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1. |
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HOPELESS MERCENARIES
(Chris Hludzik)
Surely there must be some honor
Amongst the thieves
Well we can't all be mercenaries
At least that's what I'd like to believe
In a desperate world I struggle
To make my way through the crowd
At a time when I need to be heard more than ever
Everything else is just too LOUD
As we wander through the corridors
Searching for the truth
We wind up in the dungeon
Of disaffected youth
We're searching for a reason
But the order proves too tall
In a world where we have all of the answers
It turns out we know nothing at all
Would you sell your soul
For a piece of gold?
Will you break my heart
After yours turns cold?
Will you plunge the dagger
Deep into my soul?
Like a modern day MacBeth
Would reprise his role
When I beg for truth
Will you tell a lie?
And then flash that evil grin
Right before I die
Will you paint a picture
With my blood and rust?
And leave me a victim
Of MURDER UNDER TRUST.
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2. |
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LIKE IAN HUNTER
(Chris Hludzik)
Wish I could write like Ian Hunter
But I came around too late
Never did have his “worm's eye point of view”
Don't even know how I'd relate
Wish I could sing like Ian Hunter
Rough, but in key and in time
Straight from the throat, straight from the heart
Racing rhythm and rhyme
CHORUS
Oh I wish there were more Ian Hunters
Then the world would be fine
They wouldn't screw around, they'd tell it like it is
Call it straight down the line
Wish I could talk like Ian Hunter
But I wouldn't be as cool
I couldn't pull off that cocky attitude
I'd just be another fool
Wish I could think like Ian Hunter
Or at least get inside his mind
I'd never be at a loss for words
The answers I'd always find
CHORUS
BRIDGE
His sincerity means a lot to me
But no one will ever know
'Cause all of the good ones were taken
So long ago
But there's only one “Ian Hunter”
I guess that'll do for now
'Cause the truth from just one Ian Hunter
Is too much for the world anyhow...
Repeat “Just Like Ian Hunter” through fade
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3. |
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DIM SPARK
(Chris Hludzik)
So here I lie, alone in the dark
The only thing lit, is inspiration's dim spark
When suddenly I realize, alone I am not
For with me always, is the train called thought
It weaves its' tales, false and true
Connects the dots, from where to who
So do not smother your dim spark
It may be your only light in the dark.
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4. |
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ALL YOU
(Chris Hludzik)
All you need to find is your place
All you need to grow is some space
All you need to show is a trace
Of emotion
All you have to sing is a song
All you have to right is what's wrong
All you have to get is along
What a notion
CHORUS:
But it's easier said than done
And you'll always be on the run
You're never gonna be the one
To ride into the sun
All you need to heal is some time
All you need to solve are your crimes
All you need to speak is a rhyme
And a little reason
All you have to follow is a star
All you have to be is what you are
And when you need to change, it isn't hard
Change with the season
CHORUS
CHORUS/OUTRO
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5. |
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NAÏVE
(Chris Hludzik)
Silly little girl
When will you understand?
That it takes much more than store-bought charm
To make him your man
Silly little girl
When will you ever learn?
That it takes much more than boyish good looks
To make your world turn
Silly little girl...(x2)
Selfish little girl
When will you finally see?
Just how big the difference
Between love and lust can be
Selfish little girl
You think that he's so cool
With his smooth looks and smooth talk and smooth moves
But in reality, he's a fool
Silly little girl...(x2)
Helpless little girl
With the stars caught in your eyes
You're so blinded by him
That you can't see through his shallow lies
Helpless little girl
I hope one day you'll see
Though it was him that you went after
You were looking for ME
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6. |
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BEWARE
(Chris Hludzik)
Don't meet your heroes
They're bound to let you down
Unreal ideals
Fake diamonds in their crown
CHANGE
They used to be like you
Grew up in a small town
Now they're the ones
Who are running everybody down
Don't count on friends
Although you feel you can
You're not essential
You're only second hand
CHANGE
They only want you
When they've got nobody else
And when they're done with you
They put you on the shelf
CHORUS:
Some folks are much too nice
They'll tell you to take care
But me, I won't think twice
I'll tell you to beware
Beware
Don't read the papers
To see what's going on
Though it's in black and white
You won't know right from wrong
CHANGE
They'll lie and tell you
That the sky is falling down
Don't dare believe it
Go and take a look around
Don't trust religion
Believe what's in your soul
No god can help you
Heal you or make you whole
CHANGE
They'll tell you stories
From a long long time ago
But they'll keep you in the dark
From things that you should know
CHORUS:
Most folks are just too nice
They'll tell you to take care
But me, I don't think twice
I'll tell you to beware
Beware (x2)
Beware (high note, hold out)
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7. |
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THE NICHOLSON BRIDGE (BIGGER THAN US ALL)
(Chris Hludzik)
CHORUS:
Gotta move 'em out today
We've got to find a better way
All work, no more play
Gotta move 'em out today
Here to there is too damn long
For the train whistle to cry its' song
They should be fast, not just strong
Here to there is too damn long
So if we can't ride over we'll just ride through
Our method is tried and true
And if we can't ride through we'll just ride on top
No need to slow down, no need to stop
So gather your fathers, and brothers too
Lord knows that there's a job to do
Get your sons and cousins, the order is tall
This bridge is bigger than us all
CHORUS 2:
Gotta move 'em out today
We're sure to find a better way
All work, no more play
Gotta move 'em out today
Blood in the concrete, sweat on our brows
We never knew and we never learned how
It didn't matter, it was all for the goal
Of moving people, iron and coal
So if they can't ride over we'll just dig through
This method is tried and true
And if they can't ride through we'll just build on top
We won't slow down until we drop
3 long years we toiled in pain
For an arched grey tower amongst the plain
No fame or fortune, but we answered the call
This bridge is bigger than us all
CHORUS 3:
Gotta move 'em out today
There's got to be a better way
All work, no more play
Gotta move 'em out today
Sleepy town in the north
Put its youngest and strongest forth
To ensure that the railroad line
Makes the trip all in good time
So now they all ride over and they all ride through
Some said it was too good to be true
And when they all ride through they all wave from the top
No need to slow down, no need to stop
30 dead, maybe more
All lost to this industrial war
The tears like rain did fall
On the bridge bigger than us all.
LAST CHORUS:
Gotta move 'em out today
They finally found a better way
So high, was the price to pay
Just to move 'em out today.
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8. |
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AN OPEN LETTER
(Chris Hludzik)
I come from the old school
Though the new one's just the same
The only things that are different
Are the faces and the names
Not many years between us
Though it seems like an awful lot
But no matter how far apart we are
We're still put on the same spot
So please listen to what I say
'Cause no one can beat the clock
And you might not wanna hear it
But I've been around the block
All you hipsters, with your hip clothes
That you got from the Goodwill store
Yeah you're so smart, and you're so cool
But you don't know there's so much more
All you scene kids think you're hot shit
Well-versed in culture and art
You've got platforms and agendas
To tear each other apart
Your opinion will not matter
It's just noise in a sea of sound
So here's one more hill you can die on
If there's space left on the ground.
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9. |
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JUST AS WELL
(Chris Hludzik)
Songs to make you feel glad
Pick you up so you won't be sad
To bury all the bad times you've had
It's all just as well
Memories to pick up the slack
Of the times that you can't get back
Another one just slipped through the crack
It's all just as well
CHANGE:
Praise to know that you did fine
As long as you didn't cross the line
I'll take yours, but still keep mine
It's all just as well
Drugs to help you not be sick
Prayers to make sure good luck sticks
In the end you still got your kicks
It's all just as well
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10. |
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HEAR ME OUT
(Chris Hludzik)
Well I'm tired of always talkin'
When no one ever hears
I feel like I've been drowning
In a sea of wasted years
The echoes fight the silence
But never can break through
And I'm left alone to wonder
What else there is to do
CHORUS:
It don't matter if I whisper
And I'd rather not shout
I just want someone to hear me out.
Pouring out my heart
To try and reach some souls
But attention isn't permanent
Once they crawl into their holes
When everyone has stories
That bring grown men to tears
No one really has the time
For your hopes, your dreams, or fears
CHORUS:
BRIDGE:
Well I'm not complicated
You could call me "plug and play"
'Cause what I feel is more important
Isn't how I sound, but what I have to say
Well they say it's now or never
Never might as well be now
Though I'm full of good intention
I might just have to take a bow
I don't have too much time here
My expression is on a lease
So I guess I'll have to speak up
I can no longer hold my peace
CHORUS (X2):
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11. |
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UPON THE FENCE
(Chris Hludzik)
I’m caught somewhere in between
Death and despair
And the sad thing is
I don’t even care
All the best laid plans
That I thought slipped through my hands
Well it turned out
They were never there
I’ve been waiting for a lifetime
What the hell am I waiting for
Had the chance, but never had the guts
To put my foot in the door
Everyone around me
Thinks I’m goin’ wrong
Tellin’ me
I’ve got to find a better day
But if they knew the half of it
They’d just let me be
And understand
I’ve got to make my own way
So here I sit, upon the fence
With a birds’ eye view of both sides of my life
And looking up to see, hanging over me
Is destiny’s knife
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12. |
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HATER
(Chris Hludzik)
INTRO:
You could say that I'm a hater
You could think that I'm uncouth
Well I just might be a hater
But at least I know the truth
Most people these days would walk a mile
Just for a cheap handshake, a nod and a smile
Most people won't even bother to try to place, because
They'll still get a trophy just for being in the race
When did everyone get so insecure
Just what happened to make them so unsure
To follow blindly, or not at all
To hold someone up, even when they deserve to fall
CHORUS:
You might say that I'm a hater
Because I don't share your view
Well I just might be a hater
But I'm just tryin' to make it through
So much outrage, so much distress
Just some of the reasons the world is in a mess
Appalled at things that once didn't cause a stir
This tunnel vision turns life into a blur
Used to be able to agree to disagree
I won't push on you, don't push on me
We didn't always feel the need to be mad
Used to be able to take the good with the bad
CHORUS 2:
You could say that I'm a hater
'Cause I see blue where you see black
Well I just might be a hater
But I make up for what you lack
BRIDGE:
The things we say to one another
Go off like bombs inside our heads
Until the day we don't recognize each other
Outside the context of things we've said
OUTRO:
Maybe we are all just haters
We're all trying to contend
It's not easy being haters
Always searching for a means to an end
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Introducing a new collection of demos and work in progress/rough/alternate mixes from Chris' archives. A follow up to his first such collection (2017's "Rarities and Casualties"), "Shadows To Songs" picks up where that set left off, covering the years of 2014-2020, and spanning solo and side projects through 12 previously unreleased versions of this material.
released June 8, 2021
Selections marked with an * are mono, all other selections are stereo.
Selections 4 and 5 were recorded analog, all other selections were recorded digitally.
Selections 9, 11 and 12 have pops and other audio anomalies that are a result of the built in microphone on the laptop used to record them being overloaded, and NOT an issue with your playback device/setup.
ALL SONGS © CHRIS HLUDZIK.
PRODUCED, PERFORMED, ENGINEERED, MIXED AND COMPILED BY CHRIS HLUDZIK.
DRUM PROGRAMMING ON SELECTIONS 1 AND 2 BY ADAM KIME.
PHOTOS, CONCEPT, LAYOUT AND DESIGN BY CHRIS HLUDZIK.
All selections (EXCEPT 1, 11 and 12) administered by SOUNDS GOOD GUYS MUSIC, BMI.
©2021, CHRIS HLUDZIK.
chrishludzik.com
