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Bread + Roses

by Joshua Hall

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1.
The fine strands of our lives Three sisters weave Into tapestry They pulled me here to you Knowingly And by gravity We're combined All the lives that intersect and collide Fate + Gravity decide Where inside the warp and weft We reside Where inside the warp and weft We reside
2.
Snakes + Apples When the prophet spoke and came down the mountain side The covenant was carved into tablets of stone Faith in the next world, golden ticket to paradise Turning eyes to Heaven, believing in a fallen Earth. The animals were the first to be enslaved when the garden was left behind It’s easy to camouflage evil as the word of God The world is bent to man’s needs, Dominion Defiled “A curse consumes the Earth, its people must bear its guilt”. (Isaiah 24:6) Women are all vilified as temptress to men King David raped Bathsheba, who does God forgive? Inquisitions + Witch Trials, Indigenous convert or be killed March to another war justified in God’s name (Chorus) It’s the original sin Lead me not into temptation With the Snakes + Apples The world is man’s to plunder by the grace of God For a god in the sky we imprison our mothers + daughters + our wives Do unto others with these exceptions Snakes + Apples (Bridge) How long do we live in the shadow How long until we realize The damage we have done when we turn our eyes away Saying it must be God’s Plan God’s Plan? (Chorus) It’s the original sin Lead me not into temptation With the Snakes + Apples The world is man’s to plunder by the grace of God For a god in the sky we imprison our mothers + daughters + our wives Do unto others with these exceptions Snakes + Apples
3.
Earth + Sky 05:10
Earth + Sky There is a place beyond the horizon Rainbow’s end in the palm of your hand Stars shine like diamonds In the night Where do we go when life’s done How do we know asks my little one The mystery What I believe Is where love resides between Earth + Sky How do you get there asks my little one East of the Moon, West of the Sun North Star guides Magic inside me Map of your heart is how you find me Always (Chorus) There is a place beyond the horizon Rainbow’s end in the palm of your hand Stars shine like diamonds In the night Every day flowers bloom Anthems are sung by the light of the Moon Till the firelight goes down Till there is no more sound Between Earth + Sky (Bridge) A long rest for wary bones The troubled world falls away On a soft bed of Earth With a blanket of Sky I’ll sleep When it’s my time little one I’ll go and it can’t me undone It’s OK to be sad And a little mad But save a smile for your dear old dad Between Earth + Sky (Repeat Chorus)
4.
Safe + Warm 04:28
Safe + Warm (Dedicated to Ellessia) I remember rocking you to sleep And singing our little lullaby I still see that child underneath Shining through the passage of time I use to read to you at night Fall asleep watching Winnie the Pooh Hugs make everything alright No matter what you do I love you (Chorus) Dancing round the room Laughing and crying too One minute to the next So strong and insecure That’s my girl I use to sleepwalk all the time Haven’t since you were born When you’re scared late late at night I hold you and keep you Safe + Warm (Chorus) Dancing round the room Laughing and crying too One minute to the next So strong and insecure That’s my girl I am so amazed by you From the girl you were to the woman you’ve become Pure light of goodness and truth With a heart that shines like the sun Now you’re turning seventeen And my eyes are turning wet It doesn’t matter the years or miles in between I’ll be there always Just like I said (Chorus) Dancing round the room Laughing and crying too One minute to the next So strong and insecure That’s my girl
5.
June 1968 02:48
JUNE 1968 (Dedicated to my parents) Remember that camping trip we took How the rain came down, and the car broke down And we broke down We laugh about it now, yeah we laugh about it now Remember that house upon the hill How hard it was to pay the bills, and the strange meals we made And the dues that we paid We laugh about it now, yeah we laugh about it now (Chorus) And through it all I loved you And through it all you loved me too And we vowed to share our lives On that special day in June When the preacher asked me “Do You”? I said “I Do”. When the preacher asked me “Do You”? I said “I Do”. And our beautiful children they were once so small Learned to stand tall We were there for it all We’ve got grandchildren now, we’ve got grandchildren now Life wasn’t always easy and wasn’t always fair Didn’t always need words to know much you care And it’s true now, just hold my hand now (Chorus) And through it all I loved you And through it all you loved me too And when we vowed to share our lives On that special day in June When the preachers asked me “Do You”? I said “I Do”. When the preacher asked me “Do You”? I said “I Do”.
6.
Lotions + Potions Mother Nature never hurries Yet everything get’s done My mother told me not to worry This is the way things are my son I didn’t know then but I’m learning now All these mysteries Line up in neat little jars Venus’s apothecary (Chorus) And she takes her time Carefully applying Lotions + Potions Of every design I’m in no hurry, you know what they say Good things come to those who wait Good things come to those who wait Father Time keeps on walking But it’s all an illusion Her father and I we’re talking And come to the same conclusions I didn’t know it then but it’s clearer now What is in their hands Exquisitely crafted elixirs That only they understand (Chorus) And she takes her time Carefully applying Lotions + Potions Of every design I’m in no hurry, you know what they say Good things come to those who wait Good things come to those who wait (Bridge) And She is beautiful to me Yeah she dressed in sunshine or asleep Is everything I need (Chorus) And she takes her time Carefully applying Lotions + Potions Of every design I’m in no hurry, you know what they say Good things come to those who wait Good things come to those who wait.
7.
Bread + Roses The chemicals stain the river the color of the sunset In the shadow of the factory stand the workers’ tenements Opening the envelope an Italian immigrant shouts “Short Pay, All Out” “Short Pay, All Out”. Picket line at the factory frost gleaming in the sun The police show up with firehoses and spray everyone Get back to work there’s garments to make, the workers know the toll that it takes An arm, a leg, an eye, a life, a father, a daughter, a son, a wife The owner on the hill feeds every whim and desire In the tenements we choose feed the bellies or the fire Feed bellies or the fire (Chorus) We stand powerful and peaceful We sing bella ciao bella ciao If we had a hammer We’d tear it all down down down We’d build it back up again Level, honest, and true Cause we want bread And we want roses, too We want bread We want roses, too The soul of the nation is just fighting to breathe Redlined into ghettos a suffocated dream Arrested at the lunch counter or at a Starbucks Café Not much has changed in the U.S. of A. Oh the Land of opportunity has moved over seas Chasing the profits for the new aristocracy Gated communities feed every whim and desire The streets erupt in protest the police open fire The police open fire (Chorus) We stand powerful and peaceful We sing bella ciao bella ciao If we had a hammer We’d tear it all down down down We’d build it back up again Level, honest, and true Cause we want bread And we want roses, too We want bread We want roses, too We loaded sixteen tons We laid the hardest mile We brought you the weekend And service with a smile We fought for the right to vote We fought just to be free We fought to make sure this land Was made for you and me You may not look like I do I may not look like you do But we fight for the same things We want bread and roses, too Bread and roses, too (Chorus) We stand powerful and peaceful We sing bella ciao bella ciao If we had a hammer We’d tear it all down down down We’d build it back up again Level, honest, and true Cause we want bread And we want roses, too We want bread We want roses, too.
8.
Baba Yaga 08:57
Baba Yaga My father took ill several summers ago When I had just turned 13 Got worse day by day Worried I became But I knew who made the remedy Through the woods there is a house On two chicken legs it stands There lives an old crone Who’s iron teeth gnaws bones Of children throughout the land (Refrain) I must Go, Follow my nose On the path to Baba Yaga’s I’ll be brave, my father I’ll save With medicine from Baba Yaga’s My journey begins the following morn I pack my satchel with care Bread, butter and cheese Rabbit bone meat And a ribbon to tie my hair I’ll walk till there’s an old rusty Gate In front of a house like no other Whose hinges cry At each passerby But I grease them with my Butter A gnarly old Birch stands in the yard In the branches I am ensnared It lets me go When I bestow It with the ribbon from my hair A mangy black Dog snarls and sneers And snaps as I approach its home I hold up my bag Tail starts to wag I give the dog a Bone (Refrain) I must Go, Follow my nose On the path to Baba Yaga’s I’ll be brave, my father I’ll save With medicine from Baba Yaga’s I climb the front steps and knock on the door Baba Yaga smiles a greeting At the sight of her teeth My knees get weak But I give my best curtsy “What do I owe this pleasure child?” My father is very ill And though I try I fear he’ll die Because I don’t have your skill She opens the door and lets me in The house seems much larger inside Though I’m scared I am prepared For the deal she will provide “You’ll cook and clean for me tonight I’ll give you the medicine you need" Hands me a vial Don’t disappoint me child Payment must be received (Refrain) I must Go, Follow my nose On the path to Baba Yaga’s I’ll be brave, my father I’ll save With medicine from Baba Yaga’s I start the stove and boil the pot I make her my famous stew She gulps it all down While I clean around “There’s one more thing left to do” Her hands hold a huge bag of seeds Find and sort these too Every last one Don’t stop till your done Or I will eat you The seeds scatter into nooks and crannies Despair starts to set in When I see by the wall Hidden shadows and all A black cat with a crafty grin I ask dear cat would you like some cheese? How can I to complete this task “Just say the words And give Bread to the birds They’ll pick it all up if you ask (Refrain) I must Go, Follow my nose On the path to Baba Yaga’s I’ll be brave, my father I’ll save With medicine from Baba Yaga’s The birds gathered all the seeds that night While Baba Yaga snored The cat came to me And brushed on my knee It wouldn’t be ignored “Since you’re so kind and gave me this cheese I’ll give a piece of advice Take the towel and comb When you run home And throw each behind you alright?” Before the sun rose I got up and ran With the Vial, Towel, and Comb I don’t hesitate Wave to the Dog, Birch, and Gate And ran the long miles home (Instrumental) Baba Yaga wakes and screams at her guards “Why’d you let her escape from my snare” She gave me meat My hinges grease And the ribbon from her hair. She jumps in her mortar and starts to fly Her pestle hammering hard She flies like the wind As the chase begins To catch the girl who escaped from her yard (Refrain) I must Go, Follow my nose On the path to Baba Yaga’s I’ll be brave, my father I’ll save With medicine from Baba Yaga’s Behind me I hear an unearthly sound And I remember to throw the towel Just like a dream It forms a raging stream And I hear Baba Yaga howl Next I throw the simple comb And a forest of thorns grows behind me It blocks the way So I escape Baba Yaga goes home in defeat (instrumental) I reach my house late that night And my father is barely alive He drinks from the vial And he gives me a smile I know he is going to survive If you find your self in need of help I doesn’t hurt to prepare Bread, butter, and cheese And Rabbit bone Meat And tie a Ribbon in your hair. (Refrain) If you go follow your nose on the path to Baba Yaga's You'll be brave and a life you'll save with the medicine from Baba Yaga's I must Go, Follow my nose On the path to Baba Yaga’s I’ll be brave, my father I’ll save With medicine from Baba Yaga’s

about

With this album, I balance story telling, love, family, and critical examinations into a tapestry of nylon string guitar and voice. I began planning the album in January 2020. Along with concepts to write songs about, I created a page of Word + Word titles. Some of those combinations had an obvious story behind them, like Snakes + Apples and Bread + Roses, however others revealed themselves only after I pursued writing lyrics for them.

Songwriting and guitar playing are all about expression. In the making of Bread + Roses I pushed myself to write deeper and more personally. There are technical challenges in the guitar playing that I hadn't explored in my songs before. The opening and closing harmonics in Baba Yaga are cool sounding but devilishly tricky and the kinetic groove of Lotions + Potions is unlike any riff I have ever created.

Lyrically I explored new forms of writing. Snakes + Apples is without rhyme and the ballad form of Baba Yaga offered incredible lessons for me as a songwriter.

Making an album is a little bit like giving birth. There is excitement and awe at the start of everything and after some time the whole process is just painful. Now that I am done, I am able to enjoy the bliss part, where I forget the struggle and release my creation to the world.

Enjoy,
Josh

credits

released April 6, 2021

All songs were written, performed, and produced by Joshua Hall
at Jai Studios, LLC. Brownsville, VT
joshhallmusic.com

Cover art by Isabella Hall
www.bellapinkpen.com

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all rights reserved

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Joshua Hall West Windsor, Vermont

Described as a Zen-Metal-Freak-Jazz Guru, I am a classically trained guitarist whose playing style owes as much to Barrios and Tarréga as Mustaine and Monk.

I am an Alternative Folk Artist whose songs engage the listener to feel and think deeply, to find the reverence in everyday life, and to question the stories that define so much of the modern world
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