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Hoi Polloi

by Sotto Voce

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1.
When your itinerary has run dry The captain’s log is of no concern Keep a close eye and become one with the earthworm Were Lewis and Clark so shocked to find Tiny prairie dogs plaguing their Midwest sojourn? Oh! Les petits chiens Mark it off at six meters and By the way why Doesn’t America use metric? Were Lewis and Clark so shocked to find Sacagawea pregnant with little Pompey? A lesson in obstetrics Oh! Les petits chiens I can’t tell you All the times I Tried to tell you All the times I
2.
Chew on the head of the middle digit Can't help sensing a hint of cracked pepper in the taste Aw, what a waste Your nail beds are nail cots Bravo when there's bravado And brava when there is not Good grief, my rhyming dictionary Is as orange as Fred's ascot I heard voices, pardon me Show that you've completed the twelve-step program to recovery Chew fat with mailmen and bursars Sometimes, things come down to a decimal Break into a sob, I'm just doing my job If it were up to me, I'd let you go free Now that the lawn's mowed, you're thinking it's best That idea of a mohawk should be put to rest But in the while, take advantage of your smile Relax before it's rush week I heard voices, pardon me Show that you've completed the twelve-step program to recovery
3.
Hoi Polloi 03:35
I’d like to extend my thanks to El Toro for this beautiful bounty Hit a home run in inning two, so all in attendance that day could redeem a slip of paper For a grand slam at Denny’s, and now I’m sitting alone in that very spot You might think it strange but the waitress has been kind and I’m leaving her a generous tip And I’ve got applications For jobs I don’t want that will keep me busy Until I can play gigs in the cities But that doesn’t happen overnight So what can I do… If I can’t please The hoi polloi What good will it do to sit and stew? I still enjoy The practice, performing I’ll always have some friends who think it’s cool Walked into a coffee shop; I won’t say where, okay, it’s Starbucks But I had a gift card to spend and I discovered mocha fraps aren’t all that different from milkshakes which is groovy with me, now where was I? Let’s see… Booted up my laptop and used their free wifi when in walks in a friend I haven’t seen since high school He talks my ear off for the better part of thirty minutes but I’m getting antsy ‘cause can’t he see that I’ve got applications For jobs I don’t want that will keep me busy Until I can play gigs in the cities But that doesn’t happen overnight So what can I do… If I can’t please The hoi polloi What good will it do to sit and stew? I still enjoy The practice, performing I’ll always have some friends who think it’s cool
4.
He expressed his power in a wicked way Solstice approaching, felt it wise to say Blood is blood and if not, the paper’s gone If I’m sporting lint, you can still call
5.
Chamartín 03:17
Unloading our luggage at the Hotel Chamartín Eleven days across Europe, it's the American dream Left the Pittsburgh airport about twenty-four hours ago Tried horchata in Barcelona, 'cause Vamp Week suggested so I'll rest up later Next thing that I see, Señora's at our door Wants to send us back to the States, first thing in the morn' I'll rest up later I admit, I overreacted, boys It couldn't have been you I put that scotch tape on the doors to enforce a curfew Yeah It's couldn't have been you, you goody-six-shoes
6.
Yea Verily 03:27
Seconds the motion, a change, it dawns The room applauds, “yea verily” What was pro tempore has since moved on Henceforth is now known “to be” Left you with nothing to call your own Never considered it real Took everything except for your clothes Not that you’d know how that feels
7.
Superlatives 02:20
Boys and girls most likely to End up on channel two news Boys and girls voted for Best hair, best SAT score And class clown went to someone Less deserving in my opinion Class couple went to those Ah, who knows? Don’t trust any of these faces As far as they can be thrown Boys and girls most likely three Show best effort in PE And class clown went to someone Less deserving in my opinion Class couple went to those Ah, who knows? Don’t trust any of these faces As far as they can be thrown The coup is a success when you’ve Made a move to dethrone The king and queen Of prom
8.
Say what you will of the ring But the girl’s much too good for that young man Yes, he’s a smart pretty thing But the girl’s much too good for that young man Jealousy Never comes at the right time Plain to see Neither have I The vow he made is not a bluff But the girl’s much too good for that young man Play cards often enough Yet I am still dealt a bad hand Jealousy Never comes when it’s welcome Plain to see I’ve done nothing but help them
9.
Ethel 05:06
'68, you felt things could never be great again and so you Left your fate in the cracked concrete of a Pennsylvania road Having never met, think it's a safe bet The pain you felt was real Your escape route let you go on without An illness death cannot conceal Like a poet, you gave new meaning to the word "freeway" And so the papers printed their obits, but your kin kept it as hearsay No why or when Having never met, think it's a safe bet The pain you felt was real Your escape route let you go on without An illness death cannot conceal
10.
Good for what ails you Such and such Like a juicebox hero Race much? Race you to the top of that hill Faster, faster, faster yet still The grass stains reflect my Oshkosh Won’t come out clean in the wash But it’s mine most of the time ‘Cause neophytes and philistines can’t beat my time At the finish line Cards on the porch Popsicle stick Saved birdy from the housecat Make a list Race you to the top of that hill Faster, faster, faster yet still The grass stains reflect my Oshkosh Won’t come out clean in the wash But it’s mine most of the time ‘Cause neophytes and philistines can’t beat my time At the finish line
11.
Mincemeat 03:37
What’s the point of slipping some poison To a snake, lush with the stuff? I’ve got myself five vials and no better sense But to get it off my hands What’s this go for on the streets? In the jungle, I’m mincemeat What’s the point of pulling a thorn From a lion’s paw, when he’s got three others? I’m caught in between predator and prey I won’t be thanking them for the dance What’s this go for on the streets? In the jungle, I’m mincemeat
12.
How gracious, you sent flowers In a bitter bouquet
13.
Trying to find the words to describe the kill Mouths hang open, they’re swine to the swill But pigs aside, the cat’s got your tongue Yawns over yonder and wandering eyes Spare the details and hop to the lies Despite efforts, she’s gathered her young
14.
Counting the ways I’d been asking for trouble It was a matter of time Shouting out obscenities on the double Now to pay for the crime Oblivious, never knew no better How my pleadings were spurned In-school suspension, parents received a letter And a lesson was learned Human biology Ain’t the root of your problems My first grade teacher’s leniency Is what needed solving Thank fuck for asterisks, as long as it’s written It’s Kevlar to the cusser Vowels get sucked into a tiny black hole And there you have it: a buffer Human biology Ain’t the root of your problems My first grade teacher’s leniency Is what needed solving
15.
Director 03:30
He said, “I could never be your pet, Only your love when it comes down to it” She said, “He’s there when I need him and That’s all that really matters to me” ‘Despicable’ is the word That best describes how she treats him And that goes double for the way He absorbs and reciprocates Look around Everybody but her loves you so Business and pleasure don’t mix But it’s the weekend, so they’ll resign together His friends could not be more direct And neither could he, it’s his occupancy It’s high time to dim lights and request A détente; it’s for the best Left in a state of sheer nonplus It’s killing you, it’s worrying us Now look around Everybody but her loves you so
16.
Cutting out coupons from the paper of the news You salvage but you never use Whether shirt of gingham, striped, or checkered square Proof shades make it easier to stare Hanging by the cages that borrow and bar youth Rub dirt on the Earth that injured you Cut a tree in half because you’re curious of age But you can’t bring yourself to turn a page As she paints her portrait, it pops into her mind We should rock ‘n’ roll sometime I’m gonna need some time dear, I doubt you even care He begins peeling a pomme de terre My dove, it disappeared, you know I lost it in the sun Patience says I’m not the only one Existence times progression: the pity of us all By the way did you see he’s going bald? While you looked away when you were sitting on the fence Timeliness met its recompense As she paints her portrait, it pops into her mind We should rock ‘n’ roll sometime
17.
Plan a route to Bethany By way of Boston Betrothed to the mob Betrothed with children Leave them alone for one moment and what have they done? Feel the feel of something Feel the warmth of the strings Oh, sweet nothing Oh, you pretty things Leave them alone for one moment and what have they done? Mean looking hot wings Need to sign a waiver Flip cup at a funeral That’s what I call flippant behavior

about

Nice to see you all again! I graduated college in May and started recording these songs the moment I came back home to Pittsburgh. This album would not be possible without the assistance of Justin Stivers (from awesome bands such as Passenger Peru and Pet Ghost Project, also formerly of The Antlers) who was kind enough to lend his talented ear to its mastering.

:) As always, much love to the SVies.

credits

released November 13, 2015

Ryan Gabos: all instruments, vocals, songwriting, production
Justin Stivers: mastering
Zac Coleman: photography

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Sotto Voce Brooklyn, New York

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