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This American Life

by Diego Allessandro

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1.
This American Life 04:56
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Read the news this morning Saw it in black and white Some never saw the warning Some never joined the fight I put down my coffee Held my last cigarette to the light Can’t figure out for the life of me The who, what, where and why Or how they pulled off the heist This American life If it can be bought it can be sold Someone’s gonna scratch that itch It’ll be branded with a logo And gilded for the rich Once I was told I can be Anything I wanted in this heart of mine I guess that’s why they call it the dream I followed that road down to the exit sign Just to find out it was a lie This American life From the church the organ plays Calling on God’s graceful light The congregation will sing and pray Seeking the strength to survive And the good fortune to afford the price Of this American life
2.
Arizona Sky 03:01
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Desert road windin’ like a diamond back Got that sweet air kissin’ my face Got a fresh pack of smokes and soda pop Ain’t seen the rain in three days Got some Cash comin’ through the radio Horizon’s just over the rise Ain’t nothin’ like ridin’ alone ‘neath a clear Arizona sky With the top I can hear the coyotes They sound just like you when said “I’m leavin” Well it ain’t like I don’t love you darlin’ It’s true, even if you don’t believe me Well we both knew what was missin’ honey Yeah we can see it in each others eyes I’m ridin’ tonight to find where it went If it’s anywhere ‘neath the Arizona sky Now I know that I hurt you darlin’ I never meant to cause you any pain I felt like I had to get out while I had chance I couldn’t wait around to explain I spend my days pushin’ for the man Pushin’ all day to make him rich Eventually the day slows down just enough You begin to think there’s gotta be more than this I come home in the evening and I’m hurtin’ I’m hurt and angry and ready to make someone cry I just can’t keep doin’ that to you darlin’ Then seeking redemption in the Arizona sky Legends say “go west to find what you seek” But a chance or a break was all I ever needed I got nothin’ to lose chasin’ a fadin’ sun So I’ll say my prayers and God’s will be done Maybe I’ll come back to you a better man Maybe we’ll never see each other again I’ll end up roamin’ around the central valley Or washed away in some biblical cleanse I guess a mans problems don’t mean nothin’ Everyone’s searchin’ for a better life Tonight I feel like the whole world can be mine The whole world and the Arizona sky
3.
Lenny's Place 05:29
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Welcome dear boy to Lenny’s Place take a seat and have a pint Here is where the town gathers when they lose the strength to fight Pool tables are a dollar the jukebox takes quarters The bathrooms are back by the phones so kid what’ll it be Tell your story to me cause here you never drink alone Now Ted in the back used to play ball man he threw it so effortlessly Million dollar offers and big name endorsements before he blew out his knee Now he works at a garage, spends his nights at the bar Around eleven he stumbles back home No wife, no kids, no deals, no glory but here he never drinks alone Maria at the table works two jobs She’s got a kid and a boyfriend in jail She comes in every night to talk with Theresa Got a killer smile hidden by a veil A veil of pain she can’t quite explain For the life that she’ll never know Fate can be so cruel without any reason But here she never drinks alone Bill at the jukebox used to be in a band Boy I tell you, that guy can sing But compromise after comprise To singing covers in a dive He lost his love for his favorite thing Now he works in landscaping And sings in the shower But at least the songs are his own A million dollar sound with no one around But here he never drinks alone Regret it surrounds us, bad luck defines us But at least the drinks are cold and cheap Once a month is karaoke and Thursday is ladies night We do trivia two nights a week So pull up your stool and sing me your sad tune There’s no guidance through the Valley of Dry Bones Did your lady dump ya, does your job crush ya At least here you’ll never drink alone
4.
The One That Got Away 03:33
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It’s funny meeting you here Laura How the hell have you been It’s been how may years God we were so young back then You’re lookin’ good Out of the darkness and into the gray Spent all this time thinkin’ about you since you left that day The past was buried a long time ago, drowned in Raritan Bay You were the one that got away You’ll always be the one that got away I hear you got a husband now Yeah I’m sure he treats you fine But is he enough protection When life becomes unkind Can he put your little world back together After it unwinds Out of the darkness and into the gray Spent all this time thinkin’ about you since you left that day The past was buried a long time ago, drowned in Raritan Bay You were the one that got away You’ll always be the one that got away It was nice to see you again We should get together sometime Here, let me get your number And I’ll text you mine Out of the darkness and into the gray Spent all this time thinkin’ about you since you left that day The past was buried a long time ago, drowned in Raritan Bay You were the one that got away You’ll always be the one that got away You’ll always be the one that got away You’ll always be the one that got away
5.
Blood Bank 05:07
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Imagine yourself in a forest filled with rain Where the pines grow tall and the night falls deep In the dark of dawn you can’t see That cliff that drops you so suddenly You’re in a land where dirty deeds are done Where tomorrow never comes There’s no dividing line ‘tween the night and day You’re just waiting to get blown away Point blank You’re another withdrawal from the blood bank They told you it was your purpose to leave behind All the things that fill you with warmth inside Now here in this dark dangerous paradise There’s no tellin’ who’s on which side You can feel hanging in the air That stench of what used to be here Their voices crowd the party line in your soul And surround you on either flank Another withdrawal from the blood bank All I wanna know is why All I wanna now is how All I wanna know is where Where is that light that burned in your eyes now You slowly approach from the riverside You can feel the riptide The waters too strong to fight Pulling you down, down, down inside Your breath hangs there as a sign You and your promise were cast aside And for the ones who made the choice we give thanks For being another withdrawal From the blood bank
6.
Coal Miner 05:51
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My name is John Michaels I was born in West Virginia Married my high school sweetheart we got us three small children I work six days a week in the coal mines like my daddy I make a decent living enough to keep me happy My name is Mary Ellen Michaels I was born in West Virginia I teach Sunday school, spend my week taking care of the children John is a good man, he works hard for his family He comes home in the evening, with a face that’s black and sooty Coal mining’s a good job, me and Teddy have us some laughs We can’t breathe with the respirators so we breathe in the dust and gas Shovel the coal onto the belt, dust the rocks to vent the methane The boss is a good guy, he watches our back, you best do the same Coal mining’s a rough job, there’s too much at stake God forbid the vent fans stop working or the roof begins to cave I’m afraid to watch the news, even if you don’t die in an explosion You can wind up with black lung, from breathing in that poison I walk into the darkness, say goodbye to the daylight Put in my eight hours, I’m home for supper each night The men at the mining corporation tell us that it’s safe here We know that they’re lyin’ it’s the best livin’ a man can make here I’m up after John leaves for work to make breakfast for the children Everyday he leaves a letter for me in the kitchen The men in their fancy suits say that there’s nothing else to give us power We know that they’re lyin’ they don’t care about families like ours Got up in the mornin’ grabbed my lunch and put on my hat Left Mary Ellen a letter, just incase I don’t make back It was a day like any other, grabbed a shovel and went to work Suddenly I heard a rumble, felt a shakin’ of the Earth Got up in the morning, got the kids ready for school Did the dishes and the laundry, planned a lesson for Sunday school It was about eleven thirty, the phone started to ring I fell to my knees and my heart began to sink
7.
Walker's Lullaby 03:31
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The dawn it will come soon my love The dawn it will come soon The sky will change to blue my love The sky will change to blue The sun will rise up soon my dear The sun will rise up soon The flowers will bloom in spring my dear The flowers they will bloom And if you could see How special you are to me And if I could show Then darling you would know Don’t fear, don’t cry now my love No don’t be scared tonight The stars will shine for you my love The stars they will shine Your dreams will be sweet tonight my dear Your dream they will be sweet If you should wake before the day Then right here I will be
8.
With These Hands 03:32
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Look in my eyes tell me what do you see Another man chasing a dream held just out of reach Living in a world that just has this way Of taking all you are and stripping it away With these hands I will build I will build something someday I came to this place seeking to rest I laid to sleep and just catch my breath I was turned away and told that I was unwanted I carry only what I can keep in my pocket With these hands I will search I will find what I seek someday Heavenly Father I beseech you to guide me For so long I’ve followed this path so blindly May your blessings and grace fall upon me like rain And protect me from those who bare the mark of Cain With these hands I pray
9.
The Lost 03:46
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I walked through Nazareth, just the other day Dropped to my knees and began to pray We are the children of a youth that’s passed us by We are the laborers of a land that has denied us We are not losers, we are the lost I stumbled through Bethlehem, council I did seek There I met a preacher, a preacher who would not speak We are the children of a youth that’s passed us by We are the laborers of a land that has denied us We are not losers, we are the lost We are not losers, we are the lost No my son, you may not pass No my child, you may not pass No my son Here I am in Galilee, just up from Canaan So many are talkin’ there ain’t much they’re sayin’ We are the children of a youth that’s passed us by We are the laborers of a land that has denied us We are not losers, we are the lost We are not losers, we are the lost No my son, you may not pass No my child, you may not pass No my son, you may not pass No my child, you may not pass No my son We are not losers, we are the lost We are not losers, we are the lost We are not losers, we are the lost We are not losers, we are the lost

credits

released November 16, 2018

Diego Allessandro: All instruments and vocals

Recorded and Mixed by Diego Allessandro

Mastered by James Dellatacoma

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Diego Allessandro New Jersey

From the corporate strip mall wastelands of suburbia in Central New Jersey, Colombian born Diego Allessandro’s trademark sound blending Americana with 80s and 90s pop with the sound of the 60s. Diego Allessandro is a powerful voice in Americana music articulating both the American Millennial and the immigrant experiences. ... more

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