Tag: Ric Albano on Drums

And So It Goes

  By

Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 2:16
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/36-AndSoItGoes.mp3]		 1990
Lyrics
And so it goes, good and bad
Sometimes happy, sometimes sad
Making love and making war, always looking for something more
Some are born to rule the world and some won’t get half that far
But so it goes

Do you believe in love the way I do?
Do you believe that there’s a place for you in Heaven?

And so it goes, wrong and right
Some are peaceful and some must fight
Some are lost and some are saved
Some take vendettas right to the grave
Few too many people stop and take a look at where they are
But so it goes

Do you believe in love the way I do?
Do you believe that there’s a place for you in Heaven?

Composition © 1990 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on November 27, 1990
Recorded November-December 1990
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
Mixed in 2003 & Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

Performers
Ric Albano
Electric Guitars, Bass Guitar, Drums, Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: A fun, upbeat country song with a rapid drum beat and good-time melody, all beneathe some depply philosophical lyrics.

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Mrs. McCleary’s Farm

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Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 3:42
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/32-MrsMcCleary’sFarm.mp3]		 1990
Lyrics
There’s a place in the meadow, just around the bend
A place all the locals know well
Where, on Saturday night the men all come around
Their pockets are full of dollar bills
You see, it’s Judy McCleary that they’ve come to see
To forget all their problems for a while
She makes them remember what good lovin’ can be
With a jump and a hump and a smile

It’s been three long years since ole’ Bill McCleary
Married young, sweet Judy Brown
And one would be amazed that he doesn’t know
She does the most business in town
Even Deputy Parker is a customer now
He pays her a visit every week
They all live in fright, afraid to their wives
That someday their secrets may leak

But who’s to say what she does is wrong?
It helps to pay the bills
She knows she must write her life’s long song
A little heaven on the edge of hell

But Judy doesn’t mind bearing all her parts untanned
It is more like a daily routine
It’s kind of amazing, when you think of it
How many she has actually seen
As for her husband Bill, she just figures, well
What he doesn’t know can’t do him harm
While the rest of the men talk of gathering again on Mrs. McCleary’s farm

But who’s to say what she does is wrong?
It helps to pay the bills
She knows she must write her life’s long song
A little heaven on the edge of hell

Composition © 1990 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on August 3, 1990
Recorded August 1990
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
Mixed in 2003 & Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

Performers
Ric Albano
Electric Guitars, Bass Guitar, Drums, All Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: Lyrically, this is a follow-up to an earlier song called “Sweet Judy Brown”, with the same central character. Musically, the song borrows heavily from early era Rush, especially when it comes to the guitar tone and chord arrangements.

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The Miracle of Surprise

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Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano & Jim Morrison Song Length: 1:54
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/24-TheMiracleOfSurprise.mp3]		 1989
Lyrics
And in her eyes
The fresh miracle of surprise…

Composition © 1989, 2003 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on September 28, 1989
Recorded September 1989 / Fall 2003
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
and Cygnus Wave Studios
Mixed in 2003 & Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

Performers
Ric Albano
Electric Guitars, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Drums
Sinclair Soul
Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: Always intended as an introductory piece for “The Telephone”, this is the first of many to use a passage from a collection of poerty by Jim Morrison called Wilderness. Some synthesizers were added to the original piece in 2003.

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The Old Man

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Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 4:38
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/22-TheOldMan.mp3]		 1989
Lyrics
There’s an old man sitting down on the bench
For fifty years he made a living with a monkey wrench
He shakes his head as three young girls pass by
Their sexy legs just make him wonder why
They weren’t around here fifty years ago
He could have made one of them his wife, for all he knows
But instead he’s stuck with the same old bat at home
She never gave him pleasure, just grey hair on his dome

He makes his home in Hazeltown
Where no optimists, only pessimists hang around

When the old man finally gets on home
He sees his wife sittin’ bitchin’ on the telephone
She says; “I don’t like Roy going out at night…
Don’t he know he’s supposed to sit around and wait to die…
Well, ain’t it sad but true what has happened to him…
I should have listened to Ma and got married to Tim”

He lives alone in Hazeltown
Where no hoping, praying, and wishing is not aloud

When the old man finally packs his bags
And leaves his wife behind in here pile of rags
He heads on south, out to find where rainbows grow
And maybe there he can star in his old Vaudeville show
He felt so free walking slowly in the calm, fresh air
He felt as though the warm sunlight could restore his grey hair
He said; “I should have done this years ago”

No Longer lives in Hazeltown
And no longer does he keep his watch un-wound

Composition © 1989 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on August 6, 1989
Recorded August 1989
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
Mixed in 2003 & Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

Performers
Ric Albano
Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums, Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: A song about the attitude of my hometown with a quasi-reggae beat. This is one where I flubbed the lyrics on many lines but recovered alright through ad-libbing. The flange effect on the vocals may be a bit much and the drums, which were intended to be centrally showcases, did not mix well in the song.

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Rabbit Food

  By

Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 4:23
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/20-RabbitFood.mp3]		 1989
Lyrics
I, I might have known by the smell
That you were back again
You probably dug up your well to be able to lend
I should’ve know by your smile that you had something planned
Another scheme in your pile for more spare change in your can

Hip, chick lady making me sad
Hip, slick lady making me mad
Slick and sly beneathe your friendly smile
Hip, chick lady taking all my marbles for a while

Yes, I know you tricked me before but I’m much older now
I’ll promptly show you the door, you’ll probably show me your plow
It’s just a game that we played but no longer will do
You’re just out to get laid, I’m just out to get through

Hip, chick lady making me sad
Hip, slick lady making me mad
Slick and sly beneathe your friendly smile
Hip, chick lady taking all my marbles for a while

I might have known by the smell that you were back again

Moldy Jody cramming it hard
Boldly folding until her every inch is badly scarred
Slick baby, holding me back
Hip, chick lady putting fingerprints upon my stack

I should have know by your smile that you had something planned

Composition © 1989 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on July 17, 1989
Recorded July 1989
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
Mixed in 2003 & Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

Performers
Ric Albano
12-string Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums, Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: A moody song, rich with effects over a calmly strummed 12-string acoustic, the song suffers slightly from sound and tape issues as well as the ending guitar lead, which starts out strong but seems to run flat in the middle. Still, a good example of some of the experimental sounds of the summer of ’89.

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