Get all 89 Bill Mallonee releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, & WEST, ABOVE, BELOW & WITHIN (free single from Orphan Songs 2018), Here It Opens With A Prayer, But It Closes With A Song, A CLAMORING OF GHOSTS (2021), STUNNED (an anniversary song), "Lead On, Kindly Light" & "This World & One More" 2020, ORPHAN SONGS (2018), NEED TO BLEED (expanded version) Bill Mallonee & Vigilantes of Love, FOREST FULL OF WOLVES (2018), and 81 more.
Excludes supporter-only releases.
1. |
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 denyin' 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
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2. |
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IT CAME UPON THE MIDNIGHT CLEAR
Traditional Carol/Arrangement by Muriah Rose
It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
From heavens all gracious King!"
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled;
And still their heavenly music floats
O'er all the weary world:
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.
O ye beneath life's crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow;
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing;
Oh rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing.
For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years
Shall come the time foretold,
When the new heaven and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace, their King,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.
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3. |
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THE KING WILL SEE YOU NOW words/music: bill mallonee
I heard you all came from pretty far
to grace our little old town
heard you saw some new bright stars
ah, the king will see you now
the king was pacing in his chambers
clearly a worried man
seems like for every neck ya’ gotta wring,
ah, ya’ get to wring two hands
ok, let’s put our cards on the table
let us be of the same mind
if you’d relay my goodwill
ah, if you’d be so kind
I’d welcome him in person if I could
but there’s this shakey lil' government
later on, I’ll bring the love in a motorcade
with all that pomp and circumstance
Chorus:
and the pattern, it repeats itself
when power is asked to bow
whenever truth gets ushered in
ah, the king will see you now
Oh, I’ll offer him my worship
my best wishes and bright hope
never mind the dagger
underneath my cloak
I hear new kings get born every day
So me? I don’t sweat it all that hard
Isn’t life just the funniest thing?
With all this changing of the guard?
Chorus
They say that patriotism is the last refuge
to which a scoundrel clings
I’ve seen that with my own two eyes
then I saw it in a dream
Must be time to guard your turf
must be time to guard your home
whenever the truth shows up drunk with love
and gets too close to the bone
Chorus:
and the pattern, it repeats itself
when power is asked to bow
whenever truth gets ushered in
ah, the king will see you now
there’s always a steel door to be slammed
when she gets a little loud
whenever truth gets outta hand
ah, the kind will see you now
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4. |
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IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER
Words: Christina G. Rossetti
Music: Gustav Holst
Arrangement: Muriah Rose
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter, long ago.
Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
the Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.
Angels and archangels may have gathered there, cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
but his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
worshiped the beloved with a kiss.
What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him: give my heart.
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5. |
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JULIAN (IT’S DECEMBER AND I’M LOST)
words/music: bill mallonee
I have come here to give voice
to all of the impoverished
and to all the ones were
but mostly have n’er been
I’ve come here to scream out loud
and wipe some of the sweat
off their brow
even the ones just below my skin
I’ve come here to shatter
the grandest of illusions
that you stand so tall
and make it on your own
I’ve come here to reveal
that what you are is what you steal
and what you steal you
can never get y0u home
chorus:
It’s December and I’m lost
between Advent and holocaust
it’s all just static
or the hard sell
Ah, Blessed Julian!
Would you pray for me...and
whisper in my ear
that all shall be most well?
yeah, most well...most well
I’ve come here to extend
you the permission
to throw on that last shovelful of earth
I’ve here to despise
the accuser’s long, loud lies
i’ve come to stumble first
and then walk off this curse
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6. |
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IN AND AROUND OUR HEARTS TONIGHT
by: bill mallonee
It’s a tried old world...it’s a weary old globe
spinnin’ dark in the night
but every time every year there appears
as star in the sky
now peace on earth & goodwill towards men
well, that’s just a greeting card word
when you live by the sword that’s verse
that’ll barely be heard
chorus:
no matter what condition your condition is in
it’s all gonna work out right
Love is in and around
around our world/hearts tonight.
Well, he grew up wise and he grew up strong
he had good friend they called John
He was Mary’s boy for whom the world
had waited so long
Hope had a birthday...Joy got some press
and it n’er quit calling us home
However far our feet across this weary world may have roamed
Now everybody wants a lil’ piece of Him
They all wanna claim him for their own
king of political party, your country,
king of that flag you’ve flown
you can pledge allegiance...go to war in his name
and put that name on the money of yours
put the gift that he wants is to make your heart
his home
Now He comes with angels & He comes with songs
He’s gotta band ya’ gotta see to believe
and there ain’t no cover to get inside
and all the top shelf drinks are free
and He comes to you cold little stable heart
He comes to your dark side of town
you might call Him the Master Thief
Come to steal you from the lost & found
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7. |
GOD, IT'S CHRISTMAS
05:52
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GOD, IT'S CHRISTMAS Words/music: bill mallonee
Well, it came kinda fast; came kinda quick
but there’s no gettin’ around it
God, It is Christmas
you’ve got your Herods and Wise men, make no mistake
we all come to the table with different takes
God, it’s Christmas
And there’s a babe laying there for the nations to see
a picture of Absolute vulnerability
and I can get int ouch with most of this
Someone looking for you in a cheap disguise
by now you’d a thought it would have opened our eyes
to just how deep...the dark can be
Chorus:
Till one we’ll wake up and see
the Jesus in you and the Jesus in me...
Now, I’m glad for Mary and Joseph, too
I’m glad for each and everyone of you
who did their best to shine like a star
to bring some light to the places where it rarely gets
Maybe God has this Diamond He keeps trying to set it
in the manger...of everybody’s heart?
Chorus:
Till one day we all wake up and see
the Jesus in you and the Jesus in me
and stop...being so afraid
of death and hell and our very selves
and just about everybody else who don’t quite see it our way
he'll give you a jewel you can't ignore
You can try to return it but He says: “nope, buddy that’s yours...now and forever.”
And He’ll polish it up so it’ll shine...like a Bethlehem Star till the end of time
God, it’s Christmas
God, it’s Christmas
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8. |
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LOOK AT ALL THE STARS
words/music: bill mallonee
1.
My father often brought me here;
I loved to see him smile
it was hard to tell which one of us
was the little child
he would stretch his arms out wide;
he would hold me to his heart
he’d say, “Hey, look at all the stars!”
he’d say, “Hey, look at all the stars!”
2.
Life is n’er a path that’s straight;
there’s so much gets in the way
from here to Kingdom Come
there’s so much to make you numb
still I always had that light
forever etched inside my heart
I would tell myself at night
as I stood out in the yard
“Hey, look at all the stars!”
I’d say, “Hey, look at all the stars!”
Bridge
I remember a single flash of light...
they say the missile found it’s mark
I remember falling through your arms...
I remember groping in the dark
and I’m always groping in the dark
3.
there are some who’er blind by choice
and others ho are not
and I’ve touched so many faces,
but my own I have forgot
father often brought me here;
he was like a little child
long before the lights went out
I can still see him smile
He said, “Hey, look at all the stars!”
He said, “ Hey, look at all the stars...”
4.
So, I’ve brought you here to see
all the things I cannot see
brought you to this highest peak
so you can tell me what I’m missing
and when the clouds have flown away,
I hear the moon shines like a cup
in that silver, velvet blue the heart of God,
it opens up
You said, “Oh! Look at all the stars!”
You said, “Hey, look at all the stars!”
You said, “Oh, my! Look at all the stars!’
You said...
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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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