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Photographs of 1971

by Don DiLego

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    Get all 10 Don DiLego releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Dim Red Light (Make It Shine), Your Great Escape [Single], Magnificent Ram B Sides, Different Man, Magnificent Ram A, Western & Atlantic EP [Bonus Version], Ranchero (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Photographs of 1971, and 2 more. , and , .

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1.
Dreamin' 05:13
There's a bible in the road And it's open to the world You can read it for yourself Then tell me what it's all about Tell me what do you think Then put it back on the shelf Turn on the radio, turn on the radio Cause there's something in the air You said that you were only dreaming But I say, you've never been awake And until you open your eyes Well then you might be surprised To find me on my way There's a speaker in the road Who's preaching to the world You can listen for yourself And tell me what he's talking about So how much would it take To get you to think for yourself? Turn on the radio, turn on the radio Cause there's something's in the air You said that you were only dreaming But I say, you've never been awake And until you open your eyes Well then you might be surprised To find me on my way Turn on the radio Cause there's something on the air You said, that you were only dreaming But I say, you've never been awake And until you open your eyes Well then you might be surprised To find me on my way Yeah, you'll find me on my way Yeah, you'll find me on my way
2.
You’re like a cigarette, out on a motorbike (Straight ) Down a boulevard As cold and black as suicide If there’s another way out Then I’m dying to find it I reason it out But it’s choking inside a broken song But maybe I’m not that strong Maybe I’m not that strong Well I know I can’t afford The city or the war And it’s trying to break my heart (It’s) like a masquerade, out in my own backyard And I am very afraid That I won’t get very far But I’m willing to crawl I’m willing to find out what went wrong No trouble at all There’s a back door painted on my wall But maybe I’m not that strong Maybe I’m not that strong Cause I know I can’t afford This city or this war This traffic in my brain Is dying for something to say And it’s trying to break my heart And it’s trying to break my heart And it’s trying to break my heart (I know, I know, I’m really not that strong) And it’s trying to break my heart (I know, I know, I’m really not that strong) And it’s trying to break my heart
3.
Words are catching up with you The night it brings the solitude That you had always hoped for A room without a door Most of us are crazy To some it is a game But we all need a place to go A drive that takes The heart on a lonesome road Where the night feels so still and slow At the Texaco At the Texaco At the Texaco Most of us are living in A photo of indifference And we all like to show it off To cover up the friends we've lost I'm dying to remember you Crossed the road And sold my car again So take me to the heart and the soul Of a stranger Where the dark becomes light And turns back again At the Texaco At the Texaco At the Texaco I'm staring at the shelf inside And the neon signs are telling me to go So watch me make a stand on a rolling stone Watch the cars as they start to roll At the Texaco At the Texaco At the Texaco At the Texaco
4.
Automatic 03:47
Is everybody here out to get me? What's that ringing in my ears? There's a cold rejection in the mirror That's been staring back at me this whole damn year It's automatic yeah Automatic yeah But it just takes some time And you will get it right All my friends they are so lonely And loneliness is like a gun They've got loads and loads of heartache And indecision seems to be drowning everyone It's automatic yeah Automatic yeah But it just takes some time And you will get it right I'm sure I could be wrong But this is just a song To string myself along It's automatic yeah Automatic yeah But it just takes some time And you will get it right It's automatic yeah Automatic yeah But if you take your time I'm sure you'll make up your mind
5.
Darling you won’t ever see The coming of your destiny While you are always staring at the ground Cause you’re often in a love affair With misery and self-despair Speaking with the spiders coming down And when you see yourself in paradise Falling into space Do you see your lonely satellite Out in the night? Everyone is trying hard to see Just what you’ve been hiding up your sleeve But it’s never ever gonna be That hard to understand You’ve got another set of plans And they’re a long way out And when you see yourself in paradise Falling into space Well do you see your lonely satellite Out in the night? (Maria you are lovely too, Maria you are lovely too) Darlin' 'darlin' darlin' don't you cry Cause destiny is always on your side Another day with no regret Another place you should forget Another time you should've spent Feeling something, just one thing It’s better than nothing Falling into space Do you see your lonely satellite Out in the night? (Maria you are lovely too, Maria you are lovely too) Darling you won’t ever see The coming of your destiny Staring at the sun as it goes down
6.
7.
My misery Is waiting for company Is waiting for somebody to take me away From the city streets All littered with vacancies Take in my broken dreams And sweep them away Somehow you still Somehow you still remain Knowing that you will wait Puts a smile on my aching face You’ll be better off taking your time Nobody knows you like I Now that you’re waiting for something new This old heart of mine Keeps breaking all the time Keeps making senseless lies That sweep me away See this fairytale Keeps making me aware That I Want to be true ‘til the end And somehow you still Somehow you still remain Knowing that you will wait Puts a smile on my aching face Adds a year to my aging grace
8.
Come inside Brighten up my lullabye I’m wide awake The curtains have withdrawn The static on the radio sings to me It’s a strange new world That I see Where are you gonna be When I’m free Cause I can’t wait To tell you everything There’s a red-lemon sun Not an ordinary one It’s a strange new world That I have seen Now I’ve been trying hard To rearrange the stars In the sky for you Can you see them too? It’s the only thing I’ve done How desperate I’ve become For Rosemary The shallow sounds Of drowning mouths Come to me Like walls of sand Taking on the sea It’s a story I’ve read From the book that I’ve kept It’s a strange new world You gave to me Now I’ve been trying hard To rearrange the stars In the sky for you Can you see them too? Now I’ve been trying hard To vocalize my heart In a word or two Can you hear them too? It’s the only thing I’ve done How desperate I’ve become For Rosemary
9.
Somebody leave the lights on Did somebody see what I saw? What I saw tonight So settle me down This day's been too long And I'm drifting in time Watching the clock fall to the ground With the lights on From the moment you live Til the moment you die There's a picture of you in the frame of your life Where you're wanting to break From your life on a chain And that's all you need Somebody leave the lights on I've been hopelessly waiting for someone To lend me the match I'll strike on a stone A spark in the air Lighting up everything I own With the lights on The moment you live Til the moment you die There's a picture of you in the frame of your life Where you're wanting to break From your life on a chain And that's all you need Could somebody leave the lights on So I can see what I have done The moment you live Til the moment you die There's a picture of you in the blink of an eye Where you're wanting to break From your life on a chain When you're willing to crawl Through the worst of it all Cause it's all in your mind And it's all in your head And that's all you need
10.
The evidence of you is turning grey And they’re twisting in the ruins of your ashtray Are the sentimental lies all on their way Can’t you see you’re turning everyone away But I wish you well I wish you well, on the run Tell me if you’re leading me insane Marching with the fools in your own parade With your photographs of 1971 Can you hear me through the barrel of your gun? But I wish you well I wish you well I wish you well, on the run No one’s ever had it all so well And drifted off and dragged it all through hell In the letter you addressed to me Were the words you hoped would set you free I wish you well I wish you well I wish you well, my son
11.
Hymn One (free) 01:33
Hymm 1 Dawn patrols her bedroom in the middle of the night Hoping she may hear a voice from 1989 Now she’s rearranged the furniture Around her four-poster bed But trajedy has seen this house Once and again So I will pray, I will pray, I will pray For my family once again So I will pray, I will pray, I will pray For my family once again Hymm 2 My brother’s on the outside Lost and hopeless again He’s wandering so far away From his own common sense The only time my father Ever shed a tear was then Had David seen what I did I’m sure he’d get lost again So I will pray I will pray I will pray Hymm 3 Conni’s into singing from a dimly glowing stage But the audience is breathing in a lonely charade So come on mom, you’ve done no wrong As far as my eyes can tell I’m sure you’ll make your way to heaven Cause you’ve already been through hell
12.
Forgiveness 03:57
Time on my hands Praying like I’m born again I can see all my friends As they all pretend to smile But I won’t wake up Til I’ve had enough Dreaming, and stealing away Saying goodbye Ain’t easy when there’s something to lose So hello forgiveness It’s warm in your lonely shoes There’s a strawberry sun That I’ve just begun to paint The yellow is on The loneliest ones I’ve saved And there’s a ghost on fire With eyes like mine Still hoping for something great Saying goodbye Is easy when there’s nothing to lose So hello forgiveness It’s warm in your lonely shoes Saying goodbye to reason Ain’t easy when there’s something to lose So hello forgiveness Make room in your lonely shoes
13.
There’s a desert Outside your door And you’re waiting For something more Perhaps the time has come For you to let someone in A chance to explain Just what you’re fighting for In spite of all the times you’ve stayed away In spite of all the signs you made You were lonely You were lonely and afraid Just the same
14.
Hymn Two (free) 01:02
Hymm 1 Dawn patrols her bedroom in the middle of the night Hoping she may hear a voice from 1989 Now she’s rearranged the furniture Around her four-poster bed But trajedy has seen this house Once and again So I will pray, I will pray, I will pray For my family once again So I will pray, I will pray, I will pray For my family once again Hymm 2 My brother’s on the outside Lost and hopeless again He’s wandering so far away From his own common sense The only time my father Ever shed a tear was then Had David seen what I did I’m sure he’d get lost again So I will pray I will pray I will pray Hymm 3 Conni’s into singing from a dimly glowing stage But the audience is breathing in a lonely charade So come on mom, you’ve done no wrong As far as my eyes can tell I’m sure you’ll make your way to heaven Cause you’ve already been through hell
15.
Ghosts 04:39
Ghosts in the middle of the night are walking Ghosts in the middle of the night are talking, to me Sharing their daydreams about life Right now How come they always disappear? Ghosts in the middle of the night are cooking Ghosts in the middle of the night are Laughing at me With their tattoos and blue scars and big skies now So how come they always disappear? Ghosts in the middle of the night are crawling Ghosts in the middle of the night are Feeling like they should All run around and try to find a better time A piece of mind That's why they always That's why they always, re-appear Guess they found another way Guess they were not afraid Guess they found another way And they were not afraid
16.
Hymn Three (free) 01:31
Hymm 1 Dawn patrols her bedroom in the middle of the night Hoping she may hear a voice from 1989 Now she’s rearranged the furniture Around her four-poster bed But trajedy has seen this house Once and again So I will pray, I will pray, I will pray For my family once again So I will pray, I will pray, I will pray For my family once again Hymm 2 My brother’s on the outside Lost and hopeless again He’s wandering so far away From his own common sense The only time my father Ever shed a tear was then Had David seen what I did I’m sure he’d get lost again So I will pray I will pray I will pray Hymm 3 Conni’s into singing from a dimly glowing stage But the audience is breathing in a lonely charade So come on mom, you’ve done no wrong As far as my eyes can tell I’m sure you’ll make your way to heaven Cause you’ve already been through hell

about

Recorded in equal parts New York City and Portland, OR, "Photographs of 1971" is Don DiLego’s new and third full-length album. It was self-produced along with Portland’s engineer auteur, Gregg Williams (The Dandy Warhols). Having stumbled across some old white-bordered photographs from the 70’s, Don was inspired to write a song that grew from the ashes of the collage strewn across the floor. That would later give way to the album’s photographic themes, and a vivid backdrop for showcasing his strengths as a songwriter and storyteller. The Big Takeover! writes that Photographs of 1971 is “a masterful follow up to his Lonestar Hitchhiker series.”

Don's first release, "The Lonestar Hitchhiker," was recorded for Universal Records shortly after his move to New York City. Featured musicians included Jay Bennett (ex-Wilco), Gregg Williams (Sheryl Crow, Wallflowers), and Paul Garisto (Jesse Malin, Ryan Adams). He has toured extensively across the US (including a stint on the MTV Campus Invasion Tour) as well as toured the UK. His songs have been featured in film and tv (MTV, VH1, HBO, Disney, Discovery), and Don has just completed the score for the feature-length independent film, “Ranchero.” More recently, “Photographs” was received very well with influential stations like KCRW, WXPN, NPR, and XM Radio. The highly regarded “World Café with David Dye” selected Don as a World Café NEXT Artist, a national feature. The critical acclaim for Don’s latest also led to a performance at the Bonnarroo Music Festival in June 2008.

Drawing comparisons to the likes of Wilco, Beck, Ryan Adams, and even the Beach Boys, DiLego continues to develop as an artist who refuses to be categorized. With “Photographs of 1971,” he has released his most personal work to date.


Press::

“The sparse arrangements and plaintive vocals create a wondrous setting with flecks of mellotron and the lonesome, weeping whine of the omnipresent pedal steel. A Masterful follow up to his Lonestar Hitchhiker series. - The Big Takeover!

“New York City's emerging folk-twang songsmith, Don DiLego, is alt-country's next poster boy.” - Rollingstone.com

"Photographs of 1971 is one of those records that creep up on you, a great vibe and very strong tunes. We have been spinning four songs from the album for quite a while, and it really does sound better each time.” - XM Radio / Mike Marrone / The Loft

"DiLego really is quite accomplished as a crafter and arranger…there is little denying his extensive talents in writing a tune.” - Delusions of Adequacy

"Falling into Space”… speaks volumes about DiLego's ability to craft finely written pop songs with country and folk tools that many artists might cast aside. – The Bridge/Texas A & M

“A storyteller who invokes vivid imagery in the vein of Johnny Cash.”-Northeast Performer

“Equal parts heartache and redemption, Photographs of 1971, provides the soundtrack to the highs and lows of our human experience.” - Live 365

credits

released July 18, 2006

Produced by Don DiLego & Gregg Williams
Recorded at Velvet Elk Studios and The Trench

All songs written by Don DiLego, except Dreamin' by DiLego/Olsen, Automatic by DiLego/Olsen/Williams, and Somebody Leave the Lights On by DiLego/Olsen. I'm Not Like Everybody Else by Ray Davies.


Musicians::

1. DREAMIN’
Don DiLego - Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Cowbell, Wurlitzer, Tambourine
Gregg Williams - Drums
Erik Wiley Olsen - Bass, Backing Vocals
Don Piper - Lap Steel

2. THE CITY OR THE WAR
Don DiLego - Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Wurlitzer, Bass, Mellotron
Gregg Williams - Drums
Bob Hoffnar - Pedal Steel

3. AT THE TEXACO
Don DiLego - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Detuned Piano, Banjos, Mellotron
Paul Garisto - Drums
Bob Hoffnar - Pedal Steel

4. AUTOMATIC
Don DiLego - Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Moog, Slide Geetar, Tambourine
Gregg Williams - Drums
Erik Wiley Olsen - Bass, Backing Vocals

5. FALLING INTO SPACE
Don DiLego - Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Piano, Tambourine
Gregg Williams - Drums, Tennanbaum
Erik Wiley Olsen - Bass, Backing Vocals

6. I'M NOT LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE
Don DiLego - Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitar
Paul Garisto - Drums, Tambourine, Backing Vocals
Johnny Pisano - Bass, Backing Vocals

7. MY MISERY IS A FAIRY TALE
Don DiLego - Vocals, Electric Guitar, Piano, Organ
Gregg Williams - Drums
Erik Wiley Olsen - Bass
Bob Hoffnar - Pedal Steel

8. ROSEMARY'S SUITE
Don DiLego - Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Piano, Mellotron, Moog, Bass, Tambourine
Paul Garisto – Drums

9. (SOMEBODY) LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON
Don DiLego - Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Piano, Mellotron, Tambourine, Mini-drums, Noises
Gregg Williams - Drums, Shaker
Erik Wiley Olsen - Bass

10. PHOTOGRAPHS OF 1971
Don DiLego - Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitar,Tenor Guitar, Banjo, Mellotron, Tambourine, Shaker, Bass
Gregg Williams - Drums

12. FORGIVENESS
Don DiLego - Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Piano, Mellotron, Tambourine, Mini-drums, Noises, Bass
Paul Garisto – Drums
Bob Hoffnar – Pedal Steel

13. LONELY AND AFRAID
Don DiLego - Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Detuned Piano, Mellotron, Bass, Bells, Shaker, Loop
Gregg Williams - Drums

15. GHOSTS
Don DiLego - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Bass, Vibraphone, Tambourine, Cassette Tape
Gregg Williams - Drums, Shaker
Bob Hoffnar - Pedal Steel

11/14/16. HYMNS ONE, TWO, THREE
Don DiLego - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Detuned Piano, Bass, Banjo, Harmonica, Tamborine, Shaker, Casiotone, Dijembe
Bob Hoffnar - Pedal Steel

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Some rights reserved. Please refer to individual track pages for license info.

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Don DiLego New York, New York

Formerly NYC based singer-songwriter now chopping firewood in the Poconos. Still recording that damn new album at his studio on the woods.

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