Steely Dan

Surf And/or Die

Steely Dan


Earthbound to Johnny boy just picked up your message 
'Bout those Balinese ikats you thought I might buy 
Now your voice on my machine is more alive than what you are 
Since your daredevil hang glider fell out of the sky 
Now Armand's looked all over but he can't find your car keys 
Were they under the tire? Were they under the seat? 
Because as it stands now your beloved white Aires 
Is fair game for the vandals up on Makapuu Street 
And your grandmother's number, we know it's here somewhere 
But Suze can't seem to find it, now she's losing control 
And so what about her, and little Eldon and Layla 
And that hypothetical spectre, your gilt-edged soul 
Which defied many perils, in the face of all reason 
And in so many settings and for all your young years 
Insisting on pure freedom for its too-short season 
Riding high on its ration of enchantment and fear 
Over the hill and into the next meadow and on and on and on 

In a near random universe there are still certain combinations 
Picked out from all other possible ones 
Which, when given some time and the just-right circumstances 
Not too far from the earth or too close to the sun 
They will dance and they'll spin in the embrace of the trade winds 
Playing havoc with the hearts and the upturned faces down below 
Until the laws of curved spacetime, susponed without warning 
Kick back in with a vengeance for the last act of the show 
Going too far too fast in that final wing over 
As your glider comes tumbling out of the clouds 
And you clutch at your chest but the chute never opens 
And they find you there tangled in that white nylon shroud 
When we get Grandma's number I think I'll just say to her 
Your Johnny's home for Christmas, it was a hell of a ride 
And I know that some day you'll be showing me those blankets 
All covered in glory on the hereafter side, saying 
There was never any question, it was always all or nothing 
Surf and/or die