“Keep Me in Orbit Today” is the most honest album I’ve ever written, with songs about dealing with real problems, growing up and learning over and over again how to cope with the struggles of everyday life. Opposed to general blanket lyrics that glaze over issues, this album is a direct reflection of my life in my early 30’s, questioning myself, overcoming personal battles and coming to terms with how this world works. Drawing from influences such as Jeff Rosenstock, NOFX, PUP, etc… “Keep Me in Orbit Today” is definitely a move in a different direction from the days of She Likes Todd. Pulling from punk rock and NES inspired indie music, we keep this album interesting from start to finish. - CHX

SLEEPING BAG STUDIOS ALBUM REVIEW

Lyrics

MY WAY HOME
We’ll hang out, in summer sometime I swear
Maybe just not in this hemisphere,
Cause they keep calling
and I can’t say no.

Funny how, they ran away with my life
I’ll try to find it night after night
But I’m exhausted
and they won’t let go

So I’m waiting
For my chance to make a break and hit the road
But I wouldn’t hold my breath
Cause when there’s nothing left
There’s nowhere to go
I might explode.

This can’t last forever. How long, I don’t know
One day I’ll find my way home.
Hope I still remember which way I should go
On day I’ll find my way home.
Sometime round December things should start to slow
Then I’ll find my way back home.
Sorry I left you alone.

I spent months, forgetting freedom was there
Trying to make problems disappear
And once I solved them
I watched others grow

Funny how, nothing works out as I plan
I’ll try to win again and again
These rules keep changing
But I’m never told

So I’m waiting
For my chance to make a break and hit the road
But I wouldn’t hold my breath
Cause when there’s nothing left
There’s nowhere to go
I might implode.

This can’t last forever. How long, I don’t know
One day I’ll find my way home.
Hope I still remember which way I should go
On day I’ll find my way home.
Sometime round December things should start to slow
Then I’ll find my way back home.
Sorry I left you alone.

This can’t last forever. How long, I don’t know
One day I’ll find my way home.
Hope I still remember which way I should go
On day I’ll find my way home.
Sometime round December things should start to slow
Then I’ll find my way back home.
Sorry I left you alone.

ENDING UP HERE
What the hell’s been going on?
We haven’t hung out in so long.
I just want to see a show with you
And scream these words louder the others do

It’s been so long since we’ve had fun
I must admit I get a little bummed
Knowing that I can’t hang out with you
It gets so dull sitting all alone at two.

The city desaturates, as my friends all disappear
Chicago’s getting grayer year after year
I’m sick of staying up late, by myself just drinking beers
All alone in my basement passing out
Drunk and stoned laying face down on the couch
No. I can’t keep ending up here.

What the hell’s been going on?
Three years is too long to be gone.
I just want to stay up late with you
And get fucked up till the sky turns back to blue.

It’s been so long, but now you’re home
I must admit I’m sick of telephone
Conversations cross the world with you
So glad you’re back sitting in my living room.

The city illuminates, as my friends all reappear
Chicago’s getting brighter starting this year.
We’ll all start staying up late, together just drinking beers
With our friends yeah we’re always having fun
Party keeps going til we say it’s done
So, we all keep ending up here.

I WON’T MIND MY OWN MIND’S MIND
I don’t know why I ask myself these questions
I don’t have any answers.
Do I have clue about anything at all?

I try to pry inside of my mind
The reply that I find isn’t the one I’m seeking
So I just keep on bouncing off the walls.

Am I numb, am I insane?
Do I even know what I’m saying?

Talking to myself’s getting frustrating.
Why?
I ask my brain but it’s not explaining why.
Why?
I won’t mind my own mind’s mind.

I get stuck inside of my head to often
Self defeating perspective.
Beat myself up because I think that secretly.

I’m still keeping some things from me
So I’ll eat some of these to see what it frees up.
My brain doesn’t comply so easily.

Am I numb, am I insane?
Do I even know what I’m saying?
I’m not dumb, it’s not a game.
But my brain just doesn’t stop playing.

Talking to myself’s getting frustrating.
Why?
I ask my brain but it’s not explaining why.
Why?
I won’t mind my own mind’s mind.
Mind my own mind’s mind.
Mind my own mind’s mind.
Mind my own mind’s mind.

AN ANSWER IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES
Sometimes when I look in the mirror
I don’t like the person that brought me to here
Cause I know him well
He’s got more skeletons than you could ever tell
But he won’t let you see Inside his shell

No one would ever believe
Because I was so numb emotionally
Nothing would come through
It’s like wearing a blindfold At a scenic view
Nothing is real Nothing is ringing true

And I’m making me sick from all the things I do
How come I always hurt the ones I never want to

So I get fucked up by myself
Try to reflect but this doesn’t really help
I’m just passing time
Just keep lying to myself till I feel fine
But that’s not real it’s just a mask of mine

And I’m making me sick from all the things I do
How come I always hurt the ones I never want to

Is this for real or a cry for help?
I can’t tell if I know the difference.
These waves washed me up and threw me back to shore.

Am I crippled or am I cured?
Which story should I start believing?
Cause I’m reading both and I can’t breathe anymore.
I think I know but i gotta be sure.

Not again, not again. Not again, not again, not again, not again, not again
Get the fuck fuck fuck fuck outta my head.
Why do I keep thinking bout you instead?
You hit me like drugs now I’m not thinking clear.
Getting high off you keeps bringing me back here.

I’m starting to feel like an addict Who’s desperately trying to find
An answer in all the wrong places A quick fix to settle my mind

I WANT IT BACK
Sitting alone feeling sad and sorry
I never thought i would be here but I’m
Caving in can’t shake this sinking feeling
How about you?

I’m trying so hard to make up for my mistakes
I’ll do anything I’ll try whatever it takes
I wanna pretend none of this happened
How about you?

We’re broke but we still got the pieces
I’m still here and so are you
Everything’s moving so fast I hope we keep up too

Nothing we’ve done has been harder
I’m sorry that I brought you here
I think we forgot what we were like
Back when we weren’t so wrapped up in life
And nothing mattered I think we’ll remember this year

So this is our chance this is our life
Together we’re gonna make it right
We’ll weather this storm cause I know that we’re worth the fight
Can’t things just be like they were before
I lost track and got thrown overboard
I want it back

Trying not to give into temptation
Here on the couch but my brain keeps racing
I want to talk and i’m not gonna give up
How about you?

I’m torn up inside and my chest feels heavy
I’m crying more than I have in ages
I wanna pretend none of this happened
How about you?

We’re broke but we still got the pieces
I’m still here and so are you
Everything’s moving so fast I hope we keep up too

The past is gone so breathe in deep And feel the cold air in your chest
Let’s take the vacation that we need
From all the stress and anxiety
Let’s take a good look and decide what is really best

So this is our chance this is our life
Together we’re gonna make it right
We’ll weather this storm cause I know that we’re worth the fight
Can’t things just be like they were before
I lost track and got thrown overboard
I want it back

I’m trying so hard to make up for my mistakes
I’ll do anything I’ll try whatever it takes
I wanna pretend none of this happened
How about you?

SMALLTALK SUBTEXT
How the fuck am I still alive
I drank up all my luck now the cup’s finally dry
I’ve gotta stop listening to myself
Cause I can’t help but shelf any thoughts about my own health
I’ve never been less proud of me
Try again and again to stand up but I’m stumbling
And can you hear me world I’m screaming

Breathe, just breathe in deep.
The air puts the demons to sleep.
I’m, not doing fine.
When I say that i’m OK I’m actually not, but I keep lying

So I can try to maintain instead of drowning in pain
To keep from going insane I don’t want to explain
How every day is the same routine I torture me
These thoughts creep through my mind
And I’m not actually fine
Even when I tell you that I’m fine
I can guarantee you that I’m lying
Inside I’m always dying
It’s just the same routine I torture me
These thoughts creep through my mind

How the fuck am I still alive
I drank up all my luck now the cup’s finally dry
I’ve gotta stop listening to myself
Cause I can’t help but shelf any thoughts about my own health
I’ve never been less proud of me
Try again and again to stand up but I’m stumbling
Never been less proud of me
Try again and again to stand up but I’m stumbling
And can you hear me world I’m screaming
Yeah listen up I’m fucking screaming
Under the surface I keep screaming

HELIOCENTRIC
I’m just a comet that can’t ever stop flying
The sun’s directing my path I’m always relying
On you to help me from losing my way
Keep me in orbit today
Sometimes I feel this force pulling me back
I didn’t mean to stray

Without your light I only felt cold and darkness
Out of your sight I’m lost without you
Try as I might My orbit shifted towards the moon
Completely consumed

Can you see me burning up?
Can you feel me losing touch?
When the whole world is too much Let’s help each other move forward
Now I can tell you for sure
I’m gonna try

The moon eclipsed all your light, then she pulled me in
I stopped putting up a fight, braced for the collision
Somehow you found your way back to my view
Pulled me to safety with you
All that i know's without you in my life
I would’t know what to do

Keep burning bright I promise I will follow
Keep me in flight I’m lost without you
I’ll hold on tight Won’t lose my grip again I swear
I’ll always be there

Can you see me burning up?
Can you feel me losing touch?
When the whole world is too much
Let’s help each other move forward
Now I can tell you for sure
I’m gonna try

UNANCHORED
Look at us now we got here somehow
Once we were lost now we’ve been found
And nothing matters at all
It’s unstoppable
There’s nothing we can do

They’re all around tearing us down
Keeping us anchored to the ground
And if you let the succeed
Then it’s agreed
You’re all that’s stopping you

Perspective is power anger is a gift
Sometime you have to look back for a lift
So if you’re troubled just watch in rewind
You’ll be surprised how many clues you’ll find
To how you got here and how to get past
Towards a new future one that you’ll make last

It’ll be OK, we’re going to make it through
You’ll see someday, looking in the rear view
We all change, there’s nothing we can do
Whether or not we want to
Whether or not we want to

Look at us now we got here somehow
Once we were lost now we’ve been found
And nothing matters at all
It’s unstoppable
There’s nothing we can do

Perspective is power anger is a gift
Sometime you have to look back for a lift

It’ll be OK, we’re going to make it through
You’ll see someday, looking in the rear view
We all change, there’s nothing we can do
Whether or not we want to
Whether or not we want to

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH
We wrote this song so you would know it too
So let us show it to, show it to you
Too many word won’t work is what we’ve realized
So let us simplify, the word that we use.

Nah nah nah, nah nah nah
On and on, on and on. Yeah
Nah nah nah, nah nah nah
On and on, on and on. Yeah

Let’s sing a song together
You don’t know the words whatever
We’re just trying to have some fun
Most of the time we don’t use words
and all our friends come in like

Blah blah blah …………

Second verse is gonna be the same as the first
I already fucked that up, I guess I’m the worst
We’ll shut up now before we start confusing you
Now we know what to do, We’ll drop out the words

Nah nah nah, nah nah nah
On and on, on and on. Yeah
Nah nah nah, nah nah nah
On and on, on and on. Yeah

Let’s sing a song together
You don’t know the words whatever
We’re just trying to have some fun
Most of the time we don’t use words
and all our friends come in like

Blah blah blah …………

KT
Please believe me
I’m aware I need to change
I’m doing my best to rearrange
My perspective
Our life won’t ever unglue
No matter what this stupid world keeps on trying to
Put between us, or in our way
There is nothing that is more true I can say

So Katie I need you
I hope you know that you are my life
But it doesn’t always come out right
You know you're simply incredible
And I don’t understand how I managed to find you cause you’re more than right
You make me better you give me sight
You know our life’s unbelievable
And it’s all because you shine on through And show me a better way

There’s this feeling
Crumbling in a cascade
It’s starting to finally fade away
It’s revealing
As we scrub through every layer
Something that looks better than I remember there
Now we’re seeing, what we forgot.
And we’re making sure that it won’t ever stop.

So Katie I need you
I hope you know that you are my life
But it doesn’t always come out right
You know you're simply incredible
And I don’t understand how I managed to find you cause you’re more than right
You make me better you give me sight
You know our life’s unbelievable
And it’s all because you shine on through And show me a better way

You’ve always been You’ll always be
The best thing that has ever happened to me

NEVER FIGURE IT OUT
Life will spin you round in circles
Chew you up and spit you out
There’s no way of ever knowing
What it’s really all about?

I don’t care much anymore
I don’t care much anymore
I don’t wanna think about it anymore
I’ll just live my life
Won’t try to figure it out
Won’t try to figure it out
We’ll never figure it out
No point to figuring out

I won’t waste my time pretending
That the answers will appear
It’s beyond our comprehending
But it makes it crystal clear

I don’t care much anymore
I don’t care much anymore
I don’t wanna think about it anymore
I’ll just live my life
Won’t try to figure it out
Won’t try to figure it out
We’ll never figure it out
No point to figuring out

I don’t care much anymore
I don’t care much anymore
I don’t wanna think about it anymore
I’ll just live my life
Won’t try to figure it out

MONEY FOR NOTHIN’ (CHX 4 FREE)
Look at them yo-yo’s, that’s the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain’t working, that’s the way you do it
Money for nothin’ CHX 4 free
That ain’t working, that’s the way you do it
Man I tell you that these guys ain’t dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb

We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these color TV’s

I should have learned to play the guitar
I should have learned to bang them drums
Look it mama, she’s got it sticking in the camera
Oooh, we could of had some fun
What’s that, Hawaiian noises
Banging on the bongos like some chimpanzees
That ain’t working, that’s the way you do it
Money for nothin’ CHX 4 free

We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these color TV’s