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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    First pressing of "William"! 180g vinyl, limited edition (only 200 copies remain!) Artwork by Jessica Rae Gordon

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  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 9 Shawn William Clarke releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Softer Scissors, Spectral Acoustics Vol 4: Dexter Parks (best of), Spectral Acoustics Vol 3: Will Moor, Spectral Acoustics Vol 2: Pandemic Singles, Spectral Acoustics Vol 1, TOPAZ, William, Stray Birds EP, and 1 more. , and , .

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1.
Ten years ago we drank alot my friends and I drank plenty I couldn't say the bills we paid I only know there were many Ten years ago we laughed a lot and sacred was no topic a normal day we'd laugh away and friend nor foe could stop it Ten years ago we sang a lot our songs were loud and unforgiving our words spoke true as though brand new all sung without misgivings Ten years ago I thought we knew the secrets to lifes meaning or did we care? I do despair that we didn't take much heading
2.
Forest City 04:52
The flames they cracked like a Joplin rag and the beers flowed freely like wine the night was dark and the hummed melodies were blinding courtships flourished and lazy bones were resting just one night in old London town la da da da My friend they smiled like a chorus line and cheered as their devils regressed my eyes hung heavy but not enough for sleeping and my hand was held by a lovely girl named Alice just one night in old London town la da da da We talked and sang to the Zombies and the Clash, the Cars and the Kinks the moon shone bright until the clouds came in and dared us to stay and we did The time it came when I longed for bed and a body to lay next to me the warmth of her touch kept the cold at bay til' morning it was 8am when she left me softly dreaming after one night in old London town la da da da We talked and sang to the Zombies and the Clash, the Cars and the Kinks the moon shone bright until the clouds came in and dared us to stay and we did Oh the flames the cracked like a Joplin rag and the trees swung neatly in time the night was dark but the hummed melodies were blinding courtships flourished and lazy bones were resting Just one night in old London town la da da da
3.
Write a song of peace she said I'd like to find one in my head but sometimes there's just cobwebs and TV's I'd write a song of love and loss of deep regrets, dramatic costs cause that's the way the muse has carried me Oh I know there's peace in rock and roll and oh, I know it's out of my control and oh I know it terrifies my soul it sometimes worries me What would my great hero say if he heard me carry on this way? I just don't think he'd really give a damn he used to sing of peace and love and gave it all for god above and now he plays the blues in holy lands Oh I know there's peace in rock and roll and oh, I know it's out of my control and oh I know it terrifies my soul it sometimes worries me A song of peace, a protest song a grand display of right and wrong I've never been at comfort with those terms I used to think in black and white but greys have taken up my sight I start to reconsider what I've learned Oh I know there's peace in rock and roll and oh, I know it's out of my control and oh I know it terrifies my soul it sometimes worries me
4.
I blame the loyalist ghost for making me upset every time I plant my feet in Charlottetown I blame the loyalist ghost for making me so sick first time I set my eyes on Charlottetown I blame the loyalist ghost for making me depressed my heart it ached for my true love in Charlottetown
5.
I was born on new years eve, my mother working girl in New York town father was a sailing man, or so I'm told, he died in Tripoli went to school for 7 years, they kicked me out for laughing at the rules hit the streets at 12 years old, I walked in snow, repented wicked ways I turned out fine, what's your excuse? Went to jail at 17, my mother bailed me out by turning tricks I paid her back by robbing kids, her men would beat me up when I'd come home I took each punch, I spit them back, i got myself a trade and left by train I was to be an honest man, I found the lord, repented wicked ways I turned out fine, what's your excise? I started this old company from scratch, I brought it up from rocky ground earned my keep, made policies, my employees would say I'm tough but fair I found a wife and made my life, I had some kids and that's where you come in so don't complain you've got it good and if I could I kick you to the curb I turned out fine, what's your excuse?
6.
Instrumental
7.
Tranzac Club 04:07
We met in line at Tranzac Club, your friends were friends of mine you said your name was Kaliroy but Kali would be fine I felt my cheeks go bright blood red, I mumbled out a sound and fumbled with my camera lens and dropped it to the ground You asked was I a photographer? I lied and said that's true you asked where one could see my work, I gave my card to you you said you were an amateur would love to learn the trade and wrote your number on my wrist, smiled and walked away I called you up to say hello, invite you on a date to shoot some bands on Saturday, you said "that would be great" outside the hall my knees were weak, my heart beat through my chest you showed up with your camera bag draped over your summer dress We sat apart on either side, the dark wings of the stage I must have missed the first 3 songs determining your age you were fast, a shutter bug, an ace of photography and I would nearly lose my mind each time you smiled at me and late at night, I couldn't sleep, my photos to review I couldn't use a single frame cause every shot was of you.
8.
Some Nerve 04:13
You've got some nerve dancing with a girl like me and I've got some nerve dancing with a girl like you you just don't look like you're from this side of time and I just don't look like the type of gal who gets around but we know each other in a way that would make people blush we know each other in a way that's just good enough for us They sit and stare, they're laughing at our love but I just don't care, cause it's you I'm thinking of they may complain and say that we're no good but I won't refrain from loving you like I should cause we know each other in a way that would make people blush yes we know each other in a way that's just good enough for us They're calling you names, I see that it hurts you bad look deep in my eyes, I know that you won't feel so sad It's just you and me, so hold me and don't let go they won't do a thing if we don't let our feelings show but we know each other in a way that would make people blush yes we know each other in a way that's just good enough for us
9.
I can't abide the sound of ticking and tocking I can't abide the humming Fluorescent lights can't abide the horrors on TV I can't abide outside, the cars angry chorus can't abide the voice coming out of my phone can't abide the horrors on the streets So I sit alone under swells of hot water in the dark, in the dark on the floor of the tub I can't abide to be up on my feet So I wait for the ache to cease it's existence although it's beating and thumping and knocking my head All of I got is time to think and wait, wait and think, think and wait
10.
t'was in the ragged streets of India where I was face to face with fate and as the lorrie came crashing at me in the rain my mind was in another place On the day, I pass away, will there be a world without me? the day, I pass away and leave you alone so lets say, I pass away will there be someone to hold you? the day I pass away and leave you alone and maybe you'll find that the world's been unkind and you'll follow me or maybe you'll "know" and divine love will grow and you'll preach His rhymes (in modern times?) On the day I pass away, will I come back as a seashell? The day I pass away and leave you alone

credits

released September 23, 2014

Shawn Clarke played all acoustic guitars, baritone ukulele and sang
Sara Ciantar played accordion, hammond and sang
David Gluck played acoustic & electric bass
James Bunton drummed, played percussion and mixed the album
Stephen Dyte played all the horns
Sarah Beatty sang on Forest City & Some Nerve
Chris Altmann played pedal steel and even sang a bit
Jessica Rae Gordon illustrated and designed the album
Rob Currie co-engineered the thing
Andrew Currie was our instrument tech

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