Gravity Radio

EXITMUSIC 1011
Written, arranged and produced by
Mikel Rouse
EXITMUSIC RECORDINGS

Gravity Radio is a song cycle interspersed with actual radio reports taken from the AP Newswire. The original inspiration came from the physicist Raymond Chiao and his experiments with superconductors and – gravity waves, which exist in theory but have eluded detection. I took the elusiveness of gravity waves as a springboard for a song cycle that would float and mutate through a combination of sound and visual ether.

The sound is composed of string quartet, shortwave radio frequencies and radio reports (along with the songs and the band) and the visual incorporates multichannel video representing a visual kalidascope of earthbound images.

The instrumentation is for singer/guitarist, bass, drums, keyboard, 3 backup singers and string quartet (although this can be enlarged to a small chamber orchestra with winds and brass). The radio reports change daily and are interspersed with commentary by the writer and phrases that highlight the connection between the song lyrics and the reports.

The reports presented on the CD recording were performed by TONY Nominated/OBIE Award winner Veanne Cox.

01. Report 1
02. Wait For Me
03. Black Cracker
04. Report 2
05. Silence Of Sound
06. Yawn Factory
07. I’m So Blue
08. Report 3
09. Blue Book
10. Star Chamber
11. Rose Woods
12. Report 4
13. Stay In School
14. The Gravity Of New Orleans
15. Low Rent
16. Report 5
17. Age Of Toys
18. Love Bombing
19. The World GotAway
20 Closing Report

Lyrics

WAIT FOR ME

If I get hypnotized
Slack jawed before your eyes
If I met Lucifer
Here’s what I’d say to her:

Lift up your skirt
What could it hurt?

Love comes to those who wait
Those who wait for me
Love comes to those who wait for me

And if you get mystified
Pedaling side by side
You’d be a sweet hotel
Perfect for shaken well

Lift up your skirt
What could it hurt?

Love comes to those who wait
Those who wait for me
Love comes to those who wait for me

(Love comes to those, wait for me)
(Love comes to those, wait for me)

If I get Easter-bound
Crosses to dance around
When I met Lucifer
Here’s what I said to her:

Lift up your skirt
What could it hurt?
Love comes to those who wait
Those who wait for me
Love comes to those who wait for me

BLACK CRACKER

Me and this girl was talkin’ loud
About America stickin’ out of reach
As if history turned a page
With opportunity all the rage it seemed

Well, everybody she knows is tight
And in recovery for the night and day
But they’ll be serving a world at war
About a minute and nothing more to say

And every morning before the sun
Before reality has begun in bars
Take a number and get in line
For a day of what’s yours and mine and ours

When I’m bored I can’t be bored with you
(Black cracker, black cracker Oooo)
When I’m blown I can’t be blown in two
(Black cracker, black cracker Oooo)
When I wonder what I wouldn’t do
(Black cracker, black cracker Oooo)
I will wait in single file for you
(Black cracker, black cracker Oooo)

When I’m bored I can’t be bored with you
When I’m blown I can’t be blown in two
When I wonder what I wouldn’t do
I will wait in single file for you

Me and this girl was talkin’ loud
About America stickin’ out of reach
As if history turned a page
With opportunity all the rage it seemed

Well, everybody she knows is tight
And in recovery for the night and day
But they’ll be serving a world at war
About a minute and nothing more to say

And every morning before the sun
Before reality has begun in bars
Take a number and get in line
For a day of what’s yours and mine and ours

SILENCE OF SOUND

If I’m broken, I’m broken beside you
And when I’m looking for someone to run to
And if you’re thinkin’: I’m sinkin’ slowly
To have an hold you my one and if only…

You could be here hangin’ around
Year after year near to the ground
Silence of sound

And if I wander, I wander around you
A semicircle of heaven and hell too
A karaoke machine that won’t quit
A song to nowhere, hit after hit and if…

You could be here hangin’ around
Watching the waves near to the ground
Silence of sound

And if I’m able I’ll manage a phone call
To check your ankle and catch your free fall
The kitchen’s crowded, the blender’s a riot
‘Cause here in Clinton, we keep things quiet

If you could be here hanging around
Year after year, silence of sound
Near to the ground, silence of sound

YAWN FACTORY

Move over, move over
Move over, move over

When you get tired of life
When you cannot think twice
Melting a welfare dime
Drifting from time to time

I say half day I say no way
Yawn factory wish you were me
I say half day I say NO

I’M SO BLUE

Take the pillowcases, baby take the sheets
Maybe I don’t want them
And maybe you could meet me half way in the middle
The middle where I’m bound to be
If we’re stuck in cement, nothing near sublime
Giving up to reason, patterns over time
It took years for us to shape them
Years to leave the love behind

But I’m so blue
That I love you

Yes I’m going crazy, I’ve been there before
Standing by for mercy
One foot out the door where I was when you forgot me
Where I’ll be when you’re alone
Gift imagination’s possibility
Blowin’ dreams that blossom
Insecurity inside a reputation
A never land that’s unredeemed

But I’m so blue
That I love you

Through the rear view mirror as you wave goodbye
Did you ever wonder
When I learned to drive myself over my reactions
Over my mind gone blind
And when you go to garden, leveling your guide
Catching conversation, making love to life
It goes on about its business It don’t suffer for its crimes

But I’m so blue
That I love you
Yes I’m so blue
That I love you

BLUE BOOK

Everybody reads my Blue Book
Everybody reads my Blue Book yeah

Everybody read the morning paper
Everybody got the same advice
Everybody loses what they wager
Everybody got the lowest price

Everybody wants to read – everybody reads my Blue Book
Everybody wants to read – everybody reads my Blue Book yeah

Everybody signs the same agreement
Everybody sleepwalks loud and long
Everybody pitches for the same team
Everybody wonders what went wrong

Everybody wants to read – everybody reads my Blue Book
Everybody wants to read – everybody reads my Blue Book yeah

STAR CHAMBER

Well it’s a star chamber for every stranger
Take good money off the table
Turn it down and spread it ‘round – everybody sing!

It’s a star chamber, every wafer
Take communion slap a savior
Take time off for good behavior – everybody sing!

Well it’s a Star Chamber, slippery banker
Miss the boat and miss the manger
Take time off for good behavior – everybody sing!

It’s a star chamber from every angle
Take a break from either angel
Take one down, pass it ‘round – everybody sing!

ROSE WOODS

And when you think the worst is over
You know the worst has just begun
And if you’re livin’ for the loophole
Well, I was one
Whatever you’ve done becomes undone

But they get sick and tired of you
And Rose Woods wonders what to do

I wasn’t clumsy, not by nature
I wasn’t beating on a drum
But when they took the bread and butter
Well, I was hung
About time the law had won

But they will break your heart in two
And Rose Woods wonders what to do
Yes they will break your heart in two
And Rose Woods wonders what to do

STAY IN SCHOOL

Casanova, roll right over
Sitting in the last café
Acting my age half way
Cars exploding, markets folding
No one shops here anyway
Calvary meets Chevrolet

I traded knowledge for tape decks and beer
Caroling cocktails and all I hold dear
Now the world’s ending did you ever hear
You should stay in school?

Carry over, sitting sober
As the money rolls away
Take the last holiday

Can you spot me half a century?
If I’m in your thoughts today
Give me the right of way
Glossing over Casanova
Sitting in the last café
Feeling my age each day

I convinced everyone nothing is free
Left out the part that was all about me
Now the world’s ending did I ever see
You should stay in school?

THE GRAVITY OF NEW ORLEANS

If life was a nickel and death was a dime
I’d spend all my money all of the time
A fistful of dollars to squander at will
And hurricane glasses waiting to fill

Up and down when they fall apart
‘Round and ‘round when they fall apart

The gravity of New Orleans
The gravity of New Orleans

If wishes were horses then bankers would ride
On half-hearted levies with nowhere to hide
The future of family forgot and for sale
With memory markers and fate out on bail

Up and down when they fall apart
‘Round and ‘round when they fall apart

The gravity of New Orleans
The gravity of New Orleans

LOW RENT

I am waiting for some sign of life to appear
But the end of this wait is drawing near

Slip into your low rent
Slip into your low rent
I’ll be there waiting with colorful savings
For every room

I was wrong to shake this hand
What if nothing in this world can stand?

Slip into your low rent
Slip into your low rent
I’ll be there waiting with colorful savings
Or silent investors and broken defectors
For every room

I am empty as the light of day
I lived lonely and I never found my way

Slip into your low rent
Slip into your low rent
I’ll be there waiting with colorful savings
Or silent investors and broken defectors
For every room

AGE OF TOYS

Your business sense is late; I can’t wait
Your love affairs go wrong, tag along
Your life’s a mystery date; I can’t wait

Heaven told me you was lonely
Dropping anchor just to thank her
For all the noise, the age of toys

Drink ‘til you’re full of hate; I can’t wait
Your grown-up toys hang out all about
Leaving you at the gate; I can’t wait

Heaven told me you was lonely
Dropping anchor just to thank her
For all the noise age of toys

LOVE BOMBING

Love bombing and side winding
If everybody could hold on tightly
Maybe I’d fly the plane for you
And maybe I’d drop a bob or two for

Love bombing and my timing
Is really a way to keep from deciding
What I’d do with a different view
Maybe I’d fall in love with you and

When I’m bored I can’t be bored with you
When I’m blown I can’t be blown in two

And love bombing and love bombing
And love bombing and love bombing

When I wonder what I wouldn’t do
I will wait in single file for you

And love bombing and love bombing
And love bombing and love bombing

THE WORLD GOT AWAY

When I’m bothered, can’t be calmed down
I will tumble in this dead town
Lost in Heaven, lost my dreams
Like a beggar on her knees

The world got away
The world got away with me
The world got away
The world got away with me
Well the world go away
The world got a way with me

Wear my mornings up my sleeve
And my evenings can’t believe
What I wasted, all the years
Stuck in neutral, stuck in fear

The world got away
The world got away with me
The world got away
The world got away with me
Well the world go away
World got a way with me

Away my self doubt
Away my no clout
Away my longing
And what’s gone wrong in me?

And why I’m dying
And why I wander
And while I’m at it
What’s gone wrong with me?

Pick my poison like my friends
Makes life wonder where it ends
Take this body, take this soul
For the magic that we stole

The world got away
The world got away with me
The world got away
The world got away with me
Well the world go away
The world got a way with me