Get all 91 Bill Mallonee releases available on Bandcamp and save 20%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Comes To Life (New single released March 14th, 2024), 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), "LEAD ON, KINDLY LIGHT" & "THIS WORLD & ONE MORE" (2020), ORPHAN SONGS (2018), and 83 more.
Excludes supporter-only releases.
1. |
RUBICON
05:14
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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
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2. |
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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?
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3. |
UNEASY PEACE OF MIND
04:47
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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
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4. |
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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
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5. |
JUST BETWEEN ME & GOD
03:50
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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
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6. |
RUBICON (alt mix)
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
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
|
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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