Eva's Warning

Eva's Warning is a song written by Snakefinger & The Residents. It was first released on the Snakefinger album Manual Of Errors in 1982. The Residents have since released five different live recordings of the song from their 13th Anniversary Show (1985-1987) and Way We Were (2005) tours. 
== Background ==
The song's lyrics date back to the 1979-1980 Commercial Album sessions, appearing on an early version of "Dimples and Toes," first released on the Commercial Album pREServed edition in 2023. The lyrics then re-appeared on the song "Now It Is Too Late," presumably from the Mark of the Mole sessions, before being re-written into "Eva's Warning," with Snakefinger, who began playing the song live as early as September 11th, 1981;Snakefinger - Greener Postures Live In Canada (1981) | YouTube four days before the release of Mark of the Mole.
Snakefinger recorded the song shortly afterwards, with the assistance of Eric Drew Feldman, and it appeared on his third studio album, Manual of Errors, in March of 1982. The song continued to be performed live by Snakefinger until his death in 1987.
When The Residents and Snakefinger performed their collaborative 13th Anniversary Tour between 1985-1987, "Eva's Warning" was one of two songs from Snakefinger's solo albums performed, along with "Picnic In The Jungle." The Residents later performed the song in 2005, after Snakefinger's death, with Molly Harvey taking co-lead vocals.
== Lyrics ==
Snakefinger Version (1982)
 Now this is the story 
 About the crow upon the wall
 It’s followed through and front of me 
 Since I was very small
 No matter what I do to it, it will not go away
 It tells the easy answers 
 And it speaks of better days.
 I’ll crush it, I’ll crush it
 I even tried to rush it
 And when I tried to rush it
 It won’t stay down
 It cries
 Eva!
 Eva!
 Eva!
 I’m home
 I know you won’t believe me but I’ve heard it call my name
 Leading me along a ledge like looking at a flame
 In my mind it multiples when I’m gone away
 In my mind it multiples day by day
 I’ll bruise it, abuse it
 I even tried to lose it
 But just when I confuse it
 It won’t stay down
 It cries
 Eva!
 My little Eva!
 Eva!
 I’m home Eva, I’m home
 I tried to warn them about the coming of the crow
 But they only laughed about it, said they’d know
 Now they put a sunrise, it brings another day
 Once again they must pretend that they will disobey.
Residents & Snakefinger Version (1985)
 Now this is the story of the crow upon the wall
 It’s travelled from in front of me since I was very small
 No matter what I do to it, it will not go away
 It tells the easy answers and it speaks of better days.
 I’ve brushed it, I’ll rushed it
 I even tried to blush it
 And when I tried to bus it
 It won’t stay down
 It cries
 Eva!
 Oh, Eva!
 Eva!
 I’m home
 I know you won’t believe me but I’ve heard it call my name
 Luring me along a ledge like looking at a flame
 Well, in my mind it multiples when I’m gone away
 Yes, in my mind it multiples day by day
 I bruised, I used
 I even tried to lose it
 But just when I tried to lose it
 It won’t stay down
 It cries
 Eva!
 Oh, Eva!
 Eva!
 I’m home.
 And I've tried to warn them about the coming of the crow!
 But they had only laughed a lot, said that they would know..
 Oh, now they fear the sunset, as it ends another day
 Cause now they hear the crying crow, that sucks your soul away.
Residents Version (2005)
 I know you won’t believe me but I heard it call my name
 Leading me along a ledge like looking at a flame
 In my mind it multiples when I go away
 In my mind it multiples day by day 
 It cries Eva!
 It cries Eva!
 It cries Eva!
 I'm home
 I tried to warn them of the coming of the crow!
 But they only laughed a lot and said that they would know..
 Now they fear the sunset, as it ends another day
 Now they fear the crying crow, that sucks your soul away!
 It cries Eva!
 It cries Eva!
 It cries Eva!
 I'm home
"Now It Is Too Late" (1981)
 In my mind it multiplies when I am gone away, 
 In my mind it mutliplies day by day. 
 I know you won't believe me but I've heard it call my name. 
 Luring me along the edge, like looking at a flame.
 I have tried to warn them of the coming of the crow, 
 but they had only laughed a lot and said that they would know.
 And now the smore is in the air, and even in the trees
 The evil germs of wickedness have, have scorn their destiny!
 With a smiling face, members of my race, 
 Said that they would share, what we could not spare
 Now it is too late, they forgot to mate.
 Now it is too late, they forgot to mate.
 Now it is too late, they forgot to mate.
 Now it is too late, they forgot to mate.
 Now it is too late, they forgot to mate.
 Now it is too late, they forgot to mate.
 Now it is too late, they forgot to mate.
 Now it is too late, they forgot to mate.
 Now it is too late.
"Dimples and Toes" alt lyrics (1980)
 With a smiling race
 Members of my race
 Said that they would share
 What we could not spare
 Now it is too late
 They’ve begun to mate
 I have tried to warn them of the coming of the crow
 But they had only laughed a lot and said that they would know
 Well now the spores are in the air and even in the trees
 The evil sperms and spotted worms have won their victory.
== Releases ==
* The Eyeball Show (Live In Japan) (1986) 1985 Live Version (2:33) 
* Live In The USA! 13th Anniversary Tour (1986) 1986 Live USA Version (5:02)
* Stranger Than Supper (1990) 1986 Live Version (5:02)
* The Way We Were (2005) 2005 Live Version (2:35)
* 13th Anniversary Show - Ritz NY - Jan 16, 1986 (2010) 1986 Ritz Live Version (4:04) 
* The 13th Anniversary Show - Cleveland (2014) 1986 Cleveland Live Version (5:29)
* Loss Of The Lizard Lady (2019) 2005 Live Version (2:35)
==== Versions ====
Category:Songs
Category:Collaborations
Category:Snakefinger
Category:The Mole Trilogy
Category:Mark of the Mole