I went looking for a singer that I’d known throughout my youth

And I heard no one could find him, it just wasn't any use

Call your search off I was told

Hear the tolling of the bell

The singer that you want now rides the gunmen's carousel

Famous names and unknown faces ride the carousel all day

Cause the fare’s a free for all when the gunmen have their way

Watch your step now

Choose your mount

Rings the tolling of the bell

Making room for more riders on the gunmen's carousel

Carousel

Goes round and round

Carousel

Is nowhere bound

Rider’s voices lose their sound

Singin’ nothing where nothin’s found

Gone forever to a gun

On the darkest ride in town

A fog surrounds the carousel, no one can see or hear

Those who cry in desperation  "This fog is only fear"

Free the horses

Drop the guns

Stop the tolling of this bell

The finger points to you who run

The finger points to you who run

The finger points to you who run the gunmen's carousel.

©  Armell

While at a party I was feeling low       

A sweet new voice said no, no, no

She said get up I want you on your feet   

Come move with me come feel my beat

She took my hand and pulled me up      

I went with her I could not stop

She didn't know me she didn't care  

She came to dance right then and there

We danced to reggae and we danced to rock

And in between she began to talk

She told me when she was a kid

She never danced ….. she never did

How did you start was my reply

She simply pointed to the sky

Allah above told me to dance

To save my soul I took the chance

She said this dance was good for us

Could heal all wounds more or less

Way better than old sticks 'n stones

It shakes the pain from our modern bones

We danced to reggae and we danced to rock

And in between she began to talk

She told me when she was a kid

She never danced ….. she never did

Her smart remarks blew me away

I fell in love dancing that day

Her words profound and always nice

Her dancing touched the pulse of life

We danced all night it went so fast

I knew all night it wouldn’t last

I never felt this as a kid

I never danced ….. I never did.

©  Armell

( a possible duet - text is current - song has earlier refrain)

If I walk ...walk you home

Will you drive...drive me wild

If I sing ... sing you songs

Will you tell me you’re all mine

Will ya do these things for me

Before we're gone like smithereens

Before we're gone to earth and sky

Before we’re gone to the bye n bye

If I stand ... stand at your side

If I make ...make you smile

Will you hold ...hold out your hand

Will you kiss me for a while

Will ya do these things for me

Before we're gone like smithereens

Before we're gone to earth and sky

Before we’re gone to the bye n bye 

If I call ... call out your name

In the middle of the night

Will you come  come to my bed

Will I feel you at my side

Will ya do these things for me

Before we're gone like smithereens

Before we're gone to earth and sky

Before we’re gone to the bye n bye

© Armell

We’ve got fields

Full of missiles

In silos asleep

Hidden from view

But ready to leap

Cold creatures of doom

Mindless of power

Insulting nature

Built to devour

We let bombers fly high

In the sky over us

We put people in power

We  give ‘em  our trust

But how can we tell

From their television eyes

That the mission they're on

Is for  saving lives

Where is the will to stop building the bomb

Why can’t we see it’s time to disarm

All that power and wealth

May be shiny and bold

And everyone's dreams

Should be free to unfold

But oligarchs and patriarchs

Got us armed to the teeth

Cartoonin’ planet earth

With unreal belief.

Where is the will to stop building the bomb

Why can’t we see it’s time to disarm

So from millions of years

We might come down to this

A goodbye to God

With the nuclear kiss

The Devil will greet us

All hell will break loose

Sowing nuclear seed

To reap nuclear fruit

Where is the will to stop building the bomb

Why can’t we see it’s time to disarm

Where is the courage to put history behind

To live beyond home, to be of one kind

To know we are mortal and life is our luck

To stop all our strutting with flags and that stuff?

© Armell

Life after sunset has a light of its own

Florescent incandescent spaces that glow

Where music’s played loud and music’s played low

From flats in high rises to barrooms below

Oh the night life

The other side

That’s where I’ll be

That’s where I am

Nightly                       

I met a new girl who came thru the dark

She caught my attention with a sensual spark

Then under moonlight the allure grew intense

I liked her smile she liked suspense

Oh the night life

The other side

That’s where I’ll be

That’s where I am

Nightly                       

Out in the night among whispers and sighs

Live lovers of truth and tellers of lies

So how can you know when passions begin

That the love you make will make you a friend

Oh the night life

The other side

That’s where I’ll be.

That’s where I am

Nightly                       

© Armell

(work in progress)

(several voices)

(1st voice - slow - assertive)

I see it all

It’s plain to see

I am of earths

Biology

An orb in space

A living place

Where time is grace

No time for haste

(2nd voice -robotic - fast )

What's that you say girl

Why do you pray girl

You weren't meant to see it all

Pick up your box girl your special world girl

I’ll take you there I’ll grace the fall

Now you can lose your way thru time

Show off yourself show up online

Learn how to love

My fine design

Call me Manchine

I am devine

(3rd voice -slow - assertive}

You are not flesh

Nor bones nor breath

A string of digits

That coalesce

To serve your servants

Their happiness

That’s what you are

If you must be

(2nd voice -robotic - fast )

Don't fool yourself boy

That time is gone boy

Your Mother Nature can't save you now

Get with your box boy your worldly toy boy

Come play with me I’ll grace the fall

You’ve got your box it’s got your time

Put on your face and live online

Learn how to love

My fine design

Call me Manchine

I am devine

(1st voice - slow - assertive)

The time will come

When systems rust

And your call to all

To mammon’s breast

May come to naught

And hopelessness

Yet who’ll be left

To clean your mess.

(2nd voice -robotic - fast )

You bore this child

You cannot tame

Who now runs wild and bears my name

Get with your box kids and all your pics kids

The game is mine I'll let you play

Step inside and come my way

Reveal yourself and live online

Learn how to love

My fine design

Call me Manchine

I am devine
 

(3rd voice - slow - assertive)

We're catching on

We know your game

You can't do wrong

You can't feel shame

A machine you are

Built to contain

The sum of all

In powers name.

(2nd voice -robotic - fast )

First you like me

That's all I need

I'm data daddy I'll spread my seed

With swipes and likes for click bait kids

Just move your mind

To live online

You'll learn to love

My fine design

Call me Manchine

I am devine

(1st voice and 3rd voice - slow - assertive)

We see it all

It's plain to see

We are of earth's

Divinity

And you are thing

And nothing more

Your fate depends

On what we adore

Your fate depends

On what we adore

© Armell

The station on the radio is rolling out the sound

Over all the walls down into Lily’s town

Sounds from the past when she feels like looking back

Songs for right now as she’s falling through the crack

Of a thin and shiny lie,

In her youth she could not die

What will Lily do

What story will she tell

When she faces all the people

Who say they know her well

Oh what will Lily do

Her lover left a message he'd call her back that night

Her instincts were confused should she flee or fight

With one hand on her body the other on her soul

She spent her day moving to the songs of rock n’ roll.

To voices full of color

In a place no one would bother

What will Lily do

What story will she tell

When she faces all the people

Who say they know her well

Oh what will Lily do

Now she’s waiting slowly by the telephone

Hoping that the call coming to her home

Will bring her more than hope she’d had enough of that

Wherever she is going, she won’t be going back

Love had brought her to this night

Only love could make it right.

What will Lily do

What story will she tell

When she faces all the people

Who say they know her well

Oh what will Lily do

Oh what’s the girl to do

©  Armell

(working on music-text inspired by poet Al-Ajamin)

The poet wrote a poem and scared the ruling class

Who put their hands to their ears to stop his harmless blast

One hundred words in Arabic from a man you could not own

Why can't you hear it as a man and forget your royal throne

You put the man in darkness

You kept him without right

But as you lay to sleep

As you slumber thru the night

In your world so soft and fair

Please ask your conscience if you dare

Why did you keep him there.

Why did you keep him there.

If you thought to hide the truth well sir you’re out of luck

The poet could not speak but his poem flew from your clutch

Just like a bird that’s free to fly to sing a song so clear

The poem escaped your borders and has reached us over here.

You put the man in darkness

You kept him without right

But as you lay to sleep

As you slumber thru the night

In your world so soft and fair

Please ask your conscience if you dare

Why did you keep him there.

Why did you keep him there.

When his poem spoke truth to power why was it hard to hear

You risked your faith in God when you listened to your fear

You put the man in darkness

You kept him without right

But as you lay to sleep

As you slumber thru the night

In your world so soft and fair

Please ask your conscience if you dare

Why did you keep him there.

Why did you keep him there.

© Armell

I came down from the hills

Off the green mountain grass

A lonesome farm hand

To make a sweet pass

At lovely Loretta

A girl of high class

Who saw me a’comin’

And turned away fast

Don’t bother ‘bout me

Don't pay me no mind

I’m just feeling lonely

While trying to feel fine

I went off to a war

To protect and defend

To make mother proud

I came to pretend

That peace comes from war

But the war never ends

‘Cause there’s money to make

Where there’s money to spend

Don’t bother ‘bout me

Don't pay me no mind

I’m just feeling lonely

While trying to feel fine

I returned from the war

From bombs bursting in air

No truth to that fight

The suits had declared

Some left in coffins

Some try to repair

I got away whole

So why the despair.

Don’t bother ‘bout me

Don't pay me no mind

I’m just feeling lonely

While trying to feel fine

I went out to the sea

To a far away isle

While learning again

To smile at a smile

To walk without load

To trust where I stepped

To live with fair Carmen

Who sang while I slept

Don’t bother ‘bout me

Just pour me a wine

Red will do nicely

Sweet fruit of the vine

I’m not feeling lonely

I’m feeling real fine

Don’t bother ‘bout me

Don't pay me no mind

© Armell

(something like the first two bars of Beethoven’s fifth, then

slow first 4 lines choral introduction and then into a kind of reggae jammin’ mood.)

He’s got a wrist watch

With a wrist band

He is a modern man

He is a modern man

I've got a wrist watch

With a wrist band

I am a modern man

I am a modern man

It tells me the time

As fast as it can

It doesn't rise and fall

It's not the sun at all

Might turn to the East

Might turn to the West

But has no idea

Which way is best

Strange as it seems

It means what it means

Nothing more or less

And little to confess

It's just a wristwatch

On a modern man

I'm the modern man

I've got the wrist watch

Modern man, modern man

Catch him catch him if you can

Moving over

Thin

Light

Beams

Outer space

Inner space

And all light places

In between

(Choral outro)

Every second counts

But not for keeps

The time is only right

The time is only right

As modern man sleeps

© Armell

(still in progress - first 4 lines of the refrain actually could be reminiscent

of the first 4 lines of Little Darlin’ by the Diamonds 1957)

I saw you last night with that other boy

The look on your face was the look of joy

Now where can I go my friends are all gone

I left them for you now you've gone too

I am crushed         

And I feel

No control

At the wheel

I find myself lost

My world turned and tossed  

I am crushed

Crushed

Crushed

Our love at first filled a bottomless well

Then each day became an endless dry spell

The more that I showed the less that you gave

The closer I got the further you stayed.

I am crushed 

And I feel

No control

At the wheel

I find myself lost

My world turned and tossed               

I am crushed

Crushed

Crushed

What I felt for you then may not happen again

But I can't back out now it's the life I am in

Exploring a world of hot fun and cold pain

I believe in true love  I'm just new at the game.

I am crushed 

And I feel

No control

At the wheel

I find myself lost

My world turned and tossed  

I am crushed

Crushed

Crushed

© Armell

You came home late three nights ago

What you wanta say I don’t wanna know

Jealousy got a hold on me

Don't let go

I don't want to be free

From silent looks echo my words

I asked myself what has she heard

Then you smiled and spoke and said to me

Love's gone wrong, now I'll set you free

Our love's gone wrong, and I'll set you free

Don't let go

I don't want to be free

I dream all night you’re leavin’ me

I wake up cold my mind’s on fire

I know you're sharing your desire

From silent looks echo my words

I asked myself what has she heard

Then you smiled and spoke and said to me

Our love's gone wrong, now I'll set you free

You put your lips up to my cheek

A kiss so cold I couldn’t speak

I knew at last the spell was gone

You had your way of moving on

From silent looks echo my words

I asked myself what has she heard

Then you smiled and spoke and said to me

Our love's gone wrong, I'll set you free

© Armell

Workin' odd jobs for my Dad this summer

Larry’s in a band as a part time drummer

Together we stand

Late at night

Waiting for our girls at the corner light

Jenny's got the car

Lucy's got the brains

And they both work together in the fast food chain

Alone out here

Nothing to fear

Free for awhile on the old frontier

Summer is the season for teenage freedom

We do what we want for whatever reason

Mother rings her hands

Dad's up late

We promise, we swear we'll come home straight

So don’t be waitin’ up

We won’t be very far

Larry’s makin’ out and Lucy’s countin’ stars

Alone out here

Nothing to fear

Free for awhile on the old frontier

We're looking for fun and new sensations

Making the most of the school vacation

Dancing in the dark

Talkin’ thru the night

Doin’ what we can to do each other right

The sun is setting late

The moon shines up above

We’re all alone together feelin’ different kinds of love.

Alone out here

Nothing to fear

Free for awhile on the old frontier

Alone out here

Nothing to fear

Free for awhile on the old frontier

© Armell                        

One Sunday morning I turned my back

Said goodbye to house and home

Stopped busking at London station

Left town for holy Rome

In old Italia I sat with saints

In Greece I played the Parthenon

Kept moving on to lovely Istanbul

Then found my way to old Tehran

In a time that did not matter

On a road called wanderlust

A chance was taken

A past forsaken

In a time of wanderlust

I began my trip riding solo

Then found a honey for my arm

She had an accent quite alluring

And a gift for moving on.

The bus was always ready

I could ride from dusk to dawn

Just surrender to the motion

Let the days roll on and on.

One day in peaceful Kabul

I heard prayers greet morning sun

Shared a chillum of black Afghani

With a freak who’s on the run

From there I hitched up to the border

And rode the bus through Pakistan

And saw what lay before me

The Himalaya so close at hand.

In a time that did not matter

On a road called wanderlust

A chance was taken

A past forsaken

In a time of wanderlust

I stayed a while in Kathmandu

Playing songs for room and board

Then the lust to wander came back to me

Now I’m bound for Bali’s shores.

In a time that wasn’t counted

On a road called wanderlust

A chance was taken

The past forsaken

In a time of wanderlust

©  Armell

Toward freedom's door the wind is rolling

Bringing news of changes coming

In the square the youth are gathering

Facing up to power arming

And hand in hand

And arm in arm

We shall come on to freedom’s door

The wind now speaks with caution warning

Remember well what you are leaving

Know yourselves beyond believing

Beyond the ways of history’s thinking

And hand in hand

And arm in arm

We shall come on to freedom’s door

The wind we follow begins a’howling

‘Gainst the walls of towers falling

Some have come with belly’s growling

Next to some with wisdom wailing

And hand in hand

And arm in arm

We shall come on to freedom’s door

And on this wind of freedom rising

Through the halls of culture passing

Will Justice join us at this crossing

Will truth transparent come presiding

And hand in hand

And arm in arm

We shall come on to freedom’s door

This wind as right as freedom singing

Cuts a path to you still guarding

You who stand to lose your standing

You who fear tomorrow’s coming

You who work for he who's paying

Can’t you see the door is opening

The locks you hold will hold no more

Come with us to freedom’s door

And hand in hand

And arm in arm

We shall come on to freedom’s door

Only now the wind is right to ride

Only now the truth is hard to hide

But when all is said and all is done

What’ll we do if we have won

This wind's blown hard this way before

Then’s been left unloved at freedom’s door

© Armell

I'm kinda thinkin’ all the time

I got nothin’ on my mind

I wake up feeling this

I dream all day of that

I'm thinkin’ way too much

I'm thinkin’ way too much

I gotta get some rest

Not having any fun

Its just an empty quest

I'm thinkin’ way too much

It's to be or not to be

That's so hard for me to see

Existential some might say

Many others choose to pray

I'm thinkin’ way too much

I'm thinkin’ way too much

I gotta take a break

I'm always on the run

Can't tell what's real or fake

I'm thinkin’ way too much

Got a phone upon my hip

I'm afraid I'm gonna flip

Transistor man is here

One and zero make that clear

I'm thinkin’ way too much  

I'm thinkin’ way too much

It’s all a kind of blur

Forgetting what to do

There’s gotta be a cure

I'm thinkin’ way too much 

Put my head inside a pod

No one thinks that’s really odd

Now who’ll come out to play

When the keypad has its way

I'm thinkin’ way too much

I'm thinkin’ way too much

I gotta get some rest

Not having any fun

Its just an empty quest

I'm thinkin’ way too much

 © Armell 2005

I knew a man named Luther in a South America town

Workin’ in the oil fields for the black gold underground     

The Spanish that he spoke was enough to get him by

And the contraband Scotch was enough to get him high

Workin' all day

Was his kind of play

When times weren't so good

He knew that he could

Work it out

Work it out

Work it out

He heard about some work and brought his family from up north

Looking for his soul in the way that men do most

Work was more than just a job, it was his private fun

Rising 'fore the sun rose up before the day begun

Workin' all day

Was his kind of play

When times weren't so good

He knew that he could ....

Work it out

Work it out

Work it out

He never spoke of money as if it were his goal

A life of leisure for one day was not his kind of role

I knew him much too little he was always on the run

Work was something to be doing, never to be done

Working all day

Was his kind of play

When times weren't so good

He knew that he could ....

Work it out

Work it out

Work it out

© Armell