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 & free download), 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.
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"NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST, ABOVE, BELOW, WITHIN"
w&m: bill mallonee c. 2018 by "once more, this time with feeling" music
Baby, You go broke; you go bust by slow degrees
& the vault of your heart is found to be empty
Every metal? the flame will test
north south east west.....
above below within
Now, the thief? He grabbed the wheel of the car
Darkness never needed any camouflage
he disappears without a trace
north south east west
above below within
Is it something in the water....something in the air?
Is it something in your skin? Something everywhere?
Now, the flag of violence is the new crest
north south east west
above below within
The rich man clutches his gold watch;
The rich lady? Her lace
But, the poor man's got no one to plead his case
No, it won't be pretty when this is addressed
north south east west...
above below within
above below within
above below within....
solo outro...
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2. |
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HOW MUCH IS THE DISTANCE? w&m bill mallonee
call the kids out of the flatbed
couple miles and we'll be hitting that rain
If closeness is "family,"
well, crammed in this front, we got that in spades
and you're the prettiest thing, I've ever seen...
chorus 1:
How much is the distance
when persistence is a well that has run dry?
when darkness is a thief that steals the light
right out of your eyes
between a dream...and what has come to be
When poverty's your friend
you learn to rely on special graces
with Jesus on the dashboard, & a rosary on the rearview
we've covered all the bases
baby, you're the prettiest thing, I've ever dreamed...
chorus 2
How much is the distance
when persistence is a well that has run dry?
when darkness is a thief that steals the light
right out of your eyes
***********************************************************************
From the devil's playground
where you try to stoke the fires of Kingdom Come
From your bloodied, bended knee
to the swear words fallin' off your tongue
how much is the distance?
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3. |
FORGERIES
04:01
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FORGERIES words & music: bill mallonee admin BMI 2017
There's no spinning any gold....outta this one
no use tryin' to fix the wagon wheel
It's just stumblin' down this corridor where you navigate by feel
tryin' to sort the fake from the real
Some days it ain't worth the paper it's printed on
It sure ain't worth a life of crime for you to steal
And by God, yer so thirsty...but every drink you spill
tryin' to sort the fake from the real...
Sweet hour of prayer
had my hand on the television
I made my peace long time ago
with oblivion
Now forgeries run riot at every card table
every banker's pen clogged with the fine print of shady deals
Ah, but darling could i have your hand for this next Virginia reel?
and we'll sort through all the fake from the real
sort through all the fake from the real
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4. |
BEGGAR'S SKIN
03:58
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BEGGAR 'S SKIN music/lyrics: bill mallonee
I have always been a beggar...living in a beggar's skin
just like some old tattered coat...one that's wearing thin
Maybe there's a table up in heaven; there's just an empty one here on earth
You just learn to steal the crumbs that fall...off into the dirt.
Prometheus stole god's fire
But it was the carny that put him on the map
Man, that was one helluva show
No disputin' that...
It came adorned with feats of strength
and many a side show freaks
and like all those pretty unclad dancing girls
we're all the same underneath
Chorus:
Yes, we're all master's of disguise here
stumblin' 'bout the place
all livin' in chameleon skin
with an ever-changin' face.
Now the rich man has a gold watch
the rich woman has her lace
but the poor man? he's got no friend in the world
no one to plead his case
now there are thieves who dream in prison cells
just like children wish upon a star
thieves with ties & fountain pens
drinking top-shelf at the bar
Bill: guitars, vocals, piano
all rights reserved
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5. |
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THIS ONE IS NOT GOING TO END WELL
words & music: bill mallonee c.BMI 2017
v.1
You never can be sure where you're at on this map
the past, present & future tend to over-lap
They say it all shakes out...but as far as i can tell
this one is not....going...to end well
v.2
I surveyed every angle but the one that carried me
was that dusty old virtrue they called brutal honesty
from cradle to grave...it's the hallowed or hard sell
this one is not...going...to end well
v.3
First you log the miles...then scrape off the rust
whatever gold you find or steal? well, it all turns to dust
if you listen very closely you'll hear the tolling of the bell
this one is not...going...to end well
v4.
I came here to draw water from that ancient well
a place where no moth corrupts & no thief shall ever dwell
I'll share a secret with you, if you promise not to tell
this one is not....going...to end well
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STUMBLIN' THROUGH (GOOD & KINDLY HEARTS)
words & music: bill mallonee
Didn't I I try and warn you
about what you might be gettin' yourself into?
Did i leave you and doubt my love?
Didn't i show all my cards to you?
Well, the monitors were crap that night
i'm ashamed to say i phoned it in
You were sitting at the corner table
So, i threw caution to the wind
chorus:
Another losing streak
Going on for way too long
It's just two good & kindly hearts
Stumblin' through the same song
I pulled up a chair just to make some small talk
It's the same old baggage everybody brings
You said: "Really, i don't come here all that much,
but tonight I'm sure glad i did...."
Another losing streak
Going on for way too long
It's just two good & kindly hearts
Stumblin' through the same song
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7. |
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THAT HANDBILL THAT PROMISED ALL w&m: bill mallonee
Standing in a railyard way back East
it was crisp, Autumn New York City morn
foreman handed us our release
said "your services are no longer needed..."
chorus:
Then the light...it did fall
on that handbill...that promised all
"Chance of a lifetime," is what it read
there's new land to be cleared, farmed & ruled
Oklahoma territory homestead
You start with 40 acres & a mule
dug a hole in the ground
just before winter come a-screamin'
like a grave carved out of the earth
for the wife & kids to live in
there's no preacher out here in these parts
so i turn some verses over on my tongue
just to try and keep my soul from hell
As i curse this barren land from here to kingdom come
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8. |
NOTHING MUCH TO SHOW
02:40
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9. |
ONE HORSE TOWN
02:04
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ONE-HORSE TOWN w&m: bill mallonee
Shake off the dust ...of this one horse town
Get in the truck...let's cover some ground
This has been no promised land...& it's no hallowed ground
Shake off the dust...of this one horse town
Shake off the dust...as best you can
of the insults & rumors...and misunderstandings
close your ears to the murmurs...try and forget the frowns
Shake off the dust...of this one horse town
They'll throw mud on your name...they will call you "boy."
They will curse your God...They will steal your joy
'cause they're sad & afraid...and maybe hell bound
Shake off the dust...of this one horse town
Now, i've got a woman...with a heart of gold
i've got a guitar...and Jesus in my soul
This ain't no promised land...& it's no hallowed ground
Shake off the dust...of this one horse town
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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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