Tomas Kalnoky

thumb|Tomas Kalnoky Tomas Kalnoky (born December 24, 1980) is the lead singer and songwriter of the ska band Streetlight Manifesto. He is also a member of the Bandits Of The Acoustic Revolution, another music collective. He has also been involved with Catch 22 and Gimp. Sourced So you're tired of livingFeel like you might give inWell don't. It's not your time "A Better Place, A Better Time," from Everything Goes Numb (2003) So tell me: how long do you think you can go before you lose it all?Before they call you bluff and watch you fall?I don't know, but I'd like to think I had controlAt some point, but I let it go and lost my soul "A Moment of Silence," from "Everything Goes Numb" (2003) Last two soldiers on the battlefieldsurvivors of the warthey aim at one another while their mothers beg the lord"if you're listening, I'm missing himso somehow bring him home"how did it come to this?so the soldiers lift their rifles and they're aiming at the headthey think of their first love before they take a final breathand somewhere in the distance they hear something someone saidhow did it come to this? "The Big Sleep," from "Everything Goes Numb" (2003) Years go by, the time it does fly And every single second is a moment in time That passes oh so quick, and it seems like nothing But when you're looking back well it amounts to everything "1234, 1234," from "Keasbey Nights" (2003) I got no cash I got no girl but I got the world in the palm of my hand and I don't care if you care or if you understand because I'm a little kid and I've got little problems and I don't give a shit if you don't, you don't understand because:I got me.That's all I need.And I live comfortably.And I sleep peacefully. "Giving Up, Giving In," from Keasbey Nights (2006) Right and wrong There's not a lot of difference when you're singing that poor man's song And that song it goes just a little like this: "Everything Went Numb" from "Everything Goes Numb" (2003) I take that back I won't stop singing when I'm dead I'll sing from the great beyond, I will echo in your head And if you think taking your life will set your free You've got something to learn, it's called humility You've got something to learn, it's called humility "That'll Be The Day" from "Everything Goes Numb" (2003) I'd like to sing a song (please swear you won't be long) I'll try not to be long but I don't want to get this story wrong There was a kid who never cared about the little things Don't even bother because I'm tired and I'm sick of it And everything she makes a point I'll make a counterpoint She said it's easy but in the end you'll have no choice And you know that's only just the way that it goes (You said it right man, that is just the way that it goes) I've got a gun in my hand but that gun won't cock My finger's on the trigger but that trigger seems locked And I can't stop staring at the tick tock clock And even if I could I would never give up With a vest on my chest and a bullet in my lung I can't believe I'm dying with my song unsung So if and when I die won't you bury me alone? Because I'll never get to heaven if I'm singing this song: Oh, you don't know where I've been Oh, you don't know what I've seen "Point/Counterpoint" from "Everything Goes Numb" (2003) Don't you come to me with all your color-coded quotes Everybody's laughing but they never ever get my jokes Fool, you're a tool, a sheep And it's obvious to everyone but company you keep And don't you squint and me because your childhood was the pits Every single one of us have trodden through our shit Oh, and I know you're shrewd Because I smell it on your clothes It's in everything you do Falling, fallen, we all fall down It only really matters how we stand our ground And if and when we rise to our feet again We'll be on our own "If And When We Rise Again" from "Everything Goes Numb" (2003) It hurts too much to stand by You've got to stop and draw a line And everyone here has to choose a side tonight The moment of truth is haunting you Don't forget your family Regardless of what you choose to do You can't decide And they're all screaming “Why won't you?” I'll start the engine but I can't take this ride for you I'll draw the bath and I'll load your gun But I hope so hard that you bathe and hunt "A Better Place, A Better Time" from "Everything Goes Numb" (2003) And now I know it's hard when you don't know what to think And every single smile is a foil and you're waking up You might try but you won't get by until you're crucified for all the things you try to do Well I don't care if you sink or swim And I don't care how you hold it in As long as you don't bother me with all the things I don't bother you with And 9 times out of 10 you might be right But what about that time you know you're wrong? You sing that same song And everybody smiles but they'll never get along "We Are The Few" from "Everything Goes Numb" (2003) You say you've got the cure But I don't have a disease And you say you've got the answers But I've made no inquiries Well you say you're life's a bore And I can't quite disagree If you judge your life by the pieces of shit that inhabit your TV Because they stand so proud, and they talk so loud And every other word is a lie I've found that everyone who is anyone is a waste of time "Failing, Flailing" from "Everything Goes Numb" (2003) Hey there Salinger, what did you do? Just when the world was looking to you To write anything that meant anything You told us you were through And it's been years since you passed away But I see no plaque, and I see no grave And I can't help believing that you wanted it that way And Vincent Van Gogh, why do you weep? You were on your way to heaven but the road was steep And who was there to break your fall? We're guilty, one and all And I don't know much, but I do know this: With a golden heart comes a rebel fist And I can't help agreeing with those that would not quit And it makes me sick when I think of it All my heroes could not live with this And I hope you rest in peace because with us you never did And K.D.C. you were much too young And you changed my life But I draw the line at suicide So here's to life! "Here's to Life (Reprise)" from "Everything Goes Numb" (2003) A moment of silence please for those that never get the chance They show up to the party but they're never asked to dance The losers the liars the bastards the thieves The cynicists, the pessimists and those that don't believe in nothing I never met a loser that I didn't see eye to eye with, I declare I stare into your eyes But you look right past me into the air What's it like to stand in your shoes? To have never felt the belt of somebody's abuse? I take the bottle and I tip it to all my heroes that have passed Alas, your have left us but your stories they will last Uninspired by the recruiting call Independent we stand Independent we fall So tell me: How long do you think you can go before you lose it all? Before they call your bluff and watch you fall? I don't know but I'd like to think I had control At some point but I let it go and lost my soul Sit tight but the revolution's years away I'm losing faith and I'm running low on things to say So I guess I have no choice but to regurgitate The tired anthem of a loser and a hypocrite Oh! To have died that night I realised it wouldn't last! Our days were numbered and the reaper tipped the hourglass The final mayday of our sinking ship had come and passed Oh! To the west, you don't know what it is you're running from And everybody's laughing loud Your last chance to make your mother and your father proud "A Moment of Silence" from "Everything Goes Numb" (2003) It doesn't really matter if you lead or follow Everybody's laughing like there's no tomorrow and even if there was, would you still go following your friends? I don't know where we went wrong, we're still singing those same sad songs “It's my life, not your life, I'll end it when I want” And now I'm off to save the world once again But I don't know how I'll pull it off this time I think I'm going to drown Now he's off to save the world once again But he don't know how he'll pull it off this time I just know I'm going to drown "The Saddest Song" from "Everything Goes Numb" (2003) Why do you cry when you know how the story ends? How can you laugh when you know that it hurts your friends? We've all been there once but you never left This is me coming back to get you out To say goodbye to make amends I'm not leaving this place Unless I'm leaving with you 'Cos you're the only person with a half decent heart here And I know you will put it to use Me and Mr. Dylan on the ride home We had a heart to heart about life But neither him or me could decide for ourselves if we wanted to outlive that night Like two children on the playground of the unconfessed souls Abandoned by our mothers and our lovers and our foes If only we were brave enough to live the lives we stole What a wonderful world this could be! So how many more examples until we break? So how many sacrifices must we make? Because we've all been there once before And it looks like we've returned once more So is this the beginning or the end? "The Big Sleep" from "Everything Goes Numb" (2003) We'll not be victims there'll be no victims of to speak And only then will we be free And up will rise the meek And when we fall we will fall together No one will catch us so we'll catch ourselves And where we roam, we will roam forever No one will understand what we meant The beaten and the bruised, forsaken, the abused Oh what a glorious day we'll have rising up and claiming all our dues The day will come as sure as the ever-setting sun All of those that self-impose will find themselves so indisposed Now, with the line drawn in the wet sand You need to tell us where you stand Sitting waiting watching rotting everything they warned us of is true Now tell me what we're all supposed to do They're coming after all of us with everything they've got With the fury of a soldier who will answer to his God So how will we fight? All we have is logic and love on our side "We Will Fall Together" from "Somewhere In the Between" (2007) If I were you, I would take this as a sign Believe it's true, we were never meant to fly And I owe you, I know you more than anyone alive And I will not let go They will not remember this song No matter what we do we'll be wrong They will not remember this song No matter what we do we'll be wrong I can't seem to see the seal we're breaking I can't seem to see the seal we broke I refuse to recognise your views Someone shouted "Everything's for nothing" Somebody shouted, "All is lost" But I can't buy that nonsense too Way back when the prophecies began Do you think they really had a master plan? Or were they merely writing fables, stories? I don't know but it has occurred to me The punishment that they threaten constantly It's only real if they could just convince me So fuck the flocks of sheep that keep amassing masses Asses being led so far astray And I won't claim to believe the things I read Black books or agenda magazines I'd rather see in shades of gray If I were you, I would take this as a sign Believe it's true, we were never meant to fly And I knew you when you were you Before they twisted all your views Before you came unglued "Down, Down, Down to Mephisto's Cafe" from "Somewhere in the Between" (2007) Would you be impressed if I said that the dead would help us counting Every single moment that we waste our time? All the time we're spending vaccinating this disease I just get dizzy when I think of all the ways we try to hide our maladies We wine (We wine!), we dine (We dine!), and everything is fine Because it's not my fault Now you're upset because you finally got the notion That everything you had is spinning down the drain Oh! Do you mean it when you beg and pray and plead? Your "Giveittomegiveittomegiveittomegiveittome all those things we need" And what, pray tell, will you whimper when your number will be called You'll say "It's not my fault" I had a dream last night where everyone was trying Subconsciously I knew it was a lie And when I woke I knew that it was time to pray To make amends before the end, before my judgement day I looked around, I stood alone, I knew what I had to say I said "It's all my fault" "Would You Be Impressed?" from "Somewhere in the Between" (2007) Little miss dismissed can't miss like a detuned radio I cannot believe you when you tell me what you know And nothing will be broken if your house is made of stone But you know as I do it will never be a home We want it, they got it They claim we'll die without it But something tells me they are wrong So what will you do when they call your name and you're not ready to go? Everyone will stare at you and tell you what you know That you're in too deep and you can't quite keep your secrets, one and all We might just make it after all, on our own We might just make it after all But we had one foot on the gas and one foot in the grave Everyone was laughing when we said we had it made "One Foot on the Gas, One Foot in the Grave" from "Somewhere in the Between" (2007) So mercy, mercy, mercy me Praying for the death of a man I'll never meet Though everyone will know the truth they'll still just make believe Mercy mercy me That's all they came for, that's all they took That's all we had to offer, only dirty looks And when they realized we'd given all we could, that's when they finally understood Mercy mercy mercy me Haunted by the memories of things we'll never see Guilty for the statements that we'll never get to speak Mercy mercy me "We can't quite blame it on our mothers Claim everything they did was always wrong" And there ain't no turning back when our train is off its track And there's nothing we can do but watch it crash And there ain't no right and wrong when we know it won't be long And there's nothing we can do but watch it crash "Watch It Crash" from "Somewhere in the Between" (2007) Maybe the times we had, they weren't that bad And everything else was part of the plan We sang: "I don't know where we go from here" This is the alpha, omega, beginning and the end And we all just idolize the dead So you were born (So you were born!), and that was a good day Someday you'll die (Someday you'll die!), and that is a shame But somewhere in the between was a life of which we all dream And nothing and no one will ever take that away You had a love and that love had you And nothing mattered, you were fine And some will complain, they're just bitter, what a shame They know that loving and losing is better than nothing at all Maybe the times we had, they weren't that bad And everything else was part of our path We sang: "I don't know where we go from here" This is the anthem, the slogan, the summary of events And we all just idealize the past "Somewhere In The Between" from "Somewhere in the Between" (2007) The blonde lead the blind, but now I being to see All the things you missed when you were dismissed Because learning always ended at three And time after time, you pass along liability And all the things you say, they only give you away Because you're on the same level that you were that day Oh! Friend! You look too deep at the cover of the magazine But the words inside they come across deprived And they force feed shit, but you still subscribe And you watch, but you don't see You touch, but you don't feel And you'll rue the day they'll try to take it away But they know you'll never fight it if they keep it the same Did you loose faith? Yes, I lost faith in the powers that be But in doing so I came across the will to disagree And I gave up, yes I gave up and then I gave in But I take responsibility for every single sin "The Blonde Lead the Blind" from "Somewhere in the Between" (2007) So Marigold, my love, you've had too much to drink And I need not remind you, our discount tickets for this sinking ship Take-backs and sweet regrets, that's all that we have left No one is looking out for anyone but number one One to one, two to dance, we all get our sweet romance Though sour grapes will turn to wine it's all just vinegar with time "The Receiving End of it All" from "Somewhere in the Between" (2007) Oh! My dear! My tis of thee! What a tangled web we weave! Everyone is the one until the one falls down Then we're all just "please please please" The painted rust will only fool the fools for just so long Eventually, that's when they'll see everything was wrong Oh! The shame! Humility! What a wicked gang are we! Like a liar looking down on a thief looking down on a killer looking down on a creep Oh! This sinking ship will only hold its course for just so long Eventually, that's when they'll see everything is wrong "What A Wicked Gang Are We" from "Somewhere in the Between" (2007) Please excuse my enemies I think they do not know That I will gladly self-destruct if they leave me alone. "This is the start, the beginning The prologue to the yarn that you're spinning A million synonyms will never get close to describe the feeling" If Only for Memories from "The Hands That Thieve" (2013) External links http://risc.perix.co.uk/ http://www.streetlightmanifesto.com/ http://www.theriscgroup.com/ http://www.pentimentomusic.com/ http://www.acousticbandits.com/ http://www.tohkaydesign.com/ http://www.njcatch22.com/ http://www.victoryrecords.com/index_ad.php The Work of Tomas Kalnoky Category:Punk rock singers Category:Songwriters Category:1980 births Category:Living people Category:Guitarists Category:Drummers Category:People from Prague