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HOW FAR FROM THE TREE

from DEMOS by Rick Berlin

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Watching Bruce Springsteen interviewed by Howard Stern was moving and inspiring. So loved the Boss’s nervous laugh, self-effacing honesty, and, though for sure proud and aware of his gift and hard work, he seemed uncomfortable with fame. He was quick to set preconceptions straight, most himself when playing guitar or piano. When he spoke about his Dad. And Patti. Best for me was watching those rough hands at the piano, realizing that, while playing bits of several songs, he hit mostly white keys and an occasional b-flat. Ya see this helps me forgive myself for so often hitting (albeit with odd inversion or an awkward rhythm) the same chords for so many of my songs. (Ask the guys in the band about this - they’ll confirm.) So the next day, as expected, I wrote - Berlin’s faux interpretation of a Springsteen piano part - this song about my Dad.

lyrics

HOW FAR FROM THE TREE

my dad
got into trouble
he couldn’t help himself
chasin’ skirts
in San Francisco
in Philly
to Hartford
n Boston

where he died
on Christmas Eve
he puked
into his lungs
like a cliche
my dad

there was no
connection
no spark
when i was young
triyin’ t throw the ball around

he’d read
Tom Sawyer
to me out loud
like that could fix us
n heal the pain

he won
Miss Kansas
in a bar room bet
her teeth
snapped
like a Piranha
n i ran upstairs
n locked the door
n hid
under the bed
my Mom in tears

my dad he was
big trouble
in his head
n in his heart
n in his bones
in the long run
he hated
his life
his job
his part time friends
n now
with him gone

i see his face in mine
i see his face in mine
how far
from the tree
how far

credits

from DEMOS, released November 18, 2012
GBandf Selfie

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Rick Berlin (now playing w/ THE NICKEL & DIME BAND) image

Rick Berlin (now playing w/ THE NICKEL & DIME BAND) Jamaica Plain

A giant on the Boston music scene. His colorful songwriting + strong stage presence have influenced countless other artists since the early 1970s. He continues to make music w/ intelligence + integrity, building an international reputation around his knotty, singular piano playing, straight-from-the-heart singing and a style of character-based songwriting that's drawn comparisons to Waits + Cohen ... more

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