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1.
The news, it came in like a wake up call You were going away You start a fire but you can’t save the spark They float into thin air I never meant it, even though I should'a said it You really really really meant a lot You got my attention by breaking my heart I should have took you out on the town But I was cheap and mislead I wrote the book on how to bring you down Then I made you read it I never meant it even though I should'a said it You really really really meant a lot You got my attention by breaking my heart It was a cold December, blanket of snow Another twelve months down the road That stinging ringing on that old telephone Man it left me so cold That’s when you said it I swear to god I’ll never forget it You had me in your site and took a shot You got my attention by breaking my heart
2.
Thinner 03:46
Please don’t ask for it all what we once had now is gone There were too many hands in the jar Now I don’t think that we’ll get too far Not at all We had friends up on top we had a life in the stars There was just a small world down below That place were we came from But babe we had more than we needed And we could barely see it As the lies were getting thicker we kept getting thinner Back in the world of make believe things were not the way they seemed We were always hanging out on a limb And things went from bright to dark to dim But babe we had more that we needed And we could barely see it As the lies were getting thicker we kept getting thinner Thinner Thinner Pleas send out for the doc I do believe my heart just stopped Throw me in that big white car I don’t think that we’ll get too far Not at all
3.
Between now and then seems like such a long long time I’d duck beneath the radar and sneak across that line I’d stop off in St Albans, then up to Montreal I’d make pretend I didn’t know what was being bought and sold Now I’d met a lot of strange folk in this dirty game One was so evil I won't even say her name She had me from the first time around She held me so sweetly as she pinned me down And it felt so real, it felt so right All we ever did was eat and drink and fuck and fight Then the deal it got thin she turned me in I ‘d duck beneath the radar and was on the road again Now I’m strong of muscle, strong of will But I’m weak of the heart on top of that hill Up there one could rule for miles around But humble is the man who walks back down The road is rough; it’s hard to see Got to slow down the pace, have some faith in destiny I hear these sirens calling me Amongst the wingless in unbridled clarity So I dip my head in holy water, tip my crown of thorns And stumble down off that hill with the cross I was hung on Now and then I drift back in time And think about the love and lust that I left behind And its goodbye gun goodbye rose Hello to that virgin land where I belong I hear these voices calling me Amongst the wingless angels in perfect harmony
4.
Well it wiped out the stairs As it came through the wall You know I was blindsided by that wrecking ball Well I’ll be all right I can live with that night I’ll just buy a one-way ticket on that get-over-it flight And that’s the way that it swings With the weight of the world I’ve been waiting for her Waiting for her That’s the way that it hits when I’m waiting for her It’s been a long cold January The dishes pile up Got the wash in the sink She’s leaving her new home and every thing behind To were the lights are on bright And the music is loud I lost my little mama to that late night crowd And that’s the way that it swings With the weight of the world That’s the way that it hits when I’m waiting for her It’s been a long cold January So show me it lil’ angel Your good time smile Show me you lil’ devil you ain't got no secrets to hide That’s the way that it swings With the weight of the world That’s the way that it hits when I’m waiting for her I’ve been waiting for her waiting for her That’s the way that it hits when I’m waiting for her It’s been a long cold January
5.
Snake Bite 03:53
I went down early in a dirty fight I woke up with a bad snake bite A brand new wife with a forked tongue knife That back-stabbing brunette was just my type We took a walk down to cheaters creek Cheaters creek, where the water runs deep The water runs deep down in cheaters creek I pushed her in for her Maker to meet I got a mean grip I got a voice that’s loud I got snakebite That I can’t reach to suck the poison out River run road I’m driving my truck Driving my truck and it got stuck It got stuck and it started to flood Like a river of guilt running through my blood Well I like my liquor hard like my sugar from the shack I take all my money and go down to the track The horse goes round my heart stands still Stick my winnings in a bottle of will I got a mean grip I got a voice that’s loud I got snakebite That I can’t reach to suck the poison out So I’m sitting here thinking 'bout heaven and hell Where I want to be when they ring that bell Heaven and hell is a mighty fine line A little bit of both gonna suit me just fine
6.
Stoned Kid 03:41
He almost had a car He almost had a car He almost had a car now its up on blocks Now he’s always walking He almost had a job He almost had a job He almost had a job he got fired on the spot Now he’s always begging It ain’t hard to see He’s living in a dream There was nowhere he could lean He won the lottery Now he’s just a stoned kid He almost had a girl He almost had a girl He almost had a girl but she went to see the world Now his heart is broken He had a good idea He had a good idea He had a good idea but it was kinda weird Now he’s always joking It ain’t hard to see He’s living in a dream There was nowhere he could lean He won the lottery Now he’s just a stoned kid
7.
10,000 beer cans they litter my room And I ain’t done my laundry since early last June and my good friend just left for heaven too soon I got that ol’ feeling I’ll be joining him too But I’m still searching for that crazy whim So pick myself up and dust myself off Look at my hands and I look at my face I’m wondering how did this all begin And I wait for them walls to cave in Time is standing still says the clock on the wall Last time it worked I just can’t recall Just when I feel like I’ve gotten use to it all I’m in my favorite seat in that down towner bar But I’m still searching for that crazy whim So pick myself up and dust myself off Look at my hands and I look at my face I’m wondering, how did this all begin And I wait for them walls to cave in Well the police they're trying to run me out of town I guess my toast always falls on the butter side down So I’ll save my goodbyes for the next time around By this time tomorrow I’m sure to be gone But I’m still searching for that crazy whim So pick myself up and dust myself off Look at my hands and I look at my face I’m wondering, how did this all begin And I wait for them walls to cave in I guess I’m a good friend to misfortune I guess I’m a good friend to misfortune I guess I’m a good friend to misfortune… 10,000 beer cans they litter my room
8.
You should’ve seen that Nor'easter snow Could’ve put out the fire in hell below We were just watchin’ that wind come down As it took that old timber frame to the ground Splinter by splinters left the nails to rust Now momma don’t talk unless she’s spoken to first Oh Oh it got so cold The hickory snapped and the birches bowed Oh Oh the whole place froze From Maine to Lake Ontario The Dorian Grey was mighty fine ship She took to breachin’ when her engines quit We could see her lights bouncin’ in the waves Before they disappeared into a watery grave I hear the voices of the mariner’s wives crying They were too late to save and too soon for dying Oh Oh it got so cold The hickory snapped and the birches bowed Oh Oh the whole place froze From Maine to Lake Ontario
9.
I don’t know much about religion But it’s a good nurse to the soul And it’s sooner forgotten once the bandage is removed Follow footsteps of misfortune to a king with paper crown A fortress without foundations Is sure to crumble to the ground And the last exit lies ahead to Babylon As we follow along the road to oblivion The road to oblivion The road to oblivion The road to oblivion Hollow are the trees of knowledge Where broken branches never grow Tap-roots milk the bitter soil And they fall down row by row And nothing feels better Than feeling nothing at all Deep inside the walls of Soma Forego the storm before the calm And the last exit lies ahead to Babylon As we follow along the road to oblivion The road to oblivion The road to oblivion The road to oblivion Smile on young restless pilgrims A brave new world is on the rise Shout a long with bloodied soldiers And try to drown the battle cries ‘Cuz the last exit lies ahead to Babylon As we follow along the road to oblivion The road to oblivion The road to oblivion The road to oblivion
10.
Jewel 04:05
I wish I were in New Orleans for breakfast Just one more day Before the rain took it all away Before the rain took it all away I wish I was on a distant deserted island In a lazy way Underneath a palm in a cool blue shade Lazy in the cool blue shade I wish I was in a farmhouse up in Calgary In a blinding snow With a ham radio playing Coltrane A ham radio playing Coltrane low I wish I was way up in the galaxy In a vacuum In a brand new space suit with a view of the moon A brand new space suit in a vacuum I wish I was in New Orleans for supper Just one more day Before the rain took it all away Before the rain took it all away

about

After recording Maintenance for Mood Swings I figured I needed to do a record that was more concise, or at least with just one drummer. I recall telling Dave Rizzuti, “Man, I need someone who sounds like Levon Helm. You know, simple, with a lot of character”. Then Dave says, “Why don’t you just get the man himself?” Yeah right, real funny, Rizzuti. But it turns out Dave had recently done a session with him. Call it fate or divine intervention, Levon Helm became the drummer for “Spend It All”.

Mr. Helm drove down in a sketchy ice storm from Woodstock, NY to Boston (his usual driver, Bruce was involved in a little accident and couldn’t make the gig). As I peered out a window from Mad Oak Studios I noticed what I thought was a little old man pulling a kick drum out of the back seat of a Saab; sometimes giants are deceiving.

That afternoon with Levon Helm was the only thing that went smoothly during the making of this record. He played his ass off, and mostly just one take was it. I was like, "Hey Levon, you get that demo I sent ya?" "Nope." "Well, umm... here's how it starts, here's the chorus, end it any way you like" and bang! that was it. Here is a guy who's lucky to be alive (he survived cancer and a hell of a lot more), in his sixties, and nailing first takes on songs he didn't even know.

credits

released November 1, 2006

Featuring Levon Helm on drums
Produced by Bow Thayer
Session with Levon Helm produced with David Rizzuti
Mixed with Pete Weiss at Mad Oak Studios
Mastering done by Pete Weiss at Verdant Studios
Recording Engineers: David Rizutti, Jon Lammi, John Ship, Ian Kennedy, Stan from Florida

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Bow Thayer Vermont

Bow Thayer's music features his custom Bojotar and fuses experimental elements with Americana, rock, bluegrass, and folk, resulting in a singular, progressive sound that has earned descriptions ranging from “Green Mountain soul” to “modern backwoods music.” American Songwriter says this "onetime Levon Helm compatriot is the best artist to come from New England in recent years." ... more

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