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Getting Low

by Jonathan Burks

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1.
Wing Nut 02:49
sometimes I'm up other times I'm down something different always coming round I got thin skin pulled taunt over tender frame one breeze and I'm flying squirrel blowing round every which way dark thoughts rolling down the barrel of my mind synapsis claw and scratch leave me staring down the great divide I can feel something breaking but it aint coming quick enough there's a breakdown in the making but it aint coming quick enough all this slo mo salvation is quickly making me nuts
2.
Getting Low 05:11
got a heavy handed touch of winter madness feeling lowdown, sunken like Atlantis need me a Stargate, my mind-frame aint taking me no place I want to be my brain got a chemical glitch that makes me wish I didn't exist from time to time my mind gets sick but I'm figuring it out man I'm dealing with it I aint even entertaining the notion just describing the view from this low in the ocean it's hard to see the plankton for the trees when you all up in the teeth of the beast flossing alcohol free going on year three but my demons got mouths to feed they got new moves used to beat 'em down with the booze still learning how to use my new tools won't you lend your lungs to me I could use a melody blue is the surface, darker are the depths reporting from the floor till I'm running out of breath I'm sinking down, I'm getting low feeling alright, it come and go pacing around my kitchen, breaking down like fission pull up the game plan and reevaluate the mission I get nuclear when I meltdown, forget to breathe deep and countdown it aint effective, need a new method a proportioned response to the challenges presented sometimes I get too upset can't elevate above the noise-floor in my head waves of static screaming I'm pile steaming over the pettiest of reasons I'm keeping on the light side of the force but deep seated issues got a tight grip on my Swartz I'll be alright man, I aint quitting I just need to stare at this wall a minute convert the tense to present, unwrap each second no returns on what the moment is presenting can't all be tinsel and bows chunks of coal aint nothing but fuel for the fire yo they say it's darkest before the dawn from my window aint no shadows on the lawn I'm sinking down, I'm getting low feeling alright it come and go
3.
where you at, that's where the fresh start is back from the dead more times than Jack Harkness I resurrect myself on a daily basis, I'm turning pages I aint a quick read, lessons come slow poke taking my time, digging deeper than the cliff notes dog-eared, highlighter in hand in between the lines is where I'm setting up camp any port in the storm, any shell in the sea I'm crawling and crashing towards any dim opening inspiration it come and go, the only constant is the work flow they say 'strike while the iron is hot' most times you gotta swing even when it's not don't touch that pan pot, I'm hitting sweet spot like getting a fresh cop of Tape Op in the mailbox I'm in the saddle crafting transmission adjust the angle of my mic position any port in the storm, any shell in the sea I'm crawling and crashing towards any dim opening
4.
You and Me 03:16
you gotta beg, you gotta bow you gotta bite you're lip and kowtow they pink slip, they straight trip knock you down a peg every chance they get the game is fixed, seven-ten split man, that's the only way them pins get set but the powers that be aint got nothing on you and me they don't know joy, they don't know fun least not how good we get it done you crack me up, you fill my cup and when I'm wrong you let me know what's up we're getting by, side by side we gonna take everything in stride come what may, you'll see nothing standing but you and me when I'm feeling down, like I wanna quit I think on my folks and my friends they wouldn't leave no note, just up and split leave me alone in this filth to tread it's sink or swim, you float my boat and together we gonna row row row we might be lost at sea but we're sailing on you and me
5.
I hate my mind it froth and spit it wound too tight it tourniquet I hate my mind it don't let go it don't know how to ebb and flow I hate my mind it don't relax cold and coiled poised for attack I hate my mind it don't play nice it nip and poke it pick dumb fights I hate my mind it don't land no punch it swing and lurch just out of touch I hate my mind it don't work it's all ass and no twerk I hate my mind it don't play nice it nip and poke it pick dumb fights I hate my mind it don't quit 24-7 open for biz
6.
I aint got no money, I aint got no girl fear I been misplaced I aint wanted in this world like a square peg lego I don't seem to fit I lay me down upon the wall but I don't hear no click gradients of static saturate the lens I'm having a hard time making out any kind of sense like a fly in jello, embedded in the hoof frozen, full of dread unclean and underfoot trudging thru another day goddamn this life roll on aint nothing around every bend except another way to fall cut my teeth at every turn (the con is long and wide) spitting sand out the side of my face water beats rock over time
7.
whatever has to happen, let it happen whatever the situation, it is fine I don't really need too much of anything no, I don't need anything at all the crux of my fear and apprehension is a rats nest of "what ifs", "shoulda" and "coulda beens" but the moment don't hold no junk and I'm cleaning out my trunk little bits at a time, often as I can sour grapes aint got no vitamin D tiny violins play a thin melody no hope, no despair just hanging in there little bits at a time often as I can whatever has to happen, let it happen whatever the situation, it is fine I don't really need too much of anything no, I don't need anything at all
8.
I aint hungry roof over my head no kind of problems are the only ones I have something's burning but there aint no light low and heavy can't get right running water fruit on the table all kind of program on the internet cable something's burning but there aint no light low and heavy can't get right tear in the fabric smudge on the blueprint everybody gone maverick a frayed bunch of loose ends something's burning but there aint no light low and heavy can't get right
9.
I Need a Win 04:43
cracking the knuckles of my mojo hand got my lucky belt buckle on and a little bit of cash step into the place poker face hovering above my chin I need a win tired of loosing going downtown I need a win I been loosing gotta get 'round she got them short shorts on I can feel the light emanating from them heavenly shapes orchestrating the tide a body's mostly water and I'm swimming in every inch loneliness I got it in spades put all my cards on the table I aint good at this game handful of heart but aint no diamonds in my chain
10.
Light It Up 04:47
thirty-something years old recovering alcoholic Jon Burks is in the place the stage, man I'm on it Johny Bizzle with the flame to the wick rock a many style, flow indiscriminate from Woody Guthrie to Old Dirty Bastard my influences range from Wimbledon to Nascar I'm not the hardest, not the farthest out still I get around when I roustabout from the Zoom up to the final cut keep it from the gut when I light it up wanna check my stats go ahead and Google me got more tracks than black and yellow got bumble bee I'm not your average rock and roll maverick I be the butter spread on all kinds of sandwiches bring the dip and the fixings for your munchies five second rule, gritty and grungy serve up the floor save with a side of straight face drop a little fly into the soup of the stage like a home cooked meal gets you a different kind of stuffed feel it in my gut when I light it up captain crabby, king curmudgeon only happy when I'm banging out beats in the dungeon got an attitude that could use adjustment me and my git-box, we got some blues to bludgeon dig in and feast, wipe the fur from your teeth I don't keep the lucky foot I eat the whole beast and I been wrestling rabbits till I'm straight jacket manic, bass drum kicking like a habitt it's the missing link that catches the release so I keeps my mange free range off the leash open head like Whoopi on Next Gen when I push pen and Ten Forward my two cents from the Zoom up through to the final cut I keep it from my gut when I light it up

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cover art by Nathan Mayer

credits

released July 14, 2015

Engineered, Mixed and Produced by Didier Leplae at Mathwiz Music Studio
Mastered by David Gelting

Song, Guitar and Voice - Jonathan Burks
Tuba, Trombone and Trumpet - David Cusma
Drums - Nathan Kilen (tracks 1, 4, 6, 8, 10)
Drums - Scott Johnson (tracks 2, 3, 5, 7, 9)
Guitar - Didier Leplae

album art image is by Ken Hodges via the NASA/Ames Research Center: archive.org/details/AILS-AC81-0174

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Some rights reserved. Please refer to individual track pages for license info.

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Jonathan Burks Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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