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Story Songs

by Bill Sammon

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    The "Story Songs" album on CD in a one-time limited run. Get yours now before they're gone. Every CD purchase will include a digital download of the "Story Songs" album PLUS a digital copy of the "Havertown" video!

    Includes unlimited streaming of Story Songs via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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1.
Silver Star 03:29
Back in my father's time, for a nickel and a dime He could go to see a Western picture show and there upon the screen, on a horse named Kerosene there rode a man who wore a silver star In the saddle, he rode tall. He was a hero to all and he stood for things like honesty and trust. But it seems like nowadays, leaders lie right to your face and the silver star has slowly turned to rust Shine on silver star Shine for who you are Do what is right, fight the good fight Shine on silver star Now the lesson here to learn, is that honor must be earned 'cause any fool can go and buy a silver star If with legends you would ride, you better take a good look inside and I hope you find the man you think you are Shine on silver star Won't you shine for who you are Do what is right, fight the good fight Shine on silver star Do what is right, fight the good fight Shine on silver star Shine on silver star
2.
Havertown 05:13
Our house was number 4, west end of Strathmore, by the corner of Darby Road Two stone pillars stood their guard, I could see them from my yard They're still on duty to this day and the old library lady knew my name, in Havertown Max Factor's pharmacy, the hobby shop and the bakery The Brookline Theater's matinees Martel's grocery store, none of them are there no more I guess there came a time to close 'em down But you can feel their ghosts all around, walkin' in Havertown The history remains, like stained glass window panes Even though the years keep rollin' on The Firehouse and Irish bar, on Brookline Boulevard Any other town would have torn 'em down, but not Havertown Sister Marie Germaine made me walk home in the rain from Annunciation School. And the Mother Superior cried on the day John Kennedy died as we prayed for hours in the vestibule That's the day I learned that nuns were human too. In the public schools, my friends were Jews, Irish and Italians too and far too few were brown But those years became like jail, I could not wait to bail, to find my feet, and get 'em on the ground I remember takin' one last look around, on a late bus out of Havertown Petrella's record store, Terry's Deli right next door All those crazy kids now grown and gone The Red Arrow trolley trains, no trace of them remains and any time these folks get pushed around They stand again, instead of stayin' down, that's Havertown This town's a lot like me, straddling the centuries. Mostly then, and partly now My old house still stands, and I'd sure like to shake the hand of whoever owns it now And I would thank them for opening up their door to the boy I left behind Life was simpler then, and yes, I remember when an evening paper only cost a dime But I guess there ain't no goin' back in time So maybe someday if I'm heaven bound it might look a lot like Havertown Our house was number 4, the west end of Strathmore by the corner of Darby Road
3.
Gonna love you every night and day, Gonna love you every which way I'm gonna love you all the days of my life Gonna love you while I can, you're my lady and I'm your man yes I'm gonna love you all the days of my life This crazy world is full of fear Don't worry babe, I'm stayin' right here, forever more I'm your lovin' hubby, you're my beautiful wife You've given me such a wonderful life I know I could never do better if I tried And just because you've been so sweet, sit back, I'm gonna rub your feet and maybe if you don't go to sleep, you might rub mine... (tomorrow) And when I feel old and tired, please know that you are still desired and by the way I know you love me 'cause I made you laugh when you asked Lyle Lovett for his autograph and I knew you were gonna love him all the days of your life (but that's alright) And when we are not here no more, when we walk thru the cosmic door I'm still gonna hold your hand til the end of time And if I get there before you do, you best believe I'll be waitin' on you and I'll be loving you all the days of your life... But for now I'm... Gonna love you every night and day, Gonna love you every which way I'm gonna love you all the days of my life yes I'm gonna love you all the days of my life Oh, I'm gonna love you all the days of my life, that's right
4.
All I see is darkness in this city of light My mind is a-racin', I'll get no sleep tonight I need a best bad decision, never mind win or lose It's never good when all that's left to choose is between bad weather and the blues I close my eyes for a minute and pretend everything's alright still I'm not sure how I'm gonna make it home tonight The second hand keeps tickin', there'll be no more sins excused So I'm just gonna grab my walkin' shoes and forget all this bad weather and the blues There's things I've done I'm not proud of, don't dare to ask me why The lessons learned, oh how they burn like lightning in my mind Still I search for a peace I know I'll never find Somewhere sweet, where I can leave this all behind But there's always another job, and another point to prove So I'll take a pass on the cocaine and the booze and pour another cup of bad weather and the blues Out on the highway past the city limit sign Another soul's been taken, I know it could've been mine But it's just another fool, who took too long to choose Sometimes, heads or tails, you're gonna lose in the game of bad weather and the blues And I know I'll keep on searchin' til my bones no longer move while all that could have been keeps crashing through my frail shelter from bad weather... and the blues....
5.
When I heard you say you'd stay forever You made my wildest dream come true And up on high, the angels cried “have mercy, there goes another one” When we walked around in town together we must have made quite a pair and all these guys who'd recognize you would say there goes another one ​There goes another heart, love is blind and not so smart There goes another night Something tells me something here ain't right ​So I'm tryin' to patch these jigsaw facts together Find out what's make believe or true And if by chance this lover's dance is done well there goes another one ​There goes another heart, should have known right from the start There goes another night Something tells me something here ain't right ​Well you could have knocked me over with a feather Cuz I've done a desperate thing or two and if every sin forgiven is undone well there goes another one there goes another one... there goes another one...
6.
Sock Drawer 05:20
A picture of the Virgin Mary caught my eye and stared into my soul and I noticed she was peeking out from underneath an old Life Savers roll and a silver cross right next to her from a rosary chain that had to be long gone I'd found a hundred treasures from the thousand roads my father'd traveled on A small pearl-handled pocketknife showed signs of bein' stuck in the dirt and the gold & silver cufflinks that used to decorate his favorite shirt There were cards with names of friends who had flown away into the great beyond and a faded wrinkled Polaroid of Mom the day she tried to be a blonde It was just a chest of drawers made of hardwood and ornamental steel where my father kept his secrets folded up and tucked away for all those years and the scattered loose ends of his life were hidden there where none but he could see and I'm feelin' that he kept them all this time just so they'd be found by me Old business cards from businesses that folded up and closed long ago and laces from some pairs of shoes, which ones they are, I'll never know and a plastic purse designed for coins that held a rosary chain without a cross So many fractured memories in a sock drawer that would otherwise be lost There's a ticket from a shop where he had taken something in to have it pawned and a handkerchief all stained with sweat and grass from when he used to cut the lawn There's a pin with silver wings and a dried out pack of Camels in a bag and a Kodak slide of a pin-up girl wearing nothing but a 48 star flag So now I'm boxin' up all these artifacts and storing them away because somehow I know this collection will be added to someday and somewhere up the road, some young child will go through that drawer of mine and that's how generations tell their stories to the next one down the line It was just a chest of drawers made of hardwood and ornamental steel where my father kept his secrets folded up and tucked away for all those years and the scattered loose ends of his life were hidden there where none but he could see and I'm feelin' that he kept them all this time just so they'd be found by me A picture of the Virgin Mary caught my eye and stared into my soul
7.
Release 04:42
This grief is like water, recycling through Let it rain down, and then renew Release... Float on Sweet Freedom, belongs to you It comes in waves, different versions of you Rolling in, and back out, they flow thru me too Release... Float on Sweet Freedom, belongs to you, belongs to you Sail on now, be on your way Those you love are waiting, can't you hear them say Release... Float on Sweet Freedom, belongs to you Release... Float on Sweet Freedom, belongs to you, it belongs to you
8.
I stopped outside of Abilene, to fuel up on gasoline and go Got about a hundred fifty miles, to play another $100 show Tomorrow night is Tulsa, then up to old St Lou and I know it's gonna be too long before I get home to you But the wheels keep on turnin', and the Earth keeps going 'round and here I am on another night in another distant town I'll sing until my voice is sore, until my fingers burn And tell of all the lessons I have learned, and get the stories told 'cause I'm runnin' til I run right out of road Well you know this life's my choosin', 'cause I just got tired of losin' all the time Every day I'm gonna miss you, and I won't get to kiss you again tonight But the moon keeps a-risin' and the sun keeps goin' down and here I am on another stage in another far-off town I do this 'cause it's just the best thing I know how to do Comin' here to play these songs for you, so rest your load while I run until I run right out of road Soon I'll take down all my gear and pack it in the car and by that time, it won't be long before they close the bar so please tip your waitress and come on back, my friend but when you do, I'll be long gone and down the road again At a truck stop near Phoenix, there's a diner with the best jukebox around I'll order eggs and sausage, and a pot of coffee just to wash it down I don't know how long I'll do this, but I'll do it while I can and when there's no more music, then there might not be no man But the wheels keep on turnin', and the Earth keeps going 'round and I'm out on the interstate, headed for another town I'll pull into a parking lot and roll up by the door and soon my songs will come alive once more. It's the musician's code Keep rollin' til you run right out of road ...til you run right out of road Keep runnin' til you run right out of road ...til you run right out of road

credits

released December 10, 2021

Credits:

All songs written by Bill Sammon,
except “Release” with lyrics by Abby Martin.
© 2021 Bill Sammon / Phillycat Music

Music and Vocals performed by Bill Sammon and J. Scott Gaeta
"Run Right Outta Road" features pedal steel by Josh Bertrand
and acoustic guitar by Jerome Brich

Produced and arranged by J. Scott Gaeta and Bill Sammon

Recorded and mixed by J. Scott Gaeta
at Music Factory Productions, Omaha Ne.
April - October 2021

Mastered by Doug Van Sloun at Focus Mastering, Omaha Ne.

Disc Duplication and Printing by Isodisc, Omaha Ne.

Cover art design: Bill Sammon with Steve Monson

Photo of Bill by Chip Duden

Havertown House Art by Abby Martin

“Havertown” video by Tica Perri

Song Lyrics, Stories, and More at www.billsammonmusic.com/lyricsandstories

RIHP Tiger Rodriguez O'Malley Jr.

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about

Bill Sammon Omaha, Nebraska

At long last, the album "Story Songs" is available now! This is Bill Sammon's first studio recording of his own original tunes. Bill currently lives in Omaha Ne. He was born and raised in Havertown and Bryn Mawr Pa. He is an 8-year USAF veteran. These days, Bill makes regular appearances around the Omaha metro area, doing live solo acoustic shows. ... more

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