Get all 7 Mike Roy releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Mike & Eileen Chapter One, Live at UMBC - Oct 17 2002, ShotFriction, Lullabies & Family Songs, The Whistlestop, Songs from the Valley, and Roy.
1. |
Prologue
02:06
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2. |
17 license plates
08:49
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That very night, three years before
He’d taken his last life
Something snapped inside of him
when she at his hands died
He’d taken several lives since then
some old, some fair of face
And for some reason, unknown to him
he kept their license plates
But she was unlike all the rest
she didn’t kick and scream
She wept and said she’d finally rest
just like she’d always dreamed
The rain tonight did drive to him
the husband of his niece
Who was a lazy sack of man
who worked for the police
The power had gone out hours ago
a candle light did gleam
Illuminating the young man’s face
and the badge upon his sleeve
“Dear Uncle, how are you tonight”
as he flipped on a light to see
I’m wondering if I could stop in just to
get a bite to eat”
“It’s raining cats and dogs out there,
it’s empty in the streets
There’ll be no work for me tonight
I’d love to warm my feet”
He sat upon a worn out piece of 1973
furniture of corduroy
the color faded green
He grabbed up the remote control
his fingers dripping grease
And flipped the channels aimlessly
cold chicken in the crease
Of his grey lips, and on his right
a dusty table stood
a beer all clad in aluminum
did sweat hard as it could
Not clever, no not smart at all
this officer of peace
He did recall a tale once told him
while out on the beat
An old man, who did kill at will
who when he left the scene
did keep his victim’s license plates
otherwise left it clean
This man was never caught of course
not much effort was put forth
His victims all had illnesses
that could sure not be cured
The old man sat in worn out clothes
his hands upon his knees
His eyes they just stared straight ahead
and almost never blinked
He did not speak a word aloud
nor answer this husband of his niece
In fact he had not spoken much in years
in almost three
This silence was not new to his nephew
who helped himself to eat
Up ‘til now he’d never seen his uncle do
what he did not need
But presently he did clear his throat,
and shifted in his seat
He pointed and in a startling voice said
“Look my boy and see”
The nephew did then turn to see
the wall just at his rear
And looking up did clearly see
what he had seen for years
Seventeen old license plates
from several nearby states
But never had he seen them as
those victim license plates
This startled him, and though he had
just then begun to chew
He swallowed hard and lodged into his
windpipe a wad of food
He flailed a bit but in short time
did fall out on the floor
His uncle sat back, closed his eyes
and spoke again no more.
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3. |
Some Mistakes
05:45
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Some mistakes never leave
like the stain on this shirt
getting darker with time
from the place I made you hurt
This land is parched and dying
‘cause of me
all it grows is dead
Some mistakes never fade
blood under my nails
in the clothes that you gave me
walking on your ground
I said I’d never fail
Said I wouldn’t break, and wouldn’t end
and I feel forgiven
but don’t feel like I ever should’ve been
I seen you bloody before
but never so badly
and never by my own hand
mixing with the dust of this old land
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4. |
Bossman
06:27
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I found the money that you hid
in the clothes you always wear
I’m not all that concerned with what you did
but how long has it been there?
See I got eyes in the back of my head
but they wasn’t watching you
I thought you knew I’d kill you dead
I thought you knew
Too many hours have gone passed
he should’ve been back here by now
but I should’ve known he wouldn’t last
or made arrangements anyhow
You think I like to live like this
you think I’m evil through and through
wiping the blood off of my fist
you think I’m heartless – don’t you
So tired of looking out for you
but I done it for so long
and now look what you made me do
even if it was a little too strong
I feel so useless anymore
a clock ticking with no hands
it’s making all kinds of noise for sure
that nobody understands
I never planned to be this way
some things are handed down to you
I guess somewhere along the way
I took a bad turn or two
A little human decency
and a bit of mutual respect
could've done a world of good, you see
but now we’re way passed that
You know I cannot let this stand
the penalty for this is pain
My Pop, he woulda seen you end
‘fore you’d begun to explain
I’m getting soft in my old age
And you’re lucky that I am
Shit was tough back in those days
You were forced to be man
Let’s take a walk, you and me
down to the tide rolling in
and look out at the old sea
with its wrinkly skin
Each wave just slappin at the shore
taking a little bit each time
but each time it leaves a little more
and a scar is left behind
Each time a scar is left behind
but every scar will start to fade
Even in an ocean full of time
I’m not sure it ever fades away
Come here and stand right next to me
put your hand up on my chest
You feel that weak steady beat
And that pistol in my vest
Not sure that me killing you
isn’t me taking my own life
neither one I wanna do
neither one I have the right
but sure as Hell somehow this ends
the ceaseless beating of these drums
and for the sake of old friends
let’s make it quick before it comes
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5. |
Malachi 3
03:40
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Behold, I send my messenger
and he shall make the way ‘fore me
the Lord whom you seek shall surely come – suddenly
into His temple – behold He’s come
But who can endure the day of His coming
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is refiners fire and launderers soap
He will sit and purify the silver
And He will purify the Sons of Levi
Yes He shall purge them all like gold
That they may offer to the Lord
An offering of Righteousness
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6. |
Fear the Night
04:00
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Fear the night, fear the wild wolves all around you
Take flight, grab whatever you can
You must leave
By the road, that you know so well
helped to build with your father before
You won’t be coming back
No time for tears and goodbyes now
Don’t write, even if you did it won’t
Reach us anyhow
Go on, fit your shoes to your feet
Pack light, you’ll have to move as a breeze
Tonight
Don’t cry, we all knew this day would arrive
Hold tight to what you have found
To be true
But fear the night, the night that can claim you
And drown the light that does shine in your eyes
The light that made you mine
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7. |
Woman I Once Knew
04:00
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There’s a woman I once knew
who would kill me if she knew
I was lying next to you
She is dangerous and bright
comes in quiet like the night
said she’d love me all my life
but now we’re through
I was sweet to her it’s true
when me met in the saloon
Her dealing stud me standing there
looking around, acting the buffoon
I tipped my hat as I sat down
a couple drinks a couple rounds
So quick my money’s down
I stood to lose
But one flip of that card and on the river came
Queen of diamonds flashing in her eyes
Walls came tumbling down, I swear I heard a sound
Falling from on high
Into the darkness we fled
two men behind me want me dead
and me wondering if this woman at my side
didn’t also want my head
But she invited me to stay
said she wouldn’t make me pay
I didn’t know just what to say
I climbed in to bed
I didn’t talk much all the while
see it wasn’t quite my style
I never did have much to say that couldn’t be said
with just a smile
But she professed undying love
she was precious as a dove
I kissed her eyelid and I told her I’d stick around
for a while
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8. |
An Old Heart
04:32
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Lend me your ear
so you can hear
my heart beating fast
and tap on my side
keep it in time
so I can know if I
am going to die
every now and then
it acts up again
pounding like
I seen my own ghost
if you’d stay for awhile
it’d be mighty kind
I always been afraid that I’d
be alone when I die
my thoughts drift so
to the hills and the snow
when I think that the end
is finally here
see the doctor said
that I should be dead
by the end of the year
four years ago
so you see any time
could be my time
I’m trying to think of all
that I still need to do
so I’m glad that you’re here
to lend me your ear
to tell you I’m sorry for all
that I never was for you
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9. |
Wishing Well
07:32
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There’s a wishing well, a wishing well
Deep at the bottom of the hill
Where comes to pass the story that
I have come to tell
In the dead of night, dead of night,
Down so far she fell
There was no sound as she hit the ground
Least none that I could tell
I lived down at the end of town
In an old shack by the trains
And she would come to hear me hum
The tales from on the plains
In her sparkle eyes I saw surprise
And grief and loss and pain
She was often alone, even when at home
They barely spoke her name
So she came to me and together
We would walk and talk and sing
Stories passed and future and
Everything between
One of those time I told the tale
Of the Stone inside the ring
That would turn the wearer into
Whatever they could dream
And how that ring had come to me
In a fistfight in the rain
I used it then to save my skin
But never had again
She asked of me to let her see
This so-called magic stone
That she might escape her tragic fate
And the horrors of her home
Ah yes indeed, to set you free
I’d give anything
And it’d make right your lonesome flight
If you to me it’d bring
Anything, anything
Could this word be true?
A bird, a plane, a window pane
The bottom of a shoe
She laughed with me, but didn’t see
That danger, ‘twas at hand
Her smile so bright to think she might
Become a grain of sand
A word my dear you must hear
That’d seem strange to some
For it must be that you never see
That which you become
Alright she said, I promise you
I will never peek
And off she ran, ring in hand
It was the last that we would speak
Then one night, an awful fight
Fear flew through her skin
On a window sill, she stood still
And felt the cold night wind
And on she slid the ring that hid
In the pocket of her jeans
And wings she grew and off she flew
Far from those tiresome scenes
And through the trees she flew to me
With a big moon shining down
Passed the mill, and down the hill
Towards shanty town
But sharp her eye, caught moonlit sky
And her silhouette in the well
An awful scream I heard, as a half-ling bird
Screeching as it fell
To my surprise, when I arrived
The ring lay there alone
On the very edge of the cold hard ledge
Of the wishing well’s stone
Craned down my head, but there instead
My own shape my moonlight shown
And a teardrop fell into that well
With the only wish I’ve know
That she to me made it and we
Ran off into that dark night
Or that I had been a feather when
She took that lonesome flight
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10. |
Epilogue
03:40
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Sleep now for the night is not long
Sleep now for the night is not long
And the darkness waits for no one
Rise now, can’t you see the dawn
Rise now, can’t you see the dawn
For the sun light waits for no one
Carry on, weary child, carry on
Carry on, weary child, carry on
For the Good Lord waits for everyone
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Mike Roy Raleigh
Born outside of DC, raised in MD, college in Baltimore, made a record there, moved to TN, wrote a record there, moved back to MD recorded 2nd record, went on tour, met future wife in NC, moved to RI for two weeks, went back to DC to meet up with future wife, moved to NC, married wife, had 3 kids, finished 4th solo album called Mike & Eileen Chapter One. ... more
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