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Songs From Church Avenue

by The Reverend John DeLore

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1.
Envy 03:03
The dress she wore was the color of envy. When she smiled all the men would lose their cool. She turned to me and said, “You are a fool, boy.” I said, “It’s true but don’t you know I am your fool now.” The full moon was shining on the Cooper Union. It covered all the temples in a blanket of gray. She said, “Way over yonder is my home. Way over yonder is my home.” And the dress she wore was the color of envy. When she smiled all the men would lose their cool. All this time to kill. I will write a letter to you. From my hand to your hand. From my home to your home. From this room here on Church Avenue. Because the dress you wore was the color of envy. When you smiled all the men would lose their cool.
2.
It was many, many moons ago when the Queen of Soul was still very young, when I made my name among the poets and the dreamers with a song about the promised land. Well, my hands they were tied, and my feet they were in chains, but my voice remained as free as a bird. So I sang like there was no such thing as tomorrow, and the Queen of Soul she hung on every word. But that was many, many moons ago. So many, many moons ago. When I made my name among the poets and the dreamers with a song about the promised land. It was many many moons ago, when the dream of love was still very young. And she came to me among a sea of troubled souls with a song about the promised land. Newlywed and contraband with hands to overthrow, but where she learned to dance so slow, heaven only knows. But it was many, many moons ago. So many, many moons ago. When I made my name among the poets and the dreamers with a song about the promised land.
3.
Small Parade 03:44
I am a man and I am an animal, shadow boxing on a deadend street. But when there’s no one there to see, there’s a rhythm comes over me. I am a man I am your helping hand. A well dug deep to reach the understanding. But when there’s no one there to see, there’s a rhythm comes over me. I am a man I am a small parade, a quiet song in the close of a golden age. But when there’s no one there to see, there’s a rhythm comes over me. When you’re there, you know I feel. I feel, feel. You know I feel like a different man. I feel, feel. My hands don't shake. I don't lie all night awake when you're there.
4.
Maria says, "Berlin is nice this time of year. A clearer sky, a darker wine, a mind that’s free from fear." Maria says, "Come visit me. Come visit me in the Spring. We’ll laugh in every alleyway, and we’ll lie in every lawn. Maria says, "Come visit me. Come visit me in the Fall. We’ll salute each moon that rises, and we’ll crawl to bed at dawn. And we’ll sing a song of a much simpler time. A clearer sky, a darker wine, and a mind that’s free from fear." Maria says, "Come walk with me in the morning hills of India. In fields where spider lilies bloom, where tigers walk in twos." Maria, laughing low and sweet. Maria, I will kiss your feet. Maria, sweet and low she laughs. Maria says Berlin. Forgotten for a little while, then a dream, or a letter. Maria, in my mind, so beautiful and thin. Maria says Berlin. And we’ll sing a song of a much simpler time. A clearer sky, a darker wine, and a mind that’s free from fear. Yes, we’ll sing a song of a much simpler time. A clearer sky, a darker wine, and a mind that’s free from fear. Maria, in my mind, so beautiful and thin. Maria says Berlin.
5.
Mercy 04:24
Mercy walks into the room, boils a pot of tea and wraps her hands around the cup. While she waits for it to cool, I try to wrap my mind around her. Mercy leads me to her room. There is dust upon a picture frame. People die and they are born. Who could ever ask for more? Mercy is calling me. And I strain to hear the sound. Mercy's on the line. Mercy is on the line. Mercy opens up a book. I open up my mouth but nothing good comes out. So I lay my troubles down, and my blessings all pour out. Mercy is calling me. And I strain to hear the sound. Mercy's on the line. Mercy is on the line.
6.
The sun lights the backs of the buildings, and the girls change to go out on the town. I dress the mirror to flatter my fears, and I shoot myself with the first round. I take pills to pardon my enemies. I take powders to be with my friends. And I tell my heart to do everything In its power to resist. To resist. I was baptized in a bottle of chlorine. I was communed on a white wonder bread. And I will marry on wines wet with cyanide. I will be buried in a box wrought with lead. So lament to me the family's ignominies. Tell me all about the lengths we are led. We the most pious of living room innocents, we were just silently nodding our heads. Nodding our heads. God says the working man is saved from the fire. Says the pirate has no place in heaven. But that doesn't end well for the arsenal of which God is so beloved. And the sun sinks back behind the buildings as the medicines start to kick in. Don't tell the whores or the spies that my countrymen have forgotten our troubles again. Our troubles again
7.
These hands, they are made of nervous chords, and they write all the words that my heart cannot afford. They reach through the dark to confess upon your skin, but the force of your forgiveness is another sin for oh, what a beautiful mess. Now I have a bruise to match your dress. This heart keeps the time of a lover's drum, and the echo in my ear from another’s tongue. The night fills up with silence. It's as heavy as any song. And my body is blue with the melodies that you used to sing along. Oh, what a beautiful mess. For now I have a bruise to match your dress. These hands, they are made of nervous chords, and they write all the words that my heart cannot afford. They reach through the dark for the answer of your skin, but the force of your forgiveness is hard to comprehend. Oh, what a beautiful mess. Now I have a bruise to match your dress.
8.
I was as restless as a thief on the night before his crime. In a time of civil war, is our love worth fighting for. Would you sing to me the whole night through. I could tell by the way you leaned your body in the doorway that your memory would stick with me for a long, long time. When you moved across the room with your body painted blue by the late Autumn Moon that shone through your window pane.
9.
Let's burn the city down and find ourselves a place to sleep. Not forever. Just til we no longer weep. Because I have had enough of these wicked railroad dreams. They come to me without a warning. I guess I'm still waiting for the morning to come my way. Turn your eyes away. It's easier for you to say. We are not forever, but there's a river running underground. And you have had enough of these starless city streets. You come to tears without a warning. I guess you're still waiting for the morning to come your way. Will I ever get enough of these cool, dark city dreams? The siren's scream it sounds just like a warning. I guess I'm still waiting for the morning to come my way.

about

Produced by John DeLore & Bryan Pugh
Recorded & Mixed by Bryan Pugh
Mastered by Kevin Blackler at Blackler Mastering

Tracks 2, 3, 4, 8: written by John DeLore
Tracks 1, 5, 9: written by John DeLore/Matt Kubacki
Track 6: written by David Giambusso
Track 7: written by David Cieri/John DeLore/Matt Kubacki

credits

released December 7, 2011

The Souls You Hear On This Record:
John DeLore (vocals & acoustic guitar)
Jamie Bishop (upright bass)
David Cieri (piano & B3 organ)
Jay Frederick (drums & percussion)
Steve Lewis (acoustic guitar)
Bryan Pugh (engineer & producer)

With Extra Love From:
Nick Banns (strings)
Ana Egge (backing vocals)
Jon LaDeau (guitar on 2Birds)

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The Reverend John DeLore Brooklyn, New York

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