1. Get Back Home (3:11) 2. Carry Me Away (2:26) 3. Nothing (2:39) 4. Tammy’s Sister (4:03) 5. Off the Map (3:33) 6. White Pressing Down (3:34) 7. Western City Nights (3:59) 8. Get on the Bus (3:38) 9. Sand Storm (6:26) 10. Left Texas (3:54) 11. Crippled-up Blues (2:18)
3hattrio 3hattrio plays what we call American Desert Music. Our aim is to create a new genre which responds to the natural world of our sacred homeland near Zion National Park in Utah. We also strive to acknowledge the cultural traditions of the generations who have worked and lived on the deserts of the American southwest. The subject matter of our songs is often desert oriented, sometimes not. Mostly, we express a daily-ness of watching light play off distant mesas and hearing sound reverberate from sheer sandstone cliffs. We don’t over-think it. We just play music. We live in a place marked by a great and lasting indigenous imprint. We don’t attempt to perform the music of the nomadic Native peoples who have lived here for centuries. We are modern-day settlers. From our vantage we are not all that different than other pioneers who came from diverse places to create community. We draw on our various musical backgrounds and our shared need to find sociability in an isolated place. We strive to create something that is truly American but also new. Greg Istock recorded and produced this CD. He sings, plays acoustic bass and wrote many of the songs. His musical background comes from African traditions developed in the Caribbean and South. He is also a visual artist and lives on the edge of the Virgin River in southern Utah Hal Cannon sings, plays banjos and guitars and also wrote many of the songs. He is a folklorist and scholar of cowboy and Western folk music and poetry and has played old-time, old-West music for years. He also produces radio documentaries for Radio National in Australia. He lives in a pecan orchard in Virgin, Utah Eli Wrankle plays violin and grew up in a family of artists in Toquerville, Utah. He recently graduated from high school where he served as concert master of the Hurricane High School Orchestra. He plans to continue playing and studying music at Southern Utah University. He may be the oldest soul in the group.
Thanks to our families for their support – Val, Russell, Lori, Ella, Brynn and Teresa. Thanks to our friends in Zion Canyon for supporting us. Gratitude goes to the Ucross Foundation, Ucross, Wyoming, where Hal and Greg wrote several of the songs during a composers’ residency in November, 2014. Credits: final mix by Michael Greene, mastered by James S. Anderson at the Bit Farm, photographs by Alex Santiago, album design by Sandy Bell, cover collage by Greg Istock, manufactured at One Stop CD Shop LLC.
Lyrics
1. Get Back Home (words–Istock; music–Cannon/Istock ASCAP) It’s a long way to Minor Station Twenty-five people lost without a trace I know Jack saw the wind change, when he left He said I’ve walked this river for all of my days Chorus We all wait wishing for light, now there’s only more rain This ragin’ river won’t let us in down there to try to save anything
It’s a long night waiting (How you gonna’ get back home) So many people tried in vain (How you gonna’ get back home) It’s a long time waiting for them (How you gonna’ get back home) So many people tried to warn Jack (How you gonna’ get back home) Chorus Wishin’ for life Ragin’ river won’t let us in
2. Carry Me Away (words and music–traditional; arrangement–Cannon/Istock ASCAP). This song is an old British ballad about murder, deceit, attempted suicide and revenge. Our version is loosely based on a recording made by John Lomax of some young girls in the Gant family from Austin, Texas, especially intriguing for its mention of same-sex attraction in the first verse. Usually this song contains a detail about sucking marrow out of bones to make the old man blind. We chose to leave that out and cut to the chase.
There was an old woman, in London she did dwell She loved her old man dearly but another man’s wife as well She went to the drug store to see what she could find Something from the doctor to make her old man blind Dim-dum-di-de-rae, carry me away
The light is growing dimmer, I cannot see the ground I’ll go down to the seashore, I’ll jump right in and drown She took him by the right hand, out to yonder shore I need your help dear wifey, you’ll have to shove me o’er Dim-dum-di-de-rae, carry me away
She backed and took a run to push her old man in He stepped to the one side and she went headlong in She began to scream and she began to squall I’m sorry my dear wifey, I cannot see at all Dim-dum-di-de-rae, dim-dum-di-de-rae, dim-dum-di-de-rae, dim-dum-di-de-rae
3. Nothing – Cannon ASCAP Do you remember when there was nothing? Not one breath or lighted ray No sound was heard and we were virgins Just before the day
Then you took an urgent breath. We sensed the dawn, a murky haze I sang one note, the touch was awakening Mother of all days
Not content for one small sip Day brings out the blinding light, A deafening roar, the rape, then nothing That was the night, that was the night
Before the start we came from nothing And nothing brought the first sweet breath, Music’s kind touch, it had no structure That was day’s caress, that was day’s caress
4. Tammy’s Sister (Istock BMI) Make your plan, her time is decided So bad there for Annie took your mind in She touched your mind, Annie set your soul free
Maybe she came from another time and place Maybe she lied to get into this space, and I said Maybe there’s nothin’ here to keep her satisfied
Maybe she came from another time and place And she walked the walk with a tear on her face Lied her way in to get what she wanted Maybe she don’t find nothing amusing here
Make new plans, her life is decided So bad there for Annie took your mind in She touched your mind, Annie set your soul free
Maybe she came from another time and place Maybe she lied to get into this chase, and I said Maybe there’s nothin’ here to keep her satisfied There’s all a sadness you don’t know There’s always a light in the forest to find me
5. Off the Map (Cannon/Istock ASCAP) He was a simple desert cowboy, chasin’ the wild coyote Jealousy was afire that would not let ‘im go He's goin’ down, down, down, down, ridin' off the map
Said now you could have walked it off, reasoned with yourself Shadow of two lovers that the candlelight reflects Leather boots and camisole–the sapphire of desire Down–you can hear the devil’s choir Now his deeds a burning cross, and it’s branded on his cheek The moon is bleeding amber, now on everything he sees He’s goin’ down, down, down, down, ridin’ off the map Down, down, down, down, somewhere off of this map
So where you goin’ my friend, where you runnin' to? Somewhere off this map, your deeds will follow you Sing your jagged melody, every note is deep Just fix your gaze and point your horse, you got no time now to sleep Down, down, down down, somewhere off of this map Down, down, down, down, ridin' off the map Down, down, down, down, somewhere off the map
6. White Pressing Down (Cannon/Istock ASCAP) Winter knows patience It breaks while you wait Raymond won’t die He walks in my sleep He’s there at the siding The window is frosted I’ll be drivin’ all day Drivin’ all day
chorus Am I somebody’s hero? The cold burrows deep White pressing down To Jesse’s retreat
Winter knows vengeance The lights dim again You can’t say nothin’ You can’t make amends Wyoming lies waiting As Jesse looks west And far under ground They ravage the rest Chorus
7. Western City Nights (Istock BMI) No finer days you don’t find now This city’s so been on mind You look so amazing tonight You sit up there colored like a rainbow Did I hear the sirens longing? Did I fall in your crazy wounded nights? No finer days you don’t find now This city’s sort of been on my mind and You look so amazing tonight Repeat
8. Get on the Bus (Istock BMI) There are more here than the two of us You gotta’ get on or get off of that bus There’s a thousand reasons not to cry, but you can’t remember There’s a woman who caught your eye There’s a woman who bought you time But the woman who stole your heart, is the one you can’t forget chorus I see the sunshine blazin’ it’s own sweet way And I watch the young girls on their horses They would love to ride them all day
There are black birds singin’ in the trees I left my old guitar lyin’ on the bed There’s a phone call I should’ve made but I can’t remember It’s no time to change your mind, it’s no time to walk away When you got winter in your heart you just can’t forget Chorus So go ahead and close the door You’ve got your reasons and I’ve got mine There’s a thousand things to prove but you can’t remember And there’s more here than the two of us You’ve got to get on or get off that bus And there days that will pass you by and you won’t forget Chorus
9. Sand Storm (Cannon ASCAP) Horses squall and kick while bucking Wild eyes dart in the joyous suffering Race the wind and ride for nowhere Scarf wrapped tight for some air Muted sun, we are all dull witted Gallop on for the air Sand and wind Swallow the world, Sand and wind We’re hurled and whirled Sand and wind Blow to hell’s gate Sand and wind It’s You
Dance with death just before the dawning Close your eyes stepping into storm Sun obscured, there’s no time, nor compass Fine white sand ground to bone Storming world you have won the battle Gallop on, there’s no home Sand and Wind Swallow the world Sand and Wind ---- Sand and Wind Blow to hell’s gate Sand and Wind Just Blow
10. Left Texas (words, traditional; music and arrangement Cannon/Istock ASCAP). This song comes from a long and rambling ballad sung for John Lomax by one of Hal’s favorite old-time cowboy singers, Dick Devall from Oklahoma. Hal reworked some of the best words and then he and Greg made up a new melody. Eli helped make this song spooky as it takes us back to an 1881 trail drive in some kind of musical time machine.
I left old Texas way back in eighty-one Four thousand longhorns, as wild as ever run Al Blocker was our trail boss, and you bet he was a good one He said to me, kiddo, I know you’re true blue
Got fifteen good cowhands and you bet they’re all two bars Just point those old longhorns right towards that North Star Just point those old longhorns right towards the North Star Git on that right point and bring those steers through
He told that horse wrangler, just throw them horses in A river to ford boys, so don’t be thin skinned Deep river to cross, and we’re goin’ right in I’m telling you, cowboys, you’ll take that bitter pill
It’s the hills of Wyoming, out by the ‘dobe walls We’ll get back to Texas late in the fall Back to old Texas, chuck wagons and all And he looked over at me boys, and winked that big eye
11. Crippled Up Blues (Cannon ASCAP). In the singing version, the chorus asks, “What’s use for shoes/ when you’ve lost your moves./I’ve got those danged old crippled-up blues.”