Forum
Perhaps Undercover would be easier to pin down if they ever did two
albums the same... like for instance groups like Petra and WhiteHeart.
Again with this album, when I put it in the CD player, I was surprised by
how the band sounded. With Rob Gallas (formerly of Black and White
World) on vocals, and Chuck Cummings (of Dakota Motor Company and Aunt
Betty's, currently CEO of Fourdoor Records) and David Raven (of Tamplin, Swirling Eddies, the Screamin' Rays and others) on
drums, this version of Undercover had a slightly different sound, and it
works for me! Some of the more intriguing moments on this album are where
the band plays with 7/4 time in Pocket Full of Money, the acoustic,
almost country-tinged Carmenita, and the 7:30 title track, Forum
(Lullabye). Not only that, but the album cover looks like the cover of
John Wyndham's book the Chrysalids. A really cool album. It doesn't fit in to neat pigeonholes, but what else would you expect from one of the most groundbreaking bands of the late 80s and early 90s?
Songs
1. Spill
2. The Moon and the Blue Around
3. Forum (Lullabye)
4. Symbol
5. Carmenita
6. Whoa Nelly
7. Pocket Full of Money
8. The Overlook (Hosanna)
9. Tell Me Everything About You
10. Union
After touring this album, Undercover really did call it quits. Then, in 1999, Gym, Ojo, Gary and Sim got back together again. From all accounts, it was the right fit for all of them. So the Undercover lineup of their biggest years was reunited for some live shows, and a new album is being proposed for 2002.
Lyrics
Spill
Brittle bones
Try to find their way
Fight the cloth
Between the fingers
Upon the canvas
Watch the painter call his painting
Call his trouble
Under feet that can't stand still
Still, she's alone
Embracing anything
Everything was lost in the wreckage
Grabs a pen, spills her sorrow
Dancing in the colors of the celebration
Under feet that can't stand still
The beauty remains
Suffering will fade away
The beauty will remain
By Ojo, Gym, and Rob © 1994 PU Music (ASCAP), My Devotion Music (BMI) and Dayspring Music (BMI).
The Moon and the Blue Around
Treat her nice
Treat her to ideas you designed
She's been hurt before
I would gladly take her to the summer in my arms
I would gladly take her if I could
The moon and the blue around
We can find and play
After we have looked down
Moment seized, now silent, past
Speak to her, speak to her
In kindest terms
Listen to her
She's heard lions roar
Let me listen closely to ideas she designed
Let me listen slowly to her eyes
The moon and the blue around
We can find and play
After we have looked down
Moment seized, now silent, past
Take good care
Take good care of my beloved's time
Innocence becomes her anyway
I would gladly keep her through the winter if I could
Listen slowly to her lovely eyes
Words and music by Ojo © 1994 My Devotion Music/Dayspring Music (BMI)
Backing vocals: Inki Svensson
Forum (Lullabye)
Empty
Don't know what I'm doing here
I feel so empty
Really don't know why I'm here
Helpless
Aimless and confused
I guess I'm tempted
Just to sit down and think about it
Hey
Come what may
No way
To prepare
Get ready
Throw you in
You get to sink or swim
So go ahead and say
Whatever makes you feel better
It's only how you think that matters
Did you see him, hear him?
Did you meet him?
Did you know him, enjoy him?
Did you find him?
Sacred
Glorious mysteries
Sacred waters
Head and hands and feet
Sacred
Temple of the Most High
Sacred
Now and at the hour of our...
Hey
Come what may
No way
To save the day
Get ready
Throw you in
You get to sink or swim
So go ahead and say
Whatever makes you feel better
It's only how you think that matters
Did you see him, hear him?
Did you meet him?
Did you know him, enjoy him?
Did you love him?
Words and music by Ojo © 1994 My Devotion Music/Dayspring Music (BMI)
Programming: DJ Cut No Slack
Backing vocals: Inki Svensson
Additional keys: Squid Taylor
Symbol
She brushed her arm at me
Swept me away
She never said a word
I knew it was trouble when she turned
It was enough
To know it was trouble when she turned
Somebody forged a rule
Called it divine, but
What it means to you
Is not what it means to me
Packed up my bags to catch
The 11:15
I had enough
And knew it was trouble when I heard
I felt so helpless
Always the same when she's away
A brillig day, calloo, callay
What does it mean
What did he say?
What does it mean
How does it feel?
Words and Music by Ojo © 1994 My Devotion Music/Dayspring Music (BMI)
Some words created by Lewis Carroll. (erroneously attributed to R.L. Stevenson in the liner notes, but Joe's fessed up to it ;-))
Carmenita
She's going to Carmenita
To find the peace that she's in need of
She's going, she'll never leave there
I know there's no one like her
I don't want to live without her
I'm going, I'll never leave her
She's the girl I want
She's the one for me
When I close my eyes
Carmenita
She's the girl I love
I don't want to miss her
She's the one who makes it seem
Like our first kiss
I'm going to Carmenita
That's where she said I'd meet her
I'm going, I'll never leave her
We're going to Carmenita
Caballero and seņorita
We're going and we'll never leave there
Words and music by Gym © 1994 PU Music (ASCAP)
Violin: Jim Sitterly
Accordion: Nick Ariondo
Whoa Nelly
Whoa Nelly
When I see you in a black dress
I tell ya' that it makes me think of home
I'm riding out early in the morning
Riding out alone
When I close my eyes
Look inside my soul
When I sleep at night
Look inside my soul
Whoa Nelly
When you tell me that you want me
The moon's calling me coyote, oh calle
My heart belongs in solitary wonder
You're sure pretty but I'm leaving anyway
When I close my eyes
Look inside my soul
When I sleep at night
Look inside my soul
Whoa Nelly
When I hear your voice inside me
I'm wrestling with everything I feel
I'm riding out first thing in the morning
Riding out alone
When I close my eyes
When I sleep at night
When I say my prayers
Look inside my soul
Words and music by Ojo, © 1994 My Devotion Music/Dayspring Music (BMI)
Pocket Full Of Money
Oh, mercy me, I'm in need
Of that old-fashioned green
I could work, I could slave
But how much would do?
Got a pocket full of money
Got a pocket of cash
Got a pocket full of power, a pocket of trash
Get my hands on it
Got a handful of...
Guilt, a handful of bills
Need a way to buy my thrills
Bend the rules but don't break the law
Didn't know how deep, didn't know how far
Got a pocket full of money
And it's burning a hole
If I gave it away, would it save my...
If I hang on to it, will it take control
Got a pocket full of silver
A pocket of gold
I can't believe who I just sold
Words and music by Gym © 1994 PU Music (ASCAP)
Backing vocals: Fred MacGregor
The Overlook (Hosanna)
I overlook the overlook, to see what I have overlooked
I criticize myself you see, through critic's eyes so I can see
With overwhelming overkill, I overdo what I should do
I criticize myself you see the truth has always set me free
Hosanna
Misery's a mystery, I miss her when she looks at me
We're suffering so much so far so far as I can tell
Misery's our history, sweat and sorrow misery
Sweat and sorrow set me free the truth has always set me free
Hosanna
Over standing on the stand to understand what I can't stand
Stand beside the standard, just to figure what it means
The sorry little forest has such happy little trees
But the forest's happy trees have missed the forest for the trees
Hosanna
Words and music by Ojo © 1994 My Devotion Music/Dayspring Music (BMI)
(Tell Me) Everything About You
Riding down the coastline
Headed for the warm sunshine
Gonna meet the Dream of dreams
Somewhere deep in time
We can sit in the sand and talk
Think about things we've done
We could walk on under the trees
As the leaves fall from above
Tell me everything about you
Tell me everything and more
Tell me everything about you
I want to know
Lying down the shoreline
Maybe by the riverside
Living in the Dream of dreams
Somewhere deep in time
I'll get there maybe by the river side
Think about things to come
We could walk on under the sky
As the clouds fall from above
Tell me everything about you
Tell me everything and more
Tell me everything about you
I want to know
Words and music by Gym © 1994 PU Music (ASCAP)
Violin: Jim Sitterly
Accordion: Nick Ariondo
Union
Boy and Girl
Plan their world
Promises made together
Search for union
Without regret
Loving only each other
Life goes on
When the hour's gone
Can't hold back its rein
Love is strange
Everything changes
Can't hold back its rein
Boy and Girl
Thrown in their world
Calling out for each other
Search for union
Without regret
Looking out for each other
Life goes on
When the hour's gone
Can't hold back its rein
Love is strange
Everything changes
Can't hold back its rein
Words and Music by Gym © 1994 PU Music (ASCAP)
Additional keys: Squid Taylor
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