The Music Of JC Harris

positively the most intelligent progressive rock on this here planet

positively the most intelligent progressive rock on this here planet

Songs From Detroit

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  • Act I

    Act I?

    Seattle 2012

  • Overture To Act IDownload

    Overture To Act I?

    Now when Donny was in his prime.
    He could make a lot of silver from his stocks.
    He could promise himself he could run it himself
    He could make a whole world out of blocks.
    He wanted to pay them and give it a shot
    And he would end up on top.
    Man, there was nothing that he couldn’t make.
    Except a mess.

    II
    There’s broken glass in the yards.
    Where the iron ore steamers used to stop.
    Every promise they made.
    Every summer we played.
    Now it’s raining outside at the docks.

    I want to be fair.
    Not easily shocked.
    But were we ever on top?

    Man there was nothing that we couldn’t take.
    Except the mess.

    Detroit 2009

  • Who Do You Think?Download
    Never Enough

    Who Do You Think??

    Every morning when I wake up.
    And I see my family resting there.
    Knowing it’s a great time for the future.
    And flowers blooming everywhere

    Wonderful to be in this line.
    In the right place
    At the right time.
    You can even see it in their faces
    Rise and fall
    We will have it all.

    But even in this morning light
    The sunny times and rain
    I never stop to analyze
    About their joys and pain
    There’s so much interest within this town
    That’s swimming all around
    But it seems I’m only living for…
    The drive.

    Look at me!

    I’m driving…

    Listen to me.
    Listen to me
    Listen to me
    Listen to me.

    You grab the handle
    Get this damn thing out of park
    From the bottom of river
    We’ll be speeding to the top

    I roll down the screen
    As we roll down the street
    And I wave at everybody
    That I long to meet
    Hang on!

    Because I’m driving…

    Now who do you think makes the whole thing run?
    Makes the cars from the flame
    In the morning sun.

    And who do you think makes the whole thing go?

    Makes your heart want to break
    The world’s there to take
    My life
    And Detroit
    I believe in you.

    Hang on!

    But even in the traffic lights
    The spinning wheels go round
    The only thing that’s in my mind
    And every wind and sound

    And every mile that goes on by
    I think I
    Know that I am
    On the rise
    And so I
    And I will only be here for…
    A while

    (What am I talking about?)

    I’m driving…

    Grandather
    Listen to me.

    Lilian
    Listen to me.

    Eddie
    Listen to me.

    All
    Listen to me.

    You’ve got your hand
    Put it right here on your heart
    From the bottom of the river
    We’ll be driving to the top
    I roll down the screen
    As I roll down the street
    And I wave at everybody
    That I long to meet

    Hang on!
    Hang on!

    It’s gonna be wonderful
    (Marvelous!)
    Something else
    (The only life!)
    We’re gonna see all the thing we can be
    (Shiny like a penny on a moonlit night)
    And I’ll love you

    You know it’s coming true!

    Now who do you think makes the whole thing run?
    Makes my heart skip a beat
    When the evening comes

    And who do you think makes the whole thing go?
    Makes your heart want to break
    The world there to take
    My life
    And Detroit
    We believe in you.

    Hang on.

    Detroit 2009

  • March To WarDownload

    March To War?

    I don’t think you want to know.

    Seattle 2012

  • New SongDownload

    New Song?

    Grandfather…

    Break out a story. I’ll tell you a new one.
    Break out a story and I will tell you
    Of when I was alone.
    There where stones in my path
    Til I pulled the rubies right out of my arse
    And showed you the truth
    Of what I’d do
    For life
    For love
    For you are my son.

    Take back that story
    Forget the things you’ve done.
    Stake out a portion of life
    I’m holding
    To build a life.
    To build a home.
    It all goes by so fast.
    If you can’t retrieve yourself
    From out of that past

    Show me right now what you will do
    For me
    And you
    And soon for your son.

    Son…

    I can’t hear you.
    I can’t hear you any more.
    I can’t here you.
    Shouting at me any more.
    I can’t hear you.
    I can’t hear that any more.
    Even if everything is true
    And everything you’ve done.

    For that was 25 years ago.
    (no!)
    That was 35 years ago.
    (no!)
    That was 45 years ago.
    (no!)
    That was 55 years ago.
    That was 65 years ago.
    That was 75 years ago.
    It will be 85 years ago… and more!

    Seattle 2012

  • GrowthDownload

    Growth?

    Seattle 2012

    Scene transition. Depicts massive city construction during the 20's
  • Tear Down The HouseDownload

    Tear Down The House?

    Tear down the house
    That my grandfather built.
    There’s nothing left to keep these bones
    But I see them still.

    Tear down every house
    But build your own new dream.

    He raised a family.
    He built a business.
    He served his country
    And made the difference,

    That won the war and
    Conceived inventions.
    A Golden Age.
    All things that you can’t see.

    Seattle 2012

  • Act II

    Act II?

    Seattle 2012

  • Overture II (Dancing In The Streets)Download

    Overture II (Dancing In The Streets)?

    I only noticed

    Seattle 2012

    After the riots.
  • OutstandingDownload

    Outstanding?

    Seattle 2012

  • ApolloDownload

    Apollo?

    He was too tired to think.
    And yet he thought of you.
    The rain that fell down his face
    Was nothing new.

    Surrounded by that fire.
    And shrill and raging quiet.

    Detroit 1994

    All three families watching TV as Apollo 8 shows the first pictures ever seen of earth from space. December 1968.
  • Joy, Joy, JoyDownload

    Joy, Joy, Joy?

    Every day you wake up you feel it’s somehow dangerous.

    And even with so many people,
    You still feel alone.

    I understand my friend about being alone.
    But I’m here to tell you, No worry!
    Because we all are going home.

    (Chorus)
    Joy, joy, joy.
    I believe there’s joy in store.
    I believe that it’s all coming to be
    And will be here before we know.

    Joy, joy, joy.
    I believe there’s joy in store.
    I can see that it’s all coming to me
    It will be here before we know.

    Do you cry at night?
    I feel it in me,
    Have you felt the pain?
    Oh yes I have.
    Can you think that nobody else will help us up?

    But I don’t cry anymore
    Tell us why you don’t.
    I don’t feel the pain.

    I know that somebody else will help us up.
    Going up

    (Chorus)

    Seattle 2012

  • Hold You NightlyDownload

    Hold You Nightly?

    I
    Don’t ask me
    I don’t think you want to know.
    I only knew that
    I’d want to be with you.
    Beneath things that haunted you.
    Surely you know it was for love.

    Don’t ask me.
    I don’t think we’re meant to understand.
    I only knew I’d want to be with you.
    I lived my life
    Always beholden to you.
    What more could we
    Hope to live for?

    CHORUS
    To hold you nightly
    Love you rightly.
    Show you everything
    Deep down within my heart.
    To grieve so badly.
    Need you madly.
    And show you everything within my heart.

    Because I know.
    Yes I know.
    Yes I know.
    Yes I know.

    II
    Don’t ask me.
    I don’t think you want to know.
    I never noticed
    I’d want to be with you.
    Speaking of things still haunting you.
    Sure that you only did for love?

    Don’t ask me.
    I don’t think we’re meant to understand.
    I never knew that I’d want to be with you.
    I never intended
    Ever disturbing the truth
    Don’t you know no truth can’t hold you?

    Because I know.
    Yes I know.
    Yes I know.
    Yes I know.

    CHORUS II

    III
    Don’t ask me.
    I don’t think we’re meant to understand.
    I always thought that
    I’d always be with you.
    I always pretended never depending on you
    What more couldBut you know it’s true…

    CHORUS III
    To hold you nightly
    Love you rightly.
    Show you everything
    Deep down within my heart.
    To tend your sadness.
    Cure your madness.

    CODA
    I showed you every bit of my heart.
    I gave you every inch of my life.
    I even died more than one time for you.
    Now what else more could you ask me to do?

    Don’t ask me.
    I don’t think you want to know

    Detroit 1995

  • ResidueDownload

    Residue?

    There’s the residue of anger.
    A stain on every wall.
    There’s no point in calling in the crew.
    For you won’t wash it off.

    I know that you
    Have been confused
    About the things we bought

    But even with all this renewal
    Somethings still got lost.

    Seattle 2012

  • I Fall DownDownload

    I Fall Down?

    I never knew my father.
    All the times I saw him;
    Walking by,
    With only his hat in hand.

    I never watched him, often
    But if there was a love gone.
    I know that now it was within me
    but now I fear it is gone.

    All the way,
    All the way.
    I fall down.
    All the way.

    I never knew my father
    Only by his hat and the way he wore his coat.
    It didn’t take much to wear him down
    Before the end came.

    Hot, cold feelings
    Feelings coming over me.
    But in my eyes
    And in my face,
    Something never leaves.

    But in my mind before me.
    There is a place now gone.
    And in my thoughts for all that time,
    I wonder if you saw?

    All these times.
    All these places I have been.
    All the things that I would feel
    If you were there.

    But now and then.
    Middle age and thinning hair.
    I’ll always wonder.
    If you cared.

    Can it be so obsessive?
    So extreme that all that I would give?

    To mean it all
    To think of it at all
    To believe at all
    In something we could name?

    But in my eyes before me.
    There is a name to trust.
    But in my thoughts of
    There is a rage that went away.

    I go down.
    I go down.
    I go down,
    For you anywhere.
    For you anywhere.
    For you anywhere,

    All the way.

    Detroit 1996

  • Wrecking BallDownload

    Wrecking Ball?

    Seattle 2012

  • Act III

    Act III?

    Seattle 2012

  • Overture To Act III (The Electric Twist)Download

    Overture To Act III (The Electric Twist)?

    Seattle 2012

  • BenefitDownload

    Benefit?

    I
    Have no fear that I am drowning
    My head is above the waves.
    Though it seems that storms always surround me
    I have no need to be saved.

    I will live my life like everyone
    as full as any man.
    And do the things that God requires
    Within my given span.

    II
    And do for others all the things I could not find myself.
    I will not remain with past regrets
    when my life is through.

    …Well… not quite true.
    …I think of you.

    III
    I’ve begun to see the benefits
    Of life here on my own.
    You may say that I am by myself
    But it’s clear I’m not alone
    I deflect attention from the self and
    And put my strength in toward all those who far more need help.

    IV
    (Solo)

    So if you see the benefit
    Of life beyond yourself
    Of doing things that come from within
    You can get
    Forsaking all the vast rewards
    On which I once aspired
    Within true light

    Coda

    Seattle 2012

  • The Gang's All HereDownload

    The Gang's All Here?

    Hey, hey the gang’s all here.
    Looks like something else is coming
    Coming every year
    I guess that you could say that I was pretty all alone.
    Alone.

    Hey, hey the gang’s all here.
    Didn’t want to to tell me but the meaning’s very clear
    I get that you could tell that I had nothing more to say.
    But I get it all the way
    And I hear it everyday.
    Now I’m gone.
    I’m gone.

    Hey, hey the gang’s all here.
    Looks like we spent a life time
    Getting someting for these tears.

    Seattle 2012

  • We Don't Build Great Things AnymoreDownload

    We Don't Build Great Things Anymore?

    We don’t build great things anymore.
    We don’t take the time to realize, what it’s for.
    But if I could. I’d do great good.
    If the price that we are paying,
    Means something more.

    Seattle 2012

  • Never Thought IDownload

    Never Thought I?

    Never thought I would give in to this moment.
    Never thought I would be afraid.
    I had planned to be a lifetime.
    But I don’t feel the same.

    Seattle 2012

  • Hey Johnny!Download

    Hey Johnny!?

    Hey Johnny!
    Where are you going with that gun?
    If it’s strictly for protection, then why are you showin’ everyone?

    Now here’s the problem:
    You think you’re lookin’ real rough.
    But when they take your little toy from you,
    You won’t feel so tough.

    Johnny you’re a victim of a televised world
    That tells you lies everyday.
    And makes you think there’s only one number
    That’ll ever come up.

    Johnny won’t listen to anybody sayin’ that his life’s too much.
    ‘Cause’ everybody else is too scared to see Johnny hooked up.

    Hey Johnny!
    You aren’t lookin’ so tough.
    When they used your little toy on you it must have felt real rough.

    (Hey Johnny?)

    Detroit 1994

    Hand guns are really cool for teens. And here's the great part! They're not just for gangs anymore like when I wrote this.
  • EvergreenDownload

    Evergreen?

    Coda (Sic transit gloria mundi)

    Did you ever ride the park,
    Fronting on the river scene?.
    When the boulevards were young.
    Over Grosse Pointe through the trees.

    Did you ever see the plan,
    When the century was young?
    All the buildings crowned in marble …..?
    Driving fast down Evergreen.

    When the elm trees lined the avenues
    Standing tall against the green.
    Wrapped in halos of the motor cars
    Like nobody’s ever seen.

    Now we drive on down the boulevards
    Past the buildings racked with pain.
    And I squint so hard through broken glass
    Trying hard to see the past.

    And then no one sees the emptiness.
    When I cannot find a job.
    Having seen the thought of,…
    Will the future look Supremes?

    Seattle 2012

Did you ever drive the park,
Fronting on the river scene?
When the avenues were young.
Over Grosse Pointe through the trees.

Did you ever see the plan,
When the century was young?
All the buildings crowned in gild and glass
Driving fast down Evergreen.

When the elm trees lined the boulevards
Standing tall against the green.
In the halos of the motor cars
Like nobody's ever seen.

Now we drive on down the boulevards
Past the buildings racked with pain.
And I squint so hard through broken glass
Trying hard to see the rain.

And then no one sees the emptiness.
When I cannot find a job.
Having seen through all the photographs
Can the future look Supreme?

Some personal notes on Songs From Detroit...

Look, There's Just No Reason To Be Shy!

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