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1.
Remember 05:05
The planet all in space is wheelin' Through night the refugees are stealin' The neighbors all have gone The tramps are campin' on the lawn They had to tranquilize your mother We're all afraid of one another O McMansions of yesteryear And not one security camera shed a tear? Time was I thought that we could live like a king We thought that towers never tumbled Now winter's comin' and the cold's gonna sting AndI forgot what to remember A union organizer dyin' A new world order baby cryin' That's how it all began Then the orders came down from high command Those were the days, my friend Now he's got the whole world in his hands
2.
The forests have all fallen, they lay across the road We saw it all go down in the office lounge while we ate our a la mode That’s life workin' up in the tower, where all the princes talk in code Or play with the latest in remote control The climate in this cubicle, Lord it just suits my clothes All the walls are beige, the numbers turn the page so slow It’s been said that we will reap and eat the words we sow Meanwhile we just keep on hoein' the same old row I’m banking on disaster To wash my livin’ clean To make the world turn faster And shake some green back down to me Meanwhile in the card house kingdom, the people gather for the show The kings and queens all primp and preen, Nero rosins up his bow Daddy Warbucks shuffles in with his new pet pig in tow Then a hush comes over the crowd as the lights go low Ah, the dull roar of warplanes, up in heaven where they dwell The senator feeds at the trough, as he belches “War is hell” What’s behind his plain white mask, well don’t you ask & don’t you tell Outside can't you hear the toll of the iron bells I’m banking on disaster To wash my livin’ clean To make my heart beat faster And shake some green back down to me The stink of diesel coils around this city like a noose I keep my eyes glued to the white line, ‘cos the steering’s a little loose Smoke coughs out my tailpipe when I step down on the juice Get me to the job on time or you ain’t no use… I’m banking on disaster To wash my record clean To make my head think faster And shake the world out of its dream And shake the world out of its dream And shake the world out of its dream
3.
Yackity yack the satellite media Stackity stack the crap they're feeding ya Trackity track the trail they're leading ya down boy Addling waves breaking over you Fiddle and fawn and four leaf clover you Peddle and pawn or just pore over you roundly Turn on the tube, yeah! ¬ turn on eternally! Turn on the tube, yeah! ¬ turn on eternity! Silicon oil the mystic medium Bubble and boil with tinsel tedium Rifle recoils encyclopedium log jam Rattle the cage and break it open or Battle the rage and just keep hopin' for a Satellite age where everyone's soaking up someone.
4.
Mister Christopher Columbus Planted false evidence to stump us Twisted history's big ol' rumpus Sly old Christopher Columbus Let's land right here! Natives have no fear! We believe in God! Cross of gold, rod by rod Better pray and how! Talk about a cash cow! Whippin' you into shape! We discovered you and you can't escape! Meanwhile ol' Isabelle made merry The help drank up all the cooking sherry Mister Christopher Columbus Realized we'd never seen a compass Pulled out his almanac to stump us Said he'd send an old eclipse to jump us Blackin' out the day! Sack of woe and dismay! What a way to go! I'd run away but the boat don't row! Better pray and how! Talk about a cash cow! Whippin' you into shape! We discovered you and you can't escape! Mister Christopher Columbus For information he would pump us When there was no gold he'd be a grumpus Cut both my hands down to a stumpus
5.
Tow the line don't get behind Keep your nose to the old grindstone Don'tcha know in some years time You could have a home of your own. Play square, and don't despair And don't ya ever grumble or groan And don't forget to keep your nose to the old grindstone Been workin' double time by golly Haulin' tail on a ten ton dolly Foreman says I'm his good buddy He's my favorite fuddy duddy He told me the dear old CEO can never do wrong And best of all he taught me to sing this song... Tow the line don't get behind Keep your nose to the old grindstone Don'tcha know in some years time You could have a home of your own. Play square, and don't despair And don't ya ever grumble or groan And don't forget to keep your nose to the old grindstone Gotta job and it's a pleasure On my knees diggin' up that treasure Wrap it up and hand it over To the fat man with the four leaf clover He's so lucky that someone died and left it all to him Let's get up tomorrow morning and do it again
6.
My room's on a rock in the water The waves roll in and they crash I dream of the ocean's daughter But all that floats up to me is trash My true love's over the ocean My true love's over the sea And just 1 drop of devotion Would bring my Bonnie to me She sent her love in a bottle Somethin' 'specially for me She mailed it out to forever Now it's a bobbin' across all eternity My Bonnie bought me a bottle A 1970 Pouilly-Fuissé With no propeller or throttle To hasten it on its way My rock is out on the ocean My rock is out on the sea Birds from the Land of Goshen Will tear my heart out of me She sent her love in a bottle Somethin' 'specially for me She mailed it out to forever Now it's a bobbin' across all eternity She bought a bottle of champagne To celebrate our special day They tossed it out of the mail train Now it's bobbin' all up and down in the bay
7.
Deep in the heart Of Northern California A kind bud grows forlorn It's not neglected But not quite respected Deemed a weed, so it is scorned Circling above me A California condor Or a vulture, by and by One is endangered, The other is a stranger But both of them get high California Fried Oh no, now, Oh no no not again The world is crackin' down The line they draw Between right & wrong is razor thin Hey but that is where I'm hangin' And my mouth is getting dry California Fried Circling around me The Sacramento P.D. Son you're goin' for a ride Choppers descending This bust is never ending Can't say I never tried California Fried
8.
What For 04:22
Ah life is full for those who seek control They run the show, and never a moment's dull They pick you out like the littlest Christmas tree Stand you in a line, and tell you how to shine Tell you how to goddamn shine I should laugh and let it go But oh why prolong the pain? A new day for your horn to blow? God knows we don't need that anymore The only way to get you out the door Is giving you what for Hip hip hooray, you're such a holiday We're in your play, and you're gonna save the day You ride into town on your one horse cavalry Once your bugle blows you will not let us be Will not let us goddamn be I should laugh and let it go But oh why prolong the pain? A new day for your horn to blow? God knows we don't need that anymore The only way to get you out the door Is giving you what for
9.
I just read the news The world's in concrete shoes The useless ones are bruised and dying Out cold in the road they're lying Roadkill The feathers will fly The jackrabbit's eye The natural high of driving Babies on board surviving Roadkill The world is so much fun America has won We're free to sell our guns and choppers Windshields smeared with grasshoppers Roadkill
10.
Yankee Rag 04:24
Go down in the mountain Get some cold pay for another day in hell Just pray that whatever they dig up will sell Just mind your, your own business And keep on crawlin' down that hole The eagle flies on Friday. Just let it roll They buried that troublemaker And the Yankee said “Now this town's in the bag” And we're jumpin' to a tune called the Yankee Rag You hold hands with the devil and you hold him tight And he will try to help you make it through the night So full of bread and wine you think you're Jesus Christ When the company man says he can save your soul For a price His picture was on the front page Of the papers blowin' down the old main drag Drink up a- another round boys To the Yankee Rag You hold hands with the devil and you hold him tight And he will try to help you make it through the night So full of bread and wine you think you're Jesus Christ When the company man says he can save your soul For a price The army come down with their guns now To chase our women, how they boast and brag Each dead soldier covered over With a Yankee Rag Just mind your, your own business And keep a crawlin' down that hole The eagle flies on Friday. Just let it roll
11.
O My Job 05:26
Oh my job I hope you can find me now I'll sit and broadcast my location all day All I got in my pocket Is a folded up resume Mighty flimsy, some would say Oh my job I won't criticize you now I'll sit 'n' take it like a man who gets paid If it's just a money matter Doesn't matter how the money gets made I could be out there selling lemonade Way back in May I blew in like a breeze Grabbed a hold of the brass ring and Took a squeeze Then I heard the four winds blow And I left that job a-standing in the row But that was then And now I know this is now And I hope my job locates me soon You can find me anytime By the silvery light of the cartoons Shining in my living room

credits

released October 19, 2018

Alex Greene: vox, guitar, piano, organ, glockenspiel, trombone
Jim Spake: reeds
Marc Franklin: trumpet
John McClure: bass
Tom Lonardo: drums (3,4,5,7,8,9,10)
Paul Buchignani: drums (1,2,6,11)
John Whittemore: pedal steel (1,2,6,11)
Lorette Velvette: bgv (1,10)
Felix Hernandez: perc (3,7)

These songs were written just prior to September 11, 2001, and in the years that followed.

All songs written & arranged by Alex Greene, © 2009 BMI,
except "Christopher Columbus," music by Leon Berry, © 1936 Razaf Music Co. & Morris & Co., lyrics by Alex Greene, © 2012 BMI; and “Roadkill Samba,” © 1997 Porter Bros. Publishing, Inc., BMI. These recordings ℗ 2018 Rolling Head Records.

Produced by Alex Greene.
Mixed by Doug Easley & Alex Greene.
Recorded Nov. 2009 & Oct. 2012 at New School Media, Memphis, TN.
Engineered by Doug Easley. Mastered by Doug Easley.

Cover photo: Jamie Harmon.
Graphics by Tripp Lamkins.

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Alex Greene Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis songwriter Alex Greene builds his tracks on the bedrock of the Rolling Head Orchestra’s horns and pedal steel, mixed with his own primitive jazz interpolations.

Greene is best known for his guitar and keyboard work with the Reigning Sound, Big Ass Truck, Tav Falco’s Panther Burns, and, in NYC, the Kropotkins.
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