"Cover Up"

Second song from the aborted "Censor This..." project - The Garibaldis' foray into the political, conceived by myself and Steve Wicked mid-2006 whilst working on the Hard Rock Hotel narrative. Plans for the 15-song album were scrapped when the band temporarily split following David Picklesworth's official departure several months later. As of 2013 there are no plans to complete the project.

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COVER UP

Cover up

You think it’s right

Whilst out there your brothers and sisters

In battle do fight

Cover up

From head to toe

Religion states that if you don’t

The almighty one will know

Cover up

Ignore the truth

It’s the facts which matter

Right?

Cover up

The newspapers today

Lies are what matter

The victim doesn’t get a say

Falling down a never ending well

Or so the saying goes

I leant my dues through years of pain

Licking Slovakians' toes

Slobodan, Slobodan, Slobodan Milošević

Slobodan, Slobodan, Slobodan Milošević

Slobodan, Slobodan, Slobodan Milošević

Slobodan, Slobodan, Slobodan Milošević

The Yugoslav Wars couldn’t cover up

Hatred, hatred, lies and pain

The Yugoslav Wars couldn’t cover up

Sleet and snow and wind and rain

Cover up, cover up

You think it’s right

Forget about those who

In battle do fight

Cover up, cover up

You think it’s right

Slobodan Milošević

In battle doth fight

The Yugoslav Wars couldn’t cover up

Hatred, hatred, lies and pain

The Yugoslav Wars couldn’t cover up

Sleet and snow and wind and rain

Slobodan, Slobodan, Slobodan Milošević

Slobodan, Slobodan, Slobodan…

"The Olde Butcher Blues"

I attempted to cram the entire back-story of Hard Rock Hotel's protagonist into this one song. And succeeded. Like Marmite this tune has its lovers and haters - the former in shape of my good friend Robert Heart; latter my good friend Steve Wicked. It was a shame the HRH concept never achieved its full potential, David Picklesworth's departure from the band being the catalyst of recording and writing problems. Several times in subsequent years myself and Steve have discussed re-recording songs, remodelling the album and even completing an early 30-song draft entitled "Off Cutts". Something for the future perhaps.

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THE OLDE BUTCHER BLUES

Growing was real nice

Dreamed of havin’ a wife

And many little kids

Yeah, the butchers life!

But now I feel strange

From inside comes a rage

An urge to kill

Since I took some dodgy pill

The guy said it was good

Kinda tasted of wood

But I didn’t complain

Within minutes I was insane

I saw my life flash before me

In yellow, green and blue!

Realised the life of a butcher

Just wasn’t the thing to do

So I gave up my dreams

Of kids and a busty wife

Went back to my dealer

Bought a bag of those “pills of life”

Looking back on old days

Which now are a haze

Remembered once upon a time

As a kid, I stole some wine!

Got home and got caught

Parents all fraught

So I said to them:

Screw your rules!

I’m gonna grow up some day

To live a life of play!

To which dad replied,

With bulging bloodshot eyes

“You’ll grow up to cut meat,

That or be a doctor of feet

That’s what yer mum does

And she doesn’t fuss!”

I don’t want to cut meat!

Or doctor smelly feet!

I want to live life to the full

With a country house and a pet bull

That’s all I remember

Of my childhood

Two seconds later

I was pouring blood

My dad kicked me in the head

“Ow!” that’s what I said

And that’s where memories end

My dear old listening friend: the chorus!

I saw my life flash before me

In yellow, green and blue!

Realised the life of a butcher

Just wasn’t the thing to do

So I gave up my dreams

Of kids and a busty wife

Went back to my dealer

Bought a bag of those “pills of life”

The message behind this fable

Is to keep your feet off the table

As I experienced as a child

When my dad caught me bein’ wild

I was jumping on the table

When I shudda been eating my food

My dad got real angry

And in a bad mood

Next thing I knew

I was on the floor

My arm was broken

And there was blood once more

All these memories

Tell me to keep away

From fathers all over

Tomorrow and today

I advise you to grow up

With no enemies

Until the day comes for you

To try some drugs then decide: “You know what, screw life! I can’t be arsed!”

I saw my life flash before me

In yellow, green and blue!

Realised the life of a butcher

Just wasn’t the thing to do

So I gave up my dreams

Of kids and a busty wife

Went back to my dealer

Bought a bag of those “pills of life”

Looking back on my life

Alone, with no wife

Come to the conclusion:

It’s better to do drugs and be miserable and alone than not do drugs and feel bad about life anyway

Those were my old butcher blues!

"Riot on the Streets"

First of two sets of lyrics created for the aborted Garibaldi "Censor This..." project in 2006. Written concurrently with much of the Hard Rock Hotel material, "Riot On The Streets" was overlooking the narrative limitations of that album and indicating a more politicised future for The Garibaldis' music. Like "The Bittersweet Biscuit Rock Opera", this never came to be.

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RIOT ON THE STREETS

Acts of religion

Acts for the gods

Words of excuse

For the terrorists

Walking the streets

Plotting on the grounds

That religion says it’s okay

Well the people don’t

Stand up for what you know is right

I’m waiting for that fateful night

When the people come together for the sake of peace

That will be the day that riot hits the streets

Attempting to kill those who rule

Through those who have no mouths

A cowardly act, one with no remorse

“What comes around goes around”

Yet I’m still waiting for the day

That people have enough and declare war

But still we carry on

Ignoring the signs and hoping for the best

A time will come we all we see

Men, women, children, will flock to the streets

All solely for the one main cause:

Killing in the name of religion?

We’ve had enough of it

Many will die, but rightly so

To put an end to those who think they know

“If the holy book says do it, then so we shall”

But their clearly reading from the wrong damn pages

As together with the masses,

Those of the same religion also step forward

Shouting at the haters that what they’re doing is wrong

Yet still they come ever closer, threatening with their bombs

When that day will come, I have yet to see

But in the meanwhile terrorists

Will still plot their war on governments

Whether those in charge, be wrong or right

It’s our duty to stand up for them

In the everlasting fight

Until all those who fight

And those who hope for good

Inevitably die in battle

What comes around doesn’t always come around

We’ve got to make a stand today

The terrorists of the land will carry on

Until an opposition takes their power away

Fuck off.

"Empty Inside and Out"

Lyrically continuing the conceptual narrative of Hard Rock Hotel adequately; musically this song stood out when The Garibaldis' performed it live in 2009, going down well with the crowd who in turn elevated its performance. Unfortunately, as with much of the original album, the studio recording is under-par.

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EMPTY INSIDE AND OUT

Coming to terms with what I’ve done

Should probably hide, should probably run

I stretch out my hand, but no-ones there

What happened to life, does anyone care?

Empty on the inside and I’m empty on the out

Empty on the inside and I’m empty on the out

Clearing up the evidence from my possessions

Coming to terms with just what I’ve done

Time to make a run for it, how did it come to this?

Two years ago I had no troubles: the butcher’s life I miss!

Empty on the inside and I’m empty on the out

Empty on the inside and I’m empty on the out

Empty on the inside (I’m empty on the out!)

Wait a second, can somebody tell me who I am?

Lost in a daydream between the future and the past

Can someone help me? Can someone help me?

I’m lost on the inside, and the out

Followed by a deadly doubt

Will be caught, ever found out?

I’ve got an urge to eat some trout!

Thinking back to how have changed

Feeling different, feeling strange

Killing a person just isn’t right

But a massacre just ain’t polite!

Empty on the inside (I’m empty on the out!)

Empty on the inside (I’m empty on the out!)

"Bus Spottin'"

A quieter number from Hard Rock Hotel in which the album's narrator describes his state of induced disconnect. I believe this is Steve's favourite track from the album (along with "The Hotel" of course!) and perhaps it prophetically reflects his own personal struggle with prescription drugs which, in 2012, resulted in admission to rehab.

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BUS SPOTTIN’

Passing away, time doesn’t exist anymore

Stuck in the hotel, sprawled across the floor

Blackness ahead, yet vivid colours I see:

Green and red, buses driving over me

No sound can be heard, all alone

Feeding the thirst up here on my throne

Looking down on the people below

Each catching buses, but where-to we’ll never know

One day there’s a chance

A sound will be heard

A taste will be sensed

A touch finally felt

That day is a million moons from now

Yet I’m content in this bubble

Bouncing through the streets…

No-one notices as they board their buses:

Some green, some red – flying high

I don’t recall a time, when time was there

Yet I’m content, here on my own

Bus spotting: green and red

Red                  and                   green

"Just Because I Wasn't Born to Slaughter!"

A not-particularly amusing track given a rather exuberantly silly performance on the Hard Rock Hotel recording. The song proceeds "Empty Inside and Out" conceptually, however precedes that track on the finalised 2008 edition of the album for some reason. That same year, Steve and I revisited "Just Because..." on the first EP of The Garibaldis' "Unplugged Series".

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JUST BECAUSE I WASN’T BORN TO SLAUGHTER!

Standing before the court all alone

All ‘cause I felt the urge to snap some bone

What’s going on, all the people just stare

Feeling as though, I really should care

No hold of my life – because I’m going down

Locked behind bars in the blackness of downtown

Hell hath no fury like I did that day

Now I’m paying the price for the slay

Didn’t have long to wait ‘till I was found

Can’t say it was easy running from the law!

Now they know.

Now they know.

Didn’t expect to never be found

When you commit a murder life is far from sound!

No hold of my life – because I’m going down

Locked behind bars in the blackness of downtown

Hell hath no fury like I did that day

Now I’m paying the price for the slay

Holding on to what I’ve got, maybe for one last time!

Standing tall against the jury pleading guilty for my crime!

Glad I don’t remember how I used to be

Glad that I’m not seen like this by my distant family

Locked up in a cell all night before they let me plea

Twenty-four hour surveillance no sneaking in a key

Now they know.

They all know.

Praying for some sorry reason I don’t even know why

Gone is my chance for salvation - no point starting to cry

Just because I wasn’t born to slaughter!

Just because I was caught in cold blood

Just because I wasn’t born to slaughter!

Does that mean, kill again I could?

No hold of my life – because I’m going down

Locked behind bars in the blackness of downtown

Hell hath no fury like I did that day

Now I’m paying the price for the slay

Interlude (sung badly out of tune at 2:44)

Help me please

I doubt anyone could

Come on please…

No way!

‘Cos they know.

They all know.

Called up to the platform to give my final plea

The only word running through my mind is g-u-i-l-ty

Yet I go ahead anyway, the word ‘innocent’ comes out

Oh, gosh darn it – didn’t mean to say that – the victims family start to shout!

No hold of my life – because I’m going down

Locked behind bars in the blackness of downtown

Hell hath no fury like I did that day

Now I’m paying the price for the slay

Just because I wasn’t born to slaughter!

Just because I said “innocent”

Just because I wasn’t born to slaughter!

But forever I shall be…Hell. Bent. Yeah

HELL BENT ON KILLING AGAIN!!!!

"The Price Of Salvation"

Upon founding The Ill-Fitting Garibaldis', we gave the writing process a kick-start by planning a trinity of albums. The concept for second album Hard Rock Hotel was brainstormed by Steve and myself in an internet chat-room (popular at the time), shortly after the completion of An Angel Called Lucifer. We arranged to write six songs each (an indication that David Picklesworth's departure was already imminent) with me opting to start the album. Of the eight songs on the 2008 finalised version of HRH, "The Price Of Salvation" remains my favourite.

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THE PRICE OF SALVATION

Now I am older and I’ve grown wiser to life

Looking back at what I’ve done

Ashamed but I don’t wanna be

Turn to the lord he’s the one who’ll save me

The price of salvation is too high

Give up your life and repent your sins before you die

I have seen the light and there’s one thing I must do

To pay the price of salvation, it’s that or die a fool!

I’m going at this alone

I don’t need to pay the price no more!

All it does is drag me down

Who needs a god anyway?

Persecuted for what I’ve said over the years

Life is so simple so why give up on it now

Trade in my values to be politically correct

Salvation’s price is too high for me

Pack up my bags and move away

If that’s what it takes to escape my fate

No turning back

Helpless on my own

Judged for my beliefs

Acting as the fool

No more pain – throw this life away

I know a place where I can stay

The price of salvation is too high

Give up your life and repent your sins before you die

I have seen the light and there’s one thing I must do

To pay the price of salvation, is the actions of a fool

I’m going at this alone

I don’t need to pay the price no more!

All it does is drag me down

Who needs salvation anyway?

Lost, never to be found

My feet now far from the ground

Will I see my life again?

It’s now or never my friend

Now I am older and I’ve grown further from my life

Looking back I see just black

Ashamed but I can’t feel anything else

The Lord just stands laughing down at me

The price of salvation is too high

Give up your life and repent your sins before you die

I have seen the light and there’s one thing I must do

To pay the price of salvation, is the actions of a fool

No turning back

No turning back

No turning back

No turning