We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.
/
1.
if i wasn't such a bum if i wasn't such a bum i'd have better friends than you + a better job than this one + a car that's brand new if i wasn't such a bum i'd have a hit song on the radio + a pretty bank account + a dirty dog t show off + a kid t pick his shit up if i wasn't such a bum i'd have a condo in the city + a swimming pool physique part in a tarantino movie + my picture on th' cover o' newsweek if i wasn't such a bum i'd have an article in the new yorker go out t dinner out every night i'd have hot guys on my hot arms i'd have the best drugs i'd be outa sight if i wasn't such a bum i'd get a face lift when i need it helicopter on the lawn i'd have off shore clientelle + th' keys to the the animal farm if i wasn't such a bum if i wasn't such a... + whistles
2.
DRIVIN' GRANDPA HOME when she was 10 she learned t drive a great big shiny red...impala she take her grandpa home drunk from his favorite bar in his great big shiny red...impala tell me grandpa how will i turn out will i be as tough as you cool lines around my mouth? well grandpa he wouldn't answer he too far in his cups starin' out th' window he turn the radio up talk about th' girl from jersey city she kinda cute but she kinda shitty she was so short th' windshield like a glacier but she went t bed much later then her sister grandpa smelled real funny like vinegar n money she liked it when he'd called her...honey she had so much fun listenin' t him singin' she felt like she's a grown up dancin' in the kitchen talk about th' girl from jersey city she kinda cute but she kinda shitty (STEP ON IT! C'MON N STEP ON TH' DAMN THING!) deep down in her heart she learned was freedom was in a great big shiny red...impala when she got older it took a lot t reach her hurt too much by life call me a bitch, baby. but my granpappy he tol' me where it's at talk about th' girl from jersey city she kinda cute but she kinda shitty
3.
REAL SLOW (for Townes) somethin happened, i can't explain it see a ghost came callin' on me last night show me how t live maybe how t write w/ a pitchfork + a gun + a tear down the face of a dyin sun he was so close he was far away a practical smile on a practical face pissin' on everything patchin' it up w/ his kid in the mornin' w/ a bottle like a friend + a look like a real dead end he was ugly he was handsome had electric shock n he moved like he talked like he sang like he walked real slow he showed me what i'd never done + never would til my own kingdom come somethin happened, i can't explain it see a ghost came callin' on me last night show me how t live maybe how t write w/ a pitchfork + a gun + a tear down the face of a dyin sun
4.
hard t be liked well it's hard t be liked it's easier t give when someone come on t you they can't see for shit who you are, how you think what you feel...well it's over for you in a blink oh bobby wave his gypsy wand make idiots disappear who his heart broke open for was never completely clear boy you sing like something matters + you hurt just like me im sure you face is beautiful yr soul in tatters baby i'll take yr cure ah ah ah cover my eyes with both yr hands can i feel you up can i join yr band i run away from you i cannot take yr love yr knife cut me up in all the wrong places n you can not fill my empty cup
5.
I WISH I COULD TALK WITH MY DAD i wish that i could talk with my dad most of the time he seems so distant n sad i know it's hard t know him but i got this idea in my head we jes standin on rock somewhere w/ th night as cold as death well he looks at my face like it's the first time he could see himself in me a broken smile move across his eyes he's both proud n sorry i wish that i could talk with my dad crack a joke r do somethin' cool that could really make him laugh i know i know him better then he'll ever know his son but there's times im sure no one else in my life knows better the race i've run we won't get it right my dad n me 'til we both forgive the past mistakes were made to show us how the good stands w/ the bad i wish that i could talk with my dad most of the time he seems so bitter n sad
6.
my friend im glad you are my friend we were good at the beginning have we ever reached the end? you know me better than anyone else a flashlight in a dark place when it look like everything's goin' t Hell a simple look across a room is all it takes for Heaven's sakes i was attracted you remember that? won yr heart from desire but that all fades to black i know you better than anyone else a light bulb on a back porch naked as Hell a simple look... across a room is all it takes for Heaven's sakes i don't have yr picture + i don't see you much but that don't matter does it babe we were never in a rush
7.
PBR (free) 03:20 video
PBR sit in the corner drinkin' my beer passin' the time happy i'm here one day rises + another one falls the kid by the window is scratchin' his balls hey ha-ho ha-ha! a clink of the glass a nod to th' gallows the poet is drunk he's pukin' in the shadows this ain't a bad life in the dank n the dark by makin' yr move yr losin' at darts hey ha-ho ha-ha! here's t the gin here's t the the stars all you sexy bitches n yr pbr's here's t the gin here's t the the bar all you sexy bastards n yr stupid pbr's hey ha-ho ha-ha!
8.
the bermuda triangle i was in a fight, a dirty fight a miss understanding, in the heat of the night i thought he liked me, but i had it wrong he said i was weak, when i shoulda been strong i was drowning in a bermuda triangle made of cement + weeds + grass + there's a rubber there + it was wet next to a cigarette, it touched my shoe + the wind tore my dress + th bugs licked my skin + a car pulled up t th light if i had a gun i woulda done it right see the driver in that car was th muthafkr who messed me up + he was starin straight ahead like i was invisible, as good as dead LOOK AT ME, YOU FILTHY BASTARD, LOOK AT ME YOU PIECE OF SHIT he hit the gas n drove straight thru that big ol' light, real innocent n cool + it was sad, it was pathetic + my heart turned black n blue LOOK AT ME, YOU FILTHY BASTARD, YOU PIECE OF SHIT
9.
WALKIN IN THE HOOD - for JP it's nice - walkin on the sidewalk nice - walkin t yr house it's nice - when it's rainin' in the neighborhood it's nice - drivin' in yr car you shout - hey what's new? dude? somehow it seem like you know everyone + yr the queen of the city block but it's just you... ridin' on yr bike nice - gettin' rice outa food wall nice - still drinkin when th sun comes up hey, it's nice - lightin up' a cigarette you shout - who's gonna help ya move yr piano? this ain't mr rogers hey, it's just all yr friends where a smile's more important than what yr t-shirt says + a wave can getcha hammered before last call . ..ooo small town America it's almost a city where you're not just a face in the crowd + people know you by yr hot tattoos + the secrets you keep + yr boomerang ... clothes it's nice - walking on the sidewalk nice - walking t yr house it's nice - walkin' with yr dog nice- walkin' w/ th' hurt you carry checkin out th pretty girls ...n boys
10.
THE KISS 03:16
the kiss i never felt anything like your kiss felt like i was 14 doin' somethin' dangerous oh baby my mouth is yr mouth it tastes like blood simple things r hard t get yr lucky when they happen i never felt... we just disappear here on a back porch in starlight my heart is yr heart melting away up on the roof sky looks so pretty makin pictures w/ caulk like picasso + th rain clouds come + wash it all away a perfect ending but my heart gets in the way yr mouth is yr mouth my heart is yrs i never felt...
11.
I SAW SEAN PENN ON CHARLIE ROSE i saw sean penn on charlie rose his face all twitchy + cool, real cool + charlie said ya got somethin' in yr head let's have it + sean looked hip + grim + said suicide suicide yr kidding, yr rich, yr somebody, yr famous what could make a person do that? is it somethin' yd ever try? a war or a woman or a lie a war or a woman or a lie i saw sean penn on charlie rose + somethin' i swear was in his coffee in his eyes, his eyes + charlie said d'j you ever laugh + sean scratched his head life is hard, real hard yr kidding, yr rich, yr somebody, yr famous 10 old ladies on the north shore from here never got anyone t hold them near i hope they ok today i hope they free depression is black but the blues come from heart break no booze no drugs no shrink can open that window + let the smoke out + let air in
12.
rear view mirror i fell in love in my rear view mirror boy in a pickup truck eyes blazing right behind my car my mama's car does he know im lookin' r is he blinded by the sun shoulders like picasso's harlequin kid smile so serious serious + honest + true true blue scotch tape my heart throw it out the window future less than zero pedal to the floor green light
13.
paper airplane he lives so far away from the city n he dream awake all night + he write the craziest songs, jackie gleason songs n he fold a paper airplane tight across the seam + on the wing he whispers something strange n dark a haiku from a beat up heart n he let it fly from his rooftop n he let it fly from his fingertips - out into the air - for anyone he hopes is there you find him in the fog, walkin' the streets alone weightless eyelids, heavy head... madness in the suburbs is like a cherry bomb it look kinda silly but it blows up everything - fakery + lies win the day + his nightmare it jes' won't go away n the xmas light stars come crashin' down + he shivers n he wonders why no one's around explosion makes no sound ya find him in the fog, walkin' the streets alone weightless eyelids, heavy head... s o s - 2 tin cans + a clothesline the sharks r swimming but they can't see the paper airplane it flies so close to me

about

full band, awesome. release date oct 16/2010

credits

released October 16, 2010

songs:

1. IF I WASN'T SUCH A BUM 3.17
2. DRiVIN' GRANDPA HOME 4.09
3. REAL SLOW (for Townes) 4.03
4. HARD 2 BE LIKED 3.02
5. I WISH I COULD TALK WITH MY DAD 3.54
6. MY FRIEND 3.21
7. PBR 3.21
8. BERMUDA TRIANGLE 4.08
9. WALKIN' IN THE HOOD 3.33
10. THE KISS 3.17
11. SEAN PENN ON CHARLIE ROSE 4.43
12. REAR VIEW MIRROR 2.26
13. PAPER AIRPLANE 6.47

cast:

piano JANE MANGINI
guitars KEVIN BARRY/DUKE LEVINE
bass ANDREW MAZZONE (RICHARD GATES track 8)
drums ANDY PLAISTED
harp DENNIS BRENNAN
backup vox DENNIS BRENNAN/RICHARD GATES
bar vox THE BRENDAN BEHAN RATS
tuba JOBY WILSON
trombone JOE STEWART
toy piano BERLIN

produced by RICK BERLIN/DENNIS BRENNAN/JOE STEWART
recorded/engineered by JOE STEWART
@ HI-N-DRY/HUMMELVISION
mixed @ HUMMELVISION
mastered by IAN KENNEDY
@ NEW ALLIANCE EAST MASTERING

photography ADAM WELLS
design NICK KENT

all songs by RICK BERLIN
(copyright symbol) LOBSTERLAND MUSIC ASCAP

details/lyrics/videos www.rickberlin.com

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

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

contact / help

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

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

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

If you like Rick Berlin (now playing w/ THE NICKEL & DIME BAND), you may also like: