Make Me Dinner EP

March 2008

Make Me Dinner is a boutique of Missing Briefcase outtakes, demos and a couple extra pouches of potpourri to fill it out. It is also Alex’s first digital-only release, so there are no wasted Scotsmen use in the making of this one!

Track Listing

(click titles for lyrics)

  1. Soldier Down

    I won’t die too soon
    Wanna be in my platoon?
    Soldier down
    I wanna know the score
    And form opinions on war
    Soldier down

    I can talk like I’m there
    Talking trench warfare
    Soldier down
    I can’t find the cure
    But I can sloganeer
    Soldier down

    I heard the seven-inch
    At a red block party down in the ditch
    And I remember it must have been great
    To fight and hallucinate
    Hey

    I know bit by bit by bit
    What it’s like out there in the jungle shit
    Soldier down
    Man I can taste it through and through
    Just like it do
    Watching Gulf War One and Two
    Soldier down

    I heard the seven-inch
    At a red block party down in the ditch
    I don’t remember what you said you did with your body
    In another time dimension
    In the barracks, a wave of dementia
    And I remember it must have been great
    To fight and hallucinate
    Hey

    Soldier down

  2. Waiting While Sleeping

    I was waiting while sleeping
    Waiting for reinforcements
    I was waiting while sleeping
    Waiting for you
    Never come
    Cuz I was waiting while sleeping
    It’s all over my head and feet
    I was waiting while sleeping
    Waiting for the crashing sound
    The sound, all the sound
    Doesn’t reach my mind while I’m grooming your hound

    I was waiting while peeping
    Looking out for number one
    I was waiting while peeping
    Through the walls you never see through
    I was waiting while leaving
    I thought for sure you’d surrender
    I was waiting while leaving
    Waiting for the dizzy spell
    The spell, all the spell
    Don’t make me sick while I’m dreaming of hell

    Because it’s all over for me
    It’s all over for you
    It’s like everybody’s feeling cheap
    Stealing my threads and shearing my sheep

    I was waiting while sleeping
    (Snoring while waking)
    Waiting for reinforcements
    I was waiting while sleeping
    (Tossing while turning)
    Waiting for you
    Never come
    Cuz I was waiting while sleeping
    (Hibernate loudly)
    It’s all over my head and feet
    I was waiting while sleeping
    Waiting for the crashing sound
    The sound, all the sound
    Doesn’t reach my mind while I’m grooming your hound

  3. Palm Trees

    The palm trees rose to the city sky
    And no one would change ‘cept you and me
    But the sky was blue and green from the evergreen
    Up to the sky we climb

    The palm trees came down when I moved away
    They didn’t come with me but they didn’t stay
    I hope some crocodile likes it in the Everglades
    Because things last forever in the Everglades

    Florida’s over there but Maine’s still here
    With nothing in my heart but palm trees

  4. Just Like That

    Just like that I’ve gone away
    Just like that I’ve turned away
    Just like that and what’s that
    Drop of the hat
    I fold my hand cuz I can
    And I think you know
    Just like that
    But that’s not any way to act

    “You leave me here cold and warm
    ‘Cause I loved you so
    But you’re gone just like that”

    Bring me home
    I feel cold
    Bring me home
    There must be snowmen outside
    In or out
    But that’s not any way to act

    You might have something left to share
    I might have something left to share
    Just like that

  5. Surgeon 2008

    I forgot to wash my hands after performing an appendectomy
    I think I forgot to wash my hands before carving some crazy turkey
    If cleanliness is loneliness then loneliness is surgical
    Well I think I crapped in the beans at the Taco Shack (not sure)

    I forgot to wash my hands after performing a French Horn solo
    I think I forgot to play my horn after hanging with Zoot Horn Rolo
    No I’m not a model for sanitation in the 90s
    Although my ancestors came up with SimCity 2000
    Mouth solo!

    I replaced an inflamed appendix with a Taco Shack taco
    I thought he might like a little gift so I threw a taco party
    If thoughtfulness is gratefulness, then gratefulness is surgical
    But I’m standing on the shoulders of my rich-ass ancestors

    So next time I hope you think twice before helping yourself to a taco
    Because even a bean burrito may be the end of you

    Oh that burrito will be the end of you
    Oh that burrito will be the end of you
    Don’t help yourself to a taco

    [ad lib]

  6. Choke

    Blue face
    Communicating my choking face
    Blue face
    You take on the world with your pearly whites
    Deal or no deal
    Wake up to a game of Candyland
    Mm mm mm mm mm mm

    Tidal waves
    Drain all me and I’ll give you three
    Tidal waves
    Arabian nights in Iraqi trees
    Deal or no deal
    I’m the red man in the crowd
    I’m the red man in the crowd

    Choke

    Blue sky
    Lying face down in cobalt skies
    Blue sky
    The distant wailing of old blues guys
    Deal or no deal
    Hands and knees up in my face
    Hands and knees all up in my face

    Choke

  7. Eternal Return (demo)

    I’ve been strung up by my neck once or twice before
    Such a world that’s left me once or twice before

    And I’ve been in love with you before
    And seen my love working over time and time again
    And seen my love working over time again
    Because I’ve been love with you before

    All this talk of walls is making me cynical
    Falling in love with you is as easy as it sounds

    Because I’ve been in love with you before
    And seen my love working over time and time again
    And seen my love working over time again
    Because I’ve been love with you before

  8. I’m In The Way

    I’m keeping an eye on the perimeter south
    Stuffed up in the attic
    My ears all full of static
    And any little sound has my belly on the ground
    Nervous

    Because every now and then I get an unexpected guest
    A walking babblin’ brook
    A human by the book
    And any second now, she’s bound to show up talking loud
    Talking of…

    Just what I’m undeserving of
    I’m in the way of love

    And I watch the breeze clean the ashtray on the porch
    In control of my glands
    Hatching evil plans:
    “I’m sorry, mopping up the floor takes lots and lots of snores”
    Thinking of…

    The engineer sneers
    I keep messing up the bridge
    I’m getting in the way of love
    I may not be good
    For her suburban majesty
    I got in the way of love
    I got in the way of love

Liner notes

  • Recorded at the Ectoplasmic Studio in Portland, OR.
  • Alyssa Perkins sings on Waiting While Sleeping.
  • Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Alex Arrowsmith.
  • Cover design by Alex and Alyssa.
  • Soldier Down was recorded February 20, 2008. Waiting While Sleeping was recorded July 2007 and February 2008. Palm Trees was recorded March 2, 2008. Just Like That was recorded February 2007. Surgeon 2008 was recorded January 24, 2008. Choke was recorded March 2007. Eternal Return (demo) was recorded October 12, 2006. I’m In The Way was recorded December 18, 2006.
  • All songs written by Alex Arrowsmith.
  • Publishing by Alex Arrowsmith Music Publishing (ASCAP).
  • Copyright 2008 Ectoplasmic Records. EPCD20.