rob lynch: nuthatch

rob lynch- accolades

2008 Best Painter- Artvoice Best Of Buffalo
2007 Best Blues Drummer- Buffalo Music Awards
2007 Buffalo Spree Best of WNY- Instrumentalist
2007 ADDY Award Silver- Rob Lynch: Gift Songs From A Lovely, Puzzling Sea
2006 Best Musician Nominee- Artvoice Best of Buffalo Awards
2005 Best Blues Drummer- Buffalo Music Awards
2004 Best Jazz Band- David Kane Quartet, Buffalo Music Awards
2004 Best of Show- “Made Sassy by the Sun” Art Dialogue Gallery
2004 Best Painter- Artvoice Best of Buffalo Awards
2004, 2002- Who’s Who Among American High School Teachers
1998 Best Pop Band- Plaster Sandals, Buffalo Music Awards
1997 Best Drummer- Artvoice Music Awards
1997 First Prize- Late Night With Conan O’Brian College Music Search

rob lynch: drummer

Rob started playing drums in the third grade after hearing Ringo Starr. He quickly built up skill by cranking up the stereo and playing along with the Beatles, Rush, Yes, and Chick Corea and anything else that seemed interesting. At age 14 he played in an original fusion band and in a Rush tribute band that had him playing his first live shows. His high school jazz band took numerous awards including Best Rhythm Section in the North American Music Festival. He heard Stravinsky, Monk and Alban Berg in his high school music theory class, which opened up his sense of possibility in all music. Rob was invited to the Berklee College of Music in Boston to audition after wowing the judges in a jazz festival…but the audition went south when he confessed that he didn't know what a songo was.
In college Rob joined the Plaster Sandals, playing pop songs written by the talented Buffalo songwriter Rob Falgiano. The Sandals did well for a local band, scoring a radio hit with the song "This Life" which was in heavy rotation on 101.1 The Planet and winning a Buffalo Music Award for Best Original Band. The Sandals many live shows in Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburg and New York built up Rob's reputation as a top-notch drummer, winning him an Artvoice Music Award for Best Drummer and a yearly nomination in the Buffalo Music Awards. The band also took the first prize in the Late Night with Conan O'Brian College Music Search and sold over 2000 local units, gathering a solid fan base along the way.
Rob's reputation grew from his showy drumming (which now makes him cringe) but he soon matured into a versatile, minimal and musical drummer which led to gigs/recordings with a who's who of Buffalo Music including: Ani Difranco, Peter Case, John and Mary, The Buffalo Opera Company, The Steam Donkeys, the David Kane Quartet, Jim Kurzdorfer, Michael Campagna, Mark Freeland's Electroman, Alex Lynne, Doug Yeomans and the Lo Blu Flame, Numoniker, the Contortionists, the John Brady Trio, The Tails, Firty Diamond Rocks, the Black Cat Blues Band, the Possums (with Jo Jo Rozler and big Jimmy Whitford), The Ifs, Hussalonia, Alison Pipitone, Dr. Z, Mike Meldrum, Gretchen Schultz, Mr. Conrad, Joelle Labert, Phil Sims, Doug Morgano, Chris Cannon, John Allen and the Allen St. Jazz Band, Ronnie Davis and Bloodshot Recording Artist Rex Hobart.
In recent years Rob has had the opportunity to open for, record with and/or perform with some amazing national talents including: Patti Smith, the Sadies, Ani Difranco, the Buffalo Opera Company, Al Tinney, Ten Thousand Maniacs, Deep Blue Something, Wild Strawberries, Gurf Morlix, Peter Case, The Pushstars, Patti Rothberg, The 360's, Moxy Fruvous, Spirit of the West, Turnbuckle (Barenaked Ladies Kevin Thurn), The Northern Pikes, 54'40, Letters to Cleo, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Rick Darrenger, Wayne "the Train" Hancock, The Yonder Mountain String Band, Pursuit of Happiness, Robbie Fulks, Ralph Nader, The Legendary Shack Shakers, Twisted Sister, Wide Mouth Mason, My Morning Jacket, Badfinger, the Guess Who, the Tea Party's Jeff Martin and Wilco.

rob lynch: singer/songwriter and producer

The Beatles White Album came in the mail just in time for Christmas when Rob was 8 or 9. The startling mix of sweet and strange fit him like a glove, leaving a creative blueprint that would erupt with original ferocity once Rob began crafting his own songs. He realized that his drumming was not enough to satisfy his creative urges. Rob taught himself to play guitar by recording himself singing Dylan, Bowie, Beatles and Simon songs. He added reverb to his four-track by singing into a bass drum. Later, his Roland VS880 (with a few broken tracks) forced creativity into his recording that complimented the unique song forms and subjects that attracted him. Rob found unique ways to produce sound that seemed natural to him but strange and fantastic to listeners. He thought about Phil Spector, Dave Fridman, Tom Waits and Jon Brion and started to record his own material. The result was Rob's critically acclaimed "Welcome to Sound" double disc set, 25 songs about heartache, loneliness, and assorted oddities. Music critic, Jeff Miers, called the album one of the best records of the year. Rob forged ahead, recording more songs but this time mixing them with his friend Geno McManus, who has fantastic gear and great ears. The new material sounded impressive, which led to an invitation from the Goo Goo Dolls' Robbie Takac to work at his Chameleon West studios. The forthcoming "Gift Songs from a Lovely Puzzling Sea" is the result of lots of work. It is another double disc set, featuring guest players Jim Whitford, Joelle Labert, Walter Sopicki, Mike Morrissey, John Allen and the incredible Joe Rozler. At this time (Jan 2005), Grammy winner Brian Grunert will do the design and mastering/editing will be by Mike Aterton. Check the news section for updates.

birds eye- welcome to sound

She hit the twin bed and wondered why the ceiling is tall
She stares out for a milky mile
he puts another cube in her scotch
They caught the old eyes of a choir and it sang them both to sleep
Deep sleep had them dream about the buildings and sail boats and bird’s songs
But it’s you...It’s you.

Those birds they kept all the records of sally (and who’s named Sally but she?)
That Kim she steered her own sailboat and it capsized way out in the sea
The sea it kept all the records of the birds who circled above
The hula-hoop that they followed meant no more sleep for John
But it’s you… it is you.

i won't sleep- welcome to sound

If you need to go back I won’t sleep
500 miles away, I won’t.
Will you believe me
And give me all your thoughts while you sleep?
From here I can go anywhere we choose
I’ve told you of all my past now I’ve got nothing to loose
Will you believe me and keep me in your thoughts while you sleep?
It’s not that I’ve fears, there’s no one to grieve, but without any reason to leave…

wedding sting- welcome to sound

Beneath the winter sky
When I caught your eye and you stood
Behind the apple tree
Where you hid from me and our son
To El Paso where you took up with your pa
And anywhere else when you returned in the fall
You hate me
And in the summer’s air where you once declared your love is coming back to you
You hate me
When the Kodak saw you show your heart untrue
In the 9th hour with a yawn (you’re tired, I know)
So when the bee’s sting swells your wedding ring on like glue
And it stays there forever, as I without you
You hate me

magenta, black and blue- welcome to sound

He worked a while then he got off, wondered where he had started from, or
Which way was up? (Didn’t know…)
She’d take her things and head on out, figured it was better than just lying around,
Couldn’t go on any more…
So if you bring your heart, full of black and blue, trying hard to beat you into two…
She worked a while then traded out, she didn’t like that drive downtown, rather a country life.
He wanted out but he stayed around, for his kids he would (awful) come down loved them to death, and they know.
Said if you bring your heart, magenta-black and blue, trying hard to beat you into two
With a sour “mine” and a bitter tongue, you’re trying to apply to everyone. Trying to apply to everyone.

tulips in june- welcome to sound

The day our tulips scorched in June
The way my heart curled round the moon, for you
You thought your soul rose in the air
I never took my answers there, from you
I don’t see how you could just shine on endlessly
Everybody looks at me, I don’t shine like you
Like you, shine on, endless
I’ll drop you off in familiar land
You always knew you’d take a selfish man
Bottled up and bottle down, battle free
Ignore the family who ignored me
You know, I don’t see how you could just
Shine on endlessly
And everybody looks to me, I don’t
Shine like you shine on endless.

when you rise- welcome to sound

Tomorrow when you rise
I’ll take the morning through
Though I can’t be there with you
I know you’ll make it through
Tomorrow when you rise and I’ll see it in your eye
I’ll know that you can keep it up tomorrow
You’d rather be alone, how I’d love to stay with you
When you see it in his eye, remember what he’s like
And you’ll know that you can keep it up tomorrow
Think of what it means and it’s nothing like it seems
Tomorrow when you rise and I’ll see it in your eye
I’ll know that you can make it through tomorrow
He knows that he will never feel
You know that you could never stay
We know that we can take you through tomorrow

pulp- welcome to sound

Pulp is exciting but I can’t write it down
Need a real song bringer but I’m not sure where it’s found
Legs are tired from thrashing around
Like a saltshaker, the way it eats through the ground
I want a real life beside me and I don’t know how to see
Its when I’m trapped by myself there’s nobody watching over me…
I want a real life beside me and I don’t know how to speak
Its when I sit by myself there’s nobody who would talk to me…
Paul’s legs are twitching the neurons all wired wrong
Its easy to notice, something to focus on
State of correction, not exactly sure how long
Easy to notice, something to focus on
I want a real life beside me, and I’m not sure how to read
It’s when I’m stuck by myself there’s nobody watching over me
When I’m lost by myself, there’s nobody watching over.

not coming back- welcome to sound

Never know what day it, is what day is it?
Not coming back
Never know what time it is, what time is it?
After all, no stretch, I went out of my way to try and forgive
I thought I’d wait for your return, love your fresh sunburn,
And in the time away I’ve learned…never.
After all, no stretch, I went out of my way to try and forgive
Oh, your promise says, “I thought I’d love your grand return,
I thought I’d poke at your sore sunburn,
But without you now I’ve learned I never
Felt so free before…you close the door”
You make me forget

up to you- welcome to sound

I started out on such uneven ground,
With three brothers of mine and five bottles of wine
But no clue…it’s all up to you
The hours fade fast and my pulse follows suit,
When you kissed me goodbye you stole the last laugh
It’s no use…it’s all up to you
And when you know it will you send it down to me
I miss you constantly and I just can’t see
I’ll beat it, out, after you leave the town
I’ll follow soon, two miles behind you’ve got no clue…

done- welcome to sound

I don’t need your:
a) Comic
b) Voice inside of my wounds
c) Serious whisper
d) Panic attack
e) Overflow reddish foam
f) Prospects
g) Plan of attack
h) Naked flesh
i) Looks to me
j) Face fail
k) Hair dripping down like rain
l) Flowers slanted down with weight…
The temperature of our home
I’m quite sure you’re not alone
Dangerous as you rub your lotion on, it’s done
My name on fire, you’re beautiful as he wakes you up
You’re done

lunchbox- welcome to sound

Closed the lunch box as I headed for the door
Used to love to see you, I don’t anymore
Said I found a replacement, got two dogs and a kid
At first I’d laugh to see her, I wish I still did.
Long into town…
Driving is the sound that the snow made as you crushed into the ground

postcard from nevada-welcome to sound

Everything went smooth
Here we are in our hotel room
With fifteen years of marriage, look at the rest of our lives
The temperature outside is 87 (day), I wont be home tonight
I was so lucky in the first hour at our hotel
Into a hundred dollar fortune I fell
Then double dollars offered four hundred more
Poor Mike wondered what he’d come here for…
He’s loosing his shirt and there’s too much walking to do
Still, it’s nice to spend some time away, just me and you.

gas oven ambulance- welcome to sound

When you’re hollow below
near the bakelite of your stove
When your hand, Sir, comes down…
You’ll hear singing. He’ll drink beer.
Far away from the ambulances we all hear…we’re here.
Streetlight says, “Go away” or “Too Slow”
“Quit day and night, you’re too slow”
Guess she was right, too slow.
Streetlight says go away or too slow, every splash-in dive, every smash and dove.
Every bile she wrote, mile she rode, the error in the note. Hear her in the note, error.

florida- welcome to sound

Airborne in Florida
You’ll find a way
Delicate, torturing the elephant
You’ll find a way
Bonanza on the ocean’s floor
Find a way, find a way
Search for a way-
Extreme or close way-
Peace, my luck, way.
Vilolent in the county
Florida owes you, find a way

fury- welcome to sound

Toby got the fury
Sarah got the fury
Sue, she got the fury…
Sir, you got the fury, go to work it on the body-better
Yuri’s got his fury; Jules got to write it down on his fury
Paul and the sister got the fury
You got the feel
-You got the thrill
-You got the will
-You got it bill, you got it.

the national park- welcome to sound

The charge of your smile
The weight of all the miles
The national park
200 blows
You know all twelve notes
The national park

the cow- welcome to sound

She got:
a) eyes like a fruit cake
b) farm hair
c) trouble with the parent
d) curse-stick
e) cursive (you gonna milk the cow)
f) everybody moanin’
g) you crowin’

Taking all the:
a) talcum out
b) brothas out (you gonna milk the cow)

father and son- welcome to sound

I know you got carried away via Pittsburgh’s air
Sugar stripped, our dad brought a chair and you stared
You got her pregnant in Johannesburg
You’re married still but you don’t say a word and she’s hurt.
So don’t be shy when you’re on the lover’s walk…you know I’ve heard you talk…
Paris patrolled her sweet perfume
and it rises from the neck
when she glides into your dad’s bedroom…
He knows that I married her in Johannesburg
she was number two for me but your thirty-third…
So don’t be shy, I’ll never say hello, we were married whole
She never won with me
and she’ll never lose to you
you’re an incredible sulk
you’re incredible.

screen lovers- welcome to sound

Our first movie saw you cry,
Surprised you had that stuff inside
You brought a bottle that we could hide
Behind screen lovers gleamin’ eyes
Not us, we don’t know what to do
It’s nothing new; I don’t know what to do
9am till I got home, spent my sixth night with you all alone
Two of us drinking down too much till one of us thinks…
I cannot trust in you
and I don’t know what to do
No surprise, nothing new…
Answer the phone; Ben says it’s true:
“See you in a week- and bring her with you!”
No surprise, nothing at all new

train- welcome to sound

My heart feels small
I have my doubts that it’s still there at all
I guess it must be waiting for a hint that you’ll come back to me
We’re meant to be, I’m sure
And when you do
I’ll tell you all that I ever wanted to
do with you
We’d take a train and go as far as a half a state
I’m sure

the lawn- welcome to sound

I used to go out drinkin’ and stay there till dawn
I used to go around scheming with Texas, Uncle Steve and John
Till you came around and moved all your things in, now them days are gone
But I’d like to spin one more morning, up there, on the lawn
So I’d run out where the tavern lamp says she’ll meet me inside
And you’d sit at home and wonder if I still got something inside
When you came around, one month from now, to this town, all my days turned gold
Still I’d like to think that I’d find myself, tomorrow out in the cold
Up, five in the morning, with a sewer in my brain
I’d like to look at your postcards, but they’ve been sent to another place
So you came around and you moved all your things in…
Now them days are all gone
Still I’d like to spin one more morning
I’d like to spin one more morning, up there, on the lawn

smoke- welcome to sound

I’m gonna sit here till the ringing grows closer
till the sight of the smoke tears open my eyes.
Walk on and stop we going south.
I’ll take credit for it when it’s all done,
I’m gonna sit here and show everyone.
I’m gonna jump here when the fires grow stronger,
jump up and laugh hard all the time.

novelist- welcome to sound

Got two miles, poor, and none you’d expect
With my safety in my memory
Five booths away, your sinking tune
We got the only two here, I wish I wrote like you
I’ve gained the feeling I’m failing,
(Same one I’ve tried to describe)
A pencil in my hand with search orders, then
Ducked and hid and left me back,
It’s like you can’t outsmart a Phillip Guston.
Five miles more than none you’d expect
With my safety in my memory
I turned away, you’re writing too
We got the only two here…
I wish I sank like you.
She stole a crossword.
I’ve got my note pad; scratching novelist…
“I Live Alone”
And
“I Drove All Around”… she makes it sound like
“I’m on the Ground.”

what you'll miss- welcome to sound

Ain’t gonna do no breathin anymore
Gonna take one more breath in the morn.
No more Artie Shaw, Ben Shahn or George Bernard
Aint gonna do no breathin anymore
Ain’t gonna do no singin anymore
Gonna take one more breath in the morn.
No more Gershwin or George Bernard Shaw
Aint gonna do no singing or reading anymore
Aint gonna do no standin anymore
Aint gonna do no walkin in the morn
No more Nat King Cold or Charlie Claw
Aint gonna do no standin, singin, breathin anymore…

stroke at the cher concert - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

You. You won’t die
Those are only little wounds.
You won’t die; you’ll be all right.
You’ll get back home before I will.

the brutal cold - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

I photographed you before bed last night
You had a beautiful smile and hopeless eyes
And we both sang a song to the blue pines
That I planted when I was her age.
Back then every morning
I’d imagine the branches
Waving to me in the wind
Like Christmas ribbon
I want to keep them from harm
Help them through winter
They’re stuck out in the cold
And growing old
A windy storm
Punished the windows
We never thought they would give
Then it all came rushing on in
My beautiful wife
We lost our beautiful child when she went out to play
The kids dragged her away
We tried to keep her from harm and right now it all seems pointless
I loved you more than life
Took a blast through the spine
And I need you now
To make it through winter
We’re both stuck out in the cold
She won’t be growing old

lower case i - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

I inked a spiral on my arm when I made family with the sea folk
Swirl our name on top of a lake with the gift of a willow’s tree
(It was a lovely green)
I felt all:
A) Canadian, up whiskey
B) High water
C) Honey + clove
D) The last time we said hello
I was an applecoresnowflake in a big western sky
I had moves like the moon in the middle of a plum-black dive
Faulty, hidden body like a lower case i
Faulty head and body like a lowed case i
Became afraid of numbers over two-
the last time we said hello.

no more train wrecks - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

God only knows how my heart turned this cold
God only knows how my heart turned as cold as a snow globe
God only knows how my heart turned as cold as a snow globe
God only knows how my heart turned this cold
And when at last you made my lips curl
I repeat to myself while the snow starts to whirl,
No more train wrecks.
No more train wrecks.
No more train wrecks.
No more train wrecks.
No More.

souviners - gift songs from a lovely, pulzzling sea

I memorized the crow’s opus of the afternoon
Taped up pictures of a New Year’s toast
Wrote about your arms or a soda can
There was more to be thankful for
Vacuum sealed up Post-it’s and all souvenirs
Taped up the first 90 pages of your notes (like wallpaper)
And (sitting) stared at the heating duct
Played video chess and leafed through sales ads
Taped it up and shot it full of holes
Soon we emptied out 5 magazines
And all those plastic things mean so much to me
He died freezing in the watermark
The fireworks buzzed orange-red in the dark
The ember teased how it might melt the (ice) cap
And how it only just missed when you called out for your dad
Those metal things they mean so much to me
Those plastic things they mean so much to me
Wood grain things in the world mean so much to me

flowers in the cradle - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

Flowers in the cradle, better to have freedom
Flowers in the cradle and the floor caved in.

madison ave. - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

We’ve got deceptive hearts and we find it thrilling
Yeah we’re successfully sick and we stab over nothing
If you’d come home at 9 like the classic you should be
It would be simple to lie to him tonight, and stay here with...
We’ve felt the Madison Ave. push and they cease at nothing
Now wanna kiss the corners of your mouth and sell a landmines killing
If you’d come home at 9 like the classic you should be
You could lie straight faced to him tonight
Let your clothes drop and stay with
If you parked your bike out side your clue was the light from the TV that raised you and me.
Stay straight-faced and stay with me.

rainroad spikes through envelopes - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

She’s a little bit anemic, a combine of cells
Wrapped in butterflies wings
She uses the heat of a light bulb (or a stove)
To mark a butterfly’s wing
Me, I nurse myself to feel real smart.
It’s all for my love, my one and only sweetheart.
She says,
“Look what I’ve done, see, you called me a baby,
But I’ve got funny ideas- I’m a stickler for details”
We held the daughter of a siren in a eucalyptus fountain,
Scraped her ears against the floor.
We used to argue like confetti in reverse,
Now we post up all our years against the door…
Like railroad spikes through envelopes.
Me? I mark myself to feel real smart.
You’re my holiday flame, my favorite hour,
My one and only sweetheart.
“Look what I’ve done, see, you called me a baby,
But I’ve got funny ideas- I’m a stickler for details”
We hurt our daughter like a siren in a eucalyptus fountain-
And pressed our ears against the wall.
All I wanted was a dance contest trophy,
When I was like confetti in reverse, now I shake my fists outside her door
when I cant hear her breathing…
Or heavy breathing…
I can’t hear you breath.

rosemary beneath the mourning moon - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

She yelled up his name, he wasn’t made to twist that way
He blocked the screen door with his mouth
She would have kissed him there, but he turned all blue and all gray
She seasoned him with rosemary and spice that made it all right
He was here rose, married a spice, it was all right.

She braided garland in her hair, outlined his picture, made a dress from his chair
He blocked the screen door with his…
The mourning moon drooled on ‘em both and applauds at all (just like em)

It was all right, you make it alright.
no…Make it stop, make it stop,
Make it go away. Make it stop,
Make it stop, make it stop,
Make it go away…

medical leave - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

Fields of play within yourself
Like a dart straight through a mountain
See, she’s a Dixie cup, full of pennies found in sand,
Looks for love yous in her locket
I’m away on a medical
I’m away on a medical.
The Tennessee moon rains cranberry juice,
We soak it up and stay healthy
I put you on a pedestal
I put you on a pedestal.

oceanside and broomstick - giftsongs from a lovely, puzzling sea

Like lying flat out on the driveway,
Back when we were young and decorated with shells
Those poor former homes, (or skin at least)
There’s no one in the sea, we gonna change all of that.
Absorb water of salt and invisible rays
You put your lips to my wrist and try to talk to the blood.
She try and stop the cells from flaming
Wrapped up in an ice towel she’s a funny twig.

this frozen night - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

I was born of a killer
And I remember what he sold,
“Son, the blood in my sink came from a break in my nose”
So I got lost in the Broadway melodies, crumpled up in my head
You can pull up a chair, sway nice and slow,
yeah it’s a pretty good song and it won’t be wrong.
If you could hear it in your sleep
All through this frozen night
She counts the softest sheep
I count needles of pine
I always had trouble talking out loud till I got an eagle’s tattoo,
I’m a plaything, a knockout, a spectacular jackass,
Yeah, in perfect for you.
I’m dressed up like a pilot, but you didn’t come here to laugh.
I’ve been thinking a long time about asking you to dance,
I prey to ma above that you’ll give me a chance.

you wont see or hear me - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling dea

You wont see or hear me, no matter how loud I prey, you wont see or hear me and you’ll have it that way
When it’s love songs I’m replacing the words I wont for the ones I can spell
You wont see or hear me and I’m feeling well
Stopped, taken when you noticed the cool shade of the walnut tree
How its limbs webbed perfectly, randomly in stupid fits of gloom vs. Mary, Mary.
And yeah, I used to be an honored runner, my heart clanked out like a victory bell
You wont see or hear me; surprised I’m feeling well
I caught my death that night I caught you sick and lonesome in the park, given away by your Miami colored firefly, stayed radiant long after dark
I guess you’ve been thinking how when things go right, we keep on em till we get em good and wrong. You can't see of hear me and I’ve been feeling well.

valentines of palindromes - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

Perfumed (lime) boxes chock full of water bills and seeds
Counting pennies gave green cursive permission slips from sleep
Books on Phillip Johnson via celebration Steve
I sent you valentines full of palindromes
Victory gardeners prune their dancers and their nieces
View master flash reads a vintage magazine
“tonight” has major dad build himself a zoetrope machine gun
marching onward, gonna catch that winded DMC
I send you hand made valentines full of palindromes
Succulent valentines full of palindromes.

tilt-a-world - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

Somewhere between the shotgun and the moon
He spent a lifetime waiting for you
It’s an American way; you’re an American girl
Living on a belief and a salesmanship in a whirl
On a tilt a world, buried himself but it shouldn’t be true
At 19 years old when he first laid eyes on you
After hours beneath the currant or the crow
Unhealthy daughter of an architect
Red ribbon in her beak and it braided down the buildings length and hit the sidewalks below
It waived around, made small sounds on the sidewalks of your Boston town
Buried beneath the carnival tents and yeah you know it shouldn’t be true
Only 19 years old when he first set his course to you
Only 19 years old when laid his green eyes on you
Only 19 years old when he gave it all away for you.

lou reed's berlin - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

We were listening closely to Lou Reed’s Berlin
When you walked on in and laughed, cause you weren’t supposed to.
We first kissed with mouths half full of pop rocks
I bought for Shelia but gave to you,
Knew you’d like what science can do.
And I thought, “This is it.”
“This is the last time.”
We avoid each other this time each year,
Yet I hardly notice that you are never here.
But now I’m walking down our old hall
And the eggshell stripes painted on the wall
Once were the perfect backdrop for your hair,
I first kissed you right over there,
And tonight,
At long last,
I’m hoping to catch you.

heavy sleeper/smoking accident - gift songs from a lovely puzzling sea

I’ve got a lot of ways to lose
I’ve found a lot of ways to lose
I’m your son who left town…
I burned my legs to the bone in a smoking accident
I’ve always been a heavy sleeper
I’ve got a lot of ways to lose here
I’ve got a love of ways to lose
La la la la la la la la, means
I’m your son whos left town
I burned my legs to the bone in a smoking accident
Ya know I’ve always been a heavy sleeper
Kathy, I’m gone.
I’ve always been a heavy sleeper
Light’em, fall and I’ve always been a heavy sleeper…

from james joyce's pub - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

I love, love, love, the sound of ringing that comes on when you find me out.
I’m lost, lost, lost in the grandeur of your city, and it’s your hometown.
I’m a television; never dull, got a broken back and steel skull,
And this old bar reminds me that
I’ve got great news for you, if you’d call me back:
I never wanted a family.

plum, cilantro and tulip - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

I wore a pressed flower on my lapel
It was a few days dead
But it lived right there
It was a valentine’s reminder that love is in repair
Smiled at carnations on the way back home
I can tell by the color of the light, and the bird’s beaks
That my dearest love
Somehow belongs to me
Plum, cilantro and tulip the breeze will be.
My love is coming home tuesday, and the sun will warm our skin again.

canadian geese - gift songs from a lovely, puzling sea

Black bullet down the middle of the road
Her name fills up the chambers of your honeycomb
Lens flare wipe out an icy sky and disguise the third letter of your love
You know, it seemed so good to me.
Gift wrapped an apple and two limes
Kept the chocolate and some wine
Stayed awake with a heater in the eye
Playing games with a camera
Sing at the top of my cold-
“Peel back the skin and find the fruit old”
You know, it seemed so good to me.
Trade you a letter for sap green or
A steak knife for a poet
Sow your life up inside my overcoat
Singing Elvis, Edvard and Bacharach
When you sailed away I felt my heart attack
You know, it seemed so good to me.
it was all the same to me.

blue raspberry sugar - gift songs from a lovely, puzling sea

Start snowing now.
It’s mourning here.
I’m on blue raspberry sugar…
As sweetly as you’re sleeping here,
Staring in the antique mirror.
I guess we’ll settle down,
We both like to stay up late.
I want to kiss you in the fall,
On your neck on the exact starting date.
A put on.
Hats and gloves, play model in a catalog,
Play catch with words,
Play sweetly punctured lungs.
All this white does me good,
I compare it to hurt.
Like before you faint,
Do you taste magnesium’s whisper?
No I’m serious…
Everyone knows it but you,
Send fruit and cards signed,
“At least you could cry and show hurt.”

hand tied to a string - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

Feel your sum like the presence of a thousand lamps
When the lights fail they snake on through a skin of glass
Break on through the summer, through your apple grove.
She thinks thou shall not batter and thou shall not sell
Though shall not break the warmth like the crush of a snail’s shell
Then sneak across the shards where the orchids grow…
Now, absent family and relocated friends
Then, new appliances and no immigrant sense
Should have picked Milwaukee, things would be different I know
Strapped up on a snow day with a hand tied to a string
String tied to a switch
Switch tied to ascent
You can either turn it on or knock it off, its of no consequence
It’s in the way you argue, it’s in your lovely widow
If you could somehow translate, “if he had taught you harm”
It’ll take a helpful law; it’ll take four long years
It’s in the way you argue
It’s in my love, unspoken

diary of a daring climb - gift songs from a lovely, puzzling sea

I tapped the glass and danced up the rain
That drizzled down the walk sign
Splashed: don’t walk to her place
But I couldn’t stand to read it, at my advanced age.
I know this grave I’ll take tonight, the diary of a daring climb
You were two hours prettier that you’d been in my head
I danced by myself and slid you down for dead
I bored you with flowers from the seeds you left behind
I know this grave I’ll take tonight the diary of a daring climb.
Singing “so lonesome I could die” in the backseat of a Cadillac at age
29th and Paradise Square,
You used to window dress there
You were my guest of honor turning white
You’re looking dazed and I’m feeling sublime, or apprehensive, or petrified
I know this grave ill make tonight; I never killed anyone’s will to survive
The diary of a daring climb.