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Play Nice

by Ilana Charnelle

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1.
Play Nice 03:13
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Na na na na na na na Na na na na na na na Na na na na na na na Seven, he couldn’t look me in the eyes ‘You know what that means!’, isn’t that nice Eighteen, watching them all break the ice Waiting for my turn, that’d be nice And they say ‘Ooh, a nice thing like love’s gotta hurt you That’s just the way that it works, true Love, yeah, it stings and it cries’ I’m in the business of taking my spent tears Turning them into your worst fears Trust me, you will pay the price Cause some girls don’t like to play nice Na na na na na na na Na na na na na na na Na na na na na na na Twenty-two, nearly died for you Coz love is sacrifice, isn’t that nice And now I’ve passed my prime Yeah I’ve, I’ve missed my time But I’ve got better things to do Than look real nice and play with you They say ‘Ooh, a nice thing like love’s gotta hurt you That’s just the way that it works, true Love, yeah, it stings and it cries’ I’m in the business of taking my spent tears Turning them into your worst fears Trust me, you will pay the price Some girls don’t like to play nice Na na na na na na nice Na na na na na na nice Na na na na na na nice I’m in the business of taking my spent tears Turning them into your worst fears Trust me, you will pay the price Some girls don’t like to play nice Na na na na na na nice Na na na na na na nice Na na na na na na nice Some girls don’t like to play nice
2.
Jesus 03:44
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Don’t trust an angel face You can look, but run while you can And don’t ever believe your saviour Takes the shape of a man Well I don’t know much about Jesus Just a birthplace and a name But from what I’ve heard about Jesus I swear you look exactly the same Well you’re certainly not a preacher But I like the way you talk You’re always thinking about where you’re headed You’re always leaving but you’re never gone Don’t trust an angel face You can look, but run while you can And don’t ever believe your saviour Takes the shape of a man Well when you took me into your bed, dear Both my eyes were open wide You might be used to stealing hearts but I kept two firm hands on mine Well you’re certainly no saint now And you leave no heart un-won Did you think that I’d say nothing? Oh Jesus, look what you’ve done Don’t trust an angel face You can look, but run while you can And don’t ever believe your saviour Takes the shape of a man Ooh, woah Well I don’t know much about Jesus Just a birthplace and a name But from what I’ve heard about Jesus I swear you look exactly the same Well you’re certainly no saint now It must be fun to feel no shame Did you think I’d keep your secret? Oh Jesus, what a mess you became Oh Jesus, all men are the same Oh Jesus, you took me in vain
3.
On The Stand 07:12
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It’s late on a Sunday, you call from the bar So I drive for an hour just to be where you are And when we kiss on the corner, just like I was waiting for I whisper, ‘I can’t love you so don’t ask me for more’ I thought you knew I thought that when I told you You saw the words fall from my hands Didn’t we have fun Didn’t we have something So why do I feel like I’m on the stand Don’t judge me, don’t judge me You’ll always know exactly where I stand Been months since I’ve seen you, I’m hitting my stride Spots me on the dance floor, she takes me aside ‘You broke his heart, you know you broke his heart’ she calls And I want to insist, ‘No, the night that we kissed I told him I couldn’t fall’ Oh I thought he knew I thought that when I told you You saw the words fall from my hands Didn’t we have fun Didn’t we have something So why do I feel like I’m on the stand Don’t judge me, don’t judge me You’ll always know exactly where I stand Don’t judge me, don’t judge me Don’t judge me, don’t judge me Don’t judge me, don’t judge me You’ll always know exactly where I stand Near on years of silence, and some fumbled repairs I see you some evening, and god, it’s all there The way you tell stories and I can’t look away I’ll always love you, I just couldn’t stay Oh I thought you knew I thought that when I told you You saw the words fall from my hands Didn’t we have fun Didn’t we have something But then I went and ruined all your plans Think of me, think of me You’ll always know exactly where I stand
4.
Out of This 03:39
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Mmm, mmm, mm-mm Ooh, young like James Dean He’s got the bluest eyes I have ever seen Elbows on knees Always shuffling like he’s got some place to be Each time we meet I’m reminded of your electricity Even if brief Oh, one hell of a mistake it’d be Just one glance at him has got me falling Like I’m speeding off a cliff And he don’t notice as he keeps on talking How my hands are clenched in fists Gotta fight myself right out of this Ooh, I take a breath and in I dive Sometimes you gotta drown to feel alive He’s sweet and shy As he tells me I’m too late But thanks, good try And I smile, and I wave As I watch another close Cause I’ve lost count of all the doors That have been slammed right on my nose Just one glance at him has got me falling Like I’m speeding off a cliff And he don’t notice as he keeps on talking How my hands are clenched in fists Gotta fight myself right out Of this Hey Ooh, not long before He asked me if I’d found a love to keep me warm Always surprised when I say no Been trying, but seems no one’s coming forward But hey, it’s fine I mean, I’ll live Just hope one day I can get as good as I give Just one glance at him has got me falling Like I’m speeding off a cliff And he don’t notice as he keeps on talking How my hands are clenched in fists Gotta fight myself right out Gotta fight myself right out Gotta fight myself right out of this Ooh, young like James Dean He’s got the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen
5.
Temptress 04:49
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I’m oh-so-good at getting real messed up over you They see right through me and I call it love Put my heart in your hands, and it’s on fire One day I’ll wake up with the last sad song That I’ll ever write on the tip of my tongue But I’ll take what I can, and love the liar A straight-up mess of fraying endings, I Get caught up over things that I can’t help Ooh I can’t help myself A temptress Before I knew what it meant I’ll make eyes at you from across the room But you won’t take me home with you And years from now, with the lights out You’ll feel my sting from miles around In your chest, in your skin, in your lungs I’ll linger on An iron bar across my chest, hell it’s just A little baggage that can help attest To the damage I’ve done, it’s so much fun Looking for love in the wrong places, I’ve Made a lot out of living straight through hell Ooh, I can’t help myself A temptress Before I knew what it meant I’ll make eyes at you from across the room But you won’t take me home with you And years from now, with the lights out You’ll feel my sting from miles around In your chest, in your skin, in your lungs I’ll linger on I need that spark like most need air to fill their lungs A thousand matches light me up, warmed by what I’ve done I need that spark like most need air to fill their lungs A thousand matches light me up, warmed by what I’ve done Ooh, yeah A temptress Before I knew what it meant I’ll make eyes at you from across the room But you won’t take me home with you And years from now, with the lights out You’ll feel my sting from miles around In your chest, in your skin, in your lungs I’ll linger on
6.
Cool 04:10
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Mmm, mmm I’ve always liked things I shouldn’t And I’ve always loved when other girls wouldn’t I don’t wanna say I was biding my time But I’ve always thought that you could be mine But hey now, I’m speeding ahead He said no, so I’ll put it to bed So sick of dipping my toes in the water Just to watch you all end up with each other I’ll take my words, cut them to pieces Throw ’em on the floor, pretend I’m a genius If I liked rock and roll, or my hair was real red You’d call me your cool girl, you’d see me again But hey now, I’m speeding ahead He said no, so I’ll put it to bed So sick of dipping my toes in the water Just to watch you all end up with each other, yeah I’ll take my words, cut them to pieces Throw ’em on the floor, it’s Bowie, it’s genius You’re leather-edged sadness, you’re, you’re rock and roll cool I’ll stick with my madness, at least I know the rules But hey now, I’m speeding ahead He said no, so I’ll put it to bed So sick of dipping my toes in the water Just to watch you all end up with each other Yeah End up with each other End up with each other, yeah End up with e, end up with each other
7.
Keep It Up 04:14
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Ah I want you to come back so that I can say nothing I want you to ask so I can turn you away I want you to beg, to regret, to repent But most of all I want you to see things my way Like how you’d insist that you needed more of me That I was neglectful, a mess and real mean You’d run for the hills if I forgot to pet you A lost puppy, always needing to be seen You needed me there, I gave you up So you ran into her arms to cry You did what you’ve done, so you’ll get what you got I just hope that you can keep it up Yeah, I just hope that you can keep it up I just know that now you’re living the same way In your fog of virtuous truth But it’s her who’ll be yes-ing, and sweating and guessing A slave to all the things that you’ve got to do Like hiding in bed when the going gets tricky And following through is just too hard Better to back out of responsibility Coz you know you can’t fail if you never start You wanna give up, it’s all too much You need to suck everyone dry You did what you’ve done, so you’ll get what you got I just hope that you can keep it up Yeah, I just hope that you can keep it up Ooh, woah It’s funny before me, your last did the same thing So you ran into my arms to cry If it’s always the same thing, suffocating then blaming Surely you would start wondering why But you did what you’ve done, so you’ll get what you got But you did what you’ve done, so you’ll get what you got You did what you’ve done, so you’ll get what you got I just hope that you can keep it up Yeah, I just hope that you can keep it up Yeah, I just hope that you can keep it Keep it up
8.
Less To Give 06:06
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It all starts with a goodbye, staring the void in the eye You might not realise at the time, another part is gone You felt it coming, the decay; stem the break for one more day But over time it wore away, and now you’re on your own Like plastic breaking down My half-life’s getting shorter now Every time I break apart I’ve got a little less to give The point of no return, crumble more after every burn Every time it happens it’s a shorter life to live Every time I break apart I’ve got a little less to give Can’t rip you out that easily; when I let you go, you take some of me So I lie beside you quietly and wish I was alone Early days are always good, the joy of being understood I said I will when I thought I never would Life’s exhausting on your own Oh Like plastic breaking down My half-life’s getting shorter now Every time I break apart I’ve got a little less to give The point of no return, crumble more after every burn Every time it happens it’s a shorter life to live Every time I break apart I’ve got a little less to give I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine Smile a little, breathe real deep Say it till you don’t lose sleep I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine I’m at the point of no return, crumble more after every burn Every time it happens it’s a shorter life to live I’m at the point of no return, Oh, crumble more after every burn Every time it happens it’s a shorter life to live Every time I break apart I’ve got a little less to give
9.
Love's Gonna Knock You Down 02:53
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You said that you were a straight shooter Said ‘When I take a shot, babe, I just don’t miss’ What I did not know as I gave you my bow Was when you hit somebody, you use your fists Love is a full-ring fighter, competing for the crown Telling you forever, but beating you right now And love’s gonna hit you harder when it’s got you on the ground Now, it might look real pretty from the crowd But love’s gonna knock you down I pull my gloves on, gonna take you on And every blow I take hits right in my chest Should’ve known better than to take on a winner Coz when it comes to heartbreak Baby, you’re the best Love is a full-ring fighter, competing for the crown Telling you forever, but beating you right now And love’s gonna hit you harder when it’s got you on the ground Now, it might look real pretty from the crowd But love’s gonna knock you down Woo! As that last bell’s gone, I’m taking you on But when it comes to heartbreak Baby, you’re the best Love is a full-ring fighter, competing for the crown Telling you forever, but beating you right now And love’s gonna hit you harder when it’s got you on the ground Now, it might look real pretty from the crowd Said, now it might look real pretty from the crowd But love’s gonna knock you down Love’s gonna knock you down

about

The gloves are off on this stinging new album from chanteuse Ilana Charnelle. After years of biting her tongue, the claws are finally out as she tackles rejection, betrayal and even Jesus with her biting wit and smouldering charm. Equal parts sweet and sassy, charming and damning, poptastic and jazzy, Play Nice is Ilana’s unapologetic call to arms for good girls good bad.

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released June 1, 2018

Written by Ilana Charnelle and Ned Dixon

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Ilana Charnelle Melbourne, Australia

Inspired by jazz-era chanteuses, infused with modern sensibilities.

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