End Result the Same

Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 3:32
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/50-EndResultTheSame.mp3]
1991
Lyrics
Now, I was so sure that I had it right I nearly bet my life
The end result, as always, was the same
Luckily I held back some, it is over now
I need to find some sorry sould to blame
From the outside looking in, it’s the Cardinal of all sins, it’s a shame

Don’t deny what you feel inside, I’ve got to find it

I was so sure that it was a fool-proof plan
I don’t understand how results keep ending up the same
Luckily there’s a trap door here, to escape my fears
But first I need a reason for this pain

Don’t deny what you feel inside, I’ve got to find it right now

Composition © 1991 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on October 1, 1991
Recorded October 1991
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
Mixed in 2003 & Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

Performers
Ric Albano
Electric Guitars, Bass Guitar, Drums, Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: A simple but catchy song that makes heavy use of the flange on both the electric guitar and drums. This same method was attempted (but with less success) on the song Rabbit Food two years earlier.

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Noise

Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 2:16
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/41-Noise.mp3]
1991
Lyrics
Do you wanna come up and play?
I’ve got dozens of toys today
It seems Mama was unable to stay and Papa has gone away
It’s a shame things ended this way
But we will make everything okay, come out and play

Do you wanna see me touch the sky?
It’s not impossible to get that high
It couldn’t hurt just to give it a try
These paper wings can make us fly
We can fly if we close our eyes
But then grown men start to cry as we die

Let’s go make some noise, I’ve got some brand new toys
We’ll use our new decoys, so let’s go make some noise
Who cares what we’d employ?
Fuck ’em if they get annoyed by noise

Composition © 1991 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on January 26, 1991
Recorded January-February 1991
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
Mixed in 2003 & Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

Performers
Ric Albano
Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Harmonica, Drums, Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: The default “title song” of this collection, “Noise” was a rare electric rocker in a sea of acoustic songs during this era. One of the best things I ever did was to keep it in demo mode and not try to develop it beynd the 2-minute punker that it is.

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Love In a Pocketbook

Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 4:25
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/39-LoveInAPocketbook.mp3]
1990
Lyrics
Don’t go thinking all that I told you was in vain
Because that ain’t true
You must believe the time that I speak of brought me pain
But not from you
I do agree, I had much too frequent made mistakes, some I regret
I’ve learned most recently you may give what you take, and don’t forget

Fortunes are won and lost in seconds while coins are tossed
Deciding forever someone’s fate
We danced and we sang aloud, so self-conscious yet so proud
A sensual adventure at any rate

When you see the coming of dawn’s light think of me and what we’d done
The colors floating brightly upon the TV screen had made us one
The Denver Broncos losing again in the Super Bowl
A metal clete that’s carefully hid beneathe the snow

Fortunes are won and lost in seconds while coins are tossed
Deciding forever someone’s fate
We danced and we sang aloud, so self-conscious yet so proud
A sensual adventure at any rate

Ecstasy did grow, I’m really sorry that I ever let you go
A ray of light, a meteorite crawlin’ accross the universe
Comin’ down, comin’ down, comin’ down, comin’ down
Comin’ down, comin’ down, comin’ down
Comin’ down, comin’ down, comin’ down

If you listen closely, you can hear the sounds of “Black Velvet”
So just close your eyes and wish really hard and don’t regret
Comin’ down, comin’ down, comin’ down
Comin’ down, comin’ down, comin’ down
Comin’ down, comin’ down, comin’ down

Composition © 1990 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on December 18, 1990
Recorded December 1990
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
Mixed in 2003 & Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

Performers
Ric Albano
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums, All Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: I had once promised an old girlfriend that someday I’d write a song about her called “Love In a Pocketbook”. Like the title, much of the songs lyrics are cryptic “inside jokes”. The music is decent in its simplicity, but the recording did not hold up very well, so it a bit abrasive.

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Mrs. McCleary’s Farm

Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 3:42
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/32-MrsMcCleary’sFarm.mp3]
1990
Lyrics
There’s a place in the meadow, just around the bend
A place all the locals know well
Where, on Saturday night the men all come around
Their pockets are full of dollar bills
You see, it’s Judy McCleary that they’ve come to see
To forget all their problems for a while
She makes them remember what good lovin’ can be
With a jump and a hump and a smile

It’s been three long years since ole’ Bill McCleary
Married young, sweet Judy Brown
And one would be amazed that he doesn’t know
She does the most business in town
Even Deputy Parker is a customer now
He pays her a visit every week
They all live in fright, afraid to their wives
That someday their secrets may leak

But who’s to say what she does is wrong?
It helps to pay the bills
She knows she must write her life’s long song
A little heaven on the edge of hell

But Judy doesn’t mind bearing all her parts untanned
It is more like a daily routine
It’s kind of amazing, when you think of it
How many she has actually seen
As for her husband Bill, she just figures, well
What he doesn’t know can’t do him harm
While the rest of the men talk of gathering again on Mrs. McCleary’s farm

But who’s to say what she does is wrong?
It helps to pay the bills
She knows she must write her life’s long song
A little heaven on the edge of hell

Composition © 1990 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on August 3, 1990
Recorded August 1990
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
Mixed in 2003 & Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

Performers
Ric Albano
Electric Guitars, Bass Guitar, Drums, All Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: Lyrically, this is a follow-up to an earlier song called “Sweet Judy Brown”, with the same central character. Musically, the song borrows heavily from early era Rush, especially when it comes to the guitar tone and chord arrangements.

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The Miracle of Surprise

Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano & Jim Morrison Song Length: 1:54
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/24-TheMiracleOfSurprise.mp3]
1989
Lyrics
And in her eyes
The fresh miracle of surprise…

Composition © 1989, 2003 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on September 28, 1989
Recorded September 1989 / Fall 2003
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
and Cygnus Wave Studios
Mixed in 2003 & Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

Performers
Ric Albano
Electric Guitars, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Drums
Sinclair Soul
Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: Always intended as an introductory piece for “The Telephone”, this is the first of many to use a passage from a collection of poerty by Jim Morrison called Wilderness. Some synthesizers were added to the original piece in 2003.

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