SOTW #143: The Mountain/Mizen Was American/Reno

[Smitty]

Three songs I know little about, other than they were only played once (as far as I know). The Mountain is one of Cooley's better "lost" songs IMO, Mizen is a very affecting song that hit hard in the months following 9/11, and Reno is probably my favorite unreleased Patterson song. BTB pointed out that Hood has quite a fascination with quaaludes, and I think the decadence depicted in the song is what endears it to me.



The Mountain
download
For no reason at all I went to that old town
where my grandaddy's hand handed my mother's down.
It was the middle of August and looking like fall.
It was real nice and warm, but not too hot at all.

There's a road that goes up the side of a hill.
They call it a mountain so I guess I will.
For the people that live at that mountain's great base,
there's just the mountain and no other place.

Dry, broken ground and power lines
? and ? satellite
There ain't nothing on the other side
that great big ol' mountain cannot hide.

There are people who know the difference between
what the good book says and what it really means.
I'd like to be one of them, but I never will.
All I learned was the mountain, and it's all I know still.

Dry, broken ground and power lines
? and ? satellite
There ain't nothing on the other side
that great big ol' mountain cannot hide.

Mizen was American
download
[...] after World War II.
His dad fought in Korea, and Viet Nam, too.
Mizen was the type to do the best he can.
Mizen was American.

Mizen held on to some of his religious ways.
Proud to be born and raised in the USA.
He owned a small business, did the best he can.
Mizen was American.
Mizen was American.

Walking home the shadows got so large.
No love coming from the passing cars.
A night like this, nobody stops to help
Scary times got everybody upset.

Long hard day and then the night seems so cold.
TV set was hanging down at the bar
Someone shouted "Kill him for the towers coming down."
Mizen was American.
Mizen was American.

Mizen stood up and looked that man right in the eye.
Said "I'm just as heartbroke that all them innocent people have died."
They both started crying as the two grown men shook hands.
Mizen was American.
Mizen was American.

Walking home the shadows got so large.
No love coming from the passing cars.
A night like this, nobody stops to help.
Now these hard times got everyone upset.

Later on he was walking home from the bar,
Never know if he noticed that slow moving car.
Killed for a crime committed by someone else's hands.
Mizen was American.
Mizen was American.

Reno
(stream here just click the listen tab)
Cooped up, strinkin' and strivin'.
Two drunk and one of them's drivin'.
Faces, Free, and Thin Lizzy.
Analog roamin' and busy.
45 cylinders in 45 days,
it has to be mad and it got's to be crazy.

Don't want no cocaine in Reno,
but you better not ask me in Boise.
Lake Tahoe with Desi and Dino.
The sweetness of wine in the wind.

Born just a little too late for the Qualuudes,
nothing there to help me with my moods.
But there's pharmacies in Tijuana,
Jack Daniels and marijuana.

My sleeping bag stinks and I'm lonely.
Nothing here I would want on me.
Leaked out, rocked out, and wrangled.
It's a wonder how fast our lives got tangled.

I don't want no cocaine in Reno,
but you better not ask me in Boise.
Lake Tahoe with Desi and Dino.
The sweetness of wine in the wind.

Coughin' up smog juice and tequila.
Wakin' up next to the smell of ya.
Headin' out just before midnight.
Strung out in Mexico again.

And I sure hope this platform is sturdy.
Know we're bound to get dirty.
And this [shitheap of four asses] cannot compete
with the thrill of parking my car on your street
I been enough hours in the van in my head,
waking up next to that bastard instead.
Gone to find beer in Utah on Sunday,
having our asses back in Texas by Monday.

I don't want no cocaine in Reno,
but you better not ask me in Boise.
Lake Tahoe with Desi and Dino.
The sweetness of wine in the wind.

Checkin' out smog juice and tequila.
Wakin' up next to the smell of ya.
? out waves in the twilight.
Staggerin' through Mexico again.
Coming in just before midnight.
? in Reno again.
? in Reno again.


thanks to oneofthesedays.org for the lyrics. If any of ya'll can make out the unknown lines, please do so.

[Smitty]

BTW, Mizen & The Mountain are both on Airplane Screams.

[GuitarManUpstairs]

I need to go back and listeen to Airplane Screams again..its been awhile....and i think its [b]Midnight in Reno[/b]....

[notdaryet]

i have all of the stuff on Airplane Screams. where/when was "Reno" or "Midnight In Reno" played? i'd like to grab an mp3 for my compilation if it is on archive.org or somewhere else.

thanks in advance.

-justin

[dime in the gutter]

cool thread. smitty droppin nuggets of gold on us.

[Smitty]

i have all of the stuff on Airplane Screams. where/when was "Reno" or "Midnight In Reno" played? i'd like to grab an mp3 for my compilation if it is on archive.org or somewhere else.

thanks in advance.

-justin

Don't think Reno's on archive - I have it somewhere on one of my computers/external HD's, I'll try to dig it up for ya.

edit: here's the show it was played at:

4/5/02
40 Watt
1. Sink Hole
2. Hell No, I Ain't Happy
3. Marry Me
4. Your Daddy Hates Me
5. Ronnie and Neil
6. Zip City
7. Heathens
8. My Sweet Annette
9. Nine Bullets
10. Thank God For The TVA
11. Uncle Frank
12. Women Without Whiskey
13. I Got A 45 To Pay My Rent (Todd McBride)
14. Let There Be Rock
15. Reno
16. Too Much Sex (Too Little Jesus)
17. Don't Be In Love Around Me
18. Buttholeville

[notdaryet]

would love to hear "Reno" if you get a chance to upload it.

thanks!

-justin