Oreland Station
Oreland Station: The Original Demos
Songs by Brian DiMarco
Song Editing/Recording: Through GarageBand on an iMac
Release Date: December 4, 2015. Oreland Station was recorded thanks to the wonders of modern software from late October to early December 2015, and "released" (i.e. deemed finished enough) on December 4, 2015.
Oreland Station
The CD is a road trip diary, recorded in October-November 2015, from songs which originally began to be written between 2012 and 2013. Originally 7 songs and two titles (Family Car and Table 51) comprised the project. In 2015 three additional songs were added (Straight Outta Philly, Rock a Little Longer, Spill a Drop) to flesh out the concept of 'a day in the life' of a road trip. The concept is basic; four friends travel from the hinterlands of Pennsylvania to the Jersey Shore for a concert at the Stony Pony (specifically a 4th of July weekend concert by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes). In between all of that is the traditions, the habits, and the personalities each brings to the day. The first song, We Do What We Do, is intended as a credo for road trip goers, tailgaters, and any group that uses an event as a marking post for their own rituals. The band "does what they do" but just as critically the faithful "do what they do, too." Along the way we encounter a smelly minivan, optimists, bayside strolls, and the unwise act of doing shots in a bar. Also, there is some seriousness and a joke or two, including a paen to the wonders of feet. And like all road trips it ends with a late night ride home where all the events of the day get to swirl and fire back in crazy juxtapositions.
Side One
We Do What We Do
Someone’s the brains, someone’s the soul Someone’s the schedule and makes it roll Yea we all got a job & we all know what to do It’s more than a casual thing - it’s what we do Someone’s here to worry - another to cheer Someone brings chips - someone brings beer Yea we all got a job and we know what to do It’s more than a casual thing - it’s what we do
(Chorus)
The crowd is all set
The band is all set
We got a job to do
They got a job to do
Simple explanation
A basic equation
We do what we do
We do what we do
We make good time, we have a thrill We make it look easy, that’s part of the skill Yea we all got a job and we know what to do It’s more than a casual thing - it’s what we do
Ice in the cooler, tap MAC for some dough Weather’s just right, gas ‘er up and let’s go Yea we all got a job and we know what to do It’s more than a casual thing - it’s what we do
Family Car
Today it’s the mom’s minivan family car But tonight it’s a chrome charged turbo rocket
The tires go bald with every passing mile The interior was made for comfort not style The engine ain’t built for a red-line race The seats recline and have plenty of leg space The pine tree freshener got it work cut out There are smells all around seeping out
By day it’s the mom’s minivan family car But tonight…it’s a retro road trip rocket
On the dark ride home it’s rattled not beaten Dirty old socks and bags of chips half eaten It don’t matter how much you clean & groom It always ends up a stale beer locker room
The pine tree freshener got it work cut out There are smells all around seeping out
Yesterday it was mom’s minivan family car But tonight… it’s a chrome super turbo sonic
Oreland Station
Morning breaks all across the nation
What gets me moving is anticipation
To take this moment and seize this day
And follow the sun to the Belmar Bay
It’s gonna be alright, it’s all gonna be ok
And that train comes rolling down my way
(Chorus)
To the Oreland Station This train will roll
From out of Oreland We drive to our goal
There’s no slowing down in the summer heat
Got a train to catch and friends to meet
People in motion all across the nation
I gotta catch the 9:10 to Oreland Station
When you get together this much is known
Nobody rides for free - Nobody rides alone
I get to the station but something’s wrong
Trains’ running fast and the 9:10’s gone
But like they say in every train song
Always another one coming along
Morning breaks all across the nation
What gets me moving is anticipation
To take this moment and seize this day
And follow the sun to the Belmar Bay
Take A Walk
Summer sun, summer sun shining on me
Feeling kinda nice feeling kinda easy
All my worries stayed home today
All I got left is time to spend away
Harbor breeze harbor breeze wash over me
Feeling kinda nice feeling kinda lazy
Lift me up from under these blue skies
Light the fire and watch the smoke rise
Take a walk, take a walk I’m just taking a walk
Straight Outta Philly 04:21
Straight out of Philly don’t try to slow us
From the Belmar Bridge the world waits below us
We’re pointed east to the ocean side
Riding a wave on the third of July
Crowded streets flow towards the coastline
The day is dripping nothing but fine
And it’s a perfect sky (It’s why we do) Just made for July (What we do)
Cause it’s nice
(Chorus)
It’s the middle of the summer (nice)
And the middle of the day (nice)
The whole town’s hopping (nice)
From the ocean to the bay
Get off your ass - Take your turn
Get outside - Feel the burn
Cause it’s nice
Straight out of Philly to a land of sun
Pizza by the slice and volleyball fun
Beer by the pint and whiskey sour
Carnival barkers and yappy hour
Hotel patios over flowing
Bodies on the beach tanned and glowing
Convention Hall and its memories mall
Banners from the ages hanging on the wall
If you get the chance then you have to go
Spend a day to get away and let it flow
It ain’t nothing but a harmless seasonal vice
You can call it what you want but we just call it nice
Side Two
I don’t mind telling you I’ve been know to enjoy some fun
I think it’s ok to know about me I don’t leave until I’m done
I don’t mind telling you I don’t waste time on regret
And what you put in is always what you’re gonna get
It’s ok, I don’t spend my days grieving
Any day’s, a good day to be breathing
(Chorus)
Good days are awesome - And dreamy
Bad days are still -
Extremely T-t-t-tolerable Extremely tolerable
Well,if you want my opinion on a scale of one to ten
I don’t mind telling you can keep the first eight of them
If I say it’s a nine assume all’s not fine
If I give it a ten I’ll be ready again
In 3…2…1…
I never had a bad day never ate a bad steak
Never drank a bad beer never sweat a bad break
I don’t mind telling you I’ve been known to let it flow
I don’t know why you’d stay inside
When you could go out to a show
And I don’t mind telling you
We’re gonna have a good time (good time)
We sweat the small stuff
And we make it look simple
But it’s not that simple
It’s all a product of what we do
It’s why it’s not Table 50 or Table 52
It’s an attention to detail
And we make it look easy
But it’s not that easy
It’s knowing the best place to park
And when to hit the boardwalk
To bring water bottles as well as beer
To have extra shoes in with the gear
It’s all a product of what we do
It’s why it’s not Table 50 or Table 52
We sweat the small stuff
And we may make it look simple
But it’s not that simple
It’s knowing the best time to arrive
The best one of us to talk some jive
To make our intentions perfectly clear
We want the table at the end of the pier
It’s all a product of what we do
It’s why it’s not Table 48, 49, 50 or 52
When all is said and done It is only
Table 51
May all your days have a sunny blue sky
A block from the beach on the Fourth of July
Room at the bar for all to stand
Beer on tap and a rocking house band
This is who we are
Life is a Wonder Bar
Wayne’s got a drink he’s feeling cool
Reading the paper on his favorite stool
Another group comes in through the doors
And another round the bartender pours
This is who we are
Life is a Wonder Bar
Now we’re all feeling loose
We move from beer to southern juice
Some are bitter some are sweet
A round of shots of Alabama heat
This is who we are
Life is a Wonder Bar
2-3-4… Ba-ba-ba-bom-ba-bom-ba
Let’s drop the bomb!
She grabs the stein and the shot glass
Drops the shot into the Guinness
It goes down so smooth and sweet
Let’s do it again, rinse and repeat
Ba-ba-ba-bom, Let’s drop the bomb
Do it once gonna do it again
One for me and three for my friends
I think this day’s finally getting started
Here’s to the living and the dear departed
Ba-ba-ba-bom, Let’s drop the bomb
This is who we are
This is a prayer for those not here
Dear departed or just disappeared
Pour a drink to keep their memory alive
We’re links through generations
Caretakers for its preservation
The tradition – to keep it alive
(Chorus) Spill a drop to memory
Tradition and family
I can feel the spirits all around me
That moment came again today
When my thoughts drift away
Old spirits they stir and revive
Encircled around I feel them rise
Spill a drop to memory
Tradition and family
I can feel the spirits all around me
Raised towards heavenly skies
A moment - the angels are alive
We sing together as the night goes on
Keeps me smiling and carries me home
Spill a drop to memory
Tradition and family
I can feel the spirits all around me
The band is rocking and going strong
The crowd is rocking and follows along
The moment hits we’re all together
Its nights like these we’ll always remember
It don’t matter if you are slowing
You know rock and roll keeps you going
(Chorus) So I say, hey, hey, hey! Hey baby!
Let’s rock a little longer tonight
I say, hey, hey, hey! Hey baby!
I wanna rock a little longer tonight
(bop, bop) Rock a little longer
Rock a little louder (bop, bop) Let’s do it up, tonight!
The dull work week tests your sanity
You gotta follow the rules faithfully
The weekend comes and we shine
A rocking band and the world’s just fine
It don’t matter if you are slowing
You know rock and roll will keep you going
The band takes a bow and we yell for more
Nobody wants to head out that door
Firefly’s flicker the cheers keep growing
The band comes back, the show keeps going
It don’t matter if it takes a toll
You know rock and roll soothes the soul
End of the Road Trip Blues
Empties in the cooler Gas line running red
We did what we do now all that’s left to do Put this thing to bed
Dark road is endless I can feel myself fade
Empty is my pocket Road trip dues all paid
(Chorus)
All we ever had Was nothing left to lose
I got the end of the road trip blues
We did what we do now all we wanna do
Is put an end to this thing
Street signs telling me
One more mile to go
Empty are my thoughts now
This road trip’s final show
We say next year will be better
But we hope it’s just the same
We’ll do what we do it’s all we can do
And we’ll do it all again
A long winter is coming
But we will be just fine
Long winters always end
On the Oreland line
I got the… Last drop, black top Flip flop, Steak shop Radar cop, bed plop Don’t stop…
I got the… Jersey shore, outdoor Summer tour, beer pour Count to four, crowd roar Give me more… End of the road trip blues