1. |
All Along the Way
04:50
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We can pack your troubles with us, all along the way. Strong to carry all you give us, all along the way. Who’s that dancing behind the curtain? Oh my, Oh I can’t be certain. But a fire will light the sky, all along the way.
Dirty clothes and accusations, all along the way. Back door cataract machinations, all along the way. Little demons with their fiddles … oh my, oh I’m in the middle, but I love that tune they play, all along the way.
Oh my oh my it’s hot in here. Oh my oh my it’s freezing. Oh my oh my, by the birds in the sky you know we’re almost home.
Set one up for the One-Eyed Father, all along the way. It’s blood for oil and it’s oil for water, all along the way. There’s no pattern in the cloth we weave, but oh my, oh I still believe in the dead man’s map and the big black “X” I carry all along the way.
Oh my oh my it’s hot in here. Oh my oh my it’s freezing. Oh my oh my, by the birds in the sky you know we’re almost home.
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2. |
Bottom Drawer
05:38
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I saw on TV last night where some guy bought a painting at a yard sale for five dollars. It was worth much more than that, and I don’t wake up and cry no more. I guess I’m getting over her.
The fog was dense last Sunday. it broke an hour after dawn, revealing half the town still drunk and curled up on the lawn, and I don’t throw up Jim Beam no more. I guess I’m getting over her.
The bottom drawer’s still broken (baby, oh baby) and full of junk I never use (sweet baby, I miss you) but even so I can’t go near (my baby, I’m sorry). It’s like some kind of bruise (I miss you — won’t you come home?).
And I don’t wake up and cry no more. I don’t throw up Jim Beam no more. I don’t drive by where she lives anymore, and I don’t give a damn who she loves anymore. I guess I’m getting over her.
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3. |
Carry It Away
02:36
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A rose in your hand, carry it away. My hair in a ring, carry it away. Every little thing, carry it away. Carry it away my love. My strong right hand, carry it away. My picture in a frame, carry it away. My last name, carry it away. Carry it away my love.
A sigh of love, carry it away. All that is mine, carry it away. Leave nothing behind, carry it away. Carry it away my love. The bird in my tree, carry it away. The way I’ve changed, carry it away. The credit and the blame, carry it away. Carry it away my love.
This little prayer, carry it away. A ribbon for your hair, carry it away. The very air, carry it away. Carry it away my love. This little poem, carry it away. My love, my own, carry it away. Just don’t forget to bring all these things back home when you carry it away, my love.
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4. |
Hi-Test
03:42
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Come on under, there’s a party. There’s lots of liquor and the devil’s walking and the house is shaking, there’s a band of robbers working the parking lot … it’s fucking hot. HEY!
Crack a window and shave the dog. Ruin my necktie with your tears of bewildered joy. We’ll dip it in a big old bowl of vodka. We’ll make a new drink — we’ll call it a Hi-Test. HEY!
Is this my hand, or is it yours? What is that fragrance? It smells like donkeys. You must be Brittney; I’ve heard stories. Last I seen a dress like that was on East 11th Street. HEY!
One two three KICK KICK KICK KICK KICK!
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5. |
Jericho
03:43
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In the BACK SEAT there’s a bundle wrapped up in oilcloth, it smells like blood, it smells like CORDITE, and the traffic’s backed up to Jericho, the cops are crazy, and God’s on the RADIO, and he needs more money and the heat comes down like a fist. My heart goes APE SHIT, and it sounds like thunder I’M A SOLDIER IN THE ARMY OF GOD, and we go BOOM BOOM, BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM.
Back in JERICHO there’s a line to the butcher for the skin off the skull of a mule. There’s no DOGS LEFT, no cattle no chickens and the babies are going by the pound and the sound of the TRUMPETS keeps the fear on top, the noise to stop for a HEART BEAT, and the ARMY, it surrounds the city and the walls come down like thunder, and we go BOOM BOOM, BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM.
In my babyhood I was safe and happy and the rain was a thing of GRACE, a thing of BEAUTY, like a ladder up to heaven, if you climbed high enough there were SOUNDS, there were WHISPERS. In the presence of God there’s a THRONE and a LION and a LAMB and a host of CREATURES run beneath my wheels. I’M A SOLDIER IN THE ARMY OF GOD, and we go BOOM BOOM, BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM.
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6. |
New Mexico
03:39
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A beautiful ghost in a long red dress looks up at me from my back seat, and a city called by your name passes by my road-shot eyes.
The moon is full and falling down. The stars are spinning all around. I can't cover near enough ground to satisfy me.
And the radio, it gave out miles ago, in New Mexico.
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7. |
Where Did I Go?
04:46
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What have I done? How did I break? Where will I run, and who will I take? Where did I go?
And what’s left of me now? What’s left for you? A pale square on the wall in an empty room. Where did I go?
I see red and it all goes black, and I’m never coming back. I can’t stand to see you cry, but this is goodbye. This is goodbye.
These are the things that you do for love: You change yourself, you give things up. You turn out lights in empty rooms, and you try to keep everything in your pockets. But what if it never takes? What if I just can’t make it good enough? What if it’s never enough to make you happy?
And why did you hurt me? Who will you hurt now? And who needs hurting anyhow?
And how could I still love you? How could I stay? And how did everything still good in us just get thrown away?
Where did I go?
I see red and it all goes black, and I’m never coming back. I can’t stand to see you cry, but this is goodbye. This is goodbye. This is goodbye. This is goodbye. This is goodbye.
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Chris Black Raleigh, North Carolina
Chris Black is a multi-instrumental composer and performer living in Wake County, North Carolina. He has been a member of such groups as Shoulders (Austin, TX), Les Wampas (Paris, FR), Golden Arm Trio (Austin, TX), The Wedding's Off (L.A., CA), and the Taraf de Tucson (Tucson, AZ). He is the founder of the alt-classical, D.I.Y. chamber music concert series ChamberLab. ... more
Chris Black recommends:
East of Western
by Cat Hair Ensemble
Weillian villiany from Los Angeles! Don't try to escape! Go listen to it now!
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That's how you treat a harmonica. I had the privilege of playing after Sxip one night, and his show was so powerful and terrifying that I actually ran backstage and practiced!
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None Of This is Mine
by Gabriel Sullivan & Taraf de Tucson
This is where cumbia, desert rock, and tzigane music become superheated and melt together! I played violin on this record!
go to albumIf you like Chris Black, you may also like:
Sorry I'm So Sensitive
by Bea Stewart
The second EP from Northern Irish singer-songwriter Bea Stewart runs from gentle folk to pillowy pop ballads, all perfectly executed.
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featured on Bandcamp Radio Mar 26, 2024
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featured on Bandcamp Radio Mar 19, 2024
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