Hanging Lyrics — Round About

Recorded January 2012 in the Red Room at
Cue Recording Studios, Falls Church, VA
Engineered and Mixed by Blaine Misner
Mastered by Bill Wolf

Released March 1, 2012

“Grateful For A Glance” was awarded “Honorable Mention” in the Pop Category of the 2012 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest by the Songwriters Association of Washington.

Album Credits:
Patrick Garrity: Vocals, Acoustic Guitars
Will Potts: Electric Guitars
Dave Mehring: Bass Guitar
Paul Nicholas: Drums

Featuring Mark Bower:
Organ on “The Bed’s Getting Colder”
Piano on “Last Call”

Lyrics & Song Thoughts

1 - Partners in Crime
written by Patrick Garrity
©2012 Waltzing on Glass Music (ASCAP)

“Partners” was me trying to have something upbeat to open our first album with. It’s not a song we play too often anymore as a duo (tough without drums), but I always liked the half-time bit that leads into the outro. Will’s solos are the best part of the tune.

- Patrick

Without warning
You say we should get married
You’re not boring
That’s never been your style
The best ideas, you say they
Float like clouds up in the sky
You’ve got to go by feel, and she says

With all that we’ve been through
I’ve only ever wanted you
We’ll always be partners in crime
Sometimes we’ll share opposing points of view
But if there’s one thing
We keep learning from this life
Its greatest gift is time

I want a son
Or daughter doesn’t matter to me
A little one, we could call our own
A family is something
That we’ll know we’re ready for
Until our cover’s blown, and she says

Chorus

You could say what if or why
And I’ll give you the same reply
You like to see what’s showing
I prefer the never knowing
But how can I protect you
There’s no need to let you
Some fears we can’t outrun
It’s all about the journey left to come

Chorus

2 - I’ll Be Gone
written by Dave Mehring
©2012 Yamato Group Music

This was one of the first tunes we wrote together after I returned to the DC-area and started playing with Patrick again in 2010. We were “Partners in Crime” once more! The lyrics were not really autobiographical, just standard breakup fantasy material. Will improved the guitar hook from my demo and did it in octaves (our engineer’s idea). I love the raw energy of his guitar solo. “P-Dog” (Patrick) threw in the half-time part in the final chorus and the chorus lyric “And you’re alone with your crown,” and the rest was history. - Dave

If you told me so
I would never let you go
With you I never know
If I will be your man
So I stand in line
And hope that you will see in time
But it seems like you have another plan

You keep me hanging on
Doing things I know are wrong
Your charms are way too strong
Too strong for me to see
Now it’s all so clear
You’re in it for yourself my dear
But there’s no room left for me

When it all falls down
And you’re alone with your crown
One day soon and it won’t be long
You’ll pay for how you’ve done me wrong
When it all falls down
I’ll be gone this time around
When you fall down

Now you’re down and out
Calling out to me for help
This time I have my doubt
But I keep them to myself
I see through all your lies
Your heart can’t be disguised
But the time has come to pay the price

Chorus

3 - Hanging By A Thread
written by Patrick Garrity
©2012 Waltzing on Glass Music (ASCAP)

“Hanging” became the title track because it both seemed to best reflect the obvious shared themes of this batch of songs (mostly), but also was a step forward for me in terms of becoming a more streamlined, economical writer; it’s a better version of similar things I’d written previously. I also dig the wah-wah effect on the lead guitar too. - Patrick

Well she knows she’s enchanting
Seen it all they call romancing
Eyes me up where I’m standing
Weighing whether I have earned a seat

Then she tells me I’m clever
But a risky endeavor
You might chase me forever
Time to test supposed resiliency

I’m hanging by a thread
Against her gravity
You’d think that I’d play dead
Who could crack her mystery?
All I need’s a shred of possibility
When I’m hanging by a thread

So she’s out with another
Who has yet to discover
That she don’t share the covers
With anyone who thinks a drink will do

Chorus

You can see it all unfold
The greatest story ever told
How you swept her off her feet
What’s the harm embellishing?
And in the perfect fantasy
Clear as day for all to see
When it’s finally time to choose
She’s calling out for you

Well she knows she’s enticing
Nothing short of inviting
She redefines exciting
I’ll sit down cause it’s more than I can stand

Chorus

4 - Grateful For A Glance
written by Patrick Garrity
©2012 Waltzing on Glass Music (ASCAP)

This tune was unusual in that it came together with spare parts: combining lyrical ideas written years apart, numerous chord progressions chopped up and later cobbled together, etc. Finishing this one was a lot more of a mechanical process than artistic (that it later won a songwriting award is the height of irony). It turned into a song about two people who keep missing the chance to get to know each other. I liked the idea of the verse drum feel having a nod to “Time After Time.” This was the last song written for this album and the guys did a great job making it sound like they hadn’t just learned it weeks before. - Patrick

It was inside of a waiting room
Through my magazine that I saw you
And I think perhaps you saw me too
Averted eyes retreat
So I quietly studied the face
Of the stunning girl in this sterile place
Who knew sitting still could exude such grace
If you saw her you’d agree
I could barely breathe

No matter what I do
I can’t stop, can’t stop looking for you
It must be more than happenstance
And if tonight I never see your face
Those eyes of baby blue
I’ll just wait for my next chance
To be grateful for a glance

So I just caught the last train home
They seem most crowded when you feel alone
But between the drunks and homeless folks
My angel reappeared
And as we hit the final stop
I convinced myself that we should talk
But what could I say that wouldn’t flop
Could I overcome the fear
It’s never been so clear

Chorus

Now I’m sitting at the 14th gate
And I’m watching all those running late
Hope the in-flight show is “The Great Escape”
’Cause I’m tired of this dream
So I cram into my middle seat
I turned off my phone now where’s my drink?
And I’m ready to admit defeat
When who sits next to me
When she sees me she says finally

Chorus

5 - The Bed’s Getting Colder
written by Patrick Garrity
©2012 Waltzing on Glass Music (ASCAP)

This is probably my favorite tune on this album, and the finished recording exceeded almost everything I heard in my head for it, primarily because of the tremendous organ part provided by our pal Mark Bower from The Walkaways. In fact (though no else hears it but me), one of their tunes was the impetus for this one. I’m a sucker for a 6/8 time signature, and am also pretty happy with the lyrics. As all decent road songs ask, how do you choose between your passion or your partner? - Patrick

Riding down the highway
The signs say it all, next stop forever
The white lines keep going, I hear them call
They always say welcome to nowhere

Here on the road at show after show
The room’s always full but I feel alone
The bed’s getting colder
‘Cause you’re on your own
I can’t stand to leave you but it’s all I know
Will you be there when I come back home?

A new town tomorrow
Just more of the same, I’m lost in the hours
The pages are empty, with nothing to say
It’s hard to keep going without her

Chorus

They say the distance is a state of mind
I guess they never left someone behind
This life ain’t as grand as it seems
What do I do when it comes down
To you or my dream?

Chorus

6 - The Letter
written by Patrick Garrity
©2012 Waltzing on Glass Music (ASCAP)

This one was written years before the band got together, and went through a bunch of permutations in terms of feel before I was around real drums again, which then made it obvious it should have a rock shuffle vibe (ala DMB’s “Two Step”) which Paul did a great job with. Dave’s bass part is also great. This one’s also a good example of how much songs evolve, as today there are lead guitar licks that fill out the choruses; something we obviously didn’t think of when recording it, but now (thanks to Aaron) sound like they’ve always been there.

This recording also includes a fade in to start (I love fades in and out on albums, so naturally each of our records has an example of one or the other).

- Patrick

Because he sat down
To write her a letter
He could say what he’d want
But still say it much better
‘Cause it takes all you have
To admit it’s not forever, and it’s something

As her eyes moved along
With the lines on the page
She was caught between sadness
And a melancholy haze
Still a part of her knew
That it might go down this way
And it’s something

The pain’s in holding on
To something that you know damn well is wrong
So say goodbye so long
Well it’s all that you can do
When the love that you once knew is gone

It’s not like the movies
Where in one final scene
All the problems get solved
By a kiss on the screen
Too bad life’s not a two hour fictional dream
That’d be something

Chorus

It’s hard to find someone
Who can leave you inspired
Who can show you their heart
And then let you admire
One who trembles your bones
While they’re taking you higher
And it’s something

Chorus

7 - The Price of Admission
written by Patrick Garrity
©2012 Waltzing on Glass Music (ASCAP)

“Price” is the oldest tune on this album, written more than five years before recording. Very much reflective of my writing style and sound when the band started, it’s a song about choices, and served as one our “anchor” tunes early on. In hindsight, it should have been the album opener. - Patrick

She's the spitting image of her father
Much too busy to be bothered
She's just out of bed, hell of a day ahead
A cigarette for every morning
She never thought it habit-forming
She'll get it all done
Funny how there's no time for fun
She's pulled in all directions

It's the price of admission
That she'll happily pay
But the cost of ambition
Is getting higher every day
She can't throw out her daily planner
Check it before she can answer
It's what she wanted all along
But what if she was wrong

Yesterday's events are blurry
She kept it to a modest hurry
Little things don't matter
Details aren't what you should ask her
Meetings every afternoon
Followed by a drink or two
Depends on how she feels
Not much chance to spin her wheels
She's missing her confession

Chorus

She's earned everything she's got
Few can say they have a lot
But would it be so bad
To miss what you never had
She'll slow down when she has time
I hope she doesn't come to find
She missed out on the life
Of being Mom and being wife
Now she's learned her lesson

Chorus

I had always wanted to write a twangy song, and was motivated by non-country artists who I felt had done so effectively (specifically Sting’s “I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying” and Fountains of Wayne’s “Hung Up On You”). Thankfully, between some Telecaster guitar and our friend Mark Bower adding some piano, it pretty much sounded like I intended. The only thing not convincing in terms of a country vibe, is my vocals. - Patrick

Wondering aloud into
The drink that she just poured
As to how we got to where we are right now
Trying to hold on to things
That aren’t there anymore
All that’s left between us is the doubt
We were once all in but now we’ve busted out

Second glances they don’t
Promise second chances
So one more round to try and change our minds
A few slow dances they don’t
Always mean romances
I guess we’ll have to say goodbye tonight
Unless the whiskey tells us otherwise

Well we’ve all got our own stories
Of the one that got away
Of the times when it was us against the world
It’s just me and you
Then right on cue life gets in the way
And it’s always so much more
Than boy meets girl
But you never saw her smile and those curls

Chorus 2x

A love song with a mellow vibe. I liked this particular rhythm and used it in another older tune, “Roll On”. I think it was loosely based on some go-go beats I had heard. Patrick made a great contribution with the descending vocal parts at the beginning and end. Love Will’s chord at the end. - Dave

They tell me nothing stays the same
That mountains one day will fall
But I know, one thing will never fade away
I've found that nothing is for sure
And we can't see around the bend
But I know one promise I can make to you

You will always know, my heart will never stray
And I think of you each day
And you'll never feel you're on your own
In my heart you'll be close to home

These miles span farther than forever
Each one seems longer than before
But I know this road will never leave me weary

Chorus

You may come to find
Sometimes I tend to change my mind
I may make mistakes
But I'll give you more than I'll take

Well this life has all I've got to give
And my wits are near their end
But I know one thing they'll never take away

Chorus

Another tune written quite a few years before recording, and only after the band got a hold of it did I realize it was a good choice for this album. Originally written in a key just out of my vocal range (that I thought I could pull off), once transposed it fell into a sweet spot. Like Dave’s breakup tune “I’ll Be Gone,” this one is also not autobiographical; that it randomly ended up being a song about cheating is one of those ‘go where the muse takes you’ scenarios. - Patrick

What's begun is beyond my comprehension
I can't even cut the tension
That's so vaguely disguised
What we’ve done is without an explanation
Guess it's lost in translation
When I'm caught up in your eyes
The mirror proves it's me
But that isn't who I see

No one to blame
When you play these games
And you throw it away
Pleasure or pain, only one remains
Over one night's mistake

So we fight, it happens all the time
You don't make up your mind over nothing at all
It's in her face, my conscience getting louder
But have I got the power to stop my own fall
As she lies on the bed
A battle's raging in my head

Chorus

She's waiting at home
And you know she's alone
But she was always faithful
With an eye out for you
She couldn't handle the truth
The blow it would be fatal

Chorus

This one wasn’t recorded in the studio with the rest of this album; in fact it was a solo demo recorded a few years prior that turned out decent enough to get mastered with everything else.

I’ve always loved albums that end with quiet, acoustic codas (which is why all our records have them). As sad and small as this song is (about getting divorced), and as detached as I’ve become from it in the subsequent years, I still think it’s about as good a song as I’ve ever written, in terms of capturing what I was aiming for. - Patrick

Well the one thing that I learned from that day
Is that things don’t always turn out like they say
Sometimes paint-by-numbers
Is the game I’d like to play
I don’t know why I can’t stay inside the lines

They’ll be times
When there’s no sense of time
But you still make sure
The clock it can’t rewind
It comes off sounding hollow
When they tell you you’ll be fine
I don’t know why, they’re just trying to be kind

February’s on my mind, it’s hard to appreciate
28 or 29, I can never get those days straight
If you’ve ever been alone on Valentine’s
It can feel like love is leaving you behind

Everything around me starts to change
What once was second nature
Now feels strange
When you find that what you want
Is what you need to rearrange
I don’t know why nothing’s ever in its place

Chorus

When you find someone
And they say that you’re the one
That kind of thing has quite an impact
But it don’t come with a guarantee
The heart’s a hell of a casualty
And they don’t make a card for that

Chorus