from Grover Anderson, the Optimist (3/10/14)

There was a poor old Lampolier
Who’d corner any man drawn near
Solicit, grinning ear to ear, his time
“Dear Citizen, entrepreneur,
“Bourgeoisie or raconteur,
“Permit me the chance to fill your mind
“With my travelled, torrid tale
“No broken hearts or angels ailing
“In some foreign castle in decline.
“If you’ll sit a minute please
“I’ll tell you how your own two knees
“Can carry you to hold the brightest light
“Ever to shine.”

Now most men over five and twenty’d
Long since learned to make their money
Pouring iron or pressing fact’ry stamp.
But me, I’d gone by many names, 
I’d brought my parents ought but shame
Dishonorably they’d cast me out a tramp.
“Sit, I’ll tell you crystal clear,”
To me said the Lampolier,
Cold, glazed piercing eyes once red and damp
“Days a’walk from this cold city
“Hides a cave, old, dark, & gritty
“And inside’s the light that outshines anything
“I’ve ever burned within my lamp.”

The Lampolier
Tell my mother it was the Lampolier

“Three days out route 49
“You’ll find a town in deep decline
“Left abandoned by all but the fools.
“Then go up walking in the hills,
“Wander where the light it wills,
“But don’t you trouble rations, maps or tools.”
I had to stop the Lampolier,
“Mister you’ve not made it clear,
“Exactly the value of the light.”
“Young man,” said the old lampmaker,
“Love your God and don’t forsake Her,
“But this light’s the very holy source that gives
your soul its life.”

The Lampolier
Tell my mother it was the Lampolier
If you find my body here
Carry it into the sun

Well I obeyed the man’s directions
Brought no map but found the sections
Perfectly the Lampolier’d described
I crawled headfirst in that hole
Lost my grip and cracked my skull
And in the waning moment before I died
I recognized a well-dressed stranger
Eyes ablaze, I’d played his game to
Watch him stoke his cold and glorious fire
He held a shiny lamp towards me
And rather than my soul set free
Now I make his flame burn all the brighter

The Lampolier
Tell my mother it was the Lampolier
If you find my body here
Carry it into the sun

Children do not fear the dark
You’ve no idea who’s lit the spark
That you believes keeps demons far at bay
Late at night when lamps are burning
Next to you he could be lurking
The Lampolier could always use more prey.

(C) 2014 Grover Anderson
Music & Lyrics by Grover Anderson
Mixed by Michael Clebanoff
Mastered by Paul Stubblebine
Performed by Grover Anderson (vocals/rhythm guitar), Aaron Bishop (bass), Bob Matthews (drums), Rick Moore (organ), and Kiel Williams (lead guitar)

The Optimist

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The Lampolier

"Young" - the debut album by The National Parks
"As We Ran" - standalone single by The National Parks

As We Ran - Single

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Danny

I will
I will, always want what I can't have

and you will always...be that 

I keep replaying the words that were said
the looks that you gave
the back of your head
as you walked away
You know that I would drop everything 
to have the back of your head 
in my hands again

You don't care, you're pushed further away
when I'm there.

I Will

Produced by Latch Key Kid

Featured in the Chilean commercial for Tatienne. http://youtu.be/DdPLqtt5A9U

Balloon

Westbound Bart was written after a long streak of writer’s block. After graduating UCSC and deciding not to teach math, I floated around the bay area for about a year or so. One night I was staying on a friend’s couch in Berkeley, complaining to him about my writer’s block and he knew that I liked to write about real life incidents and human nature. He suggested I check out the Tuesday night Karaoke at Amnesia Bar in SF. He told me about all the interesting characters that haunt that place and how I was sure to find a song there. I headed out solo, hopped on the BART, and the song picks up from there. I got the song and the writer’s block was gone. ~ Craigie

The Lampolier

Grover Anderson

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