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Don't Give Up On Me

by Nick Shaheen

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    Limited edition first-run of Don't Give Up On Me. Comes in a high quality digipak including booklet containing lyrics, photos and a drawing by Nick Shaheen. Concept and artwork by Nick Shaheen and William Moxham.

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1.
Don't give up on me, I won't give up on you Like a paper cup and the summer dew And like the Delta blues going out to sea I won't give up on you, don't give up on me Don't you be afraid like I always am Just a little boy looking for the promised land And like a hell-bent man that never knows the way Well, I always am, but don't you be afraid And if you gotta leave I will let you go Like April third let December snow And like the bell that rings down your golden street I will let you go if you gotta leave But don't give up on me, I won't give up on you Like a paper cup and the summer dew And like the Delta blues going out to sea I won't give up on you, so don't give up on me
2.
Fishin' 02:27
I heard a story 'bout a walking whale And in a million years he learned how to sail Led an expedition out into the deep blue He was lookin' to kill something just like him But this one was big and white and still had fins He said, "You owe me a leg and I'ma see I get it back from you!" Sailed through the water, high and low Shootin' harpoons at the beast below Captain pressed on despite the company's groans And wouldn't you know? Up came the whale The boat and crew sucked down to jail Now that sailor, he belongs to Davey Jones Another story 'bout a hummingbird Who sung just to sing, not to be heard So happened it was captured and thrown in a cage one day By a woman who loved the sound of its tune She'd listen everyday from dawn til noon But the bird wanted out and it just had to find a way Beat on the cage givin' everything Back to his perch with a broken wing Knew right then that it was never gonna break out the door And so it goes, the bird sung a song So loud that the lady's ears went wrong And now that lady, well, she can't hear no more You can pick what you like and go set sail Whether it be a hummingbird or a big white whale And chase it all around like you've met your match But you'll see what happens when you try To cage a bird that's meant to fly Or when you go fishin' for something that you just can't catch When you go fishin' for something that you just can't catch
3.
Hard Times 03:52
He set off for sea when he joined the corps Thinking life needs something more Now he’s fighting for whatever, he ain’t sure what for It’s hard times coming from a single shore Reading from a letter signed with his name Screaming at his picture that he’s all to blame But she keeps on crying just the same It’s hard times coming from a single frame Crying in her pillow, Ma can hardly bear Bible in hand, sends a plea up in the air With a million other mothers, does he even care? It’s hard times coming from a single prayer And he's out after two years for drunken assault Pa bursts in the door, comes to a halt Sees an empty room, his eyes turn to salt It’s hard times coming from a single malt Girl’s eyes are red, Ma’s not doing well Pa’s out of prison now his son’s in hell And he don’t know where to go or who to tell It’s hard times coming from a single cell Staring back at the shore, he heads west Pa’s back in prison on his third arrest Ma’s losing hope, but he’ll pass her test And that girl got married, it’s probably for the best He never found it in a bottle, couldn’t see it in the sky It wasn’t in somebody else or the shot wound in his thigh But he’ll keep on looking, never asking why It’s hard times coming, but they’ll pass him by Hard times but they’re gonna pass him by
4.
Changing my perspective As you sit and talk with me Big brown eyes are deep inside Your big philosophy I like your crazy theories And your hearsays and conjectures Don’t make much sense but yet I firmly hold on to your lectures And I think I might like to listen to you all night Paint a pretty picture, dear With your wild imagination Reds and blues, all kinds of hues I love your mind’s creations I study your proportions Mona Lisa put to shame I’d like to also mention that Your figure fits inside a perfect frame And I might like to look at you all night You’re quite uncommon, but I like it Yeah, I do You’re quite uncommon, but I like it That’s the truth Sing a song so sweetly, dear Just for singing’s sake Golden sound all around I love the waves you make Raising up the rafters For the common folk to hear ‘Bout dreams and everafters That would even make St. Peter shed a tear And I might like to sing to you all night You’re quite uncommon, but I like it Yeah, I do You’re quite uncommon, but I like it That’s the truth You’re quite uncommon, but I like it Yeah, I’m talking to you You’re quite uncommon I think I’m uncommon, too
5.
I Could Love 03:41
She’s way up high, but knows where it’s at Tightrope walking or she falls down flat Perfect balance, she’s got it down pat I could love an acrobat Digging through the past checking off her list History accounted for and not dismissed Learning how differences can coexist I could love an anthropologist And in a day these roles we play To the best for all man she tries to cater Seen so many wrongs it’s just the way it’s made her Talks about it now so it don’t blow up later I could love a hostage negotiator Graceful, she moves and her white dress fans her When she gets on stage all eyes do transfer Dancing just because she don’t need no answer I could love a ballerina dancer And in a day these roles we play I put you on a pedestal, you fell down hard I got a good look watching from my car Now everywhere I look, well there you are No, I can’t love a movie star
6.
By My Name 04:06
Thought I knew you, I just didn't see your way The things you do and the wicked games you play Like I could be sitting right on top of the sky And I would see the most beautiful bird die You can break my bones, you can break my heart Pull me together or tear me apart Just know that I'd never do the same Call me by my name Pleasure and pain, they go hand in hand Like a bird in rain that has chosen not to land Suffice it to say that the older the bird grew Was the price it'd pay for enjoying the view You can break my bones, you can break my heart Pull me together or tear me apart Just know that I'd never do the same Call me by my name Thought I knew you, all I knew was what I saw Then I saw through you, I saw nothing at all There I watched you as your wings unfurled And I swear in there I saw the whole wide world You can break my bones, you can break my heart Pull me together or tear me apart Just know that I'd never do the same Call me by my name
7.
So Long 06:00
There’s something going on and we need to talk I’m hittin' it head on every way I walk And it’s ringin' in my ears like an old time tune Hangin' on my head like the sun at noon I’ve got some pennies in my pocket for every time you’d say We’ll figure it out along the way But for everything you said, you never told me how Well, I bought a train ticket and I’m leaving now So Long. The sun shined bright on me from the start My shadow and I, you couldn’t tell apart Don’t say I’m not who you first met I’ve just been filling in that silhouette And I won’t change into what you want me to be I am who I am, just how you fell for me Yeah, I could stick around and try to see it through But that’s not the type of man that fell for you So Long. I wish you well, I wish you the best Health and happiness and all the rest But most of all I wish you’d say That I never should have gone away It wasn’t like I chose to go You left no choice, but you didn’t know So here’s to you finding out one day The one that left ain’t always the one walking away So Long.
8.
Coming Home 03:25
Well it’s time for me to leave Don’t know where I’m gonna go Slowing down with the last turn of the wheel I was born into a light And it’s been a grand ol’ ride But going back is all part of the deal I don’t know what is in store I don’t care about before I've got one more open door Life, I’m coming home I got my kicks for free As I was walkin’ to your door I tried knockin', but you wouldn’t let me in Now I’m standing on your porch And though I’ve been here once before I’m ready now to try it once again I don’t know what is in store I don’t care about before, anymore I've got one more open door Life, I’m coming home I’m becoming what I’m running from I’m coming home
9.
The good advice says I'll curse the day I start a-rollin' down that lost highway But you'd know why I can't refuse If you walked a mile inside my shoes I had a love and she was good as gold She had my heart though I never told Now instead of love I’ve got a muse She couldn’t walk a mile inside my shoes Home sweet home is a place I rent I’m living off of the government Without a string and with less to lose I still can walk a mile inside my shoes The open road, my guitar in hand Is looking like the promised land Maybe I’ll find that it’s all a ruse Once I’ve walked a mile inside my shoes

credits

released March 26, 2012

NICK SHAHEEN | DON'T GIVE UP ON ME

All songs written by Nick Shaheen

Recorded in various studios around Chicago and Detroit

Album musicians: Russell Gillespie, William Moxham, Daniel Cousino, Cisco Rodriguez-Quijano, Max Brink, Aaron Mitter and Nick Shaheen.

Produced by Nick Shaheen, Russell Gillespie and William Moxham

Copyright 2012 BSPROUT RECORDS

Thanks so much to Russ, Will and Dan for helping me see this record through and thanks to all of you out there for your continued support.

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