avard woolaver

at Night Kitchen Splendid on Oct 2 2010.

"A Solitary Bee" is a song about the passage of time, and growing older. It's also about each doing his or her part for the environment. When people think of bees they imagine the social variety. But in fact, the majority of bees are solitary, living out their lives as single bees, making single nest cells rather than working together with other bees to raise offspring in shared nests. They produce neither honey nor beeswax, but do a lot of pollinating. They live solitary lifestyles, so they don't join up with other bees to try and sting you. They're pacifists—hardly bothering to defend their own nests. The solitary bee creates a lonely image, yet there something admirable about their solitude. You can purchase this song on iTunes: itunes.apple.com Here are the lyrics: A solitary bee Just a solitary bee Striking a vein of glittering ideals More precious than the gleam of wonder More potent than the foolish plunder Falling from the rail Hands upon the grail Steeped in greed and stirred with anger A poison cup of pride For the winning team it was only a dream [chorus:] Time is the master Horizons coming faster A single golden C On a polyester tree Reminds us of where our hearts are hidden Youthful looks will render The champion's ego tender A solitary bee In semantic mystery Shrouded by a lonely veil No suitors come to call All is empty and lost until the fall [chorus] A solitary bee Just a solitary bee Striking a vein of glittering ideals More precious than the gleam of ...

"Black Train" explores feelings of alienation and depression that come from living in a different culture in a distant country. I spent six years in Nagoya, Japan, back in the '80s. While most of my experiences there were positive, I occasionally slipped onto the black train. These days I try to stay on the sunny side. In writing this song, I was influenced by The Doors, and The Tragically Hip. It is now available on iTunes: itunes.apple.com Black Train Scattered words going down the drain Heading south like a runaway train Can't see the future, can't see the past The very next turn could be my last Face to face with me But darkness is all I see Black Train Into the day, into the night Pipe dreams lashed to the tail of a kite I'm riding this comet all alone Mission control has all gone home Face to face with me But darkness is all I see Black Train Steel wheels, they won't slow down Drifting through this ancient town There is no throttle, there is no brake There is no destination to make Face to face with me But darkness is all I see Black Train [spoken:] The fog had rolled into Aichi Prefecture like a dark curtain. I was on the night train bound for Nagoya. In the air there was a smell of ancient dust, like I was breathing the sediment of a million sunrises. I fell asleep for some time, and when I awoke I was alone on an empty train. I stumbled out into the cold arms of darkness. The trust is shaking The crust is quaking The chain is breaking My mind is baking Face to ...