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BOWERY BUMS (for HILLY)

from DEMOS by Rick Berlin

/

about

Orchestra Luna (I and II) played CBGB's a lot during the high era, when Seymour Stein was signing em all up: the Heads, Ramones, etc. We stood out like a sore thumb all white in clownish make-up and choreography. But we loved it and felt welcome throughout, meeting all the big shots. (Travis Kern plays guitar on this one.)

lyrics

bowery bums

well we didn't fit in but hilly liked us
so we played his club a lot
everybody there was all punked out
n we could hardly rock, yeah
n patti sat in the back of the bar
she gonna steal a drummer
n joey hid the shadows
like james dean's long lost lover
n seymor signed one crazy band
one right after the other
n fame was droolin' at th' door
he looked jes' like joe strummer, yeah

n lou showed up he looked so cool
his scratchy shades in wonder
cuz nothin's hotter then standin' near
the cusp of the undiscovered, oh yeah

+ they were there a lot at night
drinkin' at hilly's bar
television, heads n mumps n blondie
n ramones shootin' bullets at th' stars
n danny caught it all
n hilly made it happen
guitar, a flash, a photograph
n lyrics written on a bloody napkin, yeah

hipsters n dopers they all the same
like the slime behind th' stares
a bathroom stuck w/ needles
n love jes' like despair, yeah

you always hope the scenes you love
would someday have a place for you
paris in the 20's or hippies in the haight
n cbgb's made us new
but we were most peripheral
n danced a awkward dance
somebody hold the hair outa my eyes
n give me ah, a 2nd chance, yeah

a pair o' tits, a switchblade
a pretty krishna boy
a piece o the rock i spit it out
black stars become white noise, yeah

credits

from DEMOS, released November 18, 2012

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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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