Charlatan brought such quality to the captivated crowd
But all along there were traps under their feet

In retrospect, there were such signs and signals
None of us recognized his photo on the walls
All we knew was that shiny things were so very pretty
Blanketed, choking on jewels in our jaws

Stop chanting and beating your chest
There's no cops
They've been chained in the cells and the stocks
Shut your eyes as the other shoe drops
Give a smile for the firing squad

Photographed, our mouths like open windows
Films and flags fought off the last of our resolve
The charlatan tripped the traps
We plunged feet-first into the gaps
Applauding as the earth collapsed

Pause
Your microscopes yield no fundamental flaws
Fall asleep to the clenching of jaws
When you wake up
Your eyes will be crossed from the blunt trauma of public relations

Charlatan brought such quality to the captivated crowd
But all along there were traps under their feet
Charlatan brought such falsity to the captivated crowd
But all along they were swallowing deceit
Charlatan brought such guarantees to the captivated crowd
But all along they were celebrating defeat
All along they were swallowing deceit
All along there were traps under their feet

performance:

dennis harvey: all instruments | voice

composition/production:

dennis harvey: composition | lyrics | mastering | mixing | production | recording

We went away
There were no voice messages
There was no trail
Only a pile of ashes
Don't go consume
The stain of lashes on a stump
He retried it
It only squeaked a reply
Indigenous fruit
Blackened in the sun
I traded selfies for a face
It acted like you
What will I wear
When tender cronies break the door down
They shared a knife
They pushed the hand back in the pot
You tender leaflet
The bowl tells for you
A sycophant
A treasure chest of dirt
Tear apart the house
And separate the silverware
You said I'll take the heart attack

Stoned on doubloon tristesse among accountants
Erasing
Lance the money clip
Drain it till it's dry
Call the cops
Tender your resignation
Take off your tie
And set it on fire
We will never die
The hand of the sick
We will never die
The hand of the sick

performance:

dennis harvey: all instruments | voice

composition/production:

dennis harvey: composition | lyrics | mastering | mixing | production | recording

notes:

Written and recorded January 17-23, 2019.

performance:

jason harvey: bass guitar

paul ambro: guitar

michael ambro: guitar

dennis harvey: keyboards

composition/production:

jason harvey: composition

paul ambro: composition

michael ambro: composition

dennis harvey: composition | mastering | mixing | production | recording

performance:

jason harvey: bass guitar | voice

michael ambro: guitar | voice

paul ambro: guitar | voice

dennis harvey: keyboards | voice

composition/production:

jason harvey: composition

michael ambro: composition

paul ambro: composition

dennis harvey: composition | mastering | mixing | production | recording

performance:

dennis harvey: all instruments

composition/production:

dennis harvey: composition | mastering | mixing | production | recording

performance:

paul ambro: acoustic guitar

jason harvey: bass guitar

michael ambro: guitar

dennis harvey: darbuka

composition/production:

jason harvey: composition

michael ambro: composition

paul ambro: composition

dennis harvey: composition | mastering | mixing | production | recording

performance:

paul ambro: guitar

composition/production:

paul ambro: composition | recording

extra performance:

jason harvey: bass guitar

dennis harvey: drums

extra composition/production:

jason harvey: composition | recording

dennis harvey: mastering | mixing | production | recording

performance:

jason harvey: bass guitar

omran shafique: guitar

jon beal: keyboards | voice

dennis harvey: drums

composition/production:

omran shafique: composition

jason harvey: composition

jon beal: composition

performance:

paul ambro: guitar

composition/production:

paul ambro: composition | production | recording

extra performance:

jason harvey: bass guitar

dennis harvey: drums

extra composition/production:

dennis harvey: mastering | mixing | recording

all sounds by various artists

extra composition/production:

dennis harvey: mastering | mixing | production | recording