Eyes Front from Enduro by Shipshifter

I wrote this song based on a riff and a quote that I heard in a podcast about addiction recovery. Basically someone said the road to recovery can be long and forever, and you're always an arms length from driving off that road into the ditch. I wanted this song to have some grit and groove, some intensity. I was also inspired by some local rappers (Chris Camp, Grom, Mancub) and wanted to add a rap part to say more. I suck at rapping so what came out was a Pink Floyd style breakdown with some spoken word. The spoken word was inspired by a conversation with Jorgen, he said that someone was hiding something more than a Las Vegas carpet, and away I went. I like this song, it's special to me. Addictions sucks and addictions recovery is hard hard hard. Honesty is the way forward, and is damn scary. And for some shitty reason sobriety isn't very sexy, it ain't got no shine.

Tracklist

9.	Eyes Front	5:27

Lyrics

Eyes front, don't let the orbs begin to roll
Eyes front, distractions they will take their toll... take their toll!
Oh, eyes front, don't let the orbs begin to roll, eyes front!

You're only an arms length away from the ditch!
The highways only as high, until the next twitch!
My way ain't got no shine, but it's mine, it's mine!

Eyes front, don't let your thoughts go astray!
The demons will dance, dance upon your grave! On your grave!
Oh, eyes front, don't let your thoughts go astray, eyes front!

You're only an arms length away from the ditch!
A hundred thousand miles gone, ya with the last twich!
My way ain't got no shine, but it's mine, it's mine!

Lies, you've been telling lies
You'll be dodging and avoiding til you're drawing flies!
But tell me why the truth is what no one can know,
You know not the depths and pressures that you will need to go
To evade and dodge what to all is obvious!
To dance and feint and fight what feels so perilous!

You hide more dirt than a Las Vegas carpet,
Sinister and secret like a switchblade in a pocket,
Mask upon mask to mask a face, a face of scarlet,
Outside calm while your blood pressure like a rocket
As you hide, you blow your cover...
And you get hurt, and you recover...
And then you hide, and then you clean up...
All of the mess that you done messed up...

Ya you hide more dirt than a Las Vegas carpet,
Dressing up your front while on your back tattooed a target,
Cuttin' off your toes as you take your pigs to market,
As the wolf stands by lickin' his lips before the banquet
As you hide, you blow your cover,
And you get hurt, and you recover...
And then you hide, and then you make up...
Some more stories, and they will take up...
Too much space in your mind! You gotta watch your front and your sides and behind,
Too much space in your mind! You gotta watch your front and your sides and your behind...

You're only an arms length away from the ditch!
A hundred thousand miles gone, ya with the last twich!

Credits

from Enduro, released June 12, 2025
Paul Shippy - all writing, instrumentation, production
TPRIL - Mastering

License