Purchase The Himalayans

Way Home | She Likes the Weather | Save My Life | Sailor Song | River Shannon | Ordinary Superman | Nothing But A Child | Jaded | Diamonds and Babies and Cars | Babies | Angels In America | A Little Discipline | 99 Days | Someone Else's Chapstick | Floating Over You | Round Here | Wishing well

The Himalayans are the authors of Round Here and we played in Berkeley and San Francisco with Adam our lead singer for about two-years before the Crows took off. Our set also included Rain King and Mr. Jones.

The difference is that the Himalayans was music first, then vocals and lyrics type band. It was cool because it forced Adam into a different roll (I saw now, looking back) that is different from the roll he plays in the Counting Crows.

Also, as the lyric page reveals...I think Adam wrote about some cool childhood stuff back then that I guess he got over with us because there is less of that in his newer music. It's all great as is the case with lyrics and melodies written by Adam...just a different perspective. I also think that some of the issues he delt with in the Himalayans (divorce in "Diamonds...") are issues that alot of us can relate to easier than the more complex issues Adam deals with now.

A favorite song of Adam's and the Himalayans is "Diamonds and Babies and Cars."

I played guitar and wrote songs for the band I started in my living room: The Himalayans....little did I know how far it would go!

Adam and the rest of the Himalayans (including Marty "Mr." Jones on bass) are still really good friends and loyal to each other to this day. A rare thing when this sort of things happens to a person or a band (fame). --Dan Himalayan

99 Days She said, "I wanna be the rain, I am a red balloon, I got a book of dates." She's gonna go away and leave me here tonight Some worlds last longer then others She's got a red balloon, she's gonna be the sky, I'm gonna paint my face tonight Hey 99 days out of San Francisco Headed for Berlin Hey 99 days left of California Headed with the wind If I sail across the water, I'll be floating blind, here beside the wild Monkey came alive, she's leaving me behind It's so hard to find She said, "I wanna be a plane, I am a red balloon, I'll never be the same And I'm gone, gone, gone on the wind." She said, "You'll never get away, you need a red balloon, you need a better day. This time, you're headed home this time." Some trips last longer then others, she just said, "Good-bye." She just float away, I'm gonna die right here this time Some girls last longer then others, too few red balloons, too little time tonight Hey 99 days out of San Francisco Headed for Berlin Hey 99 days left of California Setting with the wind, home Back to top A Little Discipline This time is better than last time I feel better today A little discipline can lock you up inside This time I think you shed a little light I feel better today A little discipline can bring you down sometimes This time I got some other ideas But I don't want them to hear No, I don't want them to hear And it may not seem like a sensible scheme But I think I'd really like to dive into the pit of my desire or a bed of fire tonight "Oh no, this is the last time, honey" she whispers in my ear But every time I look at her she disappears Ahh, this time is better than last time I feel better today And the music can plays and the elevator sways But I don't really feel like dancing Because elevator dreams never really have much of a beat She says, "Oh no, this is the last time, honey, we just wanna calm you down. You have nothing to fear, we will get you out of here." But every time I look at her she disappears Oh, this time is better than last time I feel better today A little discipline can twist you inside out This time I think you busted the bubble And I feel much better today A little discipline can mess you up inside This time I feel I need a little lift And I feel like I am a razor And I feel like I am a razor And the TV pans and the elephants dance And the nurse looks like she's angry So the pills slide down in the septic town tonight She says "Bad boy, just like the last time, honey" and bites me on the ear But when I turn to look at her she disappears Oh, this time I think you shed a little light I feel much better today And the elevator dream with the hobby horse scream I feel like I'm going' home But the nurse says "Son, you're going nowhere tonight" She says "Oh no, this is the last time sonny, we're gonna have to tie you down 'cause you gotta see clear to be getting out of here" But then every time I look at her she disappears Oh, this time I feel a little bit... But I feel better today A little discipline can take you out sometime This time, I feel I might be better I feel much, much better today A little discipline can turn you inside out This time I think you shed a little light I feel better today A little discipline can fuck you up inside This time I feel a little foggy A little discipline can weigh you down sometimes I'm dreaming, underground A little discipline can suffocate your mind This time, I'm flying home A little discipline can drive you into the ground This time I think you shed a little light I feel much better today A little discipline can lock you up inside A little discipline can lock you up Back to top Angels In America People dying from lonely days We're walking and trying to take our souls away We're just spending out our time angels in America slapping on a dime Slide here for me get these chains away and I'm never quite free she walks like she is on a line angels in America trying to get things done All on a bad day all on a run way.. She says I'm ok. Bright lights shine in midnight He's dying for his children looking for his life She wonders why she's got to die? Angels in America trying so hard to fly this time we'll make it on our own The forces are teeming and the guns are coming low all on a bad day all on a bad day. Back to top Babies After you're gone, babies ride the soft machine threading the warm children down the space between Into a slow heaven hanging by a thread leaving the still living for the walking dead It took so long to find my way out of here Out of the warm night, to the hard light shivering with fear After you're gone, babies crawling on the world touching the souls of all the lonely carefree boys and girls daddy needs you mamma feeds you and they come until they go but if I'm lonely, I'm the only one who knows It took so long to find my way out of here Out of the warm night, to the hard light shivering with fear after the slow lonely waiting I'm all alone, alone and free If you see me, please believe me I wannna be After you're gone, babies screaming at the rain hanging a slow heaven in the wind again She's been waiting 270 days sick of waiting when you see me please believe me I'm the only one who cares at all (chorus) After the slow lonely heaven I'm all alone, alone and free if you see me please believe me I wanna be After you're gone... Back to top Diamonds and Babies and Cars "My turn this time," he says. "Never get better than this, we never get better than bad." "My turn this time," he said. "Now I can do what I want, now I can walk away mad." "Cause last time we tried," he said. "We never get anywhere We never solve anything." "It's my turn this time," he said. And sticks out his chin like a man Sticks out his chin like a man "My turn this time," they cried. And everyone walks in a line Around in a circle until they die "My turn this time," they scream. And diamonds and babies and cars... Don't add up to anything "My turn this time," she says. "I wish we could talk a bit more, just give me a little more time." "My turn this time," she says. "My children are growing up mad, they never get anywhere." This time she starts to cry And everyone stares at the ground Nobody says a word "You get one chance each life," she sighs. "And mine is just passing me by." He walks out the door and she stares up at the ceiling "My turn this time," they cry. And everyone walks in a line Around and around in a circle until they die "My turn this time," they scream. And diamonds and babies and cars... Don't add up to anything, at all "My turn this time," he says. And he turns the radio on And he turns the radio off "My turn this time," she says. And she laughs at herself And she laughs at herself And the sun goes down And the sun comes up and the sun goes down and the sun comes up and the sun goes down and the sun comes up and the sun goes down and the sun comes up Back to top She Likes the Weather Life is simple. Life is sweet. Oh, so saddle up and go. Little cowgirl, in the underground, she talks to people she doesn't know. Oh, people on the train to Eden The circus girl, after all the rodeos, she settles down alone. She planted flowers in her basement so she has a little color when the sky runs low. Chorus: She likes the weather today She said "It's raining in my head" All of the flowers I've raised Come up a little cloudy Life is bitter. Life is cheap. The cowgirl settles down alone. Yeah, ten years out of Eden now She's got a little garden of her very own. step right up .. step right up All the circus fires are gone and the basement lights are on You know that all she really wants is just one flower clear of color in a garden in a room of her own She likes the weather today she said "It's raining in my head. All of the flowers I've raised come up a little cloudy" hey hey hey hey "Let's go down to the undergound" she says "I wanna shake shake shake shake shake my blades" "All of a sudden" she says "i feel a little lonely." Back to top Way Home If you don't stop lying on the floor. You don't know what your dying for. The last thing that you need is imbeciles and indecision. The discussion nearly ends She says, "I'm leaving' my friend. And I don't wanna see you when I'm walking on my way home It is always on my way home" Maria quietly talks to me She says, "Adam, what do you see." The people lying in between hours of indiscretion And I believe I --- the ground She says, "Hey, what have you found?" And everything I see is only walking on my way home chorus: Look at all the silly people out there Can't you see? Oh, all the silly people lying, crying, dying Believe me and this is what I see And if you don't, amuse me We walk in circles and we walk back between indecision Between the currents we will swim And then it's over my friend And everything I see is only walking on my way home Look at all the silly people out there Can't you see? Oh, all the silly people lying, crying, d-d-d-dying Maria she belongs to me, in between the garden and the sea I walk in circles and the woman walks right here beside me And if we talk about this town, I must say, "I've been feeling down." And I've been sliding all the falls, I've seen currents on my way home. (Chorus) Back to top Wishing Well Did you think you were unbelievable Then, I see that Twenty-four hours in a wishing well Thinking about drowning Thinking about pennies from heaven I guess I'll realize in a day or more I guess I'll tilt my head back in the rain Drown myself on sky I guess I'll realize in a day or more I guess I'll realize when I'm buried in the evidence Did you think you were irresponsible Well I don't see that One or two children on a working man's salary Doesn't seem like a lot to ask I guess I'll realize in a day or more I guess I'll realize when her baby starts to cry Mothers in welfare lines Husbands who said good-bye I think I realize I think I realize, yeah Didn't you wonder where your bright-eyed baby boy had gone He's sleeping in the bottom of a wishing well Whispering the ripples through the fates and changes Did you think you were young and beautiful Then, I see that One or two people sliding gracefully together and apart This sort of thing never lasts I guess I'll realize in a day or more I guess I'll realize when I'm twisting in the wind After I say good-bye, I guess I'll understand why I guess I realize I guess I realize Didn't you wonder where your bright-eyed baby boy has gone He's a victim in the bottom of a wishing well Wishing he was anywhere but there and gone And, didn't anyone wonder where their bright-eyed baby boy has gone He's sleeping in the bottom of a wishing well Wishing he wasn't suffering all the same dreams all day long I think I realize I think I realize Ahh baby, I think that I realize I think I realize.. Back to top

Jaded Happy birthday baby What's it gonna be Monday morning with a hurricane warning Oh well, I guess you've got yourself to please Jaded. Faded. I don't wanna be afraid. Jaded. I hate it. I don't wanna be your slave. Saw you peeking round my garden gate I thought you'd liked what you'd seen So I said, "Darlin' if you want a little of these peaches, just come on and shake my tree." Jaded. Faded. I don't wanna be your slave. Jaded. I hate it. I don't wanna be afraid. Every waking hour we break down in different combinations. We spin around in smaller constellations. Took a ride on the love wheel Scary, scary go-round and around. Honey, honey I don't want none of your money. I just want off before we hit the ground. Jaded. Faded. I don't wanna be afraid. Jaded. I hate it. I don't wanna be your slave. Saw you hangin' around the avenue baby So I got down outta my tree. I think I need a little animal honey. Come on and shake a little monkey with me. Jaded. Faded. Oh. I don't wanna be afraid. Jaded. I hate it. I don't wanna be your slave Every waking hour We break down in smaller combinations. We spin around in different constellations. Wanna be right there to carry you away Knowing that our love will last through the day. It's the same thing. Gonna be here on the light, on the light I wanna see me, see me going away I've been gone such a long time. Leaving again today. Leaving someday. Back to top Nothing But a Child Glance upon me walking on the ocean Sun upon me walking on a wave You can slide like the lord above.. a team in motion But for everyone you do, There's always one or two like me you can't save Sail on Maria, burn her to the ground Slide your hand between her tears until she comes Wake up her mother, tell her you're sorry now All gods children walk before they run Everything is beautiful in dream land Everything is much, much better when we're gone Think I'm going to write myself a letter Something you can keep with you forever Because everybody gets to be perfect when they're gone Nothing but a child baby Nothing but a child baby Nothing but a child baby... In you're arms, I am Nothing but a child baby Nothing but a child baby Nothing but a child baby (repeats) Back to top Ordinary Superman He's unimaginative at his best but you know that's all right We like the way he sings He's unimaginative at his work but we say that that's ok He's made for better things He's not intelligent, we like the way he dances, yeah But you wanna talk about this, and talk about that And everything he says is just impossibly fast He's never that bad, he's never that good He's always just a little bit and over understood And you say, "He's un-American, a little bit." And you think that's so cool You like a little bit, and if he's un-American a little bit Then you think that he's no fool Not matter if he is So alternative, he likes to take our chances And you wanna talk about this, talk about that And everything he said is just impossibly crass He's never that bad, he's never that good He's always just a little bit and over understood And you say, "He's not intelligent, we like the way he dances." He's hearing voices he can't attribute to the ordinary noise What do you swallow to relax you ordinarily? He's looking forward to a little rest But you know that he's so tired He's fallen in a jar And everybody's sympathetic more or less even if he's either bombed or wired It's just the way we are He's so alternative, he likes the blue romances But you wanna talk about this and talk about that And everything he does is just impossibly fast He's never that bad, he's never that good He's always just a little bit and over understood And you say, "he's so alternative, he like to take our chances." He's hearing voices he can't attribute to the ordinary noise What do you swallow to relax you ordinarily? Who's gonna explain this mess to the mother of an ordinary boy? who was expected to act extraordinarily But you wanna talk about this, talk about that And everything he says is just impossibly fast He's never that bad, he's never that good He's always just a little bit ah ah ah ah I don't wanna talk about it, I don't wanna talk about it I don't wanna talk about it, I don't wanna, I don't wanna I don't wanna talk about it, I don't wanna talk about it I don't wanna no no no no no no yeah Back to top River Shannon Oh Shannon I might be dreaming The stars fell down on the factory The cathedrals repeating, the light receding Bells on another day Have you ever seen my face fast asleep and dreaming? Oh Shannon The lightning fell There's an army down by the riverside But I might be dreaming I can see that you don't believe me And I might be dreaming If I dip into your water Fall through my reflection I will shadow myself anyway Have you ever seen my face fast asleep and dreaming? And it don't seem right That I don't get no sleep at night What's the river gonna know about leaving? Oh Shannon The soldiers are coming The guns are drumming the night away Rain, rain go away Come again some other day When I got time for believing Have you ever seen my face fast asleep and dreaming? Yeah! What is there left to believe in? Oh Shannon I might be dreaming I might be wasting my life away listening to you Down under the streetlight you shudder and beat the edge of the waterway And I know if I had time I might dive in your water Lie right down in the evening rain I just want this pain, pain to go away Come again some other day When I got time for bleeding Have you ever seen my face fast asleep and dreaming? And it don't seem right that I don't get no sleep at night What's the river gonna know about leaving? Oh Shannon I might be dreaming Back to top Sailor Song Walk out Amanda, our fortunes are clear These are the last of our days Left San Francisco with time on my hands And I got back with you on my brain So bring me a second or bring me an hour Bring me the world in a tear Bring me a little of anything Amanda And I'll keep it close to me here Press it among the best years of my heart and my tears And I want, and I want, and I want, and I want Throw me up on the shore tonight and I'll count the last light And I want, and I want, and I want, and I want... Come on Amanda, you know what I mean You won't be happy 'round here Got on the wagon the tenth of December I fell off the first of the year And I know you wish I was better then that I know you wish I was dry God knows I wish I was somebody else Right now I wish I could die Press it among the best years of my heart and my tears And I want, and I want, and I want, and I want Maybe among the earphones of my heart and my soul And I want, and I want, and I want, and I want everything And I want to be a raider, I want anything And I want to be a man What's the matter? Didn't you think we were trying? Hey, what's the matter? Didn't you think I was somebody else who could lie in the wake of your smile? Spent twenty-six stiffening years down the drain Women who will spit in your eye And a drunkard like me gets the worst of your love Good riddance, good luck and good-bye Press it among the best years of my heart and my tears And I want, and I want, and I want, and I want Maybe among the hill folds of my heart and my soul And I want, and I want, and I want, and I want Singing 'till the sky turns and lungs burst and throat burns And I want, and I want, and I want, and I want Screaming 'till the sun houses my here and my now And I want, and I want, and I want, and I want everything And I want to be a sailor, I want anything And I wanna be a man I want everything And I wanna be a sailor, I want anything And I wanna be a man And I wanna be a man And I wanna be a man Back to top Save My Life (missing) Have you or can you transcribe this song? I'll pay you.. Back to top Someone Else's Chapstick Inside your plastic head you make decisions Upon her lemon world they fall forever Break the chains that tie you to the ground and bring you to your knees Shake the chains that tie you to the earth shake the chains shake the chains upon her willow hair the sun relaxes She's watched on tidal waves away from your disaster Break the chains that tie you to the ground and bind you to your mother She will bind up your hands bind up your legs Bind up your heart and hold you down until you say you're sorry she's been waiting for you for over an hour now and someone else's chapstick on your lips To hide your cherry lies you make excuses inbetween each lemon breath she smiles and swallows your abuses Shake the chains that bind you to the ground and tie you to your mother she will bind up your hands bind up your legs bind up your heart and hold you down until You say your sorry she's been waiting for you for over an hour now and someone else's chapstick on your lips you say you're hungry she's lying for you for over an hour now and there's no one more sorry than her no no no no no You say you're sorry she's been waiting waiting.. Inside your plastic head inbetween your laughter you drowned in memory storms that fall forever after she's someone else's lipstick now she's someone else's matchstick now she's someone else's witchcraft now...shes someone else's chapstick now now now. Back to top Floating Over You Getting dressed and bunker bound shuffling through the heather neighbors drop their flowers down and worry about the weather Every night I'm floating over you my love Every night I dream I'm under you All of the smiling men with sweaty hands delivering widow's pensions Wont you please except our sympathy in two or three dimensions Every night I'M floating over you my love Every night I'm drifting under you Don't want to think about my last cigarette don't want to focus on the curve of your thigh don't want to slip along your white silhouette I don't think this is a very sensible way to die. Lonely lonely lonely Lonely lonely lonely Lonely lonely lonely Lonely lonely lonely Every night I'm floating over you my love Every night I dream I'm under you Well I'm alter bound and under dressed Just slightly out of order hanging on the fringe of daylights soft and pitchy border. Every night I'm floating over you my love Every night I'm slipping under you Every night I'm floating over you my love Every night I dream I'm under you lonely lonely ohh I'M so lonely. Back to top Round Here Go to sleep little baby.. go to sleep little one Step out the front door like a ghost into the fog where no one notices the contrast of white on white. And in between the moon and you the angels get a better view of the crumbling difference between wrong and right. I walk in the air between the rain through myself and back again Where? I don't know Maria says she's dying through the door I hear her crying Why? I don't know Round here we always stand up straight Round here something radiates Round here we talk just like lions but we sacrifice like lambs round here shes slipping through my hands Maria came from Nashville with a suitcase in her hand she said she'd like to meet a boy who looks like Elvis she walks along the edge of where the ocean meets the land just like she's walking on a wire in the circus she parks her car outside the warehouse takes her clothes off says she's close to understanding Jesus she knows she's more than just a little misunderstood she has trouble acting normal when she's nervous Round here we're carving out our names Round here we all look the same Round here we're cool as kittens Out there the dogs they cry Round here we're running out of lives There on the violent side of sleep shes fast asleep and dreaming Here on the lightening side of things she comes awake She says "It's only in my head" She says "Shhh I know it's only in my head" But the girl in car in the parking lot says "Man you should try to take a shot can't you see my walls are crumbling?" Then she looks up at the building and says she's thinking of jumping She says she's tired of life she must be tired of something Round here she's always on my mind Round here hey man I got lots of time Round here we're never sent to bed early And nobody makes us wait Round here we stay up very, very, very, very late I said im under the gun round here Said im under the gun round here She said why you gotta always step out the front door like a ghost in the fog where no one notices the contrast of white on white and inbetween the moon and you angels get a better view of the crumbling differnce between wrong and right I cant see nothing round here I cant see no no no no nooo round here I cant see nothing round here Back to top