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about

This was originally conceived as an opening tune for my first band, Watcher, shortly before we broke up. At that time I was about half way through writing Night Circus and had hoped the band would do it. The lyrics are not personal. They were an attempt to write something darkly existential, like "After All" off Bowie's "Man Who Sold The World". The middle section ("joined forces and built our power", etc.) was written later on (though well before the song was recorded) and inserted to make the song fit the story line. In '87, two years after completion of the tracks, I rewrote that section's lyrics with the intention of re-recording them before mixdown (which had been put off until then). Unfortunately because of track distribution this was impossible without having to re-record other tracks as well, so I had to let it go.

I think this was done at all the same sessions as "As The Sky". They both feature the same guitar, a JC Penny Effector with built in push-button effects. (The only other time this was used was on the Paper Bag song "Ambient Languages".) The switch from clean to distorted was all done with the guitar, no pedals- so, with my hands, while playing.

Eventually I put together a band called Cold Sky- but we never played this song!

lyrics

In urban chaos
We hide in the shadows
Wasted lives stretch behind us
We hide in the streets

Traveling sideshow
The black hound watches
From the carnival grounds
As dusk falls

The rabid and the lonely
For what do we thirst
Perhaps for the void
We knew before birth

Beneath the cold sky
No trace of warmth left
Wonder why
Maybe it was never there

Alleys of cold rest
Newspaper bedsheets
The insane and the outcasts
Sleep where they can

Beware of the lone ones
For we are the deadly
Unloved for too long
We wait for our dance

Show us your bad side
We'll show you your graveside
Show us your love
And you might have a chance

But beneath the cold sky
No trace of warmth left
Wonder why
Maybe it was never there

Joined forces and built our power
Almost ten years time ago

Roamed the land to find disciples
Pulled from gutters, broken homes

No one knows just where he came from
Sent to lead this ragged band

The carnival is just a cover
A refuge for the legions of the damned

Churchgoers praying
Fill the indifference
With meaningless insights
Of word and sound

Praying for something
To make life worthwhile
Praying for peace
But no answer comes

Still the world spirals
Continues the pain
Apathy rising
Who cares why

Out in the cold sky
No trace of warmth left
Wonder why
Maybe it was never there

G.S., '82

credits

from Night Circus part one, released March 27, 2014
GS: vocals, guitar, effects, drums, 8-string bass
Recorded early 1985 by Kenny Ryman at Humphrey's in Van Nuys (drums) and at Kenny's home studio in Canoga Park (remainder).
Lyrics written fall, 1982, music written fall, 1984.

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Greg Segal Portland, Oregon

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