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Tightropes & Loose Ends

by Bet Smith and The Currie Brothers

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1.
Tightropes 04:46
You’ve been balancing on tightropes ever since you were little Covering your eyes and walking into the storm So why would you expect the stars to align this time? Now you’re old and all the world feels heavy and you can taste the money that isn’t yours You’ve worked hard You’ve worked hard for nothing You can’t blame anyone but yourself You walked right into this When you were young they sold you hope Fourty-thousand dollars and try, try again But they were shaking their heads at you, and their tones changed When middle age stated sinking in. You can’t blame anyone but yourself You walked right into this You could have climbed the ladders of Bay Street Could have pumped oil out of the crowd Could have worked for the government or done something that mattered in the end. But you’ve been balancing on tightropes ever since you were little Covering your eyes and walking into the storm So why would you expect the stars to align this time? You walked right into this
2.
I was listening to the radio On the night after our last show News of disaster One after the other Then interwoven melodies Soft and personal Heartbreaks and jealousy Romantic misery Sweet things Escapist songs Then a hit of reality When the news comes on How do you write a love song in times like these Simple little love song in times when Big troubles in the world, spinning round, just dumb it down How to write a love song in times like these I met you on the front lines You were just like me We lost another battle Predictably With fists clenched we carried on You had never felt so strong And I had never felt so weak Something rushing over me How do you write a love song in times like these Simple little love song in times when Big troubles in the world, spinning round, just dumb it down How to write a love song in times like these Do you listen to the radio Fires, fires, fires And where are we gonna go If this thing transpires And the violence Is never caused by the anarchist It’s cause someone wants control Everybody wants control How do you write a love song in times like these Simple little love song in times when Big troubles in the world, spinning round, just dumb it down How to write a love song in times like these Do you listen to the radio Fires, fires fires
3.
Your forefathers cleared these woods with their backs Dreaming of cities and the lovely life you would have Fast cars and an office in the sky Their blood, sweat and tears left it all for you Your great-grandmothers suffered through the years Raising their boys up; strong backs, good bones, no fear With axes in hand they flattened all of this land And they left a playground all for you But what Matters Most? The wolf or the payload? Jet planes or the buffalo? Coyote or the high road? Your good name is known throughout the world It sounds like money, success, nice suits, hot girls You can take it for granted, completely shut your eyes You will never touch soil, they did it all for you What Matters Most The wolf or the payload? Jet planes or the buffalo? Coyote or the high road? And you let your clean mouth touch my dirty lips For I am an animal and you didn’t mean to do it But you couldn’t deny something deep inside That wants to be free from what is all for you What Matters Most The wolf or the payload? Jet planes or the buffalo? Coyote or the high road?
4.
Hurricane 03:49
5.
My hands are soiled and stained If you can't hold on, then how come you came My hands are soiled and stained I have never been small or weak If you loved me, would you love a beast I have never been coy, nor meek Am I not a woman if I am not a saint My mother was strong, and my daddy was brave Can you hold me, or are you ashamed? Am I not a woman if I am not a saint Am I not a woman if I don't cry Am I not a woman if I look you in the eye If I am not sorry and if I am not shy Am I not a woman if I don't cry My hands are soiled and stained If you can't hold on, then how come you came My hands are soiled and stained I have never been small or weak If you loved me, would you love a beast I have never been coy, nor meek If you let me in, I would sing you a song You have never been loved by a heart so strong If you let me in, I could need you a litte Does it feel right or does it feel wrong Are you not a man if I hold my own Are you not a man if I like to be alone If I call it as I see it, If I'm solid as a stone Are you not a man If I hold my own My hands are soiled and stained If you can't hold on, then how come you came My hands are soiled and stained I have never been small or weak If you loved me, would you love a beast I have never been coy, nor meek My hands are soiled and stained If you can't hold on, then how come you came My hands are soiled and stained
6.
7.
You've got your hands buried deep in the soil Stones making holes in your jeans You're planting chard and kale mighty early Planting your potatoes deep Whatever's coming, it's coming fast It's showing signs of hostility Whatever's coming won't catch you by surprise You're gonna be ready You build your fences eight feet high You'll keep your garden safe inside You're canning everything you can find Every mason jar is just a little piece of mind Whatever's coming, it's coming fast It's showing signs of hostility Whatever's coming won't catch you by surprise You're gonna be ready You don't stockpile, you don't hoard You take nothing from the grocery store You're an independent woman, don't need no man You've got enough mouths to feed, don't want one more Once you did have love, a lot of good that did Left you more empty than you were before But you've still got two strong hands and a capable mind and Rows of carrots and rows of corn Whatever's coming, it's coming fast It's showing signs of hostility Whatever's coming won't catch you by surprise You're gonna be ready You keep your hand tools as sharp as your knives You've gone back to horses Can't stand the TV, can't take that noise Can't take those ugly voices You love the beating of the raven's wings, the song of the chickadee the calming thunder You've got your fathers rifle and your grandmother's rosary And you're doing fine without her Whatever's coming, it's coming fast It's showing signs of hostility Whatever's coming won't catch you by surprise You're gonna be ready
8.
Loose Ends 04:10
You begged me to save you For two weeks steady If there was anything I could do, hell I would've done it already But you're too far gone You're gonna drag me in with you And I can't love you in that foolish way I used to do. Well this ain't school anymore This ain't those disposable years You asked me to come with you just to tell everybody that you ain't here "I haven't seen him in days I haven't seen him around We don't talk anymore, he must have left town." All those other women who go for this type of thing Can't you ask one of them a favour, can't you give one of them a ring? Would she just blow your cover? Is she incapable of deceit? All those ne'er-do-well ladies can't keep your loose ends neat I'm gonna stick you with the label Do not resuscitate Do not attempt to mend this man, for he has chosen his fate Been there, done that Bought the bobble-head doll You can save one or two, can't you, but you can't save them all. You begged me to save you For two weeks steady If there was anything I could do, hell I would've done it already
9.
Lone Wolf 04:41
I am a lone wolf I am a lone wolf I am alone Well if you hear me crying out you will know without a doubt that I'm alone Alone If you don't want to be my man If you only want me for the night Wanna take something from me Wanna waste my time If you're afraid out in the woods If your scared in the wild If you won't make it till the morning This ain't worth my while I am a lone wolf I am a lone wolf I am alone Well if you hear me crying out, you will know without a doubt that I'm alone Alone Just another hungry hunter Just a trapper in the hills Doesn't know just what he's after But he's out to kill Says the chirping of the birds Says the chattering of the squirrels Says the wise grey owl Awoooooooo I am a lone wolf I am a lone wolf I am alone Well if you hear me crying out, you will know without a doubt that I'm alone Alone
10.
Talisman 03:58
I made this talisman for you I made it out of holly And apple seeds and little shells from the west-coast beach And if he ever falls into your sight You'll fill him up with honey And berry wine, and cherry pie And love so sweet Don't you break it I spent all that time making it Don't you break it I spent all that time making it I know there's never been a man who's touched you kind You wanna rewind your life, but you can't seem to find the time And all you know to do it run and hide, you're burning up inside But you can never let it out, you stay high and dry Well I made this talisman for you I made it out of holly And apple seeds and little shells from the west-coast beach And if he ever falls into your sight You'll fill him up with honey And berry wine, and cherry pie And love so sweet Don't you break it I spent all that time making it Don't you break it I spent all that time making it I see that you've got fighting arms and willing eyes Why don't you fight for your own right to freedom And I will hold you myself if it will make it any better I will hold you all night if it will help And I made this talisman for you I made it out of holly And apple seeds and little shells from the west-coast beach And if he ever falls into your sight You'll fill him up with honey And berry wine, and cherry pie And love so sweet Don't you break it I spent all that time making it Don't you break it I spent all that time making it
11.
Dynamite 07:41
You say that I'll forget you, but that ain't right How could I forget you and your dynamite And your dad who buys you liquor by the case And hopes that you'll forget my god-forsaken face But I ain't the one who done you wrong No I ain't the one who done you wrong Just turn around and look at what your daddy done And you will see that I ain't the one And I swore that oath in front of the whole damn town And it's your bad reputation's gonna bring me down And what was I to say, since there were other folks around When you and your daddy blew old greeny down I ain't the one who done you wrong No I ain't the one who done you wrong Just turn around and look at what your daddy done And you will see that I ain't the one And you and your daddy in the motel room And me in the back seat, shaking in my boots And that fucking sound when you blew it down And how fast the cops swarmed all around And your dad, he never could drive Should've stayed sober this one time And I ain't the one who done you wrong And you will see that I ain't the one

about

Tightropes & Loose Ends pulls together tracks from three years of collaboration between singer-songwriter, Bet Smith and multi-instrumentalists, Rob and Andrew Currie. The album title highlights their newest single, Tightropes, along with the band’s first release, Loose Ends – the two tracks acting as bookends to a period of time over which strangers met, made music, developed a familial bond, let art consume their lives, pushed, pulled, and eventually returned to reality.
Throughout this period, Bet Smith and the Currie Brothers were joined by several friends and family members - most importantly, Sarah Girdwood, who joined the band in 2016 and became an honorary and essential Currie Brother. A handful of celebrated Canadian musicians made their way onto the album’s tracks, as did friends from the nearby pub and patrons of Currie’s Music, the brothers’ vintage music store.
The album (which exists as a double-EP on vinyl) is largely dark and brooding in both sound and subject matter. Pulsing rhythms and ambient instrumentals build off of a folk foundation, creating an affecting overall sound that is difficult to label. Alt-country and indie-pop influences are clearly apparent on a number of tracks, while others lean heavily into less-structured, experimental genres.
Re-appearing themes include nature and commentary regarding the environmental crises, personal accounts of shadowy events, the less-than-fluffy side of love, and an overall questioning of human desire.
Produced by Rob Currie, Tightropes & Loose Ends was predominantly recorded and mixed in a dimly lit, cozy studio tucked away in the Currie brothers' vintage music store in Gravenhurst, Ontario.

credits

released December 31, 2017

BET SMITH - VOCALS, ACOUSTIC GUITAR (All songs), BANJO (Lone Wolf), ORGAN (What Matters Most, Hurricane), KEYBOARD (Fires, Talking to Strangers), XYLOPHONE (What Matters Most, Loose Ends), CLAPPING, PERCUSSION & SOUND EFFECTS (Various)

ANDREW CURRIE - DRUMS (Most songs), BASS (Tightropes,Fires, Call It As I See It, Dynamite), OCTAVE DOUBLE BASS
(Tightropes, Hurricane, Loose Ends), THEREMIN (Fires), TAURUS PEDALS (Fires), DOBRO (Lone Wolf), ORGAN (Talisman,
Dynamite, Call It As I See It), GLOCKENSPIEL (Dynamite), WOODEN STOOL LEGS (Signs of Hostility), CLAPPING &
PERCUSSION (Various)

ROB CURRIE - ELECTRIC GUITAR (Most songs), BASS (What Matters Most, Hurricane, Talking to Strangers, Loose Ends,
Talisman, Signs of Hostility), CLAPPING & PERCUSSION (Various)

SARAH GIRDWOOD - HARMONY VOCALS (Tightropes, Fires, Hurricane, Call It As I See It, Talking to Strangers), CLAPPING
& PERCUSSION (Tightropes)

MIRANDA MULHOLLAND - VIOLIN (What Matters Most)

ALEXANDER ‘SASCHA’ TUKATSCH - DRUMS, TAMBOURINE & RUSTY CHAIN (Call It As I See It)

JOHNNY FAY - AFRICAN BELL & TENOR TOM (Loose Ends)

IAN HANSEN - LAYERED VOCALS (Tightropes)

JAMES SEVAZLIAN - CLAPPING & PERCUSSION (Tightropes, Talisman)

LUKE THOMPSON, BRONWYN SMITH - CLAPPING (Talisman)

ALL SONGS WRITTEN BY BET SMITH (Ashlea-Elizabeth Smith, SOCAN/ASCAP) EXCEPT “TALKING TO STRANGERS” WRITTEN BY BET SMITH AND ROB CURRIE

PRODUCED ,ENGINEERED AND MIXED BY ROB CURRIE IN GRAVENHURST, ONTARIO, CANADA

RECORDED AT CURRIE’S MUSIC IN GRAVENHURST, EXCEPT “TIGHTROPES” WHICH WAS RECORDED AT A FRIEND’S
COTTAGE ON LAKE JOSEPH

MASTERED BY JOÃO CARVALHO AT JOÃO CARVALHO MASTERING IN TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA

THANKS TO ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE LISTED ABOVE. ALSO THANKS TO OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO LORI HIRST, JAMES BUNTON AND JAMES SEVAZLIAN FOR TIME, EARS AND SPACE.

This project is funded by The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent On Recordings (FACTOR) with the support of
the Government of Canada and Canada’s private radio
broadcasters.

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Bet Smith Gravenhurst, Ontario

Bet Smith is a Canadian alternative folk singer-songwriter who weaves environmental and socio-political philosophy into rich, reflective compositions. With a voice that is gentle and familiar, Smith offers elegant melodies locked to lyrics that are paced and precise. ... more

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