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Wildcat Chuck Charles

by Charles Ellsworth

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davekillcountysmith
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davekillcountysmith Again, we have the full band sound. But, on this ep, the songs are given the space to breathe and the vocals are given their free rein to sear these powerful lyrics into your soul. Favorite track: Arizona Pines.
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1.
I cross the willamette on a starless winter night Portland fades as she’s dancing across my mind When she’d hold the bottle close, and i’d wish that it were me. She’d say “the liquor works much quicker” than i’ll my whispering. And I feel so far away from the love that her and I once made. But I learned to shoulder all my burdens and Hide those crosses that I bear. Her figure dancing in the moonlight, with those flowers in her hair. When the first morning light falls on the windswept carolinas under an old oak tree with a tire swing is where I go to find her. When I feel so far away from the love that her and I once made. So I buried my heart on the interstate fueled by the fire our love once made. My soul free of the tug-of-war and I’m stuck wondering what was it all for when I feel, so far away. Oh I feel so far away. I watch the earth pass my foot heavy on the gas. She learned all about love from a T.V. screen all those rock and roll songs and shattered dreams. Her hearts been broken so many times it keeps healing itself, a little less right. She’s got a chip on her shoulder and ace up her sleeve everything she needed to destroy me. Never needed more than those emerald eyes, a packed suitcase, and the words “good” “bye.” So watch me bury my heart on the interstate fueled by the fire our love once made. My soul free of the tug-of-war and I’m stuck wondering what was it all for when I feel, so far away. Oh I feel so far away. I watch the earth pass my foot heavy on the gas. Under the shadow of the mountains that we fell in love over the river and the walls my hearts put up dancing in the breeze, beckoning spring, no one there to witness just her and me I feel so far away Oh a feel so far away.
2.
I heard the fountain of youth was buried deep in her eyes so I kept them for myself swallowed them with my pride buried them deep and out her soul came she was wagging her finger saying “shame, shame, shame” I know who you are and I know who you’ve been you ain’t no better than the worst type of man get what you want and get the hell out is there anything left of you? One day i’ll grow wings and i’ll fly back home where they serve whiskey in the jar and the buffalo roam. For now i’m just off trying to settle the score, watching my brother go to prison, dodging a holy war. Well If i’m wrong I guess that they’re right, coming for me and i’ll be leaving in the night. With a notch on my pistol and a man in his grave, I guess i’ll live to fight one more day. She was the apple of my eye in the eye of the storm and all I could think about was just keeping her warm deep in the night by the light of her eyes. Oh I should have tried to forget her, could have done better by my fellow man but you never can go back and change the past just like you always wanted to. So you roll up your sleeves and get on with your life, don’t you look back keep swallowing that pride tell yourself there’s nothing left for you. There’s a bad luck wind and it’s been blowing up my way says it’s here to stay. She says it’s here to stay. She’s the devil’s right hand and she’s wrapped around my heart been there from the start oh she’s been there from the start. One day i’ll grow wings and i’ll fly back home where they serve whiskey in the jar and the buffalo roam. For now i’m just off trying to settle the score, watching my brother go to prison, dodging a holy war. Well If i’m wrong I guess that they’re right, coming for me and i’ll be leaving in the night. With a notch on my pistol and a man in his grave, I guess i’ll live to fight one more day. She was the apple of my eye in the eye of the storm and all I could think about was just keeping her warm deep in the night by the light of her eyes. Oh I should have tried to forget her, could have done better by my fellow man but you never can go back and change the past just like you always wanted to. So you roll up your sleeves and get on with your life, don’t you look back keep swallowing that pride tell yourself there’s nothing left for you.
3.
I heard a man say That life is just pain so i pulled back the hammer and I blew him away I left the room ‘fore the rattle was heard couldn’t help think that he got what he deserved Another man said that Jesus is the light but he’ll only help you out if you’re straight and you’re white you can be your own God just act like you are because actions they speak louder than words I slit his throat before his last word fell blood on my boots I ran like hell There’s an evil that lives in the heart of all men if you’ll do it once then you’ll do it again and you’ll live long enough, to know you’re not right but whatever helps you fall asleep at night Now his kids are cracking whips over backs that brought the fall and as history repeats all we know is we don’t know nothing at all I broke a girls heart and lord I felt bad but I wasn’t ready for the life she had planned I buried her down ‘neath those Arizona Pines where paradise creek meets the great divide There’s an evil that lives inside this heart of mine I did it again though, God I tried and I’ve lived long enough to know I’m not right and now I can hardly close my eyes.
4.
Grandfather Pine are you still spending all your nights, drinking in the darkness down below. Is it, still bittersweet with all those women that you meet? You get what you want and get the hell out? Do they cry, when your gone? Do they cry, when your gone? Are they crying now? No, it won’t be long. Father of time are you still wasting all your life, doing all the things that you taught me not to do? I never learned from your words and just the people that you hurt. Now i’m terrified that i’m just like you. We cried, for what you’d done. We all cried, for what you’d done. We’re crying now. Now it won’t be long. I heard you whisper about love, Like it’s something that you ever found. These walls are made of more than blood, and I don’t think that you can knock them down. Until you go and pick them up, all the folks that you let down. Don’t you ever try and give it up, I won’t ever let you live it down. He man of the law are you still fighting for a cause, or just that kingdom in the future you’ve been sold? Can you still see them at all, beyond your rich suburban sprawl? Does that mirror reflect something other than yourself? They won’t cry, when your gone. No they won’t cry, when your gone. They’re crying now. And in the darkest of nights do you still see the light? Did you ever see the break of dawn? Do the stars at night shine of their own free device? Or that darkness that shrouds us all? Oh that darkness now, no it won’t be long. I thought I saw you preaching truth, something to which we’re all bound. A promised land we’re drifting to, but you ran us all into the ground. Until you go and pick them up, all the folks that you let down Don’t you ever try and give it up, Because I won’t ever let you live it down. Mother of mine are you still saying that your fine, Like an actress who never learned a word. Are they sucking you dry? Are they making you cry? Are you dying in spite of yourself? They’ll all cry for what they’ve done. They’re crying now. No it won’t be long.

about

Before leaving Salt Lake City to move to New York I had bartered with my friend Wes Johnson for some studio time. We ended up tracking everything for the first three songs of the record in a couple days. When I got to New York I realized it wasn't complete and I needed to add Grandfather Pine to the EP. The next time I was in Salt Lake, I booked a couple more days in the studio and we tracked out Grandfather Pine.

This was a really cool collaboration with some of my favorite musicians in SLC and it was a great final record for my time spent there.

credits

released October 16, 2016

All Songs written by Charles Ellsworth
Recorded & Engineered by Wes Johnson at Archive Recording
Mixed by Bob Hoag at Flying Blanket Recording
Mastered by Jason Livermore at Blasting Room Studios
Produced by Charles Ellsworth
Album Art by Morgan Whipple
Artwork layout by Mark Ricks

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Charles Ellsworth Brooklyn, New York

Born and raised in the White Mountains of Arizona, Charles Ellsworth first gained an appreciation for a simple, not so distant past. His vivid lyrics and near-familiar melodies weave to tell stories of heartbreak and loneliness while shining a light on the perseverance of the human spirit. ... more

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