stay golden

if you don't wanna hurt me, then don't
if you don't wanna cheat, then stay faithful
if you'd rather avoid causing damage
then avoid it as best as you're able
stay golden

if you don't wanna bruise me, then stay away
but do it in your most affectionate way
stay golden

if you don't wanna make me pine for you
then tell me you'll always be mine like it's true
stay golden

imagine how different your life would be if you'd stayed
how different the lovers you always leave naked & splayed
go over the doubts, the what-ifs, & the weary if-only
& realize: if you destroy all your friends, you'll be lonely

if the apocalypse comes in a week
then you'll be left mumbling & meek
stay golden

& meet some new people but see
that they're not a replacement for me
stay golden

open your mind to the chance that you'll be changed
open your mind & let your silly self be rearranged
stop expecting love to make you feel small
you might even find you like it after all
stay golden

bye, kate

this is a story that isn't very
happy - on the 15th of january,
i went for coffee with my then-boyfriend
unaware it would soon come to an end

we talked & it was so ordinary
on that 15th of january
i cast away my slight distraction
the dead-dying-dead missing attraction

suddenly silence - my unhappy honey
said "you're so amazing - you're smart & you're funny
but you think i'm someone i really am not
i don't want to hurt you - i think we should stop"

i thought i would cry or scream or something
but i just sat & stared, feeling nothing
i guess i had known, i had known all along
i wish i cared more - it would make for better songs

he put on his coat & his scarf & his gloves
i was glad that i hadn't yet fallen in love
when there isn't much damage, there's not much to mend
he said "bye, kate" & that was the end

that was the end
we'll still be friends

Delete

Ever felt like this? I did today.



Your number's in my phone
I can't delete it, no
Your face is in my head
I wish that I was dead
I can't delete you, no

Love isn't easy, love isn't fun
Love cannot be for everyone
Your words can make me feel obsolete
It would be so easy to press delete

Your number's in my phone
I can't delete it, no
Your laugh rings in my ears
& beckons for the tears
I can't delete you, no

It's not that simple to say farewell
When I am still waiting for more of this hell
It's not that easy to chuck it all
When I am still waiting for you to call

I'm looking at the screen
Remembering you were mean
I go to press delete
Remembering you were sweet
Your number's in my phone
I tried, but don't you fret
I can't delete you yet

A Sinner's Plea

My new song about same-sex marriage.
The lyrics are in the video description.
This one is very important & precious to me.
I hope you like it.

Something Different

This is a video that has only previously been released as part of a DVD of my concert at Heliconian Hall last year. (There is another one being held in a couple of months - click here for details if you're interested.) I wrote this song about coming out as bisexual - the story, the feelings, the aftermath. This video shows the first time I ever played it in public, which is how I came out to most of my family.



It was the middle of May & I was content just to be myself
Couldn't have paid me to spend a day as anybody else
Stepped out into the world - imagine my surprise:
I looked upon someone special with fresh eyes

It's hard to say these things out loud... but
She was a girl
I was shocked, I couldn't believe
& I thought: well, this is news to me

So I got right back on track, though I didn't know where I was supposed to go
She made me blush, she made me stutter - h-h-h-h-hello
I found out girls are different - they're a lot more free
It's not as much about the chase, or about my body (not that there's very much to see)

It's hard to say these things out loud... but
She was a girl
I was shocked, I couldn't believe
& I thought: what does she think of me?

I thought long & hard about what I should do
Maybe those little smiles meant she liked me too
So I took a chance & told her what I couldn't hide
Let me tell you, it was so exciting, I could've died

& she was a girl
Oh boy, was she a girl
& I learned something 'bout myself that I had never known before
Which is that boys & boys & boys & boys & more boys can get to be a bore
Sometimes I want something different than what I'm used to
& sometimes she is there & she is wanting me too

Proposition 8.1

I wrote this song in response to the passing of Proposition 8 in California. Even though same-sex marriage is legal where I live, it still upsets me to no end that the majority of Americans apparently think that queer people should be excluded from their constitutional rights. I had never written a political song before, but this was such an important issue to me that I was compelled to write it.

On my YouTube page, it spawned some interesting discussions & debates about same-sex marriage, which you can read by clicking here. I found it very moving that my fans would stick up for me when I was verbally battling a closed-minded religious zealot on this topic.



Get your religion out of my bed, & I will keep my bed out of your church
All your deception must be in vain; I think it's time to give up your search
For validation of your heart
Validation of your heart

Get your propaganda offa my TV, & I will keep my words out of your ears
I can tell by looking that you're scared of me, & I'm about to validate your fears
For validation of my heart
Validation of my heart

There's a reason why we live in separate places
I don't think we could stand to see each other's faces
You're messing up the world with your lousy legislations
& your half-assed ministrations
Don't control the population
In the name of validation of your heart

Get those cruel words offa your lips, & I will get this song offa mine
There's been enough resistance for you to get the hint: your policies are dying on the vine
Alla these protests, sit-ins & strikes may seem rather rough
But no matter how many ambitions you crush, it'll never ever be enough
For validation of your heart
Validation of your heart
Validation of your heart
Everybody needs a place to start