Devotion
Devotion is probably among my favourite albums of all time, of any group. From beginning to end there isn't a bad song on the album. I really enjoyed this album from the first listen, because it wasn't quite as intense as the previous album had been... it had the sort of energy that 3-28-87 did, but with the use of a studio. It's hard, if not impossible, for me to choose a favourite on this album... they're all good songs.
The Band
Ojo Taylor: Bass, Keyboards
Gym Nicholson: Guitars
Sim Wilson: Vocals
Gary Dean Olson: Drums/Percussion
Songs
1. Work It Out
2. Man, Oh Man
3. Sea of Tranquility
4. Purple Flower
5. Devotion
6. Promenade
7. Where I Should Be
8. Dark Night
9. All That I Am
10. So Wonderful
What more needs to be said? I listened to my tape so much, it wore out,
and I had to replace it with a CD. After this album was released, there
was a bit of a personnel change, as Sim Wilson (lead vocals) and Gary
Dean Olson (drums) left the band. I didn't know this until I had bought
the next album, Forum.
Lyrics
All songs by Ojo Taylor copyright © 1992 B-1 Music (ASCAP).
All songs by Gym Nicholson and Sim Wilson copyright © 1992 PU Music (ASCAP).
"Where I Should Be" copyright © 1992 B-1 Music/PU Music (ASCAP).
Just once I'd like to shut my eyes and
Shut it out to keep myself
Just once I'd like to close my eyes and brush it all away
Last night the telephone kept yelling at me
Everybody's got their thing
Someday I'm gonna work it out so
Let me work it out
I'm so sick and tired of hearing all of that and
Hearing all your big ideas
California attitude gets the better of me
Must be something in the air
I find it hard to hang with high maintenance 'cause
I'm an easy going guy
Just once I'd like to
Someday I'm gonna
I'm so sick and tired of having to work it out
At 20th street when the boats come in
At 5 a.m. on 20th street when the boats come in
The water's so nice at 5 a.m.
And the dolphins sing the dolphin song
At 5 a.m. at 20th street when the boats come in
By Ojo Taylor.
Man, oh man
Where have you been
What have you done
What have you seen
Man, oh man
Why did you run
Why did you hide
Under the gun
Walked the garden
The cool of day
What did you hear
When you stole away
Boy, oh boy
What have you done
Are you afraid
Of what's to come
I wonder now
What must be done
To cover you
And all you do
Horn Arrangement: Rob Watson, Saxes: Doug Webb, Trumpet: Clay Jenkins
By Ojo Taylor.
Somehow I lost you when I finally spoke my mind
I thought I'd feel better but now I wish that I could die
I thought we had an understanding
and that things would be just fine
But I guess nothing goes like it should
Now I have to worry about a broken heart again
Oh no, now I have to worry about it
And I can't stop thinking of the
Sea of Tranquility
You tear me up and down when you
look at me like that
Words come hard when they don't come baby,
But a look is worth a thousand
I feel betrayed, like it never was
what it always seemed to be
I feel betrayed, like it never mattered
Like I, ...no I never had it
Oh no, now I have to worry about it
And I can't stop thinking of the
Sea of Tranquility
I held you in my arms
You pointed at the moon
And I could see it in your eyes
The way you smiled at me
By Ojo Taylor.
A purple flower came to visit me and landed on my window
And then I saw a half a million purple flowers
on the grass at home
It looked just like the ocean where the pelicans all fly so low
I dip my feet into the flowers
In the summertime the ocean knows
And we can fly away together where the angels fly
Where the angels go
When I see the colors of the world
The music of the sky
I think of you, I think of me
Dancing on a purple flower sea
I think you're pretty and I like your smile
Can I be, oh baby, the apple of your eye
A celebration of the coming revolution of
The children of the day
We go out early and feel the clouds against our face
We've been around and we've heard about the place
And we'll fly away together where the angels fly
Where the angels go
I try to keep my life as simple as I can
So all I have is me
I think of you, I think of me
Dancing on a purple flower sea
By Ojo Taylor.
Devotion
She cried
I'm just a kid and that's all I hear
I made mistakes and that's all I hear
Rage & I love you are one
Truth & lies all run together
I'm just a kid and that's all I hear
But I know there's no answer here
All I want is
All I want is something
To make me feel like something
Once upon a time
You would have known just what I mean
Devotion
She cried
I just came here to find a place
To find a way to find my way
And all you do is talk about people
Talk about you and talk about people
All I hear is talk about people
All I know is there's no answer here
All I want is
All I want is something
To make me feel like something
Once upon a time
You would have known just what I mean
Raise your hands, it's time to fly people
Raise your hands, it's time to fly
Devotion
The bottom of His robe
Background vocal: Steve Griffith
By Ojo Taylor and Sim Wilson.
Welcome brothers, sisters
Let's all join hands and gather around
(Will the circle be unbroken)
Everybody listen the storms of change are blowing
Such a deafening sound
(Let the people live as one)
And be free to search for answers
As we make our own mistakes
And be free to live, to feel, to love
To capture all it takes
Divided we fall Together we stand
If I should fall take hold of my hand
Divided we fall Together we stand
Way up there imagine what we'll see
Promenade
Will the circle be unbroken
Promenade
Look now brothers, sisters
Look around at how far we've climbed
(Let the circle be unbroken)
And now the seeds that we are sowing
Are coming to life
(Let the people live as one)
And be free to seek the vision
While we face reality
And be free to live, to feel, to love
To share the memory
Divided we fall Together we stand
If you should fall reach out for my hand
The mountain's so tall in the promised land
We're almost there
So stay, stay with me
Promenade
Additional vocals/arrangements: Terry Taylor
By Gym Nicholson and Sim Wilson.
I need to ride the dusty trail
The north shores of my mind
Throw the windows open wide
I see a miracle I could share
Catch a breath of air
Catch my breath, catch a pony by the tail
Where I should be
I need to ride the happy trails
Change the seasons of my mind
The world will be just fine
I see a miracle waiting there
Say a little prayer
In the outside nighttime air
Where I should be
I have to find the emerald skies
Put the twinkle back in my eyes
I know it's out there somewhere
Where I should be
By Gym Nicholson and Ojo Taylor.
A moment at a time
Dark night of the senses
Guess I'm not sure if I'll find you there
When I lower my defenses
Cleans my mind when I go in the water
And I find myself when the water reaches out to me
Stop it, stop it, stop it...
Stay a friend of mine
Let's not fight while we walk each other
Through the dark night
Cools my fire when I lie here beside you
And I find myself when you reach out to me
Dove came down when He came out of the water
And I find my way when the water reaches out to me
The dove reaches out to me
By Ojo Taylor.
All that I am
All that I see
All that I have been
All that I can be is yours
Give to you
Offer you
All my days I spend with you
Additional voices and vocal arrangements: Terry Taylor
Wooden Box: Gym, Cardboard Box: Sim, Plastic Box: Ojo
By Gym Nicholson and Sim Wilson.
For Rose
I came to see you one more time
I came to say goodbye
I missed you though you came to me
I felt you in the air
The smile of your spirit
The glory of your soul
Aren't you so happy to be free
And flying in the air, so wonderful
It must have been impossible at time
But who would ever know
Walk a while and hold my hand
And sing and sing it all away
Love and Joy
The glory of your soul
Aren't you so happy to be free
And flying in the air, so wonderful
By Ojo Taylor.
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