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Ryan Vona, Crystal Lucas-Perry (Mina in Such Things as Vampires), Jessie Fisher (Co-Creator), and Jamie Mohamdein (Music Supervisor, Orchestrator and Arranger) at Restoration Sound.
Amps, Strings, and Fangs
New Release!
Check out the exclusive studio version of "These Northern Winds"
THESE NORTHERN WINDS
Song by Zak Berkman
Arranged and Performed by Pearl Rhein
Recorded and Mixed by Brent Hoyer Sound At People’s Light
Lyrics
I knew a wounded girl
Before she knew the wounds were hers
Before the waves dragged down her shipwrecked heart
She wore her lace like armor
Her slippers made of steel
But she still liked to kiss things on her battlefield
Don't pull me from these northern winds
If just a breath of you is in this storm
I will ride into your rage
I will turn as you turn
Never letting go
Never letting go
She said she liked my anger
She said it made her laugh
She said there's so much danger, but the danger moves fast
She said she's sick of cages
She hates the sound of keys
She said there is no safety when searching for peace
Don't pull me from these northern winds
If just a breath of you is in this storm
I will ride into your rage
I will turn as you turn
Never letting go
Never letting go
To give you a taste of the folk-punk heartbeat that powers this world premiere, some of the creative team joined forces with a group of talented musicians to record a few demos at Restoration Sound in Brooklyn before rehearsals began.
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STINGERS AND THORNS
Song by Jessie Fisher
Produced and Arranged by Jamie Mohamdein
Matt Graff - Drums
Erik Hellman – Guitars, Background Vocals
Crystal Lucas-Perry – Lead Vocal
Jamie Mohamdein – Bass
Sam Quiggins – Cello
Lyrics
Ohhhh
Are you feeling slightly anxious?
Do you feel a little nauseous?
Cuz you have strangers who are looking at you, singing at you
Ha
Ohhhhh
You’d rather talk about the weather
Avoid eye contact all together
Well that’s too bad now that the doors are sealed tight, now turn down the lights
You came here by your free will
You want some shiny theatre thrills
But all that glitters is not gold
It’s safer if you come along
We won’t be strangers for too long
And oh
It’s time
To take inventory
It’s your territory but
We’ll remove the stingers and the thorns
Ohhhh
Taking stock of your surroundings
That’s just your heart inside that’s pounding
What will these strangers who are looking at you be asking of you?
Ha
Ohhhhh
You just focus on your breathing
And let us take care of the evening
We’re here to rid you of those fears in your head, hid under your bed
Something lead you to this seat
You wanted comfort, some relief
Escape the bitter and cold
You wanted to be lead along
You wanted that sweet siren song.
And oh
It’s time
To take inventory
It’s your territory
But we’ll remove the stingers and the thorns
We’ll remove the stingers and thorns
CRAVING OF ME
Song by Zak Berkman
Produced and Arranged by Jamie Mohamdein
Erik Hellman – Guitars
Crystal Lucas-Perry - Vocals
Sam Quiggins – Cello
Ryan Vona - Vocals
Lyrics
Spiders like the taste of milky flies
And flies all gather to my drops of sugar
Sparrows swallow the spiders with no conscience
Just as now my mouth is all full of feathers
And you call me by my true name
And you call me and I will wait
For the craving
For the craving of me
I have felt you feeding on my memories
And I have felt your mouth on my loneliness
You know the pleasure that can come from prison
When the outside world is your greatest threat
And you call me by my true name
And you call me and I will wait
For the craving
For the craving of me
SLEEPWALKER
Song by Jessie Fisher
Produced and Arranged by Jamie Mohamdein
Matt Graff - Drums
Erik Hellman – Guitars
Crystal Lucas-Perry – Lead Vocal
Jamie Mohamdein – Bass
Sam Quiggins – Cello
Ryan Vona – Background Vocals
Lyrics
One Two Three Four
Wait for him by your front door
Five Six Seven and Eight
Put on lipstick, don’t be late
Eight Nine, Nine and Ten
Swear you won’t be late again
Eleven Eleven Eleven TWELVE
He’ll unlock the door himself
Papa always told me if my teeth were white
If my skin was bright
Then I’d be lucky one day
Papa always told me if I prayed at night
That
I could be lucky
You know we all want lucky
Papa always told me if I didn’t fight
If my smile was tight
A prince would save me some day
Papa always told me
If I didn’t bite
That
The prince was coming, I hear him now he’s coming
There must be something in my head that is coming loose
There must be something in my head that I gotta lose
I want to tell someone but they’re all sleeping
They’re all sleeping now
Mama always told me if I walked the line
If I did my time
I’d have my freedom one day
Mama always told me that my feet were mine
But
Mama wasn’t lucky
She knew she wasn’t lucky
Papa always told me that it was the wine
That it was her time
Not to follow her way
Papa always told me when it was bedtime
But
Papa isn’t coming
I made sure he’s not coming
There must be something in my head that is coming loose
There must be something in my head that I gotta lose
I want to tell someone but they’re all sleeping
They’re all sleeping now
BLOOFER LADY
Song by Jessie Fisher
Produced and Arranged by Jamie Mohamdein
Jessie Fisher – Lead Vocal
Matt Graff - Drums
Erik Hellman – Guitars
Jamie Mohamdein – Bass
Sam Quiggins – Cello
Ryan Vona – Background Vocals
Zak Berkman - Piano
Lyrics
Oh child oh child come walk with me as the sun dips down
And the black mass of Kettleness shades this sleeping town
I’ll tell you tales of castle walls and maiden lives ensnared
By empty men who will be full again
Only when their teeth are bared
Only when…their teeth
are bared
Come walk with me through empty streets until we reach the shore
And though the ship is trembling, we’ll be safe on board
Far from the Heath that’s full of wreaths that they’ll force you to wear
With windows locked and bedrooms blocked
In fear your teeth are bared
In fear…your teeth
are bared
All men die and turn to mud
But you’ll be speckled air
And the light of only one man’s sun won’t burn your skin so fair
Now see the sea that turns for me will be waters that we share
And you’ll be free as the wild whipped sea
Only when your teeth are bared
Only when….your teeth
are bared
B-SIDES
Here's a scratch recording of "Paper Sparrows," captured partway through the years-long process of creating and workshopping Such Things as Vampires. Though this song has since evolved, it remains a defining moment of the production.
PAPER SPARROWS
Song by Zak Berkman
Dana Omar - Lead Vocal
Performed by Zak Berkman, Jessie Fisher, Erik Hellman, and Ryan Vona
Lyrics
I write these words on paper sparrows
And I send them all to you.
I write these words on paper sailboats
And I send them all to you.
And these words, they are my skyline
These words, they are my sea
And I send them to you, darling
For your release and my relief.
It's a long and winding road from concept to curtain, and some losses are inevitable. This song was an early favorite, but unfortunately didn't make it to the final draft.
GIRL ALL PALE
Song by Zak Berkman
Produced and Arranged by Jamie Mohamdein
Zak Berkman – Piano, Background Vocals
Erik Hellman - Guitars
Matt Graff - Drums
Crystal Lucas-Perry – Background Vocals
Sam Quiggins – Cello
Ryan Vona – Lead Vocal
