Get all 27 Eric Blowtorch releases available on Bandcamp and save 40%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Been So Down, Bluegrass Kas, Too Many Dues, Quality Items, Groping in the Dark, Straight to Hell, Most Dangerous Man, Salt Water, and 19 more.
1. |
Living Larger Than Life
03:12
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Looking for a good time? Look no further, ma’am
Looking for rich man? Well, rich is what we am
You should stop truckin’ with trivia and trife
and get with me – I’m living larger than life
Got the key to the city in the Zeidler Humanities Room
My big green limousine take us all around – zoom, zoom
Check out my hot tub and king-sized community pool
Take a ride on the water slide at Shorewood High School
Looking for a good time? Look no further, ma’am
Looking for rich man? Well, rich is what we am
You should stop truckin’ with trivia and trife
and get with me – I’m living larger than life
Let us sip of the finest wine from the vine
From grapes picked in old Lake Park, yours and mine
and skate on my rink by the light of the moon
- the Lincoln Memorial Drive lagoon
Looking for a good time? Look no further, ma’am
Looking for rich man? Well, rich is what we am
You should stop truckin’ with trivia and trife
and get with me – I’m living larger than life
Some brothers spit game but I’ll take you straight to it:
front row tickets to Story versus Stuart
Afterwards you wanna get to drinkinin’?
I’ll fetch you finest fluids straight from Lake Michigan
Got more goodies than you could possibly carry
down at the public library
Tapes, CDs, baby please, no need for cutting down trees
and I’ll take care of your overdue fees
Looking for a good time? Look no further, ma’am
Looking for rich man? Well, rich is what we am
You should stop truckin’ with trivia and trife
and get with me – I’m living larger than life
Living larger than life
Living larger than life
Living larger than life
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2. |
12,000 Criminals
02:51
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Every culture have its villain, baby,
just like them have they hero
In the American heartland
hard to tell apart, man
When Chrysler start to whittling
12,000 jobs down to zero
they’re not trying to stoke war
They just want a place in folklore
They must want what’s best because they’re Chrysler?
You just can’t trust brands because they’re priced for
profit for shareholders,
not Devil’s Night homeowners
Not the first or even the worst
Got your purse and even your hearse
Chrysler don’t need advertising subliminal
Chrysler creating 12,000 criminals
Worst of a bastard bunch, hearse for your last big launch
Joe Lunchbucket’s looking really desperate
All hunched under and his kids can’t get next to him
Uunraveling from nervous tension
Babbling about a severance pension
Step to me, sucker, and sell your little skill set
We wept for thee, brother – the hell? Paid your big ol’ bills yet?
Bend over and reach for any shovel
Why d’you think they call this entry level?
Not the first or even the worst
Got your purse and even your hearse
Chrysler don’t need advertising subliminal
Chrysler creating 12,000 criminals
Worst of a bastard bunch, hearse for your last big launch
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3. |
Sidewalk Soul Connection
02:42
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Stepping up the sidewalk – 1989
Spectacle slows my walk – Martin L. K. Drive
Who's this studious old man trying to get through to us?
Who's this sidewalk soul connection? Tell me, tell me why
Tells tales of real history, takes his time
Breaks right through the bigotry just by being kind
Who's this studious old man getting through to us?
Who's this sidewalk soul connection, this bright ray of sunshine?
They let us down - our schools and our town
but now him we've found on solid ground
What he's been through put fear of the devil in you
but he's no huckster; he talks sense – spirit, survival, and self defense
He put this place together for all to see
firestorms black people weathered in the name of liberty
He's the studious old man who got through to us,
our sidewalk soul connection - and he done it for you and me
His earthly bondage over, how we miss that man
As this world grows older, hope we understand
He's the studious old man who got through to us,
our sidewalk soul connection - and he done all he can
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4. |
Holding Out My Hand
02:59
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Brother, get away from that bridge!
I know life ain’t easy
You think you want to sleep with the fish
but you’re wrong really really
What’s happening, my brother?
What you doing down here?
You had another fight with your lover?
Let it out, shed a tear, hit me here
I’m holding out my hand
Do the good thing and grab it
Holding out my hand
You can take or slap it
I’ve been to this bridge myself,
stared down at the ice below,
afraid to bother anybody for help
This ain’t where you wanna go
Enlighten me, my brother
What you doing down here?
There’s only one you, no other
Let it out, shed a tear, hit me here
I’m holding out my hand
Do the good thing and grab it
Holding out my hand
You can take or slap it
Is this how your folks raised you?
Is this what they put you here for?
Heartbreak come and tased you
but good times are waiting in store
Life can be scary as hell
but down there is no place to stay
Maybe you’ve got stories you’re afraid to tell
Tell me anyway, I might have to tell you some day
I’m holding out my hand
Do the good thing and grab it
Holding out my hand
You can take or slap it
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5. |
Get Right
03:36
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He walks out into the moonlight, shoelaces in his hand,
asks for square from you – might
you hurry from this man?
It’s getting cold in old Milwaukee
His ride be here shortly now
Gonna roll right up to Ashley’s
Ribs beat the big house dinner and how
Five-o walks by with a big grin, wishes the man good night
Custodian empties cig bin,
doing his part to get right
It’s getting cold in old Milwaukee
His ride just a little late
Gonna get his own whip, y’all’ll see,
take her on a proper take
He’s gonna get right with the Lord,
just like the chaplain man suggested
Not looking to get rearrested,
he’s gonna get right with the Lord
County worker comes out, 10:31, sweet dreams for second shift
Last bid was a dirty one
This time out he calls a gift
It’s getting cold in old Milwaukee
His date’s gonna have to wait
By the time the first shift’s off, he’ll
find her out and set her straight
He’s gonna get right with the Lord,
just like the chaplain man suggested
Not looking to get rearrested,
he’s gonna get right with the Lord
Get right with the Lord, get right with the Lord
Get right with the Lord, get right with the Lord
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6. |
Daniel Hold On
02:55
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The storm bears down
on Spanish Town
The folks down Jamaica way
lie awake all night and all day
The storm bears down
on Spanish Town
Daniel, Imani, Patrina, Prince Jazzbo,
get out of the rain like Victor Laszlo
Up on the Great Lake
I’m still awake
Drops on the window sill
just won’t let me stay still
The storm is alive
Almost Category 5
Daniel, you’re in too deep
Can’t wait ‘til we all fall asleep
Is Deano mankind’s doing
or years in the billions brewing?
Super Plus run out of water
Daniel, hold on to your daughter
The storm bears down
on Spanish Town
The folks down Jamaica way
lie awake all night and all day
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7. |
Katy-O
04:39
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Katy Kate-uh Kate-o
Lady on the g-o
One day, one day I know
We won’t have to put on show no more
Katy Kate-uh Kate-o
Lady on the g-o
One day, one day I know
We’re going to get to savor life so slow
Happy, happy for days
Not just surprised by joy but amazed
Let that be the way it stays
for us and all we know
Katy, Katy, Katy-o
Lady on the g-o
One day, one day I know
We won’t have to put on show no more
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8. |
Let Her Be 15
03:02
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They say a wedding’s for a lifetime
but quinceañera is forever
Her father left when she was nine
Now what does she do with never?
She came of age and took some drugs,
woke up and moved back home
She shakes the planet when she shrugs,
carries that weight ‘round all alone
If I could give her anything, I’d give her back 15
but she won’t have what I would bring, so will you go between?
Make a dress and tell her friends
and all real family
There are some wounds that loving mends
Do this for love, for her, for me
If I could give her anything, I’d give her back 15
but she won’t have what I would bring, so will you go between?
She’ll soon be turning 30, so treat her like a queen
Dress her up, make her feel pretty and let her be 15
I wish I could be there
to watch her dance upon the tables
so, when you fix her hair,
tell her I’d come if I were able
She’ll soon be turning 30, so treat her like a queen
Dress her up, make her feel pretty and let her be 15
She’ll soon be turning 30, so treat her like a queen
Dress her up, make her feel pretty and let her be 15
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9. |
Easy Be Strong
04:08
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You’ve known fear, Easy Rawlins,
born so near to New Orleans,
hiding in the shadow and shade, trying not to get dead
but I think you’ve got it made – you’ve never been afraid of yourself
You might think you got it rough, Easy
Since you was nine had to be tough, Easy
Running away from the Delta, catching all kinds of hell to
taking on unclean clientele but you never defiled yourself
Easy, be strong
Easy, right the wrong
Easy, love hard and, Easy, live long
Remember who loves you, Ezekiel,
when your ink’s running outta your inkwell:
not just the City of Angels but a great big world of strangers
for holding our hands through the dangers, freeing us from fear of ourselves
Easy, be strong
Easy, right the wrong
Easy, love hard and, Easy, live long
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10. |
Salt Water
04:41
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Columbus crew drank the brain-blowing brew: salt water
No fresh water, can’t call no doctor, brain cells to the slaughter
Round and round we go, heavy wooden ship, tight round the equator
1872, 1845 scholar write on paper
Sawawa – saillhe – caw-oo-cah – salagua
Discovery Bay already discovered, so the natives say
No wind, no fresh water, only Cl Na
Leave the city for the wide open sea, horizon I see
Forward to Haiti, homeward to Spain, but no biscuits and tea – so whatcha see:
Sawawa – saillhe – caw-oo-cah – salagua
Write, write, write, write it down on paper
Write, write, write, write it down on stone
Rock, Rock, rock, rock salt and stone – the sailors moan
No coco, no H2O, no fruit from Grenada
No evolution, no culture three centuries later
‘Go down below, I’ll run the show,’ old pirate say
Upon the sea and down through history: only salt water – the paper fade
Sawawa – saillhe – caw-oo-cah – salagua
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11. |
Weekends at Bill's
04:42
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Let me tell you what happened five minutes ago:
she caught a plane from Tokyo,
looking for the man’s man’s man,
the straight edge at Bill’s black and tan,
the preacher’s kid who still believed
She found him and hugged him until he could breathe
She was everyone’s friend but human too
She put in some time and made him her man
He said, “I’ve got no money, ma; what can we do?”
She said, “Don’t worry, you know I’m here for you”
They started a gang, a real nice crew
and they did whatever they wanted to
They pulled us into their family
with modesty and honesty
We got up early and got up late
Weekends at Bill’s feeling great
If you were feeling shy they’d stop in to say Hi
They were alive like like lightning in the sky
Just for a while peace and love in style,
sisters, brothers out of exile
We were the Good Guys Gang, the Too Nice Crew
doing whatever we wanted to
at Stork Club, Bill’s, and Comet too
If you live in this town we’re coming after you
He held her tightly to his chest,
took her to the prom in a wedding dress
He was sober now and moving fast
She was everyone’s girl; it couldn’t last
We really knew how to treat a guest
Always broke but we were the best
We made plans that never flew
because we were the Too Nice Crew
We were the Good Guys Gang, the Too Nice Crew,
doing whatever we wanted to
Vliet Street to Farwell Avenue
How we ate and slept I never knew
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12. |
Don't Put Down the Dream
02:58
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Don’t sleep through the dream, don’t wake up from dream
You walked the highrise beam, you stalked, the sunrise team
Don’t despise the dream, can’t reprise the dream
Spotlight’s not the dream, snow white’s not the dream
Don’t put down the dream, don’t just clown the dream,
don’t dump on the dream, don’t jump off the steam train
Handmade posters are the dream, bland paid boasters not the dream
Having sex beside the dream, cashing checks is not the dream
Humping amps might be the dream, licking stamps could be the dream
Laptop loops likely a dream, got new groups – you got a scene
Don’t put down the dream, don’t just clown the dream,
don’t dump on the dream, don’t jump off the steam train
Blowing minds – it is the dream, moving behinds – it is the dream
Meet and greet – it is the dream, feet on the street – it is the dream
Total control – it is the dream, stories you’ve told – they be the dream
Fat contract is not the dream, crossroads pact is not the dream
Don’t put down the dream, don’t just clown the dream,
don’t dump on the dream, don’t jump off the steam train
Stroking strings – it is the dream, one person sings – it is the dream
Ghetto blaster blares the dream, gentle pastor shares the dream
Hard work – you were unaware – it was the dream
Don’t put down the dream
Don’t put down the dream
Don’t put down the dream
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13. |
The Latest Outrage
02:56
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What’s the latest outrage? Need you ask?
At too young an age an old friend passed
Why we never said goodbye
is no mystery – I just always wanted him here with me
What’s his old crew now supposed to do?
Has he told you how not to be blue
now and would he allow
this world to keep rotating even when its heart is breaking?
Goodbye, old friend, goodbye
You drove that inline six so fast, bet you though you could fly
Goodbye, old guy, goodbye
Won’t need aerodynamics up there in the sky
Goodbye, old friend, goodbye
Your healing heart lifted everybody up high
Goodbye, my guy, goodbye
I’m going to miss you every day until I die
Goodbye, old girl, old guy, goodbye
We’re all maintaining, not betraying your memory
Goodbye, family and friend, goodbye
We may never meet again but wasn’t it sweet my friend?
Everybody, goodbye!
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Eric Blowtorch Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Singer/guitarist/songwriter Eric Blowtorch sings, plays, and writes reggae, ska, rocksteady, soul, rock 'n' roll, funk, Latin, disco, hip-hop, Anglo-Afropop, and jazz songs with rhythm, melody, passion, and original comic timing. E. B. plays solo, in small combos, and with a band, Eric Blowtorch and the Bodyguards. ... more
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