Preview tracks from this album here.
Purchase a copy of this album personally signed by Gary Lucas here.
- LuvzOldSweetSong (Lucas/Brooks) words
- Chime On (Lucas) words
- Swamp T'ing (Lucas) words
- Climb the Highest Mountain (Lucas) words
- Hot and Cold Everything (Lucas)
- Lady of Shalott (Lucas/Dalton) words
- Peep Show Bible (Lucas) words
- Whirlygig (Lucas)
- Depression (Lucas) words
- Lazy Flowers (Lucas)
- Jedwabne (Lucas) words
Gods and Monsters are
Gary Lucas - guitars, lead vocals
Ernie Brooks - bass, vocals
Billy Ficca - drums
Jason Candler - sax, vocals
Joe Hendel - keyboards, trombone, vocals
Special Guests:
Jerry Harrison - keyboards, vocals
Jenni Muldaur - vocals
Alva Rogers - vocals
Jack McKeever - vocals
Frank London - trumpet
Words and music by Gary Lucas
Except Track 1 lyrics by Gary Lucas and Ernie Brooks.
Track 6 lyrics by David Dalton.
All songs copyright Gary Lucas Music BMI
Produced by Jerry Harrison
Engineered by Jay Mark, Jason Candler, and Jack McKeever
Mixed by Jerry Harrison with ET Thorngren
Savior Mixes by Matt "The World's Most Patient (Jewish) Engineer" Cohen
Recorded at Chung King Studios NYC, Loho Studios NYC, The Maid's Room NYC, and at Sausalito Sound
Mixed at Sausalito Sound and The Maid's Room
Mastered by Jason Candler
Cover Painting by Paul McGowan
Booklet deawing by Cheyenne Schiavone
Back cover and booklet group photo copyright Michel Delsol
Layout by Zach Jaeger
Special Thanks to Steve Hendel, Victor Luke, and all the folks at Knitting Factory Records
Knitting Factory Records KFR-1111, 2011
LUVZOLDSWEETSONG
You fell under the spell of a water-lord
You took notes at the foot of the first born
Coming round hard, not easily torn
Baring on bodies so perfectly warm
Now in the race of time and space
You follow wallow where to go
Another lover leads the pace
You can’t go back you can’t go slow
So now you follow hollow swallowing
Your pride it’s good to know
That you’re alive again
And you can feel again
A love’s too real my friend
You can’t conceal it
And you will love her
How much you love her
And you will want her
So much you want her
You came alive at the first crow of morning
Brain dead no more didn’t need any warning
You came in from a view of the distance
A beautiful draught off the well of existence
Now is the time to act in fact
It’s later than you think it’s here
And at your back you always hear
Time’s winged chariot drawing near
So pick it up ad get it up to speed
There’s nothing more to fear
And you will love her
And you will miss her
How much you love her
How much you miss her
And you will wonder
Oh how you wander
And you will love her
So much you love her
Trying so hard to play catch up with her
It’s a crying shame
She ran away on the day that you left
On another plane
Now you draw close and you whisper to her
Hold my hand and we’re never coming back
Hold my hand and we’re never coming back
She came on like the queen of the night school
You thought that she was the pick of the gene pool
Mingling sweetness and salts of the new earth
Dying each day
But already to give birth
A fecund few will force the view
A feline beeline for the door
Once more into her breach my friend
Will make amends and raise the score
So final rally tally up
Her cup is full so drink some more
And you will wander
And you will wonder
How much you want her
So much you want her
And you will find her
How much you love her
So much you want her
So much you wander
Words copyright Gary Lucas and Ernie Brooks
Music copyright Gary Lucas
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CHIME ON
Chime on till the night is done
Chime on till you feel it come
Chime on till the race is won
Chime on like the risin’ sun
Whenever you’re cold
Or you’re feeling too old
Chime on,
Don’t ever fold
It’s all part of the load
Chime on
Kick up your heels
Do whatever you feel
Chime on
Open your eyes
And you can make the sun rise
Chime on till your day has come
Chime on till your spring has sprung
Rhyme on till the song is sung
Climb on to the highest rung
Kick off your shoes
And step outta your blues,
Chime on,
Pay all your dues
You got nothin’ to lose,
Chime on
Whatever your age
Break outta your cage
Chime on, chime on
Turnin’ a page
‘Cause this is now a new age
Mama’s in the kitchen
Makin’ shortnin’ shortnin’
Daddy’s in the alley
Talkin’ out of his head
Gettin’ it together
In the brand new morning
Pullin’ off the covers
Jumpin’ out of the bed
Rise…
Now you hear what I said!
Chime on chime on chime on chime on
Well the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road
Well the Rock Island Line is the road to ride
Get yr ticket at the station
Number one’s your destination
You know you can make it if you really try
Fly—
now reach for the sky!
Chime on chime on chime on chime on
Words and music copyright Gary Lucas
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SWAMP T’ING
Chilly scenes of winter
The price of love comes
A’ tumbling down
Like a play by Pinter
You think you know her
But she’s nowhere around
Her words a sharpened dagger
One thrust will drop you right
Straight to the ground
And that’s the way
That’s the way that it is
A frosty blue horizon
An arctic wind descends
To billow and blow
Around the corner something
Might be a savior
But uh you never know
And in the distance calling
Another lover, man
How low can you go?
And that’s the way
That’s just the way that it is
Come on and dance the tango
Come on and join me
In this sick pas de deux
Come on now choose your partner
Give her a tumble
Before she tumbles you
And if you’re feeling frisky
Well Ernie Brooks will make you
Sadder than blue!
And that’s the way
That’s the way that it is
Words and music copyright Gary Lucas
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CLIMB THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN
To reach the highest mountain
Gotta keep on and climb
To make it other ways
Is just a waste of your time
To move it over here
You gotta burn till you shine
Oh you gotta keep on pushin’
Till the end of the line
The cryin’ of the dyin’
Reaches our city streets
The places of the heart
Where you never want to meet
So set your sights on higher
Even when you taste defeat
And don’t you dare stoppin’
Even when you get beat
You better
Climb the highest mountain
You Gotta
Drink from the fountain
You better
Climb the highest mountain
You gotta
Climb the highest mountain
So you can stand tall
Repeat chorus
To swim the widest river
It takes nothing at all
To forge the raging currents
Well you can’t afford to fall
So keep your heart right
When your back’s to the wall
You gotta keep on movin’
Until you can stand tall
Repeat chorus
Words and music copyright Gary Lucas
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THE LADY OF SHALOTT
I was once in Samarkand, a girl who loves me understands
Look how the water on the sand, waves at me like little hands
Should I tell you what I did? Or would you rather keep it hid?
Shall we meet and have a drink? I need a day or two to think.
The days go by, I don’t complain. Was it in Greece we met or Spain?
Will it snow or will it rain. And will we ever meet again?
It’s hard to say just what it was, that made it all so strange because
You are the Lady of Shalott. Just what is real and what is not
And all along the river lie
Long fields of barley and rye.
I kept waiting for the bus, but when it came it wasn’t us
Had I forgot the time you said, or was it someone else instead?
Remember when the moon turned red, when you and I lay there in bed
You are the Lady of Shalott, Just what is real and what is not
And all along the river lie
Long fields of barley and rye
The beasts they cry, have crossed the moat, our boat is sinking will not float.
But I doubt they mean today, I should be going anyway
Whose play is this, and what the plot? Whose lines are these—I just forgot.
You are the Lady of Shalott. Just what is real and what is not.
And all along the river lie
Long fields of barley and rye
Words copyright David Dalton
Music copyright Gary Lucas
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PEEP SHOW BIBLE
Now put your hands together and make the sign of the cross
You know that Jesus died for your sins so you could be your own sweet boss
You heard that Jonah shook the whale from his tail right
And that Moses in the rushes came and turned that party on out
Chorus: No need to libel it’s a peep show bible
Say a prayer light a candle and dive into the scandal
Don’t think you're liable it’s a peep show bible
The world’s in a tangle go ahead and let it dangle
Roll it back again now put your hands on the handle
You know you’ll never get to heaven wearin’ only one sandal
Life’s just a peep show bible, in the beginning chapter one
From Genesis to Revelation there ain’t a thing that ain’t been tried and done
Chorus
Bridge
Cast off your Lot in life, no tears no blame and no fault
And don’t look back lest you turn into a pillar of salt
You heard that Job had a bad day, well you ain’t seen nothin’ yet
Life’s just a peep show bible and there ain’t no time for regret
Chorus
Words and music copyright Gary Lucas
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DEPRESSION
My mother’s in the pokey
My sister’s in jail
And I’m in bed
Smoking a
Chesterfield!
Well I just clocked another lesson
In a country in recession
It’s so funny so in fashion
Just another deep depression
A wholly seasonal disorder
Just a step across the border
Affecting my success secession
Just another dark depression
So here I come now where do I go
So go get the boards and watch me get nailed
Now hang me for show as someone who failed
As someone who tried to grasp the nettles
And got crushed beneath the petals
A cessation of rotation
A sensation of frustration
In the face of torn
In the gutter with my putter
And my perfect pitch and stutter
Milking sputter butter butter
I’m talkin’ bout my dark depression
So here I come now where do I go
Treading the boards or is it a no-show
One for the money
Two for the blow
So know that
The more you race the devil
Try and seek another level
I’m talkin’ bout my dark depression
Ooh la la la never fear
Ooh la la la crystal clear
Ooh la la la
Watch it
Another day older
And another day deeper in
Depression
Well I just sold all my possessions
To a world in deep recession
Fare thee well my dear depression
Fare thee well my dark depression
C’esr degoulasse
Words and music copyright Gary Lucas
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JEDWABNE
O the streets of Jedwabne were silent and cold
The wind whistled lonely those stories of old
How the Jews of the town
Were slaughtered and sold
O Jedwabne your past lies in ruins
O Jedwabne what future for you
The spires of the city still ring with the crying
The voices of children still can be heard
Take heed of our past it lies waiting
From deep in the earth here our cries
Take heed of our fate it’s before you
The blood of the innocent now streams in the skies
O the streets of Jedwabne were covered with snow
Nowhere to hide and nowhere to go
When neighbor killed neighbor
And friend became foe
O Jedwabne your ghosts are all flying
O Jedwabne your city’s laid bare
The earth now gives up all its hideous secrets
The wreath that we laid can’t stifle your shame
Take heed of our past it confronts you
From now and forever who gains?
Watch out for the future in front of you
When only the bones and the stones still remain
Words and music copyright Gary Lucas
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