Love the title and the hook.  Keep bringing these great tunes!

Johnny Cash would have done a great cover I think

Wow!!!  This is incredible!!!!  Way to go, guys!!!

Great song, sound and style, amazing song writing

A nice tune that enters the head upon the first time. And a quite special atmosphere that the lyrics conveys! Nice!

A satrical look at starving artists (Note: I'm married to one).  Influenced by the songs of Mose Alison and Terry Allen. The cover art is AI with the prompt "bad art in a museum." Maybe AI has a sense of humor?

Lyrics:
Tiki torches up on the wall
A Polynesian restaurant
At the end of the hall
Upstairs
They set up a gallery wall
Welcome to the cut-throat world of low-budget art

She's been dreaming of
A grant from the Walmart Foundation for the Arts
For her electrified
Polka dotted
Mannequin parts

He's been spreading genius around
All the other artists they just sit and scowl
But you can't buy his work at Sotherby's
Look for him in the parking lot of KFC

I am surrounded by
Amateur David Hockneys
I'm in cubist hell
Welcome to the cut-throat world of low-budget art

The 'MacArthur Genius Award'
They don't want to call me back
No one is to blame
Someone bought my work
But they don't want the painting
They just want the frame

Organic vegetables in a stall
At a Farmer's Market
At the mall
 I have my table set up
With my hot  🔥  avant-garde
Don't you know that I'm the vanguard?

I've got my genius on display
I've got my beret
Because I'm a genius
Let's keep that between us
The cut-throat world of low-budget art
The cut-throat world of
Low budget art

The Cut-Throat World Of Low Budget Art

Port Charm

Cover art: Publicity photo of American television host, Chuck Barris promoting the June 14, 1976 premiere of the NBC reality talent show The Gong Show.

The world can be an unpredictable dog eat dog kind of place full of all sorts of all sorts of people who can get under your skin
Sometimes you just have to smile and nod and keep your feelings to yourself and try your best just to just to take it on the chin
And there’s people who seem friendly, but they’ve got a knife in their hand behind their back
And they’re waiting for the right moment to attack
There used to be a TV show, where you could dance or sing a song
and if the judges didn’t like your performance, they would strike a gong
It sure would be nice if you could walk around with a mallet in your hand every day
And you had access to a gong you that you could strike and make annoying people go away
It sure would be nice to have that kind of power
Amateur performers of dubious talent, trying to win a small prize
Five hundred sixteen dollars and 32 cents, You could see the hunger in their eyes
Chuck Barris hosting on that Burbank stage, he knew the people competing were toast
But he smiled and tried to encourage them and be a good friendly host
The dinosaurs ruled the earth for millions of years until the asteroid struck
it was like a giant cosmic gong
Mammals arose from the rubble and now humans rule the earth, but we haven’t been around for nearly so long
We’re all just making it up as we go along hoping somebody doesn’t strike that gong
It sure would be nice if real life was more like that old Gong Show
And you could get a large gong attach it to wheels and take it wherever you go
You could follow in the footsteps of Chuck Barris and be your own gong show emcee
And whenever people start to annoy you -you could strike that gong and make them flee
He wrote a book called Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Chuck Barris was one of a kind.

The Gong Show

Damnation Station (demo)

JellyHead

Remixes 2025

Dancing with Sheep (Remix)

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBr8TqD-5JM

Garden of Transformation (Remix)

Garden of Transformation (Remix) & Video Link

Mindworks (2008)

This is our latest song...

We also included a Music Visualizer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gayGD05Z5ss

Shadows danced on my night stand 
Fell asleep in nowhere land 
Showed up on Thursday night 
But I lost that gig to a tribute band 

Took the train down to the east side
Wore my shades just to hide my eyes
Those brownstone girls swirled in my head
And I drifted off and took the ride

And it’s one more night 
One more night 
One more night on Ludlow Street 
And it’s one more night 
One more night 
One more night on Ludlow Street 

Ran into Jane somewhere in between
She sells oils and wears too much green
She said, “rock's a scam and jazz is dead”
And then she kissed my cheek and split the scene

And it’s one more night 
One more night 
One more night on Ludlow Street
You play it straight 
You lose the beat
One more night on Ludlow Street

And it’s one more night 
One more night 
One more night on Ludlow Street

Ludlow Street (with Joliz)

If you find yourself in trouble and you think you've lost your way.
Here's hoping that you find a path to a better day.
I sure hope that you're happy. I'm wishing you the best.
I hope you find what you're looking for as you continue on your quest.
I hope you find all the answers to all those questions vexing you.
I hope you can find a way not to bite off more than you can chew.
I sure hope that you're happy. I'm wishing you the best.
I hope you find what you're looking for as you continue on your quest.
You spread your wings and you flew so far away from me.
I hope that you're enjoying your new reality
All those places that you said that you wanted to see.
I hope they're as good as you expected them to be.
I want you to know that you hold a special place in my heart.
I think about you often even though we are apart.
They say that when you love somebody sometimes you gotta be willing to let them go.
You gotta let them spread their wings and fly wherever the wind decides to blow.
I sure hope that you're happy. I'm wishing you the best.
I hope you find what you're looking for as you continue on your quest.
I hope that you're happy. I hope that you're doing well. I sure hope that you're doing swell.You spread your wings and you flew so far away from me.
I hope that you're enjoying your new reality

Hope That You’re Happy (Acoustic Version)

"Devil’s Lightning" is a driving bluegrass tale of a man locked in a soul-deep battle against temptation. Fueled by fiery banjo licks, haunting fiddle lines, and a stomping rhythm, the song follows his struggle to resist the devil’s lure—disguised as charm, liquor, and lies. It’s a gritty, high-energy anthem of redemption, resilience, and the storm we all face when the devil comes calling.

Devil's Lightning

A big thank you to all who stop by to listen. I am grateful for any and all support!

My first album, Head on Straight, can be found on all streaming platforms. My second album, A Long Way from Hell, will be out sometime this summer. You can find versions of many of the songs that will be on it here. 

You can also follow my YouTube Channel, if you would like. Someday I will add content... promise. https://www.youtube.com/@damiansmithandthejourneymen

About Me:
While I do record and release music independently, my true passion is in the songwriting. I would love to write with or for independent artists, so if you are interested in co-writing for your personal release or recording one of my songs, please reach out.

Damnation Station (demo)

Damian Smith & The Journeymen

Recent comments

Konrad Spittelberg

Mike Molino

Magpie Menace

Renee La Chapelle

Related tracks