THE VOICE OF TREASON
When Swarms of Different Vibes Delicously Collide
One voice. So many different timbres. One album. So many different flavors. This could be probably be said of all Elm Treason records, true… but it is this one, “The Voice of Treason,” that started earning Andy and Bobby critical recognition across the map as songwriters and musicians to be reckoned with. The steps taken on the band’s previous effort (“Rhyme and Treason”) proved to be creative stepping stones to the innovation and diversity found on “The Voice of Treason,” the album that was voted “Best Elm Treason Record” by fans. The song most responsible for bringing new fans into the band’s eco-system is found on this record: “Uptown Q.” Beethoven meets Zeppelin on “Eye to Eye.” Arguably, the band’s most clever lyrics - and unique guitar riffing - join forces on “(Having it) All Ways.” You can hear the tumbleweeds blow past the station on “Twelve O’Clock Running.” And the song that won the listener’s choice for favorite tune on the record, the eternally beautiful, night-kissed lullaby “Firefly” is also here. “The entire album is magic,” said one reviewer. What she said.
Shop “The Voice of Treason”
LYRICS
All selections by Andy Roman and Bobby Steel
(Having it) All Ways
If you want something right, go it alone,
yet two heads better than one.
The worm’s in the mouth of the early bird,
yet wait and good things come.
Look all around before you leap,
yet hesitate, you’ve lost.
Many hands make the work so light,
yet many cooks kill the broth.
Crossin’ your heart, hopin’ to die,
meaningless when you’re livin’ a lie.
Crossin’ your heart, needle in eye,
without the heart, don’t even try.
Hitch that wagon to that star,
but don’t bite more than you chew.
The wheel with the noise gets all the grease,
but silence is golden, too.
Out of sight is out of mind,
yet distance warms the heart.
Great minds think much alike,
yet fools are seldom apart.
Crossin’ your heart, hopin’ to die,
meaningless when you’re livin’ a lie.
Crossin’ your heart, needle in eye,
without the heart, don’t even try.
Meanwhile, I’ll figure it out,
how the fool is killing the doubt
by wonder or letting it out?
Crossin’ your heart, hopin’ to die.
Crossin’ your heart, wonder why, wonder why.
No having it all ways.
No walking out free and clear.
No having it all ways
No, no, no, no
No having it all ways.
No walking out free and clear.
No having it all ways
No, no, no, no
A curious cat will wind up dead,
yet seek and ye shall find.
The higher you climb, the harder you fall,
yet the limit is the sky.
Laugh and the world will laugh with you,
yet misery loves a herd.
The pen has might beyond the sword,
yet actions are louder than words.
Crossin’ your heart, hopin’ to die,
meaningless when you’re livin’ a lie.
Crossin’ your heart, needle in eye,
without the heart, don’t even try.
Meanwhile, I’ll figure it out,
how the fool is killing the doubt
by wonder or letting it out?
Crossin’ your heart, hopin’ to die.
Crossin’ your heart, wonder why, wonder why.
No having it all ways.
No walking out free and clear.
No having it all ways
No, no, no, no
No having it all ways.
No walking out free and clear.
No having it all ways.
No, no, no, no
Don’t beat a horse that’s already dead,
yet try and try again.
To thine own self be true, but yet
in Rome, do like them.
What’s good for the goose is good for all,
yet one’s meat is poison to some.
Some may connect with this little song
while others are glad that its done.
Grins of Nothing
I never want to knock you down with lots and lots to say.
Here we go, again, you know, on and on we play.
To keep the peace alive is worth your storm of empty words.
So I nod and smile for a while, as if I've really heard.
And then we go on our merry ways. Yes, we go on our merry ways.
Never kid ourselves. We play it very well.
By and by, noble guy, promises like wine.
Lure the empty with your hanging low fruit on the vine.
On the cuff, we eat it up, then pepper him with words.
He nods and smiles for a while as if he's really heard.
And then we go our merry ways. Yes, we go on our merry ways.
Everyone's aware. We carry everywhere....
...Our grins of nothing. Our grins of nothing.
These grins of nothing. We keep 'em nice and safe here.
(Do-do-do-do)
Our grins of nothing. Our grins of nothing.
These grins of nothing. We keep "em nice and safe here.
(Do-do-do-do)
Perfect place to play all day, busking for a taste.
Sounding like a dime-for-twelve, red meat for the brain.
Not a penny droppin' in, just lots of talking on,
so I nod and smile as if I care never lettin' on.
that I pray they go their merry ways. Yes, please go on your merry way.
I hate I'm sounding cold, but naked truth be told...
These are grins of nothing. We got grins of nothing.
Take our grins of nothing. And keep them nice and safe here.
(Do-do-do-do)
Our grins of nothing. Our grins of nothing.
These grins of nothing. We keep 'em nice and safe here.
(Do-do-do-do)
Eye to Eye
Whatta ya say we go eye to eye?
Maybe maybe take this eye to eye?
We’ll see it clearer if we’re eye to eye.
Won’t take a minute if we’re eye to eye
Do you see what I see? Do you think you can?
If everything becomes too much to understand,
here’s my hand..
But it won’t happen until we’re eye to eye.
Cannot happen unless we’re eye to eye
Do you feel what I feel the way that I define?
Yes, everything may be too much, and we decide,
we’re better blind..
No promises if we’re eye to eye.
We’ll never know unless we’re eye to eye
What would you say if there came a day
when tomorrow’s time had come?
When through the haze you’d come to face it
one on one?
What would you do if I came to you
when the time to waste was done?
Tell me please, at the very least,
that you would come.
What would you say if there came a day
when tomorrow’s time had come?
When through the haze you’d come to face it
one on one?
What would you do if I came to you
when the time to waste was done?
Tell me please, at the very least,
that you’d come.
So, whatta ya say? Let’s go eye to eye.
We may just make it going eye to eye.
We’ll see it clearer if we’re eye to eye.
Won’t take a minute if we’re eye to eye.
What would you say if there came a day
when tomorrow’s time had come?
When through the haze you’d come to face it
one on one?
What would you do if I came to you
when the time to waste was done?
Tell me please, at the very least,
that you would come.
Eye to eye.
Eye to eye.
Eye to eye.
Eye to eye.
All Over Me
Well the snake could feign a dove
and shake a faithful love -
And they play that play so well.
Betrayal is a deep abyss
that's steeped in emptiness.
And I confess that, yes, I fell.
But this game is done.
This game is done.
It's done. All over.
See, it's so overdone.
But I was the one.
I was the one -
rock and roll all over me.
Well the con could play the part
and don a Sunday heart.
Don't they line those lines up so fast?
That trick is quite a fitting tool
to spite unwitting fools,
But this ruse will be your last.
'Cause this game is done
This game is done.
It's done. All over.
See, it's so overdone.
But you're not the one.
You're not the one.
The one who's gonna
rock and roll all over me!
It's all over now.
It's all over now.
Don't pretend to me again.
It's the end.
It's all over now.
It's all over now.
It's all over now.
Fork of My Life
Nod to the day like a pen takes to a page
when it's time to write
Sight with sound, foot tastes the ground
Where how meets why
Down and off from fragments of cross
where the outraged thrive
I've saved a space for you here
at the fork of my life
And time don't care, the little it spares
is just a flash, a ripple
this slice right here is fine
It's fine
I claim no misapprehensions
of what I am
A life lived in spirals and jungles
by my own hands
But these hands are mine, blemished and fine
and now I'm untied
And I've got this hand here that's free
at the fork of my life.
And time is cold, what little it doles
is just a flash, a ripple
This piece right here is fine.
Morning's hand fell on me
Felt like it went on endlessly
Felt like it went just for me
On and on and on
until I was gone
to the fork of my life
facing me
facing me
There at my feet, the place it should be
like shaken rain
fallow and foul, face to the ground
lays all the blame
I see it now, can't tell you how
but I think I'm knowin' why
So, I’m just asking clear, would you like to be here
at the fork of my life?
And time don't care, the little it spares
is just a flash, a ripple
this slice right here is fine
It's fine
Twelve O’Clock Running
The twelve o'clock keeps running
gunning along the line
Oh, rain, shine, right on time
Her wheels stop for nothing
How many here will show?
Oh, sun sets, it's me, alone.
And should it be it's them instead of me
just take it in hand and raise it to the sky
and drink to me one more glass of wine
The twelve o'clock is coming
among the willows ride.
Oh, could be it is my time
She's here, bold and stunning
My two feet on the ground
Oh, there ain't no backing down.
And should it be it's them instead of me
just take it in hand and raise it to the sky
and drink to me one more glass of wine
Caught between the clock and a hard place
But like the clock, I've got time on my hands
and I can't lose face.
I can't lose face.
And should it be it's them instead of me
just take it in hand and raise it to the sky
and drink to me one more glass of wine
The Other Side of Grey
The other side of grey
there shines the blue of day,
covered while it’s easing smile
is veiled by the shade.
Past the dusky skies,
the morning sun sings high,
soothing light in clearest sight,
although I close my eyes
I can see.
The other side of grey,
I feel it breathe.
The other side of grey ahead of me.
And even when I stray,
I always find my way
as if my hands had broken in
to rip apart the grey.
And it’s gone. Yes, it’s gone.
Tied to tides of time,
the clouds filled my mind.
Decay set in, the grey within
had me cracked and dry.
And when I fell right through,
face to face with truth,
the choice was mine, this wasted time
kept me from the blue.
Now I see.
The other side of grey
is here at home.
The other side of grey
is clear although
when even out of view,
I always make it through,
as if my hands had broken in
to rip apart the gloom.
And it’s gone. Yes, it’s gone.
The other side of grey,
I feel it breathe.
The other side of grey
ahead of me.
And even when I stray,
I always find my way
as if my hands had broken in
to rip apart the grey.
And it’s gone. (Other side of grey).
Yes, it’s gone. (Other side of grey).
Oh, it’s gone. (Other side of grey).
It is gone. (Other side…)
Beyond the clouds, away,
where lives the blue of day,
absent while it’s cooling smile
is curtained by the grey.
Don’t mean it’s not seen,
or not reality.
The other side of grey
is such a song inside of me.
The other side of grey
is where my song longs to be.
The other side of grey
is something I can see.
I can see. (Other side of grey).
I can see. (Other side of grey).
I can see. (Other side of grey).
I can see. I can see.
(Other side of grey).
Cry of a Suicidal Singer
Dance me through the open wound
of a hard night
that bleeds into the day, one way..
No, let it go. No, let it go.
Breath collides against the glass
from the outside,
hands upon the pane with a cold eye.
No, let it go. No, let it go.
(Don’t you ever try to let it go).
Close an eye, suicide, you’re never singing.
Still alive, suicide, no rhymes ringing.
In my mind, suicide, to believe I’m bringing
all I have and all I am – alive..
What’s the fight? Is there delight
from the inside
with hands around the pain? In a hole?
No, let it go. No, let it go.
Is this the way I get to say
I’m the winner?
Wish you could’ve have known how it goes.
Don’t. Let it go. Don’t. Let it go.
(Don’t you ever try to let it go).
Close an eye, suicide, you’re never singing.
Still alive, suicide, no rhymes ringing.
In my mind, suicide, to believe I’m bringing
all I have and all I am – alive..
Lullaby and out of sight as I stumble
on the way to fall. Anyone?
Don’t let me go. Don’t let me go.
Breath collides upon the ground
and I did try,
hands into the sand, and its cold.
No, let it go. No, let it go.
(Don’t you ever try to let it go).
Close an eye, suicide, you’re never singing.
Still alive, suicide, no rhymes ringing.
In my mind, suicide, to believe I’m bringing
all I have and all I am – alive..
Dance me ‘neath the open moon
of a soft night
that slips into the day, one way
Waoh, let it go. Woah, let it go.
(You should let it go).
Woah, let it go.
(You should let it go).
Woah, let it go.
Firefly
Firefly, firefly in the night
with the yellow
with the yellow
with the yellow light
How I'd like to watch you shine tonight
Shine tonight
Firefly, firefly in the night
with the yellow
with the yellow
with the yellow light
How I'd like to watch you shine tonight
Shine tonight
Shine tonight, over my head
around my bed
Shine tonight, over my head
around my bed
Where you are, blinking star
Where you are, don't go far
Firefly, firefly in the night
with the yellow
with the yellow
with the yellow light
How I'd like to watch you shine tonight
Shine tonight
Shine tonight, over my head
around my bed
Shine tonight, over my head
around my bed
Where you are, blinking star
There you are, don't go far
Firefly, firefly in the night
with the yellow
with the yellow
with the yellow light
Shine on tonight
Uptown Q
Off from the train, where you get that smell
trucks and scum and street meat and its hot as hell
A busking strummin' mister with a face to match
says he's lost and could I help him find his way back
Help me, dude, he said it freaking, dont know what to do
You'll find it if you just take the Uptown Q.
Monkey diving killer biking 'cross Broadway
Chaos smells like duck, and beer and old shrimp paste
Davey's sure the middle card is black, but he dont play
Dealer says that you'll be sorry if you walk away
Davey grabs a pretzel and a cold yoo hoo
Then quickly slips away to the grab the Uptown Q
Junkies on the ferries, singers at the gate
race and grind and killing just to hurry up and wait
Lady grabbed a blade and said "I know a better way"
Then lost her cell and money on an outbound A
Tried to switch and wound up at the Prospect Park Zoo
This never would have happened on an Uptown Q
All the 'Chocks" are Dunkins now, all the phones are smart
And if you time your jumping right, don't need a MetroCard
Mikey says he'd rather spend the money on a slice
Jumping stiles, Mikey say, "I get it. Ain't too nice.
I'll take my chance, I never had a problem on the 2.
but I'd always drop the coin to take an Uptown Q.
Gonna take the Uptown Q
Find it riding on the Uptown Q
Gonna make it on the Uptown Q
Na, na, na, na on the Uptown Q
ooooh, make the Uptown Q
Make it, make it, make it, gonna make an Uptown Q