Must’ve been a fire smells like smoke
Somebody’s life burnt down before I woke
To lose everything up in flames
While the rest of world gets to stay the same
Good morning Eugene
Tea kettle’s rising, whistling winter
Will this country boil or just simmer
Someone’s hollering out in the street
Will we learn to listen before it’s too late
Good morning Eugene
Once in a while and not so often it seems
It all burns up and makes room for a
Good morning Eugene
Good morning Eugene
Good morning Eugene
Relax
Don’t overthink it
Just breathe
Don’t overthink it
Well baby
It don’t come easy for me
Oh baby
It don’t come easy for me
Be quiet
Don’t make a scene
Behave
Don’t be obscene
Well baby
It don’t come easy for me
Oh baby
It don’t come easy for me
It’s mother’s day again and your mom’s long gone
What can you do
You hear her voice in every Joni’s song
Come on through
It’s the first of the month and you’re short on rent
What can you do
The beast is knocking and he’s coming hell bent
Come on through
Don’t tell me
Nothing gold can stay
Don’t tell me
It’s my point of view
Don’t tell me
It’ll end someday
Better come on through
It’s five am and you’re wide awake
What can you do
The saints and the sinners are dancing on your grave
Come on through
The party’s a bust and your friends are all stoned
What can you do
You’ve never been more alive or alone
Come on through
Don’t tell me
Nothing gold can stay
Don’t tell me
It’s my point of view
Don’t tell me
It’ll end someday
Better come on through
All the drunks and the junkies are looking your way
What can you do
They’re beckoning you to come join for one day
Come on through
All the good in this world won’t do you no good
What can you do
When you’re trapped in a heart that’s made out of wood
Come on through
There’s pain and there’s dying all across our land
What can you do
Let the good times roll and dance while you can
Come on through
Don’t tell me
Nothing gold can stay
Don’t tell me
It’s my point of view
Don’t tell me
It’ll end someday
Better come on through
Better come on through
Better come on through
The thought of you
Never made me so blue
As on the cusp of November
The curl of your lips
Our weekend trips
Are a few things I remember
When children laugh and sing
In their Halloween costumes
When leaves turn and bells ring
One hour too soon
When the night falls and the crisp air
Rings the moon
It’s your birthday
Wonder how you’ll celebrate
Don’t think I don’t remember
I think of you
All we used to do
Here in blue November
Mama said they’re tearing down the church where we used to dance
Putting up high rise condos and offices to rent
They called it an investment in the community
But I saw the community
Out on the streets
No, oh no Iris
I don’t think I’ll go out tonight
Yes, yes Iris
I think I’ll be just fine
I’m just gonna need a little
Gonna need a little time
Paper said they still ain’t caught the man who made us a fool
I know things get crazy but I’ve never been so cruel
Seems the people who can do something don’t think it’s that cool
So nothing ever changes
Nothing ever changes for good
No, oh no Iris
I don’t think I’ll go out tonight
Yes, yes Iris
I think I’ll be just fine
I’m just gonna need a little
Gonna need a little time
It takes a lot of lemons to make lemonade
Fortunately I’ve got quite a few
They say it’s all what you make it
And sure I guess that’s true
So I’m gonna add sugar
To this lemon juice
Untying the cords
Of my old life
Tying on new ones
With all my might
Yes I’ve hurt you
You’ve hurt me too
And maybe I don’t feel the same way as you
A cloud of smoke
Wafts through town
Like a clumsy metaphor
For feeling down
What does it take
To stop feeling blue
Maybe I don’t feel the same way as you
And that’s alright
Yes it’s alright
Oh it’s alright
That I don’t feel the same way as you
A steady job
A down payment
A 401k
Or freedom spent
One for me and one for you
Maybe I don’t feel the same way as you
Maybe I don’t feel the same way as you
There's a wolf at the door
Baby don't let him in
He's a sure smooth talker
With a sharp toothed grin
He sings a sweet song
But it don't mean a thing
There's a wolf at the door
Baby don't let him in
There's a wolf at the door
And he won't leave me be
He knows what I want
And suffers no pleas
As if in a dream
He motions to speak
There's a wolf at the door
And he looks just like me
There’s a hunger that claws at my soul
It’s snarling gnawing, pawing a hole
And I can’t seem to let it go
Though I know it’s only rock and roll
There's a wolf at the door
And he's wearing a mask
You kick and scream
He howls and laughs
"Did you really think,
You’d get a free pass?"
There's a wolf at the door
My face is his mask
Freedom art and music
God knows they don’t pay the bills
Freedom art and music
God knows they don’t pay the bills
Freedom art and music
God knows they don’t pay the bills
Ain’t it funny how we sell ourselves free
Let me know
Let me know
Let me know
Let me know
If I’m becoming exactly what I said I’d never be
What would you think if I sang out of tune?
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
What do I do when my love is away?
Does it worry you to be alone?
How do I feel by the end of the day?
Are you sad because you're on your own?
No, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Do you need anybody?
I need somebody to love
Could it be anybody?
I want somebody to love
Would you believe in a love at first sight?
Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time
What do you see when you turn out the light?
I can't tell you, but I know it's mine
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, get high with a little help from my friends
Oh, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends
Do you need anybody?
I just need someone to love
Could it be anybody?
I want somebody to love
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Oh, I get high with a little help from my friends
Yes, I get by with a little help from my friends
With a little help from my friends
about
It is a feat to get through this pandemic. Me? I get by with a little help from my friends.
I’m a natural extrovert. My knee jerk reaction in times of stress is to reach out to others, to seek out community and create. That's why each song on this album features another artist, and the list of collaborators (below) is longer than any other project I've made before. All musicians contributed their parts virtually, recording in their home studios across the country during last year's lockdown.
FEAT might be known as my "pandemic album," and I'm ok with that. Early feedback indicates this record sounds moodier, darker, more melancholic than previous records. But I also hope folks hear the light and hope that went into making it.
This album got me through the darkest winter. Maybe it'll help you through whatever you're going through. I hope for you it’ll be the sound of a community of musicians and friends coming together to make something together; hopefully a sum that is greater than its parts. A light in the darkness, the sound of the show going on, despite all odds. In short, if you will: a feat.
credits
released November 5, 2021
Cuchulain - all lyrics and music unless otherwise noted
Shawn Barry - piano, clarinet, beats, album spiritual guru - San Jose, CA
Claire Derby - vocals on Don’t Come Easy, album song editor - Eugene, OR
R.O. Shapiro - vocals on Come on Through - San Diego, CA
Jenner Fox - vocals on Good Morning Eugene - Sisters, OR
Julian Pitt - drums on Iris - Palo Alto, CA
Micah Motenko - keyboards, electric organ - Austin, TX
Ethan Schneider - drums on Don’t Come Easy, Come on Through - Austin, TX
Natalie Spehar - cello on Blue November - NYC
Katie Kuffel - vocals and cello on Iris - Seattle, WA
Juliana Marie Baratta - alto saxophone on Don’t Come Easy - Redwood City, CA
Allison Rosenberg - trumpet on Don’t Come Easy and Wolf At The Door - Washington DC
Joe Kye - vocals and violins on Maybe - Portland, OR
Matt Jaffe - vocals, guitar, and wurli on the Beatles cover - Ojai, CA
Paul Leo - BGV all instruments on Wolf At The Door except acoustic guitar, grand piano, strings, and electric guitar - Chicago, IL
Evan Munz - electric guitar solo on Wolf At The Door - Chicago, IL
Casey Lipka - upright bass on Maybe - LA
Garrett Burke - drums on Maybe - Philly
Mark Fedronic - trombone on Wolf At The Door - Hungary
All parts recorded 2020 in home studios in the above locations.
Mixed & mastered by Sean Stack at Fat Cat Recording Studios in Austin TX
Cuchulain - album art
Julie Zhu - Album art consult
Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist born in the Carolinas, based in Oregon. Described as "fresh and clean" by NPR
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