Get all 25 Bob Drake releases available on Bandcamp and save 50%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of The Room in the Tower, There Was Once a Road (two minimalist pieces), Legendary Lore Of The Holy Wells Of England, Planets and Animals, Two Tales of Uncanny Visitations, Suite for Notation Software, What Day Is It? (Expanded Edition), 2 Improvisations dans une Eglise, and 17 more.
1. |
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Heat up the butter of antimony, stir in the lye
sprinkle with natron and asphalt, caustic soda,
pour into bowl, into a bowl made of bismuth
put the gas on, bring to a boil
do not forget these precautions:
it must be kept away from the light
protect hands.
Chloride of lime and spirits of nitre
salt and lemon juice, powdered fuller’s earth
strain through muslin, mix with naptha, add turpentine,
muriate of tin and ammonia, iron mould and magnesia
petrol and methylated spirits
calcine in crucible, cast into vessel with vinegar dust
when it’s done bubbling, bottle it, let cool
protect hands.
All the rags and settlings
that are thick should be burnt
after fluxing with bismuth
in two parts muriatic acid.
Bottle and cork for use
macerate then apply to the head
with the camphor, the boneblack
and sulphide of lead.
Protect hands.
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2. |
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Saturn is not the nicest planet to be stranded on
I hear there are lakes of methane
and ammonia clouds.
That's not very nice, no it isn't.
You can just forget about Uranus, also Jupiter,
don't even mention frozen Pluto
never mind the Moon.
No fun is to be had on Venus, just to quickly die
and be dissolved by sulphuric acid
raining from the sky.
That's not very fun, that's no fun at all, no it isn't.
It’s not nice
That's not nice at all
That's not very fun fun fun fun fun.
No it isn’t.
The gravity's too low on Mercury
and Mars is too cold and Neptune's much too wet
I guess that leaves us only one more planet.
Just one more planet.
and you're probably on it
if you're based on carbon
breathe oxygen and consist mainly of water
you're probably on it
some form of life as we know it.
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3. |
Don't Ask a Cat
02:46
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Every summer evening as the Sun goes down
and the fireflies are floating
cats commence to notice things we can't perceive
on their unknown errends in the night.
Padding silently into the hedge pursuing
things we're better off not knowing
all along the secret underbrush pathways
on their unknown errends in the night.Cats will often bring you what they've caught or killed
little common birds or rodents
but the strangest things they capture we'll never see
on their unknown errends in the night.
What're ye doin'? (don't ask a cat)
where're ye goin'?
what're ye chasin'?
where're ye goin'?
It's no good to ask a cat what they do in the night
but if you're so inclined, go right ahead and try
and every time that I have quizzed a cat I get no reply.
Yes the most outlandish things they capture
we'll never see
on their unknown errends in the night
What're ye doin'? (don't ask a cat)
where're ye goin'?
It's no good to ask a cat.
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4. |
Pardon my Varmint
03:43
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In the afternoon evening carbonate zone
east of Crumpling Basin, nobody's home
at the eulogy caretaker's hideout
shabby wolves from a crummy planet have come!
Could you pardon these varmints
for what they've done (or are about to do)
even after you've heard what
they do for fun? (they might do it to you)
Some would call them unsavory
worse than wolves in a film by Tex Avery
when they went into town
and really wolfed it down.
Varmint pardons, they're all the rage
varmint pardons in the cenozoic age.
I'm compelled to enquire, if you please,
could you pardon a varmint such as these,
and all its fleas
when all the things that they do
are not intended for public consumption.
Varmint pardons are the rage
in the cenozoic age
so could you pardon my varmint?
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5. |
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They stand together yet each one seems
alone
alone upon a background of green
lonely pale green
all wearing boots and scarves
and they're so indifferent and sad.
The elephant, the mule, and the mouse,
and the wolf so blue.
The platypus, the cat, and the bear
just don't seem to care.
And despite three handsome neckpieces
this giraffe cannot laugh.
Why are they so sad and indifferent
are they just made that way
or will they smile again some other day.
We'll just have to wait and see what
happens.
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6. |
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Back in those days it was quite a big craze
to sail off to the arctic
heroic journeys of exploration
much to the amusement of Inuit and polar bear.
Some of them never did return
ending in mutiny, scurvy or worse
while others - the lesser-known,
are not often talked about today.
So we're going to tell you about some of them.
The explorers of the arctic at the turn of the century
who don't even bear a mention in the books of history
due to unsubstantiated claims of preposterous things
beheld on doubtful voyages of which there's no record.
I have heard a thing or two about these alleged voyages
and the things they claim to have encountered:
like the town of living statues made of electrical jade
the polarbears who dyed their fur in rainbow colours
while up in the sky things were flying
which might have been machines
the boiling sea was steaming with atomic wolverines.
Oh yes - they were atomic wolverines. Nobody knew that
at the time, of course, but they knew they were hot.
Were these all fantasies of scurvy-addled minds?
Nobody believed half that stuff anyway
even when provided with samples and sketches
and photos and logbooks and even living specimens
Nobody said it was going to be an easy job
being one of the lesser-known explorers of the arctic
at the turn of the century, the ones who have
not been deemed worthy of mention in the books.
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7. |
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Everybody wants to meet my raccoon
and if you ever did then you'd know why
I really can't describe it
Everybody wants to meet my raccoon
even carbonated coyotes do
so come on everybody let's go!
come on everybody let's get movin'
climb into the horse and carriage
come on everybody let's get movin'
I got to say my raccoon is so fine
got to say the fine raccoon is mine
Everybody wants to meet my raccoon
and if you ever did then you'd know why
I really can't describe it
So if you wanna come to meet my raccoon
leave behind the gold and frankincense
but don't forget the "murr".
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8. |
Earthquake Lights
02:09
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For centuries now it's been reported
during the real big eathquakes.
Vague phosphorescences, golden orbs,
piezoelectrical effects of earthquakes are
still not perfectly understood.
Lightenings and brightenings
vertical columns of fire and sheets of flame
upon the rocky sides of the Inyo mountains
thin luminous stripes or streamers
and luminous funnels and sprinkles of sparks.
Sprinkles of light and sparks
little flames
mobile luminous mass
The most recent theory suggests that they
are caused by separation of positive hole-charge carriers
turning the rocks momentarily into p-type semiconductors.
Triboluminescence globular
incandescent masses
earthquake lights are still not understood.
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9. |
Phantom Forerunner
02:53
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Wouldn't it be a real good thing
to take a good deep breath
of that hot clear destination
and general connection with a general
oily dishevelled state, wouldn't you?
Glorification wrench over-fusion
eyelet faction of that hot clear destination
with its semi-tropical and self-regulating
cardboard cookout bad rabbit
impurity alleluia
atomically tested in New Mexico.
O glitter fuzz
bowing your headstone sunset
crypt slang partition
sensetivity spectacle
fragmented culmination peak
mood ooze
bellwether protection cover
mumble ruin
Crowning of quiet filaments
coronal rain desire
demagnetizing the afterburn at the
deserted sewage treatment plant
at the old Nevada testing site
where the ants they are mutating
and the horned toads are mutating
and the birds they are mutating
and the cave bats and the cacti
rattlesnakes foxes and badgers
and domestic pets and humans
Interlace weave
a similarity melt
distance vagabond
the illusion developer
wrecking a knell of twinkling tedium
phantom forerunner.
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10. |
A Sunny Day in Nairobi
02:57
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A dusty road in Nairobi
there walks a dusty man pushing a wooden cart
he's not all there, nor is the cart
no, you can see partially through them.
Transparent man pushing a transparent cart
right next to him leering from a tile there is a
yellow monster with three eyes and three ears
and a whole lot of teeth.
Though it's a sunny day in Nairobi
all the houses are closed and shuttered
no one notices the transparent man
and his transparent cart
except the
yellow monster with three eyes and three ears
and a whole lot of teeth
looking at the transparent man
pushing a cart in Nairobi.
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11. |
Swimming Pool
02:01
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A bunch of mutts accreted in the park (1)
by the swimming pool
one of them plugged in an electric saw (2)
thanks to a handy outlet
and they cut their way in through the fence (3)
to the swimming pool
thought it was against the law.
Ingression having been attained (4)
to the swimming pool
re-did the walls in stolen paint and laid (5)
by the swimming pool
lounging on furnishings which they'd
purchased at Miller's Department store (6)
in Topeka Kansas
Ask them why
they did not heed the signs
which clearly stipulate
NO DOGS ALLOWED
they'd say "you know dogs can't read".
Next morning 'bout the break of dawn (7)
by the swimming pool
if you'd a been there you'd a sawn (8)
by the swimming pool
six giant cats upon the lawn (9)
then the cats and dogs got on the roof (10)
putting in air conditioning
as if we needed further proof (11)
of their contumatiousness
guess what they said when they were told (12)
that they had to go:
"It's OK", the dogs and cats did say, "If you don't like it, we'll just have to EAT YOU".
Guest vocalists:
(1) Khortl Wolf
(2) Mohadev B
(3) Noentiendo
(4) Laura Bradford
(5) Mark Correia
(6) Lynette Shelley
(7) Wanderer Werewolf
(8) Dexter Ford
(9) Shana Vorhauer
(10) Ian Martyn
(11) Eth Eonel
(12) Ollis Bear
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12. |
Gone Gone Gone
01:45
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I can not remember what I wanted to forget
so I don't know if I have successfully removed the item
from wherever it may be where memories are stored
if it was a memory at all...or did I dream it?
This could be a problem somwhere further down the line
what if I change my mind? Or if something critical
related to the very thing transpired and the outcome
was dependent directly upon my recollection?
What was the thing he wanted to forget
he should have made a note of it
and kept it somewhere safe.
He can not remember what he wanted to forget
so he don't know if he have successfully removed the item
from wherever it may be where memories are stored
if it was a memory at all...or did he dream it?
And now it's well and truly gone, gone, it's gone.
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13. |
Biting of Glory
03:26
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Moons like these met the eye
prove thy dream most terrified
blooming everywhere shadows
at your hand
biting of glory
Down in the evening and sank
what's become
come to revive us
where rain don't fall at your hand
at your hand
the other one's bit
biting of glory
And what raccoon on the ground
o don't you wish
wish the plain
and bit them off of my grave
The real tin of a leaf
cold yew clouds
cold yew clouds go away
so put your hounds down to sleep
in low gear
behind your eyerings
biting of glory
And what raccoon on the ground
o don't you wish
wish the plain
and bit them off of my grave
White bells of coral are green and
made of zinc
they are silver
standing among the low clouds
that banner with the strange device
o don't you wish
wish the plain
and bit them off of my
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14. |
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You know that I'd slip away with a bear anyday,
just as long as he’s not undead
I've always thought cows were quite frightening
buy egads they're a thousand times worse
when they've been brought
back from the dead and hungry for human flesh
For your own welfare and safety
have no traffic with things from the grave!
Pets - they're a pleasure, but woe beyond measure
reanimated post-mortem.
Have a picnic in the park, just be out of there
by dark 'cause parks are known zombi congregating zones.
I have never walked with a zombi
but I flee from them night after night.
If approached near a graveyard
by strangers whose manner of speech
resembles bubbling viscous fluid
don't try to engage them in conversation.
If you do not heed this advice
that's your choice,
just remember that one should never play
with things that come from the grave
don't traffic with the undead
or you could be zombi-fied too.
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Earthquake Lights (Live)
02:05
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18. |
Don't Ask a Cat (Live)
02:58
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22. |
Pardon my Varmint (live)
03:22
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26. |
Biting of Glory (live)
04:32
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