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Constellation

by Salim Nourallah

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1.
Oh so long so long ago When we were young and shunned the old How were we supposed to know? How life would unfold Singing out so happily Underneath the apple tree Filled with joy And childish dreams Boundless they seemed On and on and on we’d go Through summer sun and winter snow Those endless dream days Life was but a mystery A work of art that we’d conceive And all it’s gifts would be revealed Laid out at our feet Stars were blowing through our hair Love was shining everywhere Those endless dream days On and on and on we’d go Through summer suns and winter snows Those endless dream days Now those days have disappeared Faded with each passing year All the laughter all the tears Locked up in here So hold on tight and don’t let go They’ll be gone before you know Those endless dream days Those endless dream days
2.
Sitting in the back row with my glasses on Getting all the letters on the chalkboard wrong Lookin’stiff in khaki with a bow tie yawn Always watching momma mow the growing lawn Brother F is crying from a bullies’ rock I’m the lone avenger with revenge to plot Western hills western hills western hills I’m there still All I wanted was to fit in because That’s what the others did That’s what the others did Sitting on the blacktop at the end of class Betting that the jam was better than the clash Western hills western hills western hills I’m there still Under cover ear pressed to the radio Cutting off transmission of guitar solo Western hills western hills western hills I’m there still All I wanted was to fit in because That’s what the others did That’s what the others did Thought I only wanted to be like the rest Now I see it kinda worked out for the best Western hills western hills western hills I’m there still
3.
Way back when I was a stranger in my own skin I’d hide away for hours In my iso tower I’d pretend I was somewhere more romantic Yeah, somewhere not so tragic With 45’s and magic I’m taking off to mars In my vinyl car I’m gonna hit the heights Then maybe hit some stars And you won’t have a clue what I’ve been up to Even when I tried to crawl out of my own skin I’d always end up back in There’s safety here with this pen And now I get it To my family I’m a spaceman With a pair of soundproofed tin cans And transmissions from a strange land I’m taking off to mars In my vinyl car I’m gonna hit the heights Then maybe nick some stars And you won’t have a clue what I’ve been up to I’m gonna hang my hat Underneath the moon I’m gonna take some pain And stick it to a tune So you can sing along Get the words all wrong Strangers everywhere Stranger right in front of me I just stand and stare Who’s that looking back at me? I’m taking off to mars In my vinyl car I’m gonna hit the heights Then maybe hit some stars And you won’t have a clue what I’ve been up to I’m gonna hang my hat Underneath the moon I’m gonna take some pain And stick it to a tune So you can sing along Get the words all wrong We spend our whole lives never knowing anybody We spend our whole lives never knowing anybody Don’t spend your whole life never knowing anybody Never knowing anybody Way back when I was a stranger in my own skin
4.
Be Here Now 03:40
It’s such a beautiful day Why am I so far away? I wanna be here now Hundreds of thoughts fill my head But I’d rather hear yours instead I wanna be here now Always caught up in the doing Always the pushing and pulling I wanna give in to the moment of my choosing Swarming like flies all around Nothing can drown out their sound I wanna be here now To pay close attention to you And only do what you want to I wanna be here now Always caught up in the doing Always the pushing and pulling I wanna give in to the moment of my choosing Off in the distance not knowing Where in the world that we’re going The time that we have is for living Not for getting Hundreds of thoughts fill my head But I’d rather hear yours instead I wanna be here now I wanna be here now
5.
Cruising along At a quarter past 8 Music comes on You don’t care if you’re late Cigarette drag It’s the best that you’ve had And you’re feeling great The night is your slave She’s got so much in store A grin as you say That daytime is a bore A pat on the back Then it’s one for the road And you’re out the door You’re gone yeah you’re you’re gone now Gone in the blink of an eye You’re gone yeah you’re you’re gone this time Stepping outside With the sun in my eyes Back of my mind thinking you are alright Safe in your place With your hangover case and the Jesus light A 2 minute call That I’ll never forget Choking back tears Full of bitter regret I knew you’d be leaving The second we met But I said nothing You’re gone yeah you’re you’re gone now Gone in the blink of an eye You’re gone yeah you’re you’re gone this time I won’t forget what you did I won’t forget what you said You’re gone yeah you’re you’re gone now Gone in the blink of an eye You’re gone yeah you’re really gone this time
6.
Yet born get ahead Snatch it all up like they said It’s not enough, it’s not enough Grow up go to school Do your homework follow rules It’s not enough, it’s not enough Graduate get laid Get obsessed with getting paid It’s not enough, it’s not enough New cars new clothes Get yourself a second home It’s not enough, it’s not enough Everything you have (not enough) Everything you want (not enough) Go green join the team Eating right staying lean It’s not enough, it’s not enough Make up make out Make it work throw it out It’s not enough, it’s not enough Get high get spent How you gonna pay the rent? It’s not enough, it’s not enough Go there look at that Fly around the world in fact It’s not enough, it’s not enough Everything you have (not enough) Everything you want (not enough) Yeah everything you’ve bought (not enough) And everything you want (not enough) When I was a boy Laying in the grass I would always dream Of what I didn’t have And time meant nothing to me No not a thing to us I could never believe in What I couldn’t touch Oh…oh…. Oh…oh… Now I sit and watch From my lonely room I’m an old man now And the flowers are in bloom And all the pretty young things Pass by my window And I’d gladly give up my soul For another go Oh…love is all there is Oh…love is all there is Get born get ahead Snatch it all up like I said It’s not enough
7.
I’ve fallen, can’t get up I’m down, I’ve had enough Violent words spill from my mouth From broken thoughts i spit them out Don’t mind me today I’m stuck here seeing red Better off left for dead I only see futility And ugly things surrounding me Don’t mind me today Don’t mind what i say All I wanna be Is happy, can’t you see All of this will pass This sadness never lasts So don’t mind me…don’t mind me today On days it comes to this Your patience I request If I came to you on bended knees Begging forgiveness please Don’t mind me Don’t mind me Don’t mind me today…don’t mind me today
8.
Do you ever get the feeling Your life could’ve been Something better, more appealing Than what it became… Do you go back to the moment Those choices were made That effected every second You spent from that day Do you ever get the feeling? That you somehow might’ve taken… The wrong road, yeah The wrong road The wrong road, oh The wrong road All your teardrops in a puddle Like nails in your feet How you’ve damaged how you’ve muddled The failure complete You expect the world to hold you In hers arms and weep At the horrible decisions You now clearly see Do you ever get the feeling? That somehow you might’ve taken… The wrong road, oh The wrong road The wrong road, yeah The wrong road I’ve made mistakes enough to fill The grand canyon and then have leftovers still I’ve lost the plot to find my way And the most likely chance is I’m still gonna take The wrong road yeah the wrong road The wrong road oh the wrong road Do you ever get the feeling?
9.
A picture of your family when you were only three A picture of a castle a picture of a beach A picture on your birthday a picture on your bike A picture can be taken of anything you like Pictures we’ve collected of our lives So we can reflect from time to time A picture of an uncle who died when he was young A picture of a robot a picture of your son A picture of your father when he was only five That picture made you wish that he was still alive Pictures we’ve collected of our lives So we can reflect from time to time Pictures of the good times that we’ve had I hope there’s more of them than there are bad Pictures at a party pictures of a peach People taking pictures that you’d like to reach Pictures on vacation pictures of some pets People taking pictures of their relatives Pictures at the office pictures at the zoo People always pointing cameras right at you Pictures of the in-laws pictures of the ex Pictures of some people we’d all like to forget Pictures we’ve collected of our lives So we can reflect from time to time A picture of a mother a picture of some friends A picture of a baby bouncing in a crib Pictures stuffed in boxes pictures put in books I put mine in a frame so you can have a look Pictures we’ve collected of our lives So we can reflect from time to time Pictures of the good times that we’ve had I think there’s more of them than there are bad Gentlemen take polaroids in leisure suits Soldiers snapping photos in their combat boots Tourists from Japan prefer the handy cam But they’ll kindly offer you a helping hand Staring at the little kid i used to be Wonder what that little kid would think of me In the frame the lines of past and present blur I don’t wanna see that photograph no more Pictures we’ve collected over time So we can reflect upon our lives Pictures of the good times that we’ve had I hope there’s more of them than there are bad I hope there’s more of them than there are bad Oh, pictures….pictures
10.
Days spent vacant No one home Blank stare blatant So alone Waiting and wasting a lifetime away ‘Til you came It’s the story of the man who learned to love It’s the story of the man who learned to love Winter lasted All year long Heartless bastard Never thawed Sitting and counting the hours and days ‘Til you came It’s the story of the man who learned to love It’s the story of the man who learned to love It’s the story of a man who finally understands It’s the story of the man who learned to love Waiting and wasting a lifetime away ‘Til you came Sitting and counting the hours and days ‘Til you came It’s the story of the man who learned to love It’s the story of the man who learned to love It’s the story of a man who finally understands It’s the story of the man who learned to love
11.
Monday morning Waiting for you Will you meet me? I adore you At the station Train is leaving Watching waiting Still believing Love is all around And waiting for us Hoping to be found It’s right before us Some things out there Can be scary Let’s forget them Let’s get married If you want to I could hold you For a lifetime I won’t fail you Love is all around And waiting for us Hoping to be found It’s right before us Love is all around We’re getting closer Hoping to be found I want to know you Love is all around And waiting for us Love is all around It’s right before us Love is all around We’re getting closer Love is all around I want to know you
12.
Saint Georges Opens the door to a couple of kids Huge glasses Nervous and grinning “Can we come in?” Cool grimace etched on her face As the hangover strikes We ask “is Jeffrey at home?” As her menthol lights Saint Georges Shuffles her feet like the solitaire deck That beckons her to the dealing Back on her bed TV on curtains are drawn Always night in this room Afternoon cocktail in hand Cigarette in bloom What is your name? Saint Georges… What is your game? It’s boredom… What do you see when you turn out the lights And you’re falling asleep? Where is your life? Saint Georges How did you die From boredom? 3 flights of stairs Did your neck break the fall where you happened to land? Clock strikes ten Georges is prowling the hallways again Den bar is open all night So it’s on the house Suddenly happy and chatty The gloom disappears But witty banter falls flat on Gerald’s deaf ears The sun came up the sun went down Spent drinking in your dressing gown The years rolled on but time stood still for you What was your name? What was your game? Who did you see when you looked in the mirror And were they a saint? Where did it go? Saint Georges How could you know? Of course not Life is what happens when we’re busy making Our throwaway plans Life is what happened while you were just dealing Your throwaway hand The sun came up, the sun went down Drinking in your dressing gown Send good son Jeffrey on his way For Bloody Mary’s at your grave

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All Music Guide

Review by Ned Raggett

Salim Nourallah's now decade-long career, counting his initial duo effort with his brother, has confirmed him as a particular kind of modern pop classicist, at once plenty aware of an understated power pop tradition that has accrued over the decades and perfectly at home in the gentle indie rock world of the 21st century in turn. Constellation balances out these sides well enough, and if Nourallah's work succeeds at being engagingly pleasant rather than breathtakingly original, he still demonstrates his skill readily throughout. At its peppiest, as on "Western Hills" and "It's Not Enough," Nourallah fully brings the power pop jones to the fore, while "Love Is All Around" -- not a Troggs cover, despite the name -- almost feels like a gentle version of the "Merry Christmas (War Is Over)" performance by John & Yoko. There's a little more sting at points, as with the electric guitar crunch on "In the Blink of an Eye," but otherwise steadily easygoing is the goal throughout.

credits

released March 31, 2009

Billy Harvey Audio Production, Various Instruments, Vocals
Bruce Hughes Bass (Upright)
Salim Nourallah Primary Artist, Various Instruments, Vocals
Bob Schneider Piano, Vocals

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Salim Nourallah Dallas, Texas

Salim is a North Texas music scene fixture. After gaining initial acclaim with Nourallah Brothers he’s gone on to release a half dozen solo albums and produce a fine list of many others (including Old 97s & the Damnwells). His solo debut Polaroid was met with reviews like this one:“discovering a singer-songwriter who can stop time is rare, but Salim Nourallah is such a find…” (Rolling Stone). ... more

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