Doesn't Play Well With Others is the latest album from Chris Carry. It was recorded in the Klang Kling studio and is released through Alex's Room Productions ©2019.
Credits;
- All music* and lyrics - Chris
- All guitars, horns, strings, keyboards, vocals, arrangements, mixing, and production - Chris
*except 'Hide';
- Music by Judita Svandrova (all keyboards, bass synths and percussion)
- Lyrics by Chris Carry (all guitars, vocals)
- Co produced - Judi/Chris
Special thanks and all my love to; Amanda - baby, it was a tough one, but we're still truckin'. You're an inspiration with everything you do and the courage you have displayed through the worst of times. I am in awe of you.
Dedicated with love to; Ben, Amy, Katie, Alex, Mum, Dad, Angela, Joanne.
Thank you; Judi for your wonderful music that instigated 'Hide' and a very unexpected collaboration.
Additional roll call of honor;
Justin Evans, Peter Fitzpatrick, Andrew Lawlor for their encouragement and feedback; Garvan Gallagher (for concise but solid advice! - "er, where's the bass?")
Thanks to Steven McKenna (and BA!) for his interest in my work and his evangelism across the airwaves!
Other;
The usual suspects and inspirations :) in relatively random order, but all SO important to me;
Bowie; Springsteen; Lou Reed; The Beatles/Paul McCartney; Marc Bolan/TRex; Elvis Costello; Neil Young; Kate Bush; Prince; Lucinda Williams; John Prine; Paddy McAloon & Prefab Sprout; John Hiatt;
Bob Dylan; The Ramones (except Johnny - he was a dick) ; XTC; Kraftwerk; Iggy Pop; Stevie Ray Vaughan (I'd probablynever have picked up a guitar without SRV); David Byrne / Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club ('Believe'); Nils Lofgren; Brian Wilson; Joseph Conrad and Bill Nelson (for influences on 'We Live In The Flicker'); Chris Difford & Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze);
...pause for breath...
Elton John; Roy Orbison; Tom Waits; The Skids; Tenacious D; Tom Houston; Stevie Wonder; Evan Dando & The Lemonheads; Blondie; Aimee Mann; The Band; Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music; The Cramps; The Freshies; The Pretenders; Robert Palmer; Steely Dan; ELO; John Fogerty; Ray Davies; Queen; Scott Walker; Woody Guthrie; Tony Visconti; Brian Eno; Dusty Springfield; my beloved , but character building, Everton FC; and, with apologies, likely many, many others that I've inadvertently forgotten
to include!
Thank you all whether you will ever know about this or not. I will always keep you in my heart.
We Live In The Flicker (c.carry) ©2019
Verses
I'm a steady state catalyst
An optimistic pessimist
An anarchistic pacifist
A fatalistic lobbyist
I'm a convoluted absolute
I'm a constituted institute
I'm an executed dissolute
I'm a destitute substitute
I'm a hypnotistic humorist
I'm an egotistic soloist
I'm an eucharistic atheist
I'm a moralistic terrorist
I'm just a super trooper
A swooning type of crooner
I'm a rumour in a stupor
With a cartoon sense of humor
Notes; The title is from Joseph Conrads 'The Heart of Darkness'. It's a nice little line. We do live in the flicker and the flicker gets shorter and shorter. As a huge Francis Coppola fan it's a little nod to him too.
My vocal 'style' here is also a 'nod', this time to the great Bill Nelson, probably best known for his group Be-Bop Delux, but for me due to a record he put out under the name 'Red Noise' around 1979 called 'Sound on Sound'. It's still one of my favourite albums ever. Here's to ya Bill!
And The World Is Falling Down (c.carry) © 2019
I take a look around, and the world is falling down
None of this seems remotely real
The moments that we steal
The pain and loss we feel
That we try so hard to conceal
Chorus
The moments in the sun, they fade and then they're gone
Were they ever here, I don't know
All these open doors, one by one they close
Leaving us alone, with our fears
As the world is falling down, I take a look around
And I realize just how scared I feel
The moments we have shared, even in our dark despair
Kept our love alive and showed us how to care
Notes; This WAS written after Amanda's diagnosis and as our world was indeed falling down. Madam went through hell and back. But as I type here her resilience is bringing her back into the world bit by bit. I've seen bravery up close and personal. It's a 4'11" little bundle of greatness from Castlebar.
All For You (c.carry) © 2019
You know I mean it and it's true
But no matter what I do
If it all comes down to a choice
You know I'd do it all for you
Chorus
Every day I'm walking
Every night I'm dreaming
Every time I'm talking to myself
You know it's true, I do this all for you
If there's a sadness in my face
And I don't know what to do
I just take a breath and soon
My mind will turn to you
Chorus
Bridge
We've been through many tough times
This is just more of the same
It doesn't matter and it's alright
If our life just isn't quite the same again
When I'm walking down the street at night
And I look up at the steely blue
And the moon shines down on my face
Just know I'm thinking of you
Chorus
Notes; Written for AD and is self explanatory. There is an instrumental version of this which is quite lovely and captures the orchestra parts I wrote for strings and horns. I'll add it to this site at some stage for download.
Doesn't Play Well With Others (c.carry) © 2019
One day I'm gonna find me, a little island out at sea
Buy a boat, sail away, no-one there to bother me
Turn off all the news, sit and play the blues
Just do what I choose, it's one thing or another 'cos
This man doesn't play well with others
I've never really cared for sun, never really cared for fun
Bring my books, coffee too, yeah, I'll be the only one
You won't find me..here..you won't find me ...there
I'm going undercover 'cos
This man doesn't play well with others
Bridge
Call of the search, don't waste your time
Don't worry about me, I'm doing fine
I might come back one day, just to see
If I was wrong, and has the world become a better place to be?
When I get to where I'll be, I'll become a memory
Flip the bird at the world, I'll go native and be free
Brain is always screaming, I can't stop this dreaming
This is so appealing, I'm telling you brothers
This man doesn't play well with others
Bridge
One day I'm gonna find me, a little island out at sea
Buy a boat, sail away, no-one there to bother me
Turn off all the news, sit and play the blues
Just do what I choose, it's one thing or another 'cos
This man doesn't play well with others
Notes; I have to declare with total immodesty that I LOVE this song. I had an absolute blast playing it.
There are probably 10 guitars on here. I had the song title in my head for months (I even announced on Facebook, when I released the last album 'Onion', that this would be the name of my next album, and years later...).
If anything influenced it then I'd lean towards Lucinda Williams version of 'Honey Bee'. I was going to put this as the first track on the record but eventually decided to let it come to life between tracks 3 and 5.
Disintegration (c.carry) © 2019
And once again, those whispers are calling
They land in my ear and they won't go away
I physically feel my soul as it's shrinking
I'm losing so much, 'cos I give it all away
Chorus
So here I am in my disintegration
Like a thief in the night, it sneaks up on me
And I awake with my own indignation
Struggling to find what's left here for me
The lines in my face, I have earned very furrow
The pain in my bones reminds me each day
I'm falling apart, I'm a boat that is sinking
Lost out at sea and floating further away
Chorus
If my spirit is weak, then the flesh it is weaker
I can't move a hand to save me a place
Everything spins right across my horizon
Like satellites moving around me in space
Don't want no pity, leave me alone
It's a state i know well and i don't like being here
i feel quite helpless to face my condition
I embrace my sadness, but don't really care
Chorus
Struggling to find what's left here for me
Notes; What? You really need me to explain where this came from? Didn't you read the lyrics? :)
Sweetheart (c.carry) © 2019
Times been moving, but somethings been on his mind
His eyes are distant yet something shines behind
He gets a phone call, he has to take it outside
"It's just work" he says but he's trying to hide
And then you'll see that thousand yard stare
And you'll wonder if his heart belongs elsewhere
You pick up the clothes that lie across the floor
A piece of paper falls out, a number ending in four
And when you see that thousand yard stare
Then you realize his hearts no longer there
Chorus
You ain't the sweetheart that your sweetheart is thinking about tonight
No, you're not the one
You ain't the sweetheart that your sweetheart's thinking about tonight
But he's the sweetheart, your sweet heart is thinking about
You ain't the sweetheart that your sweetheart is thinking about tonight
No, you're not the one
You ain't the sweetheart that your sweetheart is thinking about tonight
But he's the sweetheart, your sweet heart is thinking about
Bridge
How can you smile right through those tears
Have you even something left to save
You cast your mind back, a million years ago
When he swore he'd never ever ever let you go
The house is quiet, the kids are out with your friend
You've got that red dress on but is there something here to mend?
The I love you's aid through a mumble, your head is spinning
As your world starts to crumble, because, because
Chorus
Notes; I never know if I should tell the story about this songs origins, but hey, I'm not proud, or subtle , so what the hell, here we go. I was reading a magazine on the throne one day in the house in Kells and suddenly the line about "your sweetheart ain't your sweetheart" etc appeared in my brain and I was SO excited about the play on words that had to run down the stairs and sing the chorus I'd just made up to Amanda and Amy who were in the kitchen (confirming, I had finished my business first, washed
hands etc). However. It took a long time for me to find a story that did the chorus any justice. I don't normally have to deliberate too much on song lyrics but this one probably caused me more consternation than any other. So, in effect, this was started in about 2014 and finished in 2019!
Say Goodbye To The Last Girl (c.carry) © 2019
You don't know where you're going
As you leave this town today
It doesn't matter any how
It wouldn't work any way
Yet you'll travel along and the road kicks up its dust
Yes you'll travel alone because you know that you must
Chorus
Say good-bye to the last town
Say good-bye to the last street
Say good-bye to that last girl until the next time you meet
(repeat)
Bridge
Now, the road is long and lonely
but for now you're back on your own
This could have been that one in a million
The greatest love you've ever known
She doesn't know you're leaving
You tell yourself that you don't care
But who knows the kind of grieving
When a heart is laid bare
No stone or flowers will ever mark the place where you should have stayed
And in your heart you'll always remember the love that you just betrayed
Chorus
Notes; Originally scheduled for 'Onion' I kept it over for when I had a few more similar type songs. I wrote this sitting on the couch in Headfort Glebe with my acoustic and my iPhone recorder. This version is vastly updated from the original demo. Just a story song, probably influenced by John Hiatt here. When I hear the opening line I'm drawn to his great lyric from "Don't Think About Her While You're Trying To Drive' (from the 'Little Village' album). It goes "She don't know who you're missing driving' down that lonesome road tonight". I can see it. But, hey, if you're going to get influenced by someone then the truly great John Hiatt isn't a bad reference.
Star Gazing Lonesome Man (c.carry) © 2019
Too used to being on my own
Too many nights driving around an empty town
Staring at the street lights and the shadows thrown
If you look into those darkest corners
You will find me there
Star gazing lonesome man, it's become who I am
There wan't a plan
Kinda just happened
I'm far away, so far away
I'm so alone in a crowd
Can't join in, can't connect
Can't be the person that I'd love to be
I wish I could be ...so different
Where is the answer I need
Oh, where is the answer I need
Star gazing lonesome man, it's become who I am
There wan't a plan
Kinda just happened
Where's the answer I need?
Oh, where is the answer I need
Star gazing lonesome man, it's become who I am
There wasn't a plan
Kinda just happened
Where's the answer I need?
Oh, where is the answer I need
Star gazing lonesome man, there wasn't any plan
This is just who i am, there wasn't a plan
This is ...who I am
Who I am
Notes; Too much for me to go into here, it's a deeply personal song. I'd probably just call out an apology to anyone I've let down by not turning up for something. I have horrible social anxiety issues and its not unusual for me to go somewhere with great intentions, get to the door, then turn and walk away. Birthday parties, weddings, goodbye parties, offsites, xmas parties etc etc.
Hide (c.carry/j.svandrova) © 2018
They're coming for me
And I can't hide
There someone in the shadows, there
In the corner by the wall
Or is it my imagination?
Is there anyone there at all?
They're coming for me
And I can't hide
Hide
And I can't hide
I can taste the fear in my mouth
My eyes are open wide
A sense of danger rises up from somewhere deep inside
They're coming for me
And I can't hide
Hide
I can't hide
They're following me
And I can't hide
They're coming for me
And I can't hide
Yeah they're coming for me
And I can't hide
Yeah they're coming for me
And I can't hide
I can't hide
Hide
Notes; One of my colleagues in Dell Bratislava mentioned to me one day that she 'did music'. I was surprised as it had never come up in conversation before. I said "oh really? Send me something?".
Judi did. It was this wonderfully atmospheric piece of music heard here. All the percussion, keyboards, bass are all Judi. I added the squally guitar bits and as I played the track at the microphone the words came out virtually verbatim to what is contained herein in one or two takes. The only technical piece I did here was take the original track and cut it and joined it to extend it to make the track longer. I'd like to thank Judi for her wonderful music and I hope my contribution adds something to the final track.
Believe (c.carry) ©2019
Everyday, everyday it seems the same
I don't have the words to say
All the things I really want to baby
So I try, I try hard to make it clear
Just how much I need you here
I really hope you'll listen this time, because
Chorus
Look around,
You own your life
Everything could be amazing
The sun will rise
The stars will shine
You just have to believe
Now its time, time to open up
Say the words you want to say
Anything you need to say
I'll listen darling
Don't you know that I'm here to hold your hand
That I'll always understand
When those feelings overwhelm you, because
Chorus
(repeat)
Solo
(repeat)
Solo
(coda)
Notes; I'd like to confirm that there are no loops used on this track. The intro/outro is all me on a dozen or so guitars. I think (from an aged memory) that I'd been listening to Talking Heads 'Remain in Light' and had been trying to develop a funky type of track. The rest of the song was written very quickly.
I started singing the chorus as I ate Coco Pops early one Saturday morning and I had to run up stairs and turn on the recorder so I wouldn't forget it. The verses came to me at the mic. Written for AD.
Pretty Monster © 2010 (c.carry)
Don't be subjected
Get neglected
Don't be suspected
Don't be corrected
Don't be nullified
Don't be crucified
Don't be terrified
but stay dignified
Chorus
Solo
Bridge
Pretty monsters a mastermind
pretty monster gets you entwined
pretty monster is disinclined
To let you live
Don't be intimidated
Don't be isolated
Don't be segregated
but be validated
Chorus
Notes; Originally written around 2010 it was recorded HORRIBLY and because I had a liking for it I eventually put it out on the 'Life and Everything In Between' album.
This is a totally update version - proper drums, saxophones, new vocal, better mix and production. I did keep one piece from the original, the guitar solo. I'd never have remembered how I played it first time around.
The title was a straight lift from the title of a YA book I saw on Amanda's shelf. I should look up who wrote it and give them some credit!