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early bird songs

by Roger Dean Young

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1.
Prelude 01:10
Prelude Words by r.c. Clark when I woke up to caress the sun I had shackles on my feet when I woke up to see what I had done I lay prostrate at your feet you know I picked the good book to read about you readin' the big writin’ in the sky the angels had a better view i put out my hand to cover you like a long lost letter your cheek against mine is so divine find me a preacher who could move you better restin’ on my back on the risin’ tide to see your star go sailin’ by cherry tree floatin’ in my hand gonna till the soil gonna work the land
2.
My Heart 02:00
My Heart My heart holds a lot of happiness My heart holds a lot of pain When my heart is stone dry and dusty It opens up, lets in a little rain My heart is built like a well Deep down into th erock My heart holds six feet of water Be on guard you don’t fall into my heart Tall in the fields around my heart Grows the seven sycamore trees When I need to see the seven roads to heaven I climb up, see everything for free In a far off country Lives a man with a daughter on his knee Early in the morning when the bluejays meet the sunshine They make up whatever words they please (Cold is the water around my heart far from the old sunshine cool to the lips of the petrified sure to all immobility belie)
3.
Yellowbird 03:58
Yellowbird (For Little Bull) “I think I’ll ride on A little further than the others.” So muttering he broke away Then from the plateau They watched him With an uneasy sort of pride Until he was just a speck On the horizon When the speck it turned around Then back he grew Larger than life-size And from the back of his pony He said, “listen here boys, The truth be told.” I’ve a yellow bird and an orange one and blue In the back of my mind, I keep them there for you On Sunday evening we go walking in a line Me and my birds and you keeping time You keeping time Later he’d become mayor Mayor of the highlands Way out on buffalo slope He’d open a store A store of rope Replete with cuttings from a sycamore tree Behind the counter High on a white shelf Beside a golden cage Read a little sign “The truth be told.” I’ve a yellow bird and an orange one and blue In the back of my mind, I keep them there for you On Sunday evening they’re in fine form, just fine I’d have you in for a listen If you promise to keep the time To keep the time
4.
The Simpleton words by r.c. clark Said Simon to the simpleton What cha doin’ what’s your sin? Simpleton said back on me Listen boy I just wanna be free That’s what I’d say The light’s reflecting over there Off her silky auburn hair The clouds cover up the sky The stars they smile when they die It’s gonna be a black day The sun is goin’ down on me I’m turning thirty, maybe three Said to the signpost hanging round I’m gonna rest beneath the ground I’ll have it my way That love’s looking fine so fine Cradle her in these arms of mine Lay myself down on the track Got a one way ticket I’m comin’ on back That’ll be the day In most revealing undertones He said nothing when he spoke Made songs into a rope Then he said I told you so Probably turn to grey Sittin’ now in candle light Table’s bare kissed the wife Send a prayer into the sky It sprouts wings and waves good bye No surprise Heavy now, weighed me down I decide to leave this town Not sure I know the way Maybe I’ll just stay one more day But in another way Something’s wrong when all is right Hate to be a pessimite As you lie in these arms of mine I realize it’s just tonight It’s gonna be a black day Black day comes Whole word comes undone Black day comes Light leaves with the setting sun Black day comes Whole world comes undone Black day comes Say good night to the simpleton
5.
1000 Birds 04:24
1000 Birds A thousand birds The great rush of wings Lifting off the lake It’s 2 a.m. Finally alone Drove out of the city The city where I was born Now this fire’s so low No reason for being Here Saturday morning Walked past the oddfellows hall Breakfast in a small town Everyone somehow alone I’ve heard the trains I’ve watched the float planes fly by The poet’s cycle I’ve tried Even now it idles in the shade Still don’t be alarmed I’m not leavin’ In the emptiness I’ve come to find There’ll be space for two When you make it here Magellan stares He sees the same stars that I see He says this ocean looks bleak But there’s a passage there, my friend, for you and me Now the settling A thousand birds at rest I play your song on my guitar Lay down beside the lake Whisper goodnight Now don’t be alarmed I’m not leavin’ In the emptiness I’ve come to find There’ll be space for two When you make it here
6.
Only One and Only Words and music by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings © Irving Music Inc/ Say Uncle Music (BMI)/Cracklin Music Admin by Bug Music (BMI) All rights administered by Irving Music Inc. on behalf of Say Uncle Music and Itself for the World. Used by permission
7.
The Falling 05:15
The Falling Don’t forget the water Heading south through these Americas And don’t forget my mother The day she said I just don’t have the energy To fight this disease anymore Gotta stop thinking in these black and whites Saw a film and it was black and white Brazilian lovers dying in the end Dying in the end Diving in the end Diving to their end Yell timber and it falls Yellow cedar driftwood logs Carving up what’s gone before Selling stories of what we were See diminishing returns On what we are Diminishing we return To the earth Diving to the end Diving to the end Manuel Says hello To the woman at the bus stop Smiling through the shelter Cups his ear and makes his sound The sound of the moment Reverberating moment Diminishing returns Reverberating moments See diminishing returns And don’t forget the water Diving to the end
8.
Du Fu Moonin 03:41
Du Fu Moonin I got a white sky night longing To see her through my tears See her rolling in the tide Drownin’ all my fears Gotta midnight misty-eyed longing She sails up and out of sight Bobbin’ around above the fog Turning my night sky white If only she burned like the sun She’d burn off all of this haze Still I wouldn’t trade my white sky night For a hundred and a sunny days And you wait out on the dry land In a night that’s clear and cold Leaning on a balcony rail As she rises full and bold The ocean never freezes tears It knows the ice would crack On a white sky night it drifts out a while Then she pulls the whole thing back
9.
Country Song (notta) Pellucid Remix Yellow walls four-square and poor Old red beard, no not anymore Bare of chest and crossed leg on the floor Feeling sorry For myself And for you and the others Joseph sits smoking by the door He’s not talking, no not anymore Rocking fore and back and Feeling sorry For the horses All the horses and you I don’t like my country anymore In the middle of the game I got up Didn’t care about the score I’ll just sit here crossed leg Feeling sorry For myself Mainly myself and you Heard the new you’re giving in Word on the street you’re giving on Paying up and paying in Heard you’re playing for the win So I saved my sword for the conquistador Invested funds heard the people roar Then allegiance to the bank I swore Oh yah Oh yah o no Who cares? Countries don’t matter anymore Corporation nation knocking at my door I’m yellow-walled smoking Feeling sorry For the gorges three And the timorese And the horses and me She said Don’t give up and don’t give in No one said you had to win Turn your face full into the wind Don’t pay up and don’t pay in
10.
New Star 05:06
New Star Twilight On the yellow house Next door and I’m feelin’ Like opening up all the blinds again Your smile Has kept me through this bitter time I’m guessin’ I’ll be up to speed In a little while Now a long long time Before you and I were born A star lit up and tossed its light Out into space Just tonight in our space A spot of sky’ll start to glow New star’s arrived and it should be enough To raise a little hope Still there’s no reply for The wind that blows flags so wild Everyone I know is so tired of this cold So in the street they stamp and sing It keeps them warm while everything They’ve lived for all their lives Is getting blown away And as the twilight fades and the TV fills in For the dark days, you say: “Courage my love, morning time’ll come And a new star is shinin’ for us tonight.” They say four Generations for your sins I say three more if you happen to be in the government That leaves trees To live out the intervening years Which might explain the free rein On eliminating them Back at my window The yellow house has turned to gray Every bird that’s settled there’s Forgotten what she had to say But I know, I’ve bene told Every dog’ll have his day If tomorrow’s mine I’ll wake up Hit the street Say what I have to say
11.
Ringin' 05:14
Ringin Now I think I’ll be leavin’ Once more from this town Away from this valley Leavin’ alone In the slough I hear a shotgun Bringin’ down birds In my head I hear a melody A melody but no words It seems that I’ve sung out Every last song Every last memory Righted most of my wrongs Paid the man what I could afford Stopped answering the telephone I guess the ringin’ inside Is my my call to move on Last night I heard a coyote Yelp at the moon High voice a quaverin’ Ending too soon It seems that he’d wrung out Every last nerve The saddest thing That I’d ever heard I think I’ll be leavin’ Away from this town This valley of homes Leaving along I’ll take the song of the coyote And the flight of the birds And let the ringin’ inside Have the last word

about

First online release of RDY's first record, 2002's 'early bird songs'
A beautiful set of ramshackle folk songs.

credits

released April 2, 2021

Recorded by RDY in an upstairs built for two at 14th and Ontario, Vancouver, BC in spring of 2002.
except Ringin' which was recorded and mixed by Mike Rogerson at Baker Street Studios in North Van sometime late in the last century, who can remember?
Country Song (notta) was remixed by Pellucid.
Remastered by Brodie Smith in 2021.

All songs written by Roger Dean Young except:
'Prelude' and 'The Simpleton' Music by Roger Dean Young, words by R.C.Clark
'1000 Birds'. Music by Roger Dean Young and Rebecca Till, words by Roger Dean Young
"Only One And Only' written by Gillian Welch & David Rawlings

musicians:
Chris Rippin - guitar on The Falling, Du Fu Moonin and New Star
- keyboards on Yellowbird and Ringin’
Kori Miyanishi -banjo on The Simpleton and The Falling
Emily Slanina -voice on New Star
r.c. clark -voice on The Simpleton
Brenda Lui -piano on Ringin’
Anne Young -musin’ on 1000 Birds and tinklin’ on Only One And Only

Roger Young thanks the above and strums, taps or spits out the remaining sounds heard and will surely pocket the windfall

For those of us who ply the fringes, the voices of certain friends rise above the rabble in encouraging our present folly and should be mentioned with awe along side the players:
Ryan Ogilvie, Edward Storzer, Cam Dilworth, Janet Chant and Brodie Smith are rabble-risers of the first rate.
Thanks to Pellucid for the bang-up remix of Country Song
Thanks to Ms. Welch and Mr. Rawlings for penning the perfect song.
Thanks to Lesley Dyck for the front cover design and lofipress for the back cover et al
Patricia Tataryn for snapping the stunning portrait featured hereon
Early Bird Songs are, of course, for Annie, who called for them and fed them.

Copyright 2002 and 2021

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Roger Dean Young & the Tin Sea Victoria, British Columbia

Roger Dean Young is a singer-songwriter sprung from the foothills of Alberta and deposited on the West Coast of British Columbia.

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