Get all 8 Mike McCarthy releases available on Bandcamp and save 15%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Mythomane, Serious Face, 'Live' at The Old Church on The Hill, Seaside, Live at The Vanguard 2012, The Lion's Share, The Harrowing Account of John William Tate, and Calm Wind.
Excludes subscriber-only releases.
1. |
Serious Face
03:22
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SERIOUS FACE
Serious face
On a Monday morning
Hit the switch
Pump the music
Wake up great on a
Tuesday morning
Shot of Caffeine
Quit the talking
Hold my hand
Wednesday morning
Kiss your lips
Tuck my shirt in
Fill up the tank on a
Thursday morning
Turn on the news
But the news is boring
Game face
Happy face
Wide-eyed, silver & refined face in the mirror
Wrong face
Right face
Not enough time for a holiday face in the mirror
Serious face
Friday morning
Spill the coffee
Hold the music
Up so early on a
Saturday morning
Rip the cord
(Just to) ease the falling
Feel a little blurry on
Sunday morning
Take some deep breaths
Run into the water
Serious face
Monday morning
Hit the switch
Pump the music
Game face
Happy face
Wide-eyed silver & refined face in the mirror
Wrong face
Right face
Secret and heavy lined face in the mirror
M E McCarthy
Avoca Beach 13/2/17
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2. |
Satisfy My Soul
03:14
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SATISFY MY SOUL
Birdcall
Water running
No other sound
But the wind humming
No cars
No static
Just a blue sky
River to satisfy
Satisfy my soul
I’m with you
You’re here with me
Get stuck
Get free
Wood fire
Dirt road
Stars at night
To satisfy my
Satisfy my soul
Take time
Breathe it in
Don’t forget
To release
Troubles come
Troubles go
Need you near
To satisfy my
Satisfy my soul
2/3/2015
Buckland River Valley VIC
M E McCarthy
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3. |
Ordinary People
03:51
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ORDINARY PEOPLE
Tie around the neck
Like a dog choke collar
In the depths of the feeling
There’s a lonely boy that hollers
Sacredness forsaken
His sadness rises to frustration
And the wound it gets infected
Til the limb has no sensation
Ordinary people
Just like ordinary people
Sombre resignation
Creeps with momentary blindness
Almost broke the curse
In a short rage of defiance
A voice like yours but younger
Tries to raise itself up higher
To offer grace and summons peace
Like a distant burning fire
Ordinary people
Just like ordinary people
M E McCarthy
15-9-16
Avoca Beach NSW
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4. |
Hope
04:27
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HOPE
Swift I fell into a hurricane
Senses crash
Like a brakeless freight train
Measured words don’t always hit their mark
Two times the winner, three times the loser
Come back I promise
I promise to be better
Mary, Mary you wish I were somebody else
Sold my coat to a stranger for a bus fare
I have to leave this city
Find me somebody somewhere
Heaven knows or maybe heaven doesn’t have a clue
Russian River, Santa Rosa, California
I picked up a van
Start to head for the border
Countries, rivers and roads drew me towards you
Hold to hope
Show me love
I hit the ground and you make me run
Swift I fell into a hurricane
Of love and life
And I’m never going back again
To the way I walked, the life I thought I knew
Somebody stop me if I’m rambling on
See I’ve found the love
I was searching for
For certain this journey’s been worth every mile
Hold to hope
Show me love
I hit the ground and you make me run
M E McCarthy 24/8/16
Avoca Beach NSW
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5. |
On Your Mind
04:20
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ON YOUR MIND
Summonsed the spirit of James Dean
But your swagger was all out of line
Kicked against depression and your fears
Words never come out right
Such a sad old situation
A road with no end
With this lack of communication
The enemy is in your own head
Tell me what’s on your mind
Tell you what’s going around in mine
We could be balanced baby we could be kind
Just have to take it one step at a time
So she landed down in Melbourne
Where all the seasons form into one
Paid a dollar on the street for a poem
Says the weary tide is on the run
Well we’re all holding out for something
Just a word, a look, a little touch
When the riverbed dries to nothing
We can never think of giving up
Tell me what’s on your mind
Tell you what’s going around in mine
We could be balanced baby we could be kind
Just have to take it one step at a time
Summonsed the spirit of James Dean
But your swagger was all out of line
Kicked against depression and your fears
And the words never come out right
2016
M E McCarthy
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6. |
Thief
05:51
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THIEF
I’ve got to raise my voice
Not going to hide any more
All the highs and the lows
Murder and the white noise
It’s about time we learnt
Compassion and Empathy
Our fellow man
Suffering at the hands of greed
Reticence it called my name
I said no leave me alone
If I don’t live to better the world I’m in
Then I’m just a thief in somebody else’s home
You build up walls
Then we knock them right down
And that look in your eyes
Just like a building storm
You’ve got to watch your words
Better hold your tongue
The fight’s never over
Until the war is won
Reticence it called my name
I said no leave me alone
If I don’t live to better the world I’m in
Then I’m just a thief in somebody else’s home
I’ve got to raise my voice
Not going to hide any more
M E McCarthy
Kakadu, NT
23-6-16
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7. |
Mist
02:26
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MIST
Heavy mist sits on the mountain
I cannot see my hands
A road is calling somewhere
My legs they fail to stand
To sit upon the mountain
Snow strange below my feet
I’m tumbling like a boulder
Into the valley deep
Hold to the bed of the sea as it rises
Bend to the pull of the moon as it rises
The earth is full of secrets
Fault lines and mysteries
I’ve stolen tiny glimpses
Struck by what I’ve seen
Someday we’ll feel it on us
Wave of eternity
Light that goes on forever
Sustaining love & peace
Hold to the bed of the sea as it rises
Bend to the pull of the moon as it rises
Heavy mist sits on the mountain
I cannot see my hands
A road is calling somewhere
My legs they fail to stand
To sit upon the mountain
Snow strange below my feet
I’m tumbling like a boulder
Into the valley deep
© 2017 M E McCarthy
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8. |
Roads Home
03:17
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ROADS HOME
A brother takes off for the east
The other for the west
Two roads from the same home
A journey and a test
How many miles, how many nights
How many months and years
To find yourself or to lose yourself
Amongst your thoughts and fears
Get back
My home
So many roads
Get back
My home
Push me I’m a rolling stone
Brother one was a strong man
He was confident and brave
Took off quick on a jet black horse
Keen his time to save
No stranger did he speak to
No trouble did he find
Til he reached the east coast
But he found no piece of mind
Get back
My home
So many roads
Get back
My home
Push me I’m a rolling stone
Brother two was a dreamer
Carefree and aloof
Travelled slow journey long
Took in all he could
Stopped to talk and gave his heart
He was generous and kind
Never made the west coast
But he didn’t seem to mind
Get back
My home
So many roads
Get back
My home
Push me I’m a rolling stone
M E McCarthy
Eden, NSW
2015
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9. |
Port Augusta
04:09
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PORT AUGUSTA
Wind it howled as the sun went down
Pulled in slow on the edge of town
To sleep the night and wait our turn
A thousand miles from home
Call of the west, a great unknown
Full blooded words and an undertow
That took us north, took our breath
To where the spirit crows
We made our choice to work it out
Baited luck and let go of doubt
Port Augusta
Took a turn for the best
Or at least not for the worse
Port Augusta
Blood red sky, coffee pot
Milling over all we’ve got
Your hands are cold. My head is hot
With thoughts of yesterday
The army emerged, their numbers strong
Pointed their guns in front of the car
I turned to you in a state of shock
But you were fast asleep
We made our choice to work it out
Baited luck and let go of doubt
Port Augusta
Took a turn for the best
Or at least not for the worse
Port Augusta
Not much comes for those who wait
Except for dreams in a filtered state
I’ve waited long and my thirst is great
Oh deliver me now
M E McCarthy
Avoca Beach, NSW
1-8-16
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10. |
The Light
03:34
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The Light
I saw the light
It came to me
Strangest dream
I saw the light
Entrancing me
Body Free
M E McCarthy
MacMasters Beach NSW
May 2017
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Mike McCarthy Macmasters Beach, Australia
Mike McCarthy's 'Serious Face' album is a throwback in time to an era of blues, soul, and roots music. Essentially a summer road trip album full of good vibes and great story telling, the album goes from all out slide guitar 'blues grit' to warm firelight ballads. ... more
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