Greetings from Dreamsville

19,00 

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Short Info

The multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter, Rachelle Garniez has been compared to no less than a Tom Waits by keen eared listeners. Currently she is performing alone and also as a member of the famous band ” Hazmat Modine”. Some of her compositions were chosen for the musical film-animation “Idiots and Angels“.
“Greetings from Dreamsville” is her new album in which you can find a perfect timing between words and melodies, where reactions and sensations can take shape in the form of songs.

Rachelle about Greetings from Dreamsville:

The songs on this CD are chosen from records I’ve made over the years, the first released in 1997, the most recent in 2012. Every record has its own sonic palette and flavor, each totally different from the last. I’ll never regret making the choice to take a leap of faith and produce my own recordings. The entire process is unendingly fascinating from beginning to end. I’m grateful to all the engineers who have worked with me and who have made beautiful places and spaces within which to relax and create and experiment and make mistakes and, most important of all, to have some of the very best times of my life.

Most especially, I can never take for granted the great good fortune I’ve had to be able to play with some of the most wonderful musicians on the planet. I like to play around with existing idioms, sonically as well as stylistically, and I tend to mess around with time and tunes. It’s a real gift to be surrounded by players that are willing and able to go just about anywhere the music takes them.

There’s a fine and blurry line between the tragic and the comic. Ideally, the lyrics I write are balanced on that tightrope line. Not knowing whether to laugh or cry can be a good thing. More often than not, I feel most at home in that space in between. That’s a place I’ll call Dreamsville, where melodies and words arrive simultaneously, where reactions and sensations morph and take shape in the form of songs, so that they can be immortalized and forgotten all at the same time and then sent back into the ether via live performances which are dangerous and wonderful and ephemeral. The dream windows are open wide, and the dreamy breezes blow in and out and back and forth again, starting the cycle anew.

It’s a tricky thing to capture these songs on a record. Rather than pinned butterflies behind glass, I prefer to think of them as beetles suspended in amber, gently glowing in a smooth and golden jewel.

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1. JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN

just because you can
doesn’t mean you should
just because you can
doesn’t mean you should
just because you can
doesn’t mean you should
if it don’t do nobody
if it don’t do nobody no good

you can push your luck with all your might
or just give up without a fight
or you can unleash a firestorm of fury and wrath
and smack down every sucker who dares cross your path
you can run around town til your home gets wrecked
whine &  complain when you get no respect
but that don’t do nobody don’t do nobody no good

just because you should
doesn’t mean you can
just because you should
doesn’t mean you can
just because you should
doesn’t mean you can
oh if you can’t make
got to lay back and take it like a man

you should  live by the golden rule
stay out of trouble and stay in school
you should never make promises that you can’t keep
eat 7 vegetables each day and get 8 hours of sleep
you should face your fears
embrace your flaws
& if you ask me why
i’ll tell you “just because”
but if you can’t make it
got to lay back and take it like a man

just because you can
doesn’t mean you should
just because you can
doesn’t mean you should
just because you can
doesn’t mean you should
well it won’t do nobody
won’t do nobody no good

RG -vocals and piano
Matt Munisteri -guitar
Dave Hofstra -bass
Ben Perowsky -drums

From the album “Sad-Dead-Alive-Happy” c2012 .Real Cool Records
Music & Lyrics by Rachelle Garniez
c.

2. ODETTE
she was 19 a drama queen
punk rock living on a junk block
jet black eyes a smile that could rip you apart
she could kick back she was a tough nut
cute stuff  yeah but she could rough you up
i guess it wasn’t enough cuz she died of a broken heart

oh oh oh odette tell me why you wouldn’t let go
when all kinds of angels were waiting around to break your fall
oh oh oh odette they couldn’t stand to see you crack up
so they left you with your back up against the wall

sun was rising on a rainy day
on one little girl so all alone
she was just twelve years old when she ran away
she was looking for a place of her own
you know i wish i could have been there to hold her hand
help her stand up on her own two feet
before she took the long way wrong way down a dead-end street

when i look back it must have been dumb luck
rolled those boys right off me like water off a duck
but odette she got stuck on the king of that long-lost crew
he meant well but he was hell-bent
gave her nothing but trouble took 100 percent
but odette she hung on i guess she thought it was the best she could do

last time i saw her for sure
she’d work you hand to mouth she’d do you door to door
standing on the avenue smiling like a movie star
heard she had a hard time later that year
they took her baby away and then the man disappeared
looking for a way out i guess she didn’t have to go far

oh oh oh odette tell me why you wouldn’t let go
when all kinds of angels were waiting around to break your fall
oh oh oh odette they couldn’t stand to see you crack up
so they left you with your back up against the wall
and i still see you sliding down that hallway wall
you’re all stretched out on the cold green tile
a dead cinderella with a snow white smile
you take what you get in this great big world
but odette she forget she just a little bitty girl
oh mama sure sure i’ll never forget you

RG – vocals and accordion
Joe Ruddick – piano and baritone sax
Stew Cutler – guitar
Dassi Rosenkrantz-Cabo – bass
Barbara Merjan -drums
Pam Fleming – trumpet
Guido Gonzalez -trumpet
Dan Levine -trombone

From the album “Crazy Blood” c . 2001.Real Cool Records
Music & Lyrics by Rachelle Garniez
c.

3. SHOEMAKER”S CHILDREN
The chickens have come home to roost
the cows have come home too
and that old fat lady’s singing so now what you wanna do
I’m going up north for a little while to cool my boiling blood
but i’ll be home before too long about an hour before the flood

the crows have passed their judgement
there’s nary a rat to be seen and the people swarm the cities
to grab one last glimmer of green

make way for the shoemaker’s children here they come walking down your street
ten million strong they’re limping along on their bare and broken feet

they’ve built themselves a ship of fools to float for eternity’s sake
they’ve hired a band to remind them of land and strew flowers in their wake

oh say that you in a little canoe will paddle with me my whole life through
oh say that you in a little canoe will paddle with me my whole life through

oh plant me now by an old willow tree in a garden on avenue B
but be sure to dig me later by the edge of some salty old sea

RG -vocals and accordion
Matt Munisteri -banjo
Dave Hofstra -bass

4. FIGHTERS
oh let me ride in with the fighters
with the lunatics the saints and the thieves
on an old subway train bound for glory
telling stories nobody believes
about the angels who came down to save us
about our travels through both time and space
and the chances all the good gods gave us
to make up for our mistakes with grace
amazing grace
amazing grace
amazing grace
how sweet the sound

well just because you’re not a believer
that doesn’t mean that you don’t pray
and if you’re truly living to do right
then every day’s a judgement day
and when i meet you down at the station
we’ll be singing the old soul songs
cuz even if we ain’t goin nowhere
you know we gotta go there strong

and you tender hearts that fear no pain
forgotten and forsaken
what if you get on that train
and all the seats are taken

don’t you fret you’re still in luck
get on board this pickup truck
and if the engine don’t turn over
climb aboard this old land rover
and if that rover blows a tire
i got a little red wagon it’s a radio flyer
a radio flyer

oh the chariots are swinging low oh you know they gotta swing real low
the chariots are swinging low they’ve got a long way down to go
oh the chariots are swinging low oh you know they gotta swing real low
they’re swinging down down down down down down down and they’re coming for to carry us home

RG – vocals and piano and keyboards
Dave Hofstra – bass
Ben Perowsky -drums
From the album “Sad-Dead-Alive-Happy” c2012 .Real Cool Records
Music & Lyrics by Rachelle Garniez
c.

5. TOURMALINE
Oh you shine in that beautiful setting
just like the best of the polished and cut
but my darling in case you’re forgetting
you were natural born anything but
oh they’ll line up to congratulate you
for successfully stealing the scene
and they’ll all either love you or hate you
for you’ll always betwixt and between

Tourmaline tourmaline
Semi-precious semi-precious
Tourmaline tourmaline
of all the green-haired girls I’ve seen today
you blow them all away

Just like the rest of us bathwater babies
You’ll grab any old line that you’re thrown
well I’m tired of those mermaids and maybes
so I’m gonna go go it alone
you can meet me out on the deep water
where the sailing is smooth and serene
just promise me when you get back to shore
that you won’t tell a soul where you’ve been

We all know you came in through the kitchen
‘Cause the floor sort of sticks to your feet
when you go better you use the back door
He’ll be waiting for you on the street
Oh he closes his eyes when he kicks you
for a cat cannot look at a queen
Realize when his memory tricks you
oh he’s nothing but snow on your screen

RG – vocals and accordion
Matt Munisteri – guitars
Dave Hofstra -bass

From the album “Melusine Years” c.

6. PARALLEL UNIVERSE
Forward and back again
Forward and back again
Curl up and crash again
Forward and back again
Oh they say you can’t go back again
Oh but I think I can Oh yes I think I can
Oh yeah I think I can

Show me what it means
show me what it means
show me what it means
What it means to be a kid again

Gonna do some things I never did
Gonna do some things I never did
Gonna do some things I never did
Oh and all those things I never did I’m gonna do them again

if we could live forever then we would breathe forever
we’d never say a word we’d only be together
we’d go down to the river and walk on the rocks walk on the rocks
just walk on the rocks just walk on the rocks

Forward and back again
Forward and back again
Curl up and crash again
Forward and back again
Oh they say you can’t go back again
Oh but i think i can
Oh yes i think i can
Oh yeah i think i can
i think i can i think i can i think i can i think i can

RG -vocals and piano
Dave Hofstra – bass
Ben Perowsky -drums
Doug Wieselman -guitar

From the album “Sad-Dead-Alive-Happy” c2012 .Real Cool Records
Music & Lyrics by Rachelle Garniez
c.

7. CRAZY BLOOD
must be the crazy blood in me
makes me feel like i do
so mean and evil so low down and blue
if you see me coming better turn and look away
if i get too close to you better close your eyes and pray

nobody knows the trouble i’ve been
torn up and twisted time and time again
had a chance to make changes but i threw it away
can’t go on forever
can’t go on this way

must be the crazy blood in me
makes me feel like i do
so mean and evil so low down and blue

RG – accordion and vocals
Joe Ruddick – piano, organ and baritone sax
Catherine Popper – bass
Barbara Merjan – drums
Pam Fleming – trumpet
Guido Gonzalez -trumpet
Dan Levine -trombone

rom the album “Crazy Blood” c. 2001 Real Cool Records
Music & Lyrics by Rachelle Garniez
c.

8. MY HOUSE OF PEACE
fudge fudge call the judge
mama’s got a brand new baby
it’s not a boy it’s not a girl
it’s just a brand new baby
wrap me up in tissue paper
put me in the elevator
oh carry me up up up up up up up
to your house your house your house of peace

when the lights are on
there’s always somebody home
in my house of peace
in my house of peace

i got no tv
i got a tin can telephone
in my house of peace
in my house of peace

well there’s plenty of running water
and there’s no electricity
so i’m always connected
i’m very well connected

and there’s a wolf at the door
to make sure nobody messes with me
so i’m always protected
i’m very well protected

and you can’t get away with murder
no you can’t away with murder
nobody gets away with murder in my house of peace

and you can’t get away with murder
no you can’t away with murder
cuz nobody gets away with murder in my house of peace

oh when i need some
undivided attention
there’s a fire burning all through the night
so i’m never neglected
oh never ever neglected

and even if i do wrong there’s a song
to sing to make it all right
so i’m always respected
very well respected

& i can’t get away with murder
no i can’t get away with murder
cuz nobody gets away with murder in my house of peace

& i can’t get away with murder
no i can’t get away with murder
cuz nobody gets away with murder in my house of peace

nobody gets away with murder in my house of peace

RG- piano and vocals
Dave Hofstra – bass
Ben Perowsky -drums
Steve Elson – saxophone
Palmyra Delran – tambourine

From the album “Sad-Dead-Alive-Happy” c2012 .Real Cool Records

9. JEAN CLAUDE VAN DAMME
Jean Claude Van Damme
you don’t know who i am
and i don’t know you personally
but you’ve been a big influence on me

to be sure i’m impressed by your muscles
and i’ve got a lot of relatives in Brussels
but these things have got nothing to do
with the reason i’m writing to you
Jean Claude Van Damme

Jean Claude Van Damme
you don’t know who i am
but your courage and your honesty
had a profound impact upon me

it seems we share a similar chemical imbalance
which although might help to access certain talents
will eventually take its’ toll and therefore
must be brought under control
under control
under control
under control

oh you helped me to accept this situation
by extolling the effects of medication
and your straightforward yet eloquent description
gave me the strength to go ahead
and fill my prescription
ever since
my existence has been much better
which is why i am compelled to write this letter
to you
Jean Claude Van Damme

RG -vocals and piano
Dave Hofstra – bass
Ben Perowsky – drums

From the album “Sad-Dead-Alive-Happy” c2012 Real Cool Records
Music & Lyrics by Rachelle Garniez
c.

10. LUNASA
mid beautiful flowers bright fields and bright streams
we passed precious hours of summer in dreams
the birds gentle twitter the frogs silver peep
all seem to have faded
while we were asleep

the sound we’re now hearing is mournful and strange
as the sun starts to set and the leaves start to change
from the hill over yonder we hear the bulls cry
as the leaves start to fall and the moon starts to rise

oh the bulls all howl at the moon
it is full and hung over the hill
the autumn leaves
will all be fallen soon
and then winter will come in for the kill
but there are still green trees
and one last round for the bees
before we all freeze over for a spell
so let us treasure these few moments forever
as we sing along
so long and fare thee well

for tonight is the last night of summer my love
of the summer of love
of the summer my love
yes tonight is the last night of summer
my love of the summer of love
of the summer my love

the beautiful flowers will all fade away
the streams will all freeze and the fields turn to grey
the frogs all will slumber the birds will take flight
and winter’s cold wonder will bid us good night

RG- piano and keyboards
Matt Munisteri – guitar and banjo
Dave Hofstra – bass
Ben Perowsky – drums

From the album “Sad-Dead-Alive-Happy” c2012 .Real Cool Records
Music & Lyrics by Rachelle Garniez
c.

11. GRASSHOPPER
i’m sure you’ve heard the story before
about the little ant who worked all summer long
and her cousin who showed up hungry at the door
when the winter wind blew bitter and the trees were bare
but the little ant turned up her nose and wouldn’t spare a dime or share a bite
somehow that never seemed right
and when her cousin the grasshopper asked the little ant why
the little ant crossed all six legs and gave her this reply

i don’t see why i should give you anything
when all you did last summer was sit around and sing
you never stopped to worry about the hard times ahead
you weren’t in any hurry and you sure weren’t saving any bread
it’s your own fault if you’ve nothing to eat
so i’m sending you back out on the street
if you’re in pain well that’s not on my head
don’t come back to complain if you wake up dead

but before the little ant could shut the door
a fly on the wall who could not help but hear it all
flew down to the ant and said

grasshopper can’t keep her mind on tomorrow
not when the leaves are new and the blue bells are ringing
grasshopper can’t sleep when her heart is filled with joy and sorrow
under the yellow moon she can’t stop herself from singing
so tell me why should she have to pay for being born that way
she works just as hard as you do and i saw you dancing to the music
when your long days were through
surely a lady like you can part with a crumb
can’t you find it in your heart to give the grasshopper some

RG – vocals and accordion
Joe Ruddick -piano
Rob Thomas -violin
Dave Hofstra -bass
Phil Leone -drums
from the album “Serenade City” c.1997 Real Cool Records

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“Certified free spirit…”- The New Yorker

“Diva with a difference!” – Billboard Magazine

“Her original story-songs have been described as romantic, rhapsodic and casually hilarious…” – The New York Times

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