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Dixie

by Nathan Norrgran

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1.
Marina Queen 06:42
Marina Queen Dani, copper hair flowing free. She's lying out in the sand, she's sneaking beers on the beach. I found her working all day in a salon by the see. I pass by it everyday, it's still a little bit hard for me. The car door slams and now we hide from the rain. West Hollywood lights her face up, we escape through these lanes. She always needed some getting those stars in her eyes that'd keep her up through the night while I was laying there by here side. If we're not coming back together, I'm not coming back for you. The Marina Queen's got all the boys staring. In her high-waisted shorts she dances up the front steps. Her long legs shine just like beacons, now I'll never rest tracing the lines upon her from the soft desert sun that was kissing her skin while I was wishing to be the one. When I was coming up to get you, yeah, you never really knew that there was something in the night that gave it all away to you. Turn the engine over and the paint will turn to gold, we've got to take this city back before we get too old. The Marina Queen's got all the boys staring. Oh, lately I've been a ghost, but I'm the one that's always feeling haunted. The snow hugs the street cause it's the only thing that loves this town. The State St. bars are filled with broken dreams of the kids who've been let down. The suburban prophets abandon their plans to the weekend warrior demands. It's a last call induced death sentence to a night that never had a chance. Under an empty grey sky the swirling snow and I, yeah, we're gonna dance. Tonight, I've got to win this fight. Cause I've seen this town eat living saints alive, and I'm not gonna let it keep me down this time.
2.
It was karaoke night at the college bar down the street. There's only ever one guy who could sing on key, but the drinks were strong and the prices were cheap. There was a pretty city girl sitting across from the bar, she'd been throwing them back all night. The girls on The Westside had their high heels on, they were using their looks to get themselves some free drinks. Along came a guy who didn't know what to say, but he tried on his best smile, and he started to think. Through a friend of a friend, he's gonna find out her name, now he's walking on over to prove he's not the same as the boys in her life that have led her here, and what their promises became. He placed his hands upon hers and he told her that he knew his place. He said "I'm only 23 years old and there's so much in my life that I'll have to face, but it'd be just a little easier if I could take you home with me tonight." The girls on The Westside with their hair pinned up were stumbling out of the bathroom with some stars in their eyes. It's never too hard to fall in love with a liar when she's fixing her lips instead of saying goodbye. The piano store parking lot was hosting a party under yellow tinted floodlights that were hanging from palm trees. When summer's just too much to spend some time in The Valley, they found somewhere in the cool. The heart of Wednesday night's alive, but she was gone when the sun arrived to tuck the kid's in in the morning. He went to say to her before she left without warning, "It was just a little easier because I took you home with me tonight."
3.
Villains 04:41
In a tavern by a so-called "river" between a warehouse and an over-priced valet, you can't hear the words of any one person, but you know exactly what they have to say. Wasn't hard to fall in love with a liar, it's never hard when you used to be one too. With rock-bottom at the bottom of the bottle, you forget to lie for who's been hiding behind you. So when I see him by your side, I know that anyone's good enough tonight, for you. I see you darling, with that gold watch loose around your wrist while you're smiling with your fingers interlocked with his. Now he's left you for that girl he loved before. Well, what goes around comes around, I couldn't have asked for more. So when I see him by your side, I know that anyone's good enough tonight, for you. Why'd you show him what he wants to see? Why'd you think that he could ever be half the man as me? He ain't no good. But that's what you deserve.
4.
Three drinks in, I start to find my inspiration. Down to the wire, I've been thinking about you. Cause once a month you write me, but I don't even miss you anymore. Cause I've been seeing the backslide. When you call home, and I start to see those rolling eyes, I'm pretty sure I've never love anything but you. When you call home, and I start to see those rolling eyes I know where you learned to backslide is where I learned it too. You're quick on the draw, I've been drawing a conclusion, You're substituting sadness with sleeping next to strangers. You told me you're a bigger bitch karma could ever dream to be, I guess we'll see.
5.
Better Days 05:22
I've seen some stars. Been to every bar. Lost my heart of gold somewhere out in the cold. Some friends have turned to dust, others age and rust. Some have given up on this world. No one gets too close to me, yeah, I know it's not the way it's supposed to be. for now I'm just hanging on To better days. I hope they're coming my way, I wait for better days. Better days. I keep the world at bay as I wait for better days. Well I've had to blues, walked in others shoes, without a stroke of luck, lives just a little rough. I ain't making much, I ain't got a trust, I've been working hard but it ain't ever enough. No one gets too close to me, yeah, I know it's not the way it's supposed to be. for now I'm just waiting on Better days. I hope they're coming my way, I wait for better days. Better days. I keep the world at bay as I wait for better days. A father raised a son and he died before he could be the one to say, "Hey, you've got to learn to be strong, before you know it, I'll be gone." Everything dies baby, that's a fact, and you can be damn certain it ain't coming back.
6.
Laurel Hill 03:03
Awoken in this awful house, your dying breath still echoes through these empty halls. Mom cries herself to sleep. After the committal I tried to stick around but your mother couldn't stand to see them but you in the ground. We carry her to the car, I'm begging not to leave. The weather's been a little better ever since you left. I'd like to think that maybe you had something to do with it. Maybe we're just lucky, blessed with a good memory. Been swiping off the leaves when I visit your grave. Kneeling the cemetery is where I feel safe, Cause the pictures on the mantle have had me feeling like I'm stuck in this place. Mom sleeps on your side of the bed, I sit alone at the table where you always fled. Grieving now that you're gone, trying to remember what you taught me when I was young. We were never really close except at the Steelers games, sitting at the 50 yard line in the snow and the rain. A mother never should have had to bury her son, but least a father taught his son how to be strong.
7.
Dixie 06:42
Crowded in the backseat we were holding hands on the way home from a cornfield kegger just like every other weekend that summer The gypsies chased us out of that abandoned house at the hollow. We'd sit out on that haunted Gudgeonville bridge. The kids would scream to the sounds of the children's echoes. We parked that old closed down truck stop off of Exit 18. Under that Dixie sign that used to shine so bright, it used to guide me home at the end of the night. We sat alone in the dark. Didn't even crawl into the back seat. We sat alone in the dark, still had our fun, we were living free. 18 in a small town. I'm leaving you now to make my highway run But I'll remember all the words to every song that you sung in the backseat with the radio on. 21 brought the awful truth: All my friends are wasted. They'll spend their whole lives wishing for something more, but won't ever have the balls to go and chase it. Single mothers and runaway fathers fill their parents basements and the State St. bars. College dropouts share their doubts with the minimum-wage small-town-stars. But that's not me. Oh, that's not me. I'm just a visitor here and soon you'll see that I've won that fight and I'm finally free. 21 in a small town. But for now, all my dreams are gone When I'm remembering the words to every song that you sung in the backseat with the radio on. When some firebrand kids burned that bridge to the ground, They buried everything I believed in. Now the kids in this town don't mean nothing at all to anyone but themselves. Every song that they write's just to make a deal, Cause the only thing that's real is that there's nothing real Left here to die like everything that I've ever loved. I don't hate this town, I just hate what it's done to me. I don't hate this place, I just hate what it's done to me.

credits

released January 21, 2014

Recorded in Erie, PA at Maerick Studios by Mark Graziano and Eric Buman.

Produced by Nathan Norrgran.

Nathan Norrgran: Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Piano, and Harmonica
Jess Scutella: Drums
Tyler Addison James: Vocals on "Marina Queen", Piano on "Dixie"
Brooke Surgener: Vocals on "Marina Queen" and "Backslide"
Shane Young: Vocals on "Dixie"

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Nathan Norrgran Los Angeles, California

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