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Subtown Rituals

by Astra Kelly

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1.
CHANGE HAPPENS Change...it happens like life. What is happening to you, are you creating, do you have a focus to put your passion into? What is it? Do you know, and just can’t say? You are human, like everybody. chorus: A notion of motion, drift effortlessly within. I dream of an ocean, made it out of the whirlwind. And the air is warm, it’s the season of green. Heartstrings are long now, and the soul can be seen. Change....it happens, like life. You have made me in your image, now here you are within my eyes. It’s for dreams, and hopes, and wishes, why do I wanna get in? I can bring something to it, all I’ve got to do is sit and spin. chorus: A notion of emotion, flowing effortlessly. I dream of a lifetime, where we can be everything. And the air is warm, it’s the season of green. Heartstrings are long now, and the soul can be seen. bridge All in all it’s said and done, every moment is the same, time holds no boundaries. We can finally drift away, whatever you suppose it to be, it really is...truly. And the winds of change blow freely, I can feel you near me, I can feel you near me. Change happens Change happens Change........it happens.
2.
Free From You Every word has power behind it, we can eat them or say what we really mean. Life? I’m not downing it, I like to keep in touch with my inner workings. Gracious abyss, penetrating darkness, find understanding, find understanding. LET ME PAINT YOU FILL YOU WITH COLOR WON’T YOU BE MY CANVAS, BABY I wanna be all I can for you, I wanna open up and let it come through, I wanna look at you and see the truth, I wanna be completely free from you. Every little thing is always a piece of it, we can separate or realize connection. Your thing? I’m not downing it, I can see your essence, and it’s perfection. Go beyond bliss, celebrating brightness, find understanding, find understanding. LET ME PAINT YOU FILL YOU WITH COLOR WON’T YOU BE MY CANVAS, BABY I wanna be all I can for you, I wanna open up, and let it come through, I wanna look at you and see the truth, I wanna be completely free from you. LET ME PAINT YOU FILL YOU WITH COLOR WON’T YOU BE MY CANVAS, BABY???
3.
The Love Song How could I say that I never knew you ? How could I not know that it was really all for you ? The past is a mystery, the future a memory, we came to discover eachother, we came to be, lovers and friends and family. chorus When I have grown tired and old, I want to have you to hold, ‘til I close my eyes again, ‘til I close my eyes again. In a flash it came flooding back, the memories, the beauty, and even the pain. Oh, they laid it for us like we had no choice, and in the end we choose healing. Just for today, I will not worry. Just for today, I will not be angry. Just for today, I will count my blessings. chorus When I have grown tired and old, I want to have you to hold, ‘til I close my eyes again, ‘til I close my eyes again, ‘til I close my eyes again, ‘til I close my eyes again.
4.
Use It 04:38
Use It I will plant a flag here, kiss the ground I stand upon, walk around you in circles, blowing smoke over your head. Whispering, “why have you come here?”, begging you to remember. I gift you with my intention, do with it what you will. All of the sudden it became terribly funny, and I wasn’t even trying to make a joke. Here I was alone feeling sorry for myself, getting pissed off and more ill by the second. Then I noticed how horrible and unflattering it felt, and I couldn’t help but laugh. Got a brain and I know how to use it, got a body and I know how to move it, I got love... and when you get love just once, you’re never gonna loose it. I will leave a name here, carved in your tree, watch you descend from the sky, while I stand at attention and empty. Somehow I knew, but I could never say, my secret told only to me, center of a road that leads back to you, this getaway is gonna be easy bridge: I want everything to never end, but I don’t care when it does. There was a master who wrote, “there are ways within eachother that cannot be said by anyone.” Over and over, we are touched by the same hands, c’mon pretty baby, won’t you join me? Join me. Join me. All of the sudden it became terribly funny, and I wasn’t even trying to make a joke. Who was I to hold on to you, when I couldn’t even hold myself. We have everything we thing we need here, why should we have to search anywhere else? Got a brain and I know how to use it, got a body and I know how to move it, I got love... and when you get love just once, you’re never gonna loose it. *quote by Rumi
5.
The Key 05:27
THE KEY We have the key, yes everyone has the key. Every single cell of every plant, animal, human being, has the key to the door, but have you opened it, Do you dare? What will you find there? Maybe lessons learned that were jokes and illusions, serious tipping of the scales, one mans treasure is another mans trash, one mans joke is another mans seriousness. * I ain’t your mama baby, I barely even know her. If I told you what to do, I was speaking my own truth, maybe something that I said could mean more to you. * You can see right through me I feel that you do, oh ....did you know that I can see through you too? It’s the gold we have found, the web we have spun. got to get started telling everyone! My love for you goes deeper than anything I’ve seen before, and the thousands become millions, once we find that open door. All eyes upon center, find the reason why, leave your body to be entered, by yourself from the inside. * I’m a piece of the mama baby, this is true. Guess I stepped into a role for you, and there’s nothing left for me to do, but see what happens when I move through. Maybe I could mean more to you, maybe I could mean more to you. * tick tock tick tock tick tock tick
6.
Warrior 05:06
WARRIOR There are some things that make me terribly quiet inside. These are the same things I have found buried deep inside my mind. There are some people who can’t sit for an hour, can’t sit for a minute, can’t even sit to take a breath. I wanna make it through the night, I wanna make it through the night, standing on the front line. ~ I wanna be a warrior I wanna be an angel I wanna be a warrior I wanna be a superhero ~ There must be some things that make you terribly quiet inside. Aren’t these the same things you cherish, leaving you feel smaller or larger than life. There are some people who can’t trust their defenses, can’t trust their friends no, can’t even start to trust themselves. I wanna make it through the night, I wanna make it through the night, standing on the front line. ~ I wanna be a warrior I wanna be an angel I wanna be a warrior I wanna be a superhero ~ Can I just stand here in silence? Can I just stand here in slience waiting? Will you just stand here in silence? Will you just stand here in silence with me ? (repeat)
7.
Never said you were wrong.... I never said you were wrong. I never said you weren’t perfect. I just know that moment didn’t feel right. It’s not my usual way, to strike out, but I can’t help myself with you sometimes, show me a way out. chorus I’m gonna throw my hands in the air I’m gonna try harder, to love you unconditionally won’t you help me oh gonna make it better for you and me. Couldn’t it be a little easier? Couldn’t we be easier on eachother? All it takes is a little bit of time. And what’s time in eternity, and what’s life if you’re not living it Oh I want to live with you I wanna live I wanna live chorus I’m gonna throw my hands in the air I’m gonna try harder, to love you unconditionally won’t you help me oh gonna make it better for you and me gonna make it better for everybody won’t you help me please
8.
Beautiful 04:59
BEAUTIFUL Everyone is beautiful yeah even you Everyone is beautiful yeah its true and if weve got this one thing in common then thats enough everything is a reflection of yourself ~ Whatever your truest desire create with little intent break down the wall open the door walk through practice makes perfect harmony with self and all we need an army calling all soldiers its time put on your magic hat and fly you see so few have been telling the truth had to look in the darkest places to find it and oh boy what a timeless treasure of understanding tragedy they say what about comedy and tragedy there are two sides to everything its a law its a natural law ~ Everyone is beautiful yeah even you Everyone is beautiful yeah its true and if weve got this one thing in common then thats enough everything is a reflection of yourself. ~ Theres plenty of places to hide behind fear ignorance pain and crime blame it on the rain these gloomy days the sun will shine again and lift them away what? why the questions my friend I was feeling so transparent and transparency can be easy with a little selflove and patience players dance wing to wing like eagles soaring circling the waking dream I can see you there lets stand naked and raw for the world to see we have come from strength I am you and you are me Everyone is beautiful yeah even you Everyone is beautiful yeah its true and if weve got this one thing in common then thats enough everything is a reflection of yourself.
9.
SUNSHINE & MR. BLUE I never say it matter of fact, is that escaping, or creative tact? You see right through me, my plan of attack, I want to stand clear... I can watch my own back. If you can add to me, I’ll welcome you in. If you can walk through me, I help you begin. My body’s my savior, this city’s my dress. My voice is my carrier, my spirit the rest. ~ Could it really be possible? Could it really be true? Could it really be you? Then the sun shined, one two three four five centerstage enter: Mr. Blue sky ~ All humans have pain it’s a little known fact, and the power to heal it, imagine that! How can I speak what I feel when it’s larger than I am feel the bliss I am part of the thing that created this. I know you heard me ask for this mystery, I know I asked with the highest intent. To love is my only devotion. To love is my only devotion. To love is my only devotion. To love is my only devotion. ~ Could it really be possible? Could it really be true? Could it really be you? Then the sun shined one two three four five centerstage enter: Mr. Blue Sky ~ We’re all just looking for a better day. It’s a necessary thing, to improve life, improve the quality.
10.
Caught a Window In through the outside, crossing worlds to just walk by. Waiting it out, while the deal is done, will it ever end? Like clouds rolling in, my head trys to spin, my feet on the ground, my breathe like the air, they cannot see me, am I really anywhere? I think it’s time to be leaving. None of this really happened none of it is true I stand here as an observer, while life works its way through. Only minutes have past, and the ritual ends and a doorway opens, and the waves roll in, the train leaves the station as quickly as it came in. I think its time to be taking this opportunity. I think it’s time to be leaving. None of what I say matters None of it is true Unless you choose to give these words meaning but you’re gonna have to find your own truth. You’re gonna find it You’re gonna find it find it find it
11.
1,000 Faces 03:34
1,000 FACES Today I am not afraid to be stung to be hurt. Pain is an emotional teacher. And if it is knowledge we seek, why are we afraid to experience everything? For in experience we may truly know, this is the best teacher......life.. In living we will become aware, in awareness we as persons will find that these glass houses in which we live, are those walls that have been built. Break the glass? No. Why? when there is a door. But now the door is locked from the outside. and the world is strolling by and we are calling, “hey, let me out!”, but out there the world is the same, and in here our reality is changing. Once upon a time I awoke to find myself, torn and tattered but I could see until the end of the earth and I stood and looked upon a whole new world. and I turned to see the glass was now a mirror and there was me. I looked into my own eyes, into that which was truly me, and I ran. Towards the image, towards the glass shattering, I fell to the other side. Into the world, unlocked Free. Now I am ready and I am ecstatic.

about

Astra Kelly and Far Rockaway fell into being a band when (all within the same week) a bass player (Ken Schwartz), guitar player (Robert Byrne,) and drummer (Henry Janssen,) all said to Astra, “hey, if you need someone to play in your band, let me know.” Friends forever. “Subtown” is a word Astra would use to describe the neighborhoods of Chicago (or any city for that matter.) The band built a substantial buzz in the Chicago scene and released Subtown Rituals to a jam packed, sold-out house at Chicago’s Martyrs in the Spring of 1999.

credits

released October 1, 1999

Recorded at 35th St. Studios, Chicago, IL. by Gerry Johnson and Jerry Dornbush. All songs written by A. Kelly, except Warrior, written by A. Kelly and S. Tallarida

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Astra Kelly San Diego, California

With a lyric-based, melodic sound and soaring vocals, Astra fuses her Chicago roots in blues and soul
with indie folk and alt-country. The lyrics read like poetry, speaking of emotional transformation and freedom. She's been nominated for nine SD Music Awards, her music video was showcased in the SD Film Fest. She wears many hats in the industry including helping others find their music mojo. ... more

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