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Things We Carry

by Blue Water Highway

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1.
1. Hard Time Train Written by: Zack Kibodeaux This Hays County morning is glowing like a Carolina rose And it’s warming all the station trains and cars, but I’m as cold as any stone ‘Cause I’m so afraid of life that I am dying this early in my career I guess all that I’ve been fearing is that mirror man a-steering With the smile of a drunken engineer So hallelujah for the moments I am rolling on these rails of pain It's all that I can do and it keeps me running back to you On a hard time train Well I can hear the lonesome five-note whistle whine as I climb inside the car And the rhythm of the pounding on the tracks, it’s the beating of my heart And I’m crying out for help, oh won't someone slow this down But all this time that I’ve been praying what I should have been a-saying is Don’t stop now So hallelujah for the moments I am rolling on these rails of pain It’s all that I can do and it keeps me running back to you On a hard time train Well the brakeman works the chain, but now we’re climbing through the hills toward the sun And I turn away in shame, seeing all the evil that I’ve done But those Carolina roses, oh they’re growing up the tracks of my despair Saying all that I’ve been needing is a simple man a-bleeding and the hope Of a mother’s prayer So hallelujah for the moments I am rolling on these rails of pain It’s all that I can do and it keeps me running back to you On a hard time train © 2015 River Road Opera Co.(SESAC) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
2.
2. City Love, City Lose Written by: Zack Kibodeaux Out in the old town summer night The girl with the red letter jacket is dancing in the street light Caught in the pouring city rain I'm crying in the road like a ghost town record machine, you know what I mean? When there’s no one there to hold you when you say We were awful young anyway City love, city lose Wanna feel my city blues And all the troubles I am driving through City love, city lose Now we’re rolling sideways We're safe in the arms of a cold, unfeeling thing In a struggle with its paper soul, well I’m not a ghost of a man I’m not an illusion you can just call up And that’s the trouble with your cotton candy love You give in too much and not enough City love, city lose Wanna feel my city blues And all the troubles I am driving through City love Well I want you to love, yeah I want you to hurt like I do That burns under your steel Something you feel City love, city lose Wanna feel my city blues All the troubles I am driving through City love, city lose © 2015 River Road Opera Co.(SESAC) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
3.
Oh Seraphim! 03:57
3. Oh Seraphim! Written by: Zack Kibodeaux Let me go I’m only a rambler Slow me down I’m a running man I got dark on the edge of my soul You would not understand You’re the ghost in the moonlight dancing For the lover and the bloodhound To catch an old indifferent sinner And beat him when he’s down And angel don’t you want me so bad Don't I need you after all Get it through my head, oh I can’t Get it through my head Oh seraphim, if I didn’t love you now If I was scared to If I didn’t want to go quiet out of the dark Oh seraphim, you know you gotta rough me up Knock my soul around, until I’m tired and I wanna lay my head down I’m tired and I wanna lay my head down I got a road this side of the mountain Neon red into Babylon Slow and winding wheels are turning Fortunate and wrong And in that time I saw you standing Flying high o’er the holy train And though you hide, your eyes are burning Calling out my name And angel don’t you want me so bad And don’t I need you Oh seraphim, if I didn’t love you now If I was scared to If I didn’t want to go quiet out of the dark Oh seraphim, you know you gotta rough me up Knock my soul around, until I’m tired and I wanna lay my head down Tired and I wanna lay my head down I’m so tired and I wanna lay my head down © 2015 River Road Opera Co.(SESAC) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
4.
Greytown 04:51
4. Greytown Written by: Zack Kibodeaux and Greg Essington Honey, I got my name upon the wall In the ground floor level of desperation hall And the heat is out, and the stairs don’t climb at all Oh, but you can take the elevator down Down to Greytown, where it don’t ever rain Not in Greytown, no the light it shines all day And it burns like fire all the colors out Say when you gonna come and get me out, my Lord ‘Cause I’ve been praying Well I belong to a storm inside my heart And I drown in the worry from which I will not part Oh, but the word is out that the boarding’s about to start Calling all, the golden train is rolling out Out of Greytown, where it don’t ever rain Not in Greytown, oh the light it shines all day And it burns like fire all the colors out Say, when you gonna come and get me out, my Lord ‘Cause I’ve been praying Oh that train I’m taking it And though the ground I cannot walk on And the water’s hard as stone I believe you, I believe you I was sad, but I was wrong I wanted someone, Lord, to call But you were shouting all along © 2015 River Road Opera Co.(SESAC)/ Goat Lady Hill (SESAC) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
5.
Medicine Man 03:48
5. Medicine Man Written by: Zack Kibodeaux Well honey, here I come, I got a wagonload A million different words I’m putting on for show I’m peddling my heart It sees your careful walk hiding a gypsy stare And I know just the thing, woman if you dare Step right on through And I’ll do it all for you I’ll do it all for you I am the Medicine Man I traveled all the land in a depression line I bought and sold my love one too many times But now those days are done ‘Cause under the things I own, I am the one you need And in your snake oil smile, the cure for my disease I’d break my heart in two And I would do it all for you (c’mon girl, c’mon girl) I’d do it all for you (c’mon girl, c’mon girl) ‘Cause I can see your fever rising And I got all you need inside You’re out on a ledge with your head in your hands You got a bleeding heart honey, I am the Medicine Man You (c’mon girl, c’mon girl) I’d do it all for you (c’mon girl, c’mon girl) I’d do it all for you (c’mon girl, c’mon girl) I’d do it all for you (c’mon girl, ohh) I can see your fever rising And I got all you need inside You’re out on a ledge with your head in your hands You got a bleeding heart honey, I am the Medicine Man © 2015 River Road Opera Co.(SESAC) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
6.
6. How I Broke Your Heart Written by: Zack Kibodeaux What are the words you say to lie (when you’re lying) When you’re lying next to someone else at night? What are the ways I shut you out and ignore you? It’s a wonder we both can say “I love you” now And won’t you hold me so I know? And please don’t let me go If we broke down forgive me Add it up, the being miles apart With the amount of time the lonesome took to start, and now I will show you just how I broke your heart I was the rain in all your plans You were the siren inside my cold and distant hands Wake me up and read my mind, tell me all the lies you want And I’ll believe you every time But won’t you hold me so I know? And please don’t let me go If we broke down forgive me Add it up, the being miles apart With the amount of time the lonesome took to start, and now I will show you just how I broke your heart Empty bottles, empty beds, and broken things I never thought would need mending It never crossed my mind Do I ever cross your mind? I'm sorry if I crossed you out ... I'm sorry if I crossed you If we broke down forgive me Add it up, the being miles apart With the amount of time the lonesome took to start, and now I will show you just how I broke your heart How I broke your heart © 2015 River Road Opera Co.(SESAC) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
7.
7. My Blue San Antone Written by: Zack Kibodeaux Oh my love, when you gonna buy that dress that you got on? When you gonna earn them eyes you’re putting on? They make me fall to pieces And send my worried mind, always leaving on the edge of something new Honey and the avalanche was you And it fell all around me At times I wish I was just covered up in you Wrapped in all your red and lying quiet in your blues In a moment I’ll be alright, but I need time alone My blue San Antone, I still miss, I still miss someone I remember the cold, and the rhythm of the streetlights up above It was like a falling out of love, and I saw every moment Yeah the moonlight waltzing with the blood upon the Stations of the Cross Honey that’s a memory I haven’t lost I’m glad you never noticed At times I wish I was just covered up in you Wrapped in all your red and lying quiet in your blues In a moment I’ll be alright, but I need time alone My blue San Antone, I still miss, I still miss someone With the stars out, I miss you on the edge of something new Honey you don’t have to say it too I just want you to know That when it all goes, when it all goes down so easy I can feel your heat and breathe your smoke in my lungs And I wish I was covered up in you Wrapped in all your red and lying quiet in your blues In a moment I’ll be alright, but I need time alone My blue San Antone, I still miss, I still miss someone I still miss, I still miss someone © 2015 River Road Opera Co.(SESAC) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
8.
John Henry 04:00
8. John Henry Written by: Zack Kibodeaux Oh Johnny, six foot four The baby grew so tall he couldn’t grow no more Say don’t do this, and don’t do that Everybody tellin’ him where it’s at he said Momma, oh you know it hurts so bad Yeah he said, Momma, oh you know it hurts so bad He was born, a hammer in hand The baddest mother’s son in the Promised Land Now drive that steel, drive it hard Won’t you drive it on home to the graveyard Oh Johnny, swing that hammer Oh Johnny, swing it right Oh Johnny, swing that hammer Swing it all day, swing it all night Until the Judgment Day See that man against the Machine Working like a one who won’t be beat Gonna break my back, have a heart attack But I will not give up I will not but Momma, oh you know it hurts so bad Momma, oh you know it hurts so bad Lord, it hurts so bad Oh John is swingin’ it now, Workin’ in Heaven on the gospel plow Well now don’t do this, I do what I want ‘Cause the good Lord treats me right he says Oh Johnny, yeah swing that hammer Oh he says Johnny, won’t you swing it right Oh the good, good Lord say Johnny, swing that hammer Swing it all day, oh swing it all night Into the Judgment Day © 2015 River Road Opera Co.(SESAC) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
9.
The Running 04:36
9. The Running Written by: Zack Kibodeaux, Greg Essington, and Daniel Dowling I remember the lights They take my old mind back to a younger game And the drive for a chance at a name It came low and inside, I stepped out of the way And then there was wildness Heaving right for the middle as the bat came down Like the sound of the roar of a crowd I was calling for the wall, but the sound died out When you’re close to glory, you give it all to chase it All I know is that I almost made it Oh I was running, I was in the running Oh I was running, I was in the running for the best I remember the sea The arctic breeze of a heart set in stone And burning for the edge of the world For a wild cut of heaven to call my own And then there was silence But for the wailing of the wind as the sun went down And the cold closing all around I was holding on to hope as the hope ran out When you’re close to glory, you give it all to chase it All I know is that I almost made it Oh I was running, I was in the running Oh I was running, I was in the running for the best I’ve been running all my life from the fear in my bones Of being nothing but a cold, timid soul I wanna know now, brother, before I go to rest I remember the pain My whole life training in the docks on the east coastline And the glow of the fear in her eyes Begging the Lord that I’d make it one last fight And then there was violence Oh the cheering and the blood as the gloves came down At the nod of the man in the crowd I was reaching for the ropes as the bell rang out So close to glory, I’d give it all to taste it All I know is that I almost made it Oh I was running, I was in the running Oh I was running, I was in the running I may amount to nothing, but once I was something, oh I was in the running for the best © 2015 River Road Opera Co.(SESAC)/ Goat Lady Hill (SESAC) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
10.
10. Voice in Ramah Written by: Zack Kibodeaux When I was a boy in the Great War I walked all around in the dark But you were the light in a father’s eyes On the day you were born We grew up in fields on the outside Pulling black London gold from the ground I saw the smoke in a daydream And when the rain came falling down I thought I heard a voice in Ramah The sound of weeping and loud lamentation Rachel weeping for her children Because they are no more, because they are no more There in the lights ‘til the morning broke I stood on the edge of the mound With a man from from the press giving words of hope Saying that all's quiet now But I thought I heard a voice in Ramah The sound of weeping and loud lamentation Rachel weeping for her children Because they are no more, because they are no more I dream you in your communion dress I dream you in warm streets of light But I’d give the world for a night of rest To get you out of my mind To never have heard a voice in Ramah, The sound of weeping and loud lamentation Rachel weeping for her children Because they are no more, because they are no more © 2015 River Road Opera Co.(SESAC) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
11.
11. Q to Cortelyou Written by: Greg Essington Take the Q to Cortelyou Maybe find what you have lost Bring the mountains into view But don’t count the cost If the time has faded And the hour is passed Just know I need you at last Pedal up the Hudson way For an afternoon I don’t know what to say But I hope to soon Ah well you looked gorgeous In that summer dress But I was clueless I guess Take the Q to Cortelyou Maybe find what you have lost Bring the mountains into view But don’t count the cost © 2015 Goat Lady Hill (SESAC) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
12.
12. Things We Carry Written by: Zack Kibodeaux and Greg Essington Anne Marie, I saw you on the screen An old motion picture girl in black and white You danced in my heart once upon a long, long time I was younger then, still too old to see Always one to give an answer, never questioned anything And so imagine my surprise when you cast those doubtful eyes And broke the silver walled dimension My heart, and in the tension said Oh now, with all the changes coming down I'm falling in the aisle, and we’re growing older babe Will you pick me up on your way? 'Cause when nothing stays the same It's the things we carry She lay down, spread her arms out on the ground And told me how she’d hid the screenplay of her life In a dressing room no one could ever find And then I held her, and I whispered something sweet I said I think it was a line from Shakespeare Oh and Annie, you believed it, I said Oh now, with all the changes coming down I'm falling in the aisle, and we’re growing older babe Will you pick me up on your way? ‘Cause when nothing stays the same It’s the things we carry Oh now Annie, I believe the desolation you receive Might be the ending of the world, if you were any other girl She flipped the light and went off dancing in the alley As I stumbled through the lobby in the dark I lit a candle and I thought, the best laid plans can run amok But I chalk my love up to luck I was the only boy around who laughed when you rolled into town and said Oh now, with all the changes coming down I’m falling in the aisle, you know I’m falling, we’re growing older babe Will you pick me up on your way? ‘Cause when nothing stays the same It’s the things we carry © 2015 River Road Opera Co.(SESAC)/ Goat Lady Hill (SESAC) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
13.
13. Highway To Glory Written by: Greg Essington Beat-up back roads for a welcome Hugs and kisses say goodbye Tears that flow from years of memories Soak the pictures in my mind Began the journey of my soul there Found the love I have today But nothing comes without sorrow Oh sorrow, don’t you come my way Oh, somewhere on that highway to glory I’ll lose myself and find you once again It’s times like these I’ll sing the songs of angels It’s times like these I wish would never end Headed out toward the cities Left the simple life behind Wanted nothing but the pleasures Found nothing worth my time Oh, somewhere on that highway to glory I’ll lose myself and find you once again It’s times like these I’ll sing the songs of angels It’s times like these I wish would never end Watching the pastures through my window Doing the best that I can ‘Cause I know where I’m going I know where this road ends Oh, somewhere on that highway to glory I’ll lose myself and find you once again It’s times like these I’ll sing the songs of angels It’s times like these I wish would never end Oh, somewhere on that highway to glory I’ll lose myself and find you once again It’s times like these I’ll sing the songs of angels It’s times like these I wish would never ... © 2015 Goat Lady Hill (SESAC) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

about

Blue Water Highway Band’s Things We Carry effortlessly backs elegant wordplay (“Hard Time Train”) with energetic melodies (“Medicine Man”). Sharp songwriting guides the entire journey (“Highway to Glory”). Songs stick. They resonate. Listen closely. You’ll hear. “These songs show how we deal with struggles and joys,” frontman Zack Kibodeaux says, “and they deal with everything from heavy topics like depression from the loss of a child to the highs and lows of romantic relationships.” Chief songwriters Greg Essington and Zack Kibodeaux, who raised funds for the record through a hometown Gulf Coast concert, fuel complex harmonies with operatic elegance. Results are stunning.
Folks notice. “Zack Kibodeaux and Greg Essington of the Blue Water Highway Band are some of the best vocalists I’ve heard in a long time,” says pioneering singer-songwriter Terri Hendrix. “Their delivery, timing, lyrics, and harmonies and overall musicianship make them the real deal. On top of it all, they are good guys and true professionals. Simply put, I was blown away with their live show.” Legendary multi-instrumentalist and producer Lloyd Maines echoes the sentiment: “The Blue Water Highway Band is the best new band that I’ve heard in years. Their vocals are spot on and their writing is smart and thoughtful. They’re very serious and impressive musicians’’
Remember those words: smart and thoughtful. The current Kyle, Texas residents prove over (“The Running”) and again (“John Henry”) they're seamless narrative storytellers. The pair frequently double down on the ancient American tradition of giving a voice to the struggles and triumphs of the people they love in a partnership that began simply enough: by swapping songs and discovering a singular style. “People say we have a sonic landscape like a Depression-era radio being played on a Brazos River steamboat. I’d liken it to the strange effect of a bluesy, soul-infused Hank Williams time traveling and stealing a Ryan Adams cover of a Guy Clark song about the Gulf Coast,” Essington says.
Accordingly, the songs themselves span broad landscapes. “ ‘The Running’ is an underdog story from three perspectives about how one deals with working hard for something and not making it,” Kibodeaux explains. “And ‘John Henry’ is our take on the classic underdog folk tale. “The title track sort of ties the album together. It tells the story of an encounter with a muse-like character (an old-time movie star) who uses the phrase “things we carry’’ with a bit of a twist, as if to say we are carrying each other along, helping each other with our problems.’’

“Root bounded music, with contemporary drive.” – Cindy Cashdollar

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released February 20, 2015

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Blue Water Highway Austin, Texas

Haunted and haunting, tough but melodic, top of the line Americana.

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