
A million cracks and I keep falling through
I’m a step away from walking out the door
But you need me too

I am One of Two
One of everything I thought I held true
And there’s always room for another point of view
We are one all together
We are two, me and you

I am One of Two
One of everything I thought I held true
And there’s always room for another point of view
We are one all together
We are one all together
We are one all together
We are two… me and you

"One of Two" was another 3-way Bangle composition. I actually had the title bouncing around for many years. I think, if memory serves, this one came together around 2000... We were all working together again after the big split of '89 and this was one of many songs that came about from that time - "Through Your Eyes" being another... I think it always had a cool Crosby, Stills and Nash/ Neil Young vibe to it."-Debbi

WHAT A LIFE)

Another crummy perfect day
Waking up in LA
Never thought that I would stay so long

Dusty leaves and bees are hummin’
Ten day says there’s no rain comin’
The sun is shining ‘cause
It nearly always does
What else can I say

What a life
What a life
What a life we lead
I’m just layin’ here
So wake me when it’s time to leave

Orange sky and ashes falling
I can’t get home the car is stalling
How lucky can I get?
I am so fortunate

What a Life
What a Life
What a Life we lead
I’m just waitin’ here
So wake me when it’s time to leave
Yeah, wake me when it’s time to leave

Well, it’s another perfect day
I guess I wouldn’t have it any other way…


MESMERIZED)

The moment you came into view
Everything went out of focus ‘cept for you
From ordinary to sublime
And all the world went in and out of time

Lost in the reverie
Taken by surprise
You had me so completely mesmerized

Only a fool would come between
A man and something sacred and serene
I’m the first one to admit
That I’m a fool and not ashamed of it

Caught by the daring look
Of longing in your eyes
You got me so completely mesmerized

It’s only here for a night
It’s only true
If you believe it’s alright
It’s alright it’s alright
It’s only us for the night
Me and you
And I believe it’s alright
It’s alright
It’s alright

The morning comes with no regret
And I believe the proper etiquette
Kiss me in silence slip away
When day becomes the night becomes the day

I would have walked away
Behaving otherwise
But you had me so completely mesmerized

It’s only here for the night
It’s only true
If you believe it’s alright
It’s alright, it’s alright
It’s only us for the night
Me and you
And I believe it’s alright
It’s alright

"This song came about when Susanna and I were writing together around 1999. We got the verse melody down pretty well and had a few verse ideas lyrically, but we were having a helluva time with the chorus. We worked on it for awhile, but just couldn't find anything that worked. Finally, we showed it to Vicki (not too long ago, actually), and she brought in the chorus idea and helped pull together the lyrics. It was very much a 3-way Bangle composition, which I think is great." - Debbi

CIRCLES IN THE SKY)

In a window small and high
A boy watches the sky
Turning to monochrome
And when they asked him do you know
Where in the whole world you will go
He said I wanna go home, home, home

We’re all here to wonder why
It’s a freefall ‘til we fly
Then you and I will make circles in the sky

Too many birds up on a wire
And they sway like a gospel choir
Making music so heavenly
And the bees make a honeycomb
The road home is our home
Home will always be here with me

We’re all here to wonder why
It’s a freefall ‘til we fly
Then you and I will make circles in the sky
Circles in the sky, circles in the sky

And if this is true then I belong to you
And you belong to me…

In a window tall and wide
A girl sits side by side
With a boy no one sees but me
And she whispers in his ear
I’ll wait for you right here
This is where we’re supposed to be

‘Cause we’re all here to question why
And it’s a freefall ‘til we fly
Then you and I will make circles in the sky
Never be alone
The road home is our home
And that is why we’ll make circles in the sky
Circles in the sky

"The image comes from a Rumi poem. I wrote this song for my husband and sang it to him on his birthday...it was a challenge to write a happy love song!" - Vicki

OPEN MY EYES

Underneath your gaze I was found in
The haze I'm wandering around in
I am lost in the dark of my own room
And I can't see a thing but the fire in your eyes

Clear my eyes, make me wise
Or is all I believe in lies
I really don't know when or where to go
And I can't see a thing 'til you open my eyes

I've been told by some you'll forget me
The thought doesn't upset me
I am blind to whatever they're saying
And all I can see is the fire in your eyes

Can't believe that it's on your mind
To leave me behind

“We used to perform this song in our set in the early 1980s, and we were just talking about songs that we hadn’t played or listened to in a while, so we just tried it in Matthew’s studio and decided that it was one of our favorites!” - Vicki

SWEET AND TENDER ROMANCE

"We were never able to track down the official lyrics to 'Sweet And Tender Romance'... We listened to the McKinley Sisters' recording over and over again, and could decode most of the words, but in the end we guessed a bit! What you hear on the record is actually our "scratch" vocals, and in fact vicki and i are singing different words! BTW, Jimmy Page page plays the solo on the awesome Mckinley Sisters version from 1964!" - Susanna