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EGRESS

by Ben Ballinger

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1.
WHITE NOISE 04:05
WHITE NOISE I WANT A BABBLING BROOK INSIDE MY DREAMS! OH PLEASE, DEAR MORPHEUS, DIVERT IT TO ME THAT I MIGHT BE LULLED TO SLEEP VS.1 GIVE ME THE SOUNDS OF THE BEACH THAT I CAN’T AFFORD LET ME HEAR THE FREEDOM THAT I AM WORKING TOWARD/FOR CHORUS: AND WHAT IF I HEAR THE PATTERN REPEAT WHAT IF THE WOOD GRAIN PRINT SMILES BACK AT ME WHAT IF ALL THE SONGBIRDS REFUSE TO SING WHAT IF I CRY WOLF INSTEAD OF COUNTING SHEEP VS.2 GIVE ME A NOISE THAT WILL BLEACH WHAT I CANT IGNORE I WANT THAT DUMB HUM TO NUMB ME TIL I SLUMBER AND SNORE VS.3 PLAY ME THE SOUNDS OF THE SEA, SO FAR FROM THE SHORE LET ME SLEEP NEATH THE WAVES, FOREVER DEAF TO THE ROAR
2.
MISS AMERICA 04:26
3.
LIVIN’ THA DREAM I guess it makes sense That I wasn’t awake The whole time I was Living the Dream Lately I’m not Living in my dreams Dreams were the Reason but now they are a chore Now they don’t seem feasable, That is not unreasonable For a dream, In fact it is required I’m like a red tailed hawk With my beak into the wind Riding those highs and pulling out of the lows Onward and Upward Forward without flapping A better view of the future I have no defenses for I’m talking bout horizons Seeing stars and feeling fine man Heavier than air; It’s quite a thing to fly A dark block away, It looks to be snowing But the flakes don’t fall They Fly Must be bugs looking for Salvation under a street light And I guess it makes sense, that I wasn’t awake The Whole time I was living the dream
4.
Listen and the City will Tell You, Watch as they push us away Out to some slice of Heaven, Knows where, and 1 8 3 Some slanted strip of No mans land where they welcome machines Machines don’t care if you’re happy to see them, I wish they did cause I’m not and I will leave Well I run to the Rock just to hide my face but the Rock cried out, no hiding place THERE’S NO HIDING PLACE DOWN HERE You can wipe us from the gutter, Shovel us onto a bus Dump us out, past the place, where it’s too late and no point, in return Then you’ll be so fresh and safe I hope you never escape And we’ll live til we die, Beyond these lights, Cause there’s no hiding place Well I run to the bridge just to find a place but the trucks slung mud, No Hiding Place THERE’S NO HIDING PLACE DOWN HERE I keep to myself, and I keep it weird, but it sure feels like they don’t want me here I’m Somebody’s baby, I ran away and joined the Navy, I Never was a fighter but Im fighting for my life I have my demons and my vices, just like every guy But you can take yours home and I have nowhere for mine to hide So Look At Me! Right In The Eyes! And tell there’s nowhere for me to reside WELL I RUN FROM THE COPS TO SAVE MY FACE, LOUDSPEAKER SPOKE LOUD: NO HIDING PLACE! THERE’S NO HIDING PLACE DOWN HERE!
5.
MECHANICAL BULL SHIT ( A# Mind) It must’ve hailed waves of granite razorblades It must’ve rained red oil based paint til the streets shone and the green of the trees faded Well I made my mark, I burned down a few bar(ns), I scrapped shiplap, turned around and sold it back, to the folks who don’t smoke they just like the smell in their clothes WE Rode the Mechanical Bull Shit Wave for over a decade Our crystal towers, trophies to a time that never quite came The boom in this town never got a noise complaint, And we complained, we complained Greedy for the good times, We could’ve been a franchise, They’ll never notice from their high-rise, Lifestyles of the rich in Texas, its an expensive Pez dispenser Better eat up, as you eat up, all the ways we made to make a wage to escape this shit in the first place Most of Us Rode the Mechanical Bull Shit Wave for OVER A decade…. In no time at all, the Salt of the Earth, Dissolves Newspaper screams from the front page. folds up and throws it self away Crumpled up, like a tumbleweed, washed away by the wind, Blowing in From the places we are going. (reimagining, rejuvenating, revitalizing, revolting,yes! but not evolving) Too Soon To Tell What Part Of Hell And How far can ya get, On a nickel you spent, waiting in line when you couldn’t pay rent, Just to RIDE The Mechanical Bull Shit Wave COME AND TAKE IT; CAME AND TOOK IT. WHILE WE WERN’T LOOKIN’, NOW THIS FLAG IS BUT A BOOKEND,
6.
STICK IT TO THE MAN, STAN COPYRIGHT BEN BALLINGER - 2015 1. STARDUST AND DIRT, SKINCELLS AND BLOOD,  TIMBER AND BRICKS, COTTON CORN AND RUST, AMERICA WAS MADE OF THIS STUFF 2. MY GRANDPA PAID HIS DUES, MY FATHER PAID THEM TOO, I SEE WHERE THE MONEY GOES AND I SEE HOW IT IS USED, AND I WANT THE MAN TO KNOW THAT I REFUSE 3. WELL THE JOBS I’VE HAD JUST GETTIN’ BY WOULDA BROKE THE MAN'S BACK OPEN HIS EYES I DIDN'T CHEAT OR STEAL TO EARN MY KEEP, I DIDN'T BEG OR BORROW OR LIE AND THE MAN HASN'T WORKED AND HONEST DAY IN HIS LIFE (I WORKED FOR A LIVING, I FUCKING WORKED OUTSIDE) CHORUS: SO ROUST THE RABBLE ROUSERS, WEAR YOUR FAVORITE DIRTY TROUSERS, WEAR A WIG AND BRING A LIGHTER, ALL YOUR REAL FRIENDS PLAY WITH FIRE STICK IT TO THE MAN STAN, STICK IT TO THE MAN x2 OUR’S WILL BE THE SHIT THAT HITS HIS FAN STICK IT TO THE MAN STAN, STICK IT TO THE MAN 4. THIS TIME I'M VOTING WITH MY FEET , GONNA MARCH UNTIL I'M FREE, THERE ARE SOME TRUTHS I HOLD TO BE SELF EVIDENT TO YOU AND ME, OR AT LEAST IN THE STREETS OF WASHINGTON DC 5. SO OPEN YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS, ITS NOT ABOUT LEFT AND RIGHT, WHOEVER'S LEFT MUST DO WHAT'S RIGHT, WE'RE ALL HUMAN HAVE SOME PRIDE, LETS ALL JOIN UP AND GIVE THE MAN A FIGHT
7.
A MODEST PETITION COME ON BEZOS! WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? That the other richest man in the world will fund a private rocket shaped like his privates and beat you in the space race? What a shame. Your life must be so lame. I’d love to see your shiny face, as a satellite, reflecting from space. I hope the launch goes well, I hope nobody gets hurt, I JUST HOPE THAT YOU LOSE REVERSE If I had the wealth you do, I’d buy the whole world lunch, new shoes and a roof. Your brother seems ok, why not let him stay, and for the sake of Humanity, Take Tucker and Hannity. Go big and don’t come home. Why don’t you go to the moon? I hope you overshoot. Then you and the two douches can be the first dudes on Neptune. with no food. boo hoo. COME ON BEZOS! WHAT! ARE YOU AFRAID OF? I HOPE THE LAUNCH GOES WELL, I HOPE NOBODY GETS HURT, I JUST HOPE THAT YOU LOSE REVERSE! I hope you have 9 months of supplies, I want y’all to have time, to reflect on your life, Before you start eyeing each others thighs. I say don’t each the rich, just give it time, You know in space there ain’t no Amazon Prime! COME ON BEZOS! WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? I HOPE THE LAUNCH GOES WELL. I HOPE NOBODY GETS HURT. I JUST PRAY THAT YOU LOSE REVERSE. I JUST PRAY THAT YOU LOSE REVERSE. Outro: Hello You’ve reached the customer service hotline for earth. If you are calling to make a return please press one. If you are calling about a refund please press two. If your name is Jeff and you are a greedy asshole trying to return from space, please press any number you want cause it won’t matter. You are up Shits Solar System without the respect of the people. The people that make your paddles.
8.
Chorus/Intro G c b a G D/F# G You lived a real full life on your first try, You were the keeper of the key G c b a G D/F# G A kick in the pants of the clown at the dance, spiking the punch with your own poetry C D/F# G We were hopeful soldiers, headed for greener pastures D D/F# G On a floating ferris wheel lined with Astroturf G c b a G D/F# G 1) Now you’re not around, They tell me you’re gone, and all I can ask is Where? Must it be me again, asking for proof, I think it’s all just fake news D/F# G D/F# G We’re gonna turn this peach around; Dance in the air and kiss the ground C D/F# G He had diamonds on the souls of his Bowling Shoes D D/F# G Smarter than the smartest bear that there ever was anywhere, Ever. G c b a G D/F# G 2) Quickly a kindred spirit to me, but I was special to him, D/F# G D/F# G Just like everyone he met; And now all of us are Blessed C D/F# G He must have been done here, No one could keep up D D/F# G I know that he’s somewhere, spreading the greatest love (Breakdown Waltz) G c b a G D/F# G You taught me to look over the falls and then pushed me to my death A joke for a smoke and now all I have left is twice the cigarettes G G C B A G 3) And I ask you! Who?! Who is worse off D/F# G And what do I do now that you’ve left? C D/F# G There is one less monkey jumping on the bed D D/F# G One man flew the coop above the rest
9.
CLOSED FOR REPAIRS NOTHING TO OPEN, NOTHING TO CLOSE NOTHING THAT NOBODY DON’T ALREADY KNOW I’VE GOT NOBODY AND NOBODY KNOWS NOTHING TO OPEN AND NOTHING TO CLOSE NO INVITATION, NO WAY TO ATTEND AND NO WAY TO GET THERE AND NO MEANS TO AN END I NEVER EXPECTED TO ARRIVE ANYWHERE I AM TOO RECKLESS AND TOO HELPLESS TO CARE PLEASE TELL MY MOTHER I’LL BE BACK IN THE FALL DON’T TELL HER I AM GONE FOR GOOD, FOR BAD, FOR ONCE AND FOR ALL I’VE GOT NO DIRECTION, NO PLANS TO SUCCEED A HALF LIFE OF KNICK KNACKS I CAN’T SEEM TO LEAVE I CAN’T REMEMBER IF I WAS EVER WELL IT SEEMS LIKE THE ENDING AND I NEVER CAN TELL NOTHING IS OPEN, NO BAR DOWN THE BLOCK AND NO ONE TO DRINK WITH THAT AIN’T ALREADY SLOSHED THE MORNING IS MARCHING, I’M PLUGGING MY EARS TODAY IS A DAY AND THEN IT’S A YEAR I’VE GOT NO DIRECTION, NO PLANS TO SUCCEED A HALF LIFE OF KNICK KNACKS I CAN’T SEEM TO LEAVE I CAN’T REMEMBER IF I WAS EVER WELL WELL, IT SEEMS LIKE THE ENDING, IT SEEMS LIKE THE ENDING, IT SEEMS LIKE THE ENDING AND I NEVER CAN TELL
10.
DISINTEGRATION SYMPHONY Chaos will billow, Blind and slow Displace the air and Erase the foothold Destroy the fruit, Rejoice in the juice You want all of the sweet, Without having to chew Every ending has a story, A tangled thread we weave Stop praying for the credits, Suspend your disbelief IF I FALL SOMEDAY, LET IT BE, LET IT BE, WITH AMA- ZING - GRACE LOOK at US Filming Ourselves, FILMING OURSELVES Another movement in the Disintegration Symphony Ya better buy a brighter bulb, that’ll never burn out You got a closet of flammable candles, That We’d love to throw out And the sun doesn’t shine, When you need to see But it Beams thru the shades, When You’re trying to sleep Al-ways stan-ding around, Al-ways Sta-ring down Trying to stand up for your friends And out from the Crowd BUT YOUR BRAIN IS DYING IN YOUR HANDS, YOUR THOUGHTS….ARE BURIED IN THE CLOUD Some Bright Day, the curtain crumbles Giving up the ghost in the machine Into the eyes of innocence, Disintegrating Great plains of half men, Leagues of sad Ladies, and their babies All stumbling in the dark, Til they decide to sing The roars of joy, And the cries of pain They all ring out, In the peoples key STILL HUNTING FOR THE HAR - MONY, BIG HEARTS…. AND TERRIBLE MEMORIES So we Film ourselves, FiGHTING Ourselves, Another way to forget that we’ve learned no less-ons yet
11.
WATER AND OIL We are Born with a brain What a Lion to tame With a mind of its own and a head for a cage Better feed that machine, For it holds all your dreams What a time to be alive, What will you do? With your life? CHORUS Get outta your head and look around and down at the ground See the weeds and seeds and plant your feet in the fertile soil And we’ll all be filthy rich, Living it up on this spaceship Yeah we’ll all be filthy rich, Living it up on this spaceship….(Earth) VS 2 A few famines and bad actors, Our good times and our bad habits We fight like jackals, and breed like a virus What a time to be alive, What will you do? With your life? Get outta your head and look around and down at the earth See the weeds and seeds and plant your feet in the fertile soil And we’ll all be filthy rich, Living it up on this spaceship Yeah we’ll all be filthy rich, Living up on this spaceship I see Monstrous Moonshine and Mother Goose rhymes Our universe , tuned so fine Everywhere a Garden, Every shade of green, This mess of milky stars spilled and spun into you and me…. What a time to be alive, What will you do, With your life Get outta your head and look around and down at the earth See the weeds and seeds and plant your feet in the fertile soil And we’ll all be filthy rich, Living it up on this spaceship Yeah we’ll all be filthy rich, Living up on this spaceship Yeah we’ll all be filthy rich, Living it up on this spaceship….Earth
12.
CHANGE THE EMBRACE I REALIZED TODAY I HAVEN’T HAD A HUG IN A MONTH I NEVER THOUGHT IT’D BE SOMETHING TO THINK OF AND IT MAKES ME MISS THE PEOPLE I LOVE I CAN REMEMBER VERY WELL THE LAST ONE I HAD IT WAS A BIG OLD BROTHERLY BEAR HUG FROM MY COURAGEOUS DEAR FRIEND ADAM I THINK OF THE NURSES AND DOCTORS WHO CAN’T HUG THEIR SONS AND THEIR DAUGHTERS, WHO ARE WORKED TO THE BONE AND DRAINED OF THE SOUL AND COME HOME AND HAVE TO EAT AND SLEEP ALONE I THINK OF ALL THE FOLKS WHO ARE HOMELESS WHOM WE’VE ALWAYS TREATED LIKE A VIRUS I HOPE WE’RE NOT TOO AFRAID OR ASHAMED TO EMPATHIZE AND MODIFY OUR KINDNESS NOW IT’S ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT TO WAVE AT NEIGHBORS WHEN YA PASS EM TO SMILE WITH YOUR EYES IF YOU’RE WEARING A MASK AND PUT A LITTLE LOVE IN YOUR VOICE IF YOU GET THE CHANCE IT SHOULDN’T BE NEWS THAT WE HUMANS WORK BEST AS A COLLECTIVE AND NESSESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF CONNECTION AND I INTEND THIS SONG TO SHARE THAT SENTIMENT I HOPE THAT SOON WE WILL BE BETTER SO WE ALL CAN GET BACK TOGETHER I HOPE OUR LIVES GET SLOWER AND WISER I HOPE OUR HEARTS GET BOLDER AND KINDER

about

Egress: 1. The act of going out; emergence. 2. The path or opening by means of which one goes out; exit. 3. The right of going out 4. Astronomy-The emergence of a celestial body from eclipse or occultation.

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released March 17, 2023

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Ben Ballinger Austin, Texas

Ben Ballinger makes roots music with an uncommon emotional depth and songwriting mastery. A balladeer in the truest sense, Ballinger is a craftsman, building fine-tuned melodies out of roughhewn passions. After digging deep into the Austin, Texas scene for the past few years, Ballinger stands out among the pack of would-be Country soulmen with an undeniably genuine, and original delivery. ... more

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