Get all 12 Teddy Quinn releases available on Bandcamp and save 10%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of double a-side holiday single 2020, Deserted Sessions - Rancho de la Luna - 1995-2004, Canvas, Telekin:The World Electric, 1.11, LIVE 13, Sunburst Golden Border, Mother & Child, and 4 more.
1. |
la porte, indiana
07:52
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i wonder where i would be today
if my folks had decided to stay in la porte, indiana.
i would have grown up in the hoosier state
from my first day of school until my first date
in la porte, indiana.
my dad played basketball a long time ago.
my mom moved over all the way from chicago
to la porte, indiana.
come pearl harbor he joined the navy.
saw california the land of gravy.
saw a future there for his family.
it didn't take too much convincing my mom so he
loaded up the station wagon &
the trailer it was draggin' &
headed for southern california & said goodbye
to la porte, indiana
(i had a recurring dream as a child
we were driving through the desert
when we came upon a tent
we all got out & we all went in
& inside the tent it was a huge banquet room
with a huge banquet table
& a feast spread out on top of it
the only way to get something to eat
was by feeding the person next to you...
in this dream there was a tour guide
an old smokey kind of guy in a cowboy hat
he had a beautiful daughter & i was instantly enamored of her)
she had long black hair &
her name was a prayer 'maria'
& i believe it was meant to be.
i believe she was sent to me &
i still may have come to california even if i had grown up
in la porte, indiana
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2. |
death of cool
07:03
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this is a time of grieving, angel.
this is a time of mourning, stranger,
for the righteous and the holy fool.
this is a time of leaving, brother.
a time of no warning each other.
this must be the death of cool.
the streets are filled with the lost & forgotten.
i don't need to tell you something's rotten.
i was taught to defend myself in school
from the bully pulpit brain police.
the other gangs let me have my peace.
they'd already seen the death of cool.
i saw the best minds of all generations.
blowing their cool & losing their patience.
twisted by society's tool.
they always use their biggest hammer.
we famine while they feast in glamour.
this must be the death of cool.
did i see you standing on a corner
where everyone feels like a foreigner.
a melting pot that's just a drowning pool.
i was planning for the future.
i heard the blast when they came to recruit you.
i was thinking this is the death of cool.
the good die young & the rich get richer.
i'm starting to get the picture.
the wise grow silent as the idiots rule.
a good heart dies from being stepped on
in the bed he openly wept on.
this must be the death of cool.
now blow your horn as you did at its birth
as now it's scattered over the earth.
shining in the sun like a precious jewel.
maybe from this time of crisis
like a lotus the future rises,
from the ashes of the death of cool,
for the passion burning inside you,
fashioning tomorrow
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3. |
tar beach
03:49
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out on the tar beach, out of the city's reach,
i sit alone but i know the sounds below
have something to teach
& i hope to learn it well
take the skyscrapers counsel.
upon the sword i fell
in the echo chamber of the heart.
out on the sidewalk
people just walk around in shock.
i was a part of that steaming mass,
our eyes would lock each time we'd pass
& i hope to love you well,
make it worth your while.
upon the sword i fell,
in the subway station of the cross.
out on the tar beach
thunderclouds make their speech
electric guitar hum.
rain that falls like hands on a drum
& i hope to play it well.
any day now i'll meet you
there under your magic spell
all the bells will be ringing out.
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4. |
29 palms
03:28
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why are all the wives & the kids alone
i see them shopping at the mall
where are their husbands
so strong and tall
do they wonder when their daddy's
coming home?
what are all those helicopters for?
i feel them overhead
when i'm lying in my bed.
it must be that they're flying
off to war.
why are all the wives looking so sad?
she was just a child herself
with a child beneath her belt
now she's stuck without
the only friend she had.
what are all those helicopters for?
they rattle my house
when they're just flying across
i wonder what they do away
at war.
why are all those women widows tonight?
how do they tell their young children
daddy's never coming home again.
somehow just doesn't seem right
where are all those helicopters now?
how much do they cost?
are they worth more than they lost?
how does anyone ever win
a war anyhow?
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5. |
don't / shoot
04:40
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no virus no bacteria
no act of violence no hysteria.
no airplane on the ground.
don't let nothing shoot you down.
not your lover. not your employer.
not your mother nor any
judge or lawyer.
no officer who's duty bound.
don't let nothing shoot you down.
not the army. no armor tank.
not the economy
not even the world bank.
no religion or philosophy you've found.
don't let nothing shoot you down.
not the tv. not what it's selling.
not the absurdity of every lie
it's telling.
no unworthy leaders.
self-righteous preachers' superiority.
no bigotry. no poverty.
no self limiting. no false humility.
no self pity.
no big city & no little town.
don't let nothing shoot you down.
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6. |
pride of man
05:15
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turn around, go back down
back the way you came.
can't you see that flash of fire
ten times brighter than the day
& behold that mighty city broken
in the dust again.
oh god, pride of man
broken in the dust again.
turn around, go back down
back the way you came.
babylon is laid to waste.
egypt's buried in her shame.
the mighty men are all beaten down.
the kings have fallen in their ways.
oh god, pride of man
broken in the dust again.
turn around, go back down
back the way you came.
terror is on every side.
lo, our leaders are dismayed.
for those who put their faith in fire,
their faith in fire shall be repaid.
oh god, pride of man
broken in the dust again.
turn around, go back down
back the way you came
shout a warning out to the nation
that the sword of god is raised.
babylon that mighty city,
rich in treasure, wide in fame.
oh god, pride of man
broken in the dust again.
the meek shall cause the towers to fall,
make a new pyre of fame.
oh you who dwell on many waters,
rich in treasures, wide in fame,
you bow unto your god of gold.
your pride a might shall be your shame.
only love can bring the people back
into the earth again.
oh god, pride of man
broken in the dust again.
oh holy mountain be restored.
have mercy on the people lord.
turn around, oh god, turn around.
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7. |
billions & billions
07:27
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oh say can you see my eyes if you can,
i'm only one man in a million man march
with a million moms
on the white house lawn
where the white man inside
without a thought of his own
with a million arms
billions and billions served
i'm at your service
although the uniforms do
make me nervous.
i swear to tell the truth,
the whole and unholy truth.
dr. ruth, i saw her on oprah
with deepak chopra
saying 'judge not lest ye be
judge judy in disguise'
sweet judy blue eyes,
i love lucy in the sky.
billions and billions of stars,
what was here before i was?
what will be here when i'm gone?
they used to say 'love it or leave it'
'change it or lose it'
'fix it or fuck it'
i say we choose it.
american history x, don't tell me i'm next.
i've got to sing this song
for the sundancers
i've got to sing this song for the rebels,
i've got to sing this song for the seekers,
your prayers will be answered,
in the order in which they are received,
just don't be deceived,
if it seems to be too good to be believed,
remember, before you seek enlightenment,
you've got to face your darkness.
america, my thoughts and prayers are with you,
just don't tell me what to think,
just don't tell me how to pray.
don't tell me what i can or cannot say
or which songs i can play on independence day.
so i go outside to feel the rain
& i close my eyes so i can see the rain.
billions & billions...
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8. |
apocalypse no
05:17
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looking at the world through rose colored gases.
wars of the word to overdose the masses.
how far will it go, how far has it gone.
how long has this been going on
as a matter of policy?
i ran in to a neighbor, he was loading his gun.
i said 'do me a favor, man, put that thing down?'
how far will it go...
man-made monsters, gods and natural disasters.
i'm looking at the odds
to see which ones arrive faster.
how far will it go...
i take a deep breath anytime i can.
you know you scare me to death
when you start talking about your plan.
how far will it go...
i know we're going to make it
but we better slow down.
please don't say it's the apocalypse now.
how far will it go...
there's a tattoo'd martyr standing on the corner,
blessing all the cars passing by,
as winter gets colder
the cross becomes heavier upon his shoulder.
they called him a demon,
i was driving the gremlin
down by the circle k,
they called him a pagan when they
set him aflame but he was not ashamed,
he was not to blame &
he deserved to be addressed by his proper name.
when i was a boy i listened to the stones.
that was before they lost brian jones.
he was the one i wanted to become
but he sank like a stone in a pool and then
he was gone.
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9. |
if u do
04:15
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that old cliche, i never knew how much i loved you
until the day when i knew that i could lose you.
please don't go & if you do,
please don't go far and if you do go far away,
please come back soon, just as you are.
maybe this is a test yes & maybe we can pass it,
by desire we are blessed, just to see
if we can outlast it please don't go...
that old cliche, i never knew how much i loved you
until today when i knew that i could lose you.
please don't go...
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10. |
sky cathedral
02:45
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puppet falling out of the sky,
out of the sky cathedral.
people rain the rain is dry,
out of the sky cathedral.
buddhas fallen to the ground,
now he can't get up
towers of babel falling down,
see how time sped up.
prophets falling out of the sky,
out of the sky cathedral.
paper airplane sailing by,
out of the sky cathedral.
buddhas fallen to the ground,
now they can't get up...
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11. |
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with my limited ability on this guitar,
i'm going to try to reach you wherever you are
man you really changed my life for good,
for better or worse i wish i understood
but if that's what you wanted, alright.
with my limited vocabulary
i'm going to try to tell you this little story,
man you really took away my breath,
brought me face to face with life & death & if...
now my baby's gone, she took the dog.
they turned off the phone, now i'm all alone
with you & if...
the very last time i picked up my guitar
was to sing you a little song
about an eagle with a scar.
man you really made me feel so proud.
made me feel like anything is allowed & if...
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12. |
orange sunshine
05:11
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don't try to sleep when you can't.
get up out of bed and dance.
the sun is rising for you.
that's what i heard from a friend,
there's no beginning or end.
just a circle full of surprises for you.
the weather is fine,
the orange sunshine is pouring
through the window today.
don't try to go back to sleep,
some promises you can't keep
but the sun always rises at dawn.
that's something you can depend upon.
just like the sun, you shine on.
the weather is fine...
let's go up to the park, we'll stay until it's dark.
it sure gets cold when the sun goes down.
we'll go back into town,
put some coffee on.
who wants to work when all
your friends are around.
the weather is fine...
i woke up today at dawn,
i don't believe you're really gone,
the sun rises for you.
i said i'd always be here,
today i feel you near.
you said, 'teddy, i'll always be there with you.'
(1/28/03)
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13. |
tibetan bells bizeau
04:42
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Teddy Quinn Joshua Tree, California
Ted aka Teddy Quinn, a singer, songwriter, artist, activist, journalist in Joshua Tree, California, helped foster the burgeoning Hi Desert Music community at places like Beatnik Cafe, Joshua Tree Saloon, Pappy & Harriets, Radio Free Joshua Tree & Rancho de la Luna, since the early 90s, helping to define the sound associated with this Bohemian outpost in the Mojave. TBA: An autobiodocart film! ... more
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