Lyrics

I’m searching for a saner state of mind
Had enough electrickery, leave gadgets behind,
Goodbye noise pollution, HD used to blind,
Cause I’m searching for a saner state of mind

 

I’m seeking out a simpler way of kind
Throw hard drives in the river, I’ve sure seen the signs,
Binned the batteries, though ecologically unkind,
Now I’m seeking out a simpler way of kind

 

I’m listening for good news here to find
Don’t need religion, my heavens aligned,
Acoustics fill the air, electrics now declined,
Cause I’m listening for good news here to find

 

I’m wishing I could travel back in time
Life’s far simpler; it’s my turn to rewind,
Clearer in my thinking, emotions redefined,
Now I’m wishing I could travel back in time

 

I’m hoping to leave this frantic world behind
We’re all tucked up in bed, deep asleep by nine,
Happily embracing our peaceful sense of time,
Cause I’m hoping to leave this frantic world behind

 

I’m walking away from a poor design
Decongested roads, no traffic waits in line,
We’re dancing in the streets, fears no longer mine
Now I’m walking away from a poor design

 

We’re leaning towards an Amish frame of mind,
Night sky bible black, stars all shine,
Sparkling in the moonlight, we are no longer blind
When we’re leaning towards, an Amish frame of mind.

 

The inspiration for this track came from a hilarious discussion I had with Jessica Bowie during one of our weekly music sessions.  During one of our discussions she began to talk about the problems of technology and how it might be an idea to get rid of all the televisions! I found this unsurprising unexpected rant hysterically funny, but then later began to think she may well have a valid point! I already had a strong melody in mind and thought it would be interesting to perform this piece totally acapalla. Out album producer Carl Rosemond described this decision as “seriously brave!”
The original lyrics included the line “We’re leaning towards, an Amish frame of mind” and Jessica’s boyfriend Toby usefully pointed out that it may be better to only use that line in the final verse. This was one of the first lyrical collaborations between me and Jessica and the end result and recorded track turned out pretty well. It’s essentially a gospel song and terrific fun to sing.

 

Big Tony’s coming into town,
Big Tony will tear your troubles down,
Big Tony will tell you want to do (big Tony)
 Big Tony is here with all his crew

 

Bombing dessert cities, now on the gravy train
On the speaker circuit, cashing in on fame,
Once a puppeteer, til they cut your strings,
Never found those weapons not a single thing…

 

Big Tony’s coming into town, (big Tony)
Big Tony will tear your troubles down, (big Tony)
Big Tony will tell you want to do (big Tony)

Big Tony is here with all his crew

He’ll motivate you, transfer all your funds,
Crank up credit, no need to do sums,
Can’t resist his words, can’t resist his charms,
Gathering crowds no longer feel alarmed

 

Happy slappers queue outside the schoolyard gates,
He’s got his own agenda, no need to motivate,
There’s no real sadness in these boyish charms,
Bring on the punishment, no need for self-harm

 

Big Tony’s coming into town,
Big Tony will tear your troubles down,
Big Tony will tell you want to do
 Big Tony is here with all his crew

Big Tony’s coming into town,
Big Tony will tear your troubles down,
Big Tony will tell you want to do
 Big Tony is here with all his crew

 

Elvis crashes into Madonna, while the Beach Boys gather dust,
Stevie Wonder’s in the dark now, while Nina’s full of lust,
All she wants is a different dream, one she can abide,
Riding pillion with Steve McQueen, heading down Lower East Side

 

Frank’s not happy next to Iggy, getting under his skin,
Cat’s not thinking about religion and who’s on top of him,
Jazz and folk uneasy allies in this little space,
It’s a landslide community, everything’s out of place

Once you were a trader, Wall Street your domain,
Now they call you birdman with music on the brain

 

ITunes terms spreads like a virus, 50 pages to sign,
Even if I’m clicking yes, that music’s still not mine,
Borrowed files on data sticks have no real charm,
Picture less objects, only bring creative harm

 

Once you were a trader, Wall Street your domain,
Now they call you birdman with music on the brain

 

Blue cheese dreams in my head, thinking about happier times,
City stores once that stood tall, giving us listening rhymes,
This Birdman he bucks the trend, no pc in sight,
Rainbow Records rainbow thinking, a  musical delight

 

Once you were a trader, Wall Street your domain,
Now they call you birdman with music on the brain

©Nick Copy 2013

A few years ago while in the East Village New York I stumbled upon Rainbow Records, music store.
On the outside it looks like a pretty good bet with some Miles Davis box sets in the window. The shock however is when I opened the door to the actual shop. I have seen some pretty chaotic stores in my time and my own CD collection at home could do with some organizing BUT trust me you have never seen anything like this store…
Firstly there is only room for one customer to walk into the store at any one time as there are so many CDs, tapes and records stacked on all sides. There is no obvious system to figure out what is where and Bill simply throws out suggestions in a classic New York accent as to what customers might like…

Bill has been nicknamed “The Birdman” and he earned his money as a trader in previous times. There are around 20,000 CDs in the stores and thousands of albums, but it’s totally impossible to do any  kind of logical search. As you walk down the store existing customers have to back up to negotiate who can more in the shop. During all of this CDs regularly crash to the floor and Bill is heard to say “Don’t worry about it” He also remarks “One time I got stuck in the back for hours.”

I settled on a buying strategy of just looking at box sets and in order to locate some in the window Bill had to balance on a chair and use a stick to try and nudge requested items in our general direction. I have travelled the world and seen a lot of CD stores, but I can honestly say I have never seen anything like this, ever!
That having said I bought a Miles box set and found the whole experience wonderfully anarchistic. In a world where there is often far too much order and regulations, more Birdmen would in my view be no bad thing…

No sense in theses commons, no will for commonsense,
No honour in these honours, asleep on this bench,
Misrepresent the people, every listless day
All in this together, at that’s what you always say

 

Turning to the left, turning to the right,
Turning into darkness, humanity’s not in sight,
Breaking up the ground, breaking people’s hearts,
Water ever rising lost comfort in these parts

 

You can pray to heavens, pray to gods above,
Whisper in these alleys, messages without love,
Hope in the union beyond your selfish minds,
Power in the darkness, a force for being kind.

 

You can fuck off back to fuckville, with all your fucking friends,
Too late for salvation, too late to pay amends,
If there is a heaven, you’ll not go to it,
You’re headed for another place, reserved for little shits

 

Homemade blues kept you up all night
Mandy’s touch meant you sleep just right
Exiled out on the main line
Rush without traffic made you feel just fine

The grim reapers got no plans for you,
Rocking this world since 1962,
The older folks couldn’t understand,
Why all the kids went crazy for the five string man

 

Chorus
When not on stage, you’d rather be flying,
You know which lines this side of dying…
When not on stage, you’d rather be flying,
You know which lines, this side of dying…

 

Just reached 70, guitar in hand,
The beating heart of this 5 piece band
You got Muddy Waters, on the brain,
All the girls know that, your Love’s in vain,

 

Gram, Mick, Les and BB too,
Those cats loved to play with you,
Jamming along with this human riff
Your satisfaction is his to give

 

When not on stage, you’d rather be flying,
You know which lines this side of dying…
When not on stage, you’d rather be flying,
You know which lines, this side of dying…

Your life’s in paper for all to read
Your life’s in paper for all to read
Your life’s in paper for all to read
Your life’s in paper for all to read      

 

The five string man is the legendary guitar player Keith Richards, best known as the co-writer with Mick Jagger for the band The Rolling Stones. Richard’s is also well respected as a musician and has a great love of the blues. He also has played with many other guitar greats including Les Paul and BB King and was nicknamed “the human riff”

Keith decided to remove the low E string on his guitar and to tune the remaining five strings to an “open G” tuning. He described this transformation in the following manner

“With the five-string it was just like turning a page; there’s another story. And I’m still exploring. With five strings you can be sparse; that’s your frame, that’s what you work on. ‘Start Me Up,’ ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking,’ ‘Honky Tonk Women,’ all leave gaps between the chords.”

Rolling Stones enthusiasts with notice that this song is littered with musical references from this band with a nod to Keith’s well documented “chemical explorations” The final outro is a reference to Keith’s excellent autobiography “Life” where the whole Small Change Diaries band sings – “Your life’s in paper for all to read”

 

Chorus

Hey Rona, put on your dancing shoes,
Different kinds of movement, blow away those blues,
Right and left hemispheres start to align,
With your spirit and attitude, all will work out fine

 

You told me, you were a mad and crazy girl
Fifteen years old almost crashed from this world
Every days an adjustment for your body and mind,
Adapting to each moment, potential yet to find

 

The man in the office rolls you a joint again
It’s a take away service, to take away this pain,
Your aim is here to capture, filming all that’s new
The ginger sheep’s on youtube here for us to view

 

Chorus

Hey Rona, put on your dancing shoes,
Different kinds of movement, blow away those blues,
Right and left hemispheres start to align,
With your spirit and attitude, all will work out fine

 

Five floors do not stop you, walking with a cane,
Nothing here is easy; you woke to rise again,
Driving down the freeway, right side still strong
Your life begins to balance, seeking to belong

 

We met for a few hours in downtown Tel Aviv,
I wrote this song for you, a reminder to believe
In living for each moment, this redhead’s here to stay
Your voice more than a whisper, with plenty left to say

 

Hey Rona, put on your dancing shoes,
Different kinds of movement, blow away those blues,
Right and left hemispheres start to align,
With your spirit and attitude, all will work out fine

 

©Nick Cody 2014

Also see video of Hey Rona on this page here

This Satellite TV’s plumbed firmly in my mind
Endless gossip streams for all of us to find,
I was never in your fan club, not sure what you did
Not even in the papers not even as a kid

 

Chorus
I’m driven here to comment now that you’re dead,
Never even met you, don’t know what’s in your head,
But I’m posting here on Facebook, thirty times a day,
It’s what I do these days to pass the time away.

 

A Forensic feast of feelings spew across the nation,
We’re on a collision course to lurid fascination,
Let’s all tweet our feelings, in this feathered way,
Day and night time flapping, fills our every day,

 

Chorus
I’m driven here to comment now that you’re dead,
Never even met you, don’t know what’s in your head,
But I’m posting here on Facebook, thirty times a day,
It’s what I do these days to pass the time away.

 

Gather in frenzy; no need to know the facts,
Entertainment for the masses created by these hacks,
Such colorful stories present in black and white
Hysterical reactions who’s wrong who’s right

I’m driven here to comment now that you’re dead,
Never even met you, don’t know what’s in your head,
But I’m posting here on Facebook, thirty times a day,
It’s what I do these days to pass the time away.

When Miles decides to blow that horn,
It’s a kind of blue,
Start to think now so what,
As that bass is coming through

Once you had those Dewey eyes,
Now glasses hide your looks
Hanging out with Charlie P,
The legend of musical books

 

This birth of cool in 48,
Just the place to be,
Quintet of emerging sounds,
Music so wild and free

When Miles decides to blow that horn,
 It’s a kind of blue,
Start to think now so what,
As that bass is coming through

Plugged in the mains in 68,
Electric hum in the air,
Bobby’s folkies call him Judas,
All the trad cats despair

On the corner, off the map
No GPS in this place.
Heading towards a modal village,
New kinds of sonic grace

 

When Miles decides to blow that horn,
It’s a kind of blue,
Start to think now so what,
As that bass is coming through

 

When Miles decides to blow that horn,
It’s a kind of blue,
Start to think now so what,
As that bass is coming through

Nothing I could say to you will make you change your mind,
This is not the first time but you still don’t see the signs,
When heads are in the clouds not a foot upon the ground,
You’re the one now long gone, the damage left behind…

They say this land is your land, but that’s not strictly true,
Fifty foot down in the ground still don’t belong to you,
Time to create some street art, paint the neighborhood,
A kaleidoscope of colours that will only do you good

 

Chorus
Not one of us is smarter, than all of us round here,
Every thought you think right now, will someday disappear…
Not one of us is smarter, than all of us round here,
Every song, you hear right now will someday disappear…

 

You’re fucking with the future, fracking with the past,
It’s a waste of time and energy, but at least you’ve had your blast,
We are all just passing through; none are here to stay,
Don’t think about the future that just gets in the way, cause

Half the country’s drowning, now is the rising tide,
You say perhaps you’ll drop by and at least you tried,
This defense won’t hold water, no longer holds ideas,
A perfect storm is coming, for this to end in tears

Not one of us is smarter, than all of us round here,
Every thought you think right now, will someday disappear…
Not one of us is smarter, than all of us round here,
Every song, you hear right now will someday disappear…

©Nick Cody 2014

 

One day I’ll disappear, leave everything behind,
Step off from this planet and all of its confines,
You can bet a stack of bibles, all of your pay,
Look and see, I‘m not there on this final day

 

One day I’ll disappear, no need to stay and search
Graffiti my name in paint, on every single church,
Start some major fires, light up the night sky,
Drive a few folks crazy, not even tell them why

 

Chorus
If you’re dying to be living, it’s time to take the time,
Work through your bucket list then leave this world behind
If you’re dying to be living, take the time to say,
All that’s on your mind up loud, there is no better way

 

One day I’ll disappear, so nothings left to sort
Give advice to strangers from my bat shit thoughts,
Take these moleskin diaries, stack em way up high,
Create a psychedelic spectacle reaching to the sky

 

One day I’ll disappear, like a ninja up in smoke,
Tango in the fields with other eccentric folks,
Drop water bombs on magistrates from up on high,
Dye all my clothes bright blue just to look so fly

 

Chorus
If you’re dying to be living, it’s time to take the time,
Work through your bucket list then leave this world behind
If you’re dying to be living, take the time to say,
All that’s on your mind up loud, there is no better way

 

One day I’ll disappear; please don’t start to cry
Ascending to the heavens, way up to the sky
Taking this song with me, even if you mind
And 40 ukuleles, playing music oh so fine

 

One day I’ll disappear, leave everything behind,
Step off from this planet and all of its confines,
You can bet a stack of bibles, all of your pay,
Look and see, I‘m not here on this final day

Come on kick off your shoes, place feet on the ground

Breathe without a care; don’t make a single sound,
Look to the heavens, blue skies all you see,

Your world of opportunity, chances to be free

Chorus

I don’t know what your indecision is, why not jump on in,

I don’t know what your indecision is; search yourself within
This perfect moment, no time to waste, 
Nothing to think about, in this perfect place, this perfect place

 

Start to sway in rhythm, stretch your arms out wide,
This beating heart has purpose, no secrets to confide,
No more mysteries, no tasks to complete,
Everything that matters here within your reach

 

I don’t know what your indecision is, why not jump on in,
I don’t know what your indecision is; search yourself within
This perfect moment, no time to waste,
Nothing to think about, in this perfect place, this perfect place

There’s no looking back, the future’s to inspire,

A kinder way of being, old tensions now retire,
Travelling through time and space, you’re not alone,
Connect to all that’s good, wherever you may roam

 

I don’t know what your indecision is, why not jump on in,
I don’t know what your indecision is; search yourself within
This perfect moment, no time to waste,
Nothing to think about, in this perfect place, this perfect place

There’s only one of you, please keep that in mind,
Stay well, stay safe, to yourself, always be kind,
You once swam in the ocean, now swim in ideas,
Filling this world with love, calming other’s fears

There’s only one of you, here now to behold,
You came into this universe, at least that’s what you’re told,
We all hire space for a short while, and you know that’s true,
Then pass to another place and where there will still be you

There’s only one of you, treasure this each day,
Every single moment’s precious, in its own true way,
Behind all you see, and hear, everything you do,
There’s simply one special thing and that is always you

You hit me like a soft freight train; I’m caught in these tracks
These rails don’t run easy when feelings coming back
Never been in this spotlight before; love came up short,
Now all those old song clichés fill up my daily thoughts

 

You caught me in a blanket while falling from the sky,
Spinning through the open air, no sense of how or why,
The gravity of this situation comes quietly to my aid,
Farewell old ways of thinking, plans once been made

Chorus
This heart wants what this heart wants;
This head will wait in line
There’s nothing to compare this to,
No brighter sun to shine

Used to try please everyone, till nothing left to share,
Chased every single moment, travelled here and there,
Four strings of sound means, help light up my way,
Now I hear your welcome voice, everything’s ok

 

Love was a long time coming; caught me by surprise
Friends shuffle forth like cards; don’t believe their eyes,
Old therapeutic songs fade, no longer cloud my day
Softer trains of thought, bring love, love that’s here to stay

This heart wants what this heart wants;
This head will wait in line
There’s nothing to compare this to,
No brighter sun to shine

We’ll draw you out with humour, graphically in style,
Flowers adorn sidewalks, stretching out for miles,
We’ll draw you out with laughter, essential sense of fun,
Sleep soundly in our beds despite what you’ve done

 

We’ll draw you in our papers; we’ll draw you on our signs,
Gather in our millions a United State of mind,
We’ll draw you in our cities, nowhere left to hide,
Nothing to protect you, no heaven once you’ve died

 

We’ll draw you in the spotlight, with our sharpie pens,
Challenging hatred, make you think again,
We’ll draw idol gods, let imagination flow,
Paper up cracked thoughts, no scriptures on show

 

We’ll draw you out with humour, graphically in style,
Flowers adorn sidewalks, stretching out for miles,
We’ll draw you out with laughter, essential sense of fun,
Sleep soundly in our beds despite what you’ve done

 

We’ll draw you out with humour,
Draw you out with laughter,
Draw in our papers;
Draw you on our signs
We’ll draw you in the spotlights,
With our sharpie pens
We’ll draw you out
We’ll draw you out