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1. |
Nothin' but the Blues
04:26
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Nothin’ But the Blues
c. 2014 Sidney S. Whelan
The blues just happens
Things go wrong.
You grind your teeth
All night long,
Wishing that bottle
Could move things along.
It ain’t nothin' but the blues
It ain't nothin' you can take
Nothin' you can use
Ain’t no way to lose this feelin'
It ain't nothin' but the blues.
The blues is a river
Too wide, too long.
You try an’ fight the flood
Too fast, too strong.
Try to swim, get stuck in the mud.
Where’d it all go wrong?
It ain’t nothin' but the blues
It ain't nothin' you can take
Nothin' you can use
Ain’t no way to lose this feelin'
It ain’t nothin' but the blues.
The blues is an empty room
You can't leave
You just fight the truth
Just can’t believe.
It’s a life sentence
With no reprieve
It ain’t nothin' but the blues
It ain't nothin' you can take
Nothin' you can use
Ain’t no way to lose this feelin'
It ain’t nothin' but the blues.
It ain’t nothin’
It ain’t nothin’
It ain’t nothin’
Nothin' but the blues.
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2. |
Down to the River
04:28
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Down to the River c. 2014 Sidney S. Whelan
What do you do when life ain't worth living'?
Best to hit the road, best to keep on singin'
ABC, what beats in your chest?
DEF, who left you blessed?
I went to the well one two three many times
Some of that corn liquor goes down like a crime.
Bone-dry one day, dead-soaked the next
You can tell by that and the Holy Text
That I'm goin' down to the river, gonna see if it run dry.
Either that or gettin' ready to bust out
Floodin far and wide. Either way it's nothin' but trouble.
Nothin' but trouble all my days,
Well I'd try to explain but you wouldn't understand
What a woman like that means to a man.
'Cause your cold heart and head of stone
Got you thrown out of house and home.
You went through the backdoor 1 2 3 many times.
Now she got a lawyer and you payin' the fine.
Judge lookin' down from his big oak desk
You can tell by that she’s well and truly vexed.
Now you're goin' down to the river. Gonna see if it run dry.
Either that or gettin' ready to bust its banks
Floodin far and wide.
Either way it spells nothin' but trouble.
Nothin' but trouble all your days.
Well my friend, this ain't cool.
I'm done runnin' around.
Nothin' but fellas sittin' on barstools.
And an occasional workin' gal.
Now who's actin' a fool?
Hey bartender, what's the tab?
A woman like that makes life worth living
But this hard life is unforgiving.
She may be here today then gone the next
You can't blame a fella for feelin' hexed
I ran thru Hell one two three many times.
Fell out winded on the other side.
Listen here woman, I love you the best;
You know by that I been put to the test.
Now I ain't studyin' that river I don't care if it run dry.
Ain't gonna fight it if it bust out, floodin far and wide.
I won't be in none o' that trouble.
If you're with me for all my days.
If you're with me for all my days.
If you’re with me for all my days.
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3. |
Long Lonely Night
03:28
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Long Lonely Night c. 2014 Sidney S. Whelan
An empty bed,
Cracks in the wall.
Voices in my head
Playin` our last phone call,
It`s gonna be a long,
Long, Long lonely night.
I tried to forget her
Thought I'd be alright
But then I thought I mighta seen her.
By the pale moon light
So it's gonna be a long.
Long, long lonely night.
I hear footsteps on the staircase
So I open the door.
It’s just a man with a suitcase
Climbin’ up one more floor.
It`s gonna be a long,
Long, Long lonely night.
The blues ain`t no kind of friend
I didn`t never wanna see her again
But she jumps up and grabs you
Wraps her arms around you
How do you
Make her let go ?
I hear footsteps on the ceiling,
They havin' a ball upstairs.
I'm watchin' paint peelin'
Run a hand thru my hair.
It's gonna be a long,
Long, long lonely night.
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4. |
The Story of Ike Dupree
05:57
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The Story of Ike Dupree c. 2014 Sidney S. Whelan
I was tellin’ you the story of Ike Dupree,
How he didn’t like my dog and he didn’t like me.
What you didn’t understand, didn’t comprehend,
Was what happened to Ike: why he was in the pen.
You may recall Hustler Henry when,
He said Ike had been doin’ 5 to 10.
Well things with Henry’s none too tight,
And that’s one detail he didn’t get right.
Ike’s an Army man with a Navy wife,
But he was over to Angola doin’ 30 to life.
Over to Angola doin’ 30 to life.
When the Flood came Ike was out there boatin’,
Savin’ everything that was out there floatin’.
Came across a trio of Blackwater men,
They mashed him in the jaw and they shot him in the leg.
Said “Good thing we done found you out,
You’re an insurgent, there ain’t no doubt.
Ain’t no double ACP no CLU,
No liberal lawyer is a-gonna save you;
No liberal lawyer is a-gonna save you!”
They threw him in a cage at the Greyhound Station.
No water, no food, no sanitation.
No lawyer, no papers, no Miranda rights,
No bed, no blanket, just mud and flood lights.
Wasn’t no judge that was on duty,
Wasn’t no bailiff, wasn’t no jury.
But the sheriff sent Ike over to Angola;
Ike thought he had seen the last of NOLA.
Got in a big brawl with some roughnecks in the jail,
(Lucky for him there ain’t too many.)
At first his fight wasn’t goin’ to well;
But in the end he prevailed with the help of Sam Bell.
In the end he prevailed with the help of Sam Bell.
Don’t nobody know how Ike got out.
Just one o’ them things folks don’t talk about.
But I heard one or two of them Blackwater men,
Well they might-a gone missing, never heard from again.
Might-a gone missing, never heard from again.
Now the sheriff in the parish sellin’ stolen cars;
Dealin’ coke in the clubs and shakin’ down the bars,
Sellin’ them protection from Ike Dupree.
But that’s just a hustle ‘cause twixt you and me,
You might find ole Ike down in the Quarter,
Slingin’ cheap Po Boys and cookin’ short order.
Heatin’ microwave portions of rice and red beans,
Underneath the radar down in New Orleans.
Tatoos on his arms, his neck and his cheek,
He’s workin’ short order every day of the week.
Workin’ short order every day of the week.
Now as you can imagine Ike don’t talk much;
It ain’t a lot of people that Ike can trust.
But I saw Sam Bell over in Tremé,
And I asked him why Ike didn’t just stay away,
After how the ol’ Crescent had done him that way.
After how the ol’ Crescent had done him that way.
Sam said “Now listen here bruh you know Ike don’t run.
He won’t run from a flood he won’t run from a gun;
Won’t run from mercenaries all dressed in black.
They can send him up river but he’ll always come back.
Send him up river but he’ll always come back.
He ain’t on nobody’s radar screen.
You won’t see him on camera if you know what I mean.
No one knows where he makes his home.
But I saw him down on Frenchmen with a slide trombone.
Saw him down on Frenchmen with a slide trombone.
Saw him down on Frenchmen with a slide trombone.
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5. |
Ice Water
03:19
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Ice Water c. 2013 Sidney S. Whelan
People in Hell
They want ice water
Now you come talkin’
You didn’t do what you oughta
Schuckin an Jivin
Out the side of your head
Protestin’ an denyin’
But you made your own bed
Ice water, Ice water - long, tall, cool drink ‘cause
You know you want it, you got to have it.
People in Hell
They want ice water
But what you been teachin’
Your sons and your daughters?
Cheatin’ and lyin’
Just to get ahead
But they only tryin’
Out things that you said.
Ice water, Ice water - long, tall, cool drink ‘cause
You know you want it, you got to have it.
People in Hell
They want ice water
Say they’re all innocent
Don’t deserve these quarters
You come to me cryin’
Sayin’ it’s not your fault
But nobody made you
Do that credit default
Ice water, Ice water - long, tall, cool drink ‘cause
You know you want it, you got to have it.
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6. |
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One Way Street (Down the Line) c. 2014 Sidney S. Whelan
It's a one way street but I don't mind
I like to pass thru here all right
I always have a mighty good time
Long as I know after I pass by
I ain't lookin’ back I'm headed down the line
Down the line, down the line
I ain't lookin’ back I'm headed down the line
They slapped me on the back passed the jug around
Poured a splash for old souls down on the ground
They said "ain't you on the wrong side of town?"
I said "More or less but I do get around."
I ain't lookin’ back I'm headed down the line
Down the line, down the line
I ain't lookin’ back I'm headed down the line
The man had his hand on his pistol grip
Cold black metal just above his hip.
He said "listen here boy don't you give me no lip."
I said "I guess it's time to finish my trip."
I ain't lookin’ back I'm headed down the line
Down the line, down the line
I ain't lookin’ back I'm headed down the line.
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7. |
Every Time I See Her
04:43
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Every Time I See Her c. 2014 Sidney S. Whelan
Every time I see her I start to stutter and sweat
Every time I see her I start to stutter and sweat
Lord I sing your praises that my good girl ain't quit me yet.
Every time I see her seem like all my words done flew away
Every time I see her seem like all my words done flew away.
She say "don't worry baby, it ain't nothin' you need to say."
Yeah, yeah. Yeah yeah, yeah hey hey
Yeah, yeah. Yeah yeah, oh it's gettin' good to me.
Oh give me more o’ them sleepless nights!
Throw back the covers, turn off the lights!
She lovin' me slowly, slowly. She lovin' me slowly, slowly.
She lovin' me slowly, slowly. She lovin' me slowly, slowly. Ow!
Every time I see her I just wanna grab on an' hold her tight.
Every time I see her I just wanna grab on an' hold her tight.
When she walk into a room the men say "Lord thank you for givin' me sight!"
She lovin' me slowly, slowly. She lovin' me slowly, slowly.
She lovin' me slowly, slowly. She lovin' me slowly, slowly. Ow!
Oh it's gettin' good to me.
Oh give me one more sleepless night!
Throw back the covers, turn off the lights!
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8. |
Too Cold Ohio Blues
02:52
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Too Cold Ohio Blues c. 2013 Sidney S. Whelan
Well I lived in Ohio, much too cold for me.
Well I lived in Ohio baby, much too cold for me.
The sun refused to shine and I like to freeze.
Well it rained for forty days and it snowed for forty nights.
It rained for forty days and it snowed for forty nights.
So dark in the daytime the people never turn off they lights.
Well I’m leavin’ Ohio baby I feel like I’m runnin’ out of time.
I’m leavin’ Ohio baby I feel like I’m runnin’ out of time.
I‘m bound for California leavin’ out on that ‘Frisco Line.
Well fire up this engine get this train runnin’ right on time.
Fire up this engine keep this train runnin’ right on time.
My San Francisco woman’s gonna fire up this engine of mine.
My San Francisco woman’s gonna fire up this engine of mine.
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9. |
The Rainmaker
04:01
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The Rainmaker c. 2014 Sidney S. Whelan
I bought a senator; they come real cheap
But before you say he's a soulless creep.
Let me explain.
He's my truest friend, a friend indeed
'Cause he knows I can fulfill his every need.
Come sun or come rain.
Now you say friendship’s something I can't buy
But you mis-speak, either that or you lie.
And that I do disdain.
‘Cause I’m the Rainmaker, Rainmaker
You’d better believe.
Rainmaker, Rainmaker
It’s rainin’ green.
Your kind of friend has no permanency,
One day you two will disagree
And he's on the next train.
Your kind of friend got his own opinion
On everything from my taxes to my guns
He is such a pain.
Now my lil' senator, he does what I like,
So we don't never fuss nor fight
Do I make myself plain?
‘Cause I’m the Rainmaker, Rainmaker
You’d better believe.
Rainmaker, Rainmaker
It works for me.
‘Cause I’m the Rainmaker, Rainmaker
You’d better believe.
Rainmaker, Rainmaker
It’s rainin’ green.
So I pay my friends, compensate them well
And they'll stick with me through heaven or hell,
We all got somethin’ to gain.
So let stick this flag into my lapel
It pays to look like a patriot when you got somethin' to sell
Well let me go make some rain.
Cause I'm the rain maker.
Rainmaker, you better believe.
Rainmaker, Rainmaker
It’s rainin’ green.
‘Cause I’m the Rainmaker, Rainmaker
You’d better believe.
Rainmaker, Rainmaker
It works for me.
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10. |
Blues Said: "Old Man"
05:57
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Blues said: “Old Man…” c. 2014 Sidney S. Whelan
Blues standin' in the doorway, wicked smile up on her face
Blues standin' in the doorway, wicked smile up on her face.
She said "step inside old man. Welcome to my place."
Blues unscrewed a bottle o' Thunderbird wine
Blues opened up a bottle o' Thunderbird wine
Said "well old man. Looks like you're all mine."
Blues said "you ain't got a nickel to your name. Ain't been paid"
"You ain't got a nickel to your name. You ain't been paid."
Said "not only are you mine old man but looks like you'll have to stay."
Blues standin' in the kitchen watchin' the cornbread burn
Blues standin' in the kitchen watchin' the cornbread burn.
Shook her head, said "old man, you'll never learn."
Blues said "ain't no bed for you, just a pallet on the floor."
Ain't no bed for you, just a pallet on the floor."
And don't you think 'bout leavin' old man, ain't no knob inside o' that door."
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11. |
That Lil' Fice
03:45
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That lil’ Fice c. 2013 Sidney S. Whelan
That lil’ fice was jumpin’ around
Snappin’ and yappin’. Makin’ a dreadful sound
Short while later up rolled Ike
Grumblin’ n rumblin’ on his Harley bike
Said “you don’t do sumpin’ ‘bout that lil’ dog
I’m a roll him over with this here hog.
And when I’m done with that lil’ fool,
I’ll turn right around and start on you.”
Sunday night in the 7th Ward
By Marigny down on St. Claude
Not too many tourists come ‘round this way
But there’s somethin’ to see most every day.
Henry the Hustler leanin’ on the fence
Perked right up, offered thirteen cents
Said “Ike I heard you just got out the pen
And that you was up there doin’ 5 to 10.”
“You know the scpa got armed officahs
Run over that fice, you’ll be the one with the collah.
And as for my man, now don’t you do him like that,
His lil’ mutt ain’t no bigger’n a cat.”
Sunday night in the 7th Ward
By Marigny down on St. Claude
Not too many tourists come ‘round this way
But there’s somethin’ to see most every day.
Ike thought ‘bout what Henry had to say,
Revved his bike and rolled on away.
I let out a big sigh of relief
And Hank he says “now let me be brief;
Cross my palm with a lil’ sumpin’ sumpin’
Sumpin green on the hand that’s helpin’
You ain’t bein hustled; you ain’t bein scammed
You ain’t bein robbed, it’s just that I’m de man!”
I cut my eye, good an’ long
Peeled off a twenty, said: “Go on – get gone!”
Oh ‘round here, we don’t give the Devil no rest.
But bless me I love this unholy mess.
Bless me I love this unholy mess.
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12. |
Steak for Two
03:15
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Steak for Two c. 2014 Sidney S. Whelan
Well where you been Baby? I been waitin’ all alone
Well where you been baby? I been waitin’ all alone
I ain’t heard a word, no message on my phone.
She said: “Why I gotta call you? You know you ain’t my pa.
Why I gotta call you? You know you ain’t my pa.
I’m a good and grown woman, don’t report to no one at all.”
Well where you been Baby? You been out all night
Well where you been baby? You been out all night
I been worried ‘bout you baby, wonderin’ if you was alright.
She said: “don’t you worry ‘bout me, I can take care of myself.
Don’t you worry ‘bout me, I can take care of myself.
Jus’ worry ‘bout yourself – yourself and nobody else.”
She said: “You don’t tell me what to do; don’t tell me where to go,
And as for where I been, you ain’t got the ‘need to know’
Though I do love you baby and you see I came back home to you.
So that’s how it is – now tell me what you gonna do?”
Well I understand baby; I can’t tell you what to do.
I understand baby. Can’t tell you what to do.
But now I got the menu – I can order that steak for two…
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13. |
Lighten Up
03:17
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Lighten Up c. 2013 Sidney S. Whelan
"Lighten up. Lighten up. Lighten up."
She said to me. "You take it all, take it all too seriously."
"Although you're right. You are Right. Yes you’re right.”
She said to me. "It's all coming to an end, just not immediately."
"We got some time left." She said to me.
"We can mourn when we're dead tonight is still lovely."
"Let's go dance. Lets’ go dance. Let’s go dance.”
She said to me. "Where the sun sets over the wine-dark sea."
Solo
"We all die. We all Die. We All Die.”
She said to me. "So dance now and hold me closely."
"Tell the truth." She said to me.
"It was worth livin' to be with me."
"Lighten up. Lighten up. Lighten up.”
She said to me. "You take it all, take it all too seriously."
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Whelan New York, New York
Sid Whelan is a veteran singer-songwriter with an unapologetically old-school vibe. He has released three solo albums on Bandcamp. He calls his Music "Dark Blue Americana" and has studied songwriting with Chely Wright and Steve Earle. He has also studied guitar with Woody Mann & Howard Morgen. ... more
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