"Dear Listener; On the night of July 1st, I came home to an empty house; The family went to visit Germany. My work plans took an unexpected change and I had plenty of time on my hands. As usual, with free time brings more writing opportunity. I thought about the hard year all of us have had and noted the 100th Anniversary of Woody Guthrie as well. I took my National guitars into the garden, along with an unusual looking "cigar box stomp pedal" contraption I erected in the garage a while ago, and started writing. I had no expectation other than come up with a few ideas for next year's project. After a handful of songs were written I, being in a lazy mood, decided to record the songs live in the garden too. I sang, stomped, napped, wrote poetry, read the news, skyped, grilled, played, ate vegetables from the garden, drank beer, and calloused my fingers all out there. The 4th of July came. The sky overhead boomed with fireworks. I had a pretty respectable collection of songs after this end of a long, quiet weekend. I overdubbed an old washboard and some horns and it was done. I hear Summer in these songs. I hope you do too, along with neighborhood birds, planes, children swimming, all faintly bleeding into the tracks. I also feel the interplay between the mind and heart that one gets when we live alone for a while. Sometimes the mind says things when dwelling in quietude. I listened, responded, and wrote it all down. I'm pretty sure I've played and written songs with greater clarity. But I don't think they've ever been written more sincerely. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I had recording. Have a Great Summer." Dino 7, July, 2012 All stuff performed by Dino - July 1-4, 2012 Vocal, National Guitar, foot stomps, recorded live. with Saxes, Harmonica, Bassoon, Horns, Clarinets, washboard, 2nd guitar parts overdubbed. All songs, Dino Soldo, Brandino Music BMI tobaccoBagg Records copyright 2012 Lyrics and Notes 1.Dance of the Aloof So this is how it can be Another wakeful dream A rip of broken seams For all the crowd to see I stammered and I choked On Another stupid joke I stuttered all the lines I wasn't funny at all Oh but they don't know me well If they think I will hide myself away Might have been a simple mistake Anyone could have made But sometimes you won't know the cause Or the reason at all oh watch me dust (off) myself And run to turn up the music in my head Singing "I don't care at all!" "I don't care at all!" I won't care if I fall I invented the dance of the careless. This is part of being alive Who wants to merely survive? So I'll let the horses go Run down dirt roads alone I'm a friend to don Quixote But he got nothing on me I'm a contrarian dream Who's solo on the scene And if my face is turning red It's just the heat from the music in my head Singing "I don't care at all!" "I don't care at all!" I won't care if I fall I invented the dance of the careless. 2. Suspended overheard the bird chirps at night sings while eyes are black and sleeping tight he keeps a thought of hope with no evidence sings into a land suspended feel the wire under her feet when the head spins so tired she starts to shake and her body gives the crowd on the ground wants her to win she holds onto a chord suspended Ash will burn his throat when he calls their names grabs the kids and things in the smoke from the trees ablaze they blindly run. the streets a sightless maze running from a home suspended if you cry on the porch in your sunset and you've been left by your love and your best friends tighten till the white shows in your hands hold on while your life's suspended. 3. Arrows It was a night just like this one I was stabbed in the back The stars were blurred and misty It made the blood turn black I stumbled to recover Came home to no family Soak my mouth in brown water Muffle my head from a steady ring Left my clothes in the hallway Showered off travel and dust I was let down in the morning Hoping the bottle turned hurt to rust So I holed up in the backyard Hearing the doves in the trees moan As sawdust danced in the sunset Making arrows for the bow The mud will settle in the pond I see with eyes bloodshot and sober Trim my lamp in the evening Making arrows for the bow There's one thing you ought to figure You're dealing with me your gonna deal in lead You best figure out your savior Before your soul flys from you dead So if you come out to the wood side You better hope I'm gonna let it go. But for you I hope to get to Making arrows for the bow. 4. Summer to Spring He sits Sits by the stream, away from the scene He's alone He's feeling cold, he's younger than he feels And waits Waits for no one, he has moved on. His song is done he looks at the birds fighting for love in the reeds ......He knows that his summer won't turn to spring She walks into the park with a book in her arms She hides Between all the words it keeps her from harm she likes Likes to pretend she is no one. She takes off her coat that disguises the marks on her sleeve She looks at the watch he just threw in the stream to the fish She returns it Her hand is still wet when she asked if its his he gives a kerchief to her, she wipes off her hand He looks in her eyes like cellophane and asked what she reads. He knows summer never turns to spring They talk Till arms are tanned, cold coffee in hand but she won't Talk of her past , he understands They leave together from the birds with their heads under wing. You know one never knows when summer turns to spring. 5. Beast Im just about to break It's getting harder every day Im trying fast to plaster the cracks of my state I feel it waking up From hibernating down A dead resurrection blooming deep in the ground My hands are turning red By pulling up the weeds I see my face turn away from every friend I see It's eating up everything It's burning up my pride and I can't seem to control what try to hide It's turning loose the hounds Howling in the night I need some help to tame the beast inside I see the evidence And track down where it's been Those blood red circles left across the skin It's like a hidden crime with no one to arrest I don't think this time I'll pass the test 6. Long, Quiet Weekend Long quiet weekend sustained ring of a year will fade the possum and cat make fleeting silent friends The shadows of Summer nights. Lonesome but no lonely time I tamed the hound, he slumbers inside me A simple dinner for one Insects fly in a leaving sun I'm tired, high, and waiting for no one. Barefoot in the garden sky's like a sea turned dark Smoke circles bacchanal halos Half Warm beer in a glass Oranges falling down at last Fear of tomorrow will fade and come to pass Glad you're not here My tender side has disappeared When you come home my head will be soft and clear Long quiet weekend The body is sore and starts to mend I needed the quiet weekend Soon the world will beat this drum again I need this quiet weekend 7. Child of Divorce. (Aren't most of us nowadays?) Well here I go You didn't have to ask You've Been so funny I forgot to laugh You're the silent treatment and my throat is hoarse. Your Loud and quiet, I'm a child of divorce. Don't be shocked if I'm moving fast Don't need to tell me how to pack my bags. Don't know where I'm going but far from you , that's sure. Don't knock the wisdom from a child of divorce you shoot with a blank and my sight is off your wound is fresh so I rub in the salt You bet good money on the darkest horse. Why bet a heart on a child of divorce? So I sit alone in an empty room My plans drift away like an air balloon and you shot them to hell with litigation force I should have remembered you're a child of divorce. You said don't go away mad, I said just go away. You said you'd consider feeling sad, as long as it would ruin my day.. 8. Boy with Tree (written for my sons, Louis and Fionn) Good morning Little boy .. Are you hungry for truth I'll be fruit for you When you're needing a place to play I'll be home base for you When you feel heat from the mid-day sun I'll be shade for you I'm old enough, grown enough For you to climb on I'm big enough from other trees For you to find me If you feel hardened by the storms inside I will bend for you You can take anything, my roots run deep I will mend like new If there's a wind blowing plans away I will whisper to you I'm old enough, grown enough For you to climb on I'm big enough from other trees For you to find me I lived enough, I'm big enough For you to find me And I love you enough to be green for eternity 9. Sunday (instrumental) 10. Independence Days Waiting on someone Tonight, I'm a patient man I'm quietly kept Like a pet under gentle hands Inside I sleep Was sun bleached, & tempered with rain (now) A soft side is all I have After independence days I'm warm and dry I came in from the fog and haze You closed down all the rides After independence days Out here in the west I am loved well dressed and safe The last fireworks subside The sparklers in hand have died The cake has gone dry It's my night after independence days