First Floor is from The Sky…She Sleeps With One Eye Open, a collaboration with my dear friend, Iain Clarke. This also features orchestration from another dear friend, Robert Baird.

Iain came up with the piano, bass and drums structure for this, which Marc pounded on with great enthusiasm, creating a moving lyric and layered vocal, before the pair handed over to their friend Robert Baird for some ‘candy coating’. A summery, jazzy pop feeling track.

I packed some things, I sold some things,
Then I bought a case of brandy
And she really got a hold of me.
Now I’m thinking of that love,
That circled me with flames.

It was all up top,
Just below the sky,
But it cost so much, it hurt so much,
To let her go to let her fly.
Now I’m drinking to that love
And I won’t be the same.

I fell before-
But not this fast
And not that hard.

Hey, I’m coming down.
I’ve been up town so long-
Higher than that wire
And that girl?
Well she’s not around anymore
Now we’re living on the first floor
Once again.

The neighbours? They’re all in their phones.
I pass them at the elevator, but they never say hello.
Now I’m winking at that girl.
She reminds me of the days…

We were at the top, we were looking out,
The lake was like an ocean, I said,
“Hey, we’ll have another round!”
We were drinking to a world
That had no end.

I’ve been moved before-
But not as much
And not that sure.

Hey, I’m coming down.
I’ve been up town so long-
Higher than that wire
And that girl?
Well she’s not around anymore
Now we’re living on the first floor
Once again.

First floor,
Fell before,
But not that fast
And not that hard.

I fell before,
But not as fast
And not that hard.

Hey, I’m coming down.
I’ve been up town so long-
Higher than that wire
And that girl?
Well she’s not around anymore
Now we’re living on the first floor
Once again.

Hey, I’m coming down.
I’ve been up town so long-
Higher than that wire
And that girl?
Well she’s not around anymore
Now we’re living on the first floor
Once again.

I’m coming down.
credits
from The Sky​.​.​.​She Sleeps With One Eye Open, released July 27, 2021
Marc: Vocals
Iain: Piano, bass, drums
Orchestration by Robert Baird.
license

Rabbit Ears was written in 2008 for one of my beautiful daughters, Eve, when she was 9. I think as a band we really hit our stride here.

Rabbit Ears

Listen up my darling Don’t you listen to their jeers Everyone inside that crowd Knows that you have rabbit ears They’ll want to sway you to their side And if you won’t go then they’ll taunt you darling Why? Put up your antenna for that kind? Tune yourself to somewhere else inside It’s time to find Just how beautiful you are Beautiful you are on your own You say the bully in the playground Has caught you off your guard And he towers over you At the bottom of the slide Yeah he’ll want to steal your change But let him be denied my darling Why? Put up your antenna for that kind? Tune yourself to somewhere else inside It’s time to find Just how beautiful you are Beautiful you are on your baby Why? (Why time?) Put up your antenna for that kind? (Your time) Tune yourself to somewhere else inside It’s time to find Just how beautiful you are Beautiful you are on your own

Words and Music by Marc Teamaker – Copyright 2008 Oolong Songs (ASCAP)

All songs written by Marc Teamaker copyright 2008 Oolong Songs (ASCAP)
Produced, Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by The Soul Shop
Special thanks to Sir Robert Baird

From the new album, Leaf Day Boys.

Worried Mind Melt Away

I get a worried mind
From time to time
It just gets away
It falls back in line
Falls right back in line
When I think of you again

You’re somewhere in the clouds
Or maybe somewhere else
And my worried mind
It just melts away

We use to sit outside
Watch the planes go by
Dream the day away
Yeah, we would laugh a lot
And make love a lot
Sweet memory I’ve got

And now you’re in the clouds
Or maybe somewhere else
And my worried mind
It just melts away

It’s been fractured
I’ve been tortured
But I’m trying to get around it
And I get traction
It’s my fortune
With your light and love
Surrounding me

Now you’re in the clouds
Or maybe somewhere else
And my worried mind
It just melts away

We would walk the streets
Put our world at peace
Spend the day this way
Yeah, we would laugh a lot
And make love a lot
Sweet memory I’ve got

You’re somewhere in the clouds
Or maybe somewhere else
Making my worried mind
Melt away
Making my worried mind
Melt away

Words and Music – Marc Teamaker ©2020

This week it’s Pyongyang Town from the 2017 release Random Acts Of Commandment by Albany Park Wirephoto. APW is my side project started with my writing partner and wife, Kathleen White. Sadly KT is no longer with us physically but her spirit lives on in the work. This particular song is an ode to Dennis Rodman.

I’m going down to Pyongyang Town The devil may care But I can’t say why I’m going down To Pyongyang Town I’m going down To Pyongyang Town The little man called for a Soju toast So I packed my rings and a wedding gown Cuz I’m going down To Pyongyang Town I’m going down From Chicago off the ground Called up the Chief but he never calls me back No, No But a player’s gotta play and the man he pays in cash It’s my backboard to crash You can’t cry foul if you’ve never been hacked Oh no And it ain’t your party and it ain’t your crown I’m going down To Pyongyang Town I’m going down yeah From Chicago off the ground I’m going down To Pyongyang Town

Words and Music written by Marc Teamaker and Kathleen White Copyright 2017

http://www.albanyparkwirephoto.bandcamp.com

Check out One Little Spark from the new album Leaf Day Boys

Oh my sister said
I can’t make any sense of it

One little spark now
And they’re burning the house down

Turning like dogs
On command
By the junk show darling
Talking heads

One little bark now
And the copy cats cry
And we all start

Trading in lies for the truth in disguise
Is no truth at all
It’s no surprise
How we’ve come to despise
The excuse to fall in line

Get up, mother said
Before you come down
You’ll have made your bed

One little spark now
And they’re burning the town down
Turning to

Trading in lies for the truth in disguise
Is no truth at all
It’s no surprise
How we’ve come to despise
The excuse to fall in line

And there’s no looking back
Over your shoulder
To the playground
In the swing of the drummer’s sound
How freely you danced around

Trading in lies for the truth in disguise
Is no truth at all
It’s no surprise
How we’ve come to despise
The excuse to fall in line

Repeat

Words and Music by Marc Teamaker ©2021

Leaf Day Boys is now available on compact disc here in our shop… and at Bandcamp

This record was written and recorded from March 2020 to September 21. It features the solid but playful drumming of Jared Nixon and the amazing soulful vocals of Ann Gulian. Without them I wouldn’t have been able to achieve what I wanted.

Leaf Day Boys is a document of what was going on in my head for a year and a half. Reflections on the past, present and future. Songs of love, politics, and remembrance. I hope you explore it and I hope you dig it.

MT

Here’s one for the inevitable eventuality that the cold climate daily hustler…and thay he or she will desire this destination… whether it is a possible reality or a stoned cold dream.

It features CJ Masters on a very sweet pedal steel guitar. Beautiful harmony by
Gina De Siena. And playful drums from Ray Herrmann.

Ocean Bound

Everybody’s ocean bound
Sea salt healing wounds all around
I think it’s time you come on down

Because when it’s such a struggle
Just to get out of bed
And get your head into the day
I think you’ve had enough
Of telephones and heartaches
From no cold call takers

Everybody tries so hard
Everybody takes it on the chin so much
I think it’s time you duck the punch

Because when it’s such a struggle
Just turning the key
And get your feet out of the door
I think you’ve had enough
Of sandwich boards and handouts
To no sidewalk takers
Everybody’s Ocean Bound

Now when you walk out in the water
You know it could go either way

And when it’s such a struggle
Just to get out of bed
And get your head into the day
I think you’ve had enough
Of telephones and heartaches
From no cold call takers

Everybody’s ocean bound
Everybody’s ocean bound
Everybody’s ocean bound
Everybody’s ocean bound

Words and Music by Marc Teamaker

©2000 Marc Teamaker all rights reserved

As For The Time

I get in and I get out
I doubt if you would even
had noticed
I take little bits from
You’re really not aware of
what I’ve stolen

Except for the time
And how it wears you down

All the years you played it safe
With something that you
could fall back on
A bed of roses feels like nails
When you fail to realize
all that is gone

Except for the time
And how it wears you down
The things you regret
The things you might have done
The things you could have done

It may be dark but it’s not late enough
for you to go to sleep on every dream
So go ahead and shine a light
Right on the spot where you wish to be

And as for the time
And how it’s ticking down
There’s nothing you can do
It gets taken from you
As for the time
And how it wears you down
The things you regret
The things you might have done
The things you could have done

I get in and I get out
I doubt if you would even
had noticed

Words and Music by Marc Teamaker
©2003 Marc Teamaker/Oolong Songs
all rights reserved

Leaf Day Boys is now live on Amazon Music! Compact Disc’s coming in mid January 2022.

Click on link.

Leaf Day Boys on Amazon Music