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The Long Way Round

by Gronk

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1.
2.
Call me old-fashioned but I really don’t approve of this Getting lost in the house Lost my mind but I never did really care for it But that was then, this is now And you’re calling me over but you’re never gonna pull me under tonight Tonight Please be careful when you’re standing on those stilts my friend From here it’s a long way down You’re walking off stage left to the sound of mandolins And you don’t know why Do be civil while you’re talking to your evil twin It’s a long walk home And these are very dangerous times that we are living in So be kind to your mind, I swear it’s all that you know And you’re calling me over but you’re never gonna pull me under tonight Tonight Call me old-fashioned but I really don’t know why you care I think you’re lost in your heart And I take it from this conversation that you don’t know why you’re here Well I tried to decide, didn’t know where to start Leaving soon, we’re leaving soon, leaving soon … But I can’t leave you know yeah I know it somehow And you’re calling me over but you’re never gonna pull me under tonight Tonight Call me old-fashioned if you like, everyone else does But if there’s just one thing that I believe in, I believe in real love.
3.
You don’t need money to be wealthy You don’t need drugs when you’re down You need to eat well and keep healthy Or you’re never gonna leave this town And you don’t need love to be happy Though I admit that it helps But there’s no way to see if it’s really real Or if you’ve gone and made a fool out of yourself And uh-oh, everybody puts a foot wrong somewhere Uh-oh, everybody gets to put a foot wrong sometime It’s like you said Nobody can see inside your head Nobody can see inside your head No nobody can see So blow the dust off of your guitar Show me a riff, show me who you are Turn everything up to eleven And pretend that you’re a big rock star ‘Cause you don’t need love to be happy You don’t need drugs for your pain You just need who you are when you play that guitar And I’ll always need to see you again.
4.
The sun is up, we’ve got some lagers cooling in the van We’re standing round just talking shit, because we can Now I don’t wanna be a spoilsport but shouldn’t we hit the road? If the fuel gets any lower we could wind up getting towed We’re going to the festival this Friday night We’re off to hear some music, feel the breeze We’re going to the festival to dance all night And when the morning comes we’ll sleep beneath the trees I’m too lazy to be a salesman, oh I know it has its perks But dressing sharp and greasing palms, it’s not the way I work I’d rather be a sailor and sail right out to sea In fact I’d rather be anything than someone else’s employee So we’re going to the festival, we’re one of the bands It’s 10am and we’re all drinking beer And we’re loading all our instruments into the van ‘Cause the headline act won’t let us use their gear yeah And when we reach the country, remember not to count the sheep ‘Cause when you drive at seventy-five you’d better not fall asleep Well Hugo’s got the drumsticks, Johnny’s got the horn Herman’s got the sermons and the evening’s being born We’re going to festival this Friday night We’re off to meet some friends and hug some trees Well I hope we get into the festival all right ‘Cause these ticket touts don’t give no guarantees yeah ...
5.
I live in a basement that’s starting to flood The sweet peas are dying, they’re covered in mud It costs a small fortune to get anywhere My beard has gone ginger, I think I’m losing my hair My friends are all lawyers and I never see ‘em I feel like an exhibit in a run-down museum I’m at sixes and sevens, don’t feel too well One day I’m in Heaven, the next I’m in London Sixes and sevens, I’m starting to smell Can’t get a job ‘cause I feel so redundant So don’t take the mickey babe, don’t take the piss Because there’s nobody else in the world who can stop me feeling like this Took off from London, touched down in the States Made it over to Newark but my connection was late Six hours in the airport bar covered in grease Drinking Sam Adams, eating nachos and cheese I grabbed the stewardess when my plane finally came And said “Just get me to Pine Island ‘cause I’m going insane” I’m at sixes and sevens, don’t feel too well One day I’m in Heaven, the next I’m in London Sixes and sevens, I’m starting to smell Can’t get a job, I feel so redundant So bring me a smile baby, bring me a kiss ‘Cause you’re the only one in the world who can stop me feeling like Feeling like this ...
6.
Panama 04:08
Shall we leave tonight? This town is breaking me down and nothing’s right – It’s like the planet is spinning on its side, And Lost Time Scatters her flowers white; So put the car in gear, Step on the pedal and let’s get out of here. We’ll be in Panama by the New Year, My dear, Deep in another life ... And it makes me wonder why you’d want to stay While the ship goes under, battered by the waves, With the distant thunder still singing in our ears: Too many years. Too many years. It was hot last night. I turned over and pushed the sheets aside, Stood at the window until the daylight Stole by, Bathing the city sky; And I watched you wake, Stretching your body towards the day break, Decided now is the time we shall escape Our fate – You know, you’re wrong when you say it’s too late ... Where we’re going, you can laugh all you like; And though the fear is growing, We’re going to get out tonight. We’re going to leave it behind ... ‘Cause there’s a world out there. No time for misery, no time for despair – We should be walking on down that thoroughfare, Oh yeah, You know we could be anywhere; So get the car in gear, Step on the pedal and let’s get out of here. We’ll be in Panama by the New Year. We could be in Panama by the New Year.
7.
8.
Glorious this sky Yeah it’s a perfect morning to be alive I look at my watch it says 7:15 That was the best damned sunrise I’ve ever seen Omniscient and full of splendour Smiling upon the hacienda Spiderwebs drenched in dew They line up on the bushes like a private view Well I’m all on my todd at the back of beyond Is that some cool green grass that I’m stepping on Scuttling shapes of salamanders Darting among the jacarandas And I’m throwing my hands up in surrender ‘Cause It’s all happening at the hacienda.
9.
You must know everything about me by now I don’t know what’s left to tell There’s never gonna come the day never gonna come the day When I don’t want to hear another story You must have flown that aeroplane round the world To see so much And certain of these things will stay and certain of these things will fade But that’s the way it goes so don’t worry You saw it coming in this bright blue day You saw it coming from a mile away And if that don’t mean nothing if it don’t mean nothing At least you can say you were there If you must know, I never saw this light through the storm Just drifting in merry hell It always seemed so far away. It always seems so far away When you are locked into the old pattern But you gathered all the strength you could to shine on And it’s just as well And though I never could predict no I never could predict You knew it all before it even happened ...
10.
Wanderlust 04:17
A red sun slips slowly through my fingertips Back into the sea Soft waves seem gentle like a waking dream Calling after me I could stay out here forever Making castles in the sand But when the day breaks she’ll show the road I’m taking I know you understand It’s wanderlust And it’s in my blood Wanderlust This road runs straight into the setting sun Disappears away Ten million tiny points of brilliant light Rise to stake their claim Just a flicker in the distance Moments of our own existence Reach up and it’s still too far What would I give to be cruising through the galaxy Like that glittering star Now you’ve got a lot to give And you’ve got a life to live So live it Just give it give it give it A lifetime, a single world, a single mind What else can I give? These ones just got to keep on running For what choice do we have? I told you I would come and find you I said I would now here am: Under a blue sky let’s choose the road less travelled by Here, take my hand. And you’ve got a lot to live for And you’ve got a life to give So give it Just live it live it live it Yeah you’ve got a lot to give And you’ve got a life to live So live it Just give it give it give it Oh wanderlust.
11.
Standing on the prow of the drunken boat Coming in for some heavy weather It’s getting harder just to stay afloat Is this what we chose when we chose together? I’m really sorry, I just never thought that this would happen They say that life’s a journey – wow, I wish I had a map The roads I followed here just didn’t seem to have a pattern And so I blundered on, I never saw the trap I know they say we should be grateful for the little things I’m really trying but it’s hard for me to see the strings I live in hope but I don’t know what anything’s about Oh tell me tell me is there no way out? I made a promise to myself that I intend to keep Just never realised that any hill could be this steep Can’t see the summit, all around me there’s just rising ground I guess I’ll have to take the long way round I guess I’ll have to take the long way round The first time you nod your head and you never listen The next time you take it in, you try to make a difference The third and final time your hands are tied, your head is splitting You know you should have listened harder in the first instance I got to find a way to put the genie in the bottle Can’t let myself go under, got way too much to give So while I’m drowning don’t just sit there quoting Aristotle I’m telling you now you have no idea what I’m dealing with But we can break the cycle if we only see the pattern I got us into this and now I’m going to get us out I’ll take it step by step, I’ll just take each day as it happens And slowly slowly turn the boat about Before I give it up I’ve got to really really want to Yeah this is something that I’m going to have to face alone I once heard someone say something that I’m holding onto: The long way round can be the short cut home I made a promise to myself that I intend to keep Just never realised that any hill could be this steep Can’t see the summit, all around me there’s just rising ground Forgive me if I take the long way round I know they say we should be grateful for the little things I’m really trying, it’s so hard for me to cut the strings One day I’ll get there, then I’ll realise what it’s all about It stands to reason there must be some way out I’m telling you man there must be some way out O tell me truly is there some way out?
12.
Gotta be doing more doing Gotta be doing more driving Gotta be doing more smiling Gotta be doing more shining Gotta be making my mind up Gotta be making lost time up Taking the time just to find out Making a hole just to climb out ...

about

The second in the Gronk remaster series, "Tricks of The Light" features the full 2009 album given a 24-bit remaster job (translation: a good lick of paint) and presented with the original hi-res artwork by Devil's Kitchen.

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released December 2, 2009

"Summery rock, mainstream but quirky ... Buy yourself a gift this holiday season and get introspective with Gronk."

Erica Ramon, Hits Daily Double, on 'The Long Way Round'



"There is something for everyone, despite the fact the CD runs on the mellow side. There is no whiney angst on show here, but a more introspective solo style. Not a party CD, but a mellow evening with a bottle of wine type of release. Even better would be see him play it live in some smokey venue across the land.

Particular faves are Wanderlust, Good Morning Carolina and the title track. I have said it before and I meant it. Why the hell do some of those droning dreary singer-songwriter types have deals and this guy is yet unsigned? On a limited budget he produces better results than many a major-label release. Gronk’s songwriting would fit in anywhere: New York, London, Nashville or anywhere else good music is appreciated. If you are a major label artist and need a co-songwriter seek the guy out."

Andrew Ian Dodge, Dodgeblogium, on 'The Long Way Round'

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Gronk London, UK

Gronk writes commercial pop-rock songs with an unhealthy dose of gallows humour, and instrumental chillout music for the cheesy cocktail bars in his mind. Gronk is happy to be lonely and his music is ideal if you are an astronaut in winter.

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