Get all 93 Bill Mallonee releases available on Bandcamp and save 20%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of WELCOME TO STRUGGLEVILLE (Remaster by Pete Lyman) 2024, Comes To Life (New single released March 14th, 2024), GLIMMER Spring 2024 (demos are back up for 2 days), NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, & WEST, ABOVE, BELOW & WITHIN (single from Orphan Songs), HERE IT OPENS WITH A PRAYER, BUT IT CLOSES WITH A SONG (2022), A CLAMORING OF GHOSTS (2021), THE LOT OF EVERYMAN (a free download today), STUNNED (an anniversary song), and 85 more.
Excludes supporter-only releases.
1. |
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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 another town alone
chorus:
It's 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 let go of...
and the things you 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 lonely factories...
post-war America gettin’ free
leaving all the brightest and best
you n’er felt that understood,
bangin’ on the Underwood
puttin' all their alloy to the test
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2. |
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SOBER UP music and lyrics: bill mallonee
Coming down...from a dream
wake up call.....coming clean
here’s a life....a poured out cup
the last page....hey, sober up
sober up...and get home
more or less...underneath
house of cards...house of freaks
and the coins...well, they’re all spent
on distractions and dis---appointments
here’s a life...a poured out cup
the last page...hey, sober up
sober up...and get home
And it’s hard, so hard to make a stab
when everything’s all up for grabs
with skin so thin and feet so lost
no pocket change...all bets are off
here’s a life...a poured out cup
the last page...hey, sober up
sober up...and get home
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3. |
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ONCE YOUR HEART GETS BROKEN (IT JUST KEEPS ON BREAKING)
words/music: bill mallonee
It came as a whisper...it came in the night
as you were driving...past the neon lights
and it was last call...and that’s enough said
all that was given...turned from green to redone
CHORUS:
One thing they don’t tell you...there is no mistakin’
once your heart gets broken...
it just keeps on breaking
it just keeps on breaking
Another one down...3rd one this week
reporters speculate...about toxicity
it was said that he trafficked...with magic potions
we’re all filling our holes...picking our poisons
CHORUS:
One thing they don’t tell you...cause they’re good at fakin’
once your heart gets broken...
it just keeps on breaking...it just keeps on breaking
All the simple truths...take you by surprise
they come into sharp relief...in a certain slant of light
time to drop you bags...time to pick up your key
don’t worry tipping the bellboy...you won’t need your things
CHORUS:
One thing they don’t tell you...till after you’re shaken
once your heart gets broken...
it just keeps on breaking...
it just keeps on breaking
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4. |
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PILLOW OF STARS (FATE AND SAD REVERSALS) music/lyrics: bill mallonee
pass me that paper n’ pen
and shot to boot
let a dreamer preach a sermon
and a fool speak half-a heart full
chorus:
and baby, when you love...
ya’ find out who you are
wherever you lay your head...
may there be a pillow of stars
and though fate and sad reversals
may slow your journey home
you’ll get there cause that deal was done...
a long, long time ago...
And what cha said with your eyes
was more n’ you wanted to speak
my how we use these stammerin’ tongues
to steady stumblin’ feet
I dunno why I rock this way
or why I roll with such an art
dunno why speak these words
to break my own heart
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5. |
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(I REMEMBER) ALL THE JUNKIES AND EXILES
Words/lyrics: bill mallonee
No longer strong...the sap it slows down
when you don...your late autumn smile
phantoms die on rooftops...of Mexico City
I remember...the junkies and exiles
and they die in the hush...
of sun-drenched cathedrals
and they die in the barbed-wire...
of failures and upheavals
and they die at the gateposts...
of their children’s tongues
on sweat sheeted beds...
disowned
chorus:
a prayer to gentle Jesus...tequila at the bar
so you to remember to forget...who you really are
Old Bull with his needles...checking out in style
I remember...the junkies and exiles
so you burned every bridge...
and stole more than a kiss
broke a heart a long the way...
to say all this
just to stand on a soap-box...
and pretend it was a throne
till that old soapbox...
became your home
you learned to pray alone...
with just the tears of a child
‘cause God?
Well, He might show His face...with that late Autumn smile
too many highways...
too many kicks
all for something like that...
but nothing not like this
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6. |
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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 are ya' choosin'?
how much got set in motion....when the garden fell to ruins?
would you be my brother and sister...we all 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 made of 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
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7. |
NOMENCLATURE
02:53
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NOMENCLATURE
(music and lyrics: bill mallonee)
this is one of those nights...a halo rings the moon
you venture out on those hard streets of gloom
the moon shines so bright pinned to her curtain of blue
but the only sound you hear...is the shuffling of your shoes
this is one of those nights...where there’s no where to hide
another neon happy hour...fell a lifetime shy
and your hearts a lonely ocean...and your heart’s an empty tomb
the only sound you hear...is the shuffling of your shoes
I’ve sung a million truths
whispered a million lies
learned to do ‘em both
looking straight into your eyes
keep to the back roads...hey, the underground’s even better
you navigate the strange terrian...with a different nomenclature
this is one of those wher God could show up soon...
but the only sound you hear...is the shuffling of your shoes
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8. |
WESTERN SKIES
03:39
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(WITH SOULS AS BIG AS) WESTERN SKIES
words/music: bill mallonee
I hear they call it walkin' wounded
oh, if words did just what they should
nomenclature is a treasure that get's looted
baby, ain't we all just damaged goods?
With souls as big as western skies
like a field that is straining but lying fallow
all the fruits dead 'fore it arrives
growing up into your own shadow
If i could just hear you whisper my name
disturb the universe's dead air
whispered like you really mean it
before i vanish in thin air
awaiting something like catharsis
you've already blown the whole damn thing
here's your ghost and there's your pauper
each exchanging wedding rings
So, conjure up the memory of the laughter
seems like it all once fell down for free
where'd the hour glass finally run out?
the one lying crushed beneath your feet?
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9. |
HARD LUCK & HEART ATTACK
04:20
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Hard Luck and Heart Attack Run Time: 4:20
music/lyrics:Bill Mallonee
clouds break for a moment when you're coming off Desolation
and Frisco's your appointment you're the way you were before
trying to gaze east but with no one to depend on
and the blisters on your feet
yeah from coming down the mountain
your friends won't let you down but friends they're not the refuge
you're tearing up the town with a hip flask of red wine
scrawling visions buzzed in that five and dime notepad
saving them just because us angels seemed so sad
CHORUS:
a ticket from the coat-check girl
her words and flesh are laughing
taking down her number
on that lipstick-stained napkin
sainthood for anyone
yeah who knows you lose it to save it
a prayer for everyone
who's ever been out on the pavement
a sound inside of me
as i'm falling through the cracks
hard luck and heart attack
of hard luck yeah and heart attack
arms around me
if i'm going through the ceiling
service stations of the cross
yeah the doctors they need healing
things clear for a moment
when you're coming off Desolation
between nothing and the atonement
it all bleeds behind your cadence
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10. |
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WITH YOUR SKIN INTACT.
words/music: bill mallonee
Seems you were searchin'
pretty much all the time
stole a few glimpses
crossing the centerline
just get down in the chasm
and run in a river of doubt
easy to get in there
a lil' harder to get out
CHORUS:
to get out with no compass
to get out with no map
ah, to get out
with your skin intact
you chiseled it on paper
carved it in notebooks
yeah, you did it on wine
and all those 'bennies" that you took
just to stay at the wheel
in case wea ll forgot
never missed an experience
no, no, not on yor watch
maybe it was in 'Frisco?
maybe Mexico City?
from Buddha high desolations
to a mother's chains of pity
if love is an anchor
maybe you needed more
when yer driftin' alone
1000 miles from shore
you shook your fist at the readers
of most of your books
said they dug all the wrong things
and the wrong is what they took
yeah, you saw it coming
saw it all about to go down
sometimes you quit running
just to get outta town
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11. |
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GOING DOWN Words/music: bill mallonee
I’m going down...I’m going down again
what you thought was solid...isn’t
a little more than scared of just living in this skin
I’m going down again
I’m going down...down, going down today
something else got the last say
words lose their meaning or jet get in the way
I’m going down today
I’m going down...going down still
peeling off the labels but something has been killed
craving is a mad-dog and it’s nipping at your heels
you got every act down...except that one of your will
I’m going down still...I’m going down still
watch my best and you can see right through
faith and falsehood entangling you
It’s easy to get lost and it’s hard to find your health
you get good at the fine art of lying to yourself
So, I’m going down...town tonight
going out, going out....going out like a light
please, tell me baby, it’ll be alright
I’m going down tonight...I’m going down tonight
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12. |
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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...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 lonelt factories, post-war America gettin' free
leaving all the brightest and best
you never felt that understood, banging on the Underwood
puttin' all their alloy to the test
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...
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13. |
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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...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 lonelt factories, post-war America gettin' free
leaving all the brightest and best
you never felt that understood, banging on the Underwood
puttin' all their alloy to the test
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...
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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
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