1. |
Q
03:51
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You appeared in my dream last night for a while
That old look on your face, said without a smile
That you thought we should talk for an hour or two
But my friends were waiting so I did not indulge you
But we walked to the train
Shoe in front of shoe
Not even wandering through those “how-do-you-do’s”
Forensic. Intrinsic.
I’m hoping you’re joking
You reviewed it so well
In your voice, I could tell
That you practiced in front of a mirror or wishing well
I woke with a start
Rubbed my eyes, looked around
Realized I was awake and alive in some other town
Specific. Horrific.
I’m thinking we’re sinking
All around me, people falling, people calling, asking if I knew then
What I know now
I saw your brother on a fluke one time when he came through
And he was askin’ if it happened
I wondered if I ever knew at all
On and on, the days are long gone
Injunctions spoke, rang true
As far as I can see the sky keeps opening up in front of you
Daylight streams through
God, it’s good to be alive on your own dime
Unwholesome, unholy
All this holding on too tight
I’m a live wire on fire
It’s true
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2. |
Lower Tiers
03:51
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Well I watched my heroes fall
I saw them crumble one and all
And a chorus of “NO’s”
From a gallery of those
Who will never see so straight or stand so tall
All the guardian angels
The blanket forts and fake hells
All told me to sacrifice myself
On a funeral pyre with my body on fire
I sat straight up and cast off all the spells
With the gates open wide and my lover in sight
I called her name out loud in the middle of the night
And the dawn it breaks and the morning’s warm embrace
Illuminates my lover’s face
Well my sisters went very South and West and I went East
We’re all still fighting off our demons in our sleep
We cascade to the coasts
Where we mostly can boast
That we are living better than well
But Maria, when are you gonna settle down?
I see your pictures and the question practically answers itself
When the back car seats on lower tiers that we have known for years
Have finally had their way with all of us
I was terrified and dry and wide eyed
All sentimental
I rubbed the fog with my sleeve off of the early morning window
And the dawn it breaks and the morning’s warm embrace
Illuminates my lover’s face
It illuminates my future face
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3. |
Kings, Gods, Fools
03:56
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In the cool by the glass pool
Where you shed your clothes
On the stony shore there
Where the green moss grows
That’s where you dreamt and chose
And you dove down for a secret
It took a couple tries
And when you resurfaced
Even despite the light
You were dissatisfied
You were utilizing tools
Are we kings or gods? Or fools?
StilI, I saw you watch me watching you
As you drank so resolute
Down to the dregs and truth
How the poison worked so fast
Heavy heart and pleasant mask
We walked for miles with your ashes in an urn
And a strongbox tight
And a list of your demands
Up to the House of Light
Where all would be made right
And with a flick of His deft wrist
He let the pictures go
And they floated upwards
To where the warm storm blows
Through the kaleidoscope
So you planned and saved and stored
Was your body slave or lord?
Still, I saw you watch me watching you
As you built so resolute
Your picture-paper loot
How the magic worked so fast
Now you know you can’t go back
You found your future in the water
Unknown to your son and your daughters
You were utilizing tools
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4. |
Burning & Bright
02:55
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Every day is 90
The thunder and the lightning
The Boys consuming fire and ice
I’m told we’re held by Jesus
But who is He to squeeze us?
And who are we to think that He’s nice?
When downtown the crowds gather ‘round
To march in the summer parade
Which will be rained on
The day might’ve been won
If not for the songs to be sung
Keep your head up
While we are still handsome and young
Meanwhile I just listened
To the rain fall from the kitchen
Where I could’ve had you last night
You dreamed of Salvation
And I of Education
And of the bits that fell out ‘ my mind
Somehow I’m still passing up
A warm kiss and a coffee cup
And goldmines that might’ve been gained
Keep your hand to the plow
While we’re young and we’re strong and we’re brave
When holy hands won’t touch themselves
I know some others that might
Keep your eyes open
While we are still burning and bright
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5. |
Sugarmask
02:21
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Amy’s bones protrude
She is lying in the nude
Smoke and faint scent of perfume
In the early afternoon
With her Sugarmask still on
From her party until dawn
Grabbed from the bargain bin
At the sale on the lawn
Harlan whispers
“Baby, I don’t mean to stray, but I cannot be true.”
Tiptoes out the way he came
One and one don’t always make it up to two
Delineated and defined
Sometimes “to live” it means “to die”
And some of us still get
Somehow you die just to survive
Like when Clare she whispered
“John, I did not mean to stray, but I have not been true.”
I tiptoed out the way I came
One and one don’t always make it up to two
Hangers-on!
Find someone else, you hangers-on!
Amy’s bones protrude
She is lying in the nude
Smoke and faint scent of perfume
In the early afternoon
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6. |
Toss Your Javelin
04:11
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Toss your javelin ‘cross the chasm
Of space and time and generation
A running start, the finest art
Of casting shadows long and lean
The Genius in your own backyard
Don’t need no helpin’ hand
Don’t need no praise nor accolade
To cultivate the land
Fortunately Behemoth’s still around
His father pulled, with hands that hold the child
The sapling from the earth with all its roots
According to John, who was there too
Though the telling sucked, the bones of it were true
The Hero stands astride the ridge
Surveys the valley green
His vision never blurs at all
He sees what must be seen
Fortunately Goliath’s still around
Sorrows for a day
Here and gone away
I’ll tell you what I’ll do
Considering it’s you
I will help you pull
Toss your javelin
See what happens
Go cast your shadow long and lean
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7. |
Hard Times, Strong Men
02:38
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I wonder what it is that motivates the creatures of the night
To circle ‘round the high-walled garden
Looking for a way inside
The smell of babies’ breath, I guess
The supple fruit of all good flesh
The crumbling cookie, flaxseed cake
The brick and fire which we bake with
The hearty fruit on sturdy vine
With love as sweet as yesterday’s wine
The boiling pot, the mother’s cub
A warning shot fired up above
As old as hills, a fear instilled
A caution sign, a chilly spine
The coal-black coat, the beady eyes
The slither and the scale and size
They’ll warn you once, they’ll tell you twice
Entreat you to take their advice
They’ll treat you bad, they’ll treat you nice
They’ll turn your blood as cold as ice
Hard times make strong men
Strong men make good times
Good times make soft men
Soft men make hard, hard times
Hard times make strong men
Strong men make good times
Good times make soft men
Soft men make good wine
Good wine make good time
Good times make hard, hard times
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8. |
Parallel Universe Blues
02:47
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When greeted by the extra version (extraversion) of yourself
You oughta shake hands
Beneath the marquee there on Sandstone Street
With Linda Ronstadt fans
When she says “keep my name out of your mouth”
With a wink and a frown
You fall.
Hard.
I looked frantically for the word that I heard
But it didn’t match
‘Til I realized that I was looking at the wrong page
And we laughed at that
Offshore the word caught
On the crest of a wave I’d found
Then disappeared without a trace
Without a sound
Oh, but suddenly I realized I was alive
But only ‘cause I was the other guy
They’ll keep you down just as long as they know how
With their knowhow
But you change the rules when you engage them
On their own terms, in their own words
But try as you might
You fall.
Hard.
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9. |
Boreal Lullaby
04:01
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Meaning will flow from people who know
Hands folded, heads raising slow
The shivering light at the end of the fight
One victory, ragged but right
I felt that guardian itch
When the cold hearted bitch
Of Winter come grinning me down
(Her name was renowned
Known all over town
All dressed up in her evening gown)
There’s frost in the grove
And lights on the cove
And visions of heaven come down
When the wire came through
What were we to do
With that calumny bitter and blue?
What you hold in your fist
With a turn of the wrist
Sends shivers into the Unknown
Just see how you are feeling in the morning
I’ll know how to care for you there
There’s frost in the grove
And lights on the cove
And visions of heaven come down
I felt that guardian itch
When the cold hearted bitch (White Wide-Eyed Witch)
Of Winter comes grinning you down
(Her name was renowned
Known all over town
All dressed up in her evening gown)
There’s frost in the grove
And lights on the cove
And visions of heaven come down
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John Davey Marquette, Michigan
A songwriter and recording artist in Marquette, Michigan.
A tree transplanted; West Lafayette, Indiana / Nashville, Tennesee
John Davey recommends:
Dwell
by Steffen Prentiss Yazvac
A wonderful collection of songs based on Steffen's experience of building a house with his in-laws in South Dakota in the summer of 2011.
go to album
Dustin started calling himself Little Ghost, then he learned my song "Ghost Notes"and now we call it "Little Ghost Notes". I released it as basically my first label release. I'm really happy with it.
go to albumIf you like John Davey, you may also like:
Songs for Pierre Chuvin
by the Mountain Goats
supported by 4 fans who also own “Toss Your Javelin”
Any given album from the Mountain Goats is a genuinely unique experience and this is certainly no exception. :)
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Better For Me / On Loop
by Fake Laugh
Fake Laugh’s latest single marries waltzing guitars to heavenly vocals for a song that is gorgeous & endearing.
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Bystander (Deluxe Digital Edition)
by Johanna Samuels
The LA-based folk singer reconciles with her past and looks to the future on her new album.
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“Portraits” is a collection of expertly drawn narrative songs with sharply observed lyrics and rustic instrumentation.
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