Swinger 500
The Good News First
I'm convinced this whole thing ends
In a crash of common sense
In an avalanche of accidents
Premonitions of what's already been
The good news first
I ain't ready for the worst
I ain't ready for the hurt
Give the good news first
You're bleedin' every heart that you enter
I guess that's one way to remember
Thread a tear and tie it on
Premonitions of what's already gone
The good news first
I ain't ready for the worst
I ain't ready for the hurt
Give the good news first
Do you find this funny?
Send in the clowns funny?
Do you find this funny?
No one's laughin' more than me
The good news first
Baker: bass
Christine Gunn: cello
Glenn Slater: Hammond organ
Oscar Williams: trumpet
Electric Wire
3 white crosses line the road
Who or how they got there
I don't even wanna know
Between heaven black and hell well lit
Between your flower dress
And my sun burned lips
Tonight I won't be passin' thru
I'll be sleepin' here and if things go right
I'll be holdin' you
And when I'm gone, you will refuse
To win or lose
Just like you always do
Should I lie more or dream less?
To me they're not the same
But to you they are I guess
Give up his ghost .
Them shadows close each and every breath
You are electric wire, sleepin' on my chest
That band that's on your T-shirt, I once met one of them
The people in the bar that night
You could count 'em on one hand
They didn't give a shit,
But that made them who they were
One of them spun the mirror ball
And the other worked the door
I've been lookin' for somethin'
Quick and ever strong
Somethin' wild as mercury
Ain't afraid of bein' wrong
Tonight l won't be passin' thru
I'll be sleepin' here
And if things go right
And I'll be holdin' you
Baker: bass
Terri Moeller: drums
Glenn Slater: moog synthesizer
David Immergluck: pedal steel
New Love Ends
New love ends
What the old love begins
Close your eyes, close your eyes
And old love condemns .
What I still can't pretend
Close your eyes, close your eyes
The heart 15 a fortress
The bricks are made of earth
Show me which one to pry
Tell me which one goes first
The heart a blind haven
Never knowin' day from night
Make your plans early
Never know when wrong is right
The old love surrounds
When the new love lies down
Close your eyes, close your eyes
And the new love breathes
What I still can't believe
Close your eyes, close your eyes
Christine Gunn: cello
Black Rope Tied
Concerning us
Concerning you concerning him
Never pity the fool
See what's broken
See the white branches
Seeing what laughs
What hurts
These last chances
Drink of choice
Swig of love
Let's finish first
What we never begun
Half-again
And half-pretend
Half for the stars
Save half for the end
I won't ever let you go
I won't even try
Hold this black rope close
This black rope, won't untie
Never as good
As forgettin' to blame
Nothin' squandered
Surrendered or strayed
The new and the useless
Switchyard crash
Faithless train
Last chances - always last
Concerning us
Concerning you
Concerning him
Never pit' the fool
See what's broken
Branches snap
One chance too many
Last chances - always last
I won't ever let you go
Won't even try
Hold this black rope close
Hold this black rope tight
I won't ever let you go
Won't even try
Hold this black rope close
This black rope, won't untie
Baker: Bass
Terri Moeller: drums
Bruce Wirth: organ
David Immergluck: mandolin
Christine Gunn: cello
Fear
There's a chrome-plated gun
Neath the nightstand table.
Next to a shotglass
And a used up razor
You pick it up
Go flown the stairs
Past the kids room
Into the air
Stones throw down the drive
You climb on in
$100 bills, taped to your skin
I say I'm surprised
That you're sittin' here' you say:
Don't ever, mention that again
Cyclone fence
An empty airstrip
When we leave this room
We swallow it
Lizard clouds
The silk of the corn
A crack in my conscience
Ain't the way, that I was born
Fear ain't nothin'
I promise
At the next table
Woman gets up to dance
She says ,,come on Frank, give it a chance"
He's gettin' mad, says ,,let it die"
,,We came here to drink
Not to hurt ourselves"
Fear ain't nothin'
I promise
The sound of your name
Drowned out by the train
Fluorescent lights flash
Train rushes past
This could be anywhere
This could be now
Stole, borrowed, lended
Nobody here to show you how
Felt your hand go slack
In the rush and the black
The day is who loved you
The night took you back
Fear ain't nothin'
I promise (repeat)
Danny Barnes: banjo & national steel guitar
Axel Mundy: bass clarinet
John Bosch: fever electric guitar
Glenn Slater: moog synthesizer
Swinger 500
Learn them numbers quick
17 to 1
Learn them numbers quick
They're the best odds we will get
I know suspicions have
Finally been aroused
A fate so simple that
Ain't no way I'm turnin' back
Trouble came cheap
But left expensive
Trouble came home
Ain't apprehensive
Now here's the drill'
Here's the thick
You haven't heard the last of it
Sharp as tacks
They're all we get
You better learn them numbers quick
I sold out short
I sold out fast
Chained to my youth
High horse of my past
And for what I got
I must admit
It wasn't worth the half of it
To hesitate, is to lost your way
And I've seen lost for years
I'm afraid
Wanna swing from you
Wanna swing
Wanna swing from you
Wanna swing
I held the door
While trouble crawled
Past our iced
And down the hall
I held the door
When it came back
Better learn them numbers quick
Anne Marie Ruliancich: violin
Oscar Williams: trumpet
Funny How Time Slips Away
Baker: bass
Terri Moeller: drums
David Immergluck: pedal steel
Bingo Catastrophe
Michael Wells: bass & harmonica
David Immergluck: pedal steel
Blue Winter Snow
I was thinkin' of us
In that drunk hotel
They lost your message at the desk
I found you dancin' in the hall
Diamond circles
Another well-timed parade
Home, is where I take you back
When you haven't left a trace
Shut my eyes
So I could let you go
Blue winter snow
Faraway
Now it's close at hand
Whispers from the sky'
Flurries never planned
To this world unchanged
Even with all of its dreamin'
I am reckless, I am stolen
Warmin' up here, since its been snowin'
Shut my eyes
So I could let you go
Blue winter snow
Shut my eyes
Couldn't let you go
Blue winter snow
John von Feldt: upright bass
Bruce Wirth: harmonium
Oscar Williams: trumpet
Mercury Rising
Mercurial morning
Hot summer storm
Came without warning
Along the canal
Turn bicycles round
Headed back to the town
Mercury rising
Given the chance we will
Mess with the poison
Mercury rising
Off of the map
Without even tryin'
Do you think we'll make it back in time?
Next time I'll kiss you
Next time I'll try'
Do you think we'll make it back in time?
Hot summer storm
Rain is already fallin'
Mercury rising
Given the chance we will
Mess with the poison
Mercury rising
Off of the map
Without even tryin'
Do you think we'll make it back in time?
Oscar Williams: trumpet
Famous Last Words
And if your heart's on loan
Take it out of hock
And if you think time is a trick
Strangle every clock
And if rock and roll can't win
Don't even begin
Good luck in every song
Don't give a fuck
For what's already done
Grant Eckman: drums
John von Feldt: bass
Danny Barnes: national steel guitar
Anne Marie Ruliancich: violin & swooping voices
Recorded by Kevin Suggs at Avast! Recording, Seattle, December 1997
Songs written by Chris Eckman © 1998 Wolffsongs /EMI publishing GmbH
Except ,,Funny How Time Slips Away" written by Willie Nelson, BMG songs(BMI)
Lyrical assistance: Carla
Cover design: Jürgen Peschel
Back cover and booklet Polaroids: Carla & Chris
Mastered by Pauler acoustics
Digital editing by Bruce Wirth at House of Snacks
European booking agent: Berthold Seliger
Live sound: Luc Wouters
Web site for Chris & Carla: http://www.hooked.net/~cbhall/
Rivers of thanks to all the musicians who generously walked through the door and loaned us their sounds.
All of you are amazing.
We also thank: The Walkabouts (Terri, Glenn & Baker), The Glitterhouse records crew, Jana, Berthold, Kevin, Luc, Stuart Hallerman, Laura Torgerson (mix master), Virgin Germany, Steve Fisk (next time), Wolfgang Pracht, Chris Hall, Tony Kroes, Kathleen Thompson & The Willard Grant Conspiracy
Glenn Slater, Terri Moeller & Baker appear courtesy of The Walkabouts and Virgin Records
Danny Barnes appears courtesy of The Bad Livers and Hightone records
Produced by Chris Eckman, Carla Torgerson & Kevin Suggs
Carla Torgerson & Chris Eckman provided: voices, guitars, upright piano, swinger 500 organ, Wurlitzer electric piano, percussion, synthesizers, assorted noises
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