ETC

Before there was Switchfoot, there was Chin Up… and before there was Chin Up, there was ETC! Jon and Tim’s highschool band, ETC, recorded and released one CD with 16 songs back in the day, and there has been a lot of curiosity about that album! Because of all the questions and speculation, we have decided to put the lyrics of those songs up for you guys here.

Enjoy!
 

Tracklisting 

• I’ll Be There
• Salesman
• The Wall (Nothing to Prove)
• Time
• Self-Destructing Song
• Push Me Down
• Instrumental
• Bob II
• Make Me Real
• The Man on the Moon
• Brokenness
• What Are You Living For?
• Can’t Admit My Faults
• I’ve Played Too Long
• There
• Sense of Loss

I’ll Be There

When the morning looks like midnight
And the early train goes by
And you sit there watching green to red,
To green to red, to green

And there’s nothing left for you
As you sit inside your suit
But to feel the wet sand
Lay with the moonlight overhead

- Chorus -

And I’ll be there, I’ll be there
You’re not alone
And I’ll be there, I’ll be there
You’re not alone

And I sit straight up in bed
With alarm clocks in my head
I left you waiting on and on and on

Then when I run outside
The world is shining bright
Don’t stop to question
You’ve been waiting all along

- Chorus -

And I’ll be there, I’ll be there
You’re not alone
And I’ll be there, I’ll be there
You’re not alone

I see now you’ve been waiting for two hours
And now you can see the point
And ???????
And you’re wondering why where was I? Where was I? Where was I?

Salesman

What are you selling and what does it cost?
What does it do for the loser who lost?
Do you believe in it?
Why do you smile
Have you been trying to sell it to me all the while?
When you go into your room late at night
And you turn to the window
The stars are bright lights
Lights

-Chorus-

Are you looking for something to sell?
Looking for someone to sell it to?
Are you looking for something to sell,
Mr. Salesman

When you were younger did you know the truth?
Did you know all along what you wanted to do,
All of the reason for all that we buy
Or is society boring you and I?
When you go into your room late at night
And you turn to the window
The stars are bright lights, lights

The Wall (Nothing to Prove)

I’ve been the one up on the wall
I’ve been the one that’s looking down
Been the one to push you off
I’ve been the one whose been knocked down
I’ve been the one whose looking back up at the wall
I’ve been the one whose all alone

I’ve built my wall then walked away
Got nothing to prove to you, sir
Got nothing to prove to you, sir

And you’re not the only person
To give me revelation that I’m not the perfect person
Don’t fit your expectations
I’m just trying to live
Just trying to be just who I am
I won’t say that I can’t fall
Cause I know that I can

- Chorus -

And I got nothing to prove
Got nothing to prove to you
Cause I’m not the one
I’m not the one to save you
When it’s only me
It’s only me
It’s only nothing that you can’t do

Got nothing to prove to you
Got nothing to prove to you

Don’t judge me yet
Don’t judge now
Don’t judge me by the things I say
All the stupid things I do

Don’t judge me yet
Don’t judge me now
Don’t judge me by the clothes I wear
Or my personality

You’re gonna have to step inside
There’s so much more to me
There’s so much more to me

- Chorus -

And I got nothing to prove
Got nothing to prove to you
Cause I’m not the one
I’m not the one to save you
When it’s only me
It’s only me
It’s only nothing that you can’t do

And I can’t justify my existence based on reactions
And persistence
Just sit around and fall
And hit brick walls
Brick walls
Yeah

Time

The world around us now moves so fast
The decisions blend together
And I don’t have time to bother

And I drive quickly trying to get from
One place into another
And time slips through my fingers

- Chorus -

And I don’t know how I got to be moving so fast
So far away from the place that I wish that I could be living my life at
I’m in the nick of time

And every second that you hear me
You will never have again
Oh but that doesn’t really matter

It’s all about what you’d rather be doing
And the things that happen there
So prioritize your life

- Chorus -

And I don’t know how I got to be moving so fast
So far away from the place that I wish that I could be living my life at
I’m in the nick of time

And I don’t know what to do
When I’m spending time when I just don’t want to
And time slips away
Time slips away

All time

Self-Destruction Song

Used to think that life was simple
Used to think that every problem had one answer
Used to think that all I had to do was find it out
And everybody lived happily ever after
Until the next big war

- Chorus -

And now I’m not so sure
With your calculated hatred
As we come undone

When we were young (and everything’s so)
The world was round (and everything’s so)
When we were young

- Chorus -

And now I’m not so sure
With your calculated hatred
As we come undone
We come undone

There’s nothing wrong
Yeah

- Chorus -

There’s nothing but nothing inside
Nothing but a little bit dead
Leave me alone, don’t bother me now

There’s nothing that I can’t find out
Nothing, but something’s gone
Nothing but a little hole
Yeah there’s nothing but nothing wrong

There’s nothing wrong
There’s nothing wrong
Leave me alone

- Chorus -

There’s nothing but nothing inside
Nothing but a little bit dead
Leave me alone, don’t bother me now

There’s nothing that I can’t find out
Nothing, but something’s gone
Nothing but a little hole
Yeah there’s nothing but nothing wrong
Nothing’s wrong

This is a self-destructing song
I sing it to you now
This is a self-destructing song
For those who fall
(This is a self-destructing song) Yeah, for those who fall
For those who fall (this is a self-destructing song)

Push Me Down

Oh I can see you right in front of me
Watching and waiting for me to fall
Leave me alone and let me be
I can’t see the road at all

All I can stand is where I am,
I can’t go forward and won’t look back
Everything I see reminds me
Of all that I’m missing, all I lack

- Chorus -

Help me stand or push me down
Help me stand or push me down

All I can know is nothing else to you
Oh lead me where I need to go
Everything I learn reminds me
Of everything that I don’t know
Oh I am confused, all around,
I am confused, all around
Oh tell me where the problem lies
Help me stand or push me down!

- Chorus -

Help me stand or push me down
Help me stand or push me down
Or push me down
Push me down

Oh I can see you right in front of me
Watching and waiting for me to fall
Leave me alone and let me be
I can’t see the road at all

All I can take is where I ache
All over I can’t tell you why
??????????
Before I’m living, before I die

- Chorus -

Help me stand or push me down
Help me stand or push me down

Instrumental

We’re nothing more than something less
Of what we can ever be
And my whole being
Reason for living
When I grow old
I’ll laugh out in the cold

Bob II

Bob was once a rich man, who wanted to get away
From everything around him
So he left things that are, left his wife a little note,
Said he’d cheer if she found him
She still hasn’t found him yet
And he’s wondering why

He had great fun for while with his stupid plastic smile
That had been inside him, so he could not escape
From the pressing for that, he was missing out on life
So he turned to drugs and tried to numb the pain
Now he’s so brain dead he’s not the Bob I used to know

Make Me Real

I am awake, I am alive
Everything seems so real
The people I see, the beautiful faces
All the emotions I feel

So I play the game, I smile and talk
Eating at all the right meals
When I get involved, I’m happy and sad
Imaginary ideals

- Chorus -

Change my ideal of love
Love, help me feel
And make me real

I lay awake upon my bed
Staring darkness and thought far ahead
I’m too good, see through my day
It’s just a game and even so, I play
Am I awake, yeah am I involved?
Am I a piece in the puzzle I solve?
Do they feel bright like they’re moving ahead
And do they feel sorry late at night in bed?

- Chorus -

Change my ideal of love
Love, help me feel
And make me real
Yeah

When I wake up in the morning
And things feel so true
Please help me hold on
It’s a game
But there’s you
Yeah
There’s you

The Man on the Moon

He walks around in circles
Outside on the lawn
It’s one of those seldom times
He’s thinking straight
And now he’s trying to think of
Someone to call his friend
His father comes to him and says
Son I know who you are

-Chorus-

And I’ve never seen the man on the moon
He doesn’t do much
Spinning round and round
And looking down
At the world below my knees
There’s not much he can do
The man on the moon

And now he’s in the middle
All eyes on him
He stumbles once or twice and
Everybody laughs
And now he’s trying to think of
When he had so much more
And I began to see the past,
??????, the looking glass

-Chorus-

And I’ve never seen the man on the moon
He doesn’t do much
Spinning round and round
And looking down
At the world below my knees
There’s not much he can do
The man on the moon

Brokenness

Where do they run to when they’re down
And out with nowhere left to go
Saw them wandering down the street
Unless they havent left his home
And all the people stopped and stared and laughed
And he was ashamed again (?)
And there were times when he was once like them
Once like them
Once like them
Yeah

And don’t believe they don’t have feelings
Yes they have emotions still
When you’re feeling so alone and yet
you’re far away ???
With all your cut downs
And your angry ??? yet they havent changed
Please remember they were once like you
Once like you
Once like you

No spending money
That wont get you far, far
When you’re living for today
Tomorrow hits too hard, hard

And shall I play the game
No we’re too much the same
Or shall I overcome
The one I fear I have become
I have become
I have become
Have I become
The monster
Or is that what we are
Until we learn to live

Oh pilgrim do you know the road you’re headed on
Or are you still wonderring
The more I know The more I know
there’s more for me to learn
And that I’m still growing
Ah, ah

Where do they run to when they’re down
And out with nowhere left to go
Where do they run to when they’re down
And out with nowhere left to go
Homeless in brokenness and nowhere left to go
Homeless in brokenness and nowhere left to go

What Are You Living For?

What’s your dream
What do you want to be
You’ve got your life ahead of you
and who will you be tomorrow
Who will you have become

-Chorus-

Each day I’m one day older
Each day I’m one day colder
And if you don’t know what you’re living for
You’re lost in the crowd and
Each day the pace gets faster
Do you know what you’re after
You’ve got to ask yourself
Just who’s your master
(I have nothing to offer
but blood, toil, tears, and sweat)

-Chorus-

Each day I’m one day older
Each day I’m one day colder
And if you don’t know what you’re living for
You’re lost in the crowd and
Each day the pace gets faster
Do you know what you’re after
You’ve got to ask yourself
Just who’s your master

You’ve got no choice
You’ve got to choose
Just what are you living for
What are you living for

You’ve got no choice
You’ve got to choose
Just what are you living for
What are you living for

Can’t Admit My Faults

I’m in the corner
She’s staring over at me
And watch her eyes
They’re looking through me

And where were you
No I don’t think things funny
And I was twelve
And older now I see myself
And watch me fall
Back in the same old hole

And where were you
No I don’t think things funny

-Chorus-

Can’t admit my faults
Can’t admit I’m wrong
Can’t admit my faults
Can’t admit I’m wrong
Could I be myself
Or is that so wrong
Could I be too hard
And once again
I feel my heart beat faster
I wonder why
I wonder where’s the line between

And where were you
as I say trip again and again
Is it just me yeah
Or is it just a state of mind

And what to do
I lock myself inside
And where were you
As I prove I’m human

-Chorus-

Can’t admit my faults
Can’t admit I’m wrong
Can’t admit my faults
Can’t admit I’m wrong
Could I be myself
Or is that so wrong
Could I be too hard

Oh hi, hello
It’s only me, it’s only me
It’s only thoughts
It’s only pride it’s only them
It’s only you
It’s only that I’m human
Yes I recall
The time I rode around ???
And have I changed
Or am I even worse?
Then back to you
Cause I know I can’t change myself

-Chorus-

Can’t admit my faults
Can’t admit I’m wrong
Can’t admit my faults
Can’t admit I’m wrong
Could I be myself
Or is that so wrong
Could I be too hard
Yeah

I’ve Played Too Long

How would you define wasting time
The time that you look back upon
And say what was I thinking
If that’s true then I’ve spent my life
Wasting time and using time
And playing my guitar

This definition don’t fit
Cause lots of time I’m wasting time
It’s absolutely necessary
Sometimes I don’t give a bit
And sometimes I sit back and
Play on my guitar

-Chorus-

I’ve played too long
I’ve played too long
I’ve played too long
I’ve played too long
Yeah

-Chorus-

I’ve played too long
I’ve played too long
I’ve played too long
I’ve played too long

Sixty sixty twenty-four
sixty sixty twenty-four
Sixty sixty twenty-four
Sixty sixty twenty-four

-Chorus-

I’ve played too long
I’ve played too long
I’ve played too long
I’ve played too long
Yeah

And when I’m sitting where
The past and present fade
Nothing but a little bit of something missing in my life
Nothing but a little bit of something wrong
Something’s going wrong

-Chorus-

I’ve played too long
I’ve played too long
I’ve played too long
I’ve played too long

There

Were you there
Way up where
The winds were calm
With nothing wrong
With nothing wrong
Skies are blue
Hoping to
I’d make the sun
to shine like rain
To laugh again

I could never hope
To take you to the perfect place
Where you give me

Faster now
All around
It’s like the sun
I’d never heard
I know the words
Soft and clear
Ever near
So far away
From day to day
The dismal gray

And I could never hope
To take you to the perfect place
Where you give me

-Chorus-

And everywhere it’s here and now with you
It’s all I know
I know my hopes
And when I go
I hope I’ll know you
For the skies that spin to pull me in

-Chorus-

And everywhere it’s here and now with you
It’s all I know
I know my hopes
And when I go
I hope I’ll know you
For the skies that spin to pull
For the skies that spin to pull
For the skies that spin to pull
For the skies that spin to pull
For the skies that spin to pull
For the skies that spin to pull
For the skies that spin to pull me in

Sense of Loss

Sense of loss
He walks along alone again
And the whole world looks different now
So far away from him

Something snapped
Smell the change on the wind
Where he is
Where he’ll be
Yeah but now he’s in between

-Chorus-

Oh can’t you see
This means more
Than he’s ever lost before
Oh cant you see
That was the ???
He’s got nothing left to lose

Oh he knows
All he has
Just can’t last
Little boy
Grow to be
I tell you, ????

-Chorus-

Oh can’t you see
This means more
Than he’s ever lost before
Oh cant you see
That was the ???
He’s got nothing left to lose

Now the time
?????
?????
Stand up tall
Spread your wings
and fly

-Chorus-

Oh can’t you see
This means more
Than I’ve ever lost before
Oh cant you see
That was the ???
Got nothing left to lose
Got nothing left to lose