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WANDERLUST​/​WPA 16

by Bill Mallonee & the High Desert Freaks

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1.
RUBICON 05:14
RUBICON words/music: bill mallonee “7 hills will soon be mine but that can wait till dawn” said Caesar to his noble steed at the edge of the Rubicon “one day all roads will lead this way and no, I’m not just braggin’ everybody needs a compass point buddy, you just mark my Latin” now you can slumber in the present and can ‘Roman-ticize” the past but the future? Now, that’s what interests me “and so the die is cast” cast by hearts full of ambition cast by cunning & by sword cast when men no longer have something to live for Chorus: maybe there’s no turning back from whatever road you’re on what with history breathing down your neck till you cross the Rubicon and yes, I’ve met some cowards and yes, I’ve met some fools you know I made a few friends and I made some enemies, too “Now, Law? I place myself above and Mercy? Well, that’s gotta stop it’s lonely at the bottom just like it’s lonely at the top well, maybe there's no turning back from whatever road you're on with history breathing down your neck at the edge of the Rubicon 7 hills shall soon be mine but that can wait till dawn...” said Caesar to his noble steed at the edge of the Rubicon
2.
HOW FAR DO YOU WANDER (TO CATCH UP WITH YOUR GHOST?) words/music: bill mallonee I can still see ‘em... loading the wreck of that pick-up truck...with what we had left luck left the table...the game wasn’t even close how far do you wander...to catch up with your ghost? I can still see ‘em...shakin’ their heads on the waves of depression and drowning in debt closing in on something with every passing fence post how far do you wander...to catch up with your ghost? Bankers & politicians...grin & shake hands hawks in a war room...making dark plans violence is a drug...and we’ve all had a dose how far do you wander...to catch up with your ghost? The world’s a getaway car...devil’s at the wheel engine is seizing...tires they squeal the world is a knife-blade...laid on your throat how far do you wander...to catch up with your ghost? How far do you ramble? how far do you roam? Is there a place left on earth...you can call your own? If Life is a song, then who stole the notes? how far do you wander...to catch up with your ghost?
3.
UNEASY PEACE OF MIND words/music: bill mallonee too few beckoning wide open skies too many dead ends after long drives too many gravestones wet with tears too few dreamers with their vision quests too many good things laid to rest too much burying going on round here uneasy peace of mind too much trying to read the sign of the times too many secrets left untold too much good faith being stolen too much selling down the river too much poison in the well too much of the grim hard sell too little justice being delivered too much to those who have the most too much shaking hands with your own ghost too many being consciences being ignored too many making sure the deck is stacked too many dropping through the cracks too much faith in power & in war sun cascades light on the new fallen snow sooner of later we all gotta go (van's packed and ready to go) it'll take some courage to keep the good things alive
4.
FROM DALHART TO BOISE CITY words/music: bill mallonee from Dalhart to Boise City from Cimarron county east ain't never seen anything like it ......ah, to say the least ah, to say the least (back to head) busting sod and growing wheat in the good years of the boom when you can't build a fine house to live in well a hole will have to do we made the earth our plunder turned under every blade of grass we drove our plows into her heart till she sighed and breathed her last chorus: i'll hold my breath for benevolence ah, but i'll expect the worse now we all just shade our eyes and search the skies waiting for the cloudburst dark clouds of God's electric wrath blot out every ray of sun you could say we had it coming well, you might not be wrong and me? well, i left the table long ago where you bet on God or devil we all just wear faces of the curse just to be on the level chorus: i'll hold my breath for benevolence ah, but i'll expect the worse now we all just shade our eyes and search the skies waiting for the cloudburst some of us were greedy some of us were meek But no matter what skin you maybe livin' in we all bow to grief from Dalhart to Boise City from Cimarron county east ain't never seen anything like it ......ah, to say the least ah, to say the least ah, to say the least
5.
JUST BETWEEN ME & GOD words/music:bill mallonee you know, i don't think i ever saw him sweat no matter what was breathin down his neck when th'dusters came rippin' cross the land he just dug his will & 2 feet into the sand CHORUS: Standing tall in the bright light of day on a piece of earth they can't take away the drought came in like a thief to rob You said "well, that's just 'tween me & God" That one's just between me & God. well the feds said the Indians couldn't stay time for the plow to have it's day i never really saw it that way wasn't long till the land dried up & blew away there are heroes that you'll see at picture shows and most them you'll meet or know but me, well i am luckier than most all of my heroes live pretty close
6.
RUBICON words/music: bill mallonee “7 hills will soon be mine but that can wait till dawn” said Caesar to his noble steed at the edge of the Rubicon “one day all roads will lead this way and no, I’m not just braggin’ everybody needs a compass point buddy, you just mark my Latin” now you can slumber in the present and can ‘Roman-ticize” the past but the future? Now, that’s what interests me “and so the die is cast” cast by hearts full of ambition cast by cunning & by sword cast when men no longer have something to live for Chorus: maybe there’s no turning back from whatever road you’re on what with history breathing down your neck till you cross the Rubicon and yes, I’ve met some cowards and yes, I’ve met some fools you know I made a few friends and I made some enemies, too “Now, Law? I place myself above and Mercy? Well, that’s gotta stop it’s lonely at the bottom just like it’s lonely at the top 7 hills shall soon be mine but that can wait till dawn...” said Caesar to his noble steed at the edge of the Rubicon
7.
UNEASY PEACE OF MIND words/music: bill mallonee too few beckoning wide open skies too many dead ends after long drives too many gravestones wet with tears too few dreamers with their vision quests too many good things laid to rest too much burying going on round here uneasy peace of mind too much trying ti read the sign of the times too many secrets left untold too much good faith being stolen too much selling down the river too much poison in the well too much of the grim hard sell too little justice being delivered too much to those who have the most too much shaking hands with your own ghost too many being consciences being ignored too many making sure the deck is stacked too many dropping through the cracks too much faith in power & in war sun cascades light on the new fallen snow sooner of later we all gotta go (van's packed and ready to go) it'll take some courage to keep the good things alive

about

Maybe the most adventurous & ambitious WPA to date.
A sorta 4 track-in-the-garage "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" with a shot of Mr. Guthrie...

credits

released March 21, 2013

Bill Mallonee: guitars, vocals, keys, drums, harmonicas
Muriah Rose: piano on "Dalhart"
*accordion, string and orchestral harp arrangements: bill mallonee

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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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