Ballads of Living and Dying

by Marissa Nadler

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Roberto Mura This album really gave me something I hadn't found in a very long time. Every track melts with you while you're listening and the atmosphere it's so fullfilling that you feel you're inside the music. Favorite track: Mayflower May.

Dustfan Marissa's stark and impressive debut. The E-Bow really adds to the haunting nature on several of the tracks. I've always thought of this as a sister album to Nick Cave's Murder Ballads. While she has produced a lot of stellar work since, songs like Fifty Five Falls, Stallions, Mayflower May and Annabelle Lee remain as some of my favorite MN songs. Favorite track: Stallions.

jackbivouac Via some gap in reality, MN has come to us from two centuries ago. Stop what you are doing and listen to Days of Rum. Favorite track: Days of Rum.

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Ballads of Living and Dying Vinyl
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1.	Fifty Five Falls 05:01	lyrics	buy track

2.	Hay Tantos Muertos 02:51	info	buy track
3.	Stallions 03:11	lyrics	buy track

4.	Undertaker 02:17	lyrics	buy track

5.	Box of Cedar 04:39	lyrics	buy track

6.	Bird Song 03:07	lyrics	buy track

7.	Mayflower May 03:21	lyrics	buy track

8.	Days of Rum 04:20	lyrics	buy track

9.	Virginia 02:39	lyrics	buy track

10.	Annabelle Lee 05:15	lyrics	buy track

about

This is my debut album. It was originally released on Eclipse Records on vinyl and cd in 2003. Myles Baer recorded and produced this record in an apartment on a digital BR8 machine.

credits

released January 31, 2004

Musicians:
Marissa Nadler — Vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards
Myles Baer — Synth, backing vocals, E-Bow, electric guitar
Kendra Flowers — Harmony vocals ("Box of Cedar")

Production

Recorded, mixed and produced by Myles Baer at Black Hole Sound Studios, 2003-4.

license

about

Marissa Nadler Nashville, Tennessee

Sacred Bones Records and Bella Union Records.

shows

Feb 07

Paard

The Hague, Netherlands

contact / help

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Track Name: Fifty Five Falls: And I say to the day, why you drop down to die, with fifty five falls, and seventy skies. And I say to the say, why this Ballad of Brine, with Mayflower May, and her monocled eye.

Oh, Where she lies, gently close her eyes. Oh, where she lies, gently close her eyes. Oh damn July!

Oh, I had a friend, I remember her well, with sad little hands, and a sad sickle cell. Oh, I had a friend, her ship sailed away, t'was fifty five falls ago to this day.

Oh, where she lies, gently close her eyes. Oh, where she lies, gently close her eyes. Oh, damn July!

And I say to the day, why'd you drop down to die. With fifty five falls, and seventy skies. And I say to the day, why this ballad of brine, with Mayflower May, and her monocled eye.
Track Name: Stallions: Stallions:
Mother, the stallions are running wild.
Save me your evil thoughts of mind.
Lord, I try my best to save you from your mind.
Lord, I try my best to save you from your mind.
Mother, the table's dressed in white.
Save me your evil thoughts of mind.
I try my best to save you from your mind.
Lord I try my best to save you from your mind.

Mother the stallions are running wild.
Save me your evil thoughts of time.
Lord I try my best to save you from your mind.
Track Name: Undertaker: Undertaker:

I was your undertaker, and I was your highway girl. And I was your bitter taste of every other world.
You wake in the maddening morning.
You wake in the fire light twirl.
You wait for your funny dancer,
from every other world.

And I was your undertaker.
And I was your ivory girl.
And I was your bitter taste of every other world.

And I wait for the trains to ride me back
to some highway world.
And I wait for the trains to ride me back,
to some other world.
Track Name: Box of Cedar: Box of Cedar:

Seven winters past and gone,
I once was young and I once was strong
Shanaddee, a dee, a dee

Six fine times I felt my knees
buckle to your sweet release
Shanaddee, a dee, a dee

Five times tried to conjure you,
a letter or a note or clue
Shanaddee, a dee, a dee

And I'm gonna tell everybody I know
that I'm glad to see you
And I'm gonna tell everybody I know
that I'm glad to see you
even though you're comin home in a Box of Cedar

For four year you courted I
your raven hair your brittle bride
Shanaddee, a dee, a dee

Three more times I tried to find
A lover to match your sweet kind
Shanaddee, a dee, a dee

And I'm gonna tell everybody I know
that I'm glad to see you
And I'm gonna tell everbody I know
that I'm glad to see you
even though you're coming home in a Box of Cedar

La da da

One am I to fill these rooms
and wake each morn to the drone of doom
Shanaddee, a dee, a dee

Seven winters past and gone
I once was young and I once was strong
Shanaddee, a dee, a dee
Track Name: Bird Song: Bird Song:

If I call your name at midnight
oh, you would not be there
If I call your name at midnight
oh, you would not be there.

You said my name so sweetly,
oh the one time that you called
oh you said my name so sweetly
that I took my clothes all off

Oh, the birds are calling
and I do not believe for me
Oh, the birds are calling
and I do not believe for me
Yes I do not believe for me

I thought I saw you walking
with your trenchcoat in the rain
Yes I thought I saw you driving
down the streets past me again

Yes I drank the table under
and I drank your bitter wine
Yes I drank the table under
and I drank your bitter wine

Oh the bells are ringing
and I do not believe for me
Oh the bells are ringing
and I do not believe for me
yes I do not believe for me

I walk on every Monday
with your memory so clear
yes I walk on vagrant runways
and think of how your near
Track Name: Mayflower May: Mayflower May:

Without a lover, without a friend
Without a savior, without a friend
Without a lover, without a friend
Mayflower walked away, away towards the air

And if you see her, call out her name
And if you hear her, out in the rain,
Mayflower May belle, May was her name

Without a lover, without a friend
Without a savior, without a friend
Without a lover, without a care
Mayflower walked away, away towards the air

And if you see her, call out her name
And if you hear her, out in the rain,
Mayflower May belle, May was her name
Track Name: Days of Rum: Days of Rum:

She knew you in the time,
she was young and yearned to die.
She'd gaze at the light
in the corner in the night.

And the men would come to her
in the dead of old winter.
In the doldrums it was fine
to touch her body and her mind.

singing "dum, ditty dum, days of fun, days of rum"
singing "dum, ditty dum, days of fun, days of rum"

Scarlett in the wine, raise the bloody vine
oh she knew you in the time
she was young and yearned to die
but the roses never came
she was just some winter rain
and in her bed she lay
and she dreamt of a dying day

Singing "dum ditty dum, days of fun, days of rum"
singing "dum ditty dum, days of fun, days of rum"
Track Name: Virginia: Virginia:

The waves against the folds of my face
as I start to drown.
Oh the waves rush against the folds of my face
as I start to drown,
Oh Virginia, Virginia, die

In winter the water will wash up above the water side
In winter the water will wash above the water side

Oh Virgina, Virginia, Virginia die

With rocks in your pockets you walk up above
the waterside
With rocks in your pockets you walk above
the waterside

Oh Virgina, Virgina, Virginia dies

The waves rush against the folds of my face
as I start to fall
oh the waves rush against the folds of my face
as I start to fall

Oh Virgina, Virginia, Virginia falls
Track Name: Annabelle Lee: Edgar Allen Poe

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