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1. |
What We Ain't
03:35
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WHAT WE AIN’T
Words and music by Brad Creel and Harris Ambinder
Well . . .
I can’t write like Richard Thompson and I can’t dance like Michael Jackson
And I can’t pick like Doc Watson would do
I ain’t big like Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Crosby Stills and Nash
But what I got that they ain’t got is you.
People don’t know what they got
Until it’s gone away, hey hey
Time goes slipping through your fingers
But you and me are here to stay
You and me are here to stay.
You ain’t funny like Lily Tomlin and you ain’t built like Dolly Parton
And you can’t cook no Julia Child’s recipe
You ain’t smart like Cokie Roberts, Connie Chung or Barbara Walters
But what you got that they ain’t got is me.
People don’t know what they got
Until it’s gone away, hey hey
Time goes slipping through your fingers
But you and me are here to stay
You and me are here to stay.
We ain’t no famous couple like Betty and Barney Rubble
No tragedy like old King Oedipus
No Romeo and Juliet, Lucy, Ricky, Ethel and Fred
But what we got that they ain’t got is us.
People don’t know what they got
Until it’s gone away, hey hey
Time goes slipping through your fingers
But you and me are here to stay
Hey, baby, you and me are here to stay.
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2. |
Road of Dispair
03:27
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ROAD OF DESPAIR
Words and music by Brad Creel
Well, my heart’s right where she left it, ain’t no one could fix it
They told me at the bar that it’s broke beyond repair
I stalled out on that lonesome highway, five drinks from the nearest byway
Now I’m stuck in that muddy road of despair
Road of despair, where do you go
Show me a sign that says you know
That she still loves me, will give my heart a tow
Road of despair, what do you know
Road of despair, where do you go
Well, my heart was bright and shiny, and her soul it was fine-y
We traveled from town to town with the wind in our hair
But a wrong turn I took and she didn’t stop to look
And left me stuck in that muddy road of despair
Road of despair, where do you go
Show me a sign that says you know
That she still loves me, will give my heart a tow
Road of despair, what do you know
Road of despair, where do you go
Well, I ain’t saying that road was bumpy, and truck stop food is lumpy
But at first she acted like she didn’t care
The worst part is she left me for a guy in an SUV
Now I’m stuck in that muddy road of despair
Road of despair, where do you go
Show me a sign that says you know
That she still loves me, will give my heart a tow
Road of despair, what do you know
Road of despair, where do you go.
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3. |
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WHEN I’M WITH HER I SEE YOU
Words and music by Brad Creel
Hello baby, I know it’s been a while
You might think I forgot about your smile
And it hurts me to say that I met somebody new
What you don’t know is when I’m with her, I see you
I saw your face when I asked her to dance
And I felt your fingers when I touched her hand
And when I hold her in my arms
Lord, if she only knew
That’s when I close my eyes and I see you
I see your rosy red lips
I see your hair in curls, and your hips
And when she asked me if I love her true
I looked into her eyes and I saw you
I saw your face when I asked her to dance
And I felt your fingers when I touched her hand
And when I kiss her
Lord, if she only knew
That’s when I close my eyes and I see you
I know that someday I’m gonna pay
‘Cause I can’t forever hide my shame
But until then, well, what am I supposed to do
To leave her would be like leaving you
I saw your face when I asked her to dance
And I felt your fingers when I touched her hand
And when I lay her down
Lord, if she only knew
That’s when I close my eyes and I see you
And when I lay her down
Lord, if she only knew
That’s when I close my eyes and I see you.
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4. |
Caveman Song
02:53
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CAVEMAN SONG
Words and music by Brad Creel
When I die, lord, I want to go home
Back ten thousand years to a place unknown
Where with my fellow uprights I’d sit around that fire pit
Eating wooly mammoth and carving stone
And I’d find myself a cute cave girl
And I’d be happy in my Fred Flintstone world
I’d probably die at 22 in a fight with a saber tooth
But it’s better than rotting in some bed
And I wouldn’t care if my hair fell out
About my career, or a missed workout
I’d be living off the land, I’d be hunting with my hands
An uncivilized life is what it’s all about
So when I die, lord, won’t you take me back
To where I can make an ancient artifact
That science can find one day when they’re digging up my grave
And they put me on a museum rack
When I die, lord, I want to go home
Back ten thousand years to a place unknown
Where with my fellow uprights I’d sit around that fire pit
Eating wooly mammoth and carving stone
Where with my fellow uprights I’d sit around that fire pit
Eating wooly mammoth and carving stone.
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5. |
Me And Gillian Welch
05:52
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ME AND GILLIAN WELCH
Words and music by Brad Creel
As I sit here drinking a beer
I get excited and let out a belch
Slapping my knee to my favorite CD
Her name is Gillian Welch
I want to go to her show and say hello
And tell her I want her this much
And I know that she’ll see that we should be married
Just me and Gillian Welch
Drinking whiskey and listening to Waylon and Willie
Just me and Gillian Welch
Well, I know it sounds silly when I call her Gillie
Just me and Gillian Welch
David Rawlings is bawling into his Tom Collins
For their relationship I did squelch
Drinking whiskey and listening to Waylon and Willie
Just me and Gillian Welch
She’ll change her last name to Creel, Gillian Creel
And everyone will say, “Gillian, what’s this?”
And she’ll say, “A creel is a fishing basket”, and then they will ask it
“Why grape juice to a basket of fish?”
And then maybe we’ll have a few babies
And name them Dolly and Del
And as a family we’ll pick music magnanimously
Just me and Gillian Welch
Drinking whiskey and listening to Waylon and Willie
Just me and Gillian Welch
Well, I know it sounds silly when I call her Gillie
Just me and Gillian Welch
David Rawlings is bawling into his Tom Collins
For their relationship I did squelch
Drinking whiskey and listening to Waylon and Willie
Just me and Gillian Welch
Now I lay under the covers, guilty, thinking of others
I know I need some psychiatric help
But I want to bring home from a bar Lucinda and Dar
And have Natalie all to myself
And tonight I won’t dream about no MTV queen
All painted, plastic and such
I’ll dream of a scene, yes, a wonderful scene
Just me and Gillian Welch
Just me and Gillian Welch
Just me and Gillian Welch.
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6. |
Down At The Bar
03:20
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DOWN AT THE BAR
Words and music by Brad Creel
Well, I heard you been hanging out with another guy
‘Cause you don’t like my drinking and my getting high
Well, honey, I’m gonna do what any real man would do
And go down to the bar and get back at you
Down at the bar, where I ain’t nobody’s fool
Down at the bar, as long as I can stay on my stool
Down at the bar, just ten drinks and anyone will do
Down at the bar I’ll be getting back at you
Well, it looks like things are over between you and me
But this old heart can’t be broken, just you wait and see
‘Cause tonight I got Rosie, or maybe Linda Lou
Down at the bar I’ll be getting back at you
Down at the bar, where I ain’t nobody’s fool
Down at the bar, as long as I can stay on my stool
Down at the bar, just ten drinks and anyone will do
Down at the bar I’ll be getting back at you
Lord knows I ain’t rich, dark, handsome or tall
But just you wait and see who’s under my arm at last call
Well, I met you at the bar two years ago
So I can find me another, that much I know
I ain’t trying to make you jealous, I got nothing to prove
Down at the bar I’ll be getting back at you
Down at the bar, where I ain’t nobody’s fool
Down at the bar, as long as I can stay on my stool
Down at the bar, just ten drinks and anyone will do
Down at the bar I’ll be getting back at you
Down at the bar I’ll be getting back at you.
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7. |
Song About Nothing
04:24
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SONG ABOUT NOTHING
Words and music by Brad Creel
Last night I went to the movies
Saw a picture about a broken heart
As I left, I thought about my life
And then I started up my car
First thing I did when I got home
Was check the messages on my machine
Went to the sink and washed the dishes
And I got them kind of clean
This is a song about nothing
And nothing is all it will ever be
We all try to make something out of nothing
But sometimes it’s nothing that sets us free
Sometimes it’s nothing that sets us free
So I went upstairs and I sat down
I began to wonder what to do
It was too early to go to bed
So I started to wish that I owned a tube
Well, I went back downstairs and I looked about
I picked up an old magazine
Read an article about the Middle East
And I wondered how people could be so mean
This is a song about nothing
And nothing is all it will ever be
We all try to make something out of nothing
But sometimes it’s nothing that sets us free
Sometimes it’s nothing that sets us free
Then I brushed my teeth and I went to bed
Under the covers I did lay
A dog barked and a car drove by
And I closed the door to another day
A dog barked and a car drove by
And I closed the door to another day.
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8. |
Dear Jesus
04:13
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DEAR JESUS
Words and Music by Brad Creel
Dear Jesus, please protect me from your followers
I pray for you to use some of your special powers
I know heaven’s here on earth
And thank you for my birth
Dear Jesus, please protect me from your followers
I know one of them has a gun, and he shoots it ‘cause it’s fun
One of them spent my cash, another she smoked my stash
You know, I read about them in the paper, and I’ve seen them on TV
Dear Jesus, please protect me from your followers
Dear Jesus, please protect me from your followers
I pray for you to use some of your special powers
I know heaven’s here on earth
And thank you for my birth
Dear Jesus, please protect me from your followers
Well, I saw one eating meat, he was walking down the street
He had a burger in his hand, so I tried to make a stand
I said, “Hey, man, don’t you know you’re eating your fellow being?”
He shook his fist, called out your name, and kept right on eating
Dear Jesus, please protect me from your followers
I pray for you to use some of your special powers
I know heaven’s here on earth
And thank you for my birth
Dear Jesus, please protect me from your followers
There’s an exception to the rule, ‘cause Jimmy Carter’s cool
But you ain’t gonna see me taking one out on a date
Just give me your nature girls, and your big old beautiful world
And please, please protect me from your followers
Dear Jesus, please protect me from your followers
I pray for you to use some of your special powers
I know heaven’s here on earth
And thank you for my birth
Dear Jesus, please protect me from your followers
I know heaven’s here on earth
And thank you for my birth
Dear Jesus, please protect me from your followers
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9. |
I Did It For Some Reason
04:20
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I DID IT FOR SOME REASON
Words and Music by Brad Creel
Last night I did a bad thing, I robbed the company
A stapler, an eraser, and a bag of coffee
The next day while on the job the boss gave me a call
He said I was caught on video with a hidden camera on the wall
I did it for some reason, I just don’t know why
I don’t know why the reason of why did I
What reason it did, know don’t I
I did it for some reason, I just don’t know why
I went out last night to a bar, I wasn’t feeling that great
I drank too much the night before and was out late
So I drank and I stayed out late again
And woke up with my pillow across the room and my underwear on my head
I did it for some reason, I just don’t know why
I don’t know why the reason of why did I
What reason it did, know don’t I
I did it for some reason, I just don’t know why
My old girlfriend, well, we broke up a few months ago
She came by to pick up her stuff and to say hello
I’m not gonna say much more except her stuff is still here
I don’t know why, but for some reason old feelings don’t disappear
I did it for some reason, I just don’t know why
I don’t know why the reason of why did I
What reason it did, know don’t I
I did it for some reason, I just don’t know why
I did it for some reason, I just don’t know why.
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10. |
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YOUR WELLS ARE RUNNING DRY
Words and music by Brad Creel
You said, “Well, I’ll be good”
And you said, “Well, I’ll treat you right”
I heard you say to me, honey, “Well, I’ll stop staying out late at night”
Don’t you think this country boy ain’t never heard no lie
You know, baby, your wells are running dry
Your wells are running dry, no more promises can you fill
Don’t you know what happened to poor old Jack and Jill
I can only dip my bucket when the water is running high
And now, baby, your wells are running dry
You said, “Well, I’ll be true”
And, “Well, I’ll give it my all”
And may I quote you saying, “Well, I’ll stop spending at the mall”
Don’t you know us good old boys, we give it a second try
But baby, this time, your wells are running dry
Your wells are running dry, no more promises can you fill
Don’t you know what happened to poor old Jack and Jill
I can only dip my bucket when the water is running high
And now, baby, your wells are running dry
You said, “Well, I love you”
And “Well, forget the past”
You told me, “Well, you’re the first”, and then I find out I’m the last
Honey, I got these tears welling up in my eyes
You know, baby, your wells are running dry
Your wells are running dry, no more promises can you fill
Don’t you know what happened to poor old Jack and Jill
I can only dip my bucket when the water is running high
And now, baby, your wells are running dry
Your wells are running dry, no more promises can you fill
Don’t you know what happened to poor old Jack and Jill
I can only dip my bucket when the water is running high
And now, baby, your wells are running dry
I can only dip my bucket when the water is running high
And now, baby, your wells are running dry
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11. |
Were Before
03:58
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WERE BEFORE
Words and music by Brad Creel
I come home from work and I sit down at the table
And I drink as I stare down at the floor
And I think about a baby in a cradle
Wishing things could be like they were before
Were before, were before
I knew it would be different when I walked on out the door
And darling, I’m sorry that I’m unable
To make things the way they were before
I spend my days swinging a hammer
You know I always wanted more
And you’re working hard as a schoolteacher
If only things could be like they were before
Were before, were before
I knew it would be different when I walked on out the door
And darling, I’m sorry that I’m unable
To make things the way they were before
So I go to bed and I stare up at the ceiling
And I think about a long time ago
And I know you’re out there somewhere feeling
That you wish things were like they were before
Were before, were before
I knew it would be different when I walked on out the door
And darling, I’m sorry that I’m unable
To make things the way they were before
And darling, I’m sorry that I’m unable
To make things the way they were before
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12. |
Into The Dust
04:01
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INTO THE DUST
Words and music by Brad Creel
I went up to the high desert to visit a friend
I stopped by the mountain next to the fields of pain
And when I cross that valley and go deep into the crust
Like a lonesome bird, I’ll fly into the dust
Into the dust, into the dust
Like a lonesome bird, I’ll fly into the dust
Into the dust, into the dust
Like a lonesome bird, I’ll fly into the dust
Well, I dove into the water, and the water it was clean
I swam that hollow storm inside the big machine
And when the ice is drifting and I don’t know who to trust
Like a lonesome bird, I’ll fly into the dust
Into the dust, into the dust
Like a lonesome bird, I’ll fly into the dust
Into the dust, into the dust
Like a lonesome bird, I’ll fly into the dust
Do you see that person, well, he’s living out his life
Wondering about his day and the moment of a knife
Rolls of steel and rain and land, we hold them ‘cause we must
Like a lonesome bird, we fly into the dust
Into the dust, into the dust
Like a lonesome bird, I’ll fly into the dust
Into the dust, into the dust
Like a lonesome bird, I’ll fly into the dust
Into the dust, into the dust
Like a lonesome bird, I’ll fly into the dust
Into the dust, into the dust
Like a lonesome bird, I’ll fly into the dust
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Brad Creel Portland, Oregon
Lava Lamp Country is a place where Gram Parsons and John Prine are constantly spinning on the turntable, Cher frolics with
Bigfoot in the backyard, the lights are low, and the lava lamps flow.
Lava Lamp Country is also the new album by BRAD CREEL & THE REEL DEEL, their fourth, as well as the musical genre that they practice.
“Gifted with the pen, punchline, and guitar”
– Portland Mercury
... more
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