GN, by Ratboys

GN

by Ratboys

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walkinthenose87 This is a very good album front to back. You can tell a lot of work went into this. The song writing and everything is very solid. I'm impressed. Favorite track: Wandered.

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12" LP (Opaque Purple)
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

12" LP on Opaque Purple vinyl. (out of 500)

Includes unlimited streaming of GN via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.	Molly 04:20	lyrics	buy track

2.	Elvis is in the Freezer 02:59	lyrics	buy track

3.	Westside 04:15	lyrics	buy track

4.	Control 04:44	lyrics	buy track

5.	Crying About the Planets 05:55	lyrics	buy track

6.	Dangerous Visions 04:39	lyrics	buy track

7.	Wandered 04:33	lyrics	buy track

8.	GM 04:10	lyrics	buy track

9.	The Record 03:18	lyrics	buy track

10.	Peter the Wild Boy 03:45	lyrics	buy track

credits

released June 30, 2017

recorded and mixed at Atlas Studios in Chicago, IL by Mike Crotty
guitar, lyrics, singing - Julia Steiner
guitar, bass, pocket piano - Dave Sagan
drums - Danny Lyons

trumpet on tracks 2, 4, and 8 - Cody Owens
pedal steel on tracks 2, 4, and 8 - Pat Lyons
accordion on track 8 - Pat Mitchell
cello on track 10 - Adam Gorcowski
violin on track 10 - Mallory Linehan

mastered by Alan Douches at West Westside
cover drawing by Molly Steiner
other art by Dave Sagan

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Ratboys Chicago, Illinois

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Recommendations

shows

Aug 20

The Middle East Downstairs

Cambridge, MA
Aug 22

Kung Fu Necktie

Philadelphia, PA
Aug 23

Knitting Factory

Brooklyn, NY
Aug 24

DC9 Nightclub

Washington, DC
Aug 25

Cat's Cradle Back Room

Carrboro, NC
Aug 26

Vinyl

Atlanta, GA
Aug 27

The End

Nashville, TN
Sep 07

The Ballroom at the Outer Space

Hamden, CT
Sep 08

The Bowery Ballroom

New York, NY
Sep 09

Columbus Theatre

Providence, RI
Sep 10

Space Gallery

Portland, ME
Sep 11

Iron Horse Music Hall

Northampton, MA
Sep 12

The Haunt

Ithaca, NY
Sep 13

The Funhouse at Mr. Small's

Millvale, PA
Sep 15

Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA
Sep 16

Lizard Lounge

Lancaster, PA
Sep 17

Metro Gallery

Baltimore, MD
Sep 20

Pygmalion Music Festival

Champaign, IL
Oct 05

Café du Nord, Swedish-American Hall

San Francisco, CA
Oct 07

Bootleg Theater

Los Angeles, CA
Oct 08

Soda Bar

San Diego, CA
Oct 17

High Noon Saloon

Madison, WI
Oct 21

The Burl

Lexington, KY
Oct 22

Zanzabar

Louisville, KY
Oct 24

The Caledonia Lounge

Athens, GA
Oct 25

Syndicate Lounge

Birmingham, AL
Oct 26

Club Downunder, Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL
Oct 27

FEST

Gainesville, FL
Oct 28

The Radio Room

Greenville, SC
Oct 29

The Open Chord

Knoxville, TN

discography

Ratboys - Audiotree Live

Jul 2017
GN

Jun 2017
Split

Sep 2016
Not Again

Apr 2016
AOID

Jun 2015
Have a Heart

Jan 2015
Space Blows

May 2014
femme fatale (VU cover)

Jan 2012
RATBOY

Apr 2011
spiderweb 2/8/09

Feb 2009

contact / help

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Track Name: Molly: Molly

Molly cries in the middle of the ice rink
Her friends are paying her no mind
The blades are spinning awfully close to the side

So I speed to offer her embrace
She says, ‘Where’d you learn to go that fast?’
It’s not like I was moving all that quickly

But to her, I was on a rocket
Passing galaxies of light and wonder
And free is what I want to be with her next to me

We laid down in the grass one day
Speaking nothing, feeling late
The clouds were magnets for our sister eyes

And then Sue Palumbo swung a club
And dragons came and challenged us
So I stood up straight, and I offered her this song

But, how was I supposed to make
A piece of art with that at stake?
And what without at least a pen and paper?

I am sure that she sees me well
Her heart is huge, everyone can tell
The days are passing, and there’s no stopping it at all

How many times have I fallen victim?
Gave myself the answers but never the questions

Do you ever feel as I do?
Shake your head, and breathe if you want to

I just want to love my family
Hold my shelter and lie in the symmetry
I just want to hold my family

I just want to love my family
Hold my shelter and lie in the symmetry
I just want to hold you, Molly
Track Name: Elvis is in the Freezer: Elvis is in the Freezer

Elvis is in the freezer
I got your tail, I’m teasing
My lover is all gone
And it’s my fault

Her little boy is freezing
There’s no chance in hell he’s leaving
His fate was laid
The day they cut his tail off

The sunny skies are pleasing
As we travel through the seasons
To face the day when
We are forced to drop him off

The time has come to leave him
In the care of Father Freedom
His flag, it writes in yarn
That we should calm down

I don’t mean to mistreat you
But, the nurse says, ‘Here’s the needle’
His face was grey
And it was full of teardrops

Seconds make us equals
As the medicine destroys him
Minutes make us realize
He’s long gone
Track Name: Westside: Westside

Falling over Westside
I came home, I let it ride
I fall asleep to the memories
Of my dreams

Never on the ocean
I was always a saint
You’re telling me I’m not faint
I’m just in slow motion

I had never loved
Another person
Until I found your name
On a paper plate in the aeroplane

I’m falling on the Westside
I am falling down deep
I’m falling on the Westside
I am falling down deep

Hopping along
To that Westside
I felt alive
Crying hard and all alone

I held on upon the Westside
I am far from home
Tell me your little
Memories from then

I’m always far from home
I’m never far from Hell
On that side, know that
Little on the Westside
I am broken as a bone
On the Westside
Little on the Westside
I am gone again
Track Name: Control: Control

I almost saw a train wreck
But, then I had to look away
Never had I wondered before
What happened when metal bent and tore

I ran ‘cross manhole covers
Toward the center of my Earth
Valleys and other landmarks
With visions of big machines transformed

Walking ‘round in St. Matthews
The winds were light, and the roads were wet
Those green sloping mountains of earth
Leading up to gravel beds

My brother Paul was walking aimless
My father Pete had turned away
Paul was stumbling toward a roaring train track
He was only four years old that day

Who’s in control?
Who’s in control?

I barely saw it happen
The ground’s monumental shake
There must have been two feet between them
Before those two hands snatched him safe

As we headed home to beat the sunset
I heard him crying overhead
That night I dreamt we turned the lights out
And wandered far away from it

Who’s in control?
Who’s in control?

And now, I’m sitting on a bridge
Out in Portland, Oregon
The old day begins to shudder
And rolling on, becomes another
Track Name: Crying About the Planets: Crying About the Planets

Laying out, upon the ground
It started when he vanished
The sledge crept up to the mouth

Slipping into crevasses
A broken lieutenant
Strong wind and pale light

His body fell into the ice

Once or twice, I thought I might
Take my life and throw it
Into that great abyss

But, I must admit I’d be remiss
If I didn’t tell you
That I can’t quit this

Hell is frozen, and it’s relentless

Eat my dogs, one by one
And cry about the planets
In this ceaseless stretch of white

Will I ever live to go
Back to Australia?
The red rocks glow at night

It’s tough to recall because everything is white

Every last one of them is gone
Every last one of them is gone
Every last one of them is gone
Every last one of them is gone

Every last one of them is dead
Every last one of them is dead
Every last one of them is dead
Every last one of them is dead
Track Name: Dangerous Visions: Dangerous Visions

Several homies down by the water
We cracked our skulls against the dull lake stones
Swimming swiftly out without inner tubes

Every single day we get farther
Away from scary ditches in our face
But, the day she saw through me I was a wreck

I had everything, I had
I had everything, I had
I–I have nothing
I had everything

Write another postcard
It’ll probably end up on her wall
Following you down the high school hall

Crying hard out in the winter wind
Bones of a lunar eclipse mess
Will rot again

I had everything, I had
I had everything, I had
I–I have nothing
I had everything, I had

I had everything, I had
I had everything, I had
I–I have nothing
I had everything
Track Name: Wandered: Wandered

I had no discretion
When I walked outside your door
You take my hand and tell me,
‘This is what’s in store’

Mother now, I promise
I’m going home some day
But, I got news for you:
Rock n Roll is my escape

‘Lo I wandered
I wandered back home
‘Lo I wandered
I wandered back home

Take my wrist and
Lead me into the light
Don’t grab my fist when I tell you,
‘There’s cursive in your eyes’

Now, a physically demanding body
Is helpful in a pinch
But, I got nothing left
I’m going back where it begins

‘Lo I wandered
I wandered back home
‘Lo I wandered
I wandered back home

‘Lo I wandered
I wandered back home
‘Lo I wandered
I wandered back home

Take my neck and
Give it something to say
Your mind’s outrun mine
I’m giving it all away

Our mental connection
Is a leash woven through a chain
I find I’m wandering back into your arms
Track Name: GM: GM

On the porch at Kling Thing
I was waking up with the Dragon Queen
Brushed my teeth in the morning dust
Hit the road again, but we left a note

Led my boys through the mountain range
Never paid a toll, snaked along the back way

In Orlando’s outer space
The Misfit Toys hoverboarded on stage
Late night Wawa trips aligned
With white stars above and Mitar’s guitar line

I slept in the car that night
Liked to be alone, yeah it felt just right

Spent New Year’s Eve in Albany
Played a blacked-out set at 12:15
High-fived some parents sipping Genny Creams
Dabbed out on the deck with Kory Gregory

To the man we almost ran over that afternoon
I’d like to formally apologize, we turned too soon
Won’t ever forget what we put you through

Played Addam’s Family pinball at Barleycorn’s
Got to hug Nathan K down by the thrift store
Turned down loud rockin’ in The Pool
I was floating ‘round South Bend like a motorized noodle

Living for the day I get to go back to Ames
I got so stoned in Minneapolis I laughed for days
My heart’s a hundred tiny creatures that live and sway
Where I am, but also far away
Track Name: The Record: The Record

This is a record of my life
As it beckons
This is a record of my life
As it changes

Found what I needed
Was right in front of me the whole time
A subtle echo
A chorus amplified

No second-guessing, there’s no time
It’s not needed
I now know exactly what it is
I want to do

I want to spend the rest of my life
Doing everything with you

Because the daylight’s only getting brighter
With each passing dawn
And from the treetops of Ohio
I will celebrate you ‘til we’re gone

This is my message, you heard right
Don’t get it twisted
I got all my secrets laid out on the shelf

And I think it’s about time
That we showed everyone else
Our shiny record, the story that we’ve built

You’re my home
You’re my home
You’re my home
You’re my home

‘Cause when it’s dark you pull me in and
Promise to hold me tight
I thank the God of all control that
We have found each other, you and I

I’m thanking all my lucky stars
‘Cause they have finally got in line
I’m thanking all the stars above that I have fallen for ya
I’m thanking all the stars above that I have fallen for ya
I’m thanking all the stars above that I have fallen for ya

Our love is now a song
Drop the needle down, turn it on
It spins forever
Even if we have to leave the room for a little while

It’s still spinning
By and by, Lord, by and by
And there’s nothing that I’d rather do
Than hold you close and listen to our life
Track Name: Peter the Wild Boy: Peter the Wild Boy

How many lives does it take to ruin a single one?
I once learned of a boy, he couldn’t sing at all
Yet he knew every note of my song

Found one day they called him, ‘The Wild Boy’
He’s a mess, he’s a man, what should we do with him?
He saw a tree, called it, Mom, and she called him, Son

Peter, what makes you sad?
And how in the world did you let it get this bad?

I knew a person who read up on the likes of him
He had no soul, he was young, he was fitting in
Peter ate plants, grew a beard and lived with kings
But, he couldn’t understand a thing

Peter, what makes you sad?
And how in the world did you let it get this bad?

Peter, how do you know?
Your eyebrows are the mountains, and your dandruff is the snow

The year that he died, the United States dollar was born
And now, when I pay for my lunch I feel tree-bark skin
He’s in my purse, in my ears, he makes thoughts begin

GN

by Ratboys

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12" LP (Opaque Purple) Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

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license

about

shows

discography

contact / help

Streaming + Download

$8 USD or more

Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

$16 USD or more

Cassette + Digital Album

$8 USD or more

Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

$10 USD or more

T-Shirt/Apparel

$16 USD or more

12" LP (Opaque Purple)
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album