1. |
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DRIVING ACROSS MY NATIVE LAND
I was driving to Toronto it was January –didn’t want the weather in my way
So I made myself a southern route for heading east across the middle of the USA
But they wouldn’t let me cross the border into Washington
When I lit out Sunday morning from BC
Now I’m high tailing it cross Canada in winter
Hoping all those blizzards don’t catch up to me
Chorus
Driving across my native land - wasn’t planned that way
Driving oh man I’m diving into another frozen day
Wound myself up and through the Rockies
Now I’m pounding cross the prairies and it’s nothing but straight lines
The widest openness one ever could imagine
And the power of a single white design
But then a snow owl by the highway in Saskatchewan
As beautiful a thing as one can see
That’s when this journey that I’d hoped to be avoiding
Turned into a trip I knew was meant to be.
Chorus
Fears come and go - joys come and stay
All that was worry has faded away
This that I own – this that I see
All this is rolling with me
I’m chasing tail lights through a blizzard in Ontario
If they go off a cliff I’m going too
Two thousand miles ago this would have been nightmare
Now it’s just another thing to do.
Finally limping down Spadina in Toronto
With a fan belt that just gave up on me
Could have happened out there in some lonely blizzard
So I guess I’ve been as lucky as can be
Chorus
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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2. |
The Blues in Me
02:52
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The Blues In Me
V1
I feel a little bit like Edmund Hillary
Up there on Everest all the world to see
He looked around – it got profound
Something like the blues in me
V2
I feel a little bit like Admiral Peary
Up there in the North as far as north could be
His every day – I’d have to say
Is something like the blues in me
Chorus
Sometimes it feels like it is all down hill
And my entire world is one big chill
It’s all that I can do to hang on til it get’s better – and it better
V3
I learned a little bit from Fletcher Christian
Up there on the bounty on the deep blue see
He had it rough but he said "
That’s enough- I don’t need these blues in me”
Instrumental break
Chorus
I’m gonna break into this blues Bastille
Tear down this structure that has no appeal
I’m gonna change a bit of history
Til there’s nothing like the blues in me
Nothing like the blues in me
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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3. |
Ah Marcel
04:11
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Ah Marcel
Ah Marcel Ah Marcel - funny walk like a broom a sweeping
Ah Marcel Ah Marcel wiggling on his way
Ah Marcel Ah Marcel--all dressed up like he should be sleeping
Chorus
Oh my you're the funny one
Oh yeah sweet as a lamb
Oh my you're the sunny one
Le Fou en Pijame
Ah Marcel Ah Marcel -- autre cinquante kilometres
Ah marcel Ah Marcel --marchant toujours longue
Ah marcel --il est tres mal a la tete
Ah Marcel Ah Marcel Le Fou en Pijame
Chorus
Ah Marcel Ah Marcel wiggled his way to these Olympics
Ah Marcel Ah Marcel now he's importante
Ah Marcel Ah Marcel kept the neighbours in hysterics
Ah Marcel Ah Marcel tres tres amusante
Chorus
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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4. |
Her Own Home
03:25
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Her Own Home
She needed to have a bit of her own life
So I drove her out in the afternoon
A rainy day and yet the stay was welcome and familiar
There in her own home
She needed to breathe a bit of her own air
Back in a place where the times had been good
To sit and be where she could see the things of her creation
There in her own home
This was the place she was most meant to be
With radio blaring the news of the word
Wit and opinion were always free to roam
There in her own home
We sat in the kitchen reading some old mail
Opened the curtains and started a fire.
Tiny things that seemed to bring a certain comfort to her
There in her own home
This was the place she was most meant to be
Surrounded by music and art on the walls
Wit and opinion were always free to roam
There in her own home
She was free from institution for a while
And her mighty spirit threw it’s weight around
And then it was time to go—she was firm in that
Back to the place where she now had to be
It didn’t show – I wouldn’t know just what she’s said goodbye to
But this was the place she was most meant to be
Onward and upward with every breath
Wit and opinion and heart were free to roam
There in her own home
There in her own home
There
RossDouglas SOCAN
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5. |
Til We Get There
02:34
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Til we get there
Walking, walking, walking through the day
On our merry way to somewhere
Walking., walking haven't got a clue
What we're gonna do til then
It'll be someplace we've never been before
People we never ever met there
I suppose we're following our nose
Won't know where we're going til we get there
Walking, walking over hill and dale
Following a trail to something
Walking, walking til we find a spot
That'll feel a lot like home
It'll be someplace we've never been before
People we never ever met there
I suppose we're following our nose
Won't know where we're going til we get there
Musical section with excellent cheek trumpet stylings
We go until we do prevail
We go until we stop our feet
We go until a foreign trail
Turns into a familiar street
It'll be someplace we've never been before
People we never ever met there
I suppose we're following our nose
Won't know where we're going til we get there
Douglas/Palmer SOCAN
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6. |
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Sal and her Squeaky Voice
Here at my station on a calendar for sparkplugs there’s a showgirl wearing nothing but a smile
Doesn’t make me wanna buy em - so far I’ve only scratched out numbers with a pen
But down at Gracie’s ,man they do a hefty business, there’s a waitress with a more seductive style
She can just start talkin—and 4 of us will order up enough for 20 men.
Chorus
And all us regulars agree
It’s not the food that wins our loyalty
It is that sweet and wonky tune - I tell ya
Sal and her Squeaky voice – here at Gracie’s greasy spoon
Us mechanics we work classics down to clunkers –we hear odd and funny noises all day long
We turn scraping into humming –we’ve got remedies for every pop and ping.
Sal’s got a voice - it’s like a broken down jalopy - but it bounces off our table like a song
Somehow it adds up to perfection – I know not one of us would ever change a thing
Cuz all us regulars agree
It’s not the food that wins our loyalty
It is that sweet and wonky tune - I tell ya
Sal and her Squeaky voice – here at Gracie’s greasy spoon
Bridge
Somehow it’s cracked and it’s warm and it’s thin
With a soul that has been to hell and back again.
We come in here and we get switched – we’re bewitched
How she sounds turns us hounds into gentlemen- for a little while at least.
Last week she told us she was moving back to Fresno – to be closer to her dad
Oh man that nearly killed us - our oasis was gonna disappear
And then there’s Gracie –she’ll be losing all her business - we’re all getting pretty sad
So there’s only one thing for it
Us and Gracie –we’re gonna move Sal’s dad up here
Cuz all us regulars agree
It’s not the food that wins our loyalty
It is that sweet and wonky tune - I tell ya
Sal and her Squeaky voice – here at Gracie’s greasy spoon
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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7. |
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Wanna Give Away these Blues
Wanna give away these blues these days I don’t enjoy them
They’re not the kick they used to be
Here’s a deal you can’t refuse some grey skies could employ them
And let the sun shine down on me.
I can say they’ve had some play but they still fully function
Might please the 7 seas to grab all they can use
My day would be made –don’t need a thing in trade
Free if you choose –Just wanna give away these blues
Know for sure that they are pure and certified authentic
When displayed on custom suede they’d make some real fine shoes
And I will of course throw in buyer’s remorse
Free if you choose –just wanna give away these blues
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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8. |
Running Through My Mind
03:49
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Running Through My Mind
When I saw her yesterday I felt my troubles fade away
As she go running through my mind
When I saw her on the street here came those tiny feet
As she go running through my mind
To a place where I know we go
to a place where we're in bloom
To a place where we're not always howling at the moon
To a place where we can tango
to a place where we're in tune
She's a lady yes indeed and she's built for comfort not for speed
As she goes running through my mind
When I look into her eyes I know she gets her exercise
As she goes running through my mind
To a place where I know we go
to a place where we're in bloom
To a place where we're not always howling at the moon
To a place where we can tango
To a place where we're in tune
To a place where a little later turns to lots and soon
When i see her pretty face I know she sets a record pace
As she goes running through my mind
Better get preoccupied so I can match her stride for stride
As she goes running through my mind
To a place where I know we go
To a place where we're in bloom
To a place where we're not always howling at the moon
To a place where we can tango
to a place where we're in tune
To a place where a little later turns to lots and soon
Lots and soon
Lots and soon
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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9. |
Some Call it Bob
05:03
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Some Call it Bob
It’s a place cut off by water – it’s a place cut off by land
It’s a place made by a border that was carefully planned
It’s a place of mighty beauty – it’s a place of tiny trade
It’s place that on the weekends other places invade.
It’s a tiny bump on the Northern tip of the county of Whatcom
Where the hawks fly in the clear sky over still wooded land
A tiny shelf where you can find yourself far away from the mob
That’s the point of Point Roberts- tho some call it Bob
It’s a place for milk and cheeses - it’s a place for gasoline
It’s a place with bluffs and beaches and not much in between
It’s a place of few pretensions but there’s irony to spare
There a park named for a lighthouse and there’s no lighthouse there
It’s a tiny bump on the Northern tip of the county of Whatcom
Where the settlers came from Iceland and you still see their names
A tiny shelf where you can find yourself far away from the mob
That’s the point of Point Roberts- tho some call it Bob
So near and yet so different – a perfect get away
You can forget about the bustle and sprawl
We’re proud of our achievements we like to keep them small
Phoning 20 feet to Canada – that’s the world’s shortest distance
Where you’re charged for a long distance call
It’s a place of inconvenience some would make exclusive ground
Others see their bit of heaven that was gratefully found
There are things that test the mind here – things you cannot find and won’t
I know half the joy I find here comes from all the things I don’t
It’s a tiny bump on the Northern tip of the county of Whatcom
From it’s mansions on the beaches to it’s old double wides
A tiny shelf where you find yourself far away from the mob
That’s the point of Point Roberts- tho some call it Bob
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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Ross Douglas Point Roberts, Washington
Ross Douglas is an award winning songwriter with 4 albums of original song and a jaunty performance manner. He is eclectic - with influences of folk, jazz ,pop and theatre weaving their way into his music. He is in many cases a story teller. Check him out at www.rossdouglassongs.com ... more
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