Oh, my laws.
Life is such a wretched, reckless albatross
Round your neck,
swinging like an anvil chandelier
And you’re spinning straw
from mines and mines of gold
Who knew you could make
poverty out of that prosperity?
Wait until your heart is broken,
Wait until your baby’s choking
Then you’ll know you know the world unkind.
Black on black,
funeral procession down the block and back
To mourn the loss
of every shooting star you never saw.
Maybe one day you will lay them in their plot,
But the procession never stops.
Wait until your heart is broken,
Wait until your baby’s choking
Then you’ll know you know the world unkind.
So cuff that wrist to St. Sebastian
[and shudder just a little bit]
To watch the sun eclipsed by arrows falling.
The Saint is calling,
But you won’t step away
Wait until your heart is broken,
Wait until your baby’s choking
Then you’ll know you know the world unkind.
Wait until your heartbeat breaks,
Wait until your whole soul aches,
‘Til you suffer and nobody minds
Then you’ll know you know the world unkind.
credits
from Paul Jacobsen And The Madison Arm,
released September 27, 2008
George Brunt: bass, vocal
Rory Carrerra: drums,
Dustin Christensen: acoustic guitar, vocal
Brian Hardy: Hammond B3, vocal
Ryan Tanner: Wurlitzer, vocal
Scott Wiley: electric guitar, vocal
Paul Jacobsen: vocal, acoustic guitars
supported by 4 fans who also own “The World Unkind”
This is thoughtful and melancholy, but not morose -- there is hope in its sheer beauty. Her sensitivity as an arranger and producer is as impressive as her songwriting and singing; the whole album has a lovely sense of texture and space. Joe Madden