Get all 12 ilyAIMY releases available on Bandcamp and save 50%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Chords of Courage Volume One, Live At The New Deal Cafe, cicada, Seasons (Chris Cornell cello cover), A Message In the Mess, Another Life/Another Live, A Gift For Saint Cecilia, Between Lover and Twilight, and 4 more.
1. |
Asher's Prayer
01:32
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What a funny kind of heartbreak
it begins with hello
my shoulder is tight from the weather
and the reading of your letter
and the failings of my mouth
you know I had a son once
discarded long ago
you know I was crazy once like you
but I've discarded that long ago
and the tide has brought you home
Europe failed you but good
you think those browned West Coast kids
are so strong
well, I'm thinking of New York, New York....
so name him for the Moon
so name him for something out of reach
name him for something we are worthy of
name him for something we can not break.
©2002 rob hinkal
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2. |
Chalk Pit
05:30
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Chalk another up to the disbelievers
I've got no time for statistics
or numbers
with the rapists and redrums and the duldrums being dulled down
by prison guards, prison wards, lasers, tasers, drugs and dogs
I'm not so sure we're taking the time
for anything genuine
in the form of repentance, Love or God
and I'm not so sure we need any of the above...
Chalk another up to the disbelievers
chalk another down on the street in outline
their grand little trucks with their gloves and their hoses
and elegant little yellow sponges
<< reference to body clean up crews on the streets of Baltimore who hose blood into the gutters after a murder, and the body fluid clean-up kits on board PG County school busses>>
no-one's blood is safe on the streets
the gutters are belly growling
the gutters are belly hungry
they're asking for blood
they're asking for meat
whoever heard of a vegan street?
and I was afraid of that,
people soo angry at the Establishment
It's the MAN It's the MAN It's the MAN It's the MAN!!!
Well, killing him was part of my plan.
One set back
set the killer back
out on the streets with a twelve-step plan
and a twelve-guage gun
he's only having fun
6 kills one year
it's his sixteenth one
watch out man
watch out man
watch out man
he's gonna kill a man
watch out man
watch out man
watch out man
he's a killer-man
chalk covered hands
lily white hands
chalk covered feet
oh so sweet
bodies in lime
they've been trained in the pit
to lie in line and I am sick of it
I've been trained in the pit
to kill for what's mine
the world is there for the taking
you better not try and take mine
no.
we sold our souls to the weather
and it's better that we don't ever check our shoes
or take them off ever
cause we step on people on the outside
we track them around on the rug on the inside
we sit back in our expensive chairs
and we are whining
"You know, what's that smell?"
And I was afraid of that,
people so angry with established fact
it's the Man it's the Klan it's the man who ran
for president last year
well listen up dear
Isn't that blood on your hands?
Isn't that a gun in your hand?
Oh it's behind your back now?
Oh, I didn't see it back there!
Oh my God, it must've been somebody else!
and I've been trained in the pit
to kill for what's mine
the world is there for the taking
you better not try and take mine
no.
*newsflash!!*
Well, the protests have all been cancelled in DC
the weather's just too rough or something
there's no good speaking if noone comes to see
you've only got speaches for the TV
<< reference to an acquaintance who was all fired up about the Million Mom March and was telling everyone how it was their moral right to go and how it was going to change the world, and then didn't go because he couldn't get a ride and felt it was too cold to walk the 6 blocks to the Metro station>>
"FUCK THE POLICE!! FUCK THE POLICE!!!"
If someone said it sober I'd be shocked for weeks!
And you wonder why,
yeah you wonder why,
why no-one ever takes you seriously
<< re: most college/high school poetry open mics >>
and I was afraid of that,
people so angry with ME in fact
he's a man, he's the Man, he's a ROUGHLY straight white man
Well, I'm just a singer-man.
Chalk another up to the higher-ups
they just Pavlov cheer
when you say the word "fuck" here
they clap for the sex, they clap for the violence
maybe they're just clapping to hear noise from their hands
<< re: Ani Difranco and her knowledge that the rest of the song doesn't matter, as long as the audience has an opprotunity to chant the word FUCK, they'll Love you forever >>
I dug my own grave, I've admired yours too
I've even been trained to go pull the trigger too
you do me, and I'll do you
we'll leave a little less for the streets to do.
©2000 rob hinkal
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3. |
Deep in the AM
05:26
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It's 4am and the scent of your candle
still lingers on my fingers with the scent of your hair
and cigarette ash in the air
my fingertips are stinging from all their overuse
and my voice from the singing
I caught something from you I'm sure
I'm coughing up blood heart's blood
from a wound so deep
most wouldn't even know it was there
catch a glimpse of the moon
the sky's like ice
and though my eyes sting
I wouldn't trade this sensation for anything
Well I know it's the start of the winter season
where the weak things die but the strong thrive
and maybe the moon in December will see us leaping
and maybe the moon in December will just see us fall
It's 5am and I'm caught but good
fresh and full like never before
the moon casts its glare on the wolves outside your door
this Love is in the substance
in everything that we sing
we create this passion from which they all shrink from
whether you carry me or I carry you
we'll get the fame and the glory
standing in the tunnel the trains cut through us
no lying in the ditch they'll just rush by
we'll stare at the lights no squinting
we'll catch every spy by the scruff of his neck
I'll help you through this
I know it's the end of the summer season
where the weak things die and the strong survive
and the moon in July might see us weeping
but the moon in July will see us through
well it's 6am
and the ticking of the clock cuts through me
I turn to my left but you're dead to the world
maybe 7 will find me dreaming
but then again I already am
the dreams in my head fall from my mouth to the bed
maybe they'll lift you up
but maybe I'll weight you down
I know you have an awful lot on your soul
maybe the moon will burn this feirce for three whole days
but its the last of the moment for us to sing to
©1999 rob hinkal
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4. |
Sever
03:29
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You push me up against a wall
undress me like I was your own
pants first, no hesitation,
all this with our shirts still on
I want to walk on out
but your bedroom voice makes me just want you more
and this guilty conscience seems secondary
to being alone here on the floor
I want to cut you on out
razor your memories from my skin
but I'm the one who always bleeds
you don't feel anything.
Please, be careful with my sinner's heart for Heaven's sake
I seem impervious, but that doesn't mean that I don't still break This isn't that shiny, shrink-wrapped kind of love - we both know better - remember it's just a line: "You could wake up next to me forever."
Last night I could barely breathe
you with her in the other room
jealousy seems hypocritical
but I'm still tuned in to every moan
The carpet seems oddly like splinters
the walls betweeen seem paper thin
I imagine your hands upon her
does hers remind you of my skin?
I want to figure it out
where do you end and I begin
because I'm the one who always needs
you don't feel anything.
Please, be careful with my sinner's heart for Heaven's sake
I seem impervious, but that doesn't mean that I don't still break This isn't that shiny, shrink-wrapped kind of love - we both know better - remember it's just a line: "You could wake up next to me forever."
- Heather Lloyd
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5. |
Cricket Hunt
07:31
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You deserve the sanctity of our silence
the moment interrrupted by our wings
you deserve the monument of our time
interrupted by our breathing
and the rattle of our Lives
I'll give you the velvet silence of this room
it's like your skin
drinking everything
in the dimness of these candles
these LEDs
we can pretend we are but children
forget the ulcers and my lies
we could be but children running wild
I know who it is who is my triumphant one
I know who it is who is my shrike
I know who it is who is my pain and inspiration
you keep me waiting, you keep me waiting, and ....oh, oh, oh
You deserve the silence of our rattling
the monument of Life
laid before you in the light of noon
you've shown to us in the dimness of this room
I'll give you the velvet of my skin
it's like the muscles in my arm
they're driking everything
in the dimness of these candles these LEDs
you are shining, shining
I know who it is who is my crazy one
born with the brightness of the sun
I know who it is who is my brightest one
you've always denied me, you've always denied me ...
We'll capture crickets we'll swallow songs
I'm sorry to say we'll clip their wings
But if we keep them down under
and steal their thunder
we'll steal their flight and their songs and their small cricket dreams
We'll capture crickets we'll steal songs
we're finding small things
we'll creep deep down under
and hide from the thunder
we'll have our flight and our songs but their small cricket dreams
My voice for you
my crazy one
and other small things
we'll creep deep down under
and hide from the thunder
grinning our grins we'll let them go.
©2000 rob hinkal
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6. |
Spiral
05:36
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I know I scare you ,
I'm leaving stains and traces all down your side
I sketch spirals in your sleep
I start on the rib and work my way in
At my command they may run and smudge-
I've always left mud most everywhere that I've touched.
I place my hand to your skin, rub it in,
and start all over again.
I know I scare you,
I'm leaving stains and traces all on your insides.
You sketch spirals in my head,
and work your way back out again.
I collapse in quarters.
Squeeze out all the bad blood that I have bled.
I place this in your hands- rub it in,
and start all over again.
And I am feeling
like my fears are colours feeding
into you.
These are creatures,
they are slow-limbed and Lovely,
they are slipping to our sides again.
They open up our chests like wings,
let them breathe,
and lead them to light again.
These are kisses wishes and spent eyelashes,
they are scattered for our hearts' defense,
these are weeds,
they are slow-limbed and Lovely,
they are mistaking us for angels.
Well, I could have said irredescent,
but that's been done and done again.
And I could have said incandescent,
but you know damn well that I have burned and burned again.
Well I could have whispered such sweet words,
but you know they've been said and said again,
so I sketch these spirals as you sleep for your eyes
when you wake again.
And I am feeling
like my tears are colours bleeding
into you.
And I.
©2000 rob hinkal
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7. |
LooseN
07:20
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I think we proved it
my guitar sounds better in the dark
like our faces, all floating
souls protected I think we think better in the dark.
all narcotic all soaking
I'm spoiled by your fingers
pray let me spoil you with mine
I will be soo kind
fingers pressing it's the tension
of attention
shame to let this want go all to waste
and let the have-nots have too soon
yeah, let my fingers do the walking
yeah, I ripped that off
give me time
and that's not all that I'll be ripping off
this isn't all that I am thinking
i just let my body speak first
it's the forefront of hindbrain
it's the loudest of all my parts
under cover of my sorrow
I'll get it all and strike it down
I've come to you for holding
please let me, please let me in
And I'd write Love songs if I would
you know like Brian would
I'd compare you to a summer's day
If I thought cliches
but I'll hold you up in darkness
light the night with all your flame
if you let me
I'm gonna take everything that I can
serenade this blank brick wall again
the edge is blurring
the morning sun is here,
the morning sun is here and it is burning
time for me to be turning home again
thank you for the time that you have loosed to me
in spite of me
all I can say is at least it's me
you'd not know the thoughts here churning
but I'm in the habit of spreading my mouth oh so wide
not like I'd kiss and tell
but what the Hell
I'll simply kiss and stand and sing
and I'd write Love songs if I could
you know I swear I would
but I'm so angry everyday
II'm never done fighting everything
you are building wings up from my ribs
I'll give you everything that you need
fill my feathers with blue gas heat
I'll kill the lights and watch them shining
I'll watch you shining
I think we proved it
all my words sound better in the dark
that way you can not see
all of what is leaving me
I'm open innocent, eyes so wide
and that's a rarity
I'm catching light, I'm trying to make it till the daylight strikes
speak to me of Germany, speak to me of your fights
I'm pinned down here in the Christmas lights
I'm pinned down here in your eyes
I'm getting Looser in my thinking
you're getting cooler every night
I'll play the game until it's ended
If I could take everything you know I just might.
and I'd write Love songs if I could
you know I swear I would
but I'm so firghtened everyday
II'm never done running from everything
you're building wings up from my ribs
I'll give you everything that you need
my bones my breath my teeth
I'll write Love songs if you please...
to keep you shining, I'll keep you shining.
©2000 rob hinkal
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8. |
Hands
05:52
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These are my hands
I have scarred them
all on my own.
and I I have seen them fighting battles
out on their own
I try to mind them I am firm but kind
they are my children
my threatened kin
I try to mind them
they are silent about where they've been
these are your wounds and I am not a healer
mix peroxide and salt
you know just wash it out
watch your mouth
I'm crawling back towards your shore
you know confusion my hands are birds
they've lost their focus
floating useless upon my sides
with my strength I've been ruthless
but the truth won't find me here.
it was fatal deeply hidden
the blood on my hands
she insists it all was hers
under oceans I've been swimming
there's saltwater deep within my head
it was fetal deeply hidden
the blood upon my hands
I insist it is all my own
under mountains I've been digging
there's earth caked thick beneath my nails
maybe thoughtless that I am I am pretentious
but I do not stab I do not skewer
the blood upon my hands it is all my own
maybe thoughtless that I am I am pretentious
but I do not stab I do not skewer
the blood upon my hands it is all my own
approach me with the poker held high
belief in this thing is belief in steel
my hands are monsters I hold them high
cut them off they have their voices
children's voices held up high
up in the sky angels chide them
"My hands are innocent"
or so they cry.
maybe thoughtless that I am I am pretentious
but I do not stab I do not skewer
the blood upon my hands it is all my own
maybe thoughtless that I am I am pretentious
but I do not stab I do not skewer
the blood upon my hands it is all my own.
©2000 rob hinkal
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9. |
Choke Cherry
07:36
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One more toy to take
they say it will not hurt him
they say they will treat him Lovingly
but they stay to suck the joy from him
suck it down suck it down suck it down
the way you finish fruit
it always leaves you hungry
One more toy for the boy
it's one more way
to make him pay
for all these things that he will never be.
One more joy to take
they say it will not harm her
they say she will give it Lovingly
they say it'll make her stronger
she's giving in
she's beaten back
she's fucking up
she's fighting back
she needs a tool and she needs it now
here's to uneducated labour
and some help from alcohol
no she don't need no time to hone him
she just needs to make him strong
I was born to be a weapon
I was born to be a saviour
I was born to be a comment
on some other guy's behaviour
I can run and jump and hide and climb and climb and climb
One more to toy to break
that thing is always screaming
the telephone is
off the hook
with creditors and debitors
and people with their dying needs
You're one more toy for me to flay
cause I am so much older than I ever thought I'd Live
to be
I was born to be a star
Some bullfighting hero
I'm here to save us all
and I'm sorry you ever had to see me fall
It's a 9mm automatic
it caught 20 in the back on the run
never thought a boy that young could have it
never thought a boy could be so dumb
you know you can empty those things in 7 seconds
maybe quicker if you're faster with your finger on the trigger
knowing no-one never ever need to leave this room alive
spit the clip
jack one in
check the mirror and shoot again
and shoot again
I hear revolution is the answer
to fight with all your might
both sides have got the ammo
both sides have got the right
we can take it street by street
slow just like a Lover
every man is an oppressor
every man is just a soldier
lock and load for peace man
it's just the fight I've always dreamed of
I was born to be a falling star
in the ring to save this failing world
and I'm sorry
yah I'm sorry
you ever had to see me fall.
©2002 rob hinkal
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10. |
HARM
05:54
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you know I'll Live to be 19 forever
the careless harmless flirting
fretting for an uncaring world
19 I may be too young
but then again I've always been too young
you say I've got so much growing up to do
well I say never
You know I never wanted to
and you say maybe just an inch or two
and I say never, you know that I will never do.
you know we all were artists
so careful with our eyes
you know we all were Lovers
so careless with our hearts
you know I Love to watch you sleep
it's flattering to see you spill yourself
so near to me
and I lean in
I Love to watch you sway,
though you sway away from me
it's flattering just to be here
morning marches in
the bedside clock is kicking in my head
with every tock
we do not talk
and as the morning sun leaps up
oh so high
I will be the one
to leave your lips untouched
you know we all were artists
so careful with our eyes
you know we all were Lovers
so careless with our hearts
you know I was never harmless
and you were never wrong
but I was never heartless
and I never meant no harm
some days I don't plan to see 29
the careless harmless flirting
leads to harm
too old maybe
but then again baby
it's better than being too young
you know your dance was torture
with every twisting left I was left right out
I Love to breathe you in as you breathe out
but your breathing's burning in you
it was the only thing ever burning in you
you know we all were artists
so careful with our eyes
you know we all were Lovers
so careless with our hearts
you know we all were artists
so careless with our hearts lets
not romanticize
we were careless with our thighs
and no I was never harmless
and you were never wrong
no you were never wrong
with your good byes.
©2001 rob hinkal
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11. |
Coal Boulder
05:30
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Coal Boulder, red hot and black
burning none too cleanly.
Coal Boulder roll on back
well, you crushed a new Life today and no you won't look back
I was standing simple
I was standing proud
I was hand in hand
I was head in clouds
there were men here
shoveling heat long before us
shoveling heat
where we now scrape our feet.
This temple now stands around us
It stands for fire long gone out as do I
there is Life here, frozen for us
with diamonds set in soil
Slipping up now could be catastrophic
I'd be a sack of meat here at your feet
but silly Coal Boulder
if you were but older
we'd be heavy burnt and black
there's a house now abandoned on a frozen moore
I could not ask for more
there's a pine, we found that river
I could not ask for more
You kept the time in mind
I kept the road in mine
I wish you'd ask for more
there's my coat
and there's the door....
I am standing solid
you are standing cold
the path is fearsome
but I'm growing bolder
I'm standing simple
and I stand alone
you've shown the path now
and I'm going home
Coal Boulder
please grow colder
Coal Boulder,
please Coal Boulder
Coal Boulder
please Coal Boulder
Coal Boulder
go on home.
©2001 rob hinkal
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12. |
Thunderstorm
07:41
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It¹s the years first snow on the outside, and I¹m holding you on the inside... and nice try, but between us, it¹s an hour¹s drive. You know I have trouble with distance, you grow legends.. I just grow... distant. With the bus in the shop, it¹s quite a long walk. New Year¹s Eve was quite a storm, the time was racing. Eaten up in a frenzy by that stupid job of yours. And I never met so many bigots, all in just one night, but if this is LIfe, than it¹s not worth Living. please don¹t be like this. Just don¹t choose this. The atmosphere it gathers, for one last push. It shoves the twenty in the gutter, just out of reach. ANd I stretch and I pull but when you¹re neck down deep down in it, you just end up freezing. Please don¹t be like this, just don¹t choose this. chorus We are the chosen ones, things academics could not comprehend, or so they say. We have the force of muses, we carry their obsession, and we keep watch... we carry them through this storm. So why am I so hung up on people who waste their time? Crying over things that don¹t care to be cried for? The storm is rising, I feel it in my teeth, you lied to him, could you lie to me? This doubt is in my teeth. But, you know that 20 as well as I, if you could swallow your pride, it maybe just might just save your Life. But vision is dirty, and passion is dirty, and Living is dirty, and you want to keep so clean. You know I could set you free, no wonder you don¹t want to touch me. They know I could set you free, no matter, you don¹t want to touch me. chorus And I carried you every day.
©1998 rob hinkal
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ilyAIMY Baltimore, Maryland
ilyAIMY is a percussive acoustic rock animal hailing from Baltimore, MD. Mixing genres from rock to folk to soul to bluegrass; flavours as varied as jazz and hip hop curl through what is undoubtedly one of the most exciting sounds in today’s folk(ish) music scene. Instrumentation includes acoustic guitars, cello, djembe, cajon, Irish bones, keyboard, bass, drums & harmonies. ... more
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