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Where We Go, We Grow

by Friendly Strangers

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1.
On the day that I outgrew you I could feel it in my cheeks All the purpose that I thought we had Got mashed up round my teeth But I won’t be the one to say “No don’t go I need you here” Even if I do I received misinformation About the value of your lips And the price of making love to pass the time Oh I hope that I’ll get to say “Darling I’m destined for fortune and fame I wish that I could but I can’t say the same about you” Well I’m sorry that I had to show you that side of yourself And you know I never meant to make cry And if that’s the way you think you feel So be it I’ll be fine Why don’t you just blow me A kiss Say goodnight And be on your way Darling I’m destined for fortune and fame I wish that I could but I can’t say the same about you
2.
Peppers 02:39
Nothing I can say will purify my foolish tongue Honey, don’t pretend that you’re not overjoyed to see me I can see it in the muscles in your mouth But I don’t expect sincerity, up here it’s such a rarity Nothing like our home back in the south Do you remember that preacher with his back so straight And his voice so full of command? But once his sermon was over, he’d be whole other person Always falling off the wagon with his pistol in his hand You know I always did enjoy holding hands with you in church Once when I was lost inside some little market town I kissed someone who reminded me of you With his fingers so careful and his breathing so steady And his eyes just that certain shade of blue Well after him I learned my lesson and I never wasted time I don’t fall in love with strangers anymore So I floated over oceans and I sailed through the air Trying everything I hadn’t tried before Well I never did believe you when you told me you were scared of heights I should have listened to my sister but I never trust her word She told me that you’d made yourself a name Somewhere in the northern states a frigid, frozen, barren place I fear that I’ve got just myself to blame I could have rescued you when we were young, been your wife and had your son And turned you into someone with some class Instead I had to go my way, growing wiser everyday And leave you there with no one to harass Well nothing I can say will purify my foolish tongue
3.
Oh Solomon 03:30
Oh Solomon, when will you learn? The means of the matter are not our concern With all of your secrets just floating around There’s so much potential for us to fall down I used to believe in you We made a promise of copper and tin Stars tied together with pieces of skin We may get lost but we’ll never be wrong With a system of symbols to help us along and I used to believe in you Stones won’t hold the demons down They grow like saplings out of the ground I know they’ll always be around No, stones won’t hold the demons down Oh Solomon, When will you see? There’s no other student as clever as me Do yourself a favor, and in your next show Try not to reveal just how little you know I used to believe in you
4.
I don't know anyone in Memphis anymore And when I wrote to tell you That I found a place to stay, Well, I'm afraid I lied. Now it's three a.m., and when you call I'll try hard not to mention that I think the world would be much better If your father died. My uncle taught me how to stroke A wineglass with my fingertips: It takes a wet and gentle touch, But finally it sings. When I get to New York City, I'll buy all of the blood oranges And embroidered shirts they have, And maybe then I'll buy a ring. Chorus: It's a long way home if you take Cemetery Road. The bikers turn their lights on and the corner store is closing. I can't say I know that our house will still be standing When we get there if we get there, but it's good to think of home. When we took Hector's taxicab, He drove through Williamsburg, And there I saw two Jewish boys in motion Just about to kiss. They were standing on the doorstep With their black hats in their hands And roses in the light above them. Dear, Do you remember this? Chorus. Well, I'm in the bus stop now With all my instruments and books And I am hoping when I reach Your father's house you'll be alone. It was in this month a year ago You first let me unbutton you: Will you unbutton me? Will you pick up the telephone? Chorus.
5.
Despite being noble you always were Sad as a dog that can’t find its way home But I saw you smile back when you were a boy I promised that I’d never leave you alone We spent the summer at Eleanor’s house Fishing for minnows and making up words I broke a jar of honey on the kitchen floor And your grandmother smiled ever so politely I wanted to cry But not around you (Chorus) And I can’t remember the things that we used to pretend in those days But I hope that wherever you are I’m on your mind always Some say I’m wasting my time here by the windowsill But I never knew better and I don’t think that I ever will My sister was chasing your grandmother’s cat Your brothers were building a house out of sticks And us in the attic learning about lips And you said you loved me Or something silly like that And all my new friends Are no friends at all And they don’t run around in the wind And I still miss you like nobody’s business And I don’t know how long it’s been Since we held hands down at Eleanor’s house And I promised never to leave you alone And despite being noble You always were Sad as a dog that can’t find its way home
6.
Bellflower 02:50
I thought you were a myth (Hell no) Your fingers on my lips (Like This) There was a time you told me what to do (Oh what to do) With a bible by my side (Right here) I gambled far and wide (Damn right) But I said “enough of that, enough of you” My little dear, how long will you remain (How long my dear) Ruining your feathers in the rain (In the rain) I tell you now as I told you before (He said before) I refuse to be your shelter anymore (Nevermore) (Chorus) And though I love this wretched war I have to give it up before My love decides to bar me from her bed So in the end I’ll try my best To change my spots and all the rest Will have to find another way to buy their bread I can’t be satisfied (Not I) By that which you provide (Nice Try) Oh Darling, where were you when I was low? (So low) You’re crazy as a loon (She’s nuts) Expensive as the moon (Too much) I always was a sucker I suppose One by one the Gods they all went mad (They all went mad) Pining for the things they never knew they never had And even though they tried their best (No good) They couldn’t pass the test (Who could?) So what do you expect for me and you? (Chorus) All the players, all the spoils All the sugar, all the oil All the blessings, all the prayers and all the sins They aren’t part of any grand ordeal Despite what you’ve been forced to feel It’s over now and everybody wins
7.
Oh My Stars 04:20
Let me be your moon and I will follow you around In the morning when you wake I’ll disappear without a sound I promise not to compliment your sister all the time Just please don’t leave me alone with people like this And look at you now baby Dressed up in diamonds and silk I wish I could say I was happy to see you so happy And look at you now baby Oh my stars Oh my stars I remember when we met, the pleasure was yours, you know it was And I had to wonder if I would survive your affections But it’s never too late to fall on your face and make a fool of yourself I did it and said that I did it for you And look at you now baby Dressed up in diamonds and silk I wish I could say I was sorry to see you so sad And look at you now baby Oh my stars Oh my stars I just want you to love me like you did when we were kids You say you don’t care about money girl but I know you always did I promise not to compliment your sister anymore Just please don’t leave me alone, no not again And look at you now baby Oh my stars Oh my stars Oh my stars…
8.
Ezekiel 04:36
And all your friends they worship you You make them dance Like they always wanted And you always were the prettiest dress in the room Sometimes you look so lost and puzzled and innocent and ashamed Like a lonely bird with a broken wing on the side of road in the rain Waiting for God Or a hungry dog (Chorus) We grow We grow We grow We grow We grow Until we don’t fit My father asked me How do you stay warm with a mouth like that? In my day we only said such things behind our parents’ backs He reminds me of you when he smiles sometimes When he doesn’t seem sure where he is Like a child who laughs when he sees those around him start laughing (Chorus) My father, he never knew that he changed when he came home from war And a wounded bird doesn’t understand why it can’t fly anymore And all your friends they worship you Make them dance Like they always wanted And you always were the prettiest dress in the room
9.
10.
Small and heavy, fits right in your arms Louder than the best of alarms A new you to be proud of Well I don’t suppose you’ve noticed but I do believe in love and (Chorus) Where we go, we grow Rain or shine or wind and snow Everything’s a game until it’s gone As twisted as we are we carry on Now that we’re old enough to make a difference Let us do everything we can We’ll build a dream of stone and steel We’ll make it all by hand Draw up the blueprints for heaven For who says we can’t have it now? And may all my friends forget my sins once I am in the ground (Chorus) Oh how ever so perfectly crooked we are Singing our songs, chasing our tails No matter how foolish our stories become We’ll plant our seeds in the teeth of a gale And they’ll do just fine (Chorus)

credits

released March 13, 2012

---------------------------------Friendly Strangers---------------------------------
Curtis McMurtry: Banjo, Guitar, Amplified Mandolin, Vocals
Liam O’Brien: Fiddle, Viola, Vocals
Lucy Kahn: Bass, Vocals
Max Mamis: Accordion, Piano (Prepared & Otherwise), Harpsichord, Vocals

---------------------------------------& Friends--------------------------------------
Aaron Latos: Percussion, Cymbal-Monster, Gang Vocal

Recorded by Alex Mead-Fox, Patrick Southern, & Tom Tierney
Mixed & Mastered by Tom Tierney
@ Spaceman Sound in Brooklyn, NY

Artwork: Julie Fraenkel

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Friendly Strangers Bronxville, New York

The members of Friendly Strangers came together at Sarah Lawrence College when front man Curtis McMurtry (banjo) assembled Liam O' Brien (fiddle), Max Mamis (accordion), and Lucy Kahn (bass) in September 2010. Since then, Friendly Strangers have developed a repertoire of songs regarding cosmopolitan angst, southern funerals, general bitterness and occasionally love (but usually not). ... more

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