TAAQ dotcom cover

Released independently in 2000, Thermalandaquarter.com took a jab at Bangalore’s unhealthy obsession with information technology. Everyone was making a career in Y2K and everything had to be dot-commed to be cool (a barbershop in a city ghetto was called Haircut.com). The songs warned of changes in the erstwhile pensioners paradise, fumed at peak-hour traffic snarls in a city where commuting used to be a breeze, and smirked at simple folks confused by big consumer brands that had landed like aliens in their backyards. Some songs took digs at corrupt politicians and commented on the growth pangs of the city that we loved as it coped with the tumultous changes of the new millennium. These sentiments were about Bangalore but they found resonance with audiences all over the world.

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Songs

  • 01 - Sunset Man

    I’ve got a broken white line in my pocket
    A humble offering to the gods of the road
    They look down on every turn, on every man
    Who’s on his way to far away

    I’ve a punctuation mark in the middle of my life
    Won’t you tell me if it’s a question
    Of going on or dying where I am

    So show me
    I’m wandering without moving
    Girl don’t you ever turn your back on me
    That little bit of your anatomy
    Dare I even say mediocrity
    Don’t throw it darling, it’s nearly time for tea
    Hold me
    Love me

    *    I’m a sunset man, I walk away
    You are another horizon
    I’d like to stay, but I must be going,
    Love me for today
    I can’t even say I’m sorry
    I’m not true, but I try not to lie
    So, goodbye…

    The road is a ribbon of promises
    Thrown like dice, yes like dice
    From a trembling hand
    Up and down, round and round
    I took a turn, and now I’m at the end of the way

    Oh, I don’t deny it’s been lonely
    And I’ve nothing left to give
    I can’t look back, no
    It’s another road anyway…

    So show me
    I’m wandering without moving
    Girl don’t you ever turn your back on me
    That little bit of your anatomy
    Dare I even say mediocrity
    Don’t throw it darling, it’s nearly time for tea,
    Hold me
    Love me

    *

  • 02 - One of those Days

    Woke up morning, felt like a lemon
    Squeezed on somebody’s gin
    Burnt my toast, burnt my coffee
    And the doctor wasn’t in
    The Monday morning blues is ok
    If you happen to B B King
    Wish I had a Lucille
    Who would do more than just sing
    You and I we could make music
    If you didn’t think I was a fruitcake
    I haven’t lost my marbles yet
    Will somebody give me a break

    The day is just beginning
    And the traffic isn’t thin
    I fight my way, all the way
    To the wrong side of the town
    All this madness, violence
    To try to make ends meet

    One of those days…

    Working man, didn’t make the grade
    The top man said I was fired
    For once in my life I tried to spit in his eye
    But I missed – misfired
    Walked out my tail you know where
    And anger in my heart
    Walked into the nearest lamppost
    Stop this whining, time for me to start

    Another day goes by
    To drink with his friends
    At the evening bar
    Laughs at me, whispers about tomorrow…

    One of those days…

  • 03 - King Simple

    He’s smiling now, dreaming
    A practical man, his eyes are here
    But that’s not where they’re looking

    He’s heard the whisper of tomorrow
    Future secrets in the wind
    Never knowing, he will follow
    No matter what they bring

    Her eyes, they look at him all day
    From many splendoured things
    And anything you do or say
    Is everything he sings

    And if it rains on his parade
    Stepping on the cats and poodles
    He will sing the rain-god’s chorus
    Until the clouds should fade

    *    Like a tall man on a hill
    He’s trying
    To look into another day
    The sunset holds its secrets
    But still he’s flying…

    He’s the king, the royal man
    In happy anarchy
    His kingdom built around her smile
    A simple man is he

    He’s talking now, to people
    His words are not so very clear
    Misty syllables, not crippled -
    That’s only when she’s near

    He’s heard the whisper of tomorrow
    Future secrets in the wind
    Never knowing, he will follow
    No matter what they bring

    He’s walking now, to somewhere
    Of all that he surveys
    A minor monarch singing
    A major key ballet

    And if it rains on his parade
    Stepping on the cats and poodles
    He will sing the rain-god’s chorus
    Until the clouds should fade

    *

  • 04 - Somebody's Fool

    Saw a wise man
    He was pushing his bicycle
    Told me he ran out of gas
    Saw a poor man
    With his rich uncle
    Whatever he’s eating – its not grass
    Saw a tall man
    He was running me down
    Said he wanted my money
    Saw a little man, he was looking down
    You know who found the penny

    *Why would you want a Gucci
    When you’re pocket’s rather sketchy
    Why would you want a counting house
    When you haven’t the bread and honey
    Why would you want a staircase going nowhere, just for show

    I’m so tired of wanting more
    I’m so tired of being sore
    I’ve fallen of my royal stool
    It’s easy when you can
    I’ll never be somebody’s fool
    I’m a self made man

    Saw a big man
    He was looking small
    Hiding his face in his hands
    Wanted more than he could get
    Flushed him down the toilet
    Saw a woman
    She was shining bright
    Her diamonds died in her eyes
    Her hands were old her face was young
    I hear the old reprise

    *

    The best things in life are free, they say
    When you buy one, one is given away
    Why do we sell our lives this way
    Sometimes you even pay to pray
    Tomorrow is such a busy day
    Is it too early to say…

  • 05 - Potatoe Junkie

    Turn it on, turn it on, turn it on, turn it on, mass communication junkie
    Turn it on, turn it on, turn it on, turn it on, mass communication junkie
    All you need is your backside
    Get your kicks for free
    On cable T
    Veto is your right you can
    But your life hangs by the anchorman

    Do you ever look at the world outside you
    Your soap-opera visions and Phil Donahue
    The game-show man and the Hollywood hero
    I wonder if that’s all you know…

    Stop, don’t look, don’t listen
    Do you want to be
    A p-o-t-a-t-o-e
    Stop, don’t look, don’t listen
    Do you want to be
    A p-o-t-a-t-o-e
    Watch the late o’clock news if you must
    There’s no better cure
    Just stop, don’t look, don’t listen

    Turn it off, turn it off, turn it off, turn it off, Babe-watch is getting to moi
    All that surfing is not much good
    All you get is Oprah
    And even if you go desi
    There’s not that much fun on DD

    Do you ever look at the world outside you
    Your soap-opera visions and Phil Donahue
    The game-show man and the Hollywood hero
    I wonder if that’s all you know…

    Stop, don’t look, don’t listen
    Do you want to be
    A p-o-t-a-t-o-e
    Stop, don’t look, don’t listen
    Do you want to be
    A p-o-t-a-t-o-e
    Watch the late o’clock news if you must
    There’s no better cure

    Invisibility is yours, you can get no better than a camera
    You’ve been trying all your life, but you can get no better than a camera…

  • 06 - A Little Latino

    Wishes, horses, beggars, losers
    They run around in everybody’s mind
    Like little latino dancers
    If only we could rewind…

    I see the hope in your eyes
    The money in your hands
    But what’s coming in disguise
    Is everything but planned

    *    You can say it was meant to be
    It’s really not that easy
    Hang on, hang on to the fantasy
    It’s a question of your sanity…

    You want the moon on a Saturday
    It was but a small step for man
    Your giant leap into your holiday
    You’re packed, yes you’re packed like fish
    In a can

    Love is like a pizza pie,
    You always want the extra cheese
    Sometimes you reach for the sky
    And then you’re crawling on your knees

    *    You can say it was meant to be
    It’s really not that easy
    Hang on, hang on to the fantasy
    It’s a question of your sanity…

    Shake the dice, take your chances
    Destiny’s a wicked mistress
    Are you a puppet on a chain
    Or a lonely man on a runaway train…

    *

  • 07 - That Day This Morning

    An Indian summer long ago
    I saw your eyes today
    We spoke of all your tomorrows
    And all my yesterdays

    The rain kissed your winter eyes
    The moon was in your hair
    The river sang his lonely song
    To the midnight air

    I thanked the lord for womankind
    Another fool, very very blind
    A thousand ships, a thousand years
    Will not wash away the tears

    Once upon a time, that day, this morning…

    People say forget the past
    But everybody, everybody’s got one
    Don’t talk about it anyway
    But nothing’s ever forgotten

    Yeah, we grow and we learn
    Watch your fingers burn
    When you break down and cry
    Scream like the butterfly

    Once upon a time, that day, this morning…

  • 08 - Humpty Dumpty

    I can see your greedy eyes…

    You could be the president, I really don’t care
    If all you ever want to do is never share
    Smash, grab, make a stash, greedy-guts man
    You’re climbing up the ladder, quick while you can
    See the little fellow with hunger in his eyes
    All his life he’s never never had a pleasant surprise
    Running down the road after yellow butterflies
    His arms open wide to the jigsaw skies

    You could have a kingdom with the little that you have
    But you drink the wine of wealth too deep
    Line your plastic pockets with somebody else’s blood
    Watch out little man, you could get a knife in your heart in your sleep

    I can see your greedy eyes
    Behind your silly Ray-Bans
    Don’t take too much of what is mine
    I don’t play the fool all the time
    There’s many ways to skin a cat
    A wise man was heard to say
    Humpty Dumpty will fall down
    Tomorrow if not today

    All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
    Will walk by your grave and pray
    That they would never be the fools they were
    To put you together again
    So move while you can, you fatted fool
    Or get some spiritual healing
    Throw a million bucks on a saffron saint
    But can he stop you stealing…

    You could have a kingdom with the little that you have
    But you drink the wine of wealth too deep
    Line your plastic pockets with somebody else’s blood
    Watch out little man, you could get a knife in your heart in your sleep

    I can see your greedy eyes
    Behind your silly Ray-Bans
    Don’t take too much of what is mine
    I don’t play the fool all the time
    There’s many ways to skin a cat
    A wise man was heard to say
    Humpty Dumpty will fall down
    Tomorrow if not today

  • 09 - (Bonus) Sheep

    Shades of gray
    Are everywhere
    Black is a bad, bad word
    I don’t know if white is an honest man

    Talk to me
    In circles circles
    Don’t look me squarely
    In my believing eye
    Sell it to you
    You poor, poor man
    Your head is spinning
    The advertising lie

    *    I’m not speaking us and them
    ‘Cause you are me and I am him
    We are sheep, we’re getting thin
    Pull the wool over our eyes…

    Watch the tube
    It’s wonderland
    Glorious escape, oh yeah,
    Until you turn away
    Kneel and pray on a holiday
    Whisper secret words
    Can he hear you now
    Sell it to you
    You poor, poor man
    Your head is spinning
    The advertising lie

    *

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