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it was a pleasure to burn

by noah mclaughlin

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1.
other ways 03:48
she had other ways i once knew a woman she would not tell me her name she lived down in Atlanta, an' every night she burned that town with shame with the voice of an angel but a soul as black as pitch should could sing for her supper but could not love herself rich she had other ways oh she had one them mansions ponce de leon midtown way an' all that she ever wanted she had to fight for every day she was proud of them bruises she could take the abuse her nose, her veins, her heart, her tears all dried up from use she had other ways up on the TV there are a million of her ghosts the pundits all mourn her passing the divas raise a toast so we all held a party to come 'round and crown her heir long live the queen of sorrow from her snow-white chair she had other ways
2.
oh i look for wisdom in every word you say but there is only madness when you lead me astray you don't really mean it your intentions never cruel but you are made of matches i am made of fuel wherever you can go whatever you may need whatever you may want however high the fee my good friend leo tolstoy wrote of anna based on me he said you gotta be perfect he said you gotta be free and chuck bent over backwards that soused up albatross well, he said much the same thing: steal away from loss wither thou would go i will follow; i am blind however hard the blow these are the ties that grind wither thou would go i will cleave to thee however hard the blow however deep the sea
3.
here's the back road i have been walking and it never seems to end twists and turns 'round mountains and valleys like a lover folds to river bends takes me on past lone empty diners through vast deserts and plains leads me deep into accented bayous 'long tracks saggin' with trains and i don't know what it is thought i left you far behind that same old dream again you're always on my mind here's the last station where we once parted its hollow and wind-swept seats vaulted ceilings echo whispers of lovers salted windows count their heartbeats the platform is for entrances & exits each of us has their part but i don't 'spect much for applause another another day, another broken heart and i don't know what it is when the train don't arrive on time that same old dream again you're always on my mind here is a trail of storms and forgetting high in the mountain range watch the clouds kiss the peaks like a lover hear the thunder sing my pain feel the rain wash away all my sins cleanse the earth, cleanse my soul feel the wind dry all my tears let this hollow make me whole and i don't really understand the rain has left only you behind your phantom come again why are you always on my mind a burning serpent of asphalt and tar human hubris baked in black
4.
panacea 02:33
she sits all day in the sun she's in love with everyone she plays out in the rain she's the cure for all of your pain panacea i see you her smile can melt the clouds her song can draw a crowd catch a glance from her emerald eyes watch her soar through azure skies panacea i see you she's everyone's darling starling when the sunset is drawing near from her strawberry throne she always goes home alone panacea i see you
5.
gravity 03:58
the world has come together the world will fly apart seeking dreams we chase the shadow that lies within our heart word for word I know the story the tales in colors stark down the path unknowing known we stumble in the dark and your gravity how it pulls at me does my gravity pull you free in orbit round we circle this azure mass untamed the heavens all a-singing our passions all aflame oh supplications muted we strain to hear the tune that single chord we have forgot that rest we left too soon and your gravity how it pulls at me does my gravity pull you free what have you forsaken? my god e'er lost in pain suffer long the quiet aching and listen to the rain blood will wash our misdirection as it falls upon the ground we are now all pulled together by one divine sound and your gravity how it pulls at me does my gravity pull you free
6.
I. The trouble is the ship left without me. Also I cut a hole in the sunset-tinged sail. Not a hole; a heart shape. I almost forget they’re the same. The scissors sank like live weights, flashing their teeth at the mackerels. Summer ends with a settle of silver and sand. II. A woman alone is an alien thing. The dock rejects her heft. Mouths open to the sky, golden birds pray for rains and the wormtails of truths. Wishes can break your neck if you don’t cant your face three degrees to the right. of the mast. Look at me, quick. There’s nowhere else to go III. but down. Last night the boatman had tomorrow for eyes. There was no place left to slot my coins. Think of that face like the ones drawn on rice—a curio to scare the children with. My muse slunk off with a half-cocked heel and a man half her age. If I believed in gods, I’d fuck them all. IV. Once I was younger. Every word was a seaweed scrawl of bracken, every line a breaking wave of wood. Who wants to be a bird when I can be me? Song was never mine for pyre. My hair is spun of golden scales. When the ship sinks, let’s say it was never my fault. Let’s say I really wanted to go all the way.
7.
to the devil 03:51
i spoke to the devil but he had nothing to say cuz i had beat him down, beat him all damn day Beelzebub came a knockin', came up right to my door tried to whisper sweet nothin's so i put him on the floor i spoke to the devil i spoke with my fist i spoke to the devil now he's on my list course there is what freddy said about the black abyss can you win that staring game and make Satan miss? if this is that hubris thing, then just let me be if i can make my way there blind, his blood will set me free i spoke to the devil Mephistopheles i spoke to the devil you want no truck with me though it winds like a serpent, i can walk the path sow the seeds of destruction, pick the grapes of wrath i spoke to the devil but was only talkin' aloud i am my own hemlock i weave my own shroud i spoke to the devil bluffed the father of lies i spoke to the devil, boy you better let me pass on by i spoke to the devil Mephistopheles i spoke to the devil & lived you want no truck with me
8.
you were standing in a shadow of blue a chord in one hand my heart to undo you were a cipher, a mistress code a wind-talker in melody clothed & we sang all night & whispered the day you were standing but i heard you croon a siren sang your secret tune it was a tryst it was a whirlwind but all good things must find their end your études your ivory keys i play my six-string down on my knees i play the blues you play for you it was a tryst it was too facile i was all swear about blue gun steel i was all swear about your demise shed not a tear for all your lies they put me in chains and on the stand i told the tale 'bout your demands what you took from me my ransomed heart i was all swear about your timely end but never said a word about our bed
9.
broken doll 04:47
the stage was small; the billing, too it was still the show to end all shows you take your coffee black but a little sweet these things stick with me even still like morning traffic through a dirty pane waking you from fevered dreams like letting go while i kicked and screamed (like letting go with a kiss) i am letting too much slip away seems there's nothing left to hang on just a voice on a distant plain echoes of things pretending you are my mirror; i am thine it's still not - no not the same there's a hole where you used to shine (spots on the sun feel no shame) how do you do it? i want to know this broken doll that you take home how do you do it? i wanna know this broken soul you make whole in that forest of steel and stone we fought our dragons and we lost we played at love to bind our wounds never noticing the cost lamb or lion it's all the same i am your shadow ever hence this lullaby a searing flame (i am too long hunting this) how do you do it? i want to know this broken doll that you take home how do you do it? i wanna know this broken soul you make whole
10.
there ain't no permits needed no one's wearin' riot gear i don't have a sign to wave i just want you here but i'll take your red tent cities i'll take your 99 i'll take your white-hot anger i just want your hand in mine and it's funny cuz you're next to me but we're a long time apart come on over, the space is free why don't you occupy my heart this world is going down (in flames!) and i spend my nights alone (drinkin' whislkey!) there may be a body there (no there ain't!) but you are long, long gone come back for the revolution come back and sing along come back for the retribution just come back - i was wrong and it's funny cuz you're next to me but we're a long time apart come on over, the space is free why don't you occupy my heart
11.
my mother was adamant that woman was made of steel so one night she stole away said she couldn't feel my father wasn't there his jaw slack, his eyes a-glaze he awoke hard one day left the porch, the house ablaze and i tell you all of this so you can understand my mother always said there are no monsters under your bed in the closet they abide keep them there i am working my way on through my family tree of twisted branches climb on down to the tangled roots find out where my shadow dances i am looking for the answer to the question you asked me if you are always someone's monster are you ever really free and i tell you all of this so you will take my hand my mother always said there are no monsters under your bed in the closet they abide keep them there
12.
A cold freezin' night I wish I was a boy A cold freezin' night Oh, baby Why do you always get away with things? It's not fair I need to think, think of something So you can stay alive I can kill you with a rifle, with a shotgun, if I care Probably by cut all your your toes off Make my way up from there A cold freezin' night I wish I was a boy A cold freezin' night Oh, baby Boys do tougher than girls And I wish I was a boy I'm gonna rip all your hair off And everybody's gonna think He is an asshole He is that asshole I'm gonna all rip your hair off An' then you're gonna be A cold freezin' night I wish I was a boy A cold freezin' night Oh, baby, sing with me A cold freezing night I believe i can soar A cold freezing night I believe

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Tom Petty meets Nirvana while Johnny Cash buys them a drink. 12 tracks of indie alt-country folk rock with a dash of sampling madness for flavor.

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released June 22, 2012

All songs written and performed by noah mclaughlin, except "Soul Clap Its Hands and Sing," lyrics and vox by Shanna Germain, and "A Cold Freezin' Night" written by The Books (c) 2010. Cover art by Noah Hudson, age 6.

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noah mclaughlin Atlanta, Georgia

Appalachian distortion, folk samples, and ancient myths.

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