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Keep the Devil out of Hillsboro

by Hemlock Smith

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1.
Keep the Devil out of Hillsboro 04:10
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Keep the Devil out of Hillsboro Keep the Devil out of Hillsboro Keep the demons at bay Every day is the same, you know Oh so troubled as it may Seeming endless with afterglow Subtle levels of grey Every thought is a shame, you know Oh so clever as it may Beam eye witness from head to toe And always give in to faith Not every cross has a name you know And noone ascended today CH I need to exorcise my state of mind I need to sanitize my wretched spine Let me get this blackness out of here With a batting bat – With a shotgun – - or a spear… Every day is the same - Every day is the same - Dumb is what really makes us bold Foolishness is no plague Every thought is a mould, you know And every carcass is plain Clothes will fool you - before you know We’ve taken care of ourselves There is no star here in Hillsboro Only illusions and space – CH I need to exorcise my state of mind I need to sanitize my wretched spine Let me get this blackness out of here With a batting bat – With a shotgun – - or a spear… yeah… I need to exorcise my state of mind I need to sanitize my wretched spine Let me get this blackness out of here With a wrecking ball With a crowbar - - or a beer… Keep the Devil out - Keep the Devil out. Keep the Devil out - Keep the Devil out.
2.
Blink 03:18
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BLINK Have another cup of coffee And then let’s go out on the balcony And watch the airplanes sink Hey don’t you think Life’s gone by … in a blink Let’s have another beer or so Then open up the cellar door And breathe the basement stink Hey don’t you think Life’s gone by … in a blink Let’s bottle fruit and corn Press the cider from the scorn Just a shrivelled heap of jinx Hey don’t you think Life’s gone by … in a blink Let’s fire up the afterglow And the memories burn like toes And the hurt beams like a sphinx Hey don’t you think Life’s gone by … in a blink Hey, who am I to thank? Now Baby, come on… Hey, who am I to thank? Now Baby, come on…
3.
My wonderful Bereaved 03:48
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My wonderful bereaved Elsalill stared into the sea For want to drown or for want to breathe Long for nothing, but for the hours to flee Oh why do hearts just stop but wounds still bleed ? By what decree… ? What decree indeed ? Oh Elsalill, my wonderful bereaved Oh Elsalill, what have you done to me ? What have you done to me ? Elsalill glared into the fire What we possess, the cruel flames aspire – - to and fro, destiny claims all of our desires And devours our weary souls entire And we agree… Or do we… ? Oh Elsalill, my wonderful bereaved Oh Elsalill, what have you done to me ? What have you done to me ? Elsalill looked into herself And found nothing there she’d want to tell – - (a private hell) A frozen monolith cast upon this fjeld This world of ours may be our biggest cell Oh let her be… Oh let her leave… Oh Elsalill, my wonderful bereaved Oh Elsalill, what have you done to me ? Oh Elsalill, my wonderful bereaved Oh Elsalill, what have you done to me ? What have you done to me ?
4.
Queen of the Spring Ball 04:32
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Queen of the Spring Ball The morning that our Sally left Was a sad day for us all She took a train to nowhere fast Left a message down the hall The sheet was damp and you know she’d cried As she stumbled through the words Something within had slowly died And she just couldn’t get heard It wasn’t just the pregnancy But our disappointed smiles It wasn’t just our leniency But the regret that carved our eyes CH You Were the Queen of the Spring Ball What happened to those dreams? Have you noticed? They wither like all flowers As it seems Like the flowers On the stairway When you walked down Smiling blissfully Oh so radiantly Here’s to apologies From a troubled mind When all we did was fail to see The fear that lurked behind Behind the blinds of convenience Of education’s toll The powers of obedience Can break you as a whole CH Oh Sally, I understand That you had to leave But Sally Could you tell me please…? Where’s the Baby? (repeat) Where’s my baby? CH CH
5.
Dunkirk / Jerusalem 04:33
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Dunkirk / Jerusalem In the dunes near Dunkirk Right by the sea In the crawling desert Of Sinaï All the hopes and spirit I saw them flee And the dunes of mankind We shall be Jerusalem Where are you now? What will you be? From the dunes near Dunkirk Right over the sea To the shores of England Our armed retreat All the hopes and spirit Shall never bleed As long as there’s water At desert’s feet Jerusalem Where are you now? What will you be? A mystery? Sins of our fathers - long been erased Battles are meant to be lost Love and forgiveness - floating in space Miracles come at a cost In the dunes near Dunkirk The sea was dry In the crawling desert We learned to fly Jerusalem Where are you now? What will you be? A voice in me? Jerusalem Jerusalem In the dunes near Dunkirk / Jerusalem In the dunes near Dunkirk / Jerusalem
6.
Spring is Mine 03:25
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Spring is Mine I don’t know why The birds went late this year I don’t know why The snow didn’t show I wonder why On earth You’re still here Your breath is calm So tornadoes don’t know where to go- CH 1 And I I Feel contented I feel fine ‘Cos, I’m not dead yet And spring is mine Oh I I Feel contented I feel inclined to tingling spine And Spring is mine I wonder why July just never came I wonder why The sun wouldn’t glow But if I fall into Your sweet embrace Old foe November will be laying low- (told you so) CH 1 CH 2 Oh I I Feel contented I feel fine ‘Cos, I’m not dead yet And spring is mine Oh I I feel demented Cos’ you’re sublime, my song and rhyme And you are mine… And I don’t care What the seasons do I couldn’t bear To live just one, without you…
7.
Brackets 02:57
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(Brackets) I Am the man in brackets Ignorant witness Blindfolded guest Numb Numb This Is so uncertain All the noise and racket Eyeless sockets Eyelid rockets Pockets full of Crumbs Pockets full of Crumbs Dumb Dumbfounded gallery Of stand-in by-standers Won’t know where the land is Amidst all this sea See All the dots that linger Under my fingers When I punctuate Exclamate Saying nothing. Saying nothing… I Am the man in brackets Scared on-looker Wordless bookend Of a Spotted - Dotted - Void.
8.
Family Tree 04:53
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Family Tree This morning I found a bird in my family tree It was singing aloud sayin’ you’re not what you should be Take a look at yourself and tell me what you find You’re a silent voice enclosed in a shallow mind CHa Family come together, say whatever, and you’re never understood Family come together, do whatever, but they never say you’re good (Give it up) What should I do with this bird in my family tree What could I say to the voice of my own misery Is there a way to see what I’m really like Or am I just a fool on the hill with a mountainbike ? CHb Family come together, say whatever, and you’re never understood Family come together, make it better, but they never do you good (Give it up) Bridge Down the drain/Lookin’ for love/Waiting for a new messiah Everybody thinks they oughta own their own share of desires Kill the pain/Try to look tough/Try to keep the sacred fire If everybody said : « I’m unique !! » - we would all be liars ! This morning I found a bird in my own backyard It was singin’ aloud sayin’ : « you are what you are… You are your father’s son and there’s nothin’ you can do To wipe this inheritance from your attitude… » CHa CHb There’s nothin’ you can do – to cut this tree in two… (Give it up)
9.
Everyone I Love 05:25
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Everyone I love 1. Shuffled feet on broken grass Amidst the turmoiled ground, I pass These lumps of earth, where people sleep And muffled voices, saying let’s not weep Let’s not cry Or at least Not before this song has died Our breath expired… CH 1 Why does everyone I love go away ? Why does everyone I love go away ? Why do people face the weather and others fade to grey ? Why does everyone I love go away ? 2. Heinous looks and silent meals Comparing wounds that never heal And we believed love conquers all But there’s your suitcase in the hall, that’s all Oh if you leave Oh baby please Don’t leave me here all nullified Our love, denied – (my pain… ?) CH 2 Why does everyone I love go away ? Why does everyone I love go away ? Why do people stay together and others go astray ? Why does everyone I love go away ? 3. Caught my reflection in a glass An absent mind, a distant past I wouldn’t notice dreams fulfilled A liquid hides this future spilled But let’s not bleed It is implied Along the way my hopes have died My soul – grew tired CH 3 Why does everyone I love go away ? Why does everyone I love go away ? How come I’ve fought the better and let the worse fuel my decay ? Why does everyone I love go away ? (Repeat CH 1)
10.
The Loveless Eternal 05:06
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The Loveless Eternal So here I walk Along this river Towards the sea Away from home It is called The boardwalk of sinners And I sure am All alone So we talked And we shivered We’ve shed our tears And we both knew It is called The road of all lovers Whose hearts grew cold And souls went blue But I’ll sure will cry for you. Along the stream Of disenchantment We’re floating by Old current’s prey It is called « La promenade des sempiternels Sans amour »--- And I’ll sure will die for you. We’re driftwood – driftwood We’re driftwood - driftwood So here I walk Along this river Towards the sea Away from home This is the lane Of the loveless eternal And I sure am All alone. This is the tale Of the loveless among you And I sure will cry for you…
11.
Little Jesus & the Housecat 04:51
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Little Jesus and the Housecat Shadow on the bedside table This altar for disabled Little Jesus shines for the blind And shows their prison bars You king of bedside tables Little Jesus – gentle neighbour Watching poor men’s lifelines Converge to funeral jars Souvenirs – calm my fears Oh Souvenirs – hold my tears – For a while… CH And so we sail through our numbered days Never sure just what the dice have played With the sun our only passenger And no tomorrow ‘ll ever break the spell Only Jesus and the Housecat stay Little Jesus and the Housecat – stay… You, Ghost of bedside tables Brooding – quite unable To heal our open wounds, and— Reveal your own, true scars Souvenirs – calm my fears Oh Souvenirs – hold my tears – For a while… CH And so we sail through our numbered days Never sure just what the dice have played With the sun our only passenger And no tomorrow ‘ll ever break the spell Only Jesus and the Housecat stay Little Jesus and the Housecat – stay… My kitten’s name is Mabel So calm – and wise – and stable She thinks it’s carved wood made by mankind And that is what you are… Exactly what you are… Exactly what you are… Exactly… Exactly… Exactly.
12.
Carnival of Souls 05:26
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Carnival of Souls The carnival of souls has come to town You don’t know where it’s from and where it’s bound The range of things they do – will astound you The carnival of souls has come to town The carnival of souls has come to town The corpses in their costumes settle down The diamonds in their eyes – shine brighter than the skies The carnival of souls has come to town The carnival of souls has come to town The mummies in their closets strip their gowns The colour of their flags – will be well enough to drag You in their clutches – in their claws – into the ground The carnival of souls has come to town The lifeless herd commuting makes no frown Misery and loss – have made them to be “us” The carnival of souls has come to town It was never gone It is coming home They were never gone They are coming home It was never gone It is coming home They were never gone They are coming home
13.
The North Sea 04:12
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The North Sea The wind has chilled all of our bones Or is it just the fright ? Our voices all devoured by the sky We pull the ropes and search the foam but You’re nowhere in sight Your melodies surprised us but The North Sea’s always right Far away from home Far away from home Here comes the night. Did you ever tire to explore Those valleys black and white - To navigate the corners of our minds ? You’d wander through our every storm- A chalice full of light Your melodies advised us but The North Sea’s always right So very close to home So very close to home Here comes the night. Who’d ever think that you might lose - that you might lose a fight ? The North Sea may despise us – You proved it to be trite – Far away from home There you may roam Into the light. (For Esbjörn Svensson)
14.
Testament 05:03
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Testament This is my testament This is my will I’m here to notify My lack of skills Life is a stranglehold And then it’s gone Beware the gaping hole Turn out the sun Turn out the sun This is my testament This is my will I’m here to qualify For lying still Life’s a roll of celluloid Running way too fast Beware the screaming void Deliver past And what a past… - way too fast- I don’t care if you die I myself – am Most preoccupied I don’t care if you die I myself – am Quite mystified And mostly quiet… This is my testament This is my will I’m bound to liquefy Somewhere in these hills Life’s just a shaky bulb Such – Uncertain light, oh I’ve got a windy skull Bring on the night Bring on the fight Turn out the light - You don’t care if I die You’re looking Most preoccupied You don’t care if I die Might be right about that This is what it’s at And I’ve got a note here in my hat And it hums like this… And it hums like this… (goodbye)

about

Hemlock Smith's third album, released in 2009. Recorded in five days, almost live, with a stellar cast of musicians, it's clearly their most focused and energetic album released. Contains much loved songs such as "Blink", "My Wonderful Bereaved", "Queen of the Spring Ball" and "Dunkirk/Jerusalem".

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released September 5, 2009

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Hemlock Smith Lausanne, Switzerland

Hemlock Smith come from Lausanne (Switzerland). Since 2002, they’ve released 7 regular albums with intelligent pop, as well as 2 soundtracks for silent film and 2 collaborations with Noise duo Les Poissons Autistes. Fronted by singer-songwriter Michael Frei, Hemlock Smith's distinctive voice is complemented by a talented band seamlessly blending Pop, Folk, Rock and Trip-Hop Sensibilities ... more

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