We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Tales

by Mark Westin

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $12 USD  or more

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    If you have a CD player, you'll want to put this disc in it.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Tales via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 7 days

      $12 USD or more 

     

  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    If you've got a turntable, treat yourself to this disc on heavy 180-gram vinyl.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Tales via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 7 days

      $18 USD or more 

     

1.
The red tabby cat curls up on the bar Not far from the warming fire The barkeeper wipes off the brass with his towel Cleaning up, winding down In a booth by the door is a monsignor Who has fallen asleep on his beer Just over his head, a notice that read To those who pass through these portals, have no fear Honest men, grifters, young poets and old-time drifters All are welcome here Couples conspire in corners and snugs Unaware of the ravenous eyes A singular student takes solace in stout Hoisting up, drinking down At the back are the boys trying prurient ploys To advance their romantic careers Through courtship and cuckoldry, love, lies, and lust Furtive glances and devious smiles and genuine tears Honest men, grifters, young poets and old-time drifters All are welcome here Who are we now And when we’re in our cups Then who do we become? When we open the tap, what comes out? When we’ve emptied a glass or three, who do we want to be? This room has heard all of it much more than once And it’s saved many lives in its time There’s been quite a few kittens and keepers Curling up, wiping down Even when it’s unspoken These walls understand when a spirit gets broken With silent compassion for lost generations Lost weekends and hours and years, they say loud and clear Honest men, grifters, young poets and old-time drifters All are welcome here
2.
Bring God In 02:45
Bring God in off the porch he’s probably getting wet out there See if he wants some soup or something, help him dry that mane of hair I know we talked about this but I don’t know why he’s here I mean shouldn’t he be somewhere lifting hearts or striking fear? Now don’t misunderstand, I’m glad he likes our little place He laughs when I play that Stones tune goes, ‘I just wanna see his face’ And if the neighbors argue with me I just smile and nod Then settle the dispute by saying ‘let’s just go ask god’ But for all of his magnificence I need you to explain Why this dude don’t have the common sense to come in out of the rain And how come he appears as an old white guy in a robe And why is he a he? I think god might be a transphobe It shouldn’t be too hard for God to show up in another shape A woman or a penguin or a cactus or a grape So really what’s his purpose here and why’d we let him stay? He doesn’t seem to care that we’re all sinning almost every day He’s using our good towels and he leaves them on the floor Can’t he just change the weather so it’s not such a downpour? And for all his grace and blessings he don’t keep us safe from harm On second thought don’t bring God in just let him crash out in the barn
3.
‘Hey Tinkerbell,’ I said, ‘Why you still hanging around? I’d think someone like you got better things to do than stay in this dead-end town.’ There was one bare bulb chasing off the gloom in that dingy little room She was flying around throwing shadows until she set herself down on the sill She said, ‘Tell you the truth, here’s a good place as any you’ll see. This fairy life ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. Now gimme another shot, will ya?’ I poured out a stiff one and placed it by her side She inhaled the aroma and smiled Then her wings started beating and she lifted straight up Did a pirouette in midair and dove into the cup It occurred to me then that I never had reason to think How a pint-sized fairy would handle a life-size drink Then I laughed ‘cause I thought, ‘But that’s Tink.’ ‘Ooh, I’m gettin’ tipsy,’ she shouted to me when her nose appeared over the rim She pushed back her whisky-soaked hair from her face and flashed me that tiny grin ‘Be careful,’ I said, ‘or I’m cutting you off,’ but that only made Tinkerbell smirk ‘I’m a fairy you asshole, you can’t fuck with me I got spells I can throw make your dick cease to work.’ I said, ‘Look at us, Tink, in this pitiful state, I thought all fairy tales ended happy?’ ‘First of all, nothing’s ended,’ said Tinkerbell, ‘yet. So enjoy where you’re at. Now hit me again, make it snappy.’ ‘You ain’t happy?’ She asked as I refilled her glass. ‘You got everything necessary. Got a roof, got your booze, got your love for the blues Not to mention your very own personal fairy.’ Then she’s up in the air for a brief arabesque and a nice triple backflip down And I wondered if this was the price of her fame as I watched her splash into the brown Then the next thing I see, she’s off blowing chunks in the sink And I knew in that moment no one would believe me, but I’ll never care what they think I’ll just laugh and I’ll say,’Well, that’s Tink.’
4.
I was snoring in bed when the telephone rang The clock on the nightstand said quarter past two At the end of the line the detective’s voice said ‘We ID’d the body, concluded for sure that the corpse is you’ I wasn’t surprised, it wasn’t even the worst of my fears The fact of the matter is I been dead for years Let me tell you the tale how this whole mess began Crept up on me slowly and hid in my shoe Worked its way up my leg, made a stop in my pants Hung a left to my heart and then shot to my brain out my skull clean through I didn’t feel pain, you know I didn’t feel much for awhile I just started to notice it got a bit harder to get the bartender to smile I been dead, I been dead for years You’d never know it but I been dead for years Kept my clothes and my hair in best possible shape As I started decaying and falling apart As for whiskey and joe well they just went right through But I brushed my last tooth and made sure that my ribs didn’t puncture my heart Went out on some dates, but we couldn’t quite seem to mesh I guess those girls didn’t dig the smell of rotting flesh I been dead, I been dead for years You’d never know it but I been dead for years I know what you’re saying, it’s hard to believe You think you really know somebody then you find you’ve been deceived It wasn’t on purpose, I swear that it’s true You see you’ll do the same when it happens to you I been dead, I been dead for years You’d never know it but I been dead for years
5.
'It's a terrible business,' said Vito the fat man 'But what are ya gonna do? 'They'll yank out your teeth and cut off your head Right out on tenth avenue.' We were sitting in lawn chairs in hot August sun Just watching the traffic roll by Vito just sighed and took out his gun For a moment I thought he was gonna cry 'It's been 30-some years I been running this car wash Took it over from my old dad Never knew when I started it'd last me this long It's a grind but ya know I'm glad.' 'Hey Richie,' he called in his baritone growl Get out here and bring us some beers. Ya know he's a good kid, pretty wise for his age All this'll be his in a coupla years.' Vito stared into space for a second reflecting Then went back to cleaning his gun 'It's a shame hafta do this in this day and age But I sure as shit ain't gonna run.' Richie poked through the door with a six in his hand Set it down on the ground by his chair Took his lighter and popped 'em and passed 'em around Pushed his hand through his overgrown hair 'They comin' again? Why you're cleaning your piece?' Richie asked and he took a sip. Vito nodded, 'I think we just best be prepared,’ Looked around and said 'I got a tip.' Then he looked at me somber and said 'Listen Mikey, You finish your beer and you go. It's for your own good if you're not in this hood There's some shit you just don't wanna know.' 'It's a terrible business,' said Vito again 'But what am I gonna do? It's the price that you pay each and every day Just to stay out on tenth avenue.'
6.
I had a dream about you But it was not really you It was a different more random version of you She dressed just like you And seemed to know what to do But when I looked in her eyes she was anything but true Though I thought she was cute Like I think you are too I knew it just wouldn't last I tried to make some conversation But it went nowhere fast It was a dream and it was a blur But one thing’s for sure l like you better than her You’re not the girl of my dreams And let's keep it that way Don’t be the girl of my dreams in the morning I want her to go away And you to stay She was nervous and noisy Repeated things twice She had opinions that weren’t really nice She said ‘whatever’ a lot It wasn’t all that hot It was hard for me even To be at her place She had redecorated in really bad taste Every room was royal blue You woulda hated it too It was a dream and it was a blur But one thing’s for sure l like you better than her You’re not the girl of my dreams And let's keep it that way Don’t be the girl of my dreams in the morning I want her to go away And you to stay
7.
The Last Bus 02:26
I grew up around here and I’m gonna be clear It’s not much of a place to come from I got most of my school at the bar shooting pool You could say that my people are kindly but dumb I remember the day Buddy came up to me With a light of some sort in his eyes He said, ‘Here’s an idea, let’s go travel the world There’s just so many new things that we oughta try’ Well I gave it some thought but perhaps not enough When he asked me again I said no Which is why I was there at the depot that night Watching Buddy hop on to the last bus and go Summer turned into fall, nothing happened at all Just like nothing had happened before Tore a page off the calendar every day While the small talk went on at the general store And I stayed at the bar banking shots off the rail Downing shots just to help me get through And from Buddy I never heard anything more Where he ended up nobody round these parts knew Now it’s been a few years, OK more than a few I still kick it around in my head What would I have become if I’d taken that chance Maybe famous or wealthy or hungry or dead Which is why I’m out here at the depot tonight With my boots and a fresh change of clothes Got a ticket one way, got no reason to stay I’ll be on the last bus just to see where it goes
8.
Sideman 05:06
I’m not the kinda guy you take home I’m not the man you call your own I’m not the leader of your dream band I’m only here to lend a hand And disappear in the glow But I just want you to know I’m your sideman I’m here to make you look good I’m your sideman And I’ll be right where I should I’m your sideman when your front man’s come and gone I’ll keep rockin on and on and on I'm tender and tasteful but I can be bold Loud or soft I can follow your lead I'll learn all your licks just the way that you like ‘em And play them as long as you need I’m your sideman I’m here to make you look good I’m your sideman And I’ll be right where I should I’m your sideman when your front man’s come and gone I’ll keep rockin on and on and on When you ran through the changes and you got a little lost Your sideman stepped it up and held it down When everything is said and done until you come around to one Your sideman’s always gonna come around I may not be the one to keep forever But for now I’m gonna keep you in the groove I got skills that you can use any way and time you choose High and hard or low and slow I got a lot of tasty moves I’m your sideman I’m here to make you look good I’m your sideman And I’ll be right where I should I’m your sideman when your front man lets you down You’ll be glad you got a sideman in town When your frontman lets you down You'll be glad you got a sideman around
9.
One More Day 02:41
Sometimes when it’s quiet I get an inspiration And I realize it came from you There was just a way you used to think about things That always seemed to pull me through Sometimes when it’s quiet I try to hear your voice But it’s just the silent words in my head It always makes me smile when I see a situation And imagine what you would have said Now that you’re gone I just carry on But I’m feeling a little bit worthless Treasure the moments you had is what they say But I would give all those treasures away To spend just one more day with you Sometimes when it’s quiet I like to get lost in dreams Cause they give me a reason I’m walking the same streets you knew so well Marking time with the change of the seasons Sometimes when it’s quiet i wonder where you are now And the things that you see Are you bigger than time and space in that place Do you finally know what it means to be free? Now that you’re gone I’m still moving on But I wonder if there’s a purpose You can’t put a price on friendship is what they say But whatever it costs i would gladly pay To spend just one more day with you
10.
I killed a goat with folks I met one summer in Kentucky I chopped its head off with an axe. It came off clean, I was first time lucky We split it down the middle and we threw it on the fire Then drank moonshine and watched it roast. It took a little while The head was lying on the ground. Its eyes were wide and staring I picked it up, it blinked at me and then it started swearing ‘Hey, what the fuck?’ The goat exclaimed. ‘The hell did you just do? Perhaps before you take a life You oughta think it through’ I started to say something but the words caught in my throat ‘What's wrong?’ he said, ‘cat got your tongue? Or did I get your goat?’ The folks around the fire were all caught up in their beer I grabbed the head and moved away where nobody could hear I put him down upon a rock and looked him in the eye ‘I know,’ he said ‘you wanna ask me what’s it like to die?’ He said ‘I’d ask the same of you. So, what’s it like to kill?’ Did you feel pain, remorse or shame, or was it just a thrill?’ ‘I’ve seen your kind before,’ he said, and gave a little grin ‘You’d travel round the world just tryin’ to find where you fit in’ ‘You wear the hats and learn the lines and hope nobody sees You’re just a poser passing as a poet. Oh, bitch, please’ I didn’t have a comeback, ‘cause I knew that he was right It sure was turning out to be an interesting night And though he’d put me in my place already once or twice The only think that I could think to ask was his advice The goat stuck out his tongue at me, said, ‘Try this on for style Stop following your heart, and use your head once in a while’ ‘The best advice that I can give I learned from my old granny Don’t be a stupid Billy always chasing after Nannys’ ‘Just look around at all these clowns, it's all a feast of fools. Don't try to play their game, son, figure out your own damn rules.’ The goat head sighed, ‘Now leave me here, and get your ass to bed I'm sure you're pretty drunk now, and I'm really kinda dead’ When I woke up the next day my head was two feet thick There’d been some moonshine after all, and I felt slightly sick I tried to put together what I’d heard the night before Did I get wisdom from a goat? I wasn’t really sure In any case I hit the road and left that place behind But I couldn’t shake the questions that the beast put in my mind I killed a goat one summer night and it got pretty gory I’ve only killed once more since then, but that’s another story

about

Tales is Mark Westin's 4th full-length album. The unifying thread is that all the songs are character-driven narratives. Think of this album like a book of short stories. You can start at the beginning and go through to the end, or you can dip in and choose one that appeals to you at the moment, then put it down and return later for another.

Tales was recorded live in studio. The musicians all played together in the same room, and none of the songs took more than three takes to nail down. The entire album was completed in two days. Backing vocals and a few instrumental tracks were overdubbed, but the guts of what you hear is the first or second time Mark and the band had ever played the song.

credits

released April 10, 2023

Mark Westin: Guitars, lead & background vocals
with The Restless Age:
Will Bryant: Keyboards, mandolin & vocals
Lee Falco: Drums, percussion & vocals
Brandon Morrison: Bass & vocals

Produced by Mark Westin with Brandon, Lee and Will
Recorded and Mixed by Brandon Morrison at The Building, Marlboro, NY
Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music, Cornwall, NY
All songs written by Mark Westin
Published by Spinach World Music/BMI

This album is dedicated to Mike Herron & RIck Gedney

license

tags

about

Mark Westin Newburgh, New York

"Heartfelt lyrics, soulful melody and enchanting vocals" -Honk Magazine

"Absolutely stunning and moving"-Existential Magazine

"Downright transcendent"-We Write About Music

Mark's been gigging and writing a long time, and he's a wordsmith of a very high order. His songs are diverse, eclectic, darkly humorous, and for real.

Listen and decide for yourself.
... more

contact / help

Contact Mark Westin

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Mark Westin, you may also like: