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1.
lion & bird 01:16
the lion sits on a rock he doesn't know that he's being watched by a bird who longs to have fur and be mighty, be mighty. the lion is dreaming of flying he wants to be free he wants to be less clumsy.
2.
where are you, all the men in my life? where have you gone? where are you, all the men in my life? it's only women around and they're amazing but you are, too, all of you. where are you, all the men in life, i can't find you i miss you. call me soon find me wanna feel your arms around me again.
3.
(unsung): this space is designated for creating a sense of wonder this space is designated for you to do... *the language "this space is designated for ______" is inspired by miranda july's creative assignment to create an actual space for a feeling -- something that normally doesn't get to have its own space.
4.
a dozen 01:28
1, 2, 3 4-5-6-7-8 9, 10. 'leven. 12. 1, 2, 3 456 seven! 8 9, 10, ele- ven! 12. twelve. i've got a dozen and i'm happy! perhaps you can hear me clapping, i'm so happing to have a dozen! 12. i know it's doesn't matter to you! but i like to have a dozen! doesn't matter to anyone but me! now i'm clapping inside my mind i'm happy inside my mind i'm happy inside my mind i'm happy to have 12!
5.
has anyone ever told you, you've got a lot of bounce to the ounce? you've got a lot of bounce to the ounce!
6.
it's so funny to be, to be human and it's so funny to be, to be here with you on this blue, blue ocean it's so funny to be, to be so filled with emotion it's so funny to be, to be gallivanting around or staying in place it's so funny to be, to be, to be! it's so funny to be, to be, to be! (...)
7.
you don't know how i danced before i met you. i danced crazy. you don't know how i romanced... before you, i romanced crazy. i hate to tell you this but i was somebody different, somebody who i'm afraid you wouldn't even like. before i met you i could not cook. maybe just an egg. or boil some water. before i met you, i couldn't even look anybody in the eye (avert my eyes, avert 'em) but since i met you, i've become: coooooooooooool! yeah! inside? i'm still that weirdo, i'm afraid to tell you, but i am telling you now on our anniversary, happy anniversary, baby! are you still in love with me now that you know that i am oh so loco, low, low to the ground loco. loco. baby, sorry to tell you this, sorry to tell you this, but i just gotta be honest. well if you'd permit me to say that this comes as no surprise. baby, you're my weirdo. won't you permit me to say it again i'll say it again. i fell in love with that weirdo. mmhhmm, that's you, baby, you, baby! to me, you're not cool. not at all, honey. you're my weirdo. oh oh oh oh oh yeah. thanks! (awww!)
8.
building 00:34
9.
10.
there's a check in my purse it's made out to a pirate. it was from when i was young, and i made out with a pirate on the ocean. and i promised him that i'd pay him back for the adventure and he said he'd come pick it up sometime, he'd come pick it up sometime, his treasure. now i ride a boat with my pirate. you see, the funny thing is i thought his treasure was money but it was me.
11.
12.
some day i'd like to meet judy holliday she does amazing things with comedy, comedy, comedy yeah... some day i'd like to meet steve martin he does amazing things with comedy, comedy, comedy and i'd ask them if we (if we!) could please play croquet (croquet!) and they'd say: maybe maybe we'll tell ya later.
13.
this is the story of sandra. she likes to sand everything. carries sandpaper around in her hand, rubs it on every surface. everything around her is smooth. everything around her yearns for her little piece of scritchy-scratchy paper. sometimes it hurts but it is loving, so they want it. this is the story of sandra, she sands everything.
14.
15.
you belong to the moon. i've been tryin' to put my finger on it. you belong to the moon. that's where you came from, that's what explains the beautiful light comin' outta you. i knew you weren't from the sun, 'cause it doesn't hurt to look straight at you. but tell me how do you get your moon self into my bed at night when i see you in my skylight? i wake up in the morning and you are gone. 'cause you belong to the moon.
16.
17.
emoternet 00:23
18.
i had a dream last night about some ninjas comin' onto my island. they were dressed in red and white and they had a place to be. i was walkin' in the other direction-- no! i was in my car! they were afraid of my car, they were. we had some miscommunica- tions, and we almost hit each other-- well, i guess my hitting them would have hurt more. i got out of my car eventually, walked up a hill eventually, there was a little gate that i wanted to slip through... but i didn't slip through that gate, something called me back onto my island. so i followed the path of the ninjas. yeah, i followed the path of the ninjas. i followed parades of ninjas. i followed in the footsteps of ninjas...
19.
i wanna climb ya! up into your arms! like you're a tree! i wanna find your face! give you a head hug! like i'm a chimpanzee! there's no other place that i'd rather be! except for maybe lying on a sofa except for lying with you on a sofa, horizontally. maybe wathcing t.v., you and me, on our sofa.
20.
jazz boating 00:59
21.
22.
castle 00:47
only yesterday (oh!) i found myself dreamin' (oh!) that you and i were in a boat travelin' in a moat around a castle. was it ours? was it hours? i don't know. in any event, you and i felt outside of it. or, more specifically, i felt outside of the castle. you were smiling at me and i didn't appreciate that we had our own castle in our boat. it was our moat. it was our time.
23.
be true to you ~ be true to yourself. use your guts and intuition ~ trust yourself everyday and you will be just fine ~ use yourself as your own compass rose.
24.
25.
there was a pile of snow. mary had a little. oh no. mary had a little. oh no. and everywhere that mary went, she saw snow. even in the summertime. and down by the sea shore where her friend sally was sellin' all sorts of things now. snow on sand such a strange sight. one day mary brought snow in her pockets to school. and the children laughed and played the children laughed and played the children laughed and played hard in the snow. and the teacher went berserk the teacher went berserk the teacher even cried. she said "mary, was this you? why did you do this? to me? mary?"
26.
i need some lipstick, i do i need some lipstick, i do it's been a long, long time a long, long time since i been near you and i wanna look good!
27.
28.
i want you to take your attitude, put it in your pipe and smoke it, now write down your longitude and latitude, take a deep breath and feel it. how do ya feel now? (takes breath in) oh my gosh! my attitude is terrible! my attitude tastes terrible! yup. yup. that's good. good progress.
29.
fake tattoos 01:34
i diggity do like fake tattoos. i diggity don't like the permanent ones. change it's a beautiful thing. change on every corner, inside every telephone booth. i diggity do like fake tattoos. i diggity don't like the permanent ones. change it's a very scary concept. but it's the only thing the thing that we got! believe it or not! change goes in your pocket and out the other side oh yes it does, where did it go? (...)
30.
elle & dgee 01:02
elle & dgee went for a walk in the park. after it got dark they got brave and held hands. with no apology no sirree! they laid down beneath a tree and made _____! ; )
31.
what if love is a thousand times bigger than we think? what if love is a thousand times bigger than we think we think? what if love is a thousand times bigger than we know? what if love is a thousand times bigger than we know, you know? wouldn't that be an answer? wouldn't that be somethin'!
32.
morning hum 00:13
33.
dario 00:10
dario! he's my little stuffed animal rabbit i like to imagine that he pulls little magicians out of his top hat!
34.
i don't put salt in my food i don't put salt in my food but i put pepper lots of pepper (repeat)
35.
36.
i don't care who knows it! i like you! now, granted, i shouldn't sing this on a subway car like i'm doing but does anybody really mind? no. no. uh-uh. no! yes. i don't care who knows it! i like you! i can't figure out any other way to say it. i could compliment you on what you're wearing. i could smile. but usually i just stay quiet, look away embarrassed. i don't care who knows it! i like you! the only person i care about who knows it is you!
37.
mallory! 00:15
mallory is blossoming, she's becomin' a woman! earnin' a salary, rallying, explaining the meanin' of scuba! she's datin' a guy, we all wonder why, all he says is: hey!
38.
i sat down at your table and you thought i was a food critic. and i guess i just started to believe it myself so i took out my journal and made some notes-- the food! was amazing! it brought me to new places i'd never been to before. and i gave you more than four stars. i gave you five and a picture of a little heart with my telephone number. surprise!
39.
i'm gonna smile a little while, if that's ok. i'm gonna smile a little while longer, if that's ok. the reason that i'm smiling is you. is it ok, is it ok, if i smile 'cause of you?
40.
i don't know people like you don't know one person like you i don't know people like you don't know one person like you exactly like you exactly like you (...) (repeat main verse)
41.
how will i get home from here? or is this my new home? how will i get home from here, or is this my new home? hohohohohoho ho ho ho o o o o o o om om ommmmm
42.
i might sign on the dotted line, but i don't wanna i could sign on the dotted line, but i don't wanna i should sign -- it'll be fine -- on the dotted line, but i don't wanna i'd rather rip this paper up!
43.
there's a dot in my lunch box. i'm not alarmed, but i thought i'd mention it. furthermore, i thought i would ask you if you put it there? beneath the sandwich? is it april 1st? we'll it's not there now. i think it went to play at recess. i'll tell you if it's there tomorrow. i'll keep you posted. thanks, mom.
44.
it's time to write a new tune! (deetdeetdeetgonggong!) it's time to sing different words! the old song just won't do anymore! it's time to sing bop ba do be do shoe ba da veh bweh (...?!..) dip 'cause in that space of boop boop boop maybe i'll find you-ou-ou! my song! 'cause in that space: i'll go bananas...! (crazytown...) oooooh! it's time to write a new tu-u-u-u-! (total crazycrazycrazytown...) [and...yes, let's take it out...let's wrap this up.]
45.
sardines 00:47
there are so many people sittin' on the subway their thighs are touching their minds are miles, miles apart everybody wears snappy clothes with zippers and buttons they carry umbrellas they wear amazing shoes and the car pulls up everybody pours in and we are vertical sardines vertical sardines vertical sardines gettin' to know one another better! there are so many people (oo oo) sittin' on the subway (aa aa) their thighs are touching (eh eh) their minds are miles, miles apart!
46.
transform transfigure transcend
47.
hoist 01:59
i haven't the foggiest where you are, where you are. i will have to trust that you're ok, you're ok. i haven't the foggiest where you are, where you are. i am going to have to trust you're ok you're ok. is that ok? is that ok? to let go a little and trust that you'll find your way? is that ok? is that ok? to trust that you will find your own way? i haven't the foggiest where you are, where you are. i'm going to have to trust you're ok you're ok. la la la la...
48.
don't sell yourself short! you gotta sell yourself tall! you gotta picture your head touchin' the sky! nothin' else will do at all! mmmm (...)
49.
if ya don't know where you're goin' and ya don't know where you been will ya come sit by me a while and let's talk, let's talk about nothin'!
50.
hello you 01:02
hello smooth hello soft hello feels good in my arms hello you feel good in my arms mmm i knew when i saw you that we'd be good together for a while even for a short time but know time at all together would be a crime
51.
the outlaw 03:52
this song is about an outlaw! it's about how he gets on his bicycle to go rob a bank. it's a typical day, typical job. he locks up his bike and walks into the bank and pulls out a gun. "stick 'em up, everybody. i'm gonna rob you." but just then he sees the most beautiful bank-teller in the world. actually, no, the most beautiful woman in the entire universe. if she were something else, like, you know, a receptionist, or a lawyer, or a police officer even, he would feel the same way about her beauty. it was not contingent upon her being a bank-teller, guarding the money, guarding his treasure, the gatekeeper to his desires. and he knew in that moment, that he could just stop pursuing crime, just, just be with her, looking into her eyes, in her eyes, being just, as beautiful (throat clearing!) as ever. but you know, he (sigh!) he had already said the thing about stick 'em up everybody, i'm robbing you. she looked a little frightened. he asked for small bills. but he got so lost in her eyes. it was a moment of truth. would he take the money or not? and he smiled at her. (breathe in and out) and he took the money. (throat clearing!) and he walked out. and he unlocked his bike. and he cried a little. nobody saw him. he got on his bike, put the money in his backpack, and, uh, continued on his way. (tormented moaning sigh)
52.
hope 02:10
53.
54.
if you want to go north, go north! if you want to go east, go east! if you want to go south, go south! go-ho-ho-ho-ho! but if you want to go west? please invite me! please invite me! please can i come? i want to join you! west!
55.
i've been thinkin' about tomorrow, i've been thinkin' about today, but what i don't wanna do, is think about yesterday...
56.
progress 00:16
doesn't matter where we're goin' i just wanna go forward don't want to look back no! i don't! i really don't! come on now, forward!
57.
if you remove the thing between you -- the obstacle, or the table -- if you remove the thing between you, then you can wrestle or hug. if/if you remove the thing between you -- the/the obstacle, or the table -- if/if you remove the thing between you, you may just be able to love.
58.
perfectionistas destroy everything... everything... everything... in their way!
59.
don't need to bring myself down...!
60.
61.
if you wanna 00:59
if you wanna sing out then you better sing out now! if you wanna sing out, you better sing out now! if you wanna speak out, you better speak out now! if you wanna sing out, you better sing out now! but if you wanna dance through the streets in silence, then you should. you can dance on the blue streets in the gold light from the streetlamps. yeah, you should, 'cause it's beautiful, and it's loud in its own way. yeah, you should, dance the night away.
62.
baby, it's cold inside your apartment. baby, it's cold inside your telephone voice. maybe it's cold there 'cause you're scared, 'cause you're scared. where it's warm is between our lips, the four of them. where it's warm is when our hearts beat together close close together in the same bed. baby, it's warm all over your body. baby, you're warm inside. baby, you make me feel warm inside.
63.
64.
virginia 01:27
why are their rocks in your pockets, virginia? it's a little cold down here by the river-- and why do you look so sad? why don't we go up to your house, take out some pens and papers? you don't have to write. we could just draw we could just sketch anything in the room. or we could stay out here, look at the animals and laugh a little while or just be quiet here together you're not alone. so take the rocks outta your pocket put some pencils in your hands and maybe in your hair i think that'd look funny funny funny, honey.
65.
i spent twenty-seven dollars on these here purty flowers from the store. (and you liked 'em!) but i spent seven minutes pickin' these fresh ones for you. (and you liked them better!) i spent a hundred and seven dollars on this here fine piece of art. (from the gallery.) but i spent seven hours makin' you this one. from my heart to yours. and we made love for four hours (ish) that's all i'm sayin'! ; )
66.
kinda wanna 00:24
kinda wanna go to bed kinda wanna cover my head but i think instead i'll stay up all night lookin' at the stars and dreaming of something different.
67.
there's so much to say on any given day but i'd rather just sing! la la la la la aaah oooh oooh!
68.
you know, you don't need to be afraid of me! you don't need to be afraid! i know you're scared of me! but you scare me more!
69.
darn your sweater darn your socks darn your hat darn you
70.
the carousel 00:44
the other day the carousel got tired of going in circles. so, one horse decided to leave, decided to lead the pack. the poles busted from the roof/ceiling thing! the poles busted from the floor! the horses neighed in joy! and the children knew all along that it would be possible!
71.
discovery 00:32
72.
jazz waiting 01:00
73.
well i've got bunyans on my feet, i've got onions on my breath, and aren't you lucky, honey honey, you've got me! hi : ) i've got egg salad in the fridge! (do you want some?) i've got hamsters in my room! (do you want some? maybe you can borrow it -- one of 'em -- bring it back tomorrow -- by -- in-in the morning -- like, before 9, before i go to work -- so maybe like 8? that's fine!) and aren't you lucky, honey honey, you've got me! (oh oh oh) well, if i haven't made it abundantly clear why you're lucky to have me, my dear! well... let's just spin it around to the truth, that is. i feel lucky, honey honey to be your frog prince. (ribbit)

about

i began a song-creating* project in march 2010 using a digital recorder and following a few principles: a) to not judge myself b) to remove the idea of "good" or "bad" results from my mind c) to just let songs happen d) to sing songs that were the length of an idea, even if that was just a few seconds e) to record at home in my room along eastern parkway -- and to keep a song in my mind during the day til i got home (to keep singing-time sacred).

i set a crazy dream goal of 100 songs. as of april 2011, i'm at almost 600 length-of-an-idea songs. i'll keep downloading as many as bandcamp will allow.

these songs chart daily observations, fantasies, feelings, wonderings, wanderings, quiet discoveries. some are simple wordless preludes, descriptions of activities and feelings. you may hear the things that inspire me and influence me most -- jazz, the sounds that words make, childhood, animals, people.

thanks so much for listening.

suggestion! click on individual song titles (in blue) in order to see lyrics, a picture for each song, and other fun info (as opposed to playing them from the main page).

oh, p.s. the album name, erfect, comes from a sign that my sister and i love near union st. in brooklyn. it probably once said perfect, but the p fell off -- or was wisely removed by an artist. to me, art and creativity -- that messy, wonderful process is erfect.

*song-creating -- this is the term i'll use to describe the process of coming up with songs, from a state of clarity, usually just by pressing the record button. sometimes i tinkered with words on a page, but that was rare. other times, i re-recorded if i made a fun discovery during the songs to develop more. oh! and i had to re-record take-after-take out of necessity for certain guitar songs...because i am a beginner : p

overall, i'd have to say that when we give ourselves the freedom to create, human creativity is a geyser.

credits

released April 10, 2011

album credits: my olympus digital recorder; my yamaha guitar -- i call her djane (a new friend as of january 2011!); background noises from eastern parkway in brooklyn, from the radiator and wood floor popping, from my cell phone going off -- what a soundscape! and to everyone who has encouraged me with this project -- thank you.

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about

zando8grl Brooklyn, New York

Amanda Gates-Elston is interested in finding sounds to describe places, animals, people, objects, and moments in time. She is interested in composing for moving image, dance, and theatre. She creates daily tabletop theatre with animal figurines, loves acting onstage and film, and is drawn to people who believe-things-into-being. ... more

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