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Guitars & Grievances

by Brandon Anderson

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1.
Wake Up 02:59
They pack us tightly onto trains Give us a number to replace our names Work us till we're skin and bones Then bury us in our debts and loans A T.V. in every home Two cars and a telephone We become what we own Never felt so alone Wake Up The truth is out there and it wants to be found Wake Up And their lies will scatter all over the ground They tell us what we need to fear The dangers close, but the threats not clear Could be a plague, a bomb, a flu Or the person next to you Chorus Well they bought us out and they bought us cheap Then told us to go back to sleep And it's easier just to obey Then face the fact that we live this way
2.
Seems we're all crying out for something But we don't know what we need We've been sold a lie So we live and die under it's weight We isolate to escape the hate That we see in our own eyes So we look to prophets and politicians Painted whores who try and sell us their American pie "You can have your way as long as they are pushed away" "So grab a gun And make 'em run Or you wont be getting none" When once we cried for compassion Once we cried for unity Once we cried for liberty And justice for all Justice for all And these guitars and grievances Used to mobilize the youth But they've been subdued by auto-tune and starlit eyes A shaking ass To appease the mass And keep them under glass When once they cried for compassion Once they cried for community Once they cried for liberty And justice for all Justice for all Cause united we stand And divided we fall Cause the more that we hate The more we separate And the more that we need The more we succumb to greed But the more that we love The more we're free of And the more that we share The more we're able to spare So let us cry for compassion Let us cry for unity Let us cry for liberty And justice for all Justice for all
3.
Shadows 03:11
There is something in the darkness Thats keeping me from you It's got thunder, it's got lightning And I can't see through But I can hear the whistles blowing As those trains go rolling through But those tracks are going nowhere If I'm nothing without you So mercy me Shed the light of certainty Down upon me And set me free Set me free And they say nothing lasts forever Not the sun and not the sea But we are here in this moment And I need you to remind me Of love Cause I am broken And all that I can see is the frailty Of these moments That are flying by And I try, I try But mercy me I'm seeing doubts in everything we do And the shadows fall
4.
Blood Blind 02:36
We divide, incite, and arm Pretend it ain't doing any harm Cause the money's rolling in Enough to cover up our sins So we stay blood blind The prophets try to make us see We're high on complacency Cause this society Is fueled by violence, blood, and greed And we're crying, No not me Cause the lie runs so damn deep That we try to scream But we're chocking on hypocrisy Why can't we see It all comes back to me Cause this hatred in my heart Is where we need to start It's a lie that we all tell A white lie that paves the road to hell Cause these words they sure do kill A cost of our free will But we're crying CHORUS Cause we all play the victim And we all shift the blame Fill in our alibi Find a reason for the treason That won't name our name CHORUS
5.
I've got these six strings humming Each one anticipating your second coming They tell me you are love And that fire will rain down from above There's something in that dichotomy That's really got a hold on me Cause I'm not one for believing In more that what I'm seeing But now they've picked a date And they guarantee you wont be late Not this time So I strap on my guitar and sing another song While they say another prayer and strap on a bomb In the streets of Jerusalem Where the faithful are the first to condemn CHORUS To rain down love Like a cold steel glove Your love Divine retribution from above Your love So I'll keep these six strings humming Anxiously awaiting your second coming And you love Your love
6.
We've got our exits planned Each misstep covered A cushioned fall beneath it all To keep us safe We're in our heads Never our bodies A simple touch becomes to much To understand What about you and what about me We're sinking slowly or can't you see What about you and what about me We're sinking slowly Slowly We say our lines And tell our stories A pantomime to pass the time And keep us blind CHORUS Hold on Please hold on to me Put your arms around me Please hold on to me CHORUS
7.
City in revelry Midnight surge into the streets Fades to morning memories Then back to reality Of heightened security to replace A threat we could not see Just another body Another dead man to avenge In this remedy This remedy to a violent legacy I woke up today And things still felt the same And the vengeance in my veins Fades like some fickle flame And the embers left behind Only serve to remind me Of the emptiness you find In this remedy In revelry In revelry of a violent legacy And I can not see a way out of this Violent legacy
8.
I can't take another step without you I can't take a single breath, I'm broken Cause without you, who am I? A single path in these woods That we planted together When we said forever And we watched them grow I don't want to know Where does love go? Where does love go when it's gone? Kept building up, Kept building up Till it all crashed down And your voice was constant Then it was gone at the speed our sound And now when I try your name There's no reply and the words just fall into pieces And my heart it ceases To see that grace from above So much for love Where does love go? Where does love go when it's gone? Cause now it's gone Now it's gone Without you, who am I? Without you, who am I?
9.
There's a stolen car in the driveway The engine is running And I'm going to run right along with it I'm not sure where I'm heading There's no map that could show me Where I should be Cause where could I be? The city's growing wider everyday And there's no place left for a man To truly be free So I'll keep driving I'll keep driving There's no soil unturned No land untamed No landscape unspoiled or unclaimed No honor left in a name I need a rain to come and wash this all away All this history repeating and keeping us at bay One more liberty One more guarantee taken away One more human heart Viciously torn apart cause it wont obey And there's no place left to run When you live your life at the end of a gun And they decide how you live and die And you look around and see your whole life's a lie So I'll keep driving I'll keep driving

about

Inspired by stories and experience from the road, Guitars & Grievances reflects the hardships, grievances, and the spirit of the American people. With just his guitar and voice as a guide, he was captured by peoples need to share their stories and find connections. Drawn to the poets and storytellers of the 60's and 70's and how they became a voice for a generation faced with similar feelings of isolation and discord. A protest album, Guitars & Grievances also reflects the incredible level of community and compassion that he found while sharing music from coast to coast.

credits

released January 27, 2012

All songs written and recorded by Brandon Anderson
Mastered by Will Hensley
Photos by Alan Cohn
Cover Design by Brandon Anderson

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Brandon Anderson New York, New York

Brandon is an ASCAP award winning singer/songwriter whose unique blend of piano rock with folk and alternative influences create an unforgettable sonic experience. Sometimes blistering, sometimes mellow, his infective melodies and piercing lyrics hit strong chords in topics ranging from love to current social issues. ... more

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