Tag: Songs from 1989

The Miracle of Surprise

  By

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

  By

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

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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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Sweet Judy Brown

  By

Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 2:15
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/Xtra/SweetJudyBrown.mp3]		 1989
Lyrics
Now it was hot and it was stormy up on Katenberg Hill
When sweet Judy came with her new barnyard skill
Now on Saturday nights the men are comin’ around
Just to try her for themselves, just to lay sweet Judy Brown

All the town, they’re coming back for more
All around, they all lay down the whore

Now all of Judy’s bad habits have gone way out of line
Her mama went and caught her with five locals in the pines
Now that Judy’s out of business she can stick to one man
But if he works late on Saturday, she’ll surely bare her parts untanned

Singing, hey young Judy get off of your knees
You’re an open invitation to some new kind of disease
Hey Mrs. Brown, don’t you teach your daughter right
Now she’s in the barnyard almost every night

Composition © 1989 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on August 5, 1989
Recorded August 1989
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
Mixed in 2003 & Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

Performers
Ric Albano
Acoustic & Electric Guitars, All Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: This was originally going to be the lead song of a “concept album” about a prostitute called The Rise and Fall of Sweet Judy Brown. Along with an unpublished second part of this song, there is Mrs. McCleary’s Farm which advances the story line.

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You Will Regret This

  By

Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 2:11
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/17-YouWillRegretThis.mp3]		 1989
Lyrics
Now that the party’s all done
Why should we stop having fun?
It’s not supposed to end up this way
There are too many things to be done

Please stay, my friend, don’t leave me now
(I need your laughter and I need your charm…
…I need you here wrapped inside my arms)
I really need you
Can’t go on much longer on my own

No longer the night’s very young
Too many times the ears have been wrung
Of the king who sits all alone
Without his queen, he won’t accept his throne

He sits alone in his dungeon made of stone
(He has to break through this dungeon of stone…
…and fight the beast who guards his throne)
He has to break though
And fight the beast who guards his only throne

And now that you need me no more
Don’t worry, I’ll show myself to the door
I leave you with one thing to say
You’re gonna regret this someday

You know it’s true, you need me too
These silly games will only cause you pain
(I ain’t your puppet and I ain’t your fool…
…I have more of a purpose than to be used by you…
…I ain’t no subject of these silly games…
…I tried to help you not to cause you pain)
You will regret this
Regret the things you’ve done to me today

Composition © 1989 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

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

Performers
Ric Albano
Electric Guitars, All Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: A simple ballad with duo vocal parts, the song suffers from an abundance of tape noise, but still a decent listen.

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