We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

DRIFTER SONGS WPA Vol. 9 (Released Jan. 2011)

by Bill Mallonee/WPA

/
1.
Fail/Straight, No Chaser words/music: bill mallonee trails that led to the mountain top too late to turn back, too late to stop friends? they left with logs in their eyes clapped invisible hands at my demise and that's how the righteous always apply the justice of God with a cold clear eye ain't no souls here without a taint in every sinner there lies the perfect saint chorus: lay down you sorrows...they'll still be there tomorrow for you to pick up again lay down your fears and doubts give of your heart from the inside out and all those sad mistakes? They'll still be there when you awake a million knocks at unopened doors a million questions there are no answers for always the last to know the score with these splinters in my knuckles sun going down and the city arises shakes off the dust of her compromises and down here kid, you know it never really ends ya' gotta learn to dream in colour again chorus: i swam out far; way past the shallows there was a thousand dreams hangin' on the gallows and the shadows they cast on the tender blades of Spring gave me a song to sing sing of the kisses, sing of the failures sing of the grief; straight, no chaser sing of al that's poisoned you well sing of all you had to sell...
2.
GO TO SLEEP WITH THE ANGELS music/lyrics: bill mallonee It’s good to see you old friend I couldn’t pull you up for days I heard you disappeared for spell just outside Santa Fe Did you go there for a new scene? Did the train tracks get all crossed? Did you go there for the mystics? Did you go there to get lost? Chorus: to burn out like a sunset o’er high deserts out west burn out with every colour leaping from your breast and go to sleep with the angels sleep with the secrets they tell burn out like an old star ...and collapse on yourself 25 North and the snow cascades... and for a moment I forget just how good my hand got at dealing... from the bottom of the deck there’s a well I almost drowned in... and were it not for love you can fall pretty far and pretty hard... but there’s always blue sky up above. Chorus: burn out like a sunset o’er some desert in the west burn out with every colour that leaping from your breast go to sleep with the angels sleep with all the secrets they sell burn out like an old star ...and collapse on yourself Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.... I was employed there every day sifting through those sad remains... for a lil’ something I might save I stole what there was left to steal... from an altar made of bones took back all those gifts I gave... they were never your’s to own
3.
FROM THE BEATS DOWN TO THE BUDDHA words/music: bill mallonee there's always time to do in denver... and note books to fill up and tea to get you spaced... when the mountains aren't enough these asphalt vibrations... that call so loud and long that lead to a lover's bed... or to another town alone chorus: It's always one step at a time... when yer heart's crossing the center line with your knapsack dreams and ragged elements...in tow and the mystery that pursued ya' from the beats down to the Buddha and the things you never could quite let go of... and the things you never could quite let go of... running ink horn lines in red wine... big sur sea sounds losing yer mind. the bitter toll and burden of the miles But something pretty close to love... musta filled those bigger skies above and keep your words all fractured and colliding Lowell's post-war factories America happily divin' in leaving all the brightest and best never felt that understood you were poundin' on the Underwood you were puttin' all their alloy to the test
4.
BAKERSFIELD (DRIFTER'S SONG) music/lyrics: bill mallonee You crawled into that boxcar...thinkin' you were alone eyes got adjusted to the light...and those 50 other souls some runnin' from the law...some runnin' harder from the Lord most lookin' for an honest job...to feed the kids back home chorus: from the drought in Oklahoma...to the stockyards of Bakersfield it's mostly bread you begged for...and some sawdust in your meal the only gold i ever found...the only treasure i did find was looking into your sweet eyes...your body next to mine how much of this is punishment? how much your own choosin'? how much got set in motion....when the garden fell to ruins? would you be my brother and sister?...we all sure could use a home the pride of man may stand tall for a spell...ah, but no one goes at this alone There's so little we walk out with...and there's so much to be lost seems to me it's easy to see...where all cut from the same cloth so you crawl into that boxcar...thinkin' yer alone let your eyes rest with a hallowed-ness...on all those other souls
5.
COWBOY SONG 05:16
COWBOY SONG words/music: bill mallonee Like a cowboy song........from a time bygone long on brighter days when the melody...gotta lil' buried and the good things...they just fade from the pure white dress...to the long black veil to the broken paths ya' took from the first breath pulled.....to the last shovelful and the closing of the book CHORUS: Away to a River Away to a Sea Away to a better place of peace We'll just wait We'll just wait...and see In between the seams...of the requiems i saw you in the sun And God's last Word...sweetest poem i've heard in the warm fields where you now run CHORUS Like a cowboy song...sung out soft but strong all forlorn in the night God's......grace....is an open space and we were all bathed in light
6.
7.
TELL IT SLANT words/music: bill mallonee Who knows how you got here? And who knew what you’d find who knows the stars and planets aligned... Kings were out to kill you Politicians just the same funny how not that much has changed chorus: yeah, I love the way you made those words come alive and dance and I love it...when you tell it slant You, stare down all the wardogs and the lives with which they play time to clean house, baby...wipe that smile off their face stare down all the money...you weren’t the least impressed stare it down from the back ally to the halls of Congress Tell it with unblinking eye...tell it one hundred proof just a glance and a wink, at that bottle of vermouth double shot and chilled...you know how love gets outta hand you know how some folks can relate...to a thirsty man

about

Vol. 9 of the Works (in) Progress Administration EPs

credits

released January 11, 2011

Bill Mallonee: vocals, guitars, drums, bass, harmonicas
Muriah Rose: vocals, keyboards

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Bill Mallonee

Bill Mallonee is an Americana artist w/ 80 plus albums over a 30 year career. Voted by Paste Music Magazine #65 in their "Top 100 Living Songwriters" poll. He was the
founding member of Vigilantes of Love. He has worked with Mark Heard, Buddy Miller, Emmylou Harris, & Peter Buck from REM.
His most recent work, "Lead On, Kindly Light" is a 23song double Cd released Feb 2020.
... more

contact / help

Contact Bill Mallonee

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like DRIFTER SONGS WPA Vol. 9 (Released Jan. 2011), you may also like: