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Play Hard

by Yellow Belly

supported by
James Lyons
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James Lyons Checked this out after a friend posted it on Instagram... perfect in every way. The one-two punch of 'That Girl' and 'Freak' have me messed up. So relatable it hurts. Favorite track: Freak.
David Bessent
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David Bessent Absolutely killer fucking album. Been screaming along for awhile now. Please tour the East Coast sometime. We're bored out of our fucking minds here too. Favorite track: Lost for Chords.
Jay
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Jay I really love this cd. Hard to pick just one favorite track. Favorite track: Monster.
I Quickscoped JFK
I Quickscoped JFK thumbnail
I Quickscoped JFK Punk as fuck. Great as fuck. 10/10 AOTY every year (not really but it's pretty great.) I want vinyl/cassette please. Favorite track: Behind the Counter.
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1.
The population of this town is 3000 I don't want to get to know all of them. The ones I've met so far have yet to excite me to laughter like when I'm alone with you. I guess deep down I just really wanna bone you but I'd honestly be okay with just being in your sight tonight cause I don't like anybody else in this whole town. I don't like anybody else. No I don't like anybody else in this whole town. I don't like anybody else. I think I understand voyeurism cause I wish I could watch you do everything. I swear I wouldn't see you in a different light. And maybe I'm just bored and alone but I know if I was with you I'd be less lonely cause just being with you gives me a contact high cause I don't like anybody else in this whole town. I don't like anybody else. No I don't like anybody else in this whole town. I don't like anybody else. So won't you kill a little time just so I can remind myself that beauty can grow even in this hellhole? Kill a little time just so I can remind myself that beauty can grow even in McLeansboro.
2.
That Girl 04:07
I'm at a party with a couple of friends. I hate them all I hope the alcohol can help. A girl comes up and she falls on me. She laughs in my ear, she steps on my feet. She looks at me and she says "You're cute." She turns around again and pukes. Her friends say "Someone needs to take her home. We're all way to drunk to go." I say "Okay, I've only had a few." I get her in my car with a bag in case she spews. She says "Hold on I have to pee." She goes outside and pisses in the weeds. I help her back in and I ask her for her address. “What do you wanna know that for?" I said "I'm gonna take you home." She says "Take me with you. I don't wanna be alone." She's that girl, gotta keep her on her feet; her hair soaked in vomit piss dripping in her jeans. She's that girl rollin round on the floor having such a good time she wont remember in the morning. She's that girl, gotta keep her on her feet; her hair soaked in vomit piss dripping in her jeans. She's that girl rollin round on the floor having such a good time she wont remember in the morning. We get to my house she falls through the door. She rolls around laughing on the floor. She does that for an hour or two. She takes of her clothes to show me her tattoos. She starts to cry, and I ask what's her deal. She looks at me and says hold me please. The world is sick and my head is weak. The bed is spinning and I have to pee. She says she doesn't wanna be grown up. Nobody ever cares guys only wanna fuck. She tells me she's sick and she tells me she's sad, she tells me she hates her stupid fucking dad. I lift up her head, my hand through her hair and say “There will always be people who care. people who will always treat her right.” She says “I'm so glad that I found you tonight.” She's that girl, gotta keep her on her feet; her hair soaked in vomit piss dripping in her jeans. She's that girl rollin round on the floor having such a good time she wont remember in the morning. She's that girl, gotta keep her on her feet; her hair soaked in vomit piss dripping in her jeans. She's that girl rollin round on the floor having such a good time she wont remember in the morning. Shes so far gone, she's so fucked up, she's running from her problems and she's looking for some fun. And when she wakes up in the morning I guess it's okay if she doesn't even know me. Shes so far gone, she's so fucked up, she's running from her problems and she's looking for some fun. And when she wakes up in the morning I guess it's okay if she doesn't even know me. She's that girl, gotta keep her on her feet; her hair soaked in vomit piss dripping in her jeans. She's that girl rollin round on the floor having such a good time she wont remember in the morning. She's that girl, gotta keep her on her feet; her hair soaked in vomit piss dripping in her jeans. She's that girl rollin round on the floor having such a good time she wont remember in the morning. I wake up some time around noon. My arms are around her, my face is in her boobs. She starts to stir and opens her eyes. “Aw shit" she mumbles "Who the fuck is this guy?" She puts on her clothes and heads for the door. She doesn't want to be with me anymore. Her shirt on backwards, no apology for the big piss puddle she left on my sheets. Only I have a memory of the conversation we had last night where we told each other about our fears and held each other and shared our tears. I kissed her softly and held her close and fell asleep in all of my clothes, but now she's gone and tonight she'll be someone else's responsibility. She's that girl, gotta keep her on her feet; her hair soaked in vomit piss dripping in her jeans. She's that girl rollin round on the floor having such a good time she wont remember in the morning. She's that girl, gotta keep her on her feet; her hair soaked in vomit piss dripping in her jeans. She's that girl rollin round on the floor having such a good time she wont remember in the morning.
3.
Freak 02:51
If my house burned down and I was asleep and I woke up amongst all the flames and I felt my way out with my skin melting off my bones like plastic - intensive burn unit horrible pain my parents won't stop crying - would you visit me and look at my face without getting sick? If I lose my face will you look at me as though I'm not a freak? and If I lose my arms will you hold me tight even though I cannot hold you back? If I lose my voice will you listen to me even though I cannot speak and if I lost my legs will you be my friend despite all that I lack? If I drove home drunk and I wrecked my car and I lost both of my arms, never dress myself or wipe my own ass, all it being nothing but my fault - all consuming guilt for my stupid actions, wish I could take it all back, would you hold my hand even though it's just figuratively? Or if I had a stroke and I couldn't speak and my left side is immobile - I'm not retarded I can still think, but when I try to talk I gurgle. Or if I break my legs in a million spots so both of them are worthless - would you push my chair, would you still care, and be my friend regardless? If I lose my face will you look at me as though I'm not a freak? and If I lose my arms will you hold me tight even though I cannot hold you back? If I lose my voice will you listen to me even though I cannot speak and if I lost my legs will you be my friend despite all that I lack? If I'm squirting puss, if I'm all messed up, if I speak in tongues, if I'm just all nubs, I'm just a head and I'm better off dead would you still be my best friend? If I'm squirting puss, if I'm all messed up, if I speak in tongues, if I'm just all nubs, I'm just a head and I'm better off dead would you still be my best friend? There's not a lot that I can do if you should choose to leave me. I'm gonna miss you if you go but I would understand you. I don't need pity or sympathy I've got enough of that on my own. I just need you to look past my scars so maybe I can learn to. If I lose my face will you look at me as though I'm not a freak? and If I lose my arms will you hold me tight even though I cannot hold you back? If I lose my voice will you listen to me even though I cannot speak and if I lost my legs will you be my friend despite all that I lack?
4.
These chords are gonna kill me, aren't they? These words aren't gonna heal a damn thing. My problems can't be solved in one verse. All my issues out of context are worthless. This is all I've got for you to wrap your mind around. This is all I'm good for. Now I'm trying to wind it down. Maybe you'll remember me and keep me from vanishing. I always live inside my songs but never in reality Cause all I see is a life worth losing. All I feel is the pain of choosing life over love, over friends and over fun. I'm choosing life over love, over friends, and over hanging out with you. I can tell you're getting bored cause we're falling in routine but I can't always be super entertaining. As a matter of fact, sometimes I think I lack the ability to be what you consider normal for a human being. When the high we got when we would get together at the start of this begins to fade as if the world is tearing us apart you gotta realize that love early on is just a trance. We're all just reaching out for whatever's convenient. All I see is a life worth losing. All I feel is the pain of choosing life over love, over friends and over fun. Choosing life over love, over friends, and over fucking you.
5.
Monster 02:42
I'm a disappointment to myself my mind keeps running back and forth between depression and true happiness between beautiful eloquence and hideous incoherence. I cannot be held accountable for my results. My actions are all the proof that I've got to show to keep on going. I can't stop now but can't I just please slow down? I never thought that I would see the Devil But now I feel his presence everywhere. He lives in the eyes of the vacant - those numb to the world can inflict the most pain. Am I still preaching to the choir when I say I wanna set the whole world on fire? Funding's been cut. We're losing our minds. Hey! I'm the child that you left behind! So I will be the monster that you've always wanted. I will counterbalance everything you trust in. Make myself a scapegoat for your losses. Hold your fire people, there are no hostiles here.
6.
Tell me how long, tell me how long have we got? Just tell me how long can we go on without collapsing? Tell me how strong my opinions have to be to change the whole world and end this scourge of human greed. Can we evolve enough to solve our own species's problems or are we too far gone to accomplish anything but what hurts? Can we only do worse? Has the experiment failed? Is life just a curse? Cause when I tip the balance it's like every challenge becomes one of a thousand, they just keep on adding up until there's nothing I can do but pray I won't be held accountable for all of my debts that have become insurmountable. The quality of life must depend on who's paying cause the more I try to live the harder life is to maintain. When I tip the balance it's like every challenge becomes one of a thousand.
7.
Junior Year 01:38
It's too late and I'm too tired to fight against the way I'm hardwired. I could live entire weeks without really much thought. But all I know is we were all sixteen sitting on my couch to fucked up to do anything but mumble to each other our hearts and heads racing talking of the obstacles we've had to face, and I've never said “dude” that many times in my life and we all connected that night we got high. I don't remember what you said exactly. It's such a shame how nothing good lasts Cause after a while our feet hit the ground cause we all fall together when it's time to come down and I found myself the next afternoon sitting on my bed alone in my room and I wished that I was still sitting on that couch ripped to the gills with my best friends and I wish we could still share this kind of connection even long after the high ends but it's too late and I'm too tired to fight against the way I'm hard wired. I could live entire weeks without really much thought.
8.
If there's at least one thing that I really learned from my dad, it's that if I hit you once you'll probably hit me back. And if I swing at you and manage to miss by a tad you'll probably swing as well and actually make contact. My mom will cry if she sees that you knocked out a tooth just because one of us let our anger hit the roof. So you may call me yellow bellied and you might be right, but I thought I told you that I'm not supposed to fight. I thought I told you that I'm not supposed to fight. I thought I told you that I'm not supposed to fight. I thought I told you that I'm not supposed to fight you. I thought I told you that I'm not supposed to fight. I thought I told you that I'm not supposed to fight. I thought I told you that I'm not supposed to fight you anyway. I ain't what you say what you say what you say I be. I hate what you say what you say what you say to me. I ain't what you say what you say what you say I be. I hate what you say what you say what you say to me. I ain't what you say what you say what you say I be. I hate what you say what you say what you say to me. I ain't what you say what you say what you say I be. I hate what you say what you say what you say to me.
9.
Yuppie Crack 02:05
Like a junkie on a binge you're just snowing yourself into a life in the game that you're never gonna win. You can follow the leader, let them put you in your place until success is so close that you can almost fucking taste it, but all of your leaders and all of your elders see you as competition trying to take their position their rank and their stature. To them you're just another hopeless fake and if you had the funds to prove them wrong then the climb you're facing wouldn't take quite nearly half as long. But you're a nobody to the ones in charge and if you want someone to notice you you'll have to change everything about who you are. First off you'll stop being honest with the collards around - white as snow, like a leash Windsor knotted to the ground. Learn to play, learn to lie to yourself and your surroundings. What you call staying afloat will reign synonymous with drowning. Run to stay in the eye of the storm where it's calmest, once you've stopped seeing rainclouds then you've stopped being honest with yourself and your surroundings, for six figures but who's counting? I might be caught in the rain but you're the one who's drowning and one day you'll try to make it back to a life where you weren't so hopelessly addicted to your cash but your map home is wet and ripped and torn. Maybe then you'll see that you shouldn't have run. That you should have been a man and embraced the storm. Instead you stop being honest with the collards around - white as snow, like a leash Windsor knotted to the ground. Learn to play, learn to lie to yourself and your surroundings. What you call staying afloat will reign synonymous with drowning. Run to stay in the eye of the storm where it's calmest, once you've stopped seeing rainclouds then you've stopped being honest with yourself and your surroundings, for six figures but who's counting? I might be caught in the rain but you're the one who's drowning.
10.
I get paid slave wages just to get pushed around by the arrogant assholes that work on the market pushing me when I'm already down cause their formal job title seems to give them the right to look me in the eyes and spit in my face. Reprimanded by my boss and the public for every simple and honest mistake. But it's okay because I'm not human, I'm just a robot I'm not real. Nothing behind these eyes but dead space, I don't know how to feel. It's okay because I'm not human. My life's purpose is serving you. I don't have a real heart or a real mind. I don't have dreams like you. They shovel in fists full of meat on their lunch break to keep their bodies alive long enough to push around papers working in the office. Obviously that life just isn't enough cause I see a side of people that you will never see in public or at parties, but it's right in my face. Their veins pop out of their necks and voices raise as they get their rocks off correcting my mistakes. But it's okay because I'm not human, I'm just a robot I'm not real. Nothing behind these eyes but dead space, I don't know how to feel. It's okay because I'm not human. My life's purpose is serving you. I don't have a real heart or a real mind. I don't have dreams like you. So knock me off of my pedestal and bring me back to reality. You're right I'm just a piece of shit, thank you so much for reminding me. So knock me off of my pedestal and bring me back to reality. You're right I'm just a piece of shit, thank you so much for reminding me. But it's okay because I'm not human, I'm just a robot I'm not real. Nothing behind these eyes but dead space, I don't know how to feel. It's okay because I'm not human. My life's purpose is serving you. I don't have a real heart or a real mind. I don't have dreams like you.
11.
Everywhere I look I see idols before me. Who the hell are you and what can all of you bastards teach me? Anything at all? Or are you just blocking my light? My knees won't bend the way you want. I won't go down without a fight cause I'm not gonna worship your gods. I'm not gonna be who you are. I'm not gonna build myself according to thee. It's a pretty good hypothesis but I feel another process is what's gonna be the thing that's going to save me. Everyday I live is just another chance to get on your god's bad side if he's really watching everything if anything at all. It wouldn't be the first time I've been lied to. My knees wont bend the way you want. I won't go down without a fight cause I'm not gonna worship your gods. I'm not gonna be who you are. I'm not gonna build myself according to thee. It's a pretty good hypothesis but I feel another process is what's gonna be the thing that's going to save me.
12.
Coming Down 00:55
13.
Losing Faith 01:43
Using language from the world I came from. We're not marching to the beat of the same drum. Bridge the gap and bring us together. We never quite make it, but aren't we so clever? Cross the ocean for strange looks and face. I get enough of those in my own nation. “What're ya doing son?” Officer I'm just trying to have some fun is that a crime? Can you hear me? Can you feel me? Is your mind picking up on the signal I'm feeding? Am I dead? Is this on? A song plays in my head and I just sing along. Can you hear me? Can you feel me? Is your mind picking up on the signal I'm feeding? Am I dead? Is this on? A song plays in my head and I just sing along. I'm just singing along. Ignore the bad things and just look into me. Why won't you listen? I'm not the enemy. I'm on your side, this is not right for you to hate me cause I'm just trying to do what's right. Just look at me for once. You've gotta make a choice to listen to your friends or listen to the noise. To forget everything, even forget my voice. What the fuck is even the point? Can you hear me? Can you feel me? Is your mind picking up on the signal I'm feeding? Am I dead? Is this on? A song plays in my head and I just sing along. Can you hear me? Can you feel me? Is your mind picking up on the signal I'm feeding? Am I dead? Is this on? A song plays in my head and I just sing along. I'm just singing along.
14.
Spiderwebs 02:59
With a higher understanding of vocabulary and a whole new library of feelings, experiences stored away like old books but I haven't found any real new meanings to the problems of past cause they don't seem to last much longer than I ever want to let them. So why am I allowing myself to be ruled by problems at this very second? A spider builds its web outside my window. I've never worked that fucking hard in my life. So why do I feel so damn exhausted? I thought I would rather not sleep for a while. If thinking is optional, I'll take the option not to. I'll take anything if it means I'll be free of any bad thoughts that could ruin it all. Tell my mind to shut up because it's killing me and when we come back wake me up last. And when it's time for life to start wake me up last, cause dreaming is my favorite part of this. A spider builds its web outside my window. I've never worked that fucking hard in my life. So why do I feel so damn exhausted? I thought I would rather not breathe for a while. If thinking is optional, I'll take the option not to. I'll take anything if it means I'll be free of any bad thoughts that could ruin it all. Tell my mind to shut up because it's killing me and when we come back wake me up last. And when it's time for life to start wake me up last, cause dreaming is my favorite part of this.

about

These songs are primarily about trying to connect with people and the things that cause us to fail at doing so.
Yellow Belly is very much active, but living in the middle of nowhere has made sure that we stay humble and recognize how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of punk.
Get ahold of us though headshotrecords@live.com if you want to talk and/or scheme with us. We're very friendly and usually bored out of our minds.

credits

released January 31, 2013

All Lyrics by Jason Litherland

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Yellow Belly Carbondale, Illinois

i don't want to bring you down, but i want to make you think.

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