Get all 11 The City Streets releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Pretenders, The Instrumental EP, Sawdust & Rum, Winter Lightning, Decline of the West, Peacemaker, The Jazz Age, The Hipster Cull, and 3 more.
1. |
Midnight Sun
03:51
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Open your window and climb right out. Take your pillow, what's this all about. You smile to one side, feel the summer air. Meet me at St. Anne's, let down your hair. Feel the starlight my northern belle, we were born here against our will We'll hop some fences, try some old car doors
if one opens up she said tonight I'm yours. We are just children in some strange land, there's evil among us like snakes in the sand. We are the saviours of our shining lives, we might have to suffer but we won't ever die. I buried my first love in a thousand songs. We are just ashes of some lost midnight sun and you and me kid, we've got it made - may our eyes stay afire, may our beauty never fade.
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2. |
Song for Lee
03:53
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We're in the wrong time, we're in the wrong time. Irresponsibility always leads me to beauty, I came inside her when she was 17.
It's probably the best thing that I'll ever do, steal a car and drive home to you under the cover of stars and a city's silence, a love so wild it's almost violent in all its aching glory. My brother Frank he needs no introduction we'll laugh pre-dawn tears through all this madness and corruption. The allure of some grand tragic end an absurd epic failure, still we'll always be friends. So build a great fire for former lovers all that you gave her given to another, it's so cold tonight but you'll stay warm, not a soaking mess by the light of a summer storm
in all its aching glory. They tell you that your dreams amount to nothing
well then so do our lives. One day soon when we're finally forgotten
our dreams were just as real as the fear in their eyes. This is all there is, kids. Let's live as hard as we can stand. She's a sexy one from the darkest side of rock n roll, we took them in the stall all leaned up against the wall. Let's start walking 'cause we can't find a ride the lights are bright blue we're the last to survive the disappointment of an imagined life some fucked up kids flying through the night in all its aching glory.
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3. |
Irish Rose
03:23
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Baby since you've been gone I've been trying on your clothes. Listening to The Supremes I don't put shit up my nose anymore. Leave hard drugs to the guys that can't get it up, who can't talk to girls in the bar. Water doesn't symbolize life when you're drowning. The sun don't mean anything at all, if you never see the light. If you never see the light. Winter doesn't represent death. Cause' it's almost always cold in Canada, that's when we're at our best. Teenage girls, they mean trouble for guys like me. Just because we were born here baby it's absurd. We can have grand fights in your car, we can fly across the world and be back in time to watch your favourite tv show. With your journey to the east, I'm done with metaphor. Just to lie in your arms is what I'm here for. Our souls can't mean god, when they're full of wretched despair. I clawed in the darkness and I promise god wasn't there. Baby since you been gone I've been wearing all your clothes. Screaming to Otis Redding shitfaced on Irish Rose. I've been trying on perfume, I've been lying in our room, but baby...where the fuck are you?
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4. |
Young Runs Out
04:15
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I always seem to find the best kind of trouble
Out from the ashes I dug my heart from the rubble
You came out here like an angel coming all undone
You might have slept with some devils baby, I'm not one.
I'm not one.
Don't say those words, because you know I do
I spent a couple years running away from you
I've got everything, maybe just a little more
I got lost in the night, forgot what I was looking for.
You and me are as strong as we're ever gonna be.
we are young but young runs out,
the sadness set us free.
Take off your dress let me see what I've been missing
hold me to your breast, your heart so I can listen
to the clock that keeps such beauty alive
when we kiss I just feel some things never die
Let's get in your car, we'll chase the sun 'till we're finally warm
Darlin' I was blessed the day you were born
Baby just drive, I've got my head in your lap
We can do anything you want just don't look back.
I always seem to find the best kind of trouble
the kind that's sweet but not too subtle
we live inside one another's dreams
that's the part of us no one else will ever see.
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5. |
White Noise
02:18
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I was half asleep in your arms dear. Flashes of white light exploding in my head keeping me all uptight. The panic and praying for daylight. I was alone even though you were beside me. Give me white noise to drown out your pretty voice. Flashes of white light exploding in my head keeping me, keeping me all uptight. The panic and praying for daylight, I was alone even though you were beside me, beside me.
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6. |
If I Go Back to Paris
05:43
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A Turkish bar in red-light Frankfurt. Hotel Life room 23. I carried her bike up, I missed my flight, will I ever come back home. Rats in the corner don't turn on the light, scotch on the nightstand my heart's not beating right. You don't speak english well that's ok, it means that we won't ever fight. Why did I come here where my failures led. If I go back to Paris I might end up dead. Stumbling by the river, praying in the rain. Got to get some more wine before I catch the train. I've got "Leaves of Grass", still there's something in my eyes that makes them turn away. I've got Lucky Strikes and some grim courage, just get me through this day. I watched the sun set into the Seine all fiery red. All fiery red. It was burning just for me. What did you gain now that you're losing me? Is my life one tragic drunk obscenity - I will call you knowing you spent the night with him but you will never know, sweetheart, anyplace I've been.
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7. |
The Jazz Age
03:51
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Do you got it in you? I'll sustain this desire. You can age gracefully.
Just wait up for me. Before I fall asleep dear, I gasp for breath I see my own death - it's inspiring. Someone's been taking the place of me.
I'm out chasing my tail in this country, I'm a dog lost in the fog, your lighthouse is not shining and I'm lost out in the mist. You said I can't take care of you anymore. So leave me with my drugs and my suitcase and the tragic girls of the jazz age. Of the Jazz Age. Shall we take a drink dear? So you can act coy and flirt with some boy I'm fighting over the stereo. Sorry did I offend you? I spilled drinks on your stage - your bouncers get paid while I'm busy defending rock n' roll. They've got me where I can't find you. This payphone sadness says I'm ruined.
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8. |
Last Waltz Party
03:57
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I was hoping that you were joking. Oh please, oh please not you. So take me back there, where we did not care about these lies we built today. I'm traveling on when you hear this song, it's hope I wrote in every dusty road. I will come back if this train stays on its track. Through time we'll find wisdom from all our bad decisions. Then we will watch "The Last Waltz" and we will know we're not the only lonely boys. We'll drown out the dull pain of our lives with this beautiful noise. I'm traveling on.
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9. |
Glory Nights
04:11
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"Tonight's the Night" got me through some bad times. You were fast asleep I was drinking till the sunshine bathed me in its warmth, bathed me in its strange oppression. I've been making love to you for years in my dreams. The nighttime rules my senses, it sure don't keep my conscience clean. It was rye whisky and Bobby D. You were in my arms, felt a little bit free. My dogs are always barking, and that's ok. Justin's making food up in my parents' kitchen, 3am on Monday night these kids just never listen. They say you can't do everything you want, why not? Listening to records from the seventies, you're the only one who would recognize these: Gentle Giant, Rainbow, Uriah Heep. I know my soul's soaked in punk rock, I don't listen to records just to hear myself talk. Glory nights and horror days, laughing at time as it slips away. If you died tomorrow, if you died tomorrow well you know what I'm gonna say. I mean c'mon what the hell you gotta lose, well everything yeah, but every gambler's gotta choose. They say you can't do everything you want, why not? I know it kinda sounds like Harvest Moon but its got different chords, its got a different tune. Where are you tonight, where are you my sweet Jane? I'm resigned to the fact that I may never find peace, love is all I want so give it to me please. Here's the last verse, hope you liked my song. I woke up and felt it coming on. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes life can be so fair. But that's another song that's another day, girl you live in my heart--you're never far away.
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10. |
Big Love
04:27
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No more men you're gonna live again, you're gonna change your name, you're gonna wake up new tomorrow. I won't last that long. What's with all the makeup sweetheart, you don't need it you're gonna start looking sad when you don't even mean it. Wear that diner dress I love so much and meet me at the reservoir at dusk. My daughter's on the telephone she's crying daddy please come home I miss you. I'm so far away I just can't come home, Ana say goodnight. I wake up in sweat and cold dark fear. Death's in my room she's staying right here with me. I lost everything please don't take my life too. I begged, I cheated, I got mean. Life's as strange as its ever been, why this time? I did you wrong and you gave up, you lost faith and I've never felt so worthless, babe. We made a baby in my parents' basement. We were just kids, the look on your face meant we're gonna know each other a real long time. I loved you then like I love you now, this kind of pain is not allowed in this heart. Jesus Christ you tore me apart. I've seen the sun come up for two months straight. I still believe in this human race but god do we ever fuck up. I choose my path hey c'mon Tash, you just can't go give up like that. We've got the big love and I'm spilling blood and my tears on everyone.
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11. |
All is Grace
03:19
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We could just pay off the devil, tell him to leave us alone. We're feeling the ache all winter, a strange place for a home. Peel off the layers, look at all these clothes. Here's some loonies for the laundry, I'll shovel the snow. They say money is the last refuge for the poor in spirit. If ambition is a virtue I won't go near it. Why should I save my paycheck when I could spend it all on you? Every night is a last chance, every morning is brand new. Oh, what does it matter...all is grace. I saw you dancing in the blue light it must of been the Jackson 5. Cause' I never seen someone do that before, must of been on the other side. We'll do as we please, crash our car into the sea. Tonight is feeling just right, why shouldn't it be? Oh, what does it matter...all is grace. What was once her touch is just a whisper in your head.
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12. |
Almost Forgot Your Face
03:32
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Kinsmen Fieldhouse 1982. I saw Mick Jones making eyes at you. I was stone drunk, giddy. Laughing with tears in my eyes. This is heaven, I thought. Flying over the Arctic and far away from you. My shameful grin. Couldn't they just drop me into the endless blue? I almost forgot your face once. She held me in, said it feels better. I almost forgot your face once amongst the grime and sex. Drink what I do best. If I lied to myself to make you believe this moment of bliss is worth a life of suffering. If I painted a song on your pretty white walls and a thousand glory nights wild-eyed were haunting your halls... if I was just a passing thought in your beautiful mind, baby would it make you smile? I almost forgot your face once. She held me in, said it feels better and I almost forgot your face once. In my tiny room she said I'm married too.
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13. |
Slothrop's Ghost
09:51
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Get a back road atlas some gas and water. We'll drive 'till twilight just don't bother trying to sleep tonight, there's a path to take. If it leads to nowhere that was my mistake. If it's true then I'm amazed, all these years gone past we're falling in love again. There's no way of knowing how much tragedy we'll face. I've loved people who end up in total disgrace. We'll leave this town's full of people who stomp your soul into the frozen ground. I called you from Chicago inside the creeping dawn. I told you of the madness but not what I was on. To feel this much for all time can be a heavy load. My heart's an arcing rocket where will it explode? I was limping through old Europe trying to make the most. Searching for some divinity, I ran into Slothrop's ghost. He had been with Tritcht McGill, smoking hash and making love. Under a grey German gloom, a screaming sky the bombs above. He said if you're not careful this world will tear you all apart. It'll lose your laugh, your identity for some wretched work of art. That the power created, the rest of us call it war. So tell me what this heart, tell me what this heart is for. Help me get back to that place where we were wild but still strong. We gotta help each other out, god its been so long. Since we did something honest just because it's right. But the rock n' roll cliche has been up every single night. Now I'm listening to GP just to make myself feel alright about this man's ruin. I grew up on the northside it don't matter which city. It's the dark side of the freeway. It's the cold side of the freeway. We are charmed but melancholy in the morning. We are charmed but getting older. Can we claim our shadows are they a part of us? We spent years in the caves shining lights into mirrors, a spectral fury guiding some new vision. Searching for the lost colour. If you say it could you mean it? If you do this now nothing you did before means anything. Darling...you're my June Carter. You just kinda saved my life. Fuck the war. We're in love.
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The City Streets Edmonton, Alberta
Rick Reid, Matt Leddy, Mark Chmilar. 2005-2013. Edmonton/Montreal.
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