This song was written in 2006 by Ric Albano as a poetic vision involving some of his earliest interactions with music and the magic band who lived inside the old floor model stereo. The lyrics also address moving on from the hometown which, in many ways, no longer exists.
The musical arrangement builds off the original electric piano with a simple country/bluegrass rhythm and ever-building layers of brass fanfare. The unique percussion was provided by Ron Simasek, who turned over a snare drum to hand-rattle the snares as well as tapped the ride symbol for just the right effect.
Musicians
Ric Albano – vocals, piano, acoustic guitar, bass, synths
Ron Simasek – percussion
Lyrics
JR felt the tremble deep in his bones
He had become the last man to walk alone
He made the choice, the bridge would burn
A one-way jaunt with no return, he’d learn
That he could never go home again
RJ watched it all from on up high
From beyond the great beyond that lines the sky
No spoken voice was granted him
A broken choice all results grim, but he’d try
To set the table of life again
The ferment continued until the end of time
For some it seemed vulgar but for many it was simply sublime
RJ back to his drawing board
JR toward his prison ward, in time
They’d end up in the same camp again
But he won’t ever get there again
Not to see the stalagmite citizens nor the crude, fair-weathered friends
He won’t ever get there again
And he won’t ever see there again,
Never perform the vapid rituals, nor die the slow death from the bends
He will never see there again
© 2006-2018 Ric Albano and Cygnus Wave Records
