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4th St.

by Booze Monkey

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1.
Let's Go Monkey! 02:23
lyrics
This song is an instrumental.
2.
Solitaire (the old way) 05:17
lyrics
Listenin' to Nick Cave and Tom Waits and drinkin' Yukon Jack playin' solitaire the old way by shufflin' the stack my fingers are too sore to play guitar but my mind keeps castin' back it's nearly dawn and dark as hell my insomnia is back Nostalgia is like Drambuie it's sweet but it packs a wallop when memories break through the haze they do so at a gallop I thought that I had them tethered by the old pass just outside of town but they've been freed by a black hat clown and found their way right back around Playin' Solitaire the old way alone and boxing time playin' Solitiare the old way just to occupy my mind Playin' Solitaire the old way in fear of a coming dawn fighting to keep my thoughts at bay like undead upon the lawn George Romero's legacy sometimes more a grin than others another drink to dull my brain I'd wipe it out if I had my druthers There's nothing like unfocused anger to leave one a bit perplexed like a teenage trip to New Orleans debating credence to a hex I'm runnin' low on lime juice and I've lost another hand the sun it stumbles by horizon's edge just before it floods the land Playin' Solitaire the old way by the table on the floor playin' Solitaire the old way even diversion is a chore Like the too proverbial snake consuming its own tail my thoughts devour my mind and I don depression's veil my thoughts are caught in a feedback loop from speaker to pickup and back the things I wish I'd never thought they just stack upon the stack I count through fifty-two cards again and dwell on familiar patterns it's Yukon on the rocks this time I'm outta lime in my private tavern
3.
Hope 06:24
lyrics
What goes around it comes around so reportedly they say might not believe it never really seen it the sentiment it seems OK In bed with hateful assassin grateful deceit repeat a brand new day trust is slaughtered the ethics altered hit the reset and replay hit the reset and replay I hope it pains you I hope it haunts you I hope it keeps you up at night The rules bended once was befriended legal yes but so not right legal yes but so not right Left us hanging our compass banging you seem to like when we're afraid you take advantage subtract each adage you've squandered everything we've paid I hope it haunts you teases and taunts you I hope it leaves you in a fright I hope it pains you so hope it pains you I hope it keeps you up at night The rules bended twisted and rinded I hope it blurs your very sight Your face unblended the sale has ended legal yes but so not right
4.
Dick Frankenstein's Night Out 03:39
lyrics
She said her name was Kevin and she she stripped for Monty Floyd spent an hour in the VIP Lounge Seven hundred dollars She took my Crown and clicked her tongue you shoulda seen her jaw drop when I took it back and did the same I'm such a trollop Handy Andy hit a train'track a dozen bladders 'bout burst Sixteen men were in agreement Greedo never shot first In a twist around the waitress found she'd got digits from Hobart The earlobe bit, name-tags on tit, classic state of the art In case you find you're looking for a moral to this story It's just a tale of scant-missed jail, one needn't worry The night of Big Dick Frankenstein and his merry band of bandits Spreading wealth about three months saved 'cause a wedding gave 'em chance Interact and questions asked happy to oblige Beneath the rain Izzy abstained but the others they went inside Not a word by Sunday heard about Peter's paramedics By then the evening's bail-bond cash had long since switched to credit Turgenson he showed the Artist a trick for tippin' up top Peter asked for an anal insertion from a Prince William County Cop Everyone thought Fistibuns was surely going to upchuck But he held back so Frankenstein owes Nipple a sawbuck In case you find you're looking for a moral to this story It's just a tale of scant-missed jail, one needn't worry The night of Big Dick Frankenstein and his merry band of bandits Spreading wealth about three months saved 'cause a wedding gave 'em chance Monty got a hottie and his friends they did benefit Kerie honey we all love you and don't you forget it To all of those that stayed behind so the pets and kids were fed the biggest smile was getting home and curling into bed
5.
Changin' Lanes 04:58
lyrics
My knuckles are bloody but the wall didn't budge I knew at that moment that I'd had enough My arms are rubber from carryin' grudge I'll take a stroll with hate if this is my love Solutions eluded only thought of escape running away seemed my only fate I'd already lost far more than I could take my absence was sure to leave smiles in my wake But the lines on the highway blur from dashes to dots in a hypnotic manner they order my thoughts Perhaps I can untangle this web that I've wrought this net of frustration in which I was caught I'm changin' Lanes Lookin' for a turnabout There are things I'm prepared to figure out I've rearranged the things I used to be about I know it's strange but truly you can trust me now The fuse to my temper has been gone for ages so many ideas have been filtered through rages agitation gilds the bars to my cages certainly these are not thoughts of the sages But calm has settled as I cross the state line the miles are eroding away at the time perspective is clearer in that rear view mirror of mine and road signs help to keep direction defined
6.
Jane's Song 05:08
lyrics
Buddy met Sadie at the Fairgrounds 'bout 9 years ago to this day love at first sight was how Sadie described it or so her sister Jane used to say Buddy used to say that it was lust instead of love but his friends they knew he meant the same thing Either way you know that they were married very nearly right away Everybody came to the wedding Sadie wore a gown of white Sadie's mom cried and her father kept smiling everything it felt just right Buddy's friends tied a bunch of cans to his bumper and they all wished them well with rice Everyone was partying right through the afternoon and well on into the night Friends and family pitched in to send them to Atlantic City for a weekend honeymoon Sadie got a job cutting hair at the mall and Buddy's parents rented them a room For the first few years you know that money was tight but that's not unusual The couple worked hard and saved nearly every penny and things were looking up real soon Jane said she will not forget the yellow tape that ran the border of the crime scene or the K9 unit brought in to find the body it was feeling like a real bad dream Sadie's mother said she felt her heart would come apart she was tearing right at the seems Buddy's father had a far away look in his eyes or so it appeared on TV Buddy was captured the next state over used a credit card to purchase gas Nobody could figure out a motive everybody thought the two would last When Jane shot Buddy nobody could stop her Everything it happened so fast Jane is doing life and she's working on a book it's expected to sell en masse
7.
Chip & a Chair 03:17
lyrics
Mucked the last nine and my stacks are down pockets ain't droppin' fair Divorce just settled, mixed emotion celebration but I still have a chip and a chair Job situation changed the color of my collar and I just flopped the bottom pair Night out with the gang, well the ones that were available I still have a chip and a chair Sittin' in the big blind with suited connectors checked to me I take the dare Turn it brought a gut-shot washed away by the river but I still have a chip and a chair Small blind flush draw, got ugly on fourth street caved in to the other guy's stare Shoulda folded early, 'bout time for a luck change I still have a chip and a chair Murdered on the turn but now I'm sittin' on the button just hopin' for a pocket pair A re-raise to me and I'm, I'm holdin' cowboys I still have a chip and a chair
8.
Tellin' you 03:45
lyrics
Been thinkin' rhymes since I was sentient I always had a penchant for Booze as my preferred crutch not uppers or god or such don't subscribe to the common truths I think that maybe schools are in on the ruse I'm tellin' you I've got the blues. Not a sheep-bone within my makeup sometimes I wish I wouldn't wake up when asleep I'm not as agitated I think the outside is overrated you know I have a studio tan I'd care a little less but I don't think I can I'm outta cash from remitting my dues If I don't play why do I still lose? I'm tellin' you I've got the blues. Good at this and maybe that list of failures turned right into a stack a couple of friends to watch my back reciprocation is a guaranteed fact to those in the loop you know that this isn't news an occasional choice is what I'd like to choose I'm tellin' you I've got the blues.
9.
Mysteries 05:34
lyrics
She wants her mysteries back Because the shadows make things beautiful She wants her mysteries back Because without them she can never be whole Once again she is an open book Her heart and soul lie open For anyone to take a look Sharing is not the same as giving yourself away They cannot take control if they don’t know your name Or so they say It had happened so many times before It would not happen this time Or anymore or so she swore This time she would take and maintain control She’d give her body but she would not give her soul Or so I'm told And then the open book Turned to the last page Like a spotlight On the open stage The fear and the shame The pain and the rage This was a war She could no longer wage She gave her last bow She gave ‘em one more look She turned the flowers ‘round And closed the book She got her mysteries back You know the shadows make things beautiful She got her mysteries back And we will never know quite what the shadows hold.
10.
Firewater Fetish 03:42
lyrics
My buddy found jesus, hell I didn’t even know he was lost He says he gives him peace but he never ever mentions the cost I said I have a similar affinity for Booze We do with what we have it isn’t as if we get to choose I have a Firewater Fetish You can call me, Saucy Jack Line ‘em up Joe I’m gonna drink ‘em back to back I’d like to have a dollar for every dollar stolen from me For everything denied me in the name of stupid, evil or weak Freedom isn’t freedom if they tell you how free you can be There’s a traffic stop ahead I guess they’re gonna check my papers “for me”?! I want to bite the hand that steals I want to bite the tongue that lies I want to ignite brush fires If only I could find the minds I blame the son that squirted from the father’s loins I’d join the resistance if only there were one to join I’ll finish drinkin’ home alone I’m trying to stay out of the cage Cynicism is substantiated every single day that I age I have a Firewater Fetish You know Booze has never ever let me down I’d gladly kiss the ring if only Booze could wear the crown
11.
Voice Mail (from the blues) 06:01
lyrics
I got home just the other night thus far my job had been the day's only blight I checked my machine and saw the blinkin' light I heard my baby's voice, you know my heart it got tight I I really love that girl My butterflies fluttered then they fluttered away I started to hear what my baby she had to say she'd found a new fella she was movin' away I rewound the message and I let it replay I got a voice mail from the blues I tried to ring my baby but she won't take my calls my heart is brittle it won't survive the fall I tried to email her but the server kicked it back I sent a text message pleadin' "please take me back" I really love that girl A modern dear John you know that's what I got and what I'm left with it doesn't feel like a lot a hole in my chest that goes from cold to hot I'm tryin' to reach my baby by every means I got you know - I tried fax her fax you know I tried to page her page I tried to call her cell phone but the number must've change I'll leave another message right after the beep I'm tryin' to stop my baby 'fore she takes that leap.

about

The first Booze Monkey album after he departure of duo-era bassist, Joel Ludwig. Blue handled the bulk of the instrumentation, however this album features the largest number of guest musicians of any entry in Blue's catalog to date.

credits

released April 8, 2008

All words, music & recording - written, arranged, engineered, produced, performed & mastered by Blue Ajay except as noted.

Cover photo, logos and graphic design by Blue Ajay. The Poker table pictured on the cover is a handmade gift from my pal Monty. Thanks, Monty!

The photo of Blue on the CD's fold-out insert was taken by Stuart Swink. Its use in the graphic design was inspired by my buddy JRock.

The chanting from "Let's Go Monkey!" took place on 24 September 2004 at the Old Town Grill & Bar in Winchester, VA as last call approached. The bar owner, Bill Whitson, stood on the bar and led the crowd in the cheer. I recorded a handful of friends in my studio performing the chant to add an element of control to the mixing process, but for the most part that recording was made live that night. I added the extra percussion, resophonic guitar, upright bass and organ in the studio. The "noise" that segues into "Solitaire" is comprised of assorted live and ambient recordings I've made in recent years. The barking at the end of the song was performed by Lee Blanton.

Special thanks to my friend Stuart Swink who acted as a sounding board for me throughout the creation of this record.

Some amazing musicians lent their talent to this record. I am exceedingly proud of their contributions and cannot thank them enough. See the lyrics for their specific performance credits.

As always, if it weren't for Christina, none of it would happen.

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Booze Monkey Virginia

Booze Monkey is the primary musical moniker for longtime indie recording artist and multi-instrumentalist, Blue Ajay.

A much more detailed biography is available at SanityCheck.net

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