Songs → Attention

A song that the band worked on during soundchecks and rehearsals in spring 1996. Thom's 4-track demo of Attention was included on the OKNOTOK white cassette tape. The song appears in soundcheck and rehearsal recordings on several of the MiniDiscs with the title written in Italian, "Attenzione!"

Recording Chronology

    March - April 1996: On Tour

    April - May 1996: Ideas + Rehearsals

    May - July 1996: Ideas + Rehearsals

    Recordings → Attenzione! (Portland)

    A full-band soundcheck rehearsal, recorded on 25 March 1996.

    Discs → MD111 → Attenzione! (Portland)

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 3 @ 5m33s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 3 @ 5m47s

    Transcription

    The unacceptable face of the docile and the good / [?] with anyone at all / The joyous into calm / And no one get excited / I don't want it to hurt / I don't want it to go / But if we stand up they'll mow us down again / I don't want it to stay but it's always in my head / I don't want it to stay but I may as well be dead / I know what I want, baby / I know what I want, baby / I know what I want and it is / It's written in your head / And if we stand up they'll mow us down again / The unacceptable face of the docile and the good / The unacceptable face of the smiling brotherhood / The joy of the uprising / The action into [?] / An action with some meaning / A brief release I hope / And if we stand up they'll mow us down again / Attention / Attention / Attention / Attention

    Discs → MD111 → Attenzione! (Portland) ‡

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 5 @ 10m50s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 5 @ 11m04s

    Transcription

    {none}

    Recordings → Attenzione! (Palo Alto) {take 1}

    A full-band soundcheck rehearsal on 28 March 1996. Recording begins abruptly.

    Discs → MD124 → Attenzione! (Palo Alto) {take 1}

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 27 @ 65m16s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 29 @ 66m36s

    Transcription

    The unmistakable face of the smiling and the good / He's gonna take you place where anyone at all / It's going up to the heavens / It's going up to the heavens / It's going up to the heavens / [?] / And if we stand up they'll mow us down again / [?] giving it to his friends / He's one of those compassionate lying sons of a bitch / He's running into the [?] / He's running into the [?] / He [?] shit just like [?] / He [?] shit just like me / And if we stand up they'll, they'll just, they'll just mow us down again / Attention / Attention / Attention / Attention

    Recordings → Attenzione! (Palo Alto) {take 2}

    A full-band soundcheck rehearsal on 28 March 1996. Incomplete recording.

    Discs → MD124 → Attenzione! (Palo Alto) {take 2 · part 1}

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 28 @ 68m07s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 30 @ 69m27s

    Transcription

    -- clothes because there's nothing better to do / I'm taking off my clothes because I've got the hots for you / You don't understand nothing / You don't understand nothing / You don't understand nothing / It's written on your face / And if we stand up they'll mow us down again

    Discs → MD124 → Attenzione! (Palo Alto) {take 2 · part 2}

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 29 @ 68m46s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 31 @ 70m06s

    Transcription

    Attention (attention) / Attention (attention) / Attention (attention) / Attention (attention) / Attention (attention) / Attention

    Recordings → Attenzione! (Fast)

    Full band soundcheck rehearsal, recorded on an unknown date during the spring 1996 tour. Recording begins abruptly.

    Discs → MD124 → Attenzione! (Fast) *

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 13 @ 29m22s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 15 @ 30m42s

    Transcription

    The unmistakable face of the docile and the good / [?] where no one else is good / I know I must be dreaming / I know I must be dreaming / I know I must be dreaming / [?] in my head / And if we stand up they'll mow us down again / I must have said something [?] / The unmistakable face of the docile and the good / The joy of the uprising / The joy of the uprising / An action with some meaning / It brings for me some hope / And if we stand up they'll mow us down again / He's getting up to [?] / He's never going to understand whatever's in his head / And I don't really want it / I don't really want it / I don't really want it / But it's living in your head / And if we stand up they'll mow us down again / (Sorry.) / Attention / Attention / Attention / Attention / (That's not as slow, isn't it?) / (That's about right.) / (I loved it.) / (Try it slower.)

    Recordings → Attenzione! (Minneapolis)

    A full band soundcheck rehearsal, recorded on 3 April 1996. Recording begins abruptly but this is a mostly complete version of the song, missing only a portion of the intro.

    Discs → MD124 → Attenzione! (Minneapolis) *

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 14 @ 33m14s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 16 @ 34m34s

    Transcription

    The unmistakable face of the docile and the good / Unacceptable face of the inexplicable / The joy of the uprising / The action with some meaning / [?] / And he's coming home / And if we stand up they'll mow us down again / I want to be one of your [?] / [?] / I've always understood it / I've always understood it / It's always been inside / And it's written in my head / And if we stand up they'll mow us down again / I wanted somebody else's [?] / He says he's gonna get happy with / Without somebody's fault / The joy of the uprising / An action with some meaning / An action with some meaning / A brief [?] of hope / And if we stand up they'll mow us down again / Attention / Attention / Attention / Attention / Attention / Attention, attention / Attention / Attention (attention) / Attention (attention) / Attention

    Recordings → Attenzione! {MD112 take 1}

    An incomplete rehearsal clip of the band practicing just one section of the song.

    Discs → MD112 → <tape blip: Attenzione!>

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 34 @ 59m54s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 34 @ 63m08s

    Transcription

    {none}

    Discs → MD112 → Attenzione! {MD112 take 1} †

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 35 @ 59m55s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 35 @ 63m09s

    Transcription

    {none}

    Recordings → Attenzione! {MD112 take 2}

    An incomplete rehearsal clip of the band practicing just one section of the song.

    Discs → MD112 → Attenzione! {MD112 take 2} †

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 36 @ 60m22s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 36 @ 63m35s

    Transcription

    (Once, once more. I know it's boring.) / (That's that.)

    Discs → MD112 → <tape blip: Attenzione!>

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 37 @ 61m23s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 37 @ 64m36s

    Transcription

    {none}

    Recordings → Attenzione! {MD115 middle 8 only}

    An incomplete rehearsal clip of the band practicing just one section of the song. Recording begins abruptly.

    Discs → MD115 → Attenzione! {MD115 middle 8 only}

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 6 @ 16m46s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 6 @ 16m46s

    Transcription

    {none}

    Discs → MD115 → Attenzione! {MD115 middle 8 only} ‡

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 19 @ 37m42s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 19 @ 37m42s

    Transcription

    {none}

    Discs → MD115 → <tape blip: Attenzione!>

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 20 @ 38m12s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 20 @ 38m12s

    Recordings → Attenzione! {MD115 false start}

    Full band rehearsal. This take is aborted before the end of the intro.

    Discs → MD115 → Attenzione! {MD115 false start}

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 7 @ 17m18s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 7 @ 17m18s

    Transcription

    {none}

    Recordings → Attenzione! {MD115 beginning to middle 8}

    Full band rehearsal. The beginning of the song is slightly cut from the recording, and the band stops after the bridge.

    Discs → MD115 → Attenzione! {MD115 beginning to middle 8}

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 21 @ 38m12s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 21 @ 38m13s

    Transcription

    The unmistakable face of / The docile and the good / The spontaneous feeling that / There's something good / And I know that I want it / I know that I want it / I know that I want it but / This feeling in your head / And if we stand up / They'll pull us down again / I must have been [?] / [?] / [?] / [?] / There's someone inside / [?] / I don't want it to die / I don't want it [?] / And if we stand up / They'll mow us down again / (Ha.) / (Sorry.) / (Just from that bit.)

    Recordings → Attenzione! {MD115 middle 8 to end}

    Full band rehearsal. The band begins where they had left off in the previous take and continues to the end of the song.

    Discs → MD115 → Attenzione! {MD115 middle 8 to end} ‡

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 10 @ 17m48s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 10 @ 17m48s

    Transcription

    {none}

    Discs → MD115 → Attenzione! {MD115 middle 8 to end}

    MINIDISCS [HACKED]
    track # 22 @ 40m10s
    OK Minidisc
    track # 22 @ 40m10s

    Transcription

    (Da dun dun dun dun.) / (OK.) / [?] do it to myself but / I know I should / [?] / [?] / And I don't want to have it / I don't want to have / I don't but [?] / [?] / But if we stand up / They'll mow us down again / Attention / Attention / Attention (attention) / Attention (attention) / Attention (attention) / Attention (attention) / Three, four, one, two / (Hahaha.)