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Gravity Radio

by Mikel Rouse

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1.
Report 1 01:19
2.
Wait For Me 03:37
WAIT FOR ME If I get hypnotized Slack jawed before your eyes If I met Lucifer Here’s what I’d say to her: Lift up your skirt What could it hurt? Love comes to those who wait Those who wait for me Love comes to those who wait for me And if you get mystified Pedaling side by side You’d be a sweet hotel Perfect for shaken well Lift up your skirt What could it hurt? Love comes to those who wait Those who wait for me Love comes to those who wait for me (Love comes to those, wait for me) (Love comes to those, wait for me) If I get Easter-bound Crosses to dance around When I met Lucifer Here’s what I said to her: Lift up your skirt What could it hurt? Love comes to those who wait Those who wait for me Love comes to those who wait for me
3.
BLACK CRACKER Me and this girl was talkin’ loud About America stickin’ out of reach As if history turned a page With opportunity all the rage it seemed Well, everybody she knows is tight And in recovery for the night and day But they’ll be serving a world at war About a minute and nothing more to say And every morning before the sun Before reality has begun in bars Take a number and get in line For a day of what’s yours and mine and ours When I’m bored I can’t be bored with you (Black cracker, black cracker Oooo) When I’m blown I can’t be blown in two (Black cracker, black cracker Oooo) When I wonder what I wouldn’t do (Black cracker, black cracker Oooo) I will wait in single file for you (Black cracker, black cracker Oooo) When I’m bored I can’t be bored with you When I’m blown I can’t be blown in two When I wonder what I wouldn’t do I will wait in single file for you Me and this girl was talkin’ loud About America stickin’ out of reach As if history turned a page With opportunity all the rage it seemed Well, everybody she knows is tight And in recovery for the night and day But they’ll be serving a world at war About a minute and nothing more to say When I’m bored I can’t be bored with you (Black cracker, black cracker Oooo) When I’m blown I can’t be blown in two (Black cracker, black cracker Oooo) When I wonder what I wouldn’t do (Black cracker, black cracker Oooo) I will wait in single file for you (Black cracker, black cracker Oooo) And every morning before the sun Before reality has begun in bars Take a number and get in line For a day of what’s yours and mine and ours
4.
Report 2 02:14
5.
SILENCE OF SOUND If I’m broken, I’m broken beside you And when I’m looking for someone to run to And if you’re thinkin’: I’m sinkin’ slowly To have an hold you my one and if only… You could be here hangin’ around Year after year near to the ground Silence of sound And if I wander, I wander around you A semicircle of heaven and hell too A karaoke machine that won’t quit A song to nowhere, hit after hit and if… You could be here hangin’ around Watching the waves near to the ground Silence of sound And if I’m able I’ll manage a phone call To check your ankle and catch your free fall The kitchen’s crowded, the blender’s a riot ‘Cause here in Clinton, we keep things quiet If you could be here hanging around Year after year, silence of sound Near to the ground, silence of sound
6.
Yawn Factory 01:25
YAWN FACTORY Move over, move over Move over, move over When you get tired of life When you cannot think twice Melting a welfare dime Drifting from time to time I say half day I say no way Yawn factory wish you were me I say half day I say NO
7.
I'm So Blue 05:42
I’M SO BLUE Take the pillowcases, baby take the sheets Maybe I don’t want them And maybe you could meet me half way in the middle The middle where I’m bound to be If we’re stuck in cement, nothing near sublime Giving up to reason, patterns over time It took years for us to shape them Years to leave the love behind But I’m so blue That I love you Yes I’m going crazy, I’ve been there before Standing by for mercy One foot out the door where I was when you forgot me Where I’ll be when you’re alone Gift imagination’s possibility Blowin’ dreams that blossom Insecurity inside a reputation A never land that’s unredeemed But I’m so blue That I love you Through the rear view mirror as you wave goodbye Did you ever wonder When I learned to drive myself over my reactions Over my mind gone blind And when you go to garden, leveling your guide Catching conversation, making love to life It goes on about its business It don’t suffer for its crimes But I’m so blue That I love you Yes I’m so blue That I love you
8.
Report 3 01:30
9.
Blue Book 01:54
BLUE BOOK Everybody reads my Blue Book Everybody reads my Blue Book yeah Everybody read the morning paper Everybody got the same advice Everybody loses what they wager Everybody got the lowest price Everybody wants to read – everybody reads my Blue Book Everybody wants to read – everybody reads my Blue Book yeah Everybody signs the same agreement Everybody sleepwalks loud and long Everybody pitches for the same team Everybody wonders what went wrong Everybody wants to read – everybody reads my Blue Book Everybody wants to read – everybody reads my Blue Book yeah
10.
Star Chamber 01:41
STAR CHAMBER Well it’s a star chamber for every stranger Take good money off the table Turn it down and spread it ‘round – everybody sing! It’s a star chamber, every wafer Take communion slap a savior Take time off for good behavior – everybody sing! Well it’s a Star Chamber, slippery banker Miss the boat and miss the manger Take time off for good behavior – everybody sing! It’s a star chamber from every angle Take a break from either angel Take one down, pass it ‘round – everybody sing!
11.
Rose Woods 01:36
ROSE WOODS And when you think the worst is over You know the worst has just begun And if you’re livin’ for the loophole Well, I was one Whatever you’ve done becomes undone But they get sick and tired of you And Rose Woods wonders what to do I wasn’t clumsy, not by nature I wasn’t beating on a drum But when they took the bread and butter Well, I was hung About time the law had won But they will break your heart in two And Rose Woods wonders what to do Yes they will break your heart in two And Rose Woods wonders what to do
12.
Report 4 01:32
13.
STAY IN SCHOOL Casanova, roll right over Sitting in the last café Acting my age half way Cars exploding, markets folding No one shops here anyway Calvary meets Chevrolet I traded knowledge for tape decks and beer Caroling cocktails and all I hold dear Now the world’s ending did you ever hear You should stay in school? Carry over, sitting sober As the money rolls away Take the last holiday Can you spot me half a century? If I’m in your thoughts today Give me the right of way Glossing over Casanova Sitting in the last café Feeling my age each day I convinced everyone nothing is free Left out the part that was all about me Now the world’s ending did I ever see You should stay in school?
14.
THE GRAVITY OF NEW ORLEANS If life was a nickel and death was a dime I’d spend all my money all of the time A fistful of dollars to squander at will And hurricane glasses waiting to fill Up and down when they fall apart ‘Round and ‘round when they fall apart The gravity of New Orleans The gravity of New Orleans If wishes were horses then bankers would ride On half-hearted levies with nowhere to hide The future of family forgot and for sale With memory markers and fate out on bail Up and down when they fall apart ‘Round and ‘round when they fall apart The gravity of New Orleans The gravity of New Orleans
15.
Low Rent 03:50
LOW RENT I am waiting for some sign of life to appear But the end of this wait is drawing near Slip into your low rent Slip into your low rent I’ll be there waiting with colorful savings For every room I was wrong to shake this hand What if nothing in this world can stand? Slip into your low rent Slip into your low rent I’ll be there waiting with colorful savings Or silent investors and broken defectors For every room I am empty as the light of day I lived lonely and I never found my way Slip into your low rent Slip into your low rent I’ll be there waiting with colorful savings Or silent investors and broken defectors For every room
16.
Report 5 01:45
17.
Age Of Toys 01:30
AGE OF TOYS Your business sense is late; I can’t wait Your love affairs go wrong, tag along Your life’s a mystery date; I can’t wait Heaven told me you was lonely Dropping anchor just to thank her For all the noise, the age of toys Drink ‘til you’re full of hate; I can’t wait Your grown-up toys hang out all about Leaving you at the gate; I can’t wait Heaven told me you was lonely Dropping anchor just to thank her For all the noise age of toys
18.
Love Bombing 02:12
LOVE BOMBING Love bombing and side winding If everybody could hold on tightly Maybe I’d fly the plane for you And maybe I’d drop a bob or two for Love bombing and my timing Is really a way to keep from deciding What I’d do with a different view Maybe I’d fall in love with you and When I’m bored I can’t be bored with you When I’m blown I can’t be blown in two And love bombing and love bombing And love bombing and love bombing When I wonder what I wouldn’t do I will wait in single file for you And love bombing and love bombing And love bombing and love bombing
19.
THE WORLD GOT AWAY When I’m bothered, can’t be calmed down I will tumble in this dead town Lost in Heaven, lost my dreams Like a beggar on her knees The world got away The world got away with me The world got away The world got away with me Well the world go away The world got a way with me Wear my mornings up my sleeve And my evenings can’t believe What I wasted, all the years Stuck in neutral, stuck in fear The world got away The world got away with me The world got away The world got away with me Well the world go away World got a way with me Away my self doubt Away my no clout Away my longing And what’s gone wrong in me? And why I’m dying And why I wander And while I’m at it What’s gone wrong with me? Pick my poison like my friends Makes life wonder where it ends Take this body, take this soul For the magic that we stole The world got away The world got away with me The world got away The world got away with me Well the world go away The world got a way with me
20.

about

Gravity Radio is a song cycle interspersed with actual radio reports taken from the AP Newswire. The original inspiration came from the physicist Raymond Chiao and his experiments with superconductors and – gravity waves, which exist in theory but have eluded detection. I took the elusiveness of gravity waves as a springboard for a song cycle that would float and mutate through a combination of sound and visual ether.

The sound is composed of string quartet, shortwave radio frequencies and radio reports (along with the songs and the band) and the visual incorporates multichannel video representing a visual kalidascope of earthbound images.

The instrumentation is for singer/guitarist, bass, drums, keyboard, 3 backup singers and string quartet (although this can be enlarged to a small chamber orchestra with winds and brass). The radio reports change daily and are interspersed with commentary by the writer and phrases that highlight the connection between the song lyrics and the reports.

The reports presented on the CD recording were performed by TONY Nominated/OBIE Award winner Veanne Cox.

credits

released October 29, 2009

© 2009 Mikel Rouse
All rights reserved
Published by Club Soda Music (ASCAP)

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Mikel Rouse New York, New York

Mikel Rouse is a New York-based composer, director, performer and recording artist hailed as “a composer many believe to be the best of his generation.” (NY Times 2002) His works include 25 records, 7 films (including Funding and Music For Minorities), and a trilogy of media operas: Failing Kansas, Dennis Cleveland and The End Of Cinematics. ... more

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