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Dream Your Way Out of This One

by Niall Connolly

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1.
Sacré-Coeur 03:58
Sacré Coeur I’ve been walking for days, These storied streets,  Where the buildings have their say, Sacré Coeur in the dying winter sun, It’s picture postcard perfect, but with soldiers and guns, Is this what our little world has become? Is this what our little world has become? I read it in a magazine, I read it in a book, Living is the leading cause of dying, I’ll keep trying till I’m took. I will keep trying to the soldiers come, I will keep trying, till my work is done. Is this what our little world has become? Is this what our little world has become? I feel my heart beating in my chest, My lungs and the air around me collaborating on this breath, Come on people we are unbeaten yet, I’ll give you everything I have left. I’ve been walking for weeks, Searching for your story, Seeping up now through my feet. Times Square, New Year’s Eve, Me and You, She says, “It’s just like on the big screen,” “But with snipers on the roof” Is this what our little world has become? Is this what our little world has become? I feel my heart beating in my chest, My lungs and the air around me collaborating on this breath, Come on people we are unbeaten yet, I’ll give you everything I have left, Come on people we are unbeaten yet, I’ll give you everything I have left. I feel my heart beating in my chest.
2.
Dream Your Way Out of This Blue Sky, Oh, blue Sky, la, la, lie to me, I’ve come to rely upon your deceit. Blue Sky, Oh, blue Sky, la, la, lie to me, I’ve come to rely upon your deceit. Dream your way out of this one hero, Dream your way away. Dream your way out of this one hero, Dream your way away. All souls, All souls on the avenue, Remember how to pray for all that’s lost to me and you. All souls, All souls on the avenue, Remember how to pray for all that’s lost to me and you. Dream your way out of this one hero, Dream your way away. Dream your way out of this one hero, Dream your way away. I am alright, I’m not alright, I am just fine, I’m far from fine, I am alright, I’m not alright, I am just fine, I’m far from fine. But I am trying. But I am trying. Blue Sky, Oh, blue Sky, la, la, lie to me, I’ve come to rely upon your deceit. Blue Sky, Oh, blue Sky, la, la, lie to me, I’ve come to rely upon your deceit. The walls are coming in around me, I imagine a window. The walls are coming in around me, I open it and go. Dream your way out of this one hero, Dream your way away. Dream your way out of this one hero, Dream your way away. Blue Sky, Oh, blue Sky, la, la, lie to me, I’ve come to rely upon your deceit. Blue Sky, Oh, blue Sky, la, la, lie to me, I’ve come to rely upon your deceit. Dream your way out of this one hero, Dream your way away.
3.
No Cause for Alarm Woke up to the sirens screaming, Hold you close, need to feel you breathing, No cause for alarm. The bells are ringing, the bills are piling, I’ll face my demons, calm and smiling, No cause for alarm. But now I’ve got this sinking feeling, The life that we love it is fleeting. I will not let the hatred in me, Change the man, I try to be. They said he was an average guy. From an average town, with an average life, No cause for alarm. Went to work with a 45, Came home with 9 lives. No cause for alarm Now I’ve got this sinking feeling, The life that we love it is fleeting. I will not let the hatred in me, Change the man, I try to be. I’m out of time and out of money, I won’t let them hurt us honey. The circus it is back in town, The animals dead, there are only clowns. No cause for alarm. But now I’ve got this sinking feeling, That the life that we love it is fleeting. I will not let the hatred in me, Change the man, I try to be. I’m out of time and out of money, I won’t let them hurt us honey. Woke up to the sirens screaming.
4.
Open Your Eyes Sun sinks slow behind the mountain, As it always does. I’ve been too busy coin counting, To take the time to look up. I heard a rustle from the tree, “Hey you, yes, you, you should no better, Let nothing that can be counted, Become your measure.” Open your eyes, Open your eyes. These woods are full of stories, Of death and rebirth. The cracking of the winter branch, Humming of the morning bird. I threw my neck back, Stared straight up to the sky. I caught a shooting star winking at me, From another time. Open your eyes, Open your eyes, To all that’s true and good, Open your eyes, Open your eyes. I looked in to the flame, I thought of all my dear old friends, I shared this space with them before, We will share it again. In the yellow, blue and red, I saw an old woman, an old man, In an old town square at sunset, And they were holding hands, Open your eyes, Open your eyes, To all that’s true and good, Open your eyes, Open your eyes.
5.
I Am a Good Man We leave our doors open, we talk to our neighbours, Yes, we’re all friends here, we do each other favours, We look after our own, we look after our own. We built a camp way out in the west, To protect our Japanese friends, We look our own, we look after our own. Everybody saying “Hey, Hello! I am a good man, Hey Hello, I, I, I, I am a good man.” Dear Berlin, 1943, We’ve got our own problems here, Don’t want your refugee, We look our own, we look after our own. Everybody saying “Hey, Hello! I am a good man, Hey Hello, I, I, I, I am a good man” Puppet on the paper, the airwaves and the screen, Spreading hate and fear and telling us we’re free. We look our own, we look after our own. The country is full, won’t you please shut the door, Full of people like us, the grandchildren of the poor. We look our own, we look after our own. We leave our doors open, we talk to our neighbours, Yes, we’re all friends here, we do each other favours, We look our own, we look after our own.
6.
Artificial Lake I know, I know, it’s an artificial lake, But the swans are real and the trees look great, Put your bite into the bark and try to take, A little light from the dark before the season breaks. I am a child of science, water and blood, I tried to be self-reliant, I was only acting tough. Put your bite into the bark and try to take, A little light from the dark before the season breaks. I know, I know, it’s an artificial lake. A rock pool, a dead light, a flash in the pan, Turn off the headlights and throw away the way the map, You won’t need that contract, nothing concrete, nothing safe, I’ll meet you in the morning, down by the lake. I know, I know, it’s an artificial lake, But the swans are real and the trees look great, Put your bite into the bark and try to take, A little light from the dark before the season breaks. I am a child of science, water and blood, I tried to be self-reliant, but I needed your love, Put your bite into the bark and try to take, A little light from the dark before the season breaks. I know, I know it’s an artificial lake. A rock pool, a dead light a flash in the pan. I know, I know… I know, I know it’s an artificial lake. I know, I know it’s an artificial lake. I know, I know, it’s an artificial…
7.
Leave the Wine in the Bottle Day moon on the naked trees, Keep on driving till the buildings shrink. Running on empty, running on steam. Running for the running for weeks. Turn off the radio. Leave the Wine in the bottle. Let the quiet in through the window. Step into the woods, Footsteps memory. The dying light sleeps between the pine and beech, Stars find their fire, up above my head. As they shine on your distant sorrow too. I live each of my days in defiance of them, In honour, in honour of you. Far from the sirens, I catch my breath. I feel the seasons more this year. Follow the rabbit track to the creek, Winter water, dark cold and clear. Turn off the radio. Leave the Wine in the bottle. Let the quiet in through the window. Stare at the wallpaper. Concentrate on the pattern. Breathe slow now, breathe slow now, Breathe slow. Day moon on the naked trees, Keep on driving till the buildings shrink.
8.
Central Station He was harmless, till he wasn’t, No, he never hurt a fly, till he did. Keep your eye on the prize, keep your eye on the prize, He kept his eye on the prize and tripped. No sir, I’ve got no ID, Just this face that god he gave to me. Don’t ask me, where I’ve been, And I won’t tell you what I’ve seen. Oh boy, what would you know? Underneath the overpass, Ferrying copper, tin and glass, Whispering, lord this too shall pass, Lord this shall pass. By the billboard for the latest HBO Show, On the side of the million-dollar shoe box condo, Don’t get me started on this latest phase, Of naming neighbourhoods for what they replace. Oh boy, what would you know? The business men, the knife throwers, And the subway acrobats, All experts in the art, Of avoiding eye contact. Inwood to the World Trade, Jamaica to the Rockaways, Sleeping at Uncle ACES Between jobs, between places, Oh boy, what would you know? He was harmless, till he wasn’t, No, he never hurt a fly, till he did. Keep your eye on the prize, keep your eye on the prize, He kept his eye on the prize and tripped.
9.
Neighbour 03:15
Neighbour / We’re in Trouble My neighbour, he’s a good man, strong and kind, Works every hour that he can, treats his family right. I get on his nerves sometimes, I know he gets on mine, But he’s my good neighbour, he’s a good man. We get along just fine. I’m in trouble The clock is watching me now, as it always does, Tuesday morning 9.15, already four hours at work, I’ll make the rent this month for all that that is worth, When all the bills are paid, there’s nothing left for us. I’m in trouble In the city they’ve got time enough for wine and book clubs Time on top of time enough, for judging us. My neighbour, he’s a good man, the kind who’d lend you a generator, We don’t always get along but he’s a good debater, In this empty bar in this company town we silently agree, This place it knew good times once, but no time recently. We’re in trouble We’re in trouble In the city they’ve got time enough, For the New York Times over brunch, Time on top of time enough, For judging us. In the city they’ve got time enough For wine and book clubs Time on top of time enough, For judging us. You know nothing about my life, You know nothing about my life, We’re in trouble We’re in trouble.
10.
May 12th, 1916 – A Song for James Connolly (verse) E My father fought for justice, for our country to be free, C#m He was my father first and foremost, and I sat on his knee, A I remember his voice and the words he said to me,                  E                                 A           E Before my father he went down, down in history. (Chorus chords) C#m A E A E    (Verse) E Said the mill owner to the factory girls, there’ll be singing here no more, C#m Well the factory girls in unison, they walked on out the door, A Do not tell us when to talk, do not tell us when to sing, E                                                   A         E As long as we have voices, our voices will be king. chorus C#m                        A Nora don’t you cry, Nora Don’t you cry, E                       A            E I have lived the fullest of lives. (Verse) E My father he was wounded, Easter 1916, C#m Stretchered by a boy, of only 14, A “That boy he tried to take the bullets meant for me, E                                                                A                 E As long as we have boys like that our country will be free” chorus C#m                        A Nora don’t you cry, Nora Don’t you cry, E                       A            E I have lived the fullest of lives (Verse) At 1 am on May 12th the message it was sent, The prisoner Connolly, his wife and eldest daughter does request, Dublin under curfew such a strange and sorry sight, Oh Lily you know, that this means goodbye, Chorus but Lily don’t you cry, Lily don’t you cry, I have lived the fullest of lives. (Verse) Said the nurse I am bound to search you but I don not think I can, I see not prisoner but virtuous, proud family man, There is little I can do now, I will do what I can. (Verse) They carried my wounded father tied him to his final chair, Said Father Aloysius, for your killer say a prayer, My father fought for justice, for the workers to be free, He said I pray for all men who must do their duty, (Chorus) Lily don’t you cry, Lily don’t you cry, I have lived the fullest of lives. (Verse) Said my father to the factory girls, your cause is just and right, It’s a battle we won’t win but a battle we must fight, When you back hold your head high and sing your song out proud, That it might echo 100 years from now, (Chorus) Lily don’t you cry, Lily don’t you cry, I have lived the fullest of lives.
11.
Come on in to the Dark Lonely lighthouse keeper, Stuck on Ocean Parkway, The traffic moves this slow, Gets me thinking of the waves. Searching through the static, For the ghost of that old tune, And the girl I loved the most, I lost on Mermaid Avenue. Come on in to the dark, You don’t have to hide your broken parts. She’s moving like a red sky, Across the sailor’s morning, She’s trouble, well we know it, Yeah, that is why we’re drawn in. I’ve been there with my own two feet, Seen it with my own two eyes, Where Atlantic and Pacific meet, Beneath the Brooklyn Sky. Come on to the dark, You don’t have to hide your broken parts. Come on in, it’s safe and sound In this company of strangers we have found. Whale Heart, Whale Heart, Where did you get your name? Keep on talking, keep on talking, I need the escape. He’s an actor from Boise, Bartending fulltime, He says, “Welcome to New York City, Where dreams come die” The girl from Gelsenkirchen, Still has magic in her eyes, The beauty of uncrushed ambition, And time on her side. Come on to the dark, You don’t have to hide your broken parts. Come on in, it’s safe and sound In this company of strangers we have found.
12.
When We Are Soil These bricks are old, these bricks are old. Older than my great, great grandfather. These bricks I know, these bricks I know, Will be here long, long after, Silence blankets my laughter, And I am soil. These beams are old, these beams are old, Older than the country, the country that claimed you, These beams I know, these beams I know, These beams will not fail you, Till Silence blankets your laughter And you are soil Yesterday’s stranger is kind, Brings me strong coffee and the finest of wines. Sometimes I feel like I’ve had nine lives already, Going to need nine more to match the kindness that has met me. The birds are singing they go chirp, chirp, chirp, Oh so loose with their secrets now that spring has come, I have time, I have space, I have you, I have love, Love that will be here long, long after, These bricks turn to dust, These beams pull down the rafters, And we are soil, And we are soil, And we are soil. And we are soil, And we are soil, And we are soil.

credits

released September 15, 2017

Dream Your Way Out of This One

Sacré-Cœur
Dream Your Way Out of This One
No Cause for Alarm
Open your Eyes
I Am a Good Man
Artificial Lake
Leave the Wine in the Bottle
Central Station
Neighbour
May 12th, 1916- A Song for James Connolly
Come On In to the Dark
When We Are Soil



Dream Your Way Out Of This One:

Niall Connolly – vocals, guitar and piano
Dennis Cronin – trumpet, vibraphonette, piano, glockenspiel, and keyboard
Chris Foley – electric guitars, 12 - string electric guitar, and vocals
Len Monachello – drums, vocals, programming, pump organ,and accordion
Brandon Wilde – bass, vocals, guitars, piano, and glockenspiel

Special guests:
Deni Bonet – strings on 'No Cause for Alarm'
Glen Hansard - additional vocals on 'May 12th, 1916 - A Song for James Connolly'
Javier Más – Spanish laud on ‘May 12th, 1916 – A Song for James Connolly’



All songs written by Niall Connolly

Produced by Brandon Wilde and Niall Connolly
Arranged by Niall Connolly and band
Recorded and mixed by Brandon Wilde at Studio 76, Brooklyn, NY.
Additional recording by Dennis Cronin at Water Key Studios, Brooklyn, NY and Len Monachello at Soundtronics, Queens, NY

Javier Más recorded by Mario Más in Avinyonet del Penedes, Spain
Glen Hansard recorded by Glen Hansard in Dublin
Strings arranged and recorded by Deni Bonet at Fourth Floor Stuidos, NYC

Cover art by Clare McCarthy
Photographs by Anthony Mulcahy/ Mulography
Graphic design and layout by Don Paris Schlotman

Thank you Clare, the band, my family, the band’s families, Warren Malone, Anthony Mulcahy, Don Paris Schlotman, Thomas Deneuville, Mac, Mel und Ulf, Andrea and John Collins, Big City Folk, The Chimney Sweeps, Shel Ly, Neil McCarthy, Glen Hansard, Javier Más, Deni Bonet, Susan McKeown, Artists Patron Fund, Elizabeth Huber, Meg and Ted Gorman.

Thank you to everyone who supports live music in general and me in particular.
Thanks for reading, thanks for listening.

Lyrics, tour dates, shop and blog : www.niallconnolly.com


RIP Leonard Cohen.

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Niall Connolly Brooklyn, New York

"Terrific. Disarming and beautifully crafted folk-pop. Connolly is a witty storyteller and a not-to-be-missed songsmith."

- The Chicago Tribune

"Among the most vibrant, poignant, and authentic indie folk artists in New York City."

-No Depression
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