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Joshua Radin's We Were Here

Everything'll be alright (will's lullaby)

way down in new york town
thinkin bout the way she loved me
there's a hole in my pocket that's about her size
but i think everything is gonna be alright
yes i hope everything is gonna be alright
a smiling face is trade in l.a.
the gifts are found at the bar
well i wish my car
could drive to her tonight
then i'd know everything is gonna be alright
yes then i'd know it'll be alright

the rain in new orleans
forgot to end
but the mouths of the people are dry
and we watch and wait
and do nothing but sigh
and hope everything is gonna turn out right
but i don't know if it'll be alright

but i look at you
warm in your dream
while your mobile dances above
and i think to myself
it's a beautiful night
and i know everything is gonna be alright
yes now i know it'll be alright

When I was younger I had a tape of Larry Norman's Only Visiting This Planet. A friend had made a tape of the LP for me. I loved it. Edgy, folky, Christian music. I lost the tape, or wore it out, and never was able to get a hold of a quality copy again.

Norman passed away Sunday:

Christian music legend Larry Norman died Sunday of heart failure, according to his brother Charles Norman. He was 60.
Norman, a blonde, long-haired rocker who is often called the father of Christian rock music, was a giant in the Christian music industry, said Chris Willman, senior music writer for Entertainment Weekly.

Here is a YouTube of the classic Why Don't You Look Into Jesus:

Lyrics after the jump

More information on Keith Jarrett here and on the Koln Concert here.

I was listening to some John Prine last night and thought I would share some of the lyrics. The Great Compromise has a Fourth of July tie in, so I thought it appropriate. (Plus, I get all kinds of visitors searching for song lyrics) If you get the chance to see John Prine play live, do it. He is simply one of the best entertainers out there. You'll laugh, you'll cry (literally). Those so inclined can probably tease some political commentary out of the song, but I tend not to bring politics into my music or ignore it when it is there.

Great Compromise
From: Great Days: The John Prine Anthology

I knew a girl who was almost a lady
She had a way with all the men in her life
Every inch of her blossomed in beauty
And she was born on the fourth of July
Well she lived in an aluminum house trailer
And she worked in a juke box saloon
And she spent all the money I give her
Just to see the old man in the moon

Chorus:
I used to sleep at the foot of Old Glory
And awake in the dawn's early light
But much to my surprise
When I opened my eyes
I was a victim of the great compromise

Well we'd go out on Saturday evenings
To the drive-in on Route 41
And it was there that I first suspected
That she was doin' what she'd already done
She said "Johnny won't you get me some popcorn"
And she knew I had to walk pretty far
And as soon as I passed through the moonlight
She hopped into a foreign sports car

(Repeat chorus)

Well you know I could have beat up that fellow
But it was her that had hopped into his car
Many times I'd fought to protect her
But this time she was goin' too far
Now some folks they call me a coward
'Cause I left her at the drive-in that night
But I'd druther have names thrown at me
Than to fight for a thing that ain't right

(Repeat chorus)

Now she writes all the fellows love letters
Saying "Greetings, come and see me real soon"
And they go and line up in the barroom
And spend the night in that sick woman's room
But sometimes I get awful lonesome
And I wish she was my girl instead
But she won't let me live with her
And she makes me live in my head

***First posted at Blogcritics**
There are few things better in this world than an album release by one of your favorite artists. I was reminded of this one night while listening to The World Cafe. I heard a song that sounded remarkably like a John Prine song. After a few more seconds I knew yes this was a John Prine song. But I didn't recognize it and I have the Anthology box set. Then it hit me: John Prine has a new studio album coming out! As soon as I got home I checked to see when it was available. Not for a couple of weeks, drat. But not to worry I survived the wait and the album is now safely in my hands. And I can report that it was worth the wait. It is classic Prine and will go into regular rotation in my "listen often" pile.

John Prine is often referred to as a cult favorite. What this basically means is that he has millions of fans and yet gets little to no radio play on mainstream stations. One of the reasons for this is his genre defying music. Part folk, part country, part singer songwriter, part blues, part you name it. He can make you laugh, he can make you cry, he can make you dance, and he can make you think.

Great music and some great lyrics. Cannonball is playing right now. Click below for the lyrics.