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From "Ti Jean"
(Hearts Crossing the Centerline)

This Ep is based loosely on the life of Jack Kerouac.
Except for From the Beats Down to the Buddha, all of these tunes were written over the last 10 years. Jack is one of my favorite authors. Jack's writing is deeply personal and journalistic. Frequently misrepresented and often misunderstood, Kerouac, with the preciseness of an "outsider," challenged post-war America to assess it's values, it's goals and even it's lack of spiritual focus.

HARD LUCK & HEART ATTACK was inspired by Kerouac's work entitled Desolation Angels.
It opens with Jack atop Mount Desolation where he would do fire watches for the U.S. Forestry Services. It touches on his self destructive lifestyle, trips to San Francisco to hang with his friends. Above all, I wanted to highlight Kerouac's reverent belief in the innocence of the American spirit. I tried to write all these songs from Jack's mindset.
I've been to Lowell, seen the "On The Road"manuscript, toured the Kerouac museum. Jack's old Underwood is there. visitors were invited to type a message on it.
I quoted from this song and addressed it to "Ti Jean," (Little John) Jack's mothers term of endearment for her son.

Tenderness was one of Kerouac's overlooked qualities, I believe.
It is my hope that by listening to these songs, some of that virtue of his tender spirit might be restored to his legacy.

bill mallonee
Santa Fe, NM Jan. 2011

lyrics

Hard Luck and Heart Attack Run Time: 4:20
music/lyrics:Bill Mallonee

clouds break for a moment when you're coming off Desolation
and Frisco's your appointment you're the way you were before
trying to gaze east but with no one to depend on
and the blisters on your feet
yeah from coming down the mountain

your friends won't let you down but friends they're not the refuge
you're tearing up the town with a hip flask of red wine
scrawling visions buzzed in that five and dime notepad
saving them just because us angels seemed so sad

CHORUS:
a ticket from the coat-check girl
her words and flesh are laughing
taking down her number
on that lipstick-stained napkin
sainthood for anyone
yeah who knows you lose it to save it
a prayer for everyone
who's ever been out on the pavement
a sound inside of me
as i'm falling through the cracks
hard luck and heart attack
of hard luck yeah and heart attack

arms around me
if i'm going through the ceiling
service stations of the cross
yeah the doctors they need healing
things clear for a moment
when you're coming off Desolation
between nothing and the atonement
it all bleeds behind your cadence

credits

from Hearts Crossing the Center Line​/​WPA 21 (Songs inspired by the writings of Jack Kerouac) 2011, track released January 11, 2011
Bill Mallonee: vocals, guitars, harmonica
Kenny Hutson: guitar, bgv's
Jake Bradley: bass
Brady Blade: drums

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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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