1. |
Dog's Age
02:42
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My throat like a thin white line
That floats out from my spine
Up from the cage where the red beast hides
It’s been a dog’s age since it went outside
My knees like two tall trees
Or a peach all pink and sweet
With that space always between
Little hairs grow, soft and serene
I have eyelids that are creased like paper
Pointed fingers that are dry like timber
All the kindling for fire in winter
And your ghost, a thin white line
Like smoke wrapped around my spine
There is a cave inside my mind
It’s been a dog’s age since I felt fine
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2. |
Shapeshifters
04:51
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While I slept, my spirit woke
And crept away to be alone
I have tried it on my own
How I wish it would come home
Oh creature, filled with rage
Behind the big brass bars of your cage
Back and forth, I watched you pace
While your eyes glowed green like sage
Every man I fall in love with
Oh they all remind me of him
It’s their hands or a word they say
Or a look upon their face
But they shapeshift like clay
And he always slips away
So every night I clutch my side
Where there’s a hole from which it climbed
And I hug myself so tight
And close my eyes to block the light
But oh baby, when I saw your face
By the muddy banks of the lake
Like a fish you breathed it in
I watched your chest rise again and again
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3. |
Cuckold's Horns
03:30
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Out, get out of me, demon
Through the holes I will pull you in pieces
Come from my ribs like a thorn
You were born to be mine
Don’t you live to deceive me?
Well I know, if you could you would leave me
Sad and forlorn, cuckold’s horns
I would find
Come on, come on back home
Come on, come on back home
You that I have created
Every piece was a labor, I made it
Start with a heart
That’s the part I would tame
And so become special lovers
How our bodies grew into each other
Now, at the end, I am spent
If you leave I’ll be maimed
Come on, come on back home
Come on, come on back home
Baby, devour me whole
Even my cuckold’s horns
Now I don’t recognize you
There’s a terrible creature inside you
Moving your hands and your mouth
So you shout like a fiend
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4. |
Salt Flat
04:46
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Under the water where slick things swim
Beaches are only the ocean’s brim
You are a body of feet and fins
Curling your tongue back to let me in
Out in the dust of the hot, flat plain
I saw your throat itch and itch for rain
You are a body of grass and sand
Spreading the fingers of spiny hands
I don’t wanna go back
I don’t wanna go back
But I will
Under the light of the glassy moon
Who am I looking for?
Who am I looking for?
Who am I looking for?
I’m looking for you
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5. |
Brute
04:26
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Little boys, they break my heart
Little boys, they break their arms
They get dirt on the seats of pants
And the palms of their hands
Young men, you break my heart
Young men, you wreck your cars
And you used your feet
And you used your hands
How did it feel, young man
When you chipped your tooth
On the fist of the brute?
Ready your guns, young man
Pluck out his tongue with your hand
Oh fathers, they break my heart
Rocking their daughters, opening jars
Then they go away and the house comes down
By the window pane, watching you leave town
Oh brother, it broke my heart
Oh brother, it broke apart
And all my blood came pouring out
Like a flood after the drought
And now I wade in a shallow sea
Our blood up to my knees
Cause you chipped your tooth
On the fist of the brute
Ready your guns, young man
Pluck out my tongue with your hand
Make me a son, young man
Pluck out the on with your hand
Ready your guns, young man
Pluck out my tongue with your hand
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6. |
Twin
04:51
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My twin, where to begin?
You are the root and I am the stem
If sun touches my face, you lie below
Trapped by the shade
Tonight we are one
A hand gripping gun
And I’m squeezing you tight
To bring you to life
Get lodged in the heart of the lord
Make a wound that drips like sap down wood
My twin, where to begin?
I am the form and you are the pins
If I look so strong and slim
You’ve got me stuck, deep under skin
Tonight we are one
A mouth closed over tongue
And I’m biting down tight
To keep you tonight
Get lodged in the teeth of the lord
Make cheeks fill with blood, mine and yours
Don’t make me break our truce
I swear, baby, I will shoot
And my aim is tried and true
I’ll never miss you
My twin, how will it end?
Shall I swallow you whole to make you my friend?
And then will we be alone?
I’m trying so to make you at home
But still, we are two
Hey babe, it’s just me and you
So stick to me tight and keep me alive
And don’t ever leave me behind
I’d never leave you if you were mine
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7. |
Old Boy
03:49
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Oh my love is just like a baby
With a big man inside
Two great parts like oil and water
Underneath the rawhide
Oh my love he burns like a fever
But he’s cool as a breeze
When he slips and loses his temper
He fells men just like trees
Come on, old boy, do a dance for me
Knock me off my feet like a warm whiskey
I’ll get painted up just like a pony
Oh my love he howls at the full moon
While I ball up my fists
When that restless itch starts to get him
I can tell by his kiss
If my love is fast as a freight train
I will lie like the tracks
Anywhere he goes I will take him
All the way on my back
Come on, old boy, do a dance for me
My pistol is pointed at your feet
I’ll get all dolled up just for you baby
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8. |
Vampire
04:57
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Once we had a giant house with shutters painted pink
And doors that let us in and out
And working stoves and sinks
And you and I were wrapped inside
Like organs under skin
And rich red blood surrounded us
And flowed like melted tin
But we’re not what we once were
We are not that anymore
A vampire dried us out
Pushed her mouth against our door
So then we went out on the road and joined a roaming tribe
And you became a mighty chief and I your lovely bride
And everywhere we walked back then we left footprints in pairs
Through sunshine and through darkened den we went without a care
But we’re not what we once were
We are not that anymore
Our backs have given out
And our legs are tired and sore
And the wolves will find us on the forest floor
And we won’t fight back like we did anymore
They’ll eat us up and spread us all around
And leave us miles apart upon the ground
So we can try to go back in time and start again as babes
At first in cribs and then as kids
Getting taller every day
But as we grow I’m sure I’ll know that things are not the same
For the second time we’ll start out fine and end up in this way
Cause we’re not what we once were
We are not that anymore
A vampire dried us out
Pushed her mouth against our door
No we’re not what we once were
We are not that anymore
You can’t even stand still and stay what you were before
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SAD SONGS Portland, Oregon
Calla Mapel / Singer Songwriter
SAD SONGS recommends:
Beautiful songwriting and production, featuring 3 members of Gallop. Portland chamber-folk at its very best.
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