Sarah Tracey

transcripts

Bloom In The Dark

Can you keep a secret?  Then come on inside.  If you cannot keep it you won't leave here alive.  Here in this room I become someone else.  Here in the dark I reveal my true self.  You can be free, I won't tell them your name- when the morning arrives you'll deny that you came.  Close your eyes, let the sound of my voice drown your fear.  Take a breath, no regrets, we both know why you're here: we are like vines that bloom in the dark, but hide from the light of day.  Daylight is teasing, it peeks through the blinds- that means time is decreasing to make you all mine.  When the day breaks and the clock starts to chime you and I will awake and not speak of our crime.  We are like vines that bloom in the dark, but hide from the light of day.

Adam Christgau, drums. Chris Morrissey, bass. Rich Hinman, guitar, mandolin.  Richard Maheux, organ. David Vincola, vibraphone.

Strange Men, Strange Hotel Rooms

Lead me from the heat of the street.  The taxi slicks uptown through storm.  Heels clicking past men in uniform up carpeted steps to another world.  Starched collars and pinstriped suits.  Trays of cocaine and crystal flutes.  A sea of playboys and magicians, so many eyes try to pull me in.  Strange men, strange hotel rooms, and no one knows where I am.  Champagne buzzing, it goes to my head.  Underage pin-ups and so many men: Copenhagen, Berlin or Rome, they have no place to call home but parkside balconies and steak tartare (or down in Chinatown it's caviar).  The cool dark hallways all look the same.  Elevator climbs, he won't ask my name.  Strange men, strange hotel rooms, and no one knows where I am.  Strange men, strange hotel rooms, and no one knows who I am.  And we could fly, we could fly, we could fly to Dubai tonight.  We could fly, we could fly, we could fly to Shanghai tonight.

Adam Christgau, drums. Chris Morrissey, bass. Rich Hinman, guitar.  Richard Maheux, piano. Daniel Mintseris, organ. David Vincola, vibraphone. Molly Amoroso, Susanne LoFaso, & Sarah Tracey, background vocals.

Moving Target

You can try to catch me stealing a glance but I cannot be caught. You can try to bribe me with rubies and diamonds but I cannot be bought.  You can try to change me but I'm like a leopard that cannot change its spots.  You can try to stop me but I'm a moving target that cannot be shot.  You can to chase me and claim me and tame me but baby, can't you see? You are not-and never will be- you're not safe with me.  I am not the kind of girl that you want for a lover, cause I can blow your mind but I won't let you blow my cover. King of all my many vices is the taste for danger.  The closer that you get to me the more I'll be a stranger.  So get out while you can, you've got to let me set you free.  You are not- and never will be- you're not safe with me.  Don't follow me to Zurich, Monaco or Budapest.  Lisbon, Barcelona, Macao, Bali Bucharest.  Don't look for me in Rio, Montegro or Bombay.  Prague, Havana, London, Moscow- darling stay away! I might be your siren but I'll never be your muse. You're a ticking time bomb, I'm the spark that lights the fuse.  You like to play with fire but you're running out of luck- so don't ignore this message that's about to self-destruct.  I might double-cross you for I have no loyalty.  You are not- and never will be- you're not safe with me...

Adam Christgau, drums. Chris Morrissey, bass. Rich Hinman, guitar.  Richard Maheux, piano. Daniel Mintseris, organ. Dan Urness & Dylan Schwab, trumpets. Dave Nelson, trombone. Nate Mayland, bass trombone.

This Plum

This plum is not quite ripe enough to eat.  It's tempting me with flesh that looks so sweet.  But I've had sour fruit before, it made me bitter to the core.  I'd rather starve alone than be hungering for more.  I can't explain the pleasing pain I gain from wanting you, and all the jealous reveries I subject myself to.  I see you there hands in her hair, got to beware- this affair could be red hot but I'm so blue blue blue.  If you only knew what was going through my mind.  But I can't deny this is not our place or time. I'll let it go and never know the sweetness we could find in our secret as the sun begins to climb, climb, climb... This plum is not yet ripe enough to eat.

Adam Christgau, drums. Chris Morrissey, bass. Rich Hinman, guitar.  Richard Maheux, piano. Molly Amoroso, Susanne LoFaso, & Sarah Tracey, background vocals. Dan Urness & Dylan Schwab, trumpets. Dave Nelson, trombone. Nate Mayland, bass trombone.  Jim Perry, latin percussion.

Cards On The Table

My cards, my cards are on the table but you won't tip your hand.  The stakes, the stakes are getting higher.  I don't know where I stand, I stand.  The men, the men they bring me roses.  They lay them at my feet.  I only want what I don't have, I just want you my sweet, my sweet.  Do I inspire you to desire me so deeply that you'd swim across the sea for me for me for only me?  I'd like to crawl inside your mind, see myself the way you see: a girl and a guitar, or a beacon of a star calling you across the waves to me?  My cards, I lay them all before you: all in, no defenses, double blind.  My love, the action is on you now... let me know your mind.  Do I inspire you to desire me so deeply that you'd swim across the sea for me for me for only me?  I'd like to crawl inside your mind, see myself the way you see: a girl and a guitar, or a beacon of a star, calling you across the waves to me...?

Adam Christgau, drums. Chris Morrissey, bass. Rich Hinman, guitar, mandolin.  Richard Maheux, organ. David Vincola, vibraphone.

Heart On My Sleeve

I don't wear my hear on my sleeve.  I don't give my love so easy. No, no, I'd rather be free.  So if I feel a tinge of tenderness I shred it into ribbons and I pin them on my dress- aren't they pretty? A color for each casualty.  There's peacock blue for vanity and red for heartbreak yet to be; white for discarded virginity; pink for insensitivity.  Green for one who envied me; gold for pride he stole from me; violet for mystery; it's blinding me with clarity.  I don't wear my heart on my sleeve.  I don't give my love so easy.  No, no I'd rather be free.  I don't need another half to be whole.  I'll give you brains I'll bring you soul, but part of me you'll never know: I don't wear my heart on my sleeve.  No rings but no strings, no lies, no goodbyes, no rules and no blues, I got nothing to lose.  Stars light up the skies, I got stars in my eyes, I don't care- I don't care- I don't wear- I don't wear- I don't wear my heart on my sleeve.  I don't give my love so easy.  No, no, I'd rather be free.  I don't need another half to be whole.  I'll give you brains, I'll bring you soul.  But part of me you'll never know; I don't wear my heart on my sleeve. 

Adam Christgau, drums. Chris Morrissey, bass. Rich Hinman, guitar.  Richard Maheux, piano; Jim Perry, latin percussion.

I Want To

You want to know me but I do not know myself.  You want to touch me but you're touching someone else.  Your smile upon me feels like sunlight warming soil.  You swim around me just like water into oil.  And I don't know why is seems that I can't think of anything but you alone in this dark and empty room.  You're thinking of me too, it's something I can feel, but I don't know if you're real, I don't know if you're true.  I want to trust you but I cannot trust myself.  I want to open let you ring me like a bell.  I have a secret that I'm tired of trying to keep.  My spine is steely and my heart is buried deep.  Still I don't know why it seems that I can't think of anything but you alone in this dark and empty room.  You're thinking of me too, it's something I can feel, but I don't know if you're real, I don't know if you're true.  Was it in my head?  The things you said, the way we danced, your fingers on my back, your whisper in my ear, what I've waited to hear.  I never told you so- how did you know?  How did you know?

I want to love you.

Adam Christgau, drums. Chris Morrissey, bass. Rich Hinman, guitar.  Richard Maheux, piano. Daniel Mintseris, accordion. Jim Perry, castanets.

Tell No One

I'll tell no one, I'll tell no one that I came alive in your hands.  I'll tell no one, I'll tell no one that I followed all your commands.  I'll tell no one, I'll tell no one at first I enjoyed being used.  I'll tell no one, I'll tell no one at first I enjoyed the penthouse views.  And all those things I said I'd never do, I'll tell no one I did them all for you.  Destroy all the proof; my youth was no match for your truth.  I'll tell no one, I'll tell no one that you only care for your greed.  Your properties, commodities, stocks and bonds, securities, balance sheets, technologies, I blame my curiousity.  I'll tell no one, I'll tell no one that I was too naive to see. And you'll tell no one, you'll tell no one of me.

Adam Christgau, drums. Chris Morrissey, bass. Rich Hinman, guitar.  Richard Maheux, organ. Dan Urness & Dylan Schwab, trumpets. Dave Nelson, trombone. Nate Mayland, bass trombone. David Vincola, vibraphone.

Gloves Off*

*text messages reprinted here were not altered to protect the offender.

Thinking of you/ what we could get into/ What would you like me to do to you/ Are you alone/ Are you by your phone/Come over I'm home Apartment 5-o/ Back from LA. Wanna come play/  Tomorrow I'm off to the UK/  Just touched down now I'm back in town  Where are you now?/Can't stop thinking about you/

These words and some I can't repeat he transmitted digitally.  Poetry and obscenity hit the darker side of me and I responded playfully- I didn't know he wasn't free! He never said he wasn't free... It was all fun and games but he forgot to play fair so now I'm taking aim and my knuckles are bare.  So it's gloves off, gloves off, gloves off, the gloves are coming off!  Week after week, round after round, he had a wife that was out of town.  The truth was plain to see but he would bob and weave and he always brought me down to my knees.  How I'd like to land a punch right where it hurts and tell world that for such a shameless flirt he was just a filthy dirty cowardly excuse for a man who despite all his plans couldn't even go the distance!  For a lady I can rumble like a champ.  I've been sparring with his shadow, got a mean hook and jab.  He might have played me for a fool but I've a fierce uppercut: for all his swagger he's a wanker that can't even get it $#. It was all fun and games but he forgot to play fair so now I'm taking aim and my knuckles are bare.  So it's gloves off, gloves off, gloves off, the gloves are coming off!

Adam Christgau, drums. Chris Morrissey, bass. Rich Hinman, guitar.  Richard Maheux, organ. Dan Urness & Dylan Schwab, trumpets. Dave Nelson, trombone. Nate Mayland, bass trombone.

The Game

Cold November evening, there's a footstep upon the stair: a flicker of a shadow but you turn and see no one there.  When I saw that all your charm was only smoke and mirrors my bitter tears were over.  Listen to your breathing as I watch you while you sleep. You don't know how closely I hold my enemies.  Though I kiss you sweetly there's venom underneath 'cause of your deceit, my lover.  It's the game we play, it's the game we play, we play.  Darling how I loved you but you pushed me to the edge. I'm reaching for the trigger and feeling no regret.  Pulsing with the power of the weapon in my hand just like I planned, my lover. It's the came we play, it's the game we play, we play.  I was innocent at the start but you made me play a part.  So you should be afraid of the dark and my cold heart.

Rich Hinman, guitar.

After the Rain

Twilight is falling, I feel I could drown in this cold cold rain as it's tumbling down.  I let it soak me right down to the bone  The wind whips my hair, it's wet on my face, stinging my eyes but this storm can't erase the burning that's rising, a heat that could even melt stone.  I want to jump I want to fly I want to let go I want to get high I want the night city light shining bright lose the fight ease the pain after the rain.  Slave to these feelings, so dark and I'm dying to surrender the most tender part of my mind.  Let him destroy me, I want him to tear me apart.  The sky's thick and red, it's heavy with fog.  I'll slowly unravel and I'll let him watch.  Recklessly ravage my so carefully guarded heart.  I want to jump I want to fly. I want to let go I want to get high I want to go down hit the ground spin around and around and around.  I want to drive I want to scream I want to crash slip into a dream I want the night city light shining bright lose the fight ease the pain after the rain.  Thinking of nothing but feeding this need... cutting me deeper and making me bleed... I got a hunger I got to feed... gripping me tighter and tighter I need to be free!  I want to jump I want to fly I want to let go I want to get high I want to go down hit the ground spin around and around and around.  I want to drive I want to scream I want to crash slip into a dream I want the night city light shining bright lose the fight ease the pain after the rain.

Adam Christgau, drums. Chris Morrissey, bass. Rich Hinman, guitar.  Richard Maheux, organ. Molly Amoroso, Susanne LoFaso, & Sarah Tracey, background vocals. Dan Urness & Dylan Schwab, trumpets. Dave Nelson, trombone. Nate Mayland, bass trombone.