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lyrics
Standin’ So Still
Standin’ so still everything’s a blur, I’m drunk and defunct but mostly I’m ashamed of these questions. Who’s in control who’s at the wheel who is the captain of this dream what is my world comin’ to?
Won’t you help me step down from this derailed train? I’m usin’ one percent of my heart and thirteen percent of my brain.
I wasted your time, you wasted mine when a man tells a lie does a part of his heart fall into the wine?
McCutcheon: vocals, guitar, harmonica Rory McLeod: upright bass David Rizzuti: pedal steel, acoustic guitar Amelia White: backing vocals
Lonely Boy/Greener
A lonely boy, no doubt about that my friends are makin’ babies, I’m here skinnin’ cats. Gets lonely out here anyone can see but her eyes are much greener than I remember them being.
It’s a beautiful place I hope her heart will be mine if she trades it in for my huckleberry wine. Gets lonely out here, I’m lookin’ for a sign she’s looking much finer than I remember her.
Oh, finer, finer than I remember her! Finer, finer than I remember her finer, finer than I remember her.
My chariot is soft and red it’s a luxury that won’t go to my head. All the colors of the desert in an 8-foot bed and her voice is much sweeter than I remember it.
Oh, sweeter, sweeter than I remember it! Sweeter, sweeter than I remember it sweeter, sweeter than I remember it.
McCutcheon: vocals, guitar Rory McLeod: upright bass Aaron Goff: mandolin, electric 5-string mandolin
TOP
Eden’s Brow
There’s no dirt on your shoes, no dirt anymore. You live in a penthouse on the 35th floor on a misty northern shore, northern shore.
You and I go way back to the time when the flowers attacked the blistered remains of your wounded eyes crazy in the fields of posies.
But I remember you well on Eden’s Brow tryin’ to hang on to the plow strawberry bells and pretending to sell your soul on Eden’s brow.
Your neck is long and pale as a swan and all your cowboys have gone but you have a collection of Japanese gowns on the decent side of town, side of town.
But I remember you well on Eden’s Brow tryin’ to hang on to the plow Baja sunburn and your Russian perfume and pretending to live on the Brow.
McCutcheon: vocals, guitar Aaron Goff: mandolin Mark Lever: tuba Jeff Berlin: drums Geoffrey Cutcheon: backing vocals
Handyman
How can I explain to Mama the lilacs just won’t bloom? She really loves their heart-shaped leaves and the roses just won’t do no they just won’t do.
How can I explain to Papa the wolves are at the gate? They’re here to eat his TV brains can’t fish in an acid lake poke bass in an acid lake.
Guess I’ll go on down state my case to the handyman he lives in a well by the Sentinel tree he can fix about anything. He can fix you and me with his own bare hands with his own bare hands.
How can I explain to the good Lord my passion’s lukewarm? My life is steered by a million fears and I’m frightened by the stone led the wolf right to my door.
Guess I’ll go on down state my case to the handyman he lives in a well by the Sentinel tree he can fix about anything. He can fix you and me with his own bare hands with his own bare hands.
Met a girl she loved to twirl oh yeah, she loved to twirl round and round again. She said, “Man you like havin’ me around, but do you love me man? Do you love me man?”
Guess I’ll go on down state my case to the handyman he lives in a well by the Sentinel tree he can fix about anything. He can fix you and me with his own bare hands with his own bare hands.
McCutcheon: vocals, guitar David Rizzuti: pedal steel, acoustic guitar Amelia White: backing vocals
TOP
Acequia
It took me too long to get to this place, Lord, too long to get to this place. The wall of steel made me feel like a demon without a face.
I’d rather take a stick in the eye than die behind the desk. Come out here, we’ll watch the magpie fly and live with the best.
Acequia, waterfall… leave me be man I’m havin’ a ball. A dirty dog’s life for me man, I don’t think I ever wanna leave!
Bat cave, waterwheel if you’re strong enough you can turn those gears. Grind the grain into flour watch the river soak up every hour.
Pottery chards in my backyard, a smile on a dog’s face wild tribal drums seeping through the fields, in this land dog is king!
McCutcheon: vocals, guitar, harmonica Rory McLeod: upright bass Aaron Goff: mandolin Jeff Berlin: drums
Choppin’ Wood
I’m going home, yes I am to that good old land that I love that good old land that I love, Lord above yes I am!
Choppin’ wood, choppin’ wood with my father. He can chop that wood just like butter almost as quick as my mother. Choppin’ wood with my father.
Hear the voice of Spring, the shepherd and the lamb hear the wild bells ring across this island. The whole flock is playing king of the stones can’t blame a grown man for crying when he comes back home. Choppin’ wood with my father.
Flip her over and read the grain don’t use your muscle man, use your brain. The smell of cedar and rain choppin’ wood with my father.
This land courses through my veins and I will never be the same. The owl he knows my name. Choppin’ wood with my father.
McCutcheon: vocals, guitar Rusty Strange: handmade 10-string lap steel Aaron Goff: mandolin Jeff Berlin: drums
TOP
Red Bone Pond
Me and my dog went to Red Bone Pond across the salty graves of five sailors through the turnstyle and the apparitions through the deep beech virgin woods.
We launched ourselves from the old steppin’ planks into the dark body of the lake. The fat cattanine tails explode their wool and the ferns sing that old song of decay all along the way such a magical, magical place!
Me and my dog went chasin’ coyotes across the great dunes through the witches confetti. We caught a glimpse of the hatchet-faced hermit carving a woman from a log.
We launched ourselves from the old steppin’ planks into the dark body of the lake. The fat cattanine tails explode their wool and the ferns sing that old song of decay all along the way such a magical, magical place!
McCutcheon: vocals, guitar Aaron Goff: mandolin Rory McLeod: upright bass Geoffrey Cutcheon: backing vocals David Rizzuti: pedal steel Jeff Berlin: drums
Surfball
traditional
Take me out to the ball game take me out to the crowd buy me some peanuts and cracker-jack I don’t care if we ever get back ‘cause it’s root-toot-toot for the home team if they don’t win it’s a shame ‘cause it’s one, two, three strikes you’re out at the old ball game!
McCutcheon: vocals, guitar, harmonica Aaron Goff: mandolin Rory McLeod: upright bass
TOP
Heart of the Grove/Charles River Song
The moon emerged her elbows rising from dirt swans shining like ghosts so brightly that it hurts singing in echo delight in the hands of the moat ‘til you realize you’re not alone, there’s a hole in your boat.
She lies on the lawn staring at heaven she has forgotten since she was seven she hopes to find what she already knows deep in the heart of the grove, heart of the grove.
Labyrinth of barbed wire squeezing the lense of the lake fattening itself on stars ‘til perception is at stake. The Charles is a great street of murder the nuns sit like statues in its mud my live cigarette stolen by the wind a sign says this is too much like blood.
The Charles is a rawness in canter, it moves like antimatter the pine cones explode like a fever in your spine as she tells you to hit the road. It’s been so long it’s been so long it’s been so long, Lord I wish I’d understood…
McCutcheon: vocals, guitar Mark Lever: tuba Geoffrey Cutcheon: backing vocals Jeff Berlin: drums Peter Linnane: piano
Fastened
Fastened to the forelock of a fantastic mare trying to describe the glycerine air led me to believe was already there. Fastened to the forelock of a fantastic mare.
The wind was in the meadow, birds were in the trees please take care of her, take care of her if you please. The next thing that I knew, she was taking care of me the wind was in the meadow, birds were in the trees.
Damned if I know anything, but I know that I tried. Damned if I know anything, but I know that I tried.
Many drizzly hours, hills became too steep to hold their fertile towers silence failed to speak. We’re lost inside a raincoat our lips pressed against a conch shell. Many drizzly hours, hills became too steep.
McCutcheon: vocals, guitar, harmonica
credits
from Mother Ditch,
released January 1, 2001
album credits
Produced Boris McCutcheon and Pete Weiss
Recorded, Mixed, and Mastered at Zippah Studios, Brookline, MA
Engineered by Pete Weiss
Assistant Engineer: Brian Charles
CD Design by Aaron Goff
Musicians
Boris McCutcheon: vocals, guitar, harmonica
Jeff Berlin: drums
Aaron Goff: mandolin
Mark Lever: tuba
Dave Rizzuti: electric guitar, pedal steel
Special Guests
Geoffrey Cutcheon: backing vocals, piano
Peter Linnane: keyboards
Rory McLeod: upright bass
Rusty Strange: slack-key guitar, lap steel
Amelia White: backing vocals (courtesy of Indiegrrl Records)
Mother Ditch (2001) When We Were Big (2003) Turbulent Amusement (live) (2004) Cactusman vs the Blue Demon (2006) Lost
Sessions and B-Sides (2006) Bad Road, Good People (2008) Wheel of Life (2010)Utrecht (live) (2011)Boris McCutcheon Sings the Songs of Townes Van Zandt (2012)Might Crash! (2013)I’m Here Let Me In (2017)• 2004 Boston Music Awards best male singer songwriter• 2004...more
A vibrant vision of "Central Americana" from the Costa Rica-based artist, blending heartland devotionals with playful Tropicália grooves. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 27, 2022