Waterfall

Rule #21 - Momento Mori

This song was written and produced completely in my dorm with a $20 mic. Forgive me for the oddities it causes. 

Background:
And Eve was told not to eat the fruit, because "she would surely die." Instead, she learned information that she was not given before—she gained a power in that sense; she became the apocalypse.  What other powers are women "forbidden" from, all in the name of holiness? Maybe we should take a bite of that apple, feel some warmth from that lit match, explore ourselves, explore each other. They are baptizing the candles of tomorrow: they are snuffing flames. Why? They're scared of the heat we might just bring to the table. Mwah-ha-ha...

I digress... lyrics!!:
baptiser, baptise her, rose water, soft daughter
rectify and sanctify her, hold a moth and let it flutter
Don’t forget to floralize, don’t vocalize the smoke in eyes
Don’t don’t don’t strike.
catchin’ on that distant lie she’s gotta be divine
death-defier hanging on a burning tether line
then line breaks, spine aches, coiled snake, broken rope and Joanie chokes
they hope her perfume’s stronger than the soul

They’ll put an apple in your hand but don’t you dare bite it
A match and a wick but don’t you dare light it
They say temptation be a sin, don’t look any more behind it
That’s just how it is, don’t you dare fight it
They’ll put an apple in your hand but don’t you dare bite it
A match and a wick but don’t you dare light it
Life’s only meant to live, don’t fill it with excitement
Abstain, restrain, forgive, yeah, that’s how he likes it

Wax-dripper, flame-kisser, lost-livered life giver
Crucify and waterlog the sinner mother, sinner daughter
She could take you by surprise   
Beware the July fire ides
She’s a locked and loaded inferno with underglow she cannot know so drown that power fore it overflows
Sorry man, it’s way to late, her choice is made, the apple’s ate, the candle starts to flicker in a wicked little divine state
Rising and rising, gently respiring

she can’t let the candle burn
She can’t let the candle burn
So they’ve gotta teach her so she knows how to learn
That she can’t let the candle burn

CANDLEBURN

CANDLEBURN (Dorm Demo)

Played by The Crane Wives...
Kate Pillsbury - Emilee Petersmark - Ben Zito - Dan Rickabus

featuring their friends…
Steven Leaf - Seth Bernard - Rachel Gorman
Savannah Buist - Katie Larson

Produced by The Crane Wives & Ian Gorman
Mixed by Ian Gorman
Engineered by Ian Gorman & Ben Zito
Recorded at La Luna Recording & Sound in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Mastered by Glenn Brown at GBP Studios in Lansing Michigan

Artwork by Rebecca Green
Album Design and Layout by Bill Chesney

Thank you to our loving families and dear friends, Ian & Rachel Gorman, Glenn Brown, Rebecca Green, The Accidentals, Seth Bernard & May Erlewine Bernard, Steve Leaf & the Ex Pats, Joey Schultz of Chickenbach, John Campos, Kris Kessel, Sean, Sarah & Arlo Lamborne, Tyler Rehm, 88.1 WYCE, Matt Jarrells, John Sinkevics at Local Spins, Emily Fox & Michigan Radio, Kevin Romeo & Rhino Media, Joey Basch, Josiah Barber, Amber Buist, Josh Gibson, Bill Chesney, Leah Pillsbury, Mark Sturr, Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys, The Appleseed Collective, Joy & Tim Lago, Marianne & Jim Fischer, Carmen & Javier Vargas of Mi Pueblo in Kalamazoo and Edith the Kitty. Thank you to all of the people who have welcomed us into their homes, fed us a warm meal, or shared with us their stories. 

Special thanks to our PledgeMusic contributors. This album would not exist without the help of our fans! We are grateful for your support and humbled by your loyalty.

Curses

Lyrics:

If the double-row eighteen-cylinder
Air-cooled radial engine
Is not enough to tip you off
Before he slips you off the needle
Drops you into unstitched space
The wasteland which henceforth
Shall be referred to as “your place”

The captain lives by the sword
And the captain loves by the sword
When the captain dies by the sword
He'll leave you trapped in the cockpit
Crying out "Mayday!"

When a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher aerial courtship
Nosedives in a blitzkrieg from that Whiskey Delta
You can tell the backyard bomber
Never helmed a cargo crate
He croaks out undoing and doom
To the wishful safety net
You jeopardized your life to loom

The captain lives by the sword
And the captain loves by the sword
Once you elope with the captain
You'll leave on a sordid honeymoon
Trapped in the cockpit
Crying out "Mayday!"

Always the last and never the least
Always the fast and never the feast
Always the cult of domesticity
Always the jolts of electricity
Always surpassed and never decreased
Always amassed and never released
Always the past controls your mind
Never the peace you hoped to God you'd finally find

The captain lives by the sword
And the captain loves by the sword
And when he dies by the sword
He’ll reward you for your obedience
For your countenance has woven in at every turn

Even as the back, even as the back
Of the hand
Even as the back, even as the back
Of the hand still burns
Even as the back, even as the back
Of the hand still burns
From the last airstrike

Credits:
Music and lyrics - Stephan Nance
Piano/vocals/backing vocals - Stephan Nance
Programming/bass guitar/guitars/banjo/organ/keys - Josh Frigo
Violin/viola/cello - Yoed Nir
Double bass - Jeni Magana
Trumpet - John Lake
Trombone/bass trombone - Becca Patterson
French horn - Meredith Moore
Piccolo/flute/oboe/clarinet/bassoon - Josh Plotner
Percussion - Mathias Kunzli
Drums - Aksel Coe
Orchestral arrangement - Josh Plotner
Vocal recording engineer - Adam Sweeney
Mixing - Josh Frigo
Mastering - Alex Dobbert
Artwork - Rebecca DeMoss
Graphic design - Chad Lowe

Mayday!

Preybirds

Preybirds (The Watched Version)

Rule #47 - The Birds Are Plotting

The Light That Comes Through

Living Ghost: Still Rising

Wolf House

A Thousand Songs About It All: Act 1 is out now!
Download/Stream: https://madilynmei.lnk.to/AThousandSongsAboutItAll
Album Merch + Vinyl & CD: https://shop.madilynmei.com/ 
 
Written and Performed by Madilyn Mei 
Produced and Mixed by Scrawny 
Mastered by Joe Hutchinson 
Video Animation by Scrawny 
Intro/Outro Animation by Madilyn Mei & Scrawny 
 
Lyrics:
I am a one man circus
I do everything 
So incredibly 
Since I’m the one that’s pullin all the strings
Give a bow
Tip your hat
Marvel at the fact
That there’s no list of writers on the screen
It’s just me, only me
 
Oooh
LA LA LA LA
Oooh
LA LA LA LA
 
I am the sole director
I’m the soul behind the show
Hell I AM the show
So give a clap, show some respect
Great job Mads, take five! Thanks Mads!
No prob Mads
I’m a gas, a lovely crowd
Make me laugh out loud
Even when no one else is around
 
I gotta do what I gotta do
I've got me and you’ve got you
If my shoulders were broad
I’d rule your world too
The fate of it all in my palms
You’d applaud
At the drop of a hat
You’d excuse all I do
I could dine at the Ritz in my birthday suit
But I’m hardly a man, and yet I’m hardly a girl
I’m the hand of God in my own little world
 
I am a one man circus
I’m the host if you will
And still I am also the tent
And the elephant in the room
My very own personal peanut gallery
And my own worst critic
And all my own five star reviews
I’m the spot with the best view
And can you guess it?
You’re also the best view!
 
Now you’re getting it!
 
Oooh
LA LA LA LA
Oooh
LA LA LA LA
 
I am a one man circus
I’m the singer and the song
And the writer and the dreamer
And the show that must go on
I’m the “silence all your cellphones please, yes even the buzz”
I’m the buzz that keeps me wanting more
And therefore coming back for more
Because 
 
I’ll always do what I gotta do
I’ve got me, I don't need you
No one can help even if they wanted to
I’m the player one and the player two
I’m the acrobat, I’m the net down below
Catching myself when I choose to let go
I’m the puppeteer and yet the puppet still
I’m a marionette at my very own will
I’m hardly a man, and yet I’m hardly a girl
I’m the hand of God in my own little world
 
I gotta do what I gotta do
I’ve got me and you've got you
Used to play the part well
But now it seems I forgot
You’ll never know who I am, who I’m not
Don’t look too close
Or it’ll seem odd
This world that you see
Can be quite the façade
You’ll still applaud
Not your job to ask
But backstage I know
I’m wearing a mask
 
And when I burn out
And I wish to be done
I’ll yank at my strings
It’s only Act 1

One Man Circus

Stream/Buy

Cast of Characters:
The Beautiful Dark -- @thebeautifuldark -- Carl — vocals, lyrics, acoustic guitar and composition
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark –- VST strings and mellotron 
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – upright double bass, plucked and bowed
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken -- drums
J.J. Terrell– @j-j-terrell – piano
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen — Tom Anderson custom T model electric guitar, Danelectro baritone electric guitar, and e-bow
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – production, mix, and mastering
 
Carl came up with this song at the beginning of November on his acoustic guitar, and shared it with the rest of us shortly after. Carl is a songwriting supernova, in case you're unfamiliar with our newest addition to the team. We're always excited and grateful to get to work on his music. 
  Mark was first to add his parts, although he tweaked them throughout the process. His work can be heard in the dramatic string arrangement and mellotron at the crescendo. Josh was next to jump in, adding his new upright bass to the song. He played not only the plucked part, but the bowed part in the strings section, too. Ken came along next with his perfect drums to complete the rhythm section. JJ wanted in on this, too, so he added the foundational piano you hear throughout. Last, but not least, Stephen dropped in his electrifying guitar solo and the accompanying textural chords using is Danelectro baritone guitar, followed at the very end by his magical e-bow part. 
  Once it was all in the bag, we asked Tez to produce and mix it for us, which he did in his always expert fashion. 
  This is our latest song of which Carl is the author. He's been making music with us for the past half a year now, and we can't get enough of his abundant creativity. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.
  Also, Carl had this to say about his lyrics, "Labels and putting each other in a particular box is causing big problems on the planet. The song's meaning is born from trying to take labels out of our lessons. In a polarized world, the song pines how we will likely learn lessons properly if we leave ego out of what we are trying to learn. Maybe our art has more relevance for future generations if we do that instead of bolting it to the current people or ideas causing us problems."
Original lyrics by The Beautiful Dark:

Let's play cards
You lying runt
Word poker perfect
A joker to hunt
Motor makeup mouth
Dadless brain itched
Orange sith can shout
Cycle of old child bewitched

Leave out the names
Remove their power
Lessons find refrain
Fake turned to flower

All liars die
'As honest tongue
Dinnseanchas signs our true right and wrong
Transmutation
Time understood
Truth trump card for hate
More blossomed love

Leave out the names
Teach tomorrow's hour
Lessons find refrain
Pure honest power

Lies from power
Carry hidden agenda
Justice can save us from these malady members
Unless they break our sacred norms
They've changed the game with iron fisted porn

Leave out the names
Control our stream
Lessons mute ego
Brutes turn to dream

The system protects us from crazy one
One system collective
Agreement by sum
Normals described
Standards of power
Transmutation of evil
Never named gives real flower

Let's label our love
Let's teach that today
Let lessons of dove
Show us our way

Leave out the names
Remove their power
Lessons find refrain
Fake turned to flower

Leave out the names
Teach tomorrow hour
Lessons find refrain
Pure honest power

Leave Out The Names-Eclectic Collective-ft The Beautiful Dark

The Crane Wives - Take Me To War

indie chamber pop (bardcore)
pronouns: they/them

The Light That Comes Through

Sparkbird

Recent comments

Hex

andrewfromage

alittleducky

Bgray04

Related tracks