Brighter Days: Begin Again
“ No holy place existed with our us then,
no woodland no dance, no sound…”
“Beyond All Hope, I prayed those timeless
days we spent might be made twice as long…”
ART AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY ELLEN TRUONG
LITTLE SOLDIER
On your toes, little soldier, You know you saw this coming a mile away
everybody says
Don’t you let ‘em get any closer - Keep that darling boy One foot, one kiss away
everybody says
And Everyone’s wearing that crown
And Everyone’s waiting to leave this town
Everyone’s out of their minds because
Everyone’s sitting around inside, except you and I
On your toes, little soldier - Keep that collar high, don’t you go and sway
Everybody says
Drawing closer as the night draws closer - You’ll sit thigh to thigh, You’ll always get your way
Everybody says
And nobody told me to wait
Nobody told me I had to be brave
Nobody knows what they’re waiting for
Nobody wants to be cracked open wide, Except you and I
And I know how it goes when you’re lonely when you’re tired
When you’re looking out the window and the world’s outside
If you can bear to stay, take a breath, then a stride
Nobody wants to be opened wide, opened wide
You know I think we’re on the mend
We’ve gotta rip it up and start again
You know I think it’s time we start
Taking heart
On your toes, little soldier
You know you saw this coming a mile away everybody says
ANSWERING MACHINE:
A Song Reminds what it is to breathe
Drifting on your words into the street
Your touch electric in the cold - I know, I know
Bowing heads to tiny screen of light
I feel you draining from me
All this screen time’s got the space between us
Feeling overgrown I know, I know
And I know it’s obsolete
But I wish you had an answering machine
You could go on hoe and find me
Play me and rewind me, over and over again
If i could be right or wrong, might call your on the phone
Send you a mixtape, or I might let me heart break
If i could be right or wrong, might let you hang around
My kitchen is for dancing
And I know it’s obsolete
But I wish you had an answering machine
You could go on home and find me
Play me and rewind me, over and over again
And I know it’s out of time,
But I wish that I had yours, and you had mine
You could go on hoe and find me
Play me and rewind me, over and over again
Measure my days in anticipation of when I’d see you again
What I wouldn’t give for, another hour to live for the possibility of you
And I know it’s obsolete
But I wish you had an answering machine
You could go on home and find me
Play me and rewind me, over and over again
And I know it’s out of time,
But I wish that I had yours, and you had mine
You could go on hoe and find me
Play me and rewind me, over and over again
“I prayed one word: I want.”
“Someone, I tell you, will remember us,
even in another time.”
-Sappho
SOUTH COUNTY MOVIE STAR
Came out west to be a movie star
But there ain’t no movie theaters where we are
Oh I know it’s a farce, but we’re coming in to Brighter Days
Came out West to build a music scene
And they told us we were crazy now we know what they mean
but we’re running ‘til the light is ours
Now we’re falling farther than we thought we could
though life is hard, the livin’ sure is good
Came out West to kiss a boy that I liked
but I drove him up into the mountain side
And I know he’ll be a long time in coming down
It’s part and parcel to the dream we weave
I said you and me darling and the Bea makes three
We’ll run, run, until the light is ours
Now we’re falling farther than we thought we could
Though life is hard, the livin’ sure is good
I’m gonna be a movie star
And I know how it goes when you think you’re on your own
And I know how it goes when you think you’ve gotta show up in some way
But if you can love you anyway
See the light through what they say
I’ll tell you what, we’re gonna make it
Baby we’re gonna make it
Things are getting brighter, lighter
Things are getting brighter everyday
Came out west to be a movie star
But there ain’t no movie theaters where we are
From reel to real, I feel it - I know that the light is ours
Now we’re falling farther than we thought we could
Though life is hard, the livin’ sure is good
I’m gonna be a movie star
Gratitude to everyone who made this album possible- I am blessed beyond words for your generosity and love.
To Matt, Ken John and Ryan, the heart of this music- thank you for the gift of your music, magic, and friendship. I treasure you.
credits
released June 21, 2019
Samantha Rise: music & lyrics, vocals, ukelele
Ryan Ptasnik: drums, percussion
John Stenger: piano, organ, rhodes, mellotron, keyboards
Matt Davis: Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Nashville Guitar
Ken Pendergast, Upright and Electric Bass
Andrew Keenan: Pedal Steel, Dobro
Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by Dave Schonauer at MorningStar Studios.
Produced by Ken Pendergast