Straight Street
The Fiery Furnaces Lyrics

Tea time at Damascus computer cafe,
The singer is at a computer cafe in Damascus during tea time.

I'm looking busy and staring off the other way.
The singer is trying to look busy and avoid engaging with what is happening around them.

Leverkusen, Juventus; Leeds vs. Valencia:
The singer overhears people talking about different sports teams.

I'm over-hearing all their nonsense in extensia.
The artist finds the conversation trivial and continues to overhear it.

They're talking too tough for me to inspect
The artist finds the conversation difficult to understand.

So I have a smell who seems the best to connect.
The singer chooses someone to connect with based on their appearance or smell.

I pick my clique and set to go to work
The singer chooses a group of people to work with.

But the only thing they care about is to whom to play the Turk.
The group the artist chooses only cares about who they can deceive or take advantage of.

So I walked up the length of the Street they call Straight
The artist walks down a street called Straight.

Cursing myself cause I got there too late.
The artist is frustrated that they missed something important on the street.

I traded an expired credit card for two cupfulls of water;
The singer trades an expired credit card for two cups of water.

They had a dirty beany baby so for good luck I bought her.
The artist buys a dirty beany baby for good luck.

I rented a Hyundai with two flats and no windshield
The singer rents a car with two flat tires and no windshield.

No speedometer and a handbrake that squealed;
The car has no speedometer and the handbrake makes a loud noise.

When the sun came up I couldn't put down the visor
The singer is unable to block the sunlight with the car's visor.

So I put on my hat and a question to my local advisor:
The artist puts on their hat and asks a local for advice.

Whose trucks are those that parked up by the town?
The artist is asking about the ownership of trucks parked in town.

But he only would mumble with his eyes pointed down.
The local only mumbles and avoids eye contact when responding.

My boss the head of sales for Western Asia
The singer's boss is in charge of sales in Western Asia.

Said you'll get fired if your opposite from Nokia plays ya,
The artist's boss warns them that they will be fired if they are defeated by someone from Nokia.

If he beats you for the battle of hearts and minds
The boss is referring to a competition for public perception and persuasion.

Tells 'em we use pig by-products in our designs.
The boss suggests using a negative tactic against Nokia by revealing something about their own product.

So when I saw my rival's smile didn't get diminished
The singer notices that their rival is still confident.

No one had to tell me I knew that we were Finnished:
The artist knows they have lost when they see their rival's confidence.

You boys from Ericsson better get in the back seat
The singer tries to intimidate their rival from Ericsson.

'Cause your phones are getting stoned over on that straight street.
The singer threatens that the rival company's phones will be damaged on Straight Street.

So I went to Georgia looking at spas and convents
The singer goes to Georgia to look at spas and convents.

Tried to make myself the broker for selling off the contents.
The artist attempts to become a broker to sell off some items.

At the big change clinic my friends said don't be a cynic
The artist's friends advise them to be positive while at the big change clinic.

You should work in Baku this is watcha gotta do.
The singer's friends suggest working in Baku.

Call a contact in Texas talk to 'em in their Lexus
The singer is advised to contact someone in Texas and talk to them while in their Lexus car.

On their hands-free device and don't be too nice.
The artist is advised to not be overly friendly on the phone call.

But in my teleconference with Houston
The artist has a teleconference with people in Houston.

They told me I wasn't any use to 'em.
The people on the teleconference tell the artist they are not useful to them.

So I walked up the length of the Street they call Straight
The singer walks down Straight Street again.

Cursing myself cause I got there too late.
The artist is again frustrated that they missed something important on the street.

Arsenal, Inter; Madrid vs. Valencia:
The singer overhears people talking about different sports teams again.

I'm over-hearing all their nonsense in extensia.
The singer continues to find the conversation trivial but overhears it anyway.

They're talking too tough for me to inspect
The singer still finds the conversation difficult to understand.

So I have a smell who seems the best to connect.
The artist chooses another person to connect with based on their smell.

I pick my clique and set to go to work
The artist chooses a new group to work with.

But the only thing they care about is to whom to play the Turk.
The new group the singer chooses is only concerned with who they can deceive or take advantage of.

So I walked up the length of the Street they call Straight
The singer walks down Straight Street for the third time.

Cursing myself cause I got there too late.
The artist is once again frustrated that they missed something important on the street.