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Highway Islands

by Strangebyrds

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1.
Angeline 05:00
I run the local liquor store. You’ve been in a hundred times before. The one out on the highway with the neon light. In a sleepy little town on the edge of night. My folks died when I was young. Grandpa raised me he was a son of a gun. When he passed he left it all to me. Gotta liquor store legacy. CHORUS: And it’s the preachers and the folks living on the skids. Passerby’s and housewives and their little kids. Highway men and cops and the lonely girls. All coming in to ease the weight of the world. Angeline, Angeline, Angeline, Angeline. Henry comes in everyday. And says “Angeline today’s the day I’m quitting drinking and I’m leaving this town You won’t be seeing me around." Every morning at a quarter to ten. I see Henry at the door again. Waiting on a six pack and a bottle of gin. With a glint in his eye and a desperate grin. CHORUS Me I never touch a drop. That way I won’t have to stop. And every night I sweep the floor. Pull the shade and lock the door. I run the local liquor store. You’ve been in a hundred times before. The one out on the highway with the neon light In a sleepy little town in the dead of night. CHORUS (2X) Weight of the world. Weight of the world. Angeline
2.
Tidal Wave 04:29
When I moved to this small town It was a little bit dirty a little bit down Everybody seemed to just be passing through Used to be when the wind would blow Folks would run back down below Leaving us locals here in our Shangri-La Yeah but Shangri-La got sold CHORUS And the money’s like a Tidal Wave Kinda like a south bound train It’s like a Hurricane that you can’t stop And the money’s like a Waterfall The winner’s gonna take it all And once it’s gone you can’t go back People used to move here for the trees for the mountains for the breeze’s It wasn’t all about the economy Then the mountain got sold to a company Expanded the place made it cheap More people, more scars upon the land John Denver saw the plan CHORUS BRIDGE Now I know I wasn’t born here, so I can’t stake that claim Still I’ve made myself a home here just the same When I moved to this small town it was a little bit dirty a little bit down Everybody seemed to just be passing through Now were having traffic jams, parking problems master plans And the Hippies have all but gone away, there’s nothing left to save CHORUS
3.
North Star 03:39
I’m gonna keep my head on straight Living in a crooked time I’m going to keep my vision clear Staring at an empty sky CH: It’s not the end of the world It’s not the end of the road It’s not the end of the line It’s just the end of the show V2 Let’s follow our north star It guides us wherever we are On the highway in the wicked wind It reminds us again and again CH BRIDGE Imagine a true north where the doors are open to us all There’s no division and the walls tumble and fall Tumble and fall. V3 We’re going to die with our boots on Playing on our guitars Standing on a mountain side Following Our North Star Chorus 2X out + I’m going to keep my head on straight…
4.
We’ve been driving all night trying to make town by morning And the highway signs only flash lies and warnings And the places where folks used to go Empty main streets everything closed Highway Islands all the same, they take away the local money chain CHORUS Easy off easy on, and the town is gone Easy off easy on and the town is gone Like the small farms we saw abandoned out in Kansas Made us feel this empty feeling in our souls And we wonder why the world’s so cruel They talk about the golden rule Money does what it wants to do and everyone follows in pursuit CHORUS BRIDGE Box store fast food everything cheap and greasy No more Mom and Pops big boys are so greedy We’ve been driving all night trying to make town by morning And the highway signs only flash lies and warnings And the places where folks used to go Empty main streets everything closed Highway Islands all the same, they take away the local money chain CHORUS
5.
Bug Town 05:07
Well I left ma and pa in the hills of Iowa. And that old sod-cutting farm. I packed a bag and walked the rails. Down to the train. I would have given up my right arm. And I headed my way West to Boulder Town. Where I first met Trixie Lee. She said “Lottie you’re a pretty girl And you could make some easy money, Come and meet Madame Marie”. CHORUS Hi La Hi La Hi La Hi La Hi La Hi Hi Li Hi Lee And the Minor’s they came With pockets full of gold some were young And some were mean and old. And Trixie Lee she took up With Freddie Hawkes, a rich man Whose wife ruled with an iron hand. CHORUS BRIDGE: And here I am in Bug Town living in a bawdy house. And I’ve never felt so alone. With troubles so deep, I can’t remember my home, my home. Well Maudy Hawkes got her revenge When she found Trixie Lee and shot Five rounds into her slight body. And I left the Rapid Girls of Water Street And no one ever saw the likes of me. CHORUS 2X Me and Trixie Lee Down on Water Street God Bless Trixie Lee
6.
You can only be lucky as the day is long Living your life singing your song Kicking the tires and you’re on your way Always more tomorrow’s Only One Today I used to be angry I used to go fast Then I got old and it kicked my ass It ain't for the light hearted they say Always more tomorrow’s Only One Today Always more tomorrow’s Only One Today I’m still in a hurry at a different pace Still like to feel the wind in my face Act like a child most of the day Always more tomorrow’s Only One Today Sometimes I think it’s good to let go Of the things that hold you down on the floor Kicking the tires and you’re on your way Always more tomorrows Only One Today Always more tomorrow’s Only One Today
7.
Autumn has always been A reckoning time for me. Days getting short And shadows in the trees. And the air so crisp and cold. And the leaves turn red and gold. In the reckoning. Winter winds her way And the gardens gone to bed. Flowers dream of spring When they’ll rouse their weary heads. And the meadow down below Windy angels in the snow. In the reckoning CHORUS Seasons come and they fade away Memories made for another,'nother lonely day. I feel life beckoning, in the reckoning. In the reckoning. I walk in the woods. Winter, Summer, Spring and Fall. I follow the mountain path. And I hear the raven’s call. And the tree’s with spirits bright. Yeah, they fill me with their light In the reckoning. CHORUS Seasons come and they fade away Memories made for another, 'nother distant day I feel life beckoning, in the reckoning. In the reckoning. Autumn has always been a reckoning time for me.
8.
Tumbleweed 02:24
9.
1999 03:37
Back in nineteen hundred and ninety-nine. I met a fellow so sweet and fine. The name of my father and a third born child. We found a love sweet and wild Here I stand on our wedding day. There’s so many words that I could say. A love that is true will help you find your way. A love that is true. CHORUS And I promise to be kind. And always think of you. And keep our spirits high. In everything we do. As we travel this road ahead. With songs in our wings and dreams in our head. Around all the corners where the wind blows through. Our love will stay true. CHORUS Here we stand on our wedding day. There’s so many words that we could say. A love that is true will help you find your way. A love that is true. CHORUS
10.
They say united we stand and divided we fall Seems like we’re falling right now Can’t come together at al I see a lot of hate I see a lot of love That’s where the battle lines are drawn When it come to push and shove CHORUS I’m Rootin' For Love It’s in my blood I’m Rootin' for love It’s in my blood I can’t help Rootin' For Love I grew up on John Lennon and Marvin Gaye too Singing about the power of love and brotherhood We stood side by side Trying to take down the walls I’m not sure it meant anything Beards grow longer that’s all They say united we stand And divided we fall Fells like we're falling right now Can't come together at all still I'm... CHORUS Rootin' For Love It's In My Blood I'm Rootin' For Love I can't rootin' for love Rootin' For Love Rootin For Love Rootin For Love Love, Love, Love, Love RIGHT ON!
11.
Red Reign 03:57
Red, red rain, filling up the reservoir again Hate and fear, feeding the clouds around here CHORUS Rain keeps coming and the river keeps rising Rain keeps coming and the river keeps rising Rain keeps coming and the river keeps rising Rain keeps coming and the river keeps rising Red Reign Red Reign Stand and fight, Run and hide. Choose high ground, you wanna be above the rumbling sound Rain keeps coming and the river keeps rising Rain keeps coming and the river keeps rising Rain keeps coming and the river keeps rising Rain keeps coming and the river keeps rising Red Reign Red Reign
12.
For You 03:55
We drove across the Mid-West Plains. Through fallow fields of corn. Past the barns hanging by a thread. Dusty tractors old and worn. Sandhill cranes crossed the sky. Under low ceiling clouds. My brother at the wheel. And we’re calling your name out loud. CHORUS Coming for you. Coming for you. Tumbleweeds and blackbirds. And rolls and rolls of hay. Icy roads and Harvesters. Along the Interstate. I tried to write down all the rivers. For a thousand miles and back. Big Blue and the Mississippi But I just couldn’t keep track. CHORUS BRIDGE The sky is dark and gray. We’re in a time like no other. Many miles to go. As we race to reach our mother. Headed West to Colorado. In the early morning sun. The whole world is different now Our journey’s just begun. CHORUS Coming for you Coming for you Coming for you For you, you. Yeah, Yeah.....

about

A landscape of songs.

credits

released November 1, 2021

All songs written and performed by
Cari Minor / Strangebyrds music ascap and
Raymond Leroy Smith / gulch groove music ascap
Cari Minor / vocals, guitar, bouzouki and finger snaps
Ray smith / vocals, guitars, lap steel, bouzouki, keys, toy piano, bass, drums
Kort McCumber / vocal, cello, mandolin
Recorded and mixed at Byrdnest recording
Mastered by David Glasser at airshow mastering, Boulder, Co.
Richard Cummings back photo
Cover art Dennis Quinn

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Strangebyrds Rollinsville, Colorado

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