1975
"For the dreamers and clowns of Earth"
For many fans and friends, this LP marks a paradigm shift in Jimmie's work. Produced by the legendary Henry Lewy (who produced lots of great music, including most of Joni Mitchell's classic work), you'll find songs and production values here that might have been recorded today. Through many styles and moods, this album remains light years ahead of its time. The album was finally reissued on CD in 1999 but is no longer available.
TRACK LIST
THE PLAYERS
THE JIMMIE SPHEERIS BAND:
JIMMIE SPHEERIS
acoustic guitar, piano, vocal
|
JOHNNY PIERCE |
GEOFF LEVIN |
SESSION ARTISTS
CHICK COREA
electric piano and mini-moog on "The Dragon Is Dancing"
JANE GETZ
piano on "Love's In Vain"
MIKE MALLEN
acoustic guitar on "Sighs In A Shell"
PAUL LEWINSON
Arp and piano on "Eternity Spin," "Blown Out" and "In The Misty Woods"
MORGAN AMES
backing vocals on "In The Misty Woods"
HORNS
Jim Cowger, Chuck Findley, Robert Findley, Gary Barone, Jonathan Ellis
Chick Corea appears courtesy of Polydor Records and Forever Unlimited Productions
PRODUCTION CREDITS - ORIGINAL LP
Production and sound by Henry Lewy
Co-produced by Paul Lewinson
Recorded and Mastered at A&M Studios - Hollywood
Mastered by Bernie Grundman
Bart Hall: photography
Ron Coro, Jon Brogna: design
FOR RAIN RECORDS
Executive Producer: Johnny Pierce
A&R Coordinator: Wayne Jackson
Cedarhouse Productions
Digitally remastered by Bruce J. Miller
Manufactured by Sony Music
CD liner and digital imaging by Andy Markley - art101
The Dragon is Dancing
wonder of wonders, the dragon is dancing
stilling the thunder with movements so slow
silence of silence, the dragon is dancing
stilling the violence, his beauty unfolds
morning of mornings will follow behind him
sparks from his angry tongue
will come - and spill the sun
wonder of wonders, the dragon is dancing
waking from slumber older than space
hunger of hungers, the dragon is thirsty
to come from under shedding his face
darkness of darkness, dissolving behind him
dancing alone the darkness is done
he comes - to spill the sun
wonder of wonders, the dragon is dancing
the flame is flickering, turning to fire
wonder of wonders, the dance disappearing
leaving the flames to burn in the mire
(C) (P) 1975, 1998 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
All rights reserved.
discography page | jimmie's home page | return to track list
Sighs in a Shell
have you seen her in the midnight water
moon on her wet skin, soul in the sky
swear she was born Farther Neptune's daughter
black ocean sways in her eyes
sighs in a shell
beckon you to the swells
"Dive in" she calls
"Let yourself fall"
moonlight is riding the water like jewels
the sandpiper's hiding afraid to be seen
but she'll call to him softly his wings like a spool
unwind in the night, unfold in a dream
sighs in a shell
come and roll on the swells
"Dive in" she calls
"Let yourself fall"
sighs in a shell
come and roll on the swells
you want to come on
but you look and she's gone
(C) (P) 1975, 1998 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
All rights reserved.
discography page | jimmie's home page | return to track list
Tequila Moonlite
twilight lit the gray streets
tenement dinners fill the night air
down on the corner Maria is waiting
her hands in her pockets, perfume in her hair
Pepe come runnin'
he lifts her with laughter, so high off the streets
they walk past the crowds to Emmanual's diner
lost in a love that is pure and so sweet
you know that love finds someone while tequila moonlight
pours from the sky to the city below
and I don't know why your hearts are so heavy
come on, light up, light up, and let yourselves go
morning comes so brightly
over the river, the water turns gold
Maria wakes Pepe with kisses and laughter
shines like a bright sun, lighting his soul
light up, light up, and let yourselves go
soon they'll be married
love in a circle forever goes round
twilight returns with a dream of a baby
it floats to the full moon and makes it a crown
you know that love finds someone while tequila moonlight
pours from the sky to the city below
and I don't know why your hearts are so heavy
come on, light up, light up, and let yourselves go...
(C) (P) 1975, 1998 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
All rights reserved.
discography page | jimmie's home page | return to track list
Snake Man
snake man come crawlin, he got venom in his eyes
he'll bite you excite you, put fever in your thighs
this boy is poison for some, but he's heaven for others
make a hurricane come, under the covers
don't put out the fire; the flames just grow higher
Mr. Snake man can can
he come on laughin, how he's conquered the dragon
he swayed him and slayed him, now he's pullin' his wagon
he'll part the seas of your soul and then he'll slither into it
like a snake in the hole, you'll beg him to do it
don't t put out the fire; the flames just grow higher
Mr. Snake Man can can
he'll make you shed your sweet skin, release the power within
now won't you let him?
he's gonna teach you to flow, where the mystery wind blows
now won't you let him?
don't t put out the fire; the flames just grow higher
Mr. Snake Man can can...
(C) (P) 1975, 1998 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
All rights reserved.
discography page | jimmie's home page | return to track list
Love's in Vain
you've been away so long
I looked into your eyes and found you'd gone
in the ruins of a love that lingers on
I will remember you
and hold on to the fine time that we knew
sing a memory or two, when there's nothin' left to do
when your love's in vain
it's a low and dirty shame
I thought I heard you call my name
but it's just the wind in the restless rain
that won't stop falling
it won't stop falling
i guess I've never known
the way to make the best of sleepin' alone
you were water that I bled from this life of stone
I will remember you
and hold on to the fine time that we knew
sing a memory or two, when there's nothin' left to do
and when we meet again
smile - let your eyes pretend that you're sorry
when your love's in vain
it's a low and dirty shame
I thought I heard you call my name
but it's just the wind in the restless rain
that won't stop falling
it won't stop falling
(C) (P) 1975, 1998 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
All rights reserved.
discography page | jimmie's home page | return to track list
Lost in the Midway
I'm lost in the midway, drunk in a dream
stumbling backwards, forever, it seems
over my shoulder, one eye's fixed cold
the other is wandering ahead on the road
and each path is winding with you in between
you just sit there laughing
I'm lost in the sideshows, blind in the gleam
this old house of mirrors leads nowhere, it seems
but how the lights dazzled, as the ferris wheel rolled
I came for a free ride: it cost me my soul
the past and the future - and you in between
you just sit there laughing
all over the midway, when the bright lights go out
I hear the clowns crying - tears for the drought
so dark and so dusty, the midway is blue
winding forever - I can't find my way thru
I'm lost in the midway, drunk in a dream
stumbling backwards, forever, it seems
(C) (P) 1975, 1998 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
All rights reserved.
discography page | jimmie's home page | return to track list
Eternity Spin
I've known you such a long long time
from lifetime to lifetime you are there
from a distant star to this dirty bar
we've come so far to come nowhere
and I've been everything you desired
from your frozen slave, to the master of your fire
but we can try it again; another round my friend
eternity's spin is about to begin
and I've known you such a long long time
from century to century you are the one
from the wind blown girl to the handsome boy
you're the Captain, the black queen, the moon and sun
and I've been everything you required
I have been wind and earth, water and fire
but we can try it again; another round my friend
eternity's spin is about to begin
(C) (P) 1975, 1998 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
All rights reserved.
Paul Delph, producer of Jimmie's final album, has an amazing cover version of this song.
Visit THE PAUL DELPH MEMORIAL PAGES to hear it.
discography page | jimmie's home page | return to track list
Sunken Skies
you make me feel like flying
out of the sky's cocoon
I wave goodbye to planets
the suns and stars and moons
you make me feel so good
like a kid again
riding wisdom's wind so free
you make me feel like flying
the sunken skies of me
you're never asking questions
as I fade away
and wave goodbye to rights
and to wrongs
and games to play
I'll dive into your swells and
the ancient wells
that flow so far away
you're never asking questions
but the answers come your way...
(C) (P) 1975, 1998 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
All rights reserved.
discography page | jimmie's home page | return to track list
Summer Salt
you were the stranger you'd known forever
and I was the moon-swept friend
and we sung the changes fallin' on feathers
and I never saw you again
sun goin' down on us, summer salt
blew from the waves, 'til the motion stopped
the tears in your eyes are all I can find these days
but I can't be sorry - Lord it was worth it
dancing these souls ablaze
seeing your shadow fade in the sunset
wishing you'd always stay
sun goin' down on us, summer salt
blew from the waves, till the motion stopped
the tears in your eyes are all I can find these days
sun goin' down on me, summer salt
well it don't blow no more, 'cause the summer's gone
the tears in your eyes will color my skies in gray
but you were a stranger you'd known forever
I was the moon swept friend
and we sung the changes fallin' on feathers
I never saw you again
(C) (P) 1975, 1998 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
All rights reserved.
discography page | jimmie's home page | return to track list
In The Misty Woods
in the misty woods, you lay down beneath me
our music turned to symphony of light and song
it floated like the breeze, but windsongs never last too long
the players have fell out of key - the feeling's gone
by a windy sea, dolphins laughed as we made love
seagulls circled up above; their cry was sad
turning to stone
like the sky that's caught my soul
captured me and won't let go
now that the gulls have flown
we all dance alone on a tightrope of insanity
reality or fantasy; who really knows?
but in the misty woods, as I guessed into your emerald eyes
I thought I found an answer in your sighs
but the gulls had flown
(C) (P) 1975, 1998 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
All rights reserved.
discography page | jimmie's home page | return to track list
Blown Out
black water from the well
flows in your veins like the rain from some
deep, sweet, forbidden hell
I would burn with you, freeze in your fire
I would die for you, for you
you are the only one
deep as the oceans and colder too
such a sad and lonely one
but I'm gonna stay with you; breathe in the shadow
I will die for you; sad and lonely one
you draw me into you, like smoke into your lungs
and I'm blown out once again
deep inside of you, great darkness is sung
but suck me in again
I love your darkness
black water from the well
flows in your soul, let it roll
and take it's toll from me
I see your evil flow; good as God's gold
pure as the snow in your heart
you draw me into you, like smoke into your lungs
and I'm blown out once again
deep inside of you, great darkness is sung
but suck me in again
I love your darkness
(C) (P) 1975, 1998 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
All rights reserved.
discography page | jimmie's home page | return to track list
streets of scarlet, streets of blue
child from the wishing well's bound to you
moons of madness, moons in you
pull you like the ocean to the blue streets
and sunlight thru the lace
is throwing shadows on some stranger's face
so you get up and pull the shades
blind the black eyes of the blue streets
dreams of scarlet, dreams of blue
fade in the alleyways you walk thru
eyes of fire, eyes so sweet
beg you, resurrect you on the blue streets
and sunlight thru the lace
nothing seems to see you in this stranger's face
so you get up and pull the shades
like lids for the eyes of the blue streets
(C) (P) 1975, 1998 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
All rights reserved.
discography page | jimmie's home page | return to track list
