Get all 9 Joustene Lorenz releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Blue, ephemera, Krobokan Prison, Dark Sun, After the End, The Ballad of Ellen Kelly, Street Seer, Fugitives, and 1 more.
1. |
Krobokan Prison
04:40
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1.
They took me from the airport to a prison in the town,
Nothing more than flesh for them to play with,
Like rabid dogs on carrion, they had to hold me down,
And chain me to my own humiliation.
2.
They tied me to a chair and said I had to confess
For crimes I had no guilt or implication,
I explained this boy and I had only recently met,
It was just an innocent association.
REFRAIN
So, who throws the dice?
Who gets to live—and who dies?
3.
They held me in a cell where we all slept on the floor,
Twelve women and a toilet in the corner,
For an hour a day the prison guards would put us on show,
Where we’d mingle with the inmates on Death Row…
4.
Andrew came to talk to me to help me survive,
No clemency, he’d soon be executed,
No requiem, no angels and no heaven beyond,
He wondered where his life had gone so wrong.
REFRAIN
So, who throws the dice?
Who gets to live—and who dies?
5.
My father paid the bribe and I was finally released,
Four weeks inside, no charges laid, my nightmare ends,
Meanwhile the souls awaiting Presidential Decree,
Are murdered in a secret place: the State’s revenge.
CODA
But where does it end?
Where does it end?
Where does it end?
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2. |
Ephemera
04:56
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1.
Well, my best friend Georgie came by to see me last Sunday.
A blaze of sunset and ravens in the sky,
She told me that her man had gone a-wandering,
Another woman taken by surprise.
2.
Now we’re drinking wine and her eyes close, kinda wolverine,
She’s quiet for a while then she whispers—‘Hey, Joustene,
‘A pretty girl like you should never be alone at night,
‘Especially when our men are forgettin’ how to treat her right.
3.
Another week goes by, Georgie’s man comes down to see me,
He’s got a bottle of gin and some sinning on his mind,
He tells me he will free me from my miseries,
He can take me to a better place for better times.
4.
There are times when I think that this world is rapidly dying,
There are times when I think that I’m living in-between.
And like a moth in the light I will wake-up at night and I’ll be crying,
‘Coz nothing we believe can be more than what it seems.
5.
So my belly’s full of gin and I look at him trying to tempt me,
He wants to put me in a fever but I know it’s just for now,
He’ll leave me calling out for more as he’s walking out the door,
So I try and be a good friend, condemning him to his ephemera.
To his ephemera,
His ephemera.
Ephemera, ephemera, ephemera.
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3. |
Sun-Dream
04:08
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1.
I am a tree: been living for a thousand years,
I grew from the earth and the life of a single seed,
Revolving in the light and the darkness with everyone,
Forever dreaming of a life in the Sun.
2.
I am a bird: been living in this canopy,
When you listen to my song, you become a part of me,
And as I fly across the sky, I can look at all the things you’ve done,
But you’re really just like me when you dream in the Sun.
3.
I am a woman: my name is Perpetuity,
You’ll find me in the forest, in the ocean, or your poetry,
And when you’re feeing lost and you’re thinking that your time is done,
You’ll find me in the earth where I’m dreaming of the Sun.
BRIDGE
And we are the stuff that dreams are made on,
Conjured through the earth and air,
From sleep to sleep our life is calling,
Testament to all we share.
4.
I am the light and I’m shining though the universe,
You’ll see me in the stardust and time-waves that I traverse,
And there’s nothing you can be but in me, and we’re all in one—
And we’re all together dreaming of a life in the Sun.
CODA
I’ll be your Sun-Dream
I’ll be your Sun-Dream
I’ll be your Sun-Dream
I’ll be your Sun-Dream ...
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4. |
Oh, the Water
05:36
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1.
You walk at night around your city,
Hear your footfall on the ground,
Imagine me so I can follow,
Feel the rain that’s tumbling down.
2.
You drift along the muddy river,
See the boatmen coming home,
Remember when we were together,
Water washing through my soul.
Oh the water.
CHORUS
Oh, the water,
Oh, the water,
Oh, the water—
Come carry us away.
3.
Time can sometimes move so slowly,
Sometimes so fast like it’s never been,
The life we lived seems like a dream,
Passing by like a mountain stream.
4.
I search for you in the empty streets,
Look up and down and through this town,
I see your shadow in the distance,
Feel the water tumbling down.
Oh, the water.
CHORUS
Oh, the water,
Oh, the water,
Oh the water—
Come carry us away!
CODA
Oh, the water,
Oh, the water,
Oh the water—
Come carry us away!
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5. |
Winter
04:11
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1
Winter on the lake,
Snow drifting through dark days,
A wild dog seeking shelter,
Warm mists of his breath.
2
The gray light through the trees falling,
The white owl flying low,
A purple rim of clouds forming,
My trail of footsteps in the snow.
CHORUS
Winter and the snow is falling,
Winter and the snow is falling,
Winter and the snow is falling
Down.
3.
I’m walking through a wilderness,
Tears frozen in my eyes,
How did we lose our tenderness
Like storms in a northern sky?
CHORUS
Winter and the snow is falling.
Winter and the snow is falling,
Winter and the snow is falling
Down.
BRIDGE
The winter took my love.
The winter took my love,
The winter took my love,
The winter took my love.
5.
And so I walk ‘til night is falling,
The cold winds closing in;
I hear the wild dogs calling to me:
‘This life’s not yours to give…’
CHORUS
Winter and the snow is falling,
Winter and the snow is falling,
Winter and the snow is falling
Down.
Coda
Life’s not yours,
Your life’s not yours,
Your life’s not yours—
To give…
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6. |
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1.
I —will be your pretty Senorita,
Dance—with you around your fire,
You will see the flame-light in my yes,
Warm the cold in this cantina.
2.
Breathe—the scent of dahlia on my skin,
Feel—the music drifting in,
We will rumba with the moon,
Move our bodies in this swoon.
CHORUS
Dance me in your fire,
Dance me in your fire—
Of love.
3.
Feel—my fingers on your face,
Kiss—me as the moonlight fades,
Mescal coursing through my veins,
Passion burn this night away.
CHORUS
Dance me in your fire,
Dance me in your fire—
Of love.
4.
Soon—the night will disappear,
We—will hold each other near.
Morning light in this cantina.
And I’m forever Senorita.
CHORUS
Dance me in your fire,
Dance me in your fire—
Of love.
CODA
Dance me in your fire,
Dance me in your fire,
Dance me in your fire,
Dance me in your fire—
Of love.
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7. |
On the Sea of Galilee
04:42
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1.
I was born on the west bank
Of the Sea of Galilee,
Our mother died, four brothers killed,
And now there’s only me.
I tried to free this memory,
And turn the other cheek,
But when evening comes, I hear God’s drums
Calling out to me.
CHORUS
Oh, the fury in my veins,
Fire and Blade to hold this land.
2.
A thousand generations,
And the fighting still remains,
Three sides’ interpretations,
One God by different names.
I’ve tried my best to understand
This history of pain,
On the Sea of Galilee
And the Gennesaret Plains.
CHORUS
Oh, the fury in my veins,
Fire and Blade to hold this land.
3.
Now I sleep with the windows closed,
The Scriptures by my bed,
Abraham comes to talk with me
To justify my death.
He tells me that he still believes
In a God of cruel intent,
And my sacrifice does not rely
On knowing what He meant.
CHORUS
Oh, the fury in my veins,
Fire and Blade to hold this land.
4.
The wind that comes from the Sinai
Desert in the spring,
Whispers of a Sacred Time
When human life begins.
From Fire and Blade and all things made
From God to Clay to Me,
And the battlefields that came to be—
The Sea of Galilee.
CHORUS
Oh, the fury in my veins,
Fire and Blade to hold this land.
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8. |
Refuge
04:50
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Refuge
Let go of the past,
Don’t be afraid,
Don’t become imprisoned
By a history we can’t change.
Take a walk around yourself,
There’s nothing left to save,
Hold my image in your heart,
Don’t let it fade away.
2
Let go of yourself,
Let go of me,
The terror of the life we lived
Can never be redeemed.
The crimson wall of sunset,
The tears that burn our eyes,
The iron kiss of madness
In the refuge of the night.
CHORUS
I’m sorry: I have to leave,
This tired earth, my sorrow and fragility.
So sorry: please understand,
I want to see the sunrise in another land.
3.
Now I’m standing by the escalator
Watching agitated faces
Going up and down,
The room is full of coloured lights
And children’s eyes and butterflies
That make no sound;
I wonder if you’ll ever feel
The distance that reveals
Itself in every frown.
Whatever things that make you think,
I know you’re always on the brink
Of coming down.
Coming down,
Coming down,
Coming down.
Chorus
I’m sorry: I have to leave,
This dying earth, my sorrow and fragility.
So sorry: please understand
I want to see the sunrise in another land.
4.
Now I’m walking through the city streets
Where people meet,
But no-one speaks
A single sound.
Don’t share your dreams,
Don’ make a scene,
Don’t hear me scream,
Don’t ever even turn around.
I wonder if your memories are sweet
Or do they just repeat,
The painful times?
Either way
Can I just pray
That we can cast away
The Old World that we left behind.
Left behind,
Left behind,
Left behind.
Coming down,
Coming down,
Coming down.
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9. |
Morning Tide
03:54
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Morning Tide
1.
Morning tide,
I’m seeing you from a distance,
I’m giving up all resistance,
I want to see the sun rise in your eyes,
I want to hold you again…
2.
Sable plains,
Nothing but the shadows falling,
I hear the night vespers calling,
I see your footsteps in the sand,
I want to love you again….
Love, love, love, again,
Forget about the things we said.
3.
Paper lights,
Excruciating nights without you,
Phantasmagoric dreams that come true,
Philosophers in worn out shoes,
I want you to love me again….
4.
Silver bells,
The sound of an angel singing,
I hear the earth slowly spinning,
I breathe the air that we all share,
I wan to feel this love again.
Feel this love again,
Feel this love again,
Feel this love again,
Feel this love…
La La La La
Da Da Da Da…
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10. |
Siege of the Sun
03:44
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1.
All eyes will turn toward the sun,
Searching for a Saviour who’ll never come,
Helter Skelter
Battles are lost and won,
Look out now, I’m coming to buy the sun.
2.
Cheap girls, sweet pearls, harbour-side perfume,
Brave men, wise men die trying to find her room,
Helter skelter
I’ll tell you when your time is done,
Look out boys, I’m coming to buy the sun.
3.
Soldiers, sailors, cities built of dust and sand,
Angels in your dreams delighted by your hand,
Helter skelter,
Pleasure written on your tongue,
Step outside, I’m coming to buy the sun.
Sun
Sun.
4.
Rel igion makes us afraid to go out the door,
All your fantasies go well beyond the Law,
Helter skelter,
Everyone is on the run,
Stand aside, they’re coming to buy the sun.
Sun,
Sun.
5.
All eyes will turn toward the sun,
Searching for a Saviour who’ll never come,
Helter Skelter
Everyone is on the run,
Stand aside, they’re coming to buy the sun.
The sun,
The sun,
The sun,
The sun.
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Joustene Lorenz Australia
'Sexy, smart, poetic—Joustene is a unique artist. One of the best singer-songwriters of the current era.' Felipe Rollins (The Musicians' Journal, June, 2023).
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