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Soft Commands

by Ken Stringfellow

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Paul Marsh
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Jason Dennie
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Shane Murphy
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vdominy
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rjp5150
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tcnmusic
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Sigurd Alexander Røstad
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Ryan Lang
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Diane Bourke
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/
1.
You Drew 03:06
lyrics
Take the baby's cane away and hide his little braces Left to his devices he still wants that rocky road Feed him all your fables and your periodic tables Fabulous, a fatalist is what he wants to be But you drew the poison from me Picked me off the bayonet tree Pulled me like a tooth that kept your nights from finding sleep Move into a bungalow and disconnect the phone line Hello, grace, it's been awhile Your footsteps can go unnoticed That's not to say that you weren't missed But I guess you weren't invited I never lacked for company It's for care that I was wanting But you drew the poison from me Picked me off the bayonet tree Pulled me like a snaggled little loose tooth It's these late admissions that are driving me from sleep I admit that I admire admiration's name But if you come back to my senses I won't try to reason with you Knowledge gained is knowledge used, it never works out different But you drew the poison from me Picked me off the bayonet tree Pulled me like a snaggled little loose tooth And you drew the poison from me Picked me off the bayonet tree Pulled me like a snaggled little loose Tooth
2.
Any Love (Cassandra Et Lune) 04:38
lyrics
Cassandra for the sunrise century Taking the moon in her bed like a lover Letting him leave her Taking no others Watching the tides as they fill up her eyes She says she's not upset She says that loneliness is worse than regret We have to wonder What she meant When she told us Any love is good enough We have to wonder What she meant When she told us Any love is good enough The sun comes to her on the windowsill She meets him there, he says “Come ride on my flaming hands By tomorrow we'll be painting the horizons With the gold streaks of a good goodbye What would the Moon suspect? He only sees the clouds that slither by his head” We have to wonder What she meant When she told us Any love is good enough We have to wonder What she meant When she told us Any love is good enough “Could heaven keep the light on so I can keep my eye on you? You and only you And follow you as far as I can go” There's a break in the trees the Moon is shining through She rolls down the window and says ‘”Is it you? Is it you?” Gravity turned him Comets had burned him, too She splashes the river to move his reflection She says ”Could heaven keep the light on So God can keep his eye on you? You and only you And follow you as far as you can go” We have to wonder What she meant When she told us Any love is good enough We have to wonder What she meant When she told us Any love is good enough We have to wonder What she meant When she told us Any love is good enough We have to wonder What she meant When she told us Any love is good enough
3.
Known Diamond 05:29
lyrics
Hearing the phone ring Another angel lost its wings Better to save it For when you really need something “Is heaven abandoned?” The words that you could never write They called me to send me Wondering where you are tonight Like a known diamond, they say you got the light, girl So take the right to find the fire that fits Your faded heart The shadow of diamonds, it kept you from my sight, girl Don't walk away, just say you'll stay engaged in who you are What you rejected when the harbor lights went out When all is uncertain, you can soothe yourself with doubt You look to the mirror and ask if they make fables there You know that you're moving fast when your surface is bare Like a known diamond, they say you got the light, girl So take the right to find the fire that fits Your faded heart The rumor of diamonds can set the dogs to fight, girl So hear these words of mine that say your shine is genuine Locked away, to keep the thieves from finding out Remember the sunlight when out in the world you'd walk? You'd drift like a smoke ring in the shadows of New York Then you see her picture, and wonder if you ever left You can Throw dirt on a memory, but you could never say it's dead You can Throw dirt on a memory, but you could never say it's dead Like a known diamond, they say you got the light, girl So take the right to find the fire that fits your faded heart The illusion of diamonds, it kept you from my sight, girl Don't walk away, just say you'll stay engaged in who you are
4.
When U Find Someone 03:52
lyrics
On this side a man, his hands on the free world An army at his command Driving to the makeout point on the shores of the lake of the Damned And we say “Ain't love grand?” When you find someone who loves you like that You want them back in your life And we say “Ain’t love grand?” When you find someone who loves you like that You want them back in your life He calls from the car He speaks through a speechwriter Trying to sound less needy Hoping to hear “I’d love you to lead me Show me your strengths and I'll show you what surrender can be” When you find someone who loves you like that You want them back in your life (Someone who loves you, someone who loves you) “I’ll show you what surrender can be” When you find someone who loves you like that You want them back in your life (Someone who loves you, someone who loves you, someone who loves you) “If I have to burn the world to get your attention Don't make it tempting, don't make it tempting” “We'll be together, someday, I know this I promised it to myself Playing old records over and over High On a mountain somewhere Breathing in that desert air, somewhere, where No one can touch us Sharing a dream as a prisoner screams Hands on the switch as we throw it - together” When you find someone who loves you like that You want them back in your life We throw it together When you find someone who loves you like that You want them back in your life And burn the world When you find someone who loves you like that You want them back in your life Together we’ll burn the world When you find someone who loves you like that You want them back in your life Together together we’ll burn the world When you find someone who loves you like that You want them back in your life We can do it together together we’ll burn the world When you find someone who loves you like that You want them back in your life We can do it together together we’ll burn the world When you find someone who loves you like that You want them back in your life We can do it together together we’ll burn the world When you find someone who loves you like that You want them back in your life We can do it together together we’ll burn the world When you find someone who loves you like that You want them back in your life We can do it together together we’ll burn the world (When you find them, then you want it back) We can do it together (When you find them, then you want it back) We can burn the world Someone who loves you
5.
Don't Die 03:07
lyrics
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Butterfly you blew it the bullet made you officially artificial Destiny has met the dove The passing drained off all their blood When did we smile? I can't remember but we know now it must have been quite awhile Don't die young, baby, don't die young Everybody saw the guns 'Cause baby you're too young to die Don't die young, baby, don't die young Don't suck the sun from the summer sky Italian torture gave us DaVinci but also Medici What can it teach me? Arguments are simplified with all the spears Piercing my side What can I say? Make up my mind make up the kind of things that make it go away Don't die young, baby, don't die young The country needs your blood to run Don't die young, baby, don't die young Nobody knows what has come Don't die young, baby, don't die young 'Cause baby you're too young to die Don't take the sun from the summer sky Just hang up your heart and cry, cry Cry If you believe in love If you believe that it's never enough But you were wrong it never has been all along Don't die now, now, now don't die Don't die young, baby, don't die young The country needs your blood to run Don't die young, now, now, don't die young Cold and far from your home Don't die young, baby, don't die young Baby you're too young to die Baby you’re too young to die now Baby you’re too young to die now Baby you’re too young to die now Baby you’re too young To die Baby you’re too young to die now Baby you’re too young
6.
Let Me Do 03:45
lyrics
Roll me over, go shoulder to shoulder And let one come from two Me and you I said I'd see it through, now Let me do the right things to you If I said your book's gone unread and you're way overdue Would you let me turn a page or two And let me see it through? Now baby let me do the right things to do “Sing that song, boy, all night long and every single day’” Love Love ain't something we can't improve Now would you let me do it right, now baby Let me be the light you see through You can hold me to my word til it's true Oh baby, baby, baby, yeah, yeah, yeah I said I'd see you through, now let me do the right things to you If I said that time's never ending and we could start life new Would it do a thing for you? And would you let me see it through now baby Let me do the right things to you Let me do it 'cause I want to see you through it now baby Let me do it right Oh baby Let me do it (Let me do the right things to, to) Time ain’t something we got to lose So would you let me do it right now, baby Let me be the light you see through Hold me to my word ’til it’s true Just let me do it right Let me do it Let me do it right now Oh, let me do it right to you
7.
For Your Sake 03:58
lyrics
If you're finally wondering If you're fully aware If you fail to recognize If your fortune is fair If you feel sympathy If you find acceptance If you forget faces If you finish a sentence If you file a memory If you face a consequence If you forgo pleasure If you fake enjoyment If you figure it's worth it If you fall down If you fuck up I'll come around I'll come around So Throw your fate into the highest ring Then you can Take a walk and forget everything If for your sake If you take offense If you're tortured If you tend to go along If you've totaled your possessions If you tide it over If you tied one on If you've teased it out If you turned it on If you've told a lie or not told a lie I'll come around So Throw your fate into the highest ring And you can Take a walk and forget everything If for your sake Spend eternity waiting to come into view Of who already sees you For you If you grab at nothing If you go deep in the dark If you get too twitchy If you grow weary If you gasp at the price If you grimly go ahead If you gaze with longing If you grip the crumbling edge If you gallop towards the horizons If you gawk the spectacular If you gauge your success If you gorge yourself If you're greedy all the time If you gain no new ground If you're grinding to a halt (yeah) I'll come around So Throw your fate into the highest ring And you can Take a walk and forget everything If for your sake Spend eternity waiting to come into view Of who already sees you For you If you had enough If you heed warnings If you have heard different If you hate mornings If you're heading somewhere If your head starts to pound If you can just hang on I'll come around
8.
Je Vous En Prie 03:34
lyrics
It's so unfair The stars, they just hang there They never say nothing to me Dominique If you were here The things I would tell you All that time alone How often I pictured your face While the winter was freezing me The desert kept moving me And there's ocean between us tonight Cherie, cherie Je vous en prie Take me like a cigarette Put me to your lips Breathe me in deep I pray my soul you'll keep Take me to your bed when you sleep Cherie, je vous en prie (je vous en prie) All religion can sound like weeping Cries like a mother that's drawn in the sky On our knees, we beg for a lullaby If no one come running, we lose our beliefs Oh baby, this won't happen to me I will always believe in your lips On your kiss I subsist Cherie, cherie Je vous en prie Take me like a cigarette Put me to your lips Breathe me in deep I pray my soul you'll keep Take me to your bed when you sleep Let me touch some of your dreams Boy, you've been running somewhere Do you know where home is? Has it been too long to care? Boy, you’ve been running so long Does anyone remember you're gone? Better sing your lover this song Cherie, cherie Je vous en prie Take me like a cigarette Put me to your lips Breathe me in deep I pray my soul you'll keep Take me to your bed when you sleep Ah, cherie, cherie Set fire to me Let me drift toward your fingers while I'm burning Breath me in deep I pray my soul you'll keep Take me to your bed when you sleep Ah, cherie Cherie Je vous en prie Ah, cherie Je vous en prie
9.
You Become The Dawn 03:25
lyrics
Nothing to mourn, we die and die until Until we're born, recast as forms So pleasing to the soul I never miss anyone To me they're never gone If that makes you uncomfortable, baby Don't be too long And now you're wondering if that song was the song you heard When the form was just the word and the world was golden And the only way to pray was to be cast as the dawn Backwards in time, the rhyme within you was another child Wanting to strive, but this time, not required Wanting to try but not to the size of the role intended You think it's ended, but it begins with each choice And now you're wondering if that song was the song you heard When the form was just the word and the world was golden And the only way to pray was to be sung as the dawn Kingdoms and criminals all under the same light As dawn shall follow night As fall shall follow flight Sing yourself awake, call the winds into blowing It's a wise child who finds this advice First among many many many lives And now you that the song that you heard Has called your form in from the word And the world is golden You've become the dawn And now you that the song that you heard Has called your form in from the word And the world is golden You've become the dawn You’ve become the dawn
10.
Dawn Of The Dub Of The Dawn (feat. Gaffa Man) 02:12
11.
Cyclone Graves 03:58
lyrics
You can't run away You were born it's all the same game Tear off the roof of your life And start your searching again You came on the day the clouds went away To their cyclone graves Where they stay, as sure as I say, that I hope you never go blind I hope that you're more than just kind Oh, to yourself You talk to the wind And you hope that it will listen in (And) blow you back where you can begin To resemble your weakest sin (But) you came on the day the winds blew away To their cyclone graves Where they stay, as sure as I say, that I hope you never go blind I hope that you're more than just kind Better find it, never fight it, never regret your heart Your love makes you less than useless, oh to yourself There's something about the way you hide The strength to engage an alibi Under the scrutiny of love What will it take to raise you above yourself? Divine or profane? Drink the wine or linger in the rain? Maybe you don't have to choose And fortune's smiling on everyone And I think it's smiling on you You came on the day the clouds blew away To their cyclone graves Where they stay, as sure as I say, that I hope you never go blind I hope that you're more than just kind Better find it, never fight it, never regret your heart Your love makes you less than useless Love makes you humble Pulls you forward Never fight it, never fight it, never regret your heart Your love makes you less than useless Oh to yourself
12.
Death Of A City 04:31
lyrics
Did Ray really survive The death of a city that once was alive? Still wears bespoke suits He feels fireproof Maybe religion still offers him proof And he walks right through you and I now Silently make his usual rounds Oh, you're over and done with now You've broken my heart in But that's not important - a minor misfortune Now you're over and done with now The death of a city And nobody really cared Back streets Somebody weeps Closed circuit cameras are making the sweep And they look down on grass turning brown ‘Cause nothing is able to live in this town So you go out, late, and look for the stars All you see is orange on the clouds Oh, you're over and done with now You've broken my heart in But that's not important - a minor misfortune Now you're over and done with now The death of a city And nobody really cares Are we able to see what somebody was dreaming in steel and stone? Streets laid workers were paid and the skyline was something everyone owned And you know sometimes that's all you get to No you're not going now not when we're still enough to hear our own sounds Like when we breathe through each other's mouths The broken out window gives view to the south Now was it just a trick of the light Or did I see movement attracting my sight? Or is it somebody waiting for word To pull the curtain down? But oh, you're over and done with now You've broken my heart in But that's not important - a minor misfortune Now you're over and done with now The death of a city And nobody really cared Oh, you're over and done with now You've broken my heart in But that's not important - a minor misfortune Oh you're over and done with now The death of a city And nobody really cared But don't cry - don't cry 'Cause it's over and done with Over and done with now
13.
Never My Love 03:40
lyrics
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You ask me if there'll come a time When I will grow tired of you Never, my love Never, my love You wonder if this heart of mine Will lose its desire for you Never, my love Never, my love What makes you think love will end? When you know that my whole life depends On you (on you) Never, my love Never, my love You say you fear I'll change my mind And I won't require you, well Never, my love Never, my love How can you think love will end When I've asked you to spend your whole life With me? (with me) With me (with me) With me With me Never, my love (Never, my love) Never, my love Never, my love Never, my love
14.
Down To The Wire 02:55
lyrics
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Every time you touch her sets your hands on fire And every thing you've got is all that she requires And you hang on, hang on, hang on to the words of a liar You can feel it it’s getting down to the wire And all the hurt you thought was gone has now returned And everything she's laughing at is all you’ve learned And you let go, let go, let go, 'cause you know you're getting tired You're getting tired You can feel it baby Oh, you can feel it getting down to the wire Let it go now Oh, one more time oh yeah! Take the time to close your eyes and look around 'Cause anyone who helped you can still let you down And you look out, look out, look out, the voice is now turned to a choir Can you feel it getting down Can you feel it getting down to the wire? It’s getting down It’s getting down To the wire It’s getting down to the wire Oh it’s getting down It’s getting down to the wire Oh yeah, oh yeah it’s getting down

about

Written and recorded in Seattle, Hollywood, Stockholm, Paris, Senegal, Vancouver and New York, "Soft Commands" is as much an album as it is a travelogue through time - specifically, the era when modern pop composition caught up with studio soundcraft. Posies co-founder, sideman to the stars and world citizen Ken Stringfellow is equally adept at the grandeur of Spector, the subtlety of Nilsson, and the eclecticism of everything in between.

Includes unlimited streaming of Soft Commands via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

credits

released July 13, 2004

(p) & (c) 2004 Ken Stringfellow.

Produced by Ken Stringfellow.
Engineered by Kip Beelman, Jorgen Wall, Dave Shuman.
Mixed by Ken Stringfellow, Kip Beelman. Je Vous En Prie & Death of a City mixed by Scott Colburn

Mastered at RFICD by Rick Fisher. Additional mastering in 2023 by Ken Stringfellow.

Track by track credits:

On all tracks Ken Stringfellow - vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion, drums except as noted below

1. You Drew: drums by Darius Minwalla, bass by Matt Harris, piano and organ by Larry Knechtel

Written: At home (Seattle). Recorded: Soundhouse (Seattle), Ironwood (Seattle).

2. Any Love: drums/percussion by Jorgen Wall, violin by Sara Edin, viola by Lotta Johansson, cello by Pelle Halvarsson

Written: Williamsburg (NY). Recorded: Studio 44 (Stockholm), Soundhouse.

3. Known Diamond

Written: Roosevelt Hotel (Hollywood). Recorded: Studio 44.

4. When You Find Someone: backing vocals by Sarah Shannon, saw by Lotta Johansson, theremin by Pelle Halvarsson

Written: Studio 44. Recorded: Studio 44, Soundhouse.

5. Don't Die: drums by Bill Rieflin, violin by J.J. Jang & Rosemary Townsend, viola by Heide Oveson, cello by Phil Peterson

Written: At home (Seattle). Recorded: Soundhouse.

6. Let Me Do: drums/tambourine by Jorgen Wall, also sax by Mark Taylor, tenor sax by Craig Flory, trombone by Chris Stover, trumpet by Jay Thomas, violin by Sara Edin, viola by Lotta Johansson, cello by Pelle Halvarsson, backing vocals by Emily McIntosh & Tiffany Wilson

Written: Mushroom Studios (Vancouver), Thies (Senegal). Recorded: Soundhouse.

7. For Your Sake

Written: Soundhouse. Recorded: Soundhouse.

8. Je Vous En Prie: drums by Jill Sobule & Bill Rieflin

Written: Williamsburg, Thies, Athens. Recorded: Qrispy Qreme (NYC), Soundhouse.

9. You Become The Dawn: drums/percussion by Jorgen Wall, organ by Gaffa Man, alto sax by Mark Taylor, tenor sax by Craig Flory, trombone by Chris Stover, trumpet by Jay Thomas, backing vocals by Carl-Johan Staav, Clas Torenhammar, Emily McIntosh & Tiffany Wilson

Written: At home (Seattle). Recorded: Studio 44, Soundhouse.

10. Dawn of the Dub of the Dawn: keyboards, beats, and samples by Gaffa Man

Recorded at Studio 44

11. Cyclone Graves: drums by Bill Rieflin, bass by Fred Chalinor

Written: Studio 44, At Home (Paris), Athens. Recorded: Soundhouse.

12. Death of a City: violin by J.J. Jang & Rosemary Townsend, viola by Heide Oveson, cello by Phil Peterson, backing vocals by Sarah Shannon

Written: Soundhouse. Recorded: Soundhouse.

13. Never My Love: drums by Matt Harris, bass & keyboards by Larry Knechtel, acoustic guitar by John Roderick

Recorded: Ironwood, Soundhouse

Down to the Wire: drums by Jorgen Wall, also sax by Mark Taylor, tenor sax by Craig Flory, trombone by Chris Stover, trumpet by Jay Thomas, tambourine by Bengtsson.

Recorded: Studio 44, Soundhouse

All songs by Ken Stringfellow published by SOFT Rebellion Songs (BMI)

except

"Never My Love" by Donald & Richard Addrisi published by Universal Music/Warner Tamerlane (BMI)

"Down To The Wire" by Neil Young

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Ken Stringfellow Seattle, Washington

A fixture on the music landscape, indie and otherwise, since the debut of his band The Posies in 1988, Ken Stringfellow has over thirty-five years of experience as a performer, composer, producer, arranger, programmer and more. In addition to his eight albums with the Posies and four solo albums, Ken spent a decade touring and recording with R.E.M and 17 years with Memphis cult band Big Star. ... more

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