1. |
The Art of You and I
04:05
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The Art of You and I
V1
I have a small affliction call it a predilection
OO that is my cross to bear
Rather sophisticated practically elevated
Hey how are you way down there
Sure you could say I’m scattered
If it really mattered I could say I’m rather sly
Chorus
I got one heart given to the tree I’m shakin
One heart taken by a nearly purple sky
But heart knows the best part
It’s the art of you and I
V2
Somehow it got decided I was a man divided long time ago
Different in my attention span
It’s a convoluted plan
But man that’s all I know
Sure call me absent minded
But I’m not blinded
I can see with either eye
Chorus
Bridge
It’s the permanent collection
A broad selection of fine design
Amended and tended and blended over time
Instrumental break
Bridge
Chorus
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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2. |
Town for Tired People
04:09
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Town for Tired People
V1
A tiny outpost near the oilfields in a land of skinny trees
Just far enough away from where you wanna find yourself tomorrow
There’s satellite TV in all the tiny motel rooms
Cuz if you’re there there’s nothing else to do
It’s a place to lay your head when you’re very nearly dead
It’s a town for tired people passing through
V2
It doesn’t have the sights or history of a final destination
But it’s got what you need if you’ve been on the road since sometime yesterday
It’s a minor change of scene from the places you are in between
It knows you well and sees just what to do
There’s quick and hearty fare and minor car repair
In a town for tired people passing through
Bridge
Very few will ask about the giant hockey stick that stands beside the Cozy Inn motel
There’s a kid whose family lives just down the way –he’s playing up there in the NHL
And it’s a point of pride
There’ll be a big parade
First Sunday in July
That for at least one hour will block the highway
Instrumental Break
Bridge 2
They make their living from the wired and weary drivers
Who are not there long enough to say good buy
So there’s a billboard as you’re heading out of town
Saying “Thank you –for deciding not to fly”
V3
There’s a local hockey team –call themselves the Ramblers
They drive to play in other tiny towns and other towns drive here as well
And the story is the same – arenas packed for every game
And there’s something that the visitors all know
Where you’re from and where you are there’s a motel and a bar
With breakfast anytime and coffee that’s a crime
And gasoline to sell to dozy clientele
They’ve worked in one or two - cuz hey that’s what ya do
In a town for tired people –passing through
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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3. |
The Ukulele Crime
03:41
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The Ukulele Crime
There was this lady down in Waikiki – a beauty by the name of Lelani
For a while the folks all swore – she couldn’t come to the luaus any more
They ought lock her up and throw away the key
Lelani had this hanni name of Lee - a ukulele playin man was he
But he never played a single song-
Just “my dog has fleas” all night long
Made her life a constant misery
She killed a man for playin the ukulele
Said that he’d reduced her life to pain
He wasn’t doin any of that delicate strumming
Or any of the wicka wacka hoola hacka hummin
Now she’d have to face a jury and explain
Now on it’s own it’s not an awful chime
But after bout the 15 hundreth time
Your mind is gone ,your nerves are frayed –no matter how sweetly it is played
One by one your thoughts have turned to crime
And on that fateful night her mind was tired and sore
She’s been tormented to her very core
Lee was playin it was dark — a well aimed coconut found it’s mark
And Lee’s dog didn’t have fleas anymore
She killed a man for playin the ukulele
It was to preserve her sanity
Cuz he wasn’t doin any of that delicate strumming
Or any of the wicka wacka hoola hacka hummin
Like a ukulele playin man should be
Musical interlude
A tape was heard the day she testified
It was Lee playin – folks were horrified
The judge said “That’s enough! My ears can’t take that stuff!
This was justifiable homicide!”
She killed a man for playin the ukulele
So be forewarned you gents of any age
If ya don’t do any of that delicate strummin
Or any of the wicka wacky hoola hacka hummin
You might fall prey to ukulele rage oh yeah
You might fall prey to ukulele rage
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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4. |
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Spider Ray and Red Haired Mary
By an alley up on Thurlow – across from the Manhattan
Above a Japanese restaurant with no parking out the back
Is a theatre I worked in but I won’t be woring there no more
It had a must kind of glamour – a beer fridge in the dressing room
Seats that bugged the audience who came there anyway
So it hurt to see the name change on the sign that used to hang above the door
Chorus
Hey to Spider Ray and Red haired Mary
Oo the shut her down and they moved on
What do we know now? What do we know now?
What do we know now that they’re gone?
From a donut shop on Howe street – back in the early 70’s
Came a long and narrow corridor that housed a tiny stage
I got my first semi- professional gig right there
I moved off to Toronto to explore a larger area
Came back periodically and man they’d move uptown
They really had it goin there was optimism flowing in the air
Chorus
Bridge
This ain’t the movies not the radio – it’s harder in this place harder on the soul
It’s not the movies not the radio
By an alley up on Thurlow – across from the Manhattan
A comedy collective soon had troubles of it’s own
But they went and got the city to be kind enough to let em do some more
We can talk about our series being shot here on location
Our movie shows and studios with new suspended floors
But as I walk down Thurlow, there’s a sign I wanna see above a door
Hey to Spider Ray and Red haired Mary
Oo the shut her down and they moved on
What do we know now? What do we know now?
What do we know now that they’re gone?
Chorus
This ain’t the movies not the radio – it’s harder in this place harder on the soul
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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5. |
Tin Canoe
04:01
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Tin Canoe
V1
I borrowed a fine vessel from the noted Mr. Brown
Headed to my favorite lake bout 19 miles from town
Tied on my bi -visible the one the big ones like
It barely hit the water there was one hellacious strike
As this monster battled I was happy through and through
In my Tin Canoe
V2
I thought it was my lucky day but then I thought again
Sky began to darken rolling thunder spewing rain
I was bout a mile from shore when the lightening did begin
It’s then I fully realized the trouble I was in
It’s odd when something biblical starts happening to you in a tin canoe
Chorus
In a tin canoe In a tin canoe I’m askin you –what do ya do?
I’m asking you what do ya do – in a tin canoe?
V3
With the lightening creeping ever closer through the rain
I remember how when I was young I used to play with trains
I’d roll them round my tiny track – O brother I did thrive
I said “One day when I get big it’s one of those I’ll drive”
So as the lightening found the mark I had to marvel how
I never got to be a conductor then but I surely am one now
Chorus ---- Musical Interlude
V4 slower
I got fried - of course I died - I made my worldly fate
I found myself delivered up to heaven’s pearly gate
As I started thinkin bout this series of events
It seemed a silly way to go – it just wasn’t making sense
So I asked my heavenly father “Lord - why did this come to pass?”
And he looked down on me from a mighty golden throne
And he looked down on me with an exquisite knowledge
And he said to me in a voice with the warmth of a million benevolent suns
“You ain’t got no fishin license – so I get to kick your ass”
“In a tin canoe In a tin canoe – I’m tellin you –that’s what I do
I’m tellin you –that’s what I do Oh Yeah
( spoken) And now – I’m putting you on the down elevator my son
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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6. |
Touch of You
03:36
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TOUCH OF YOU
Touch of chill in the air in the air last night
Touch of mist in the morning light
Touch of longing so what’s new?
OO baby – want a touch of you
Touch of labour – touch of sweat
Touch of profit – touch of debt
Work those places that I do
But ooo baby I want a touch of you
Well I know myself there’s many times when memory tends to fail
But I know there’s always one thing I can find in full detail
There’s a touch of pleasure – touch of pain
A touch of loss and a touch of gain
All those things that we’ve been through
And ooo baby still want a touch of you.
Cuz ya make feel good and ya make feel completed
And ya make me feel right in the middle of the day
And ya make me feel strong when I think I’ve been defeated
Yes you do you do
Drive all day drive all night
Book myself on some endless flight
Cuz sometimes nothing else will do
But oo baby a touch of you
Touch of madness touch of grace
Touch of gladness on your face
Touch of something fine and true
OO baby I need a touch of you
OO baby—a touch of you
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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7. |
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Hard Not to Talk like Elvis
V1
Well II spose you could say I’m a regular guy with your regular 2 left feet
We’re out at a party on a Saturday night and I just couldn’t find the beat
My baby she was out there cutting a rug and I’m just getting depressed
When all of a sudden something entered my soul and I became a man possessed
Chorus
It got easy to dig the music – it got easy to find the groove
It got easy to meet the back of the beat and get my feet to move
It got easy to bop with my baby and I know that girl can swing
So it’s hard not to talk like Elvis baby cuz I’m a feelin like a king
Pretty darn soon every kinda tune just fit me like a glove
I glided on over to my baby and said “ Hey honey I’m a hunka burnin love”
She said “ Alright now darling- you wanna talk like him that’s fine
But if you start wearing those ugly white suits I’m gonna kick ya where the sun don’t shine”
Chorus ---Musical Interlude
I don’t have an explanation – it must have been a cosmic plan
Or did somebody say “Hey that fellows OK – let’s make him a dancing man”
Whoever you are that did this I hope uh that we stay in touch
And if you’re hearin me now I just wanna say “Thank you very much”
Chorus
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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8. |
The Sunset
03:39
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The Sunset
They say it arrived some time back in the 30’s
I strongly suspect it was late in the day
And rather like others who came here before it
It fell for the place and decided to stay
So there’s a Sunset – a sunset
It’s not disappearing whenever we meet
There’s a sunset that starting residing
There at the corner of Bowman and Pooley Street
It had had it with droppin behind all those mountains
And sinkin in oceans with nary a sound
It settled itself into semi- retirement
Played a few movies and just hung around
There’s a sunset a sunset
A little lack lustre but still kinda sweet
There’s a sunset not doin nothin
There at the corner of Bowman and Pooley Street
The along came a couple from out of Alberta
They said “It’s not healthy to sit round all day
You need to get active and talk to the neighbours
You may be a sunset but you won’t fade away”
So there’s a Sunset Sunset
With a new lease on life looking somewhat complete
There’s a sunset returning to beauty
There at the corner of Bowman and Pooley Street
There’s a Sunset Sunset
With a new lease on life looking fine and complete
There’s a sunset and ain’t she a marvel
There at the corner of Bowman and Pooley Street
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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9. |
Wingdam South of Wells
03:24
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Wingdam South of Wells
Went out last night to misbehave – met me a bear near Blessings grave
Greeted me with a jaunty wave and I returned the favor
Sat right down and shot the breeze – til the sun come sneakin up through the trees
I said “Good Mornin if you please!” to my one and only neighbour
Chorus
All day All night
We ain’t got no reprobates and we ain’t got no swells
All day All night
We ain't got that much at all in Wingdam south of Wells
It’s Friday night she’s fancy free talking bout my wife Marie
She wanna go dancin one two three with a fellow strong and manly
She looks at me I’m a woeful sight – I turn to the left when I should turn right
She gonna grab that bear on Saturday night go dancin up in Stanley
Chorus --- Musical interlude
Well the rooster crows and the eagle flies
Sun comes rolling up through the skies
River flows and the willow sighs we call that eventful
Life is simple life is sweet
This is a place that can’t be beat
The bears a well know poker cheat but we don’t get resentful
Chorus and play out
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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10. |
Love
02:53
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Love
If love is nothin but a tiny ripple in the deepest part of the sea
I wanna be a pebble sittin on the shore let it wash all over me
If love is a bird on a bended wing heading off to a distance shore
I wanna be the wind in the empty sky and feel you just once more
Chorus
Love - makin those sweet birds sing
Love - it’s bigger than anything
Love - like a river it will run
Love –there’s plenty for everyone
It’s the sweet caress of a coolin breeze at the end of a long hot day
The gentle warmth of the morning sun as it melts the night away
A rainbow sittin on a mountain top come shining through the rain
And my every thought that I have of you as I taste your lips again
Chorus
It’s in the sound of a kindly word to a sad and troubled mind
In the touch of a tiny hand when a friend is hard to find
In the wish of a better time for everyone you know
There’s a tiny spark that’ll find the mark and set you all aglow
Chorus
Ross Douglas SOCAN
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11. |
CandleLight
02:53
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CandleLight
Lay your head down on me
Try to let go of your tiny strings of pain
I can hold you in silence
Til we can find what we cherish once again
Chorus
Candlelight Candlelight and you
Gentle as your breathing with a steady rise and fall
Candlelight Candlelight and you
Soft as the beauty of your shadow on the Wall
Lay my head down on you
Let me be calmed by the beating of your heart
We can make these precious times
Stronger than the times that must ferry us apart
Chorus
Lay your head down on me
Try to let go of your tiny strings of pain
I'll lay my head down on you
Til we can find what we cherish once again
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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