Away Team Album

Albums

You can purchase the latest Away Team album "Runnin' in the Rain" here.

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LYRICS

I began writing this song in 2015 after talking to a homeless couple who had a little black kitten with them. We had an interesting conversation. The girl was a singer, and she sang me a song she had written. It was a love song. I made up this story about them, part reality, part fantasy.

When I got back to the studio. Nik recorded me sing and playing keys, . . . I had the first verses, added the chous the next time I was working on it. Nik seemed to like the song. He said something about how I seemed to be concerned about homelessness. I dropped the song, after I put down some bass, a simple drum track, and replayed the piano part. “Hey There Sugar Pie” was a very similar story — written after a walk and an encounter with a street musician and homeless girl, part story, part reality.

In 2020, I was looking at a bunch of old songs, and came across a rough mix of "Unbroken". It somehow seemed incomplete. I knew it needed a guitar. I looked at the original file, and low and behold, Nik apparently had not forgotten the song. He had added some faux guitars, completely unbeknownst to me. I figured if he thought it was good enough to work on, maybe I should finish it.

UNBROKEN DREAM Lyric

You won’t remember who I am
You were singing’ in the street like a one man band
I gave you some tea and crackers to eat
While your cat lay down at your weary feet

The world ain’t fair, you said “it’s a shame
Too many losers caught in the game”
You never thought you’d end up on the street
Not knowing where to go or where you’ll sleep

People walk, walk on by
They turn away, I don’t know why some have too much
And others have none, like playin’ roulette and nobody won

CHORUS:
We’re gunna make it; No one can break
The dream of Freedom’s Cry
We’re all in this boat together
It’s sink or swim or fly . . . . . . . .

Too many things seem to get in the way
Another dollar, another day
“Whatever happened to the Dream?” You said
“It’s not gone but it’s nearly dead.”

“What you do to the least of them
You do to me” that’s what he said
Whatever they have is never enough
Whatever they say My Love ain’t tough”

CHORUS:
We’re gunna make it; No one can break
The dream of Freedom’s Cry
We’re all in this boat together
It’s sink or swim or fly . . . . . . . .

Unbroken Unbroken
Unbroken Dream . . .

Fly . . . . .

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I wrote this after a a heated debate on Facebook between two of my FB friends . . .
I was wondering what it would take to have people with different opinions to really listen and hear each other, how that requires seeing with one’s heart, not one’s need to be right. Perhaps then we could find common ground together, not trying to change the other, but rather understand, have compassion, and figure out the “how to” or the solutions.

SEE THROUGH YOUR HEART Lyrics

If I could see through your eyes
I wonder what would I see
Maybe we’d talk it all out
And shed some light on our doubt - no doubt, no doubt
If I could see through your eyes
I wonder how would I feel
Oh, if only I could
Maybe we would all heal

Too many people broken in fear
There’s much darkness too many a tear
There’s too much confusion, too much greed
Too much delusion, too many in need

There’s too much anger, too much hate
Too many lies and too much at stake

If I could see through your eyes . . . . see through my heart……

If you could see through my eyes
I wonder what would you say
Oh, if only I could
Free each other that way
If you could see through my eyes
Do you think you would sing?
Oh, if only you could
Let the freedom bells ring.

There’s too many people broken in fear
Too much darkness too many a tear
There’s too much confusion, too much greed
Too much delusion, too many in need
There’s too much anger, too much hate
Too many lies and too much at stake

If you could see through my heart . . .

See through your heart
See through my heart
See through your heart
See through my heart
See through your heart . . .

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This song was a collaboration with lyricist Carrie Topliffe.
I read her words, went to the keyboard, had a feeling, put it down, added drums, sang. This song just popped out…

SAY HIS NAME (SAY HER NAME) Lyrics

Say his name, say her name
They should be alive this very day
America America live up to your promise
You’ve gotta stop killing’ people this way
You’ve gotta stop gott stop

Say his name, say her name
Take a knee, don’t grind it on our neck
America, America, face your history
We can’t let any more lives be wrecked
We can’t let any more lives . . . .

Say his name, say her name
Stop policing that makes lives shatter
America, America, we shouldn’t have to say
Black lives matter, Black lives matter
Black lives matter, Black lives matter

Say his name, say her name
Raised by parents with hope and joy
America, America, your babies deserve better

This violent system we must destroy
This violent system

Di su nombre, Di su nombre
We need to hold all people dear
Di su nombre, Di su nombre
Di su nombre, Di su nombre

In the name of justice, we’ll persevere
In the name of justice,

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This was another song I’d had on a back burner. In 2015, Nik added an acoustic guitar motif, which got me interested in the song again, but that year was not the year I’d complete anything. Nik was quite ill by late 2015.

THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE lyrics

Make your wings strong
Don’t let the world take you down
Cry your tears long
Just in time, they’ll be gone

Who’s going to shine the Light
Who’s going to spread the Word like Paul Revere?

The Truth will set you free
The Truth will set you free
The Truth will set you free
But first you’ll be
But first you’ll be angry

Talk: It’s a machine designed to consume
It’s so obscene that there is no room
For the voices of us all
But you know when you hear the call
House to house, door to door
Face to face into outer space
We’re the biggest star
We’re the smallest spec
We’re dust to dust. We’re not done yet
We’re dust to dust. We’re not done yet

The Truth will set you free
But first you’ll be
Angry

Keep your wings strong don’t let the world drive you down
Cry your tears long, just in time, they’ll be gone
Who’s going to shine the Light
Who’s going to spread the Word like Paul Revere

The Truth will set you free
The Truth will set you free
The Truth will set you free
But first you’ll be angry
But first you’ll be
Angry

Gotta get over our derivation
Lookin’ for cover from bad decision
Choices for us all but you know when you hear the call
House to house, door to door
Face to face into outer space
We’re the biggest star
We’re the smallest spec
We’re dust to dust. We’re not done yet
We’re dust to dust. We’re not done yet

The Truth will set you free
The Truth will set you free
The Truth will set you free
But first you’ll be angry
But first you’ll be
Angry

George Bush . . .

Either you’re with us or you’re against us

The Truth will set you free
The Truth will set you free
The Truth will set you free
The Truth will set you free
The Truth will set you free
The Truth will set you free

But first you’ll be
Angry

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I wrote this immediately after Fukushima in 2011, another song that was backburner.
An instrumental version was used in a Japanese documentary film about Fukushima in 2015.

ALL THE ANGELS Lyrics

There was a time.
There was a place, a time
In your mind, questions and no answers
Endlessly, so endlessly

All the angels are crying’ in the rainfall
Crying’ in the downfall
Crying’ for us all
For you and me
For us to see

I call your name
How could we let this happen
I call you again and again
We can’t go back
There’s nuthin’ left to see there
Who can we trust or fear or blame

All the angels are crying’ in the rainfall
Crying’ in the downfall
Crying’ for us all
We always knew
This could true

Sunflower
Sunflower
Sunflower

Ww will live, we will live again
I knee down and pray
There’s no night without the day
There’s no night without the day
. . . ..

There was a time
We thought it didn’t matter
There was time, a place
In your mind, questions and no answers
Endlessly, so endlessly

All the angels are crying’ in the rainfall
Crying’ in the downfall
Crying’ for us all
We always knew
This could true
For you and me
When will we see?

I call your name . . . I call your name
There was a time . . . there was a place

Sunflower . . sunflower . . . sunflower . . . .sunflower

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Another back burner . . . Nik and I collaborated on this, and it’s on our prior album. However, I never quite liked the mix, so I did a new remix with a few added elements, and a few missing ones….. it seems relevant as ever.

SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME Lyrics

How long can you wait?
How long can you wait?
How long can you wait?

How long can you wait? Wait

How long
Can you . .
Do the same things over and over and
Wait for the time when time belongs to you
Belongs to you
Whoa
You belong to you

Will you catch up when the sky falls down
Will you wati will you wait will you be around
When your racing heart races over your fear
When it falls apart will you still be here

I can feel it coming’ like the tail end of a star
Like a wave you’re riding’, it’ll take you where you are

Is this shape of things to come?
Wait I’m not ready and I think it’s gone too far . .

This time I think it’s gone
Too far
I can see your many lives passion’ by
Your many lives
Passing by.

They say that change is here to stay
But some things to change
Don’t ever change
For me, don’t ever change

I can feel it coming’ like the tail end of a star
Like a wave you’re riding’, it’ll take you where you are

Is this shape of things to come?
Wait I’m not ready and I think it’s gone too far . .

This time I think it’s gone
Too far
I can see your many lives passion’ by
Your many lives
Passing by.

Workin for a living becomes obsolete when energy is free but the world is beat
Down by the weight of the biggest lie
But we are the change in the eagles eye
So if time is money but the money is spent
Do you ever seem to know, do you know where it went?

We must become the change we seek
We are the shapers of the Deep

How long can you wait
How long can you
Do the same things over and over
And wait for the time when time belongs to you

So it’s the shape of things to come
This is the shape of things to come
Hoo de la hoo de la hoo de la hoo de la oo la u la

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I kept hearing a riff in my head, and I started this song by pretending to play with Nik, creating each overlapping part as if we were jamming together . . . In fact, this really sounds like one of our jams in a way. I thought it might be an instrumental, until I found a quote from pacifist and suffragette Dorothy Day in Sanderson Beck’s Book “World Peace Efforts”. p. 277.Dorothy Day was a suffragette, a pacificist, who wrote about workers rights and was a champion for the poor
And then I found another line from Barbara Deming . .. “This is how we stand up.” I integrated some of their words with my own. You can see the original quotes below. https://jimandnancyforest.com/2011/10/writings-of-dorothy-day/

We were setting our faces against the world, against things as they are, the terrible injustice of our capitalist industrial system which lives by war and by preparing for war…. We made our gesture; we disobeyed a law.” (Catholic Worker, September 1957)

Dorothy Day among 'saints' in Trump 'heroes' garden https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/13782/dorothy-day-among-saints-in-trump-heroes-garden

THIS IS HOW WE STAND UP Lyrics

We were setting our faces against the world
Against the way things are
The terrible injustice of a system
Which lives by war**

We are the dreamers
We are the dream
And we’re not asleep
We are the dreams
We are the dream
Of democracy

This is how we stand up
This is how we stand up
We refuse to give them our money
We refuse to give them our mind
We refuse to give them our bodies
Our bodies to fight in their war

This is how we stand up
This is how we stand up
We refuse to give them authority
To fight in their war…

We were setting our faces against the world
Against the way things are
The terrible injustice of a system
Which lives by war

We are the dreamers
We are the dream
And we’re not asleep
We are the dreams
We are the dream
Of democracy

This is how we stand up
This is how we stand up
We refuse to give them our money
We refuse to give them our Soul
We refuse to give them our bodies
Our bodies to fight in their war

This is how we stand up
This is how we stand up
We refuse to give them authority
To fight in their war…

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Carrie Topliffe brought the lyrics to me saying something like it’s time for another song about voting . . . .this time something non-partisan.” Our previous voting song collaboration “Get Out and Vote” was obviously partisan.

Carrie thought maybe it could be like an old ragtime piece . . . . I looked at Maple Leaf Rag and a few other Joplin tunes, and took one riff and a base line from Maple Leaf Rag, and found a hip hop rhythm. In the end, all but one reference to Scott Joplin had disappeared. I wanted something a bit more contemporary with a slight gospel feel. I created the musical arrangement and sang the first rough version. At some point I knew I wanted Kenneith Perrin to sing this song.

RAISE YOUR VOICE UP Lyrics

Verse 1:I don’t care if you’re red or blue
Left or right, it’s up to you (Raise your voice Raise your voice)
Bring your voice to the American dream
Don’t turn away, we are the team
(Raise your voice up with your vote,
Raise your voice up with your vote)
Run in a marathon and use a cane
Head for the polls, do we need to explain?

CHORUS:Raise your Voice up
With your vote
Raise your voice up with your vote
Raise your voice
Raise your voice
Raise your voice up with your vote

Verse 2:Live in the city or on a dirt road
High rise apartment or funky abode
Don’t let American values decay
We can be different you know but hey
Raise your voice Raise your voice

No mind if you’re rich or poor
We’re all Americans at our core
Tech billionaires or digging a ditch
We’re in it together, we can fix any glitch!

CHORUS:Raise your Voice up
With your vote
Raise your voice up with your vote
Raise your voice
Raise your voice
Raise your voice up with your vote

Verse 3: It’s time to step up it’s time to be bold
Don’t’ let our freedoms be bought and sold (Raise your voice up with your vote))
You can root for any team you please
Pirates, giants, jets, Cowboys: jeez!
Truth be told, we all have a voice
Take it all in, and then make a choice

CHORUS:Raise your Voice up
With your vote
Raise your voice up with your vote
Raise your voice
Raise your voice
Raise your voice up with your vote

AH
Ah
Raise your Voice up
Raise your Voice up
Ah
AH
Raise your Voice up
Raise your Voice up

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This was another back burner song from 2015.
I recorded the rough vocals, drums, keys, and dropped it.
Another surprise from Nik. He must have thought the song was interesting because another discovery awaited me in the song file. Nik had put a crazy lead and some more faux guitar in the song. I had no clue he was doing this!

RUNNIN’ in the RAIN lyrics

I been rich I been poor
Rich is better and that’s for sure
It’s about what you do with what you got
It’s about you and what you’re not

Sometimes you gotta keep running through the rain
Sometimes you gotta jump off that train

There’s a plantation in your mind
Who are the slaves that were left behind
Nobody’s free until everybody is
Nobody’s free until everybody is
Free

Everybody
Everybody’s
Everybody
Everybody’s free

Robber barons high on their horse
We got the numbers, we are a force
The power of truth and the power of love
The power of we and we’ve had enough

Sometimes you gotta keep running through the rain
Sometimes you gotta jump off that train

We left the plantation far behind
We’re not slaves and we’re free in our mind

Nobody’s free until everybody is
Nobody’s free until
everybody is
Free

Everybody
Everybody’s
Everybody
Everybody’s free

Oh say can you see?

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This started as a quirky instrumental, and then it called to me to sing . . .
I’m so done with the mainstream corporate media’s lies, and politicians and officials telling us baldfaced lies as they push us into a more or less authoritarian maximum security state. If we don’t get out of our bubbles and work together, that’s where we could be headed.

They gone too far this time
I think I”ll lose my mind
There’s just too much crazy
SHIT

I don’t believe them
Why do they lie to us?
Why can’t they just tell the truth?

It’s time to question
Reality
Too many bubbles
No one can see

It’s time to question
Authority
So many troubles
We wanna be free

La La la la la la lala lalalalalalala
Trump. “To unleash the full power of the federal government . . . I am officially declaring a national emergency
Bush Freedom itself is under attack - our freedom of religion,, freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other…”

They’ve gone too far this time.
I think I’ll lose my mind
There’s just too much crazy
SHIT

It’s time to question
Authority
Too many bubbles
No one can see

It’s time to question
Reality
So many troubles
We wanna be free
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la. . .

Trump "Is this the new normal
I just say this, we have an invisible enemy"
Bush: "Enemies of freedom committed an act of war against our country . . .
An invisible enemy"