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Sweet Talk For Pretty Daughters

by The Reverend John DeLore

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    For those who still appreciate music as a physical artifact, here is a beautifully designed CD version of "Sweet Talk For Pretty Daughters." It comes in a 6-panel digipak, featuring original artwork by the Rev. John DeLore, with liner notes that ONLY come with the CD.

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1.
Room 8 00:08
None. Just the sound of the door opening and a child running and playing outside.
2.
A thousand souls will go to California, And another thousand souls will stay behind. And I will wait for you down by the water With a camera and a compass in my hand. A land of milk and honey, it is a nice thought, Oh, but honey, tell me how much would you pay To live beyond the reach of those who fight and those who preach To live upon the color of the land. A thousand souls on either side And I will wait for you down by the water With a camera and a compass in my hand.
3.
I was just a jester, singin for my daily bread. Playin’ on a boardwalk by the sea. In a battered three piece suit and a pair of steel-toed boots, a plain workman’s hat upon my head. Betsy was a gypsy, dealin’ down by the sea. She turned every card so clean and fair. She wore the smell of the desert in her hair, and a fleur de lis in her hair. She said, come play a game dear jester. Tell me where am I hiding my love? Two bullets in my bonnet, three diamonds in my glove, but where am I hiding my love? Three riders came, high on Alabama shine. They called me names but they like the way I sing. A couple dollars in my vest, and then Betsy took the rest, And we went out a-dancin’ on their dime. I’m a half-good dancer. Betsy was a sight to see...pretty as a storm up in the sky. When I saw the singer blush and I heard that drummer rush I pulled Betsy close and I whispered in her ear. I said, let’s play a game dear Betsy. Tell me where can I hide all my love? There’s a snake in the grass, straight whiskey in the glass, but where can I hide all my love? Betsy made a fortune blazing on a big blind moon pretty soon she was high society. Call me Stonewall all you like, I guess I was blind to see That Betsy’s hand was never meant for me. The years went by and I was still singin’ for my daily bread I heard that Betsy’s luck had all run out She called some gambler’s bluff and he said he’d had enough He showed six of a kind from a loaded hand. Where did the game die my Betsy, and where are you hiding my love? There’s a queen in the river won’t you give her my regards. Oh, Where are you hiding my love. Two bullets in your bonnet, three diamonds in my glove but where are you hiding my love?
4.
Guardians and angels, lord knows they’re not the same. Traveling down the long road one takes the love and one takes the blame. I am the son of the idle hour. The coal black raven in the ivory tower. But somehow I learned to turn it all around. And I make sweet talk for pretty daughters. And the waters of a flood would have nothing on their love if it takes a shine to you. Dear feet don’t fail me now, I can hear their mouths gathering around, Singing “give us a little more sweet talk.” One must believe in magic if he wants to make it through the night. Awaken from a dream to wonder what it means, and hope that it turns out right. I am the son of the idle hour. The attic light on in the ivory tower. But somehow I learned to turn it all around. And I make sweet talk for pretty daughters. And the waters of a flood would have nothing on their love if it takes a shine to you. Dear feet don’t fail me now, I can hear their mouths gathering around, Singing “give us a little more sweet talk.”
5.
Given Take 02:47
If God lives in the country, the desert’s where he goes to pray. Makes his bed out in the sage and stares up at the Milky Way. Because sometimes it all gets so heavy, He’ll be cryin’ till the stars bleed together. Love has given. Love can take it away. Sometimes I sing in the country. Oh and sometimes I sing down town. Sometimes I get a great notion to jump into the ocean and drown. Because sometimes it all gets so heavy, I’ll be cryin’ till the stars bleed together. Love has given. Love can take it away. Say my name out loud. Say it in the wild or in a lonely corridor. Won’t you say it with a silver string? Let it rain! Let it ring! Love has given. Love can take it away. Because sometimes it all gets so beautiful, I’ll be cryin’ till the stars bleed together. Love has given. Love can take it away. Love has given. Love can take it away.
6.
Morning is a ghost town, shadow is a song. My shadow is a scarecrow twenty feet long on the sidewalk. You drink a little water to wash down a pill. You take me to a house at the top of the hill on the east side. There’s a little black bird on a white picket fence. I wanna be your love and I wanna be your friend. I want you to smile when you see me comin’ around. Lover will you sing when they lay me down? You wanna do right and you wanna do good But you got to know feelings like a butcher knows blood on a holiday. The talk is cheap but it tastes pretty good. Makin’ love is better when we make it in the woods with the sun going down. There’s a little blue bird in a big evergreen Just like a silhouette on a silver screen I want you to sing when you see me coming around But lover will you sing when they lay me down? Go your way my sweetheart. Come back on the other side of a lonely spell Tell me all the bittersweet parts Your shadow goes before you now. Morning is a ghost town, shadow is a song. My shadow is a scarecrow twenty feet long on the sidewalk.
7.
You visit the grave of the one you have lost. Yes you know how it feels to be blue. But you lay every night in the arms of an angel So you know how it feels to be born anew. You make a little room for the sorrow. You make up your mind to be free. You throw every coin in your pocket Into a bottomless sea. But don’t turn a back on your devils Or your angels will all fly away. And if you must burn any bridges Don’t turn a back on the flames. Once I marched with an army of beautiful souls But the darkness has taken them one and all I awoke in Illinois broken but joyful There were children running up and down the hall So I made a little room for the sorrow. And I made up my mind to be free. I threw every coin in my pocket Into a bottomless sea. But don’t turn a back on your devils Or your angels will all fly away. And if you must burn any bridges Don’t turn a back on the flames. We are dancing tonight many fools by the fire With the smoke rising up to the Milky Way The bottle’s coming round pour a little on the ground For the ones that you lost along the way. Then we’ll make a little room for the music Let it call up an old memory We’ll throw every coin in our pockets Into a bottomless sea. But don’t turn a back on your devils Or your angels will all fly away. And if you must burn any bridges Don’t turn a back on the flames.
8.
Easy On My Mind (Words & Music by John DeLore & Matthew Kubacki) The wind from the Hidden Valley put a whisper in the pines. The moon was high behind the hills, bright as a clementine. You came down from the mountain. I could see your new eyes shine. You passed a silver hotel key from your hand to mine. Woman, oh woman. Please be kind. You are bound to break my body, But take it easy on my mind. There’s a sliver of moon on a blade of your shoulder The older you get the more you say it’s starting to fade away. And the ink is like some wicked little drink sinkin’ down to the bone. Soon the moon will disappear and your garden will be overgrown But tonight you own every part of me. I’m as helpless as a grape upon a vine. You are bound to break my body But take it easy on my mind. You say there is no rest for the wicked. Even less for the pure of heart and those who grieve. You have always been a force to be reckoned with And you’re starting to believe. Woman, oh woman. Please be kind. You are bound to break my body, But take it easy on my mind.
9.
Look at this place. Look at the holes in the wall, honey, If you had to guess...would you guess that we had it all? We got flour in a jar, an old deck of cards, We hung a big wreath on the door. We got money in our dreams and stitches in our seams And records all over the floor, for This is a place that we call our home. Heaven and Earth weren’t made in a couple of days, honey, And everybody says the same about the city of Rome. So let’s take our own sweet time, Just a little bit of yours and a little bit of mine To make a little place that we can call our home. Well, this is a place, this is a place that we call our home, honey, Look at you and me ain’t it funny how much we’ve grown. There’s a little salt in our pepper it’s true And we may have lost a step or two, but Look at this place, honey, look at me and you. Look at this place. Look at the stains in the rug, honey, I remember when you used to drink wine from a coffee mug. You put an old map in a big wooden frame, You hung it on the bedroom wall. We went out into the yard with the big yellow stars And listened to the nightbirds call, well, This is a place that we call our home. Well, this is a place, this is a place that we call our home, honey, Look at you and me ain’t it funny how much we’ve grown. There’s a little salt in our pepper it’s true And we may have lost a step or two, but Look at this place, honey, look at me and you.
10.
If my hands were the hands of time I would write my name in the sand. Then I’d sit by the ocean side as the tide rose And I’d understand. If my hands were the hands of time I would choose the smoothest stone from the rivers of my youth. I would learn three chords on a mandolin and I’d only write the truth If my hands were the hands of time. If my hands were the hands of time I would row out in a boat and I’d cast out my line Then I’d shield...I would shield my eyes from the sun And I’d wave to the man on the golden sands. If my hands were the hands of time I would choose the smoothest stone from the rivers of my youth. I would learn three chords on a mandolin and I’d only write the truth If my hands were the hands of time. If my hands were the hands of time I would learn sign language and I’d make a dirty rhyme Then I’d get...get you all alone And I’d lose track of time If my hands were the hands of time I would choose the smoothest stone from the rivers of my youth. I would learn three chords on a mandolin and I’d only write the truth If my hands were the hands of time.
11.
Magna Carta 04:26
We made our spell from simple things, A beat up car and some busted strings, Eighty miles an hour down the line Past the smoky stacks of Gary, Indiana, farm and prairie Back to where we first tasted wine. In every single town we found the same thing There were teeth in every corner And a forest in the dream of every child. Wild so wild is the world we’re living in And wild must be the music that we throw back to the wind. And just like the wolves that howl the whole night through Wild is the song I sing for you. With your hair of whiskey brown, and your eyes of Mary blue. Did you carry all these burdens? Or did they carry you? Past the fields of endless slaughter, O’er the streams of troubled waters, Back to pretty daughters sleeping so peaceful and mild. In every single town we found the same thing There were teeth in every corner And a forest in the dream of every child. Wild so wild is the world we’re living in And wild must be the music that we throw back to the wind. And just like the wolves that howl the whole night through Wild is the song I sing for you.
12.
From where I stand on Bittersweet Road, I see the sun set behind the courthouse All my red letter days they are numbered now. There’s a cool dark tavern on a corner where I often go to hide. Where a hard workin’ man can still afford a little peace of mind. Bittersweet...roses and rain in the evening. Bittersweet...no worries for what will come after. Bittersweet...the laughter of ghosts in the alleyway. They sing bittersweet...forever on Bittersweet Road. From where I stand the blessed and the damned, They are dancing cheek to cheek and hand to hand. Young women rush to meet a storm out in the street Their features to the sky I can hear their splashing feet Bittersweet...roses and rain in the evening. Bittersweet...no worries for what will come after. Bittersweet...the laughter of ghosts in the alleyway. They sing bittersweet...forever on Bittersweet Road.

about

Certain Songs were written by John DeLore [On Either Side (1000 Souls), Wild Bill’s Lament, Make a Little Room, A Place to Call Our Home, Magna Carta (New Life)], while other songs were written by John DeLore and Matthew Kubacki [Sweet Talk for Pretty Daughters, Given Take, Morning Is a Ghost Town, Hands of Time, Bittersweet Road, Easy On My Mind]. All of these songs are part of an album that was produced by John DeLore & Jason Finkel. The album was engineered & Mixed by Jason Finkel. Mastering was done by Justin Shturtz at Sterling Sound in New York. The band was recorded live at The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn, On June 12th and June 13th of 2012.

This album was independently produced & is dedicated to all artists/creators who go out into the desert & come back with things to share with the rest. “Make a Little Room” is dedicated to Chris & Jeanne. The reverend loves you.

All songs © 2012, Published by Norlantic / ASCAP

credits

released October 16, 2012

The Band includes:

John DeLore on lead vocals, acoustic guitar, Banjo, and harmonica;
Jay Frederick keeping the beat on his famous Slingerland Rolling Bombers; John “Betty” Bettencourt on the Bass, Zac Clark on Piano & Harmonies; Rich Hinman playing Pedal Steel, Lap Steel & a few Electric guitar licks; and Steve Lewis on Electric Guitars--both lead & Rhythm--and vocal Harmonies.

All additional elements were recorded in the world renowned Black Lodge, with thanks to engineers Any Dimitri Condax, Josh “the wizard” Estafen, and Patrick Wilcox. On “Hands of Time,” the mandolin is played by Marshall Baker, and the Flute is played by Johnathan Bernhardt. The strings were arranged, performed & recorded by Nick Banns at L.S.M.G. Studios. The Choir of “Pretty Daughters” that Sings on this album includes: Clara Baker, Meghan Cavan, Drew Citron, Charlotte Cornfield, Lauren Holyoak Fitzgerald, Jessica Lofthus, and Kara Suzanne. Lead vocals for “Sweet Talk,” “Given Take,” & “On Either Side” were recorded in Room #8 at Joshua Tree Inn (29 Palms Highway) on the morn of Monday, May 14, 2012. At the time of the recording, there was a dove in her nest above the door to Room #8, and there was a child running and playing outside. Cover art design by John DeLore. Stained Glass mosaic by Meghan Cavan & John DeLore. Photography of mosaic by Jay Frederick.

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The Reverend John DeLore Brooklyn, New York

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