Reviews-
Alannah Myles-
"Thank you so much. The lyrics for 'They Stoned Her' are as beautifully written as they sound when they are sung. I hope that because it has moved me, the Universe will find a home for it somewhere. I know exactly what I would do with it sung acapella in 3 part harmony with only a simple tapping percussion. A very sad song that strikes a stringent chord in today's need to put an end to archaic religious beliefs. Many thanks for following your heart."
Heywood Banks-
"I'll tell you up front,this is an odd album. Odd, wonderful, obscure, illogical, surprising unexpected, mysterious and yet new and comfortable as an old pair of women's underwear. A great Sunday morning album! 'Wild Awake' combines folk, jazz, rock, broadway standards and classical elements. But the main thing is that wonderful voice! Warm, intimate and wise. Truly one of a kind! I hope you share my love for the music and writing of John Lyle!
Simon Atherley-
"I know John personally; indeed I even wrote and played the guitar part on ` A New Bandana'. It is only fair you should know this before you read the rest of this review... However, I write not because of my very small part in this fine album's making, nor because Wild Awake provides a welcome and eclectic mix of musical whimsy, lost love's musings and lyrical intrigues. Nor am I writing because it is rare to find such lovingly crafted, yet uninhibited, home-grown gems.
No. The reason I write this review is because of one track in particular, "They Stoned Her", which for me is the stand-out track of the entire album. In a "PC" world, where confused liberals substitute natural and justified human outrage for "cultural and religious tolerance", Lyle drags us into a contemporary scene of medieval horror, a true crime against humanity. Quite frankly, if there really is such thing, then Lyle's deeply mourning vocal and sad poetry of outrage acts like the secret filming of the nearest thing you'll get to pure evil on this earth. I defy anyone to listen to "They Stoned Her", and not be horrified. I'd like to see a film with this as the closing song. No doubt it would be banned..."
The cover shot is of a stranger in a strange land. On the move, standing still, mercurial and static with the world on his back. The eye of the beholder is strange and true, capable of quick forgetting and slow cooking.
The music inside is something else. It is to be avoided. Under no circumstances expose yourself to ‘Wild Awake’. If you find it necessary, or have the uncontrollable urge to dive into the deep end of this of this river of no return, start with track one and take Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum with you.
Wild Awake Lyrics-
Track One-
ABOVE THE RAIN
Above the rain like a child against a broken window pane
All the lines in a nursery rhyme can’t find that time again
Nothing like the dawn to brighten your day
Wave her magic wand her magical way
Above the rain like a weathervane, with nowhere to turn
Folding grass don’t know to ask gods for air to burn
Nothing like the dawn to brighten your day
Wave her magic wand her magical way
Above the rain, like a man insane, upon a fiery steed
Frozen hooves destroy the roofs above what lies beneath
Nothing like the dawn to brighten your day
Wave her magic wand her magical way
Above the rain, on another plane, you can see everything’s alright
The sky is blue and the wind blows through ribbons of pure light
Nothing like the dawn to brighten your day
Wave her magic wand her magical way
Over and over and over and over again
Track 2
I THOUGHT I SAW YOU
I thought I saw you where the weeping willows grow
Down by the river wearing someone elses clothes
Then the wind did change and softly touch my brow
As if to say, I am with you now
But when I looked again you were no longer there
Not but a shadow held my world of stormy care
I’d sworn remembrance soon forgotten with the day
Everything appears to pass away
I thought I saw you but my seeing was in vain
When all I wanted was to see you once again
I thought I saw you where the hills of evening glow
You were wearing someone elses clothes
Track 3-
HOLD ON AS SHE GOES
Outside The Golden Lantern hoboes wear no clothes
They set a certain standard I’m gonna go below
Look at the faceless wonder blowing through the rye
Tripping ‘cross the tundra, thrilling to the sky
The pouring rain keeps saying hold on as she goes
There’s no time to waste in this Holy place
Hold on as she goes
The milk of human kindness warming in the sun
How better to remind us, nothing will be done
The pouring rain keeps saying hold on as she goes
There’s no time to waste in this Holy place
Hold on as she goes
Outside The Golden Lantern the fires have gone cold
The homeless search the ashes for the things they’ve been told
The pouring rain keeps saying hold on as she goes
There’s no time to waste in this Holy place
Hold on as she goes
Track 4
THEY STONED HER
She wore the scarlet letter like a chain
Across the wellspring of her heart
Those who knew no better turned their backs
And stole the rocks from her hearth
They stoned her in the foothills where she’d left the chosen path
They stoned her with her buried up unto the neck in sand
These are the twisted teachings from the ancient, ragged throat
Of a misbegotten shadow from the nightmare of a goat
In the lonesome valley broken blossoms scent the morning air
No one builds a coffin while a child is held aloft to stare
They stoned her in the foothills where she’d left the chosen path
They stoned her with her buried up unto the neck in sand
These are the twisted teachings from the ancient, ragged throat
Of a misbegotten shadow from the nightmare of a goat
Track 5
SHADOW OF THE WASTELAND
In the shadow of the wasteland in the desert of the heart
All the threads have come unravelled, all the dogs have lost their bark
In the shadow of the wasteland where the heathen start to pray
Like the rain must fall, they’ll be leavin’ there someday
In the shadow of the wasteland they’re buried where they stand
Trying to get heaven in a strange and distant land
In the shadow of the wasteland there ain’t nothin’ left to say
Like the rain must fall, they’ll be leavin’ there someday
They got the motor runnin’ but they have nowhere to go
They hear the cattle lowin’ but they got no horn to blow
In the shadow of the wasteland in the desert of the heart
Something’s always coming and it’s always off the chart
In the shadow of the wasteland there ain’t nothin’ left to say
Like the rain must fall, they’ll be leavin’ there someday
Track 6
A NEW BANDANA
Cut-throat morons with their bloody horns and their bodies made of beer
Oh Susanna, got a new bandana but I won’t wear it here
There’s a place where the shining face of freedom takes a stand
Whosoever’s gonna hold together way down in Neverland
You start out golden then you wind up holding
All the things your mother told you
You had to know to get to go, where it is you’ll never know
The sacrifice you’ll have to make to find your calling
Oh so many tears keep falling
Screw repentance, it’s a whole life sentence and that’s a lot of years
Oh Susanna, got a new bandana but I won’t wear it here
There’s a place where the shining face of freedom takes a stand
Whosoever’s gonna hold together way down in Never
Down in Never, down in Never, down in Never, down in Neverland
I felt much better when I wrote that letter ‘bout the moonshadow
And the old ladder, and the silver that fell from your hair
I felt so shattered when it still mattered I’m too cold to care
Screw repentance, it’s a whole life sentence and that’s a lot of years
Oh Susanna, got a new bandana but I won’t wear it here
There’s a place where the shining face
Of freedom takes a stand
Whosoever’s gonna hold together
Way down in Never, down in Never, down in Never
Down in Never, down in Never, down in Never, down in Neverland
Track 7
NO ONE KNOWS
No one knows where minutes go to while away the hours
No one knows they find repose in shadows of the flowers
Down the road where no one knows the twists and turns abide
You and me go flyin’ free on wings of butterflies
No one knows how tender shows of colour touch the heart
No one knows the dying throes of winter like the lark
Down the road where no one knows the twists and turns abide
You and me go flyin’ free on wings of butterflies
No one knows and so it goes, the staggered poets chime
No one knows the plight of those who live their lives in time
Down the road where no one knows the twists and turns abide
You and me go flyin’ free on wings of butterflies
Track 8
LOVE IS
Love is hot, love is cold
Love will still be in our hearts
When we’ve grown old
If you’ll take my hand, we’ll go on making plans
Til we both understand love anew
Love is me, love is you
Love is still the only system that’ll do
If you’ll take my hand we’ll go on making plans
Til we both understand love anew
Many’s the couple get into trouble driven apart by their pride
Loving is giving and only by giving can loving be made to survive
Love goes out, loves comes in
Love is true and what we’ve really always been
If you’ll take my hand we’ll go on making plans
Til we both understand love anew
Track 9
ANOTHER GOLDEN DREAM
All my roses refuse to tantalize
They ain’t for tellin’ no more lies
No striking poses
Where the red dirt road divides
Ain’t no need for no disguise
Who lights a candle
When the moon is on the rise
Where is the fortress for my pride
Another golden dream has set upon this town
Who builds a house to burn it down
Any number trust the winds of change
Holy freedom in a cage
All asunder, scattered to the age
Falling down into a rage
Who lights a candle
When the moon is on the rise
Where is the fortress for my pride
Another golden dream has set upon this town
Who builds a house to burn it down
Track 10
THE MOURNING DOVE
Was a mourning dove in the old grey window
I heard his song, I don’t know when though
For my eyes did cloud with unknown sorrows
That had blinded me to the day
Was a mourning dove on the highest rafter
The heartless spoke their final answer
To the waiting crowd whose moment shattered
Into pieces cold as the clay
It’s a rising up and laying down
Of a boundless love and thorny crown
It’s a rising up and laying down
Was a mourning dove in the sweet hereafter
Who sang his song of joy and laughter
With an endless heart where it’s all looked after
And the rolling sky’s never grey
It’s a rising up and laying down
Of a boundless love and thorny crown
It’s a rising up and laying down
Track 11
THE WALLS OF JERICHO
Sunbeams echo through the twilight of time
Broken shadows come and render us blind
Can’t read the writing on the walls of Jericho
Phantom thieves with no eyes of delight
Bare their arms in the house of blue lights
That’s what you get inside the walls of Jericho
Out on borrowed air the crooked bay moons
Ammunition for the crack of the runes
Thrown again against the walls of Jericho
What can be hides behind the night
Like a rope of sand, it just can’t stand the light
Fingerprints on the mirror of the mind
Wash away with the tears of the tide
Still and gone beside the walls of Jericho
Track 12
OPEN WIDE
Against the drift of reason
There appeared another season
Darkness could not hide
All that had closed was open wide
Shifting like the weather
With the fortunes of a feather
Much to my surprise
All that had closed was open wide
Always loosely woven
When a pledge from the beholden
Need not be denied
All that had closed was open wide
Wholly out of balance
Like the wonderland of Alice
Outside battle lines
All that had closed was open wide
Track 13
I KNOW WHO I AM
I know who I am, I know why I’m here
I know who I am, now I understand
What was far is near
You can take my eyes, you can take my ears
You can take my heart but the loving part
Will not disappear
Is it any wonder how clear the truth can be
Was I expecting thunder and lightning to set me free
You have searched the sky, you have searched the sea
You can search the sands for a thousand lands
But you won’t find me
Is it any wonder how clear the truth can be
Was I expecting thunder and lightning to help me see
I am that which drives this body
I am that which made it be
And I will break it down
And wash it to the sea
Bio-
Headed for a career as an English professor in the mid 1960’s, John Lyle was ‘broadsided’ by Bob Dylan and The Beatles. His degree went out the window, and so did he, playing in a series of bands and then performing on Canadian network television and radio as a solo act. He was also signed to two record labels during this era, but realized that because of his highly sensitive nature he was not cut out for the performing life. John returned to his home in the Vancouver area, and devoted himself to his family, supporting them with a career that may have been more dangerous than the performance stage. He became a postman. John Lyle’s wonderful body of work is evidence of a life lived on the streets and in the home, filled with all the love and loss and joy and despair that are part and parcel of being alive. The songs are vital, not written to imitate a commercial trend or to fulfill a contract, but to reflect the intensity of experience and to remain sane..........
'John's songs are amazing!' Frazee Ford (The Be Good Tanyas)..........
'We love John Lyle. We listen to him all the time.' The Sumner Brothers..........
'There's lots of nice stuff on there!' Paul Rodgers (Bad Company; Free; Queen).........
‘Magnificent!’ Robert Altman..........
John Lyle will take you gently to your safe place, and then sneak up on you with a song as uncompromisingly ferocious as a grizzly in a maternity ward.’ Dennis Albo, in his reality novel ‘One Bullet Left'..........
'The James Joyce of folk.' Heywood Banks........
.'Super passionate stuff!' Mark Smith.......
'Shivery gorgeous!' Aleta Penelope.......
'Keep at it!' Reggie Young.......
‘As poems, his lyrics are very powerful… I think the effect of the words is amplified by the music.’
Paul Dolinsky, editor, 'The Golden Lantern.' ...... 'Not sh*t.' Les Vogt.
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