Listen to the Song:
The opening track on the album Nine Fine Lines has gone through many iterations and name changes since it was first composed as an instrumental in 2006. The instrumental’s working title was “Hermit” but with the addition of lyrics in 2007, it was renamed “33 Shots at Louis” as a sort of lighthearted counterpart to the heart-wrenching ballad “33 Flames for Mary”.
The song was originally released on the now-defunct 2007 album Imaginary Lines II, featuring only Ric Albano on vocals, piano and bass and Ron Simasek on drums. In 2009 guitarist Erik Trabert added some layered lead guitars for the Imaginary Lines 33 release, creating the unique situation of a simultaneous guitar and piano lead over the song’s mid section. Finally, in 2018 new lead vocals were added with some slight lyrical changes and a new song title, “Louis Le Geant”, French for “Louis the Deadbeat”.
Musicians
Ric Albano – vocals, piano, bass
Erik Trabert – guitars
Ron Simasek – drums
Lyrics
Stay away from my front door
I’m sick-n-tired of your crawling across my hardwood floor
I’ve got no dinner for you, Louie
I used to believe that you had my back
But now I can see that you’re just a tawdry, two-bit hack
I’ll have no further business with you, Louie
We caught you spinning while singing the blues,
Hand constantly out while failing to pay your dues
Why can’t you just take your own stock,
And move on down the block to an inn?
We heard you feigning outrage at the ball,
So trying to reach center stage in the dancing hall
Why couldn’t you sit this one out?
You’ve done enough damage to your kin!
We saw you shakin’ it out at the bar
So stoned that you couldn’t recite who your children are
How can you now bathe in such shame?
Was all that moral rabble just your game?
So stay away from my back yard,
If the summer’s too humid for you
Or if you’ve lost playing your last card
I can’t pick a winner for you, I’ve got my own live to live
Get out on your own!
© 2006-2018 Ric Albano and Cygnus Wave Records
