David Stephenson: Recent Episodes
David Stephenson
Expression thru chance/Surrender to chance/Play the dice man roll your own questions on any street corner/Play safe only when it is dangerous to do so/Rip up all your tomorrows throw the pieces into the air/Let them flow follow the heart. Tuned for more exciting news...
Discography
Grace 2020 Eudaemonia 2019 David Stephenson 2018 I Become Disaster 2017 High Lonesome 2011 Stereo Side Two 2010 It's All In Your Head 2001
"David is a great post-protopunk-singer/songwriter-with a dash of industrial-upper-Midwest-infused-drum-machined-mayhem-but-with-soul." DJ Paul Critz, KFUG Radio.
Songwriters who have that way with words, that ability to make any phrase sound like rock 'n' roll, they're always interesting, no matter what they're saying or what key it's being said in. David Stephenson has it!
Every night I scream I can't see you, I can't feel you, I can't go on Far across the distance Big space between us You never come, I can't go on
Near, far, wherever you are I know that your heart is long gone dear Nevermore will you open, open my door Maybe you're here in my heart But my heart is cold Baby you're here in my heart But my heart is cold
Love touched us one time Is one time enough? I gotta drive on Safe to say I loved you Polaroids I cling to Safer said, I gotta move on
Near, far, wherever you are I know that your heart is long gone dear Nevermore will you open, open my door Baby you're here in my heart But my heart is cold
You're not here There's nothing I fear Though I know that your heart won't go on dear We'll stay forever away Baby you're here in my heart But my heart is cold
Naked Eye Astronomy (Words and Music by David Stephenson 2020)
If I ever really lost you, I would have had to find you But the haystack hid the needle And the needle moved around and around From town to town
The approach, the collision, the after-parting Seemed over before it even started From my position it seemed to last a long, long time A long, long time
The convergence of our orbits There's proof it really happened From nosey neighbors and naked-eye astronomers
Boil it down to the brain stem Neuropathy, a friction Were the sparkles a mere figment An illusion, pure fiction Pure fiction
The convergence of our orbits There's proof it really happened From nosey neighbors and naked-eye astronomers
They say it was over, before it even started They say it was over, before it even started
Open Your Mind (Music and Lyrics David Stephenson 2020)
Some say the war is never over The war is never over But Say Hey! There's a peace to be discovered and it's growing deep inside your brain Glowing deep inside your brain
All that fear and the anger that you carry Is strictly voluntary So come swim in the Sea of Understanding So deep the hurt can't penetrate So calm the hatred floats away
And each day a love grows never-ending A love grows never-ending Each day a love grows never-ending A love grows never-ending Open your heart, open your mind
Brothers and Sisters Set down all that weight you chose to carry It's all extraordinary We're all just crooked saplings Looking to the sky for rain Bending to the sky for rain
And each day a love grows never-ending A love grows never-ending Each day a love grows never-ending A love grows never-ending
Shut your eyes Open your mind
Let U Go
Someday I hope I find you All alone in a grassy meadow I'll be the wandering soldier And you with a light amnesia
I'll do all the things I did before But this time I'll do them better I'll say all the things I said before But this time I'll say them sweeter
Wind you up and watch the show Then let you go Wind you up, enjoy the show And let you go
I'll open my eyes and shut my mouth And just watch the dark clouds passing Open my heart and shut my mouth And just watch the damsel dancing
Wind you up and watch the show Then let you go Wind you up, enjoy the show Then let you go Wind you up and watch the show Then let you go Wind you up and watch the show Then let you go
Here is the collaborative/recited version of my Love's Mansion tune. Big thanx to Amber Tagg, Renee Schwartz, Chris Borris, Kegan Windle, Mark Hill, Paul Critz, Paul Koppel, Jer Gladstone, and Steve Brady.
If you take the time to count, that makes 9 voices, but I never really follow the rules. Cheers!
Track number 2 off of my new album Eudaemonia. Some additional elements added and a bit o' polish. Cheers!
Words and Music by David Stephenson Copyright 2019.
The Days Before Quantize
I romantisize about the days before quantize Drunken beats, disorderly rhymes The good old days before quantize
In a recess dark sealed with skin and bone Deep inside this mans mind Random thoughts unquantified Sits a brain beyond quantize
I'm wide awake tonight Counting sheep with open eyes They clear a steeplechase Form a random, scattered array In a field beyond quantize A grassy field beyond quantize.
Tucson (Words and music David Stephenson Copyright 2019)
So I'm heading down to Tucson With one thing on my mind Yeah I'm heading on down to Tuscon I got one thing on my mind When I get down to Tucson I'm gonna make that woman mine I don't who she's known' I don't care who she's kissed I don't care who she blowing' I don' care if she's hitched Cause when I get down to Tucson Gypsy woman gonna scratch my itch If hombre wants to prove me Just get in my way Cause I'm bringing down my six gun And there will be hell to pay You won't ever know me You'll never know my name You'll just see my barrel smoking And you're never gonna breath another day.
This is the original track with mastering and some little tid bits added here and there. I think it brightened up a bit more. Cheers!
I imagine this song as a tribute to Heather who was murdered during the Charlottesville Riot. (For Heather D. Heyer)
Tape Loop Memories (Copyright 2016 David Stephenson)
There once was a man from Michigan The land of 10,000 lakes Oh right, that's Minnesota I was once never there by mistake He fought the great war against Canada But that didn't turn out so great He was gravely wounded in Canada But that all turned out to be fake
So he ran thru the bog and he ran thru the willow He ran but he couldn't get away He ran thru the marsh and he ran thru the meadow He ran but he couldn't get away from himself
He vanquished the Vampires of Hollywood Fueled by a pound of cocaine Beat back the Witches of Malibu Burned them alive at the stake
(Chorus)
Now he sits in pain alone The lights are on but no one's home Playing tape loop memories
He chopped down the trees of Oregon Looking for something to fight But when the sun shines bright in Oregon It really heats of the old double-wide
(Chorus)
Playing tape loop memories (ad infinitum)
Anger (Copyright 2016, Words/Music David Stephenson)
Everyday my world is coming to an end I wake up and do it all again Everyday my world is coming to an end I wake up and pray for it again
Anger, walking down the street Anger, at food I'll never eat Anger, at people having fun Anger, keeps me on the run Everyday my world is coming to an end I wake up and do it all again
Anger, never-ending fun Anger, bought another gun Anger, the monkey on my back Anger, he's ready to attack Everyday my world is coming to an end I wake up and do it all again
Anger, always on my mind Anger, with me all the time Anger, won't you go away Anger, do you ever play? Everyday my world is coming to an end I wake up and do it all again Everyday my world is coming to an end And pray for it again
A love-duet/collaboration with my pal Samantha (Sam Hell of "It!"). I have chose to release this version, while Sam is going to release her own delightful version of the tune. You can listen to Sam's music at: https://soundcloud.com/samantha-hubbs. Cheers!
I Don't Care (Written by David Stephenson and Sam Hell, Copyright 2014)
I feel the rain of the rain of the broken hearted I've watched the drain of the dearly departed I know the pain, the pull, the strain But I can't complain No I can't complain
I don't know, I don't care about anything, anyone, anybody other than you I don't know, I don't care about anybody else but you
I feel the cold of loneliness I lost control, I guess I feel the pain, the pull the strain I can't complain No, I can't complain
I don't know, I don't care about anything, anyone, anybody other than you I don't know, I don't care about anybody else but you
The good, the bad, the right, the wrong The black, the white, the weak, the strong The poverty, the luxury, the black the white, the peace, the fight I don't know
The good, the bad, the right, the wrong The black, the white, the weak, the stong The comedy, the tragedy, the black the white, the peace, the fight I don't know, I don't care
I don't know, I don't care about anything, anyone, anybody other than you I don't know, I don't care about anything, anyone, anybody other than you I don't know, I don't care about anything, anyone, anybody other than you I don't know, I don't care about anybody else but you.
Death By A Thousand Cuts (Words and Music by David Stephenson, Copyright 2013
I run and I hide from the monsters outside I'm not safe I'm just scared anymore Wishing and washing, hemming and hawing My calliope crashed to the floor A faucet is dripping, my mojo is rusting Like fencing I lost in the flood The chickens are bloating My cattle are floating But I'm still alive after all
Death by a thousand Death by a thousand Death by a thousand Death by a thousand cuts
My head's in a hole, all the time growing old Love poetry glued to the door A meteor shower destroyed all my flowers It's not safe in this world anymore Distant drones humming The Authority is coming To burn my compound to the floor But they better hurry cause I'm sick with worry It's not safe in my home anymore
Death by a thousand Death by a thousand Death by a thousand Death by a thousand cuts
This tune started out on a ukelele that I purchased in Portland and strummed back to the South Coast. At times, while recording I thought I saw Harry Nilsson standing bathrobed in the yard. I'm fortunate to have recently discovered a real mermaid. Cheers
One of my favorite "oldies" from a fellow Michigander. Reminds me of cruising around Port Huron as a child with my Dad behind the wheel of his sprawling Lincoln...listening to CKLW and Honey Radio.
George Jones (Words/Music David Stephenson copyright 2012)
You can drown the Opry, it's been dead for years You can drown the Opry, and I won't shed a tear But Lord don't wash, George Jones away
He loves his lawn tractor for quick liquor runs He's been getting wobbly since 1961 If you see him drunk in Nashville, makin' the scene Won't you bequeth him some gold water wings So don't wash George Jones away
The rats and songwriters will survive the flood Floatin' on their guitars and chewing their cud Rats and songwriters don't give a damn As long as they're drawing their royalty checks Direct deposit those royalty checks....Lord!
You can't kill Waylon, he's already dead You can't drown Willie, he's gettin' high in Texas The ghost of Hank Williams hangs like a dream Protected from danger by a chicken wire screen Pray don't wash George Jones away.