MAD, MAD ROMANCE
Well the dance floor is full
And the lights are low
And the smoke fills the room
One now, is searching for a soul
She sees the other, low and lonely
Blue and pink collar
It’s a mad, mad romance
Well the trumpets are loud
And the bass is playing low
He just wants to dance, yeah…
And she says, “That I’ll pass”
The silent tears, as she runs away
He stands there dyin’
Suddenly afraid…
It’s a decade of dues
That she has paid
On the concrete paradise
Oh, yeah
It’s a mad, mad, mad romance
It’s a mad, mad, mad romance
HEY! HEY!
Well, people!
You people gather ‘round, I sing
And you better listen close
While I sing, sing the truth
The Lord is here to stay
And I sing:
The pain is gonna go away
The pain is gonna go away
Well, sister
You better teach your children well
You better teach ‘em right from wrong
‘Cause I sing the truth, yeah
The Lord is here to stay
And I sing:
The pain is gonna go away
The pain is gonna go away
The Lord is gonna stay
And I sing
The pain is gonna go away
The pain is gonna go away
And now I step, I step to the microphone
And now I have, just one more thing to say to you
The Lord is here to stay
And we sing:
The pain is gonna go away
The pain is gonna go away
Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey!
WHEN THE BELL RINGS
There is no sign of Humankind
I seem to be someplace, Home is nowhere
Then the bus picks up Johnny
And takes him to the school, school yard haven
When the Bell Rings…
I’m six years old and I can’t believe it
Teacher Angel, she sings knowledge to me
I got my lunch, and a pencil too
A little dodge ball, time to go
When the Bell Rings…
She goes to school in Austin town
Learns the rules, suffer fools
Deans List, the honor roll
Her ticket wrote, but she knows – Oh, no no
When the Bell Rings…
Teach your heart, and show the soul
Little Johnny, he’s first to know
Kid’s all think she’s tough but posed
Nothing’s gonna stop the learnin’
When the Bell Rings…
If I could just stay here…
RIO SAN JUAN
Drivin’ on 40, on old Route 66
Destiny searching, just hit or miss
And my friend Nate King Cole had it right
He said, “just get your kicks”
While we drove, through the night
Friends of mine, by my side
And I see the Rio San Juan
Foothills shine in the desert night
And a million stars, always a awesome, pleasant sight
And the mesa I see (And I think)
Hippie’s delight
Over there, Monument Valley; Beauty all around, always astounds
In a little hurry, now she’s gone from my sight
…I see her, the Rio San Juan
LETTERS TO HEIDI
I’m captured in a Marvelous time
Years are like minutes
When your love fills my heart
I write letters to you
Letters To Heidi
One more day on the road
No place to call home
Weeks an eternity
Without you to drive me wild
Letters To Heidi
I love you, I want you
I can’t breath without you near
No peace of mind
Driving alone down that dark country road
And I cry my heart out
Letters to Heidi
Before I had the keys to your love
I couldn’t unlock my fears
Love letters fly, fly like a dove
Our heart’s rhythm fill the page
Letters to Heidi
I close my eyes, and think of sweet things I said
I sing songs without words
My heart stops and flutters
I know you’re waiting for me
I love you so much…
I close my eyes, and think of sweet things in bed
I sing songs without words
My heart stops and flutters
I know you’re waiting for me…
Letters to Heidi
THE CHARMER
The son of Vietnam
One whose thunder did return
The voices of the past
Try to keep from getting burned
But love is never lost
And he prayed to live another Dawn…
And he went to the West
They say its God’s Country
And he survived nature’s test
Hard living is soul’s foundry…
He loved the girls and let them cry
He didn’t care if he lived or died
And they called him
The Charmer
A Buckeye ‘till the very, very end
A few old flames and many, many friends
And sons and daughters will defend
Life’s currency is finally spent…
Final meeting upon the mountain
Charmer’s heart, an eternal fountain
And they called him
The Charmer
TOMORROW NEVER DIES
Darling, I'm killed.
I'm in a puddle on the floor
Waiting for you to return
Oh what a thrill
Fascination's galore.
How you tease
How you leave me to burn
It's so deadly, my dear
The power of having you near
Until that day
Until the world falls away
Until you say there'll be no more good-byes
See it in your eyes
Tomorrow never dies
Darling, you won
It's no fun
Martinis, girls, and guns
It's murder on our love affair
But you bet your life
Every night
While you're chasing the morning light
You're not the only spy out there
It's so deadly, my dear
The power of wanting you near
Until that day
Until the world falls away
Until you say there'll be no more good-byes
See it in your eyes
Until that day....
"ROAR ELECTRA - Stranger in a Strange Band" is a complete reimagining of my favorite songs from previous albums that I produced over two decades. This new album was recorded, mixed, and mastered during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. I will never forget how my friends from all over the world worked together to make "Stranger in a Strange Band" possible. I am awestruck by the results and humbled by the musician's performances on this new album.
Peace & Love, Mike
Produced by Mike Dawson and Taylor Tatsch
Mixed by Taylor Tatsch at AudioStyles, Dripping Springs, Texas
Engineered by Taylor Tatsch (AudioStyles)
Engineered by Tye Robison (January Sound - Dallas)
Mastered by Todd Pipes
Photography by James Bland
Cover and Design by BJ McDonald
KUDOS: Annie Benjamin, Mitch Paliga, Taylor Tatsch, Chris Bell
1. Mad, Mad Romance (featuring Claudia Melton)
2. Hey! Hey! (featuring Claudia Melton)
3. Moonrise (Instrumental)
4. When the Bell Rings (featuring Angela McArthur)
5. Rio San Juan (featuring Angela McArthur)
6. Willy and Molly (Instrumental - Mitch Paliga)
7. Letters to Heidi (featuring Damon K. Clark)
8. The Charmer (featuring Damon K. Clark)
9. Tomorrow Never Dies (featuring Annie Benjamin)
10. Beyond the Sunset (Instrumental)
Taylor Tatsch - Guitars, Organ, Engineer (all tracks), Mix (all tracks)
Tye Robison - Engineer (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10), Drums (track 10)
Chris Bell - Engineer (track 7)
Todd Pipes - Mastering Engineer
BJ McDonald - Art Director
Claudia Melton - Lead Vocals (tracks 1, 2)
Angela McArthur - Lead Vocals (tracks 4, 5)
Damon K. Clark - Lead Vocals (tracks 7, 8)
Annie Benjamin - Lead Vocals, Flute (tracks 6, 9)
Mike Dawson is the Synthphonic Pianist | Piano Driven Rock with Big Band Soul
“It is a ‘mission
critical - all hands on deck’ time for our society. Music, arts, and scientific curiosity is the glue that holds our modern world together. We must fight to keep the arts and sciences relevant. The alternative is too horrible to contemplate”...more
With a stylish, fold-out image by science-fiction artist Franco Brambilla on the album cover, we are introduced to the world of Zubatto Syndicate – at once quaint, modern, post-modern, and otherworldly. Pastel-toned robots from the future have arrived in 1961, and they are ready to hang out by the lake. The retro-futurist aesthetic of the … Continue reading Album of the Week: Zubatto Syndicate → Bandcamp Album of the Day Dec 12, 2011