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21st Century American

by Jedediah Parish

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    The second CD, all sounds by Jedediah Parish. Reissued in a handsome "eco wallet"(!) with additional stamp-painting artwork.

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1.
through the rain across the fruited plain rolls a rolling locomotive train Red Cloud Nebraska Blue Earth Minnesota Grayville Illinois to Greenville Maine Rueben takes a rail from Devil's Lake hops the Hiawatha in St. Paul Sulfur, Oklahoma El Dorado and La Plata through Missouri like a cannonball and it goes and goes swiftly down the track through the day that glows to the night so black...blaack near the pond in Voltage, Oregon ends the line from Seneca to Burns take the 180 north to Enterprise and Echo twisting like Snake River as it turns Newport News East St Louis blues Vernal Utah buried under snow Antlers Oklahoma Armour South Dakota Luna County in New Mexico and it goes and goes swiftly down the track through the day that glows to the night so black...blaack through the rain across the fruited plain west from Crater Lake to Pantaloon southbound to the stable east to Abe and Able northbound to the center of the moon and it goes and goes swiftly down the track through the day that glows to the night so black...blaack
2.
last night i came crawling on all fours scratching at your window scratching at the door light thickening pulse quickening i'm puzzled by you sparks sparkling shapes sharping i'm stunned by the view in the yellow shadow of the moon i could hear you hum this melancholy tune light thickening pulse quickening i'm stunned by the view sparks sparkling shapes sharping i'm puzzled by you from the bath to the bed in a towel from awake (a wake?) to a dream in the woods enjoy the ride enjoy the ride in the court of the wild screeching owl in the brambles with dragons and birds enjoy the ride enjoy the ride ooh
3.
when you hear that rooster crow and your stuff is brewing you can hear them miles below rattling around when the bones begin to bounce on the jungle gym subway two miles down they bay like hounds rattling around jump up and grind one curvy line jump up and grind in a forest nowhere bound where the moss is misty you can feel them undergound rattling around when the moon turns red as blood and the sky is orange they're the cause of the quivering mud rattling around jump up and grind one curvy line jump up and grind under the candy corn rug of rusted leaves under the floorboards down where the pawprints lead where they make that where they make that where they make that where they make that where they make that where they make that that that sound jump up and grind one curvy line jump up and grind
4.
Rotary Phone 04:10
out of the clouds comes a fistful of rain down to the subway onto the train straight to your cell for the latest word over the river and to the birds as a rotary phone spins back in position rotary phone TWilight 5-5431 the sun breaks through on the avenue polish our fangs and we buckle our shoes trailing the ass pants for seven blocks ghosts of the hoop skirts and bobby sox as a rotary phone spins back in position row row row SUnset 5-5431 left to right from track to track two steps forward one step back til one more day i s all you want one more day is all you want hold your breath and hope to die til it looks you in the eye and one more day i s all you want one more day is all you want one more day is all you want cold enough now you can see your breath one bone explorer has just turned left as one bell rings and your bubble bursts pumpkin remains on november 1st as a rotary phone spins back in position ro ro rotary CIrcle 5-5431
5.
Clawfoot Tub 02:54
well, early last sunday i was staining her deck when i stained my head and the back of my neck i asked her where's the sink so i can wash my face she smiled at me and said i know a better place rub a dub dub in the clawfoot tub she had a ten gallon jug of exfoliating scrub when i asked her where a fella might go and clean up she stripped me and she stuck me in the tub she had a colorful assortment of glycerine bars and a soap made of pumice from the planet Mars lavender verbena for a healthy glow and a lotion whose function i do not know rub a dub dub in the clawfoot tub she had a ten gallon jug of exfoliating scrub when i asked her where a fella might go and clean up she stripped me and she stuck me in the tub sprirulina algae hot green tea simplized Hi Fi Vitamin C fruity biomatric scruff bright red sea salt buff with her stuff spread out on the bath mat rug she reached into the water and she pulled up the plug she powdered me with talcom and she blew my nose and wrapped me in a towel like swaddling clothes rub a dub dub in the clawfoot tub she had a ten gallon jug of exfoliating scrub when i asked her where a fella might go and clean up she stripped me and she stuck me in the tub
6.
train train train strut and fret gnash and wail pray for rain train run run you out of town train run run you over train run run you out of town train run run you over place your bet chase your tail rack your brain train run run you out of town train run run you over train run run you out of town train run run you over through the purple mountains comes the shiny ninety three it's raining stars yellow fruit shaken from a tree drunk with blood blind with rage stained with stains train run run you out of town train run run you over train run run you out of town train run run you over
7.
right away you impressed me with you iron jaws your thick twelve foot welded frame and sharpened diamond claws as you scrape straight down Milk Street big baboon style paws we're caught between run and scream and pure parade applause hot blood red eyes full flood light size light up the sky it's never night at that rare height then i saw -i could see you- trapped behind a pole a dwarf with a brass spyglass and thin remote control hot blood red eyes full flood light size light up the sky never night at that rare height i can see you i can see i can see you i can see hot blood red eyes full flood light size light up the sky it's never night at that rare height i can see you i can see
8.
i shake my silver bells the lights turn green light green again down on the ocean floor the sound of two low violins yes and on the fruited plain i do the snake and shed my skin stretched out upon the grass until the silver bells again and there's a fire burning softly in the center of the moon and it may not burn forever but it won't blow out too soon and there's a wind that blows us forward as we float content to drift somersaulting backward tumbling so swift to the bright blue light bright blue light all the trees on Locust Lane begin to bend their bony limbs the sky is darkroom red stuck with a million silver pins the clouds come crawling in the lights turn green light green again up in the outer space the sound of two low violins and there's a fire burning softly in the center of the moon and it may not burn forever but it won't blow out too soon and there's a wind that blows us forward as we float content to drift somersaulting backward tumbling so swift to the bright blue light bright blue light
9.
hot rum and Arabic gum and red lamp oil the salty sea when it starts to boil brown sugar Cantonese tea on my fingertips as the sun shines down on the ship Eclipse one day when i finally stand on true dry land i will wash the stain of life from these dirty hands that rooster out in the yard is a siren song that bright green land we once saw is gone one day when i finally stand on true dry land i will wash the stain of life from these dirty hands and when the waves turn to smoke and the sky turns white the foghorn blows and we shake goodnight one day when i finally stand on true dry land i will wash the stain of life
10.
bones will turn to dust dust will blow away cat will say meow dog will have his day please, please, please please don't let me die now there's voices in the air the moon is shining bright death's put on his boots he's riding hard tonight please, please, please please don't let me die now i can see him down the road i know he means me harm open up your door hold me in your arms please, please, please please don't let me die
11.
strut and fret gnash and wail ride your troubles out on a rail cuz i'm waiting (he's waiting) place your bets chase your tail fortune's winds are filling your sails and i'm waiting (he's waiting) draw your breath and jump for joy every girl and every boy memories are just a day away don't just sit there in a daze staring at the amber waves let the world at large think what it may take a boat take a train take a B-8 single jet plane i'm waiting (he's waiting) tighten your grip loosen your belt all good things eventually melt and i'm waiting (he's waiting) draw your breath and jump for joy every girl and every boy memories are just a day away don't just sit there in a daze drowning in the amber waves let the world at large think what it may take a boat take a train take a V-8 single jet plane i'm waiting (bbbmbmb) drawr another breath jump for joy every girl and every boy memories are just a day away

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released April 2, 2002

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Jedediah Parish Maine

Born in the United States in the late 60s.

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