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DOVER BEACH (Out In The Cold) words/music; by Bill Mallonee published by "Once More, This Time With Feeling" Music BMI 2014 If there ever was a smile that stopped me in my tracks one that filled up the ocean of everything i lacked and brought the stars a little closer so there was no turning back out in the cold every conviction that i lived by, every truth that i was taught every sermon that i heard; well, it was all for naught i was always pretty bad at carryin' my cross out in the cold And our tears? they speak a language uniquely their own and every laugh? It holds the promise past the grave there's something more be it laying upon Jesus' breast, or terrible swift swords out in the cold No, i am not a scoffer withholding his thanks my purse? It may be empty, but my heart overflowed it's banks heard a different melody swelling from ragged angelic ranks out in the cold Was that your voice cascading through all that is unseen? I sorted through the implications, till i don't know what it means Caught between a heart that's all at once both holy & obscene out in the cold From the doors that never opened by prayer or skeleton key aren't our feet are only searching for a home we've never seen? I have glimpsed it once or twice ah, but it coulda been a dream out in the cold To have travel for these many years knocked on many doors i got tired of tryin' to bend an ear; i got tired of keepin' score sometimes a son of heaven; but a son of hell even more out in the cold I can show you where my heart was broken there on Dover Beach Truth receded like a wave, too farther out of reach Love may bring the tide back in; hard to live, easy to preach out in the cold. If there ever was a smile that stopped me in my tracks one that filled up the ocean of everything i lacked and brought the stars so close i touched them; honey, i'll never forget that... out in the cold
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2. THOSE LOCUST YEARS words/music: bill mallonee Well, the locust years they're making the rounds And the locust years arecoming to your town they don't ask an invite they just roll on it locust years living under your skin locust years always nipping at your heels locust years they don't care what they steals like weeds taking root like darkness settlin' in locust years living under your skin well, there's no one to shoot and what good would it do? when there's no one to blame ...and nothing left to lose? locust years there's no words on his tongue he grins as he passes from his horse made of bones like a bird of prey picking you clean locust years living under your skin
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OLD BEAT UP FORD words/music: bill mallonee Sunlight sifted through the shadows It seemed brighter way back then And I walked the world in wonder all dressed up in my new skin If that world was going somewhere Well, that's just something I ignored And it all flooded through the windshield of an old beat up Ford It was pistols under waist coasts It was daggers gone unseen An ace of diamonds up the sleeve, kid That all led me to believe All that binds us to this hard world Is but a single golden cord And it flooded through the windshield of an old beat up Ford There was that moment when our paths cross We all need a place that's warm You're seeking such illumination like a beacon in the storm And if that world was going somewhere Well, there are just somethings you ignored and it all flooded through the windshield of an old beat up Ford
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4. GOT SOME EXPLAINING TO DO (gotta give the devil his due) words & music: bill mallonee time for closing the wounds up time for opening hearts time to hitching our wagon to the nearest star the whole nation is weeping how much longer can it last? goodwill & trust are thing of the past CHORUS: no matter what the disguise is well, ya' gotta give the devil his due but whoever he is has got some explain' to do people wanna control you and it's fear that they employ as soon as you pledge allegiance they're out to steal your joy now, i don't buy the right records but i know just what i like and if you're high & lonesome i know what'll get you through the night maybe it's the new corporate terror seducing the government maybe it's the war machine maybe the 1% time for banishing darkness time to do what's right time for loving the planet time for stepping into the light
5.
DEW DROP INN 04:57
DEW-DROP-INN (i love you just because) words/music: bill mallonee well, the rain retreats across mean city streets of this old mid-west town (store-front) glass & red brick non-descript with a few old ghosts roamin' round at the dew drop inn every one's yer friend and everybody's got a story unsung sam's tending bar brother, he' seen it all seen the good die young CHORUS: well, the road winds hard & the road winds cruel and hearts being what they are Let's just say "It'll be 'OK' " and "i love you," just because x2 Spring of Hope summer of Love It ain't never without a Fall some dreams get born most get beaten' out some folks forget how to dream at all well, the clouds disperse none for the worst (anyway) it's mostly just half-rainbows when it clears stories got told drinks were poured and for a moment? It was Heaven here
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BLAME IT ON THE DESERT (WHISPERIN') words/music: bill mallonee I've tried to remember exactly when we first met maybe somewhere inside a Tweed's honey tones and a Duo-Jet felt like Lewis & Clark with new lands to survey felt like that first drink of whiskey have i known you all my days? CHORUS: what the mystic knows what the Good Book does proclaim you only ever own what you give away blame it on the spirit blame it on the wine, but then again blame it on the desert.......whisperin' this road, she always beckoned you through the feedback & the drone and she promised thick & thin just don't mistake her for your home the mantra of the asphalt roadside diner Communion table take only what ya' need leave what you are able
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IN THE NEW DARK AGE (the only lamp burning bright is you) words/music: bill mallonee All the dominoes fell we went under a spell and all hell. broke. loose. Everything you held dear when the dust finally cleared it was just as you feared Chorus: In the new dark age Nobody puts up a fight In the new dark age You'll see no flares in the night The only lamp burning bright...is you All the mask came off All disguises were dropped The game was declared over Love was escorted out There was hardly a shout I'll take the crimson & clover We're all mystics & freaks With the spirit beneath Deeper than any ocean Let the string section "riff" Seal it up with a kiss Honey, we are all golden In the new dark age no one trusts anyone In the new dark age they forget to have fun The only light from the sun...is you In the new dark age nobody puts up a fight In the new dark age you'll see no flares in the night The only lamp burning bright...is you The only lamp burning bright...is you
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8. HALL OF MIRRORS & ROOM FULL OF WOES words/music: bill mallonee Hall of mirrors. Room full of woes does it get any clearer as you go? the cards you play & the ones you n'er shown Hall of mirrors. Room full of woes death is a boxer stalking the ring grabs all the prize money and few other things with a one-two punch, that's stealing the show hall of mirrors...room full of woe now, death's a prize-fighter & thorough as hell go up against him? you'll never lived to tell always a decision you already know Hall of mirrors. Room full of woes you try to bring forth fruits from this inhospitable ground toil has a face but it makes no sound scratchin' the surface with pick-axe & hoe Hall of mirrors. Room full of woes now, they say what's asleep won't stay in the ground and what is lost is nothing compared to what gets found I'm betting the farm, babe, on that smile you bestow Hall of mirrors. Room full of woes...
9.
NOW YOU KNOW 06:00
NOW YOU KNOW          words/music: bill mallonee Well, the first thing that you'll notice is the sadness of this place deserts speak in whispers but she rarely shows her face they say that you get use to it    ah, but I've not found that to be the case now you know...now you know...now you know It was somewhere deep in Texas amidst a cold December there were no stars of Bethlehem at least none that i remember faith was flying at half-mast    and so me? I cut the cord now you know...now you know...now you know I dunno why the black hills always spoke to me some folks, they need the mountain tops some folks need the sea no matter where I sing these songs  the devil's always at my sleeve now you know...now you know...now you know Caesar sat upon a steed and waited till the dawn without a word the die is cast across a Rubicon history's muddy, bloody boots are ever marching on now you know...now you know...now you know I can feel it all disintegrate like paper in the flame now you know...now you know...now you know
10.
TAP YOUR HEART ON THE SHOULDER (& SEE IF SHE'S STILL AWAKE) words/music: bill mallonee if i ever make it outta Dalhart to a place where i can stand tall a horse would do just nicely but if have to...i'm gonna crawl ain't nothing left in Oklahoma on your right or left hand we just took God's good, green earth and turned it...into sand CHORUS: Only so many days. Only so many nights Only so many smiles you can fake hey, reach over & tap your heart on the shoulder ...and see if she's still awake dunno how this all got started dunno how it'll all survive they brought in girls; they brought in whiskey 'cause they knew it'd be a long ride whatever you feel nipping at your heels whatever is tugging at your sleeve it may take some digging but you gotta find you some reason to believe if i ever make it outta Dalhart to a place where i can stand tall a horse would do just nicely but if have to...i'm gonna crawl from A few songs from WINNOWING. Full Album drops 9/1/14, Bill Mallonee & The Darkling Planes
11.
COMES TUMBLING DOWN words & music: Bill Mallonee how it all fell out how it played for keeps revisionist history well, it never weeps crumbles to dust and it falls to the ground all that you built x3 comes tumbling down now, nothing last forever so the saying went baby, let's provide them with some new evidence when the jury decides and the verdict's pronounced all that you built x3 comes tumbling down "honey, we're all resplendent." said some folk-singer that i knew use to hang on his words maybe, i still do i wonder how he's doing but he's nowhere to be found all that you built x3 comes tumbling down (repeat)
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13.
BLAME IT ON THE DESERT (WHISPERIN') I've tried to remember exactly when we first met maybe somewhere inside a Tweed's honey tones and a Duo-Jet felt like Lewis & Clark with new lands to survey felt like that first drink of whiskey have i known you all my days? CHORUS: what the mystic knows what the Good Book does proclaim you only ever own what you give away blame it on the spirit blame it on the wine, but then again blame it on the desert.......whisperin' this road, she always beckoned you through the feedback & the drone and she promised thick & thin just don't mistake her for your home losing is your closet friend but, that's all part of the deal some days you're spinning like a red-tail hawk or a wagon wheel the mantra of the asphalt roadside diner Communion table take only what ya' need leave what you are able (alt verese not used) Time is gonna change you and Grace is all you got to make you like an angel the part of you that you forgot Don't give up on Love try to learn her ways but don't fall in love with money there'll be nothing left to save
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15.
DOVER BEACH (Out In The Cold) words/music: bill mallonee If there ever was a smile that stopped me in my tracks one that filled up the ocean of everything I lacked and brought the stars a little closer so there was no turning back out in the cold Every conviction that I lived by, every truth that I was taught Every sermon that i heard; well, it was all for naught I was always pretty bad at carryin' my cross out in the cold And our tears? they speak a language uniquely their own And every laugh? It holds a promise that past the grave there's something more Be it laying upon Jesus' breast, or terrible swift swords out in the cold No, I am not a scoffer withholding his thanks My purse? It is empty, but my heart overflows it's banks I heard a different melody swelling from ragged angelic ranks out in the cold Was that your voice cascading through all that is unseen? I sorted through the implications, still I don't know what it means Caught between a heart that is at once both holy & obscene out in the cold From the doors that never opened by prayer or skeleton key Aren't our feet always searching for a home we've never seen? I have glimpsed it once or twice ah, but it might have been a dream out in the cold To have traveled for these many years & knocked on all these doors I got tired of tryin' to bend an ear; I got tired of keepin' score Sometimes a son of heaven, a son of hell even more out in the cold I can show you where my heart was broke there on Dover Beach Truth receding like a wave, too farther out of reach Love may bring the tide back in; hard to live, easy to preach out in the cold. If there ever was a smile that stopped me in my tracks one that filled up the ocean of everything I lacked and brought the stars so close i touched them; honey, I'll never forget that... out in the cold

about

A CD VERSION OF THIS ALBUM WITH IT'S EXPANDED ART WORK & LINER NOTES IS AVAILABLE AT: www.billmalloneemusic.com

I've mentioned that Winnowing is an Autumn record.
From the opener, "Dover Beach" to the real closer "Now You Know" it's something of a study in all that Autumn means to me. I wonder if it means something similar to all of our spirits. Things retire; nature goes dormant.

Maybe the very essence of Hope is like that. It sleeps, for a spell, with the expectation that it'll return. Maybe in a different form. Who knows?
That's the hope anyway. They say it springs eternal.
I like that idea.
Hope returning with a vibrancy that only the years of wisdom and "world-worn-ness" could imbue them with...

I think I've found a certain suppleness in my voice over the years that was never present in the early work. Maybe now it's because i mostly sing alone (as opposed to with a band) and it fosters being in touch with the nuance of phrasing. Anyway...
Melancholy, Longing, Fear, Darkness.
You know, the landscapes of the reality behind the one we live in most of the time.
I rarely heard anyone speak of these things as a kid. It was a subject all hush-hush if broached at all.

Is that why writers are born? Those who spend a life-time tinkering out a nomenclature to describe the unspoken? To give Face and Name to something lasting, even eternal?

Anyway, these impressions have always been the reason why I write.
That persistent melancholy that pervades our everyday reality (when we quiet down long enough to "listen") has been such a strong emotion in my work, I can hardly think of anything else that defines the heart of it.
And Autumn? "She" aids and abets.
Autumn, with her colors, smells, diminishing light hearlding the approaching dormancy of the winter seems to be the "voice" of much of this album...
Now Ya' Know...
bill

credits

released August 20, 2014

all songs: Bill Mallonee
Published by BMI c. 2014

Bill Mallonee: electric & acoustic guitars, vocals, bass, drums, Mellotron, keyboards, harmonicas, string arrangements

Muriah Rose: acoustic piano, vocals, electric piano, organ, string arrangements

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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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