Name: Trees [Shilo] by Secretary of Nature
Duration: 5 min 14 s
Description: Recorded with Brian Fernald, on his tascam38, at the Groovatorium in Oakland, CA in February of 2012.

Human Sacrifice

Verse (key of Bb; F, Eb, Dmsus2, Eb…C
GUITAR: capo5 ;  C, Dm, Am, Dm…G ):

Chorus (key of F/; Bb, Cmaj, Bb, D/ Eb
GUITAR: capo5     Fmaj, G, Fmaj, Am/Dm)

I lived long with the look of a circuitous journey
grown green as light drained from a clean bright bulb
I lived long with a twisted stump, wasted where a mad world chewed a fine mind to a wretched pulp
I lived long with a leaking kindness, watching warm blood downed in sickening gulp after gulp
	It’s human sacrifice
Cutting loose a loved one
But you just can’t keep
A loose noose hanging around 
(Bb… to verse)
You opened up your heart and froze up 
unwilling to go forward, unable to go back
And you read between the lines til 
you began to miss the point 
And now you can’t even give up what’s already been burned black
In the fog of war you fell for
Your own encore
You fell down to family
Who couldn’t save you from
Your one way track
	It’s human sacrifice
…
	[Turn the ground
	Round and round]
(Bb, C…Bb G, to verse)













And i’ve loved so many
And so many let me down
I’ve buried bones in every single town
And I’m SO sorry to have let you down
And i’m SO SO sorry to see you drown
But it’s written the book that the ancients call the truth
It’s stained red and I’ve made my bed, I’ve made my bed

It’s human sacrifice
Cutting loose a loved one
But you just can’t keep
A loose noose hanging around 
[And i can hear the count down
to your final sound
Your blackened sound
Your dark damp final sound]
(Bb, C… G, to verse)
I forgive you

Human Sacrifice

(guitar: DGDGBD)

Pre v: G/D
Verse 2, 0 (A, G/D)
pre-CH 3, 5 // (F, G…G/D)
Chorus 0, 3 // 8, 7.. 5 hold, 3 (transit) (D, F// A#, A, … G)

Feel my fathers head in my hands
Squeeze my head in my hands
The river shimmers round my shattered feet
Still my quiver’s nowhere near empty
Father, what have we come to?
Where do we run to?

Twisting in the worldwide prism
Like it or not, you’re gliding with ‘em
Like it or not, we answer to an algorithm
Which has no heart to feel 
And no need to reel
In the damage

Land of the free
Free to do good, Free to do bad
Faces of the many
Stretched city to sea to shining sea
Red tape, forsaken needs
Patiently the patient bleeds

Twisting in the worldwide prism
Like it or not, you’re lying with ‘em
Like it or not, we answer to an algorithm
	(A#, C, D…D#)
We answer to an algorithm
We answer to an algorithm

Only a man can feel
Only a woman can feel
a need for this land to heal
A need to take the wheel 
The old way Can’t be THE true way when
The future forms a ray through today
	
Twisting in the worldwide prism
Like it or not, you’re dying with ‘em
Like it or not, we answer to an algorithm
we answer to an algorithm
	Which has no heart to feel
	And no reason to reel
	In the damage

The Algorithm is Broken

Where Would I Be

(guitar: CADGBE)

Chorus: pattern on C (roots: D, B, Em, G)

Verse: barred (10(A#), 3(G), 8(C), 3(G) / 10, 3, 5(F), 5)

(CH instrumental)
—
On the abandoned road, miles from civilization
You tuned me up and I played your station
All i gotta do now is pull your song out of these clouds 
So fair and true like an equation

When I hear you call a yellow organ hums along
You shelter me, just like these fir trees
Cool my thirst to color of the wet forest
This prayer is for us
Where would I be if i let it rust 
	Na na na na
—--
There was always a little place buried in my globe
So bright with color none could know
For forty years, i burned on down the road
Why in the world a man would hide his home

But seeing you slide in sweet river light
Neath mountain birds that dive and roll
It’s finally clear why I kept this hollow here
Yes I do believe, I finally know
I saved a place for us to go
	Na na na na
—-
(CH instru)

It would be so cold; It would be shades of black on black
Endless wandering with no way back
No heavenly shade from the golden summer rays
No happy fish to play in the run
& What could I gain if I finally won? (echo….build)
	Na na na na

Where Would I Be

Featuring Oli Buc from The Oli Buc Experience on Guitar and Bass

Standard tuning: 
V: Bm, Amaj, Fm, G, Bm, Amaj, G, G//
CH:Emaj riff, D, A, Emaj riff, D//..A, G

I been through all the proper channels
I been through//
-
Ain’t no port for me//
Or my kind
-
I whispered to the woods
Tell me please what you need
She said I’m wounded and worried
She said aye aye aye
They’re coming from all sides
-
Aint no port for me//
Or my kind
—-
(1x instr)
I whispered to my woman
Tell me please what you need
She said I’m running out time
She said i, i, i,
This is a one-way line
-
Ain’t no port for me //4…
—-
I went to see some people
I walked down their street
But I got no lack of purpose
But I got no lack of use
Those aren’t my blues
-
The ports all use me

Ports

Am,G//…F
crouched in the hay
checking for reflection in cafes
Burning your tongue in circles round the bay
Walking these halls
Climbing those gated walls
Pushing full force against feeling
(F,G)  
Impossibly small <stop>
–
Chase tracks up
The ancient blacktop
Get up to speed and you’re off
But the sky ain’t the end
Your troubles begin again
When finally your feathers extend 
Remember that I
(F,G)
Forecast surprise
-
C, Gm, F
All you gotta / do now
Never let go
–
If the wind dies, 
and if the hail flies
if you lose your grip and slide
You’re holding a guide
Drawn by a choir
You’ll land at last where I lie
(F,G)
Turn to face our sky
Speak what you find
-
CH
-
INSTRU: C, A#,Am,A#/ F

BRIDGE/OUTRO:
(Emaj / F,G// )
Your burnt avatar
Is an m-class star
Patient to control the radar
With a few close friends
Those who comprehend
Moving on up means you spend
Years below ground //

Below Ground

God Is Not a Person (Greater Later)
In 3
Standard tuning

Dm, Dm, Cmaj, G
–
A river of light 
Ripples inside
Dividing her sky from great father time
Husk and seed
Void and body 
Two sides to every i- 
	Bb9, C9/
-dea
I’m striving to see ‘em
—
She’s hoping you
Go become who
You're dreaming of when she’s burnt black & blue
I pray that she
Sees the best me
as i’m aiming not to be blaming the
	Worst parts
	On anyone else 

Transition C C Em
 —
F Em D F G//  Bb, C//
God is not a person
Each eye opposite
Somebody’s eye
I am a person
& the devilish shade in 
a greater
	later
—
Angels make friends
So they can transcend 
The pale mist of unending bliss
Now I’ll run for hero
But i need to know how
I'll never need crutches or spells to
	Shield me from
	The reality (that)
CH…

Greater Later (or God Is Not A Person) - FEAT. Doug Lee from RDL+

Razor Thin
(standard)\ in 14/4: 3:3:2:2:2:2//
–
Dm: Dm: F: Emaj: F: G
–
D: D: F: G: A#: A#2….(transition to verse, Am: Am:  F…G)
–
Bad News 
don’t threaten my innocence 
And yet
Who can wear the childview every-
where
I can’t not care when we’re missing years
Back there
–
Instru CH; interlude
–
Cries
From glass cages, grieving in stages 
We are
Essential workers, canceled protest
-ors
That campaign grin is razor thin
Out there
– 
CH:
	I
Won’t
keep no fear at work and 
home

BRIDGE: F#m: G…A#
–
Look who
Lied into wars and fed them the
poor
Testing medicine on little old ladies next
Door
Glad-handing supermen, I want you to know…
–
CH:
	
I
Won’t
keep no fear at work and 
home

Razor Thin

king of nowhere
(standard tuning)

Partial bar chord shape: starts on 13 (from low to high: 13, 12, 15).

V: 13, 12 \\ 17, 15…
(E, F \\ A, G, C, B)
CH: 8, 7 ||
(C, B )
—

In that distant land, where your currency did shimmer
You shined our light till the natives lift your litter
But that crescent moon outshone your morningstar
& so few could view you from out the western window where we are
-
So you raise your flag - they drag you cross our portal
Where your glimmer begins to wither - and so do your supporters
Your drop drips to the sea //

	Who did you mean to be.. Here? X2
	(chorus solo)

Then here on on the -endo it’s just you and us
The truth shines its size in spades & blows back black dust
There’s not one trace of your strong and willing soldiers
Your tires have run flat & your throne’s a jeweled boulder
-
You rise to your feet to find your spirit feeble
Your unearned income is worth little to these people
The beginning has come back for you //

	Who do you want to be here? x3

It’s ride or die here with the lion and the mouse
You can gaze upon what’s broken but never knew a doubt
I have half a mind to feed you, but little time to waste
If you’re looking for a holy grail son, I’m sorry but you have to hone your taste

King Of Nowhere

Everything Everywhere

standard tuning
Verse: (B, A)
pre-chor: ½ time; B, G#m, A, G#maj
CHORUS: C#m, G#m, A, G#maj
-
I’m sorry, but let’s be honest
The bar would rather hear CCR
One hour from sinking, proverbially
When the countdown’s blinking
Somebody say something
Before the handles melt
off the doors

	And everything is   everywhere

Malibu honey
Full act. Full fusion
-powered pace chasing 
my breath in this race
I had to kill a black widow
I didn’t wanna but she had to go
You know we’re just carving out 
Corners to call home

	<instrumental chorus>

Passed prizes and patio fare
Slipped threats of derailleur
But i promised to mail ya
The keys to our sailboat, Take Leave
I went to see Fatdog
But i only found Samuel
Son begat father
It seemed just as fair

	As anything anywhere…

Everything Everywhere

Spaceman Blues

Fm, Db, F, Ab //x2 Eb, Db
-
Eb, Bb, Ab, Eb/Db
-
By the river
Teenage dragonflies 
Sunny day
An unexpected haze
-
Water’s passing
Like I used to
Waves are standing
Like you always do
Like you always do
–
Do you remember when we
headed for the stars?
We left the world
When winter came to stay
-
But up in space
It’s just our radio
The time of day
Is always just the same
Always just the same
–
Eb, Bb, Ab,  Eb-Db-C//

Yeah there’s a thousand sighs to sigh
A million reasons why
But I wouldn’t pay ‘em any mind
Somewhere it is springtime

BRIDGE: Bb, Ab, Eb, Db / Eb-Db-C//

Let’s look at all that living
When we think about what’s dead
The confusions never ending
And conflicts of course, of course, of course..

Spaceman Blues (Feat. Doug Lee, RDL+)

Recorded with Brian Fernald, on his tascam38, at the Groovatorium in Oakland, CA in February of 2012.

Trees [Shilo]

Nothing occurs without the collusion of everything.

Trees [Shilo]

Secretary of Nature

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