Album Front
Album Back
My 1st album, released in 2006. I had been writing songs for a long time, but had never attempted an album recording. I decided to do a full-length CD and apart from writing the songs I wanted to learn the production process as well. I suppose I was rather naive, had I realized the amount of work involved I might not have started this LOL.
This was a home-studio recording, what is called a “bedroom production”, literally true! I had some basic equipment, much DIY workarounds to save costs, but not knowing what I didn’t know I went ahead and spent 2 hard years coming out with this. I was helped by like-minded musicians from across the globe who encouraged me, gave feedback and tips and criticism, and some even contributed their skills and played some of the tracks on some of these songs. Special mention to my brother Mark Holley from Oklahoma who played some outstanding keyboards on a number of songs and helped do the artwork for the album. Hans Mulders in Holland sent in some drums tracks as well.
My ex-bandmate Akib Ramly was in ill health with cardiac problems but came in to play his saxophone for “Distant Star”. RIP, old buddy, and terima kasih for all the years of friendship and good music.
Click on the buttons below to see the Song’s Lyrics.
01 Maybe Some Day
I told myself if I could write a nice song with just 3 chords, I could be a “real” songwriter! This song turned out very well and won me many fans 🙂
It’s a simple song about having to say goodbye, wishing one could return, maybe some day. I close many live shows with this song.
02 My Distant Star
With the late Akib Ramly on saxophone, this is an old-school Bossa Nova and tells the tale of a girl in the island of Langkawi. She was beautiful and was selling “nasi lemak” (rice wrapped in a banana leaf) by the beach. My buddy Steve Whitelaw and I were totally smitten by her, but she had a fierce-looking father with her and we dared not flirt…so she was just a distant star.
03 Anything You Want
A humorous look at Indian “Bollywood” movies, which invariably will have the hero breaking into a dance/song routine as he sings sweet nothings to a girl he’ll never ever get to even kiss…
04 I Was Made For The Blues
I had a comfortable day job working for the Government. Lots of perks and paid leave and I was playing in a band on my free evenings. Yet I was unhappy, I wanted to be a serious musician which required hours of regular practice apart from performing. This would require quitting my job, abandoning all hopes of advancing my professional career and just setting up a place where I could work limited, flexible hours to fund my music-making and then pursue this music bug…a commitment towards my own “Project” indeed. But was I too old already, was it too late? Dare I take the chance? The lyrics describe my thoughts at the time.
05 Please Stop Hurting Me
A socio-political song. 3rd World (Turd World) countries.Repressive regimes which brutalize the people even while claiming to be looking after their welfare. For many the only Love they get is at the end of a Police baton. Yet, like abused children, the people continue to love their country even as they fear it. You have to read between the lines of the lyrics to understand this song.
06 No Way Out
A song about mental stress. Sometimes it all gets too much. You’re stressed beyond your limits and you’re going nuts. You can hear those voices in your head, they’re all trapped inside your mental cell and yet there’s just no way out.
07 I Keep Thinking Of You
A Latin-style ballad.
08 Once Upon A Time
A song about people who keep talking about their glorious past, said past getting more glorious with every retelling.
Unfortunately the present is altogether a different situation. Which makes you wonder…
09 Cultures
An instrumental. A Fusion between an Indian-style melody and the Blues. The beat is played by Indian tablas as well as a modern “normal” drums kit, while the groove is a 6/4 count which Westerners may perceive as a kind of Waltz but it’s actually an Indian “Dadra”. My earliest serious instrument (between ages 10 and 14) was the tabla, somehow in my mid-teens I drifted towards the guitar (to my dad’s eternal dismay!) Oh well…..
10 Haven't Seen You For A While
(With Hans Mulders on drums)
Returning to my hometown after many years away, noticing all the changes that have taken place in the name of “Development”.
11 Don't Bother Calling
A song about going for a holiday just to get away from it all.
12 Wheel Of Life
The human spirit. Somehow, despite all the struggles of our daily lives there is something in us that keeps us going on long after we think we would have given up.
Requiem
Reflecting upon Life, Death, the inevitability of it all and how one is just a part of the same cycle. There is no cause for sorrow for events which are natural, only a need for acceptance of reality.
14 Nag-ativity Blues
Married men would get this 🙂
15 Living In Poverty
Inspired by events occurring at the time in Sudan, with violence instigated against impoverished tribes while the powers that be and warlords fight to control resources. The common man is helpless against politicians and those with vested interests.
The song is structured like a multi-scene play with each instrument representing a different fighting faction, various drums representing the instigators, guitar solos represent battles between unequally-armed sides, a weary voice representing the hopeless victims. A euro-dance disco beat underlies it all, representing how the world only sees this horror for its “entertainment” value on TV news. (to fully describe every aspect of the composition would take pages, it is the most ambitious song I have ever written)
01 Maybe Some Day
Another day, and it’s time for me to leave
Every time, every place I go
I wish I could stay, but I got to move
You know, you know I do
Maybe some day, I’ll come back to stay
Maybe some day, I’ll come back to stay
Memories, are all I have
very place, they’re all I can keep
I wish I could stay, but I got to move
You know, you know I do
02 Distant Star
Hey Girl, You’re not fooling me,
Hey Girl, You’re not the way you seem,
So cold, so far away and so alone
My Distant Star, that’s what you are
CHORUS:
Please come with me and hold my hand
For I love you more and more
We could be making love all day and I’m sure it will be alright
My Distant Star, that’s what you are
Verse2:
Hey Girl, why are you teasing me, Hey girl,
You surely know by now I’m so in love with you.
My Distant Star, that’s what you are
03 Anything You Want
Anywhere you go, anywhere you move,
I’ll be close to you, ‘cos I’m a fool for you.
Anything You Want, anything at all
I will get for you, ‘cos I’m a fool for you
***CHORUS***
You know that I will never be your lover,
And I know that I won’t.
You know that I will never be your lover,
And I know that I won’t.
Anything you say, anything you do
I will follow you, ‘cos I’m a fool for you.
Anything you want, anything you ask
I will get for you, ‘cos I’m a fool for you.
I don’t want to be anybody’s fool, but my own, but my own.
I don’t want to be anybody’s fool, but my own, but my own.
04 I Was Made For The Blues
Sitting here, all alone, trying to make it on my own
Changes coming over me,
Nothing’s the same
Nothing’s the same as before
CHORUS:
I was made for the Blues, I was made for the Blues,
I was made for the Blues, I was made for the Blues,
I was made for the Blues, the Blues is my soul
Now you ask, if I’m not to old
If I’m not being a little too bold
Got to take this chance anyway, got to try to turn my life around
Got to try to make it, got to try to make it somehow
05 Please Stop Hurting Me With Your Love
Sometimes it’s hard to take a road, when you can’t see ahead
You think you’re headed somewhere, but you’re just moving to the edge
Could it be premonition, or maybe I’m just afraid
But everytime I see you, I want to walk away instead.
for it’s Hurting me, to be trapped within your love, I can’t take it anymore, for it’s wearing down my soul
When you’re here beside me it all comes in a rush
But it hurts, it hurts like no pain you’ll ever know, so
Please stop hurting me with your love
Verse2:
I just don’t know, how to stop, loving you, though you’re hurting me each day
Somehow we just seem to be fated to be apart
I wish I could tell you this, I want to live again, I want to live again
so pleaseSTOP hurting me, STOP hurting me with your Love
Somehow we just seem to be fated to be apart
I wish I could tell you this, I want to live again, I want to live again
so please STOP hurting me, STOP hurting me with your
Love hurting me with your Love
06 No Way Out
There must be some way out, there must be some way out
There must be some way out of here
There must be some way out, there must be some way out
I must be facing the other way, I must be looking another way
For there’s no way, no way to go
No there is no way, no way from here
I feel like I’m in a cell, I feel like I’m in a cell
I feel like I’m in a cell, oh please
I got to find a way out, I just got to get out
07 I Keep Thinking Of You
I keep thinking of you, many years on
I hope you’re happy and well, I hope you’ve settled down
I left you without even saying goodbye
I was weak, and I ran away from Love
CHORUS:
I wasn’t strong, I wasn’t strong
And I left you, without even saying goodbye
I was wrong, and I hurt you
But then again I also hurt me.
I hope time has eased your pain, although I hurt you so
I was mean, I was cruel and I bear the blame
I lost my love, I lost my pride
And though years move on, still I hang my head in shame
08 Once Upon A Time
Once Upon a Time, I had the whole world
waiting just for for me
Once Upon A Time, have I told you my story?
Everything, just for me
CHORUS:
I guess I could tell you
Of how I had it all, and oh you should have seen me.
But what does it matter, I guess nothing at all
for Once Upon a Time is not Today
Yes, Once Upon A Time, shall I tell you my story
Like the fish, it got away
Once Upon a Time, I had the whole world,
But like the fish, it got away.
Once Upon a Time, but would you believe me
Sometimes I wonder if it wasn’t just a dream
yes Once Upon a Time, that’s how a story begins
But oh the end, it’s a different tale.
10 Haven’t Seen You For A While
Hello, haven’t seen you for a while
Hello, haven’t seen you for a while
I’ve been gone, I’ve been gone
I’ve been gone away
Seems like I’ve been gone so long, Everybody’s changed
I’ve been gone such a long time, Nothing’s quite the same
Guess I’ve been gone, I’ve been gone
I’ve been gone too long
Hello, would that be the great big house
That I said, I’d come back to live in some day
They’ve torn it down, they’ve torn it down
While I’ve been gone away
Hello, could we see that grand old park
Where we had so much fun we laughed all day
What’s that you say, it’s a mall?
It’s a mall today!
I’ve been gone, I’ve been gone, I’ve been gone too long
11 Don’t Bother Calling
Don’t you bother calling I won’t be home
Don’t you bother calling, ‘cos I’ll be on the road
Don’t you bother calling, I won’t be there
Don’t you bother calling, ‘cos I’m going on the road
I’m going to be, gone for a while
I’m going to be, riding on my own
With nobody to bother me.
I’ll go wherever, anywhere I please
Nobody’s telling me where or when to go
I’ll be taking an open road, who cares where it leads
So don’t you bother calling, don’t be calling me.
A mountain and a valley right in front of me
Then a river or a stream, or a forest or a tree
It’s not what’s ahead, that matters most to me
It’s knowing that I’m roaming, and nobody’s calling me!
12 Wheel Of Life
There must be a wheel in me somewhere
That keeps me rolling on
Rolling rolling rolling along
Even when I want to stop it moves me on
Wheel of Life. What makes you move me on
Wheel of Life. Where do you get that rolling from.
Sometimes I think it’s surely got to stop
And I’ve nothing left to go on
But still that wheel keeps a-rolling
And another day passes on
Wheel Of Life. You keep me rolling on
Wheel Of Life. On and on and on and on and on.
Wheel Of Life. You keep me rolling on
Wheel of Life. Where do you get that motion from
Wheel Of Life. You keep me rolling on
Wheel of Life. On and On and On and On and On and On.
14 Nag-a-tivity Blues
What’s that you say? are you trying to make me mad
What’s that you’re saying, woman, are you really trying to make me mad
I’m just about to go to work, and already my day is turning bad.
If it ain’t about this, it’s all about that
All I get is nagging, you just nag, nag, nag
Can’t you put an end to it, woman
Can’t you do something else than nag
What’s that you’re saying? Can’t a guy have some peace
What’s that you’re saying, can’t a guy have some peace
I’ve had a bad day at work, and now you’re givin me this
What’s that you’re saying, Is it anything I haven’t heard before
What’s that you’re saying, Is it anything I haven’t heard before
It’s a bad day you’re giving me, woman, just like the thousand days before.
15 Living In Poverty
You and I, will always be
Living in poverty
(yes) You and I, will always be
Living in poverty
You and I, no home, You and I no chance
You and I, will always be
Living in poverty
People will always be
Fighting this poverty
With guns, with guns, with guns from poverty
They shoot, they shoot, they shoot you and me
People are said to be
Helping you and me
People have guns, People have guns
They help, they help, they help, they help
They shoot, they shoot, they shoot, they shoot
People have guns, they help, they shoot you and me
