Joanna
Sternberg
click here to buy or listen to "Then I Try Some More" out now on Fat Possum Records!
click here to buy tickets to my show at Mercury Lounge on July 8th with Alex Orange Drink and Jeffrey Lewis!
(coming soon...)
For You by Joanna Sternberg
(humming)
With a smile like yours you could get away with murder
So I will not trust you no I will not trust you
With a face like yours you will know no suffering
I can't connect with you
I can't connect with you
I can't connect although I'll try
I'll try each time I won't know why
You'll swat me away like a fly
I can't connect with you
(humming)
With a voice like yours you could put the birds to shame
But who are you to blame?
No you can't be to blame
With two eyes like yours you could melt the rising sun
So I won't talk to you
No I won't talk to you
I will not talk I will not walk and you won't have a clue
(humming)
You will always have anyone that you could want
And you won't be alone
You'll never be alone
You'll never be at all like me
You'll never be alone
You will always have anything that you could want
But what will that get you?
Now what will that get you?
It will get nothing I bet
That's what it will get you.
Step Away by Joanna Sternberg
CHORUS
Step away from me now
I can't see you no more
Cause there's not a thing that I can do I haven't done before
Step away from me dear
It's so easy to see
Cause anyone who's watching knows
You're too beautiful for me
I got too close too fast
Like I always do
I could see it coming
Yes I could couldn't you?
I tried to kill it
But got smacked in my face
Now I'm trembling and trying
To get out of this place
CHORUS
Step away from me now
I can't see you no more
Cause there's not a thing that I can do I haven't done before
Step away from me dear
It's so easy to see
Cause anyone who's watching knows
You're too beautiful for me
I can't even look you
In the eyes anymore
Every day you look much better
Than you once looked before
I am out of control
And you don't have a clue
But at least I'll admit it
Like I always do
CHORUS
Step away from me now
I can't see you no more
Cause there's not a thing that I can do
I haven't done before
Step away from me dear
It's so easy to see
Cause anyone who's watching knows
You're too beautiful for me
How People Work by Joanna Sternberg
(humming)
You don't say hi to me so I won't say hi to you
You won't smile at me so I won't smile at you So, so what's next?
So, so what's next?
I see you standing there, you see me standing here
Thoughts of approaching you are filling me with fear So, so what's next?
So, so what's next?
CHORUS
So, so what's next?
In the scheme of things
I will never
Though my heart, it stings
And my paranoia's chasing me
Although we both must know
That we are far to stubborn to
Ever let our feelings show
Sometimes I find that I'm talking to myself
If I said something wrong so much for mental health
Why'd I say that?
Why'd I say that?
I look over at you seeming so strong and cool If I go talk to you, I'll look like such a fool
So I won't go
So I won't go
CHORUS
So, I won't go.
I will let you be.
We may never
Get the chance to see
If a conversation builds to shatter
All we thought we knew
If you do not say hi to me, and I will not say hi to you
And I will not say hi to you And I will not say hi to you
(humming)
Run by Joanna Sternberg
Run
Run away from yourself
Run away from your health
Keep on running and go nowhere
Am I always to blame
How I'm always the same
If I try will I even care?
CHORUS
Why do I run from me that way?
Why do I run from me that way?
Oh yes, I'll run. I'll run away.
So
Now the answer is no
Though I know I'll still go
I will run from you forever
How am I sposed' to know
Which direction to go
So that I can get better?
CHORUS
Why do I run from me that way?
Why do I run from me that way?
Oh yes, I'll run. I'll run away.
Busy Being Busy by Joanna Sternberg
I'm so busy being busy
I am growing awful tired of me
Staring into space, sweat swarming my face
Looking out onto the distance over yonder
Where I am much stronger
Able to say no just able to say no
I work so hard that I forget me
I forget just who I want to be
I'm so tired and beat, got no time to eat
Got no time to stop and think of what I'm doing
Realize I am choosing
Not to say no
Not to say no
CHORUS
I can't remember a thing that I did right
Looking for something but nothing is in sight
Nothing
Wishing that I could swim up onto the shore but I'm drowning
Drinking cups and cups of coffee
Barely gives me any energy
When I want to quit
When I feel like shit
When the pressure's almost making me keel over I'm such a pushover
Never say no
I'll never say no
Never Again by Joanna Sternberg
I can remember
Everything that happened
I don't expect you to
Close your eyes and see
I wish I knew you
Back when you were lonely
Never again lonely
Now that you're with me
Sometimes we hide
Hide inside of bedrooms
I loved to hide
Until I met you
Thanks for your smile
Many smiles it brought me
Many smiles it brought me
Now I can see
CHORUS
Everything you've done for me
And all the smiles your smile brought me
Can't end
How can it end?
It's always big news
When it's the first time
After the first time
Nothing means that much it seems
I lost my mind
Now it's hard to find
I won't forget you
You will forget me
CHORUS
I know what you're gonna do
And then I know I can't see you again
Never again
(humming)
Human Magnet Song by Joanna Sternberg
I felt your magnet pull me near
As my whole body quaked with fear
The minute I met you
Your human magnet had a force
That I was blinded by of course
Now I must forget you
CHORUS
This moment of our lives Will not happen again
I wish to be apart
From the moment we began
I know that we don't get along
But no strength is as strong
As our magnets
Though I am tempted to break free To be divided by a sea
I know i can't free me
CHORUS
This moment of our lives Will not happen again
I wish to be apart
From the moment we began
(humming)
Goodbye
When you said goodbye, you forgot to cry
While I drowned in my own tears, counting all our years
Your blue eyes were dry
So I did not try
To make you say that you would stay
Another day with me
Goodbye my love, goodbye forever
Goodbye my love goodbye
Being your friend is something that I cannot begin to try
I hope that all your dreams will blossom, and grow up past the sky
so goodbye my love, goodbye forever
Goodbye my love goodbye
Now that you are gone, how will I go on?
My nightmares have all come true
Living without you
I'll leave you alone, to be on your own
But my love will stay with you
No matter what you do
Goodbye my love, goodbye forever
Goodbye my love goodbye
Being your friend is something that I cannot begin to try
I hope that all your dreams will blossom, and grow up past the sky
so goodbye my love, goodbye forever
Goodbye my love goodbye
goodbye my love, goodbye forever
Goodbye my love goodbye
goodbye my love, goodbye forever
Goodbye my love goodbye
This Is Not Who I Want To Be
Rain pouring down my head pounds from the sound
I'm stuck to the bed with brain zaps in my head
I can't fall asleep I cannot stay awake
I cry till I weep I shiver and I shake
I think of you I think of you
I think of you it's all that I can do
And lord knows I try I'm trying hard to change
I wish I knew why I always stay the same
This is not who I want to be
This is not who I want to be
I am slowly killing me
No, This is not who I want to be
I wish I was scared of poison pills and pain
I wish I was scared of damage to my brain
But finally I see I should be scared of me
How'd I come to be my own worst enemy?
This is not who I want to be
This is not who I want to be
I am slowly killing me
No, This is not who I want to be
The Winds
I sense danger in the winds that carry me to you
They're strong and cold and are full of fear
I reach out for something safe to hold so they can't
Take me straight to your door but there's nothing here
The winds blow me away, it's windy every day
I'm nothing but their prey, the winds blow me away
I wish that I could stand strong and tall
So that nothing could lead me to tremble and fall
But every time I try to be strong
The winds carry me along
Deep inside there's a divide of two who control me
They don't get along and they disagree
One of them thinks I deserve a sad life of pain
While the other one just wants me to be free
The winds blow me away, it's windy every day
I'm nothing but their prey, the winds blow me away
I wish that I could stand strong and tall
So that nothing could lead me to tremble and fall
But every time I try to be strong
The winds carry me along
But every time I try to be strong
The winds carry me along
What Have You Done To Me?
I’ve always been afraid
Of making mistakes I've made
Should have left
But I always stayed
I’ve always been afraid
Since I was very small
No one liked me at all
And I cried
But you ignored my call
Since I was very small
What have you done?
What have you done?
To me
To me
‘Cause something’s wrong
It’s been wrong for so long
What have you done to me?
What have you done?
What have you done?
I have nowhere left to run
I need help but can’t trust anyone
What have you done to me?
I let them all hurt me
They hurt me so badly
That’s the way you taught me how to be
I let them all hurt me
What have you done?
What have you done?
To me
To me
‘Cause deep inside
Two things just can’t agree
What have you done to me?
What have you done?
What have you done?
I have nowhere left to run
I need help but can’t trust anyone
What have you done to me?
What have you done to me.
Don't You Ever
I always say I'm done with trying
But then I try some more
I don't feel right inside my body
Never felt right before
Never felt that I was a lady
Never felt like a man
You're not the first to think I'm crazy
How could you understand
But don't you ever feel like no one really knows you?
Don't you ever feel like no one ever will?
Don't you ever feel like no one will ever love you?
Don't you dare feel that you are alone
All of my thoughts are too distracting
Most of my dreams have died
Lately I'm scared of interacting
That's why I hide inside
I sleep and sleep all through the night
I sleep all through the day
I wish it didn't feel so right
Sleeping my life away
But don't you ever feel like no one really knows you?
Don't you ever feel like no one ever will?
Don't you ever feel like no one will ever love you?
Don't you dare feel that you are alone
Don't you dare feel that you are alone
Nothing Makes My Heart Sing
Something died in me years ago
I've been trying to find it each place I go
Never thought it could go away
I cry tears of sorry for it night and day
For nothing makes my heart sing
Not since long ago
Something used to lift me up
A dream I used to know
Now that dream has faded
Tell me where'd it go
How I long to sing and laugh and love
Like many years ago
You lit light up inside my heart
Many years ago
'Till we had to part
Trauma's filled up my body now
I can't get it out
'Cause I don't know how
For nothing makes my heart sing
Not since long ago
Something used to lift me up
A dream I used to know
Now that dream has faded
Tell me where'd it go
How I long to sing and laugh
How I long to sing and laugh
How I long to sing and laugh and love
Like many years ago
My Angel
Oh my angel
Darling angel
You're my angel
Come back to my open arms
How I loved you
Always loved you
I still love you
Come back to my open arms
I see your eyes shine
Once they were mine
So I'll cry and whine
Come back to my open arms
You're still out there
Out there somewhere
I'll always care
Come back to my open arms
You Have Something Special
Before it was hard to see how badly they were treating me
They called me ugly and they made me feel so unworthy
Unworthy of love
Unworthy of love
Unworthy of love
You have something special please don't throw it away
They will try to hurt you with the words they say
Words that string and words that slay
Words that can turn pink to grey
You've been walking miles trying to find your way
You've been singing sad songs every single day
I've been singing sad songs too
I've been hurting just like you
People that I loved and knew did not know me or love me
I put them up in the sky they were so high above me
They did not love me
They did not love me
They did not love me
You have something special please don't throw it away
They will try to hurt you with the words they say
Words that string and words that slay
Words that can turn pink to grey
You've been walking miles trying to find your way
You've been singing sad songs every single day
I've been singing sad songs too
I've been hurting just like you
Trying To Say No
I am never trysting anyone, that part of my heart is lost and gone
Promises unkept depressed and under slept
Always wondering why I never see it coming
People sure are something
I will never know just why I can't say no
Spending time with you was bad for me
I let you in my life easily
I saw warning signs but I didn't mind
Cause I figured I'm a beggar not a chooser
Even with abusers
Never saying no I'll never say no
Everything that happens starts and ends the same
I should know by now that I'm the one to blame
Why do I
Give my heart out just to know that one day
I will cry and cry
I do not wish harm to anyone
Sorry that it's time that you are gone
I can't be your friend
It will never end
Friends don't put their friends in such traumatic danger
Now you're just a stranger
And so on I'll go
Just trying to say no.
I Gave It All Away
I gave it all away
I gave it all away
I've nothing left to offer
There's no reason to stay
So go and run along now be happy and be free
I gave it all away dear, there's no love left for me
No there is no love left for me
My stomach is in knots
My chest is tight with pain
My thoughs won't stop repeating
My eyes are full of rain
All I have left is trauma that lives in my body
I gave it all away here there's nothing left for me
No there is nothing left for me.
(a chorus of humming)
I know it was my fault, I should have just said no
But if things were that simple I wouldn't feel so low
You wouldn't see me crying and sitting on the floor
I gave it all away here don't come around no more
Don't come around no more
Don't come around no more.
People Are Toys To You
I'm so glad I met you, you helped me see
Just how very much I hate me
Now I know I've always been this way
Made a list of the things you used to say
I know it was also my fault too
I agreed to all you put me through
When you're in it you can't see whats going on
Now I see that everything was wrong
People are toys to you
You'll play and play with one 'till you're bored and through
You may want it back when it's gone and flew
'Cause people are toys to you
Everyday you'd change your mind about me
You blamed me for being unhappy
At first you like me some when I was shiny and new
Just like all the others you've done this to
You said you stayed 'cause you felt bad for me
How sweet of you to call me charity
And maybe part of me did agree
That I deserved your pity
People are toys to you
You'll play and play with one 'till you're bored and through
You may want it back when it's gone and flew
'Cause people are toys to you
People are toys to you
You'll play and play with one 'till you're bored and through
You may want it back when it's gone and flew
'Cause people are toys to you
I Scared You Away
I come on too strong
I talk for too long
I wrote you too many songs
I scared you away
Away
Scared you away
Do I do this on purpose?
Or am I too nervous?
I'm here below the surface
I scared them all away
Away
Scared them all away
Maybe I think I don't deserve love
I know I think I don't deserve love
But I have so much to give
Have so much to give
Have so much to give
Have so much to give
I act like I'm crazy
And nothing can phase me
Then I go home and cry and cry
I scared them all away
Away
I scared them all away
Away
scared them all away
I Forgot What It's Like
Two years ago
I used to know
A feeling inside my heart
That made it glow
Now things have changed
My heart's estranged
I ask it to come back
But it says no
I forgot what it's like to like
I forgot what it's like to love
I forgot what it is to have someone be the only thing I'm thinking of
I'm not sure that I want it back
I think I might have had enough
I forgot what it's like to like
I forgot what it's like to love
I feel at home
When I'm alone
No one can hurt me when I'm
On my own
I've lost all hope
Learned how to cope
My heart's not frozen
It's turned into stone
I forgot what it's like to like
I forgot what it's like to love
I forgot what it is to have someone be the only thing I'm thinking of
I'm not sure that I want it back
I think I might have had enough
I forgot what it's like to like
I forgot what it's like to love
I forgot what it's like to like
I forgot what it's like to love
If I Could Talk To You
Your first impression of me was all wrong
And so was the second and still it goes on
If I wasn't nervous I'd know what to do
If I could talk to you
If I could talk to you
I've been told I'm ugly so why should I try?
You'll find someone better as the days run by
I'll leave you alone but I wouldn't be through
If I could talk to you
If I could talk to you
I see so much beauty inside everyone
But as for me I can only see none
You are the one who I'd show this song to
If I could talk to you
If I could talk to you
I wish I liked me the way that I like you
If I could talk to you
If I could talk to you
Pimba
My name is Pimba I'm the littlest penguin
I get so chilly in the freezing cold show
Of all the penguins I am sometimes ignored
But I know what I know what I know
What I know
I know what I know what I know
I said I'm Pimba so I guess now you know me
I'm from an iceberg at the edge of the sea
I have 9 brothers and 19 sisters
I am small but that don't mean a thing
Not a thing!
I am small but that don't mean a thing
Hear my cry
Hear my song
I am pimba
I am pimba
Hear me sing
And hear it ring
I am Pimba penguin of the sea
My name is Pimba I'm the littlest penguin
I like to sing as I swim through the sea
I like to skate on the slippery ice
And I know what I know what I know
And I know that it is time for me to go