Click on title to link to YouTube's film clip of Greg Brown performing "Better Days".
CD Review
Milk Of The Moon, Greg Brown, Red House Records, 2002
The first two paragraphs have been used in other reviews of folk musician/singer/songwriter Greg Brown’s work.
Greg Brown is a particular kind of folk singer who before I listened to his “Greg Brown-The Live One ” album reviewed elsewhere in this space I had not really paid attention to since the days of my early youth when I listened intently to Woody Guthrie whose songs were seemingly forged from the very heart of Americana. As a child of the urban folk revival of the 1960’s I got caught up in listening to the more political message songs provided by the likes of Bob Dylan or Phil Ochs. As a poet/singer/songwriter Greg has come out of the heartland of America, like Woody, in a fury to write and sing his tales of love, remembrance, tragedy, desperation and, on occasion, just pure whimsy. He is thus in very good company, and belongs there.
His songs evoke, under more modern conditions to be sure, the days gone by when the community spirit of small town life meant something. A strong bass voice grainy with the trials and tribulations of life lend authenticity to his words, as does strong guitar playing when necessary. Needless to say the variety of topics covered in his songs speak for themselves from Grandma's food cellars to vanishing Iowa family farms to sweaty nights of lovemaking entwined with the up and down battles of love and, of course, the ubiquitous bouts of fishing that gain more than a nod in his albums.
Outstanding here are “Smell Of Coffee”, the title track “Milk Of The Moon”, “Ashamed Of Our Love”, “Oh You”. As always Greg is on top when singing about the seamy side of life, love and the mysteries of human existence out in the heartland.
Smell of Coffee
Bouffant hairdo, ne'er-do-well
Warm the car up, perfume smell
Work is there when love is gone
Smell of coffee, crack of dawn
Pheasant clucking, ice cold dew
Backseat shotgun, frosty slough
Chevy coughing, let's move on
Smell of coffee, crack of dawn
Hey there, Benny, is this your home?
Railroad cinders, styrofoam
Train a-comin', where's Lost John?
Smell of coffee, crack of dawn
Blue blue window, factory
Big bad boss man can't find me
Boxes piled up, paycheck gone
Smell of coffee, crack of dawn
Woman works and man does too
Yellow paper, same old news
Forty years to cross the lawn
Smell of coffee, crack of dawn
Milk of the Moon
Morning is a siren, evening is a bust
Memories fade, pocketful of dust
I moan to you like a mourning dove
Mistakes are made along with love
On the day you opened up the door
I saw the future slip away, time is just a whore
If you can get any closer, oh please do
I can only dance when I dance with you
I'm drunk on moonmilk, I'm high up in the air
I know a woman she is silk there and there and there
With a kiss she wakes me up, she always leaves too soon
As she does she fills my cup with the milk of the moon
Open up the window, smell the rain
I kiss the pillow where your head has lain
Open up your wild and secret heart
And your flower, the tenderest part
I don't know when we'll meet again
Now will have to do 'til then
In a bed hot and wet like tears
We slept one night for years and years and years
I'm drunk on moonmilk, I'm high up in the air
I know a woman she is silk there and there and there
With a kiss she wakes me up, she always leaves too soon
As she does she fills my cup with the milk of the moon
Your gifts I'll cherish and I'll save
The look I see upon your face is the only thing I crave
When you're gone I'll try to get some rest
And dream you sleeping on my chest
I'll send you songs to carry you to sleep
Won't be so long we'll have this watch to keep
Loving you is the best I know of home
I'll be thinking of you hard hard hard as I open up my arms
I'm drunk on moonmilk, I'm high up in the air
Oh, woman, you are silk there and there and there
With a kiss you wake me up, you always leave too soon
As you go will you fill my cup with the milk of the moon?
Mud
Got a movie in my mind tonight
Grainy and jumpin', black and white
And I got my neck in close to yours
I can smell you and we're out of doors
You hold me close, I don't know
I hold you tight, I don't have to let go
In the dirt or somethin', somethin's wet
The sky is cloudy like the day we met
I can see through your eyes, things are big
Oh my heart is joy, things are big
Things are bigger, things are huge
Ah, the world comes in us like we want it to
I reach down slowly, down there someplace
Mmm, I get some mud, rub it on your face
And you do the same, and you kiss my blood
And here we are, ah, meeting in the mud
Ah, meeting in the mud
Yeah, meeting in the mud
Oh yeah, meeting in the mud
Yeah, yes, meeting in the mud.....
Ashamed of Our Love
Why were you ashamed of our love?
Why were you ashamed of our love?
Why were you ashamed of our love?
Why were you ashamed of our love?
Our love had room for everyone
Our love had room for everyone
Our love had room for everyone
Why were you ashamed of our love?
Why wouldn't you stand up for us?
Why wouldn't you stand up for us?
Our love had room for everyone
Why were you ashamed of our love?
Lies kill any beautiful thing
Why wouldn't you stand up for us?
Our love had room for everyone
Why were you ashamed of our love?
Steady Love
She wants your passion, your caress
She wants your hands on her and a soulful kiss
But she's lookin' for more than just that, son
Gotta be somethin' under all the good times and fun
Oh steady love, steady love
When the chips are down
The kind she can be sure of
Oh steady love
She might like flowers, might like a poem
Might like it better if you were home
And cooked with her and did a little dance
Where the kitchen is happy, love has a chance
Oh steady love, steady love
When the chips are down
The kind she can be sure of
Oh steady love
She's seen the cool boys hangin' around
With their sad dark eyes they never settle down
They might've written books or made CDs for the shelves
But they mostly just think about themselves
She wants steady love, steady love
When the chips are down
The kind she can be sure of
Oh steady love
When the kids are cryin' and the bills are due
And you wonder what you have gotten into
And you think the whole deal is not to be
Give her steady love, you'll find out how hot a woman can be
Steady love, steady love
When the chips are down
The kind she can be sure of
Oh steady love
I've heard men say, "Well look at that
She's such a babe, he's kinda dull, a little fat"
He must know something about kind and fair
When she needs somebody, the man is there
He gives her steady love, steady love
When the chips are down
The kind she can be sure of
Oh steady love
Mmmm, steady love
When the chips are down
The kind she can be sure of
Oh steady love
(Repeat, repeat) I can't stop!
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