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The Missing Pages

by Lee Barber

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1.
Modern Life 02:43
Modern Life the highway's always humming even in the early morning like a turban of bees wrapped around my head endless blooming machinations tumble into pre-dawn kitchens Tokyo to Alabama greet the brand new day once we drifted high enough to look down on a school of human fishes floating in formation pulsing like a tide astounded and confounded by the velvet variations of desire to make a target of your heart someone call the doctor the skin has gone transluscent and the works have been exposed for everyone to see once we drifted high enough to look down on a school of human fishes floating in formation pulsing like a tide somewhere in this phosphorescent goo we call a modern life sits a rusted out controller hanging on with all her might the highway's always humming even in the early morning like a turban of bees wrapped around my head
2.
10s & 20s 02:53
10s & 20s Tens and twenties cover my windshield I can barely see Billboard pictures of plenty of satisfaction Coming on to me I roll through town on a liberty dime Plying my stock and trade I’m like the monkey on the telephone line Above the big parade Me and my friends, we fall down gracefully We do what we have to do I’ve heard them say that living will always be impossible But they’ve never been touched by you I want to stay here all of my life Study the way that you move I think I’ve stumbled onto something that’s real Something that’s beautiful and true
3.
Don't Talk 02:19
Don’t talk Lay down with the one you love I want to feel your breath on my skin Let the words gather in My heart Wants to be a flying thing Rollin’ tumblin' against your wind Into the Sun Our finest words Can’t touch us here And it feels so good Just to be near Don't talk... Your lips Are the hills where the mornings break Rose water when I wake Don’t talk ah baby... look, the sun's coming up! shhhhhh... don't talk
4.
Bicycle Hour 01:48
Bicycle Hour I’m riding a window on the world The western wind is bending trees I put my nose to a flower Honey on a hummingbird tongue Silver water gave a brief introduction Filled my glass with a folding rain I got steamed by a summer shower And it feels good… Your western flyer shines like the sun Bicycle hour I’m riding a window on the world Calling birds and breathing trees Speak to me
5.
Fall Away 04:20
Fall Away reach for silver, love is new kneel beside her, the morning dew collects the sunlight to dry the leaves you'll disappear there on your knees and fall away, you fall away. hold on to a dream and fall away. the war is over, but for the few there stands your soldier with nothing to do he’s calling out, but there’s no sound a horse’s breath on frozen ground the wooden wind brings a lover’s knot sits on your shoulder… forget me not nothing is the matter, nothing to undo you can’t forget her, she won’t forget you you fall away, fall away. hold on to a dream and fall away. reach for silver, love is new kneel beside her, the morning dew collects the sunlight to dry the leaves you'll disappear there on your knees and fall away, you fall away. hold on to a dream and fall away.
6.
Coffee at Night coffee at night nothing in the wind to hold your head up you let it fall a matchbook kiss a telephone number on a grocery list you didn’t call Hey tired eyes, where have you been? St Helena, wash your brother’s hands the Ponchatrain Bridge is longer than it takes to forget you let it go
7.
Cactus Tree 05:06
Cactus Tree I wish I was / your ever lovin’ man I wish I was / your ever lovin’ man You know I wouldn’t have to worry I could fill these boots with sand I went to see my little bird sing And the wind just shook the tree I climbed to see my little bird sing But the wind shook the tree If you find her out on the western hills Won’t you call her back to me I spent the night in the tool yard I tried to fashion you a ring I spent the night in the tool yard I tried to fashion you a ring But I am far too late in asking My love don’t mean a thing I wish I was / a ruby throated sparrow I wish I was / a ruby throated sparrow I would sing so sweetly for you Every morning at your window There is a thorn / out on the cactus tree They tell me of a thorn / out on the cactus tree I’ve got a bad bad feelin’ That it’s waitin’ there for you and me I wish I was / your ever lovin’ man I wish I was / your ever lovin’ man You know I wouldn’t have to worry I could fill these boots with sand
8.
Sailor’s song The sea is my pillow My blanket is the tide I wait to go under I wait to curl inside You move the dark water Anointing my tongue I just want to die in your arms… I left my mother crying Enlisted in the corps We took the boats out early We worked the southern shore We rode the angry waters Worked blood into the oar I was looking for a lighthouse But I can’t use it anymore You laugh at my affliction You flood my memory I offer up the music Strung between two thieves Take my inner feelings Take my talent to deceive I just want to die in your arms… The sea is my pillow My blanket is the tide
9.
Singing Boy Preacher I walked all the way from Tchula With your potatoes on my back I put the coin in your pocket While you were filling up my sack I used to ride in your wagon Selling bibles on the side I was your singing boy preacher Saving souls and gettin' high There aint a lot of conversation Between a rooster and a crow I fell asleep on my pallet While you were counting out the dough You said you’d throw me some action When I got old enough to drive I guess you got a little greedy Expecting me to take a dive chorus… They must’ve come in through the window Not a sound or a spark I woke up the dogs were howling And my room was cold and dark Then I found you in the wheelhouse With the sheriff and his dogs I took him back to the trailer Tied him up so he don’t talk You didn’t have no call to hit me Even if you was my pa Sitting heavy on your three piece suit Playing favors with the law There aint a lot of conversation Between a butcher and a hog When I get back from Oklahoma I’m gonna nail it to the wall chorus… I know where you keep your pistol And your three round balls I’m gonna shoot everybody I don’t care about at all I am the faith of the prophet I am the beast when it talks I am your singing boy preacher I don’t care for you at all I don’t care for you at all…
10.
Water in the Well So you think, you think that you can tell When there is water in the well Water in the ground beneath the rocks and stones you think that you can tell I will come down And I will bring your cup The one that you love best with the dancing bull That you mother brought from Spain When we lived in the same house That we filled when you were sick I will bring it down You can fill it up I will bring your cup It’s a cold cold world beyond this gate Where no one has the time We’re all just thinking of ourselves Trying to make a buck But it’s sweeter than you know And people can be kind Don’t be afraid to ask Some people can be kind When I'm gone No longer around Look up on the shelf Look and find the cup Bring it to the well You can fill it up And bring it to your lips Please remember this And you will find a kiss little girl comes down warm dusty afternoon a little boy is there dust on his feet dust in his hair his pockets are filled with rocks and pebbles he smiles when she gets there and they sit together at the well a bluebird sings... up in a tree above the well tweet, tweet, tweet... a warm breeze rattles the dry leaves careful not to fall they lean over the old stone wall some say it's been there over a hundred years you can't see the water when you look down it's as dark as a fogotten dream but they're dropping pebbles yea, they're dropping little pebbles in the water one by one... the bluebird sings... tweet tweet tweet... listen, listen, listen... It's a long long time before they hit the water and if you get real real quiet listen, listen, listen... almost... you can almost hear the pebble hit the water... So you think, you think that you can tell, when there is water in the well... water in the ground.
11.
Picture This 02:48
Picture This picture this... the whole world turns on a kiss planets and stars restless hearts in bars know this children sing... when the old men strap on their wings the women roll their eyes laugh until they cry and bake their lovers names in their pies you and I... we're on a slow boat between the earth and sky the captain is high so it could take a little while I love your style... the sweet things your eyes say when you smile hold on to a friend we'll let this old world to spin a while...

about

THE MISSING PAGES is a collection of longing states, songs about the desire for clarity and love and individuality--about looking for what is real behind the load of crap folks tend to obsess over. It moves like a slow fire over water, unhurried and sensual, charmed by persuasive sirens.

The album marks Lee’s third collaboration with noted producer and arranger, Brian Beattie (Bill Callahan, Okkervil River, Daniel Johnston). It follows 2009’s well loved, Thief and Rescue. As before, Brian turns the spotlight on what is essential about eleven songs. Dony Wynn appears as the keeper of the violet, with sly below the belt drumming. Elemental contributions are delivered by long time partners, Scrappy Jud Newcomb, Jon Greene and Craig Ross. New and old friends, Dana Falconberry, Sahara Smith, and Seela provide the siren’s smoke.

credits

released June 23, 2015

1) MODERN LIFE Lee: voice, guitar. Dana Falconberry: voice. Brian Beattie: bass, piano. Dony Wynn: drums, percussion. Craig Ross: guitar. 2) 10s & 20s Lee: voice, guitar. Brian: bass, guitar. Dony: drums, percussion. Scrappy Jud Newcomb: guitar. Ramona Beattie: voice. Grace London: voice. Finley Sexton: voice. 3) DON’T TALK Lee: voice, guitar. Sahara Smith: voice. Brian: bass, piano, guitar. Jon Greene: drums, percussion. Dony: drums. Scrappy: slide guitar.
4) BICYCLE HOUR Lee: voice, guitar. Seela: voice. Brian: bass, guitar, organ. Dony: drums, percussion. Louk Cox: bari sax. Anna Roenigk: alto sax. 5) FALL AWAY Lee: voice, guitar. Dana: voice. Brian: bass, guitar. Dony: drums, percussion. Scrappy: guitar. 6) COFFEE AT NIGHT Lee: voice, guitar. Brian: bass, piano. Dony: drums, percussion. Craig: guitar. Dana: voice. 7) CACTUS TREE Lee: voice, guitar. Brian: bass. Jon: drums. Dony: drums, percussion. Scrappy: guitar. Louk: bari sax. 8) SAILOR’S SONG Lee: voice, guitar. Brian: bass, piano, organ. Dony: drums, waves. Sahara: voice. 9) SINGING BOY PREACHER Lee: voice, guitar. Brian: bass, guitar. Dony: drums, percussion. Scrappy: guitar. 10) WATER IN THE WELL Lee: voice, guitar. Brian: bass, piano. Dony: drums, percussion. 11) PICTURE THIS Lee: voice, guitar. Brian: bass, piano. Roberto Riggio: violin. Corina Santos: violin. Anna: alto sax.

horn & string arrangements by brian beattie
recorded and mixed by brian beattie at the wonder chamber, austin tx
mastered by joe gastwirt. painting: lee. layout: wells barber
sahara smith appears courtesy of playing in traffic records
all songs written by lee barber, copyright 2015, BMI

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Lee Barber Austin, Texas

Born in New Orleans, Lee has been writing songs since he was 16. When THIEF AND RESCUE was released in 2009, the album garnered feature stories in the Austin American-Statesman, the Austin Chronicle, & on KUT radio. It appeared on several Best of 2009 lists & topped the Austin Chronicle’s list of Best Austin Albums of that year. His songs have been recorded by The Resentments, Ana Egge & others. ... more

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