I'm Straight
(Appears on 23 Great Recordings, Live at the Long Branch Saloon, Live at the Longbrach and More, Precise Modern Lovers Order, Beantown Gems, The Modern Lovers (castle), The Original Modern Lovers, Roadrunner Roadrunner and the Modern Lovers)
Unknown versions - Beantown Gems
Live at the Longbrach and More version - Chords
Live at the Longbrach and More version - Lyrics
I called this number three times today
But then I, put the phone back in place.
I still don't know if I
should have called well.
tell me dear if I'm out of place.
yes here's your chance to make me awkward
And wish that I had
never called this place.
but you walked by your college dorm with hippie Ernie
I'm calling to say I could take his place.
This phone call today concerns hippie Ernie
his Woodstock brain, and his acid face.
yeah You walked by the computer centre with spineless Ernie
I telephoned to say, I could easily take his place.
he's a hippie
hippie Ernie
I'm straight and I want to take his place.
hey where's his backbone?
hippie Ernie huh?
I'm tryin to make mine straight
I could really take his place.
cause I'm straight
I'm straight
I'm straight
I'm straight and I want to take his place
way down
well I've watched you walk around and meet.
boyfriends that you think are so deep
but I maintain if all your new boyfriends.
were really that great,
well couldn't they take this place
and take it straight?
I'm straight
I mean I'm straight
and it's a hard fight
but I'm straight and I want to take his place
way down
well I knew you for a while
and I thought that I could bring out
the nicer and the smarter things
that you have inside
but you walk by the computer centre
with this kid whose not up to your level at all
you should have me
walking by your side
now he's a hippie
old hippie Ernie
meanwhile, I'm straight
and I'd like to take his place
he's not so deep
hippie Ernie
I'm straight and I want to take his place
dear I'm straight
I'm straight
I'm
I'm straight and I could easily take his place
all right everybody
(I'm straight!)
(I'm straight!)
everbody say
(I'm straight!), that's right
I'm straight and I want to take his place
Precise Modern Lovers Order version - Chords
Precise Modern Lovers Order version - Lyrics
the next song is written for the time when your boyfriend and your see your girlfriend going down the street with someone you think very little of and you get scared and finally get the nerve to call her and tell her what a fool you think she is being and then there is the moment on phone where you get nervous and your heart starts to get a little sick and you get pretty sad and this next song is written about that moment and it's called I'm Straight
I called this number three times today
But I, put the phone back in place.
I still don't know if I
should have called well.
tell me dear if I'm out of place.
here's your chance to make me awkward
And wish that I had
never called this place.
but you walked by your college dorm with hippie Ernie
I'm calling to say I want to take his place.
This phone call concerns hippie Ernie
that Woodstock brain, that acid face.
You walked by the computer centre with drugged out Ernie
and I'm calling to say, I could take his place.
now he's a hippie
hippie Ernie
I'm straight and I want to take his place.
he lost his backbone
hippie Ernie
I'm tryin to make mine straight
I could take his place.
cause I'm straight
I'm straight
I'm straight
I'm straight and I'm could take his place
way down
well I've watched you walk around and meet.
boyfriends that you thought were so deep
but I maintain if your new boyfriends.
really were all that great,
well couldn't they take this place
and take it straight?
I'm straight
I'm straight honey
I'm
I'm straight and I want to take his place
way down
you walk around cambridge in the nighttime
you walk around Boston in the morning
you were down in 8th street in New York [?]
and none of the boyfriends come up to my standard
cause I'm straight
I'm
I'm straight and I want to take his place
you spent 4 years in a college around here
and met these characters
who don't stand a chance
they can't paint, they can't draw
when the battle comes they fade
and I could take their place
and I'm straight
I'm straight
I'm really straight
I'm straight and I want to take his place
All right everybody sing
(I'm straight!)
(I'm straight!)
(I'm straight!)
I'm straight and I want to
The Modern Lovers version - Chords
This song has pretty much the same structure throughout, like this:
E E C G (F#) E
e--0---------------|-0-------------|-0-------------|------------0----|
B--0---------------|-0-------------|-1-------------|------------0----|
G--1---------------|-1-------------|-0-------------|------------1----|
D--2---------------|-2-------------|-2-------------|------------2----|
A--2---------------|-2-------------|-3-------------|-2----------2----|
E--0---------------|-0-------------|-X-------------|-3---2--0---0----|
Basically an E C G E pattern with a little bass run between the G and
the E. Repeat this pattern for the entire song, except where there are
single chords, as in the beginning. N.C. means "no chord."
The Modern Lovers version - Lyrics
I called this number three times already today
But I, I got scared, I put
It back in place, I put my phone back in place.
I still don't know if I
should have called up.
Look, just tell me why don't ya if I'm out of place.
'Cause here's your chance to make me feel awkward
And wish that I had
never even called up this place.
I saw you though today walk by with hippie Johnny.
I had to call up and say how I want to take his place.
So this phone call today conerns hippie Johnny.
He's always stoned, he's never straight.
I saw you today, you know, walk by with hippie Johnny.
Look, I had to call up and say, I want to take his place.
See he's stoned, hippie Johnny.
Now get this, I'm straight and I want to take his place.
Now look, I like him too, I like hippie Johnny.
But I'm straight
and I want to take his place.
I said, I'm straight
I said, I'm straight
I'm proud to say
Well I'm straight and I want to take his place.
Now I've watched you walk around here.
I've watched you meet these
boyfriends, I know, and you tell me how they're deep.
Look but, if these guys, if they're really so great,
tell me, why can't they at least take this place
and take it straight? Why always stoned,
like hippie Johnny is?
I'm straight and I want to take his place.
Oh I'm certainly not stoned, like hippie Johnny is.
I'm straight and I want to take his place.
I said, I'm straight
I said, I'm straight
I'm straight
I'm straight and I want to take his place
All right you Modern Lovers what do you say?
(I'm straight!)
Tell the world now
(I'm straight!)
I said
(I'm straight!)
Yeah I'm straight and I want to take his place.
The Original Modern Lovers version - Chords
The Original Modern Lovers version - Lyrics
I've been waiting to sing this song today you know. I've, I'm excited, I can't wait, I think it needs to be sung so stick around and don't go away
there is one thing
that I'm afraid of
got to turn it up
cause you might
think that I'm a put on when I say it
but uh, I'm no put on
I'm telling the truth
I'm stright and I'm just glad to say it
see I know I'm tripping
right, everybody
I'm straight and I just glad to say it
you see I'm not stoned
right, everybody
no, I'm straight and I'm just glad to say it
I'm straight
I'm straight
I'm
I'm straight and I'm just glad to say it
yeah
you see I watched you
walk around [??]
all these boyfriends that you think are deep
but I say if these guys are so great
couldn't they take this place
and take it straight?
like me, I'm not tripping
everybody here
I'm straight and I'm glad to say it
I'm not ripped, or anything
everybody
I'm straight and I'm just glad to say it
I'm straight
I'm straight
oh I'm
I'm straight and I'm just glad to say it
all the modern lovers sing
(I'm straight!)
(I'm straight!)
(I'm!)
I'm straight and I'm just