It Iz What It Iz Music

OH WILLY, OH WHY?

It can't be your sole ambition
Just to be a name they mention
In the news of last weeks body count
You're acting like you're on a mission
And dear god knows that you won't listen
But you must see how it could turn out
Do you choose to lose - Do you say what's the use
There's no grace here to fall from
Can you stand to care - Is it too much to bare
Or is it best to stay numb

Oh Willy oh why
If you're playin' some kind of game you're out of time
Oh Willy oh why
Do you hear them cry
It's a shame - it's a sin - it's a crime
Oh Willy oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why,
Oh why...Oh Willy

I don't want to preach a lesson
There's no need to hear confession
You don't have to answer to me
I know you'll choose your own direction
But I'm afraid from your expression
That I know just where this could lead

Oh Willy oh why
If you're playin' some kind of game you're out of time
Oh Willy oh why
Do you hear them cry
It's a shame - it's a sin - it's a crime
Oh Willy oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why,
oh why...
Oh Willy oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why,
oh why...
Why Why Why Why?

Do you choose to lose
Do you say what's the use
There's no grace here to fall from
Can you stand to care
Is it too much to bare
Or is it best to stay numb
Oh Willy oh why....

And I know you hate your life's not fair
And you only want to get your share
But I know there's blame enough to spare
Tell me why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why !!!
If you're playin' some kind of game you're out of time
Oh Willy oh why
Do you hear them cry
It's a shame - it's a sin - it's a crime
Oh Willy, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why,
Oh why...Oh Willy, tell me why,oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why,
Oh why, tell me why, tell me why, tell me why
Oh Willy, Oh Why?

Credits:
Nick DiMauro : Lead vocal, Programming, Engineer, Mix
JT : Back up vocals, Engineer, Mix
Gerry Palisi : Guitars
Produced by DiMauro / Tabacco at Sonic Underground Studios, Stony Brook, NY
Recorded and Mixed at Sonic Underground Studios,
Stony Brook, NY 

Oh Willy, Oh Why?

SAME NOW MORE OR LESS

Rain cries
Flower children paint umbrellas
Mindless and void of reason
Like lemmings lead to the water
So it's so easy to discover fascist lies
Under covers you commit your compromise

Paisley patterns thrown up on the wall
Never thought they'd fade this early
Peace sign candles lay cracked on the floor
Hoped they'd always keep on burning i guess
But it's the same now more or less

Safe nights
Sheltered by the stars that became the thousand points of light
Hear the guns click off a the new order
It's so easy to preach to others ethics and moral fibers
Time to realize you've become your parents in disguise....

Paisley patterns thrown up on the wall
Never thought they'd fade this early
Peace sign candles lay cracked on the floor
Hoped they'd always keep on burning
Paisley patterns thrown up on the wall
Never thought they'd fade this early
Peace sign candles lay cracked on the floor
Hoped they'd always keep on burning i guess
But it's the same now more or less

You're terrified
I'm paranoid
Can't verify our destination
Self sacrifice
Internalized
Why oh why oh why?

Paisley patterns thrown up on the wall
Never thought they'd fade this early
Peace sign candles lay cracked on the floor
Hoped they'd always keep on burning
Paisley patterns thrown up on the wall
Never thought they'd fade this early
Peace sign candles lay cracked on the floor
Hoped they'd always keep on burning i guess
But it's the same now more or less

Credits:
JT : Vocals, One take drums, Bass, Piano, Acoustic / Electric guitar
Recorded and Mixed at Suburban Hermit Studios II, Stony Brook, NY 

Same Now More (JT Version)

It's all lies.  You do know that?

WE BELIEVE IT SO WELL

There isn’t any reason to wipe away to other places
The one you live in is pretty clear
The rumble that you might hear tonight is not contagious
It never reaches the atmosphere
And there isn’t a reason in the world that you should start to grow your own vegetables
The ones you buy have been chemically protected with a special coating that’s good for you

We believe it so well, well
We believe it so well, well… well

There isn’t any reason to turn the TV off this evening
It’s always good to learn something new
It gives you time to catch up - (up -on) the latest fashion
you’re gonna need for the interview

And don’t forget to say grace you should be thankful for the fact that you a re a white human
God is always there to protect the “chosen” people
Just fill the basket with lots of change!

We believe it so well well

We believe it so well well
We believe it so well well
We believe it so well well
We believe it so well well

Credits:
JT : Pseudo Costello Vocal, Drums, Guitar, Keys
Recorded and Mixed at Suburban Hermit Studios I, St. James, NY 

We Believe It So Well

Do whatever you want.  Just don't bother me.

NICE LIFE, NICE LIFE

Your avenue is full of nasty kinds of “animules”
You don’t care what type of filth they spew on my lawn

I don’t like your ethics

Nice Life
Nice Life
Drugs galoot for a social scene
And your wife
Is his wife
A cut out doll from a magazine

No blood for you
I don’t trust your sleazy point of view
For all I know I might contribute to your old age home
Why don’t you leave me alone?
I’ve got my own sickness to deal with
No time for your jokes
You don’t take to kindly to reason
Too busy sniffin’ coke!

Nice Life
Nice Life
Drugs galoot for a social fiend
And your knife
Is his knife
Turn my back and you’ll cut me clean

Cut his spleen
Cut his genes
Heavy paranoia in my “gelatine”

I hope you’re not the future ‘ cause if you are, I think I’ll slash my wrists

Nice Life
I hate it everyday

You’re nothing but a weasel
A tiny ring worm on my waist!

Credits:
JT : Vocals, Drums, Guitar, Keyboard, FX 

Nice Life - Nice Life

In the future somewhere it's a real nightmare. Hopefully that somewhere doesn't transfer over to here.

WORLD WAR III (DURING IT)

During WWlll
I remember turning green
‘Cause the mold we had to eat
Wuz ya brother in the street
During WWlll
It was harder enough to see
‘Cause the fragments in our eyes
Left us lightless by surprise

I remember when the local fields
that made our homes
were covered thick in roots
That’s when we knew no poot
But now we are lucky if it’s blue out
‘Cause all these pus clouds block the sky out
I’d be scared in every corner that I’d crwal in
Because the shadows hid the holes that I could fall in

During WWlll
On the run so constantly
That your legs became your thighs
All this time you’re asking WHY?
During WWlll
You were lucky if your plea
Made ya neighbors local news
They didn’t care they had no shoes

I remember when the grass much greener
than the soot that lies before me fed our roots!
Those days of care free newts
But now we are lucky if it’s blue out
‘Cause all these egg shells block the sky out
I’d be scared in every corner that I’d crawl in
Because the shadows hid the holes that I could fall in
During WWlll... During WWlll... During WWlll
All the local food stores now house bones
All the local food stores now house bones
During WWlll

Credits:
JT : Vocals, Drums, Acoustic guitar, Juno 106 Bass and String (overdub)
Recorded and mixed at Suburban Hermits Studios I, St. James NY 


During WWIII

A cute old fashioned hetrosexual tune for those of you who need to relate to such a thing.

INSTANT MESSAGE

Who’s on the end of this instant message
Who are you?
Where can you be
Tell me who’s on the end of this instant message
Are you the woman for me?

When I’m on line I always have your number
We type and talk about the life we know
But will we ever meet for real I wonder
But are you just a fantasy to go?

So tell me:
Who’s on the end of this instant message?
Who are you?
Where can you be?
Tell me who’s on the end of this instant message
Are you the woman for me?


What’s your real name?
You never really told me
You don’t know mine
Invisible like air
We got so close I thought I really knew you
Was the girl I spoke with ever there?

Maybe you don’t know how much I miss you
Sometimes you’re the only one around
I can’t find you when I really need to
Everything know comes tumbling down

So tell me:
Who’s on the end of this instant message?
Who are you?
Where can you be?
Tell me who’s on the end of this information highway?
Are you the woman for me?
Tell me are the woman for me?

Instant Message

What a great way to bring the party down.  I don't care.  (For true believers only)

EVERYBODY SOMEDAY

Everybody cries
Everybody cries some day
And everybody lies
Sometimes you have to live that way

Everybody wants to find a place in the sun
And make decisions on our own
Simplify the situations - go your own speed
And plunge into the great unknown

Everybody dies
Everybody dies some day
You might be asking why
I guess that’s not for me to say

Gotta face the facts that every moment’s a gift
No returns if it’s not fun
The only real solution to the problems at hand
Is knowing that the end will come

Credits:
JT : Vocals, Programming

Everybody Someday

PISS CLAM CHARLIE

Piss Clam Charlie was the uncle you went to
When you needed some cheap advice
He had been through the paces
Waded through all the stages of a 1000 human lives

He had grace he had charm he had maps on his arm
He could talk you through a fork in the road
And he knew where to clam
with his St. Bernard Sam every morning

Piss Clam Charlie told me
life was easy once you mastered the open door
He said the best way to wake up
Was to smile and take up where you left off the night before

Piss Clam Charlie was no jolly-roger
Just a straight arrow shooter by God
So drink one last round
Before we put’em in the ground
Next to his old St. Bernard

Every day held a clue
You had to follow it through
You had to undo your mind of it’s fear
Then it was off to the shore
Hunting clams to eat raw till the evening...

Piss Clam Charlie was a polemic folly
Like his dear old Sister Quinn
He had all the right answers
but his sea food romances
Finally got the best of him
So we say our farewells
As the ground water swells
With the smell of the incoming tide
To our savior and saint
And the clams we just ate in their honor...

Piss Clam Charlie was no jolly roger
Just a straight arrow shooter by God
So drink one last round
Before we put’em in the ground
Next to his old St. Bernard
Sister Quinn too and Mercury Stew!


Credits:
JT : Vocals, Drums, Keys
Recorded and Mixed at Sonic Underground Studios, Stony Brook, NY

Piss Clam Charlie

PAIN and HAPPINESS

I feel your pain but I don't care
The pain you feel - you put yourself there
It's not my job to change your life
I've got my own problems
My strife

But I wish you the best
A way out of your misery
There's a light at the end of the tunnel
But it's too bright to see if it's a car or a loving entity
I guess only time will tell

There's an accident that happens every second on earth
People faced with their demons
They question their worth
And all of them different which makes us all the same
Happiness does not exist unless there's pain

But I wish you the best
A way out of your misery
There's a light at the end of the tunnel
But it's too bright to see if it's a car or a loving entity
I guess only time will tell

Spin yourself around
Spin yourself around
Make yourself dizzy and fall to the ground
Get yourself up and start again
There's a new reality
It's 'round the bend

So I wish you the best
A way out of your misery
There's a light at the end of the tunnel
But it's too bright to see if it's a car or a loving entity
I guess only time will tell

"Time will tell" - the old cliche
Time will tell - as we fade away

Credits:
Marigold Colloquial : Lead vocals
John Tabacco : String Arrangement
Steve Formal : Guitars
Francis Pronouno : Bass
Jim Meltner : Drums 

Pain and Happiness

 I CAN CRAWL AGAIN

I can crawl again etc...

Credits:
JT : Programming
Recorded and Mixed at Sonic Underground Studios, Stony Brook, NY + Suburban Hermit Studios II, Stony Brook, NY

I Can Crawl Again (B.O.Y)


YOU MAY NEVER UNDERSTAND

You may never understand a thing about me
You may never get a grasp of who I am
You may never understand the moves I’m making
Safe to say you do not fit into my plans
My only advice for you is to hang it up
Find another angle closer to home
How ‘bout a twenty four hour marathon
of The PRISONER, that should keep you stoned!

You may never understand the flag I’m waving
You may never understand my past
You may never understand the words I’m saying
But I tell you now – that they won’t be my last

I think it’s time for you to pack it up
Take your mirror and your table for two
You love to talk in legal circles anyway
Less logistics when the one to get screwed is you


Credits:
JT: Vocals, Guitar, Programming 
Recorded and Mixed at Suburban Hermit Studios II, Stony Brook, NY

You May Never Understand

My favorite chord D/C.  Pretty esoteric but what the hey?  We all have our musical peccadillos.

D/C

What is this chord that makes me cry when it goes by in a song?
It’s a D over a C chord
But it’s much more to me
It’s the sound of a world where I used to be
Forgotten memories recorded in my D - N - A
It’s a D over a C chord
To which I pray each day

Not sure I understand it
But it leaves me hanging for more
That D over C chord welcomes me in
But does not give me access
through the door
D over C
D over C
Release me
Release me
Release me once more

Credits:
JT : Vocals, Guitars, Drums, Bass 



THAT’S JUST HOW IT ROLLS

I tried so hard to hate you
I had every reason in the book
You went out of your way to hurt me
But I let you off the hook
Why?
My mirror always asks me why?
It’s a question that still haunts me
Why every hour of the day
If I had to give an answer this is what I’d say…

Love thrives beyond any boundaries
Full throttle in a web of changing lies
So resigned is this child of destiny
The heart trumps any reason or rhyme
That’s just how it rolls…
That’s just how It rolls

I led a full life of zeroes
Since my school days back when
My parents left me to the vultures
I needed love - I wanted a friend

Desperate for closeness and compassion
You took advantage of my cries
And though you hurt me just to hurt me
It felt so good to feel something inside

Love thrives beyond any boundaries
Full throttle in a web of changing lies
So resigned is this destiny’s child
The heart trumps any reason or rhyme
That’s how it rolls…
That’s how It rolls

Your love is a basement
A storage place for cheap affairs
A place where empty promises
Kick my ass on down the stairs
But You don’t care
You never cared

Love thrives beyond any boundaries
Full throttle in a web of changing lies
So resigned is this child of destiny
The heart trumps any reason or rhyme
That’s how it rolls…
That’s how It rolls

Credits:
Smokey Lee Webster Jr. : Lead Vocal and Guitar
Spike Mulligan: Drums
Stich Salo: Bass
John Tabacco: keyboards
Recorded and Mixed by John Tabacco at Suburban Hermit Studios III, Ronkonkoma, NY 

Joint Effort

That's Just How It Rolls

Not a Christmas story.

CILLA-SIGH-BEEN_ROOT

Cilla-Sigh-Been-Root
Hugging her vermouth
Spies a cricket in a shadow cricking on her boot
Then like a jaguar, she would leap in the air
And land right down on it's head,
Crushing dead
And it made a crunch like a little bit of lettuce in your teeth
Root felt less incomplete.
In control...
Like a god...
Taking a life simply was the best, considering her
Daddy used to make her get undress each night
And run his milky tongue between her legs
She’d cry...but no one ever heard her make a peep
Inside her teenage room....

(MTV flashback)

This could be the story of a girl who tries to have her father put in jail
Or maybe she'll be threatened, told to shut her mouth if she tells her tale
One never knows till the writer takes us down the route
He or she thinks best for our eyes and ears to explore:
The social right and wrongs in this world lord, if any apply it's kind of hard to tell
What with the deep religious contradictions and fictions of
God...
And truth

Credits:
JT : Vocal, Yamaha™ PF70 Keyboard
Recorded and Mixed at Sonic Underground Studios,
Stony Brook, NY 


Cilla-Sigh-Been Root

JT : Vocal, Programming, Rhythm guitar on "Ride It"
Gian DiMauro : Programming on "Ride It"
Anthony Pomes : Electric guitar on "Ride It"
Recorded and Mixed at Sonic Underground Studios, Stony Brook, NY

Ride It!

YOU'RE GONNA DIE SOMEDAY

Scarepuck City Parade
Where the actions speak louder than words
And words that make the scene ignite like gasoline
To burn a quick friend on the side

And you question what does it mean?
As a dark machine steals for your seat
You’ll fight as those who watch will stare and twitch a lot
And take a few bets on the side

Hide?

The situation’s clear :
Convinced you have no reason,
Here you are and still your actions are the same
No matter where you go - what you do - or what you say
A little voice reminds you that you’re gonna die someday!

COLD AND EMPTY

Cold and empty
I wanna go back home
Home - remember when I felt assured?
When I felt secure

Cold and worthless
Hey, I just don’t belong
Alone - I travel in a circle-line
If I should die...

Maybe
Just maybe I’ll return again
And maybe
Just maybe, I’ll reach the spinal end to find I’ve always been...

Cold and empty
I wanna go back home
Home - I gaze up to see your glow
If you only knew
How I long for you
Home!
I wanna go back...

Home!
I said I wanna go back!
Ah, you know I gotta go back
I wanna taste those bright orange colored faces
I wanna hear the sight of your umbrellas

Home I gaze up to see your face
If you only knew
How I long for you

Credits:
JT : Vocals, Drums, Guitar, Keyboards, Bass
Recorded and mixed at Suburban Hermit Studios II, Stony Brook, NY 

You're Gonna Die / Cold & Empty

Based on a true story:

PHONE DEMOS AND STUDIO COMPLAINTS

Meryl’s blasting vocals on the phone
The 89 is cringing
The music stand supports the talking bone
Levels red and deadly through the console with the eq fighting
The G3 takes a beating but endures
Cat leaping upper floor - Furnace booms
One blender and a fridge swapping tunes
This dark booth is not too sound proof
There’s always a toilet flush! FLUSH!

Hi, come on in. Not doing anything but recording
and that’s not important, not important at all...

Upstairs phone rings:
No, this is not Mr. Noodleman’s house
Upstairs phone rings:
Must check my messages every 15 minutes
Upstairs phone rings:
Must leave an incredibly long fax about
cheap flights to your neighboring states...

Start again...

Dish washer lifting off - Water zooms
Loud beeping - Louder cough from next door
And what’s more, this booth smells like cork
“But that’s good for sound”, Rupert says.
I think he’s insane...

Credits:
JT : Vocals, Instruments
Recorded and Mixed at Sonic Underground Studios, Stony Brook, NY 

Phone Demos & Studio Complaints

FEEL LIKE LOVE TONIGHT

The moment I met you
I knew inside my heart it was forever
Tried so hard to get you
To hold you in my arms and feel you close to me
I need you in my life and girl you know it’s true
I know deep in my soul that you want me to want you

Hiiiiiiiii... Feel like love tonight
Hiiiiiiiii... Feel like love tonight

When we come together
all at once the passion starts to flow
Giving you pleasure
Watching as we both start to let go
It’s worth everything to see that look in your eye
Both of burning, now I can’t deny that....

Hiiiiiiiii... Feel like love tonight
Hiiiiiiiii... Feel like love tonight
Hiiiiiiiii... Feel like love tonight
Hiiiiiiiii... Feel like love tonight

Waking up together, our hearts beat as one
Can we keep this precious moment alive?
Then I hear you calling out my name
And I know I’m here for you again
Now I know that we were meant to last forever

Hiiiiiii feel like love tonight
Hiiiiiii feel like love tonight etc...

Credits:
ND : Lead vocal, Programming
Meryl Mathews : Keyboard
JT : Back up vocals, Programming
Recorded and Mixed at Sonic Underground Studios, Stony Brook, NY 

Feel Like Love Tonight

Railing from Kittery, Maine here are the Clammorettes:

COULD BE WORSE, COULD BE RAINING 

I guess it's gonna be one of those days
When anything that could go right goes wrong anyway
I guess I shouldn't even start to complain
Could be worse - could be raining

Situation is slightly ahead of the beat
Dancing on the rim of time on the souls of my feet
It's  my natural inclination
Neither sour or sweet
Woody and Diane  - lot's of wheat, lots of wheat

I guess it's gonna be one of those days
When anything that could go right goes wrong anyway
I guess I shouldn't even start to complain
Could be worse - could be raining

Snafu up snafu down it's part of the game
Making the right decisions for fortune and fame
It's  my natural inclination
To avoid and disdain
The razor edge splendor between pleasure and pain

I guess it's gonna be one of those days
When anything that could go right goes wrong anyway
I guess I shouldn't even start to complain
Could be worse - could be raining

Credits:
Diana Truan: Vocal
Doris Drain : Vocal
Snip Side Zanzibar Sandino: Guitars
Mollard Herringberg : Bass
Sandy Q. Nutron: Drums
John Tabacco: Keyboard

Could Be Worse, Could Be Raining

John Tabacco is an American composer, singer songwriter, producer, recording engineer, multi instrumentalist and graphic artist. He has engineered /mixed and mastered music for hundreds of New York recording artists as well as projects released on BMG: The Kemelions, RCA: Faze, Rampage/Rhino: Rhett Forrester, Columbia: Rebbie Jackson, Rykodisc : Bob Marley, Columbia: Chris Jasper, Electra: Sonia Dada and Nickleodeon’s Are You Afraid Of The Dark? He is the CEO of It Iz What It Iz Music Publishing which currently holds over 750 songs in its catalog. He has been an associate producer for IndiMusic TV and hosts a bi-weekly radio program (CLAM RADIO) on college radio WUSB.fm since 1999. He is currently the head of A&R at Modern Voices Digital Distribution.

His musical background consists of extensive study of orchestration with noted 20th century composer John Lessard, harmony with the late electronic music maverick Bulent Arel, and composition with Stony Brook University professor Peter Winkler. He received his BA in Music from Stony Brook University in 1983. 

Like an unfolding musical diary / puzzle, Tabacco’s music and art are constantly being re-worked, juxtaposed and intertwined. His style is a melding of pop - jazz -rock - avant garde / aleatory, classical and comedy.  He has been recording his music non stop since 1979.

Of note: In 1989 the satirical, absurd house song "Go House Yourself" co-written by Tabacco, Pati and DiMauro reached position 39 on Billboard's dance chart. 

In 2014 Tabacco signed a record deal with Texas, indie label, Muffin Records. They released his CD “Unfulfilled Shopping Carts Syndrome” internationally.