Sir Robert

Sir Robert

Well, Sir Robert said "the cruelest lies
are often told in silence"
But I always looked on Silence as my friend
Else I would utter thoughts that rise
from this old and bitter man
And to paraphrase Al Tennyson,
I'd break far more than I can mend
Yes, I'd break far more than I can mend

And I am led through these dark valleys
Where only One Wide Will does shine
So little faith for so much promise
Still, I know that You and they are mine
And I know that Death will one day die
Yes, I know that Death will one day die

When work is done, one bright note
will break into the air
And Silence will no longer be my friend
I will sing a song of joyous praise
in a voice that finally can bear
A melody untouched, unstained by man
A melody, untouched, unstained by man

Well, Sir Robert said "the cruelest lies
are often told in silence"
And I don't talk much, anyway
And I am led through these dark valleys
Where only One Wide Will awaits
Where only One Wide Will awaits
One Wide Will, One Wide Will....


© Daniel Dain, 1997.

Stone Table

Yesterday was my Mom's Birthday. Happy Birthday, Margaret Lee Canterbury.

She has always said she wants "Pomp and Circumstance" played at her funeral.

Here's a little ditty I wrote several years ago. I think it was wrought from the combination of a C.S. Lewis inspired nightmare and the after-effects of some bad choices, acquainting me with mortality. Again.

Stone Table

Lay me down on the Stone Table
Watch with me through the night
When the sun shines on the Stone Table
I feel my soul take flight
Take flight

When mornin' comes you will find me
Dead to the World and its ways
Like my brother the Son and my father before me
I've no desire to stay

Where doubt and fear plague the nations
And most men walk alone
Where everybody's askin' questions
But few have directions home

Lay me down, shelter my spirit
Lay me down, God rest my bones
Lay me down on the Stone Table
Good Lord gonna take me home

Oh, lay me down, shelter our Spirits
Lay me down, God rest my bones
Lay me down on the Stone Table
Good Lord gonna take me home
Take me home
Take me home
Take me home


© Daniel Dain, 1997.

Western Blvd.

Western Blvd.


It happened down on Western Blvd.
The cobblestones, the broken bottles, broken cars and hearts
Too little sleep and too much drink
Combined to leave no room to think
But we think we think we know....

Four in the morning and a date with destiny
He left that light so late that he was way too early
It was a shiny red Impala, and the sight is with me still
He flew right through that windshield and was impaled upon the grill


(Chorus)
And we think we think we know
Think we’ll hear the footsteps
Think we’ll know it’s time to go
We think we think we know

Well, his mom was from Missouri, so he had the attitude
She left him in Ohio, and he had oh so much to prove
Never was the pretty boy, had to fight to hold his own
Desperate blood was in his eye and he left it on the chrome


(Chorus)

(Bridge)
Most of us get everything we need when we are born
We start out healthy, big, and strong, and still manage to ignore
Don’t take what’s freely given and try to make it any more
And I'm thinkin' we're all so surprised when the Mover slams the door


Dried blood is so much darker than bright cherry paint
And it stains the cobblestone
Here's hopin' he's still on his game
And that he finally made it home

(Chorus + chorus)

It happened down on Western Blvd.

The Libertarian Folksinger's Lament

Several years ago, from the last row of a John Gorka show, but written for Fred Eaglesmith.

The Libertarian Folksinger's Lament - (Get My Way)

I’m fairly certain it can’t be my pretty face
And my taste except for music is just way too commonplace
….To suit you
My dress is not androgynous
I don’t cater to that new-age fuss you make….
Aww, that pretty fluff you take

But I’m happy jus’ to be here
And you know I came to play
And I know that we can get along
If you would only, let me…. get my way

My politics aren’t where you think they have to be
I’m jus’ plain full of antisocial tendencies
My friends are all annoying; forgive if I offend you all by toying
With your genteel sensibilities

(Bridge)
My girlfriend’s lookin’ way too tough,
My lyrics are not sweet enough to sell you
And I paid the band in cash
And they are out there gittin’ trashed
An’ if you think they drink too much, well….
Jus’ let me tell you….

But I’m happy jus’ to be here
And you know I came to play
And I know that we can get along
If you would only, let me…. get my way

I’m here because I heard your towers call to me
From your ivy-covered eyes and universities
Adversity is hard to see, empowered tho’ you be
When your crystal’s on the fritz
It takes some balls to be….

Happy jus’ to be here
An’ you know I came to play
And I know that we can get along
If you would only, let me…. get my way

© 2004 - D. Dain

The Road Of Good Intentions -- John Gorka

The Road Of Good Intentions


I wish to point out that the "Religious Right" (which I thought used to include me, but doesn't now, even though I am a Christian - i.e.: Follower of Jesus) has been thoroughly, almost universally duped. I say this as I watch my brother (one of the finest Christian men I know) watch Bill Blowhard O'Reilly.

It's amazing what a few promises will do. Just because a guy says he's against killing babies doesn't make he or his cadre of "neocons" fit to guard the borders, run the economy, and stave off the inevitable (he's hastening it, but he don't know it -- obviously going to the wrong Bible classes) in the ME.

Viewing things purely from the practical side, I would like to point out that our preemptive strike has so far cost us approx. four times the money it would take to seal US north and south borders and pay N.Guard to patrol them for the next ten years. Or five years, if we want to spend the savings on a LOT more smart bombs (I recommend it - but smart bombs cost more than soldiers, evidently).

‘Course maybe in the end it’ll be worth it. Maybe they'll stick some factories in Iraq that will sell things to Wal-Mort at “always low prices.... Always." That'll be worth it.

Our problem, as Americans, is when we stopped acting as a "country" and started acting as an "empire". And we all know what eventually happens to empires, don't we....

Personally, I don't think we have much time. Gonna be a tough little go before the even tougher 7 years.


The Road Of Good Intentions -- by John Gorka

there's addition and subtraction
but division over all
hope once in fluid motion
is slowed behind a crawl

oh, the images are strong
and the words are pretty good
but there's more fiction out of washington
than out of hollywood

on the road of good intentions
all gets justified to hell
the price revealed in stories
too short, too sad, to tell

is this permanent improvement
through abbreviated lives
or another tragic venture
shocking when the bill arrives

by the rubble where the house was
there are markers in the dirt
children with no need of freedom
they can no longer be hurt

on the road of good intentions
all gets justified to hell
the price revealed in stories
too short, too sad, to tell

and the soldiers and their families
with life and limb they pay
while the ones who sent them marching
get to dance the night away

i always come back to the soldiers
with their courage and ideals
i've seen them smoking in the airports
there's no telling how it feels

on the road of good intentions
all gets justified to hell
the price revealed in stories
too short, too sad, to tell

New Band Name List....

New Band Names


Prompted by Andy Whitman's Blog "Razing the Bar", here are a few possibilities:


"Bump and The Skin Tags"

"The Preemptive Balls"

"Over the Little Hocking" (Obscure covers of already obscure "Over The Rhine" songs)

"70% Off"

"Red-Neck Pickup Truck Drivers On Meth"

"The NASCAR Sticker Bunch" (Logo: obviously a t-shirt with large #3 and the statement "Dale died for your party!")

"The Meth Lab" (Logo: pic from rear of 1975 Plymouth Fury with trunk open)

"Call Me Idiot" (Logo: hillbilly riding pig, complete with straw hat and sporting a pitchfork)

"The Additives"

“Walt Mort and The Greeters”

"The Wife-Beaters"

"Cult of Mediocrity"

"Cult Kool-Aid"

"The Phish Sticks" (condensed versions of jam-band songs)

"The Bris Doctors" (Hasidic speed metal versions of klezmer classics)

"Mile High Collagen Blow-Out" (any number of visuals here)

"The Old Lady's Workin' Agin" (actual quote from guy at bar)

My Vote For Best Album Ever!

Just a note.

Because my opinion might be the only one that counts.

Blue Rodeo's "Five Days In July" may well be the best
top to bottom album ever recorded.

For Amy. And the August moon.

Yeah.

"When the Lilacs bloom the Stripers run...."

Here's a little song for spring.

Wrote this one several years ago after listening to
an NPR interview of a Canadian fisherman, and
the first line of the song is a direct quote from the
old guy.

Still play it at art shows, the occasional folk club gig,
in elevators, and at carwashes and Friday afternoon VFW fish fry's.

The saying also works as an indicator for mushroom time,
if you're in southeast Ohio.


Life Goes On


Oh, when the lilacs bloom, that's when the stripers run
And I hear the river callin' me to come and join the fun
Down that short slide into summer
We are the lucky ones


(Chorus)
And Life goes on, we take what we are given
'cause this is Life and this is Love that we are livin'
And Life goes on....


Ah, when I cast my line, I don't expect too much
A simple word, a little fun, and a gentle, lovin' touch
I never knew what Time can do
Until I spent some Love on you....

(Repeat 2nd verse and chorus)

Jaime Brockett and John Gorka -- The short version of my musical Salvation.

Jaime Brockett and John Gorka -- The short version of my Musical Salvation.



Practically everyone who knows me also knows that I am a John Gorka fan. I spread the Gospel of Gorka practically everywhere I go.

After all, I DO know what’s best for you.

I’d like to tell how I met him, for he and his music have had a profound effect on my life.



Here goes.


I actually met John in a social setting before I knew his work. Jaime Brockett, the outlaw-folk legend ("Ballad of the U.S.S. Titanic") who's life seems to continue to provide excellent research material ("Ballad of Jaimie B.", "Blue Chalk", "Always Going Home", etc....) lived for about eight years in my hometown of Lancaster, Ohio.

Jamie introduced me to John (I was just fresh out of college) right about the time of the release of "I Know".

Jaime was a regular at Godfrey Daniels, a coffeehouse/folk club in Bethlehem, PA and John knew him from there. Jaime used to say that he "taught John the ropes", but I like to think that even then John knew inspiration when he met it.

John watches better than anyone I have ever known. It's what makes the songs, I think.

Jaime had a music store in Lancaster and John would stop by occasionally to visit, sometimes on the way to and from gigs.

In those days Jaime was still a regular at many of the folk festivals and, along with my friend Karl Conrad, I was privileged to serve as "roadie". I got to spend a bit of time with John when Jaime opened for him at various gigs and festivals.

Great days.

Through Jaime I met a lot of people that a small town mid-western boy would never have had a chance to meet.

And the boy who ran down the roads in a souped-up Torino, listening to Rush, now has Chris Smither, Bruce Cockburn, Paul Thorn, Todd Snider and the like in his cd player.

Never would have known good music but for Jaime and John.

Talk about Salvation.



-jackscrow