Wasteland Blues [EP]

by The Dirty Birds

Wasteland Blues [EP] cover art
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1.
06:47
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2.
03:56
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3.
03:35
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4.
04:33
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5.
02:16
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about

Special thanks to our Kickstarter supporters, who gave us the motivation to record this EP.

credits

released 29 January 2011
Written by Jared Saltiel
Produced and arranged by the Dirty Birds
Engineered and mixed by Tomek Miernowski
Mastered by Ken Rich

Dave Koenig – electric bass
Dustin Kaufman – drums
Greg Hornby – electric guitar
Jared Saltiel – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, upright piano, Rhodes piano, tambourine
Tomek Miernowski – organ on The Holy Grail Blues

Recorded December 2010 at Grand St. Recording in Brooklyn, NY
Artwork and design by Mike Salvato

tags

tags: acoustic blues brooklyn country folk indie jared saltiel new york nyc pop rock the dirty birds tropicalia Brooklyn

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Track Name: Daddy
I was an accident, my Mama told me so
And every once in a while I think about the winding road
The one that led me here, to this land where the crops don’t grow
Well you know I’ve got some family where the country meets the coast
Life there wasn’t easy, be you rich or black or broke
‘Cause Misery loves company, especially whiskey, God and dope
Suicide took many, but the bottle it took the most
Somehow my Granddaddy always gave the family hope

Daddy, Daddy, the beach is gone
And all the houses are falling into the sea
Daddy, Daddy, the seashells are not quite as pretty
As they used to be
Well, I’ve been thinking that everyone’s beach is sinking
A little further with each wave
But Daddy, oh Daddy, your children are not quite ready
To be digging you a grave

When he landed at Normandy, the beach was stained tar-black
It was D-Day 4, and he always swore he never since saw carnage like that
You try to tell a boy about Hitler, you try to tell him about those crazy Japs
At best he’ll see glorious history, tattered flags raised at half-mast
Over time, we learned to beautify the ugliness of that past
The widows turned to whores and the orphaned children wrapped in rags
We sent those boys to save the world and they took the whole damn map
He came home a captain and a hero, anchor cast

Daddy, Daddy, the beach is gone
And all the houses are falling into the sea
Daddy, Daddy, the seashells are not quite as pretty
As they used to be
Well, I’ve been thinking that everyone’s beach is sinking
A little further with each wave
But Daddy, oh Daddy, your children are not quite ready
To be digging you a grave

‘Cause the world is getting a little warmer
And the tide is rising a little higher
And all of time’s been leading up to this point
But this point is coming a little too soon

When Daddy lay down dying, he took my hand in his
He wasn’t much for talking then, but he sure did have a grip
He said, “I’ve been holding on so long, pretty soon I’ll have to give in
But there’s a storm a-rising, can’t you hear the howling wind?
This torch I’ve carried through the years is barely even lit
Oh, you must bear this light alone, for you are now its guardian
Leave this place and don’t come back, there’s a battle there to win”
I still feel Daddy’s hand upon my hand, I swear he lives
Track Name: The Holy Grail Blues
Well, I never even saw the Holy Grail
No, I never lay a paw on the Holy Grail
The only vessel I could find was this bottle of wine
No, I never drank a drop from the Holy Grail

Well, I got lost in the Devil’s sea, chasing my dreams
Yeah, I served an evil white lady, devoted like a knight to his Queen
Oh, “If I could just get free,” I thought, “I’d even pray on their Holy Cross”
Well it never crossed my mind, no holy water could get me clean

Well, I came across a secret book, written in code
Talking mercury and sulfur, talking transformation recipes of old
Well, I put the mixture in my cup, swirled it around and I drank it up
I had visions, oh yeah, I had visions but I didn’t get no gold

Well, I’ll tell you boy, you’re never gonna find the Holy Grail
Oh, but what the hell boy, look me up if you live to tell the tale
Won’t you tell me ‘cause I don’t know what to believe
I’m just drowning in this Devil’s sea
So if you could just spare me a dollar boy, I’ll leave you be
Track Name: The Moon, Mary & Me
The roof of this building is floor 23
Up here it’s just the Moon, Mary and me
The red flashing lights are the only stars out tonight
Full Moon glowing white, you’re the only Goddess in sight

Mary, you know you’re not really that pure
They dragged you through the dirt to put you up on that hill
Now you gaze up at the Moon, thinking you should be there
High above this city, suspended in air

Mary, you know you’d be dark on your own
You glow but you owe that to Santiago
When the Sun doesn’t shine, they turn on your spotlight
If only they’d look in the sky, they’d see you reflected in Her light

Floor 23 has a small swimming pool
But the only reflection I see is the Moon
Mary, you’re too far to touch, you’re too far to talk to
On a hill above this city, that’s where they trapped you
Track Name: Dreamcatcher
Dreamcatcher, couldn’t you keep me company?
Bad people come in my sleep, don’t leave me
If you agree, I’ll hang you over me

Dreams, they don’t keep, they dissipate when you wake
When darkness lets in the light of day, that sweet escape
I won’t be free, I’ll hang you over me

All that I’ve seen is blinding me, I’m on my knees
If you agree, you could be my cross, I’m at a loss

Dreamcatcher, even the air is awake
Keep me asleep, keep me here, keep me safe
If you agree, I’ll hang you over me
Track Name: Stormy Waves
Daddy, can you hear me? I’m afraid I’ve lost my way
This love I found I left to drown in the Ocean’s stormy waves
I saw love burn brighter than a star and I stoked the flame
But in the end, my wandering hands abandoned it to the rain
When I go reading tea leaves, what I see leads me astray
Lady Misery is waiting, she says I can’t escape my fate
Did I really give up my woman for a future of heartache and pain?
Let courage be my guide the day I speak my true love’s name…