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a thousand years ago and a thousand before that
along the Black River people lived and worked and laughed
then in 1916 it dried up and went away
‘cause the Lake Washington Ship Canal was run to Salmon Bay
now there’s concrete and glass above an ancient glacial lake
and all people do now is complain
they say
there’s too much traffic man, it was different back in the day
but back in the day was before eminent domain
and it’s never coming back again
'cause the neighborhood has changed
everyday in Ballard brings a new proposed land use sign
they’re tearing down the houses to build town-homes that are all alike
so much wealth in the hands of so few means
nobody’s left who cares to take care like they used to
and they’re never coming back again
so I’m leaving…
life as we know it isn’t life as we knew it
the only thing steady is change
teach the history, teach the history
turn around, change
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2. |
Making Me Beg
02:45
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I’ve never been much of a praying man
I don’t fear no judgment day
but I’m down on my knees, I’m down on my knees
life in the great outdoors, you see
it gives me all that I need
but you won’t let me be, you won’t let me be
so I'll straighten up and smile right on cue
please, yes, and thank you to the mighty few
if only credit could go where credit was due
oh, you're making me beg
the work will never be done
not even working all night til next day
with a life on the run, a life on the run
but life in the great outdoors, you know
it gives me all that I need
but not one thing more, not one thing more
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3. |
You'd Better Be Rich
03:35
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you'd better be rich, or you’ll be lonely tonight
isn’t that what they say
work hard for your money, don’t give it away
any job worth doing is worth a payday
yeah that’s what we learn
nobody wants a penniless fool, nobody at all
nothing less than something will do
but what can you buy
not a thing that’ll feed your soul, maybe a cool drink of water
a meal and a few decent clothes
still there’s the bottom line
they say buy buy some precious things and you won’t be alone
‘cause everyone loves a rich man you know
isn’t that what they say
not only with a word, but a look on the face
when you try to break the rules
stepping out of line from all the fools
you don’t have to be rich, and you’ll be happy in love
you gotta learn to ignore and say no no to the status quo
you won’t be alone, ‘cause kindness follows kindness you know
you gotta step outside and say bye bye to the age old drill
Less is more, some billionaires are the poorest of the poor
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4. |
Carry The Blues
04:00
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I could ask you to stay
but you might still go away
and I don’t know what I could do
you might offer up a bit of spare change
or maybe a dollar or two
and I’d sing you a song and maybe
I’d hold off some of those blues
I’d sing you a song and hold off some of those blues
when the city tries to bleed you dry
and there’s nothing it seems you can do
learn to keep keeping on all the days long
and carry that song that you do
‘cause it’s something you own and it’s yours alone
and it's something that you always knew
open your heart and learn to carry the blues
I could tell you to stay but we both know someday
that leaving’s just something we do
but in the meantime we’ll each sing our songs
and make things that are beautiful
when I said goodbye we both knew I was lying
but it’s something that sounded like truth
we’ll each sing our song and learn to carry the blues
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5. |
A Little Love
03:39
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if I’d never loved, where would I be
without an anchor, adrift in the sea
nothing to hold but your memory
oh, where would I be, where would I be
maybe I’d end up exactly right here
careless of danger, without any fear
simply alone, with no one to hold near
oh, maybe I’d end up right here
Love
it’s the end of the mission
we all need a little love
but it doesn’t work, if you hold on too tight
no it doesn’t work, if the time’s not right
it just makes it hurt to live in black and white
oh, it just doesn’t work, if you hold on too tight
but it feels so good when you've got someone
yeah it feels so good, like a day in the sun
it feels so right when the day is done
oh, it just feels so right when you got someone
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6. |
The Countdown
05:12
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Christmas Eve growing up was all of us
watching Mickey’s Christmas Carol on TV
and we’d each exchange a single secret Santa gift
and that was it, I’d have to go to sleep
I’m the youngest of the five and always felt a bit outside
of getting to take part in what was cool
but in the early hours Christmas morning, just the girls
we had a script, a little ritual
the four of us shared what was once a big New England barn
one room divided by a folding wooden door
I remember waking up in the dark
though it’s doubtful that I’d slept at all the night before
we’d each of us tiptoe around, brush our teeth, whispering
we weren’t allowed to even flush the toilet
the best part was coming up, the countdown would start
then we could run downstairs and see what Santa brought
from in the top bunk across that folding wooden door
my oldest sister was the one who called the shots
she’d hold her clock in her hand counting out the final minutes
excitement building even in the silence
there was nothing like the feeling of waiting in the dark
for her voice to finally reach my ears
she’d say, five minutes, then two minutes, then one minute
and the countdown began
there’s no name for that love
there’s no name for that love
the one thing I was certain of
when the countdown hit three, two, one…we’d run
it was a thunderous charge down the stairs
each girl screaming as we passed our parents door
there was the year I got a bike, the year I got a guitar
the year Mémé wasn’t there anymore
it was always pretty cold, snow and ice outside
the perfect time to make our favorite treat we called snow candy
we’d boil maple syrup then pour it out in strips like bacon
on a patch of hard-packed snow and then we’d eat it
there’s no name for that love
the one thing I was certain of
when the countdown hit three, two, one…we’d run
my brother Daniel died the day after he was born
some people get the short end of the stick
some get a little more
even now I still miss him in the room
sounds funny but it’s true
every photograph with one less smiling face
the truth is I still miss him in the room
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7. |
No Use Waiting
03:18
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when I was 18 years old I hit the road
I didn’t know why, just that I had to go
it was 1997, I was all alone
but I didn’t turn back from the great unknown
I had a little cash I’d saved working all summer long
so I bought a tent and bags and a bike to carry them on
that fall Mum drove out of Boston to a quiet little town
then she opened up her arms and let me out on my own
the mother I have keeps her eyes on me
a steady hand on my back
she says no use waiting for the shoe to drop
waiting for the maker to call it off
the days were rough climbing hills with much too heavy bags
but by the end of the week I felt light as I ever have
I made it to Atlanta, the rest picks up from there
but it’s the in between stories that brought me right here
you might feel like a fool, but a fool is alright
there’s no space like the sky, like silver moonlight
you might feel like a fool, but a fool is alright
there’s no space like the road, like red sunlight
when I was 18 years old I hit the road
and she let me go, and knew I’d never come home
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8. |
Big Money
04:00
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every time that big money wins
it seems like such a waste of time
for every hour we keep putting in
can’t turn into some justice in this life
every time that big money wins
I swear I’ll get it back somehow
then I find myself rolling over again
so I spit out my disgust down on the ground
I wouldn’t mind paying my taxes with a smile
if I thought that all the big guys did the same
but the more I hear about it, I get so fucking tired
of always being fed the same old lines
like they tell us it’s time to tighten up our belts
we need to learn to live with a little less
but the budget cuts that follow are stripping bones already bare
they’re cutting student loans and Medicaid and Medicare
and the more money you make
it’s just faster fall the breaks
then we don’t like to pay for very much
like schools or beds so poor folks can rest their heads
even though these wars are billions spent
but that’s my laundry list and I got a sink full of dishes
I always pay next months rent
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9. |
In The Beginning
02:47
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in the beginning when man created God
he made his own image with a staff and a rod
for comfort and love on that shadowy walk
through the valley of gathering dark
that valley of gathering dark
heaven waits for those they say
who suffer day by day by day
and that it seems explains away
why bloodshed and war remain
why bloodshed and these wars remain
then men invent a different line
their fear of death hides life’s true design
that violence and fury will overcome kind
and leave her for dead by and by
leave her for dead by and by
truth be told we can’t escape
from angels of death or the beds that we make
and no story will save you from a bitter fate
you gotta live life with some bit of grace
live life with some bit of grace
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10. |
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everything your mother knows listen carefully
plant a seed and watch it grow
then you know you can be free
dig a straight and narrow trench add holes deep as a fist
each a step or two apart
yes this is how you can resist
though the bastards grind you down to your pride you hold
carry on with steady feet
these are things your mother knows
as shoots reach to the knees halfway dig into the earth
bury stems up to the half
a simple step a great rebirth
dark days come along of this everyone knows
but even in the morning light
that dark sometimes just won’t let go
though the blight was on it’s way of that nobody knew
then bellies ached and mothers cried
the cold was fierce and blankets few
though the land gave food aplenty the poor a chance had not
‘cause the rich just shipped it all away
these are things my mother taught
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MoZo Seattle, Washington
MoZo began as a street busking project, a 2-person empire of politically-minded bicyclists. Moe and Aimee Zoe.
MoZo recommends:
Rockin' power trio with Tony Fulgham
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The Bushwick Book Club Seattle Volume I
by The Bushwick Book Club Seattle
MoZo performs with and LOVES The Bushwick Book Club Seattle. We read books, we write songs about them, we perform them for an audience. So we book shows, and invite an audience to read with us!
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Seattle's Only Pretenders Tribute
by Jealous Dogs
Performing Pretenders hits, b-sides, and rarities. with Sherri Jerome & Zoran Macesic
go to albumIf you like MoZo, you may also like:
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by Rachel Alina & Birdie Busch
A musical and visual journey through Ocean City, New Jersey via gentle Americana and an illustrated poetry book.
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No One Seems To Notice That It's Raining (Previously Unreleased Recordings 1970-75)
by Jay Bolotin
This compilation of songs from cult legend Jay Bolotin has the same stark beauty as prime Leonard Cohen and Jackson C. Frank.
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Downey to Lubbock
by Dave Alvin
Soulful guitar interplay form the heart of this lovely Americana collaboration from Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore.
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