Fear

Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 3:05
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/59-Fear.mp3]
1992
Lyrics
Tuesday afternoon on the road, I thought of something extreme
Where will I be in a year from now if I don’t go and change something
I guess in a year from now when I hear this song I’ll know for sure
But one thing I must overcome, for sure
This deep, defeating fear…
Yes that’s the deadly thing that tears us all apart
It pulls us down and brutally stops us
From doing what we believe in our hearts
But someday soon something’s gotta give, this conflict just can’t stay
All I need is courage and guts and will to chase this fear away…

Don’t want it here no more
Go away, find another fish to lure

Far away, where it won’t be seen or heard from ever again
A swift clean break, forever destroyed, won’t compromise on “bend”
Forever expelled from down inside my soul, way down south
Way down there, deep down inside my soul…

Don’t want it here no more
Go away, find another fish to lure

Be excellent to each other!

Composition © 1992 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on February 8, 1992
Recorded February 1992
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
Mixed in 2003 & Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

Performers
Ric Albano
Harpsichord, Bass Guitar, Drums, Vocals
Sinclair Soul
Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: The very last song to use the old harpsichord, an instrument which pre-dated even the earliest songs that I wrote (I believe I purchased it when I was 16 in 1984). The song itself has a decent vibe due to the strong bass line, but some weaker vocals that kind of fall off late in the second verse, indicating that the song was never properly finished.

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Heart

Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 3:01
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/46-Heart.mp3]
1991
Lyrics
Old is my heart which is trying to make a new start
You should know by now
I drown in your eyes, and soon I realize
What you should know by now

I’m trying to be smart
Trying not to listen to my heart
But this feeling just drags me down
I know it is not what I seek
But when I see you, inside I get weak
With this feeling while you are around

Save some love, your prince is on his way
Accept him when he arrives
‘Cause I understand every word that you say
I know your heart and mind

I’ve got a burning desire
And I just can’t quench the fire
This pretty young blonde-haired girl is all that I want

When you smile, I lose my head for a while
I wonder if you know that affect you have on me

I’ve got a burning desire
And I just can’t quench the fire
This pretty young blonde-haired girl is all that I need

So it is told, my heart no longer feels old
You should know by now
I wonder if you can see a future with you and me
I can see it now

Composition © 1991, 2003 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on April 25, 1991
Recorded April-May 1991
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
Mixed in 2003 & Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

Performers
Ric Albano
Harpsichord, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Drums, Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: A simple love song, written on the ole’ harpsichord. The song has a nice, solid bass and drum beat while the vocals are just a tad off tune. Updated lyrics were written for this tune in 2003, but never recorded.

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The Gift

Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 2:40
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/11-TheGift.mp3]
1988
Lyrics
For something like this, how can I resist?
Finally an answer, how can I refuse?
A pocket full of nest-eggs right before my eyes
I need just to grab it but first I have to choose

(No pain, no gain)
I’ve got to realize my last mistake
(No love, no shame)
Although the others were unlike me, I still praised their snake
For something for nothing, there’s got to be a catch
No thank you, I’ll pass, your gift I can’t take

Something for nothing, something for nothing

While trusting a deceiver I was thrown away
Left out in the cold of these heartless days
I looked for my shoes, got back on my feet
And walked down the left side of Centralia’s streets

(Oh yeah, you think)
I’ve got to realize what’s going on
(Your love is so strong)
I’ve gotta write it down in some kind of song
Thanks anyway, but your gift I can’t take
I’m pretty well convinced it will be my last mistake

Something for nothing, something for nothing

For something like this, how can I resist?
Finally an answer, how can I refuse?
A pocket full of nest-eggs right before my eyes
I need just to grab it but first I have to choose

No pain, no gain
(I’ve got to realize my last mistake)
No love, no shame
(Although the others were unlike me, I still praised their snake)
For something for nothing, there’s got to be a catch
No thank you, I’ll pass, your gift I can’t take

Something for nothing, something for nothing

Composition © 1988 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on December 21, 1988
Recorded December 1988
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
Mixed in 2003 & Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

Performers
Ric Albano
Harpsicord, Keyboards, Bass, Drums, All Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: A haunting little ballad with an impossibly slow temp, which almost falls apart during the song but manages to stay together. The harmonies are a little off but not to the point of displeasure.

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Sex, Drugs, Rock n Roll

Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 4:14
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/06-SexDrugsRockNRoll.mp3]
1988
Lyrics
Sex, drugs, rock n roll
It’s just a little piece of grass
Squeezed in between a natural life
You’ve got to say sometimes it feels alright

Sex, drugs, rock n roll
Just that one time shot
That un-dying dream, crazy as it seems
It makes you feel alive inside those dreams

Sex, drugs, rock n roll
Yeah, just a little more
I know that today that you want me that way
You’ve got to say it makes you feel ok

Sex, drugs, rock n roll
Will you teach me one more chord?
I’ve got to know how to play that guitar
Is this the way to relive all my dreams?

Sex, drugs, rock n roll
Just another Friday night
We’ve got to have more since it is the weekend
Without it I don’t think we’ll feel alright

Sex, drugs, rock n roll
Don’t ya ever die
Tomorrow may bring an end to this dream
I don’t want to surrender all my screams

We’ve got to have more since it is the weekend
Without it I don’t think we’ll feel alright

Composition © 1988, 1989 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on October 1, 1988
Recorded October 1988 & July 1989
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
Mixed in 2004
at Silver Spring Subterranean
Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

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

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: The song contains some interesting music but weak lyrics and terrible vocals. Even though it is hidden below the surface of a sea of tape hiss, the best part is the calm and jazzy middle instrumental section, decorated by a slow wah-wah guitar. The original recording was made in October 1988 with drums dubbed in during a session in July 1989.

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Under the Appletree

Bonus Track By  Wahray and Soul

Written by Ric Albano Song Length: 1:49
Listen to the Song:
[audio:WAS/04-UnderTheAppletree.mp3]
1988
Lyrics
Y’know there’s times I wander, there’s times I try
I think I want some more
But if you think it’s happening now
The dawn of all creation will search no more

Now it’s time to read the lines
Now it’s time to praise divine
But if no more there was a buzz
Would you want to eat the scuzz

Last night I found out
The apple of my eye has a worm inside its core
But if you think it’s happening now
The dawn of all creation will search no more

Hit it JoJo!

It’s going too fast now
Rollin’ and rollin’ and rollin’ and rollin’ and rollin’ along
Maul the days, crawl the nights, now go!

Composition © 1988 Ric Albano
Publication © 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Song Info
Produced & Engineered by Ric Albano
Composed on March 10, 1988
Recorded October 1988
at Rathole Studios, Hazleton, PA
Mixed in 2003 & Mastered in 2011
at Cygnus Wave Studios

Performers
Ric Albano
Harpsichord, Keyboards, Vocals

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: Honestly, this is one of the weakest songs of the regular collection. It was included primarily because I could not find any other suitable recordings from the winter/spring of ’87/’88 (we’re still in the pre-Fostex era here). That being said, it still is a bit odd and quarky, which may make it tolerable through the minute and fifty second duration.

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