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Down By Fire

by Jim Salinger

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1.
Choking On The Tinsel 03:50
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Well it tastes like grenadine but it goes down like gasoline It’s not something I’d prescribe but it’s been keeping millions alive with a heartwarming ending that was built from condescending well it tastes like grenadine but it goes down like gasoline And I’ve been choking on the tinsel I’ve been shot out by the stars I’ve been wanderin’ Sunset Blvd. wonderin’ where you are Now you really shouldn’t ask: “Who’s the clown behind the mask?” His mystery’s a machine turning skin and bones to scenes that have fallen on the floor ‘cause his foot’s stuck in the door Now you really shouldn’t ask: “Who’s the clown behind the mask?” ‘Cause I’ve been choking on the tinsel I’ve been shot out by the stars I’ve been wanderin’ Sunset Blvd. wonderin’ where you are You may seem so self-aware but you really just don’t care productin’ a seduction of love into destruction well, I’ll never stop pretendin’ or I’ll give away the ending I may seem so self-aware but I really just don’t care ‘Cause I’ve been choking on the tinsel I’ve been shot out by the stars I’ve been wanderin’ Sunset Blvd. wonderin’ where you are I’ve been cryin’ in the aisle I’ve been rollin’ in the bars I’ve been wanderin’ any boulevard wonderin’ oh where you are ‘Cause it tastes like grenadine but it goes down like gasoline © 2004 Imaginary Troubadour Music
2.
High/Low 04:16
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I’m not much for following through I’m surprised I finished this thought this thought of you and what I can’t do could never escape my mind Now it can’t be all of my fault you could come around one of these days still I’m left to thing of the ways I’m gonna spend my lonely weekend And take the highs with the lows but you’re so closed and composed when you walk by, I know you been looking high looking low Fear and love and reason all add up to not much sense think I’ll run it again by my friend to see if I’m not going crazy I’m losing all my composure hell, I’ve never felt this great if you think it’s smart to wait now then honey it could be too late To take the highs with the lows, but you’re so closed and composed when you walk by, I know you been looking high looking low I get high, when I’m low it’s all I know it never shows when you walk by I cry hello high/low I get high, when I’m low I get high, when I’m low I get high, when I’m low I get high, then I get high I’m not much for following through I’m surprised I finished this thought this thought of you and what I can’t do could never escape my mind © 2004 Imaginary Troubadour Music
3.
How Did I Get This Far? 04:28
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She said there’s something wrong with the clutch and that this is her third transmission, the brakes have all lost their touch you could say it’s in bad condition, she said: How did I get this far? Oh, how did I get this far? In a car that’s completely broken In a car that’s completely broken She said that ever since she’s moved to this town she’s heard this voice from her window at night. It says “Nobody will ever want you now, nobody in this world”, it cries: How did you get this far? Oh, how did you get this far? In a world that’s completely broken In a world that’s completely broken With all the things in this world you’re such a sad little girl with all the things I bring the songs I sing for you She said go on with your life It seems to be going so good, so far I need to get a life I wish I could play your guitar, she said: How did I get this far? Oh, how did I get this far? With a heart that’s completely broken With a heart that’s completely broken In a world that’s completely broken In a world that’s completely broken Oh with my heart with my heart © 2004 Imaginary Troubadour Music
4.
The Reason 04:01
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I’ve looked all over those words all were true It’s almost chronical the way you chose to lose But don’t forget the reason you came I asked you and what’s his name now you don’t look at me quite the same looking at the sun standing in the rain you’re looking at the sun but you’re standing in the rain Is that the reason you came? How can it be possible? I wish you only knew It’s awfully comfortable the way you make love blue But don’t forget the reason you came I asked you and what’s his name now you don’t look at me quite the same looking at the sun standing in the rain you’re looking at the sun but you’re standing in the rain Is that the reason you came? you don’t look at me quite the same you don’t look at me quite the same you don’t look at me But don’t forget the reason you came I asked you and what’s his name now you don’t look at me quite the same looking at the sun standing in the rain you’re looking at the sun but you’re standing in the rain Is that the reason you came? Is that the reason you came? Is that the reason? Is that the reason? Is that the reason? Is that the reason? Is that the reason? © 2004 Imaginary Troubadour Music
5.
This Quiet Night 03:46
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Used to be December now it’s the first day of the year when I stop to remember I forgot why I am here Peel me off the ceiling punch me in the nose cut a hole with feeling and I’ll patch it with a rose This quiet night This quiet night I wanna make some noise with you I wanna make some noise with you I wanna make some noise with you I wanna make some noise with you This quiet night This quiet night Hold a hand that weakened and tired of being alone my dream drug is peaking and I’d rather walk you home ‘cause a cold night is growing icicles and frost your roof top is bowing and I know how much that costs This quiet night This quiet night I wanna make some noise with you I wanna make some noise with you I wanna make some noise with you I wanna make some noise with you I wanna be the boy with you I wanna be the boy with you I wanna be the boy with you I wanna be the boy with you This quiet night © 2004 Imaginary Troubadour Music
6.
Sturgis 04:38
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Motorcycle baby riding me through Sturgis, caressing me with curses from a dirty mouth Well I rode up from Spearfish with a bucket of molasses and replaced my reading glasses with a squinty eye ‘Cause you woke me up from stirring around up and left me after all you found I never noticed when you weren’t around now I’m spinning circles all around round this town round this town round this town My temperature is burning the center of the stage and my misdirected rage is sounding beautiful Starts and stops and lollipops are keeping me sweet and sane, still I wanted to complain about everything ‘Cause you woke me up from stirring around up and left me after all you found I never noticed when you weren’t around now I’m spinning circles all around round this town round this town round this town This town has no history this town has no use for me there’s no hope for me just throttle crackin’ blowin’ me back, exhausting me This town has no love for me I’m going home Sitting at the stoplight my thoughts jumpstart to last night, a rumble in the dream pipe and sleeping sound Well sunlight’s breaking free tonight from her blue prison sky, see she walked out of my life after walking in on me ‘Cause you woke me up from stirring around up and left me after all you found I never noticed when you weren’t around now I’m spinning circles all around round this town round this town round this town Motorcycle baby, riding home from Sturgis caressing me with curses from a dirty mouth © 2004 Imaginary Troubadour Music
7.
Kocaine Kisses 02:55
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Well I guess you could say she just fell into my lap and I fell in love and all that crap ‘Cause you painted your pretty lips like the petals of a rose but I never knew what you were putting up your nose I don’t think I’ll ever miss this your Kocaine Kisses lovin’ you is like a strung-out sickness with Kocaine Kisses I’m never gonna be your mister Missus Kocaine Kisses you kissed away all your best laid wishes with your Kocaine Kisses Well it lasted for a second or maybe it was just a minute, I opened my mouth and you got locked up in it Not to be too bitter but you gave me the drip, why the fuck do you always have to do that shit? I don’t think I’ll ever miss this your Kocaine Kisses lovin’ you is like a strung-out sickness with Kocaine Kisses I’m never gonna be your mister Missus Kocaine Kisses you kissed away all your best laid wishes with your Kocaine Kisses Kocaine Kisses Kocaine Kisses © 2004 Imaginary Troubadour Music
8.
Tennessee Slide 04:25
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Losing all of your conscience floating all the way down into the emptiness that’s passing us around Now ain’t it funny to think not a thought at all washing down your drink before we hit the wall Now carry all of your liquor and buckle up for a ride you never knew what hit you Tennessee Slide © 2004 Imaginary Troubadour Music
9.
What A Jerk You Are 04:04
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Go ahead and laugh at me I don’t mind it at all ‘cause when you try to put me down everyone sees what a jerk you are Don’t ask of me, for anything at all ‘cause I gave you all I could now I think you should try to help yourself “I’ll pay you back” are some famous last words hopefully they will be the last I hear from you When will you ever grow up you drink ‘til your sick speedin’ in your car now you’re too far over the edge and underground Tonight I’m glad that I’m far from where you are still I hope you hear these words I sing yeah and let them ring through your empty skull Go ahead and laugh at me I don’t mind it at all ‘cause when you try to put me down everyone sees what a jerk you are © 2004 Imaginary Troubadour Music
10.
Younger Than A Dead Man 05:00
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My disbelief it comes and goes like glow from a firefly My hands work hard – it don’t show smooth like a grape-hide I think I’m over and done but I’m younger than a dead man I think it’s time for me to never meet a stranger I think it’s time for me to cough up all this anger It’s been stuck in my throat with a big apology I own to you Yes it’s true I’ve let you down like I’m paid for your heartache but that was then, this is now like you didn’t fucking know that sometimes I don’t fucking think but I’m younger than a dead man I think it’s time for me to never meet a stranger I think it’s time for me to cough up all this anger It’s been stuck in my throat with a big apology I own to you You can’t take this way from me tomorrow I’ll be history You can’t take this way from me tomorrow I’ll be history © 2004 Imaginary Troubadour Music
11.
Down By Fire (Hidden Track) 02:13
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You are so beautiful and full of charm that makes me stutter and stop and wish I had some sense And you are so cynical with a mother’s smile that tells me to lay silent and still by your side down by fire I worn my heart down by fire I worn my heart down by fire I worn my heart glowing with the ghost scared and scarred And you are so out of reach, how can that be right next to me studying my verse and the lines of my face And you, you’re adorable still I could never jump, successfully the wall you put in front of me so delicately you got the best of me down by fire I won your heart down by fire I won your heart down by fire I won your heart Glowing with the ghost scared and scarred © 2004 Imaginary Troubadour Music

about

"Swinging good times are contained within this roots rock full-length album. Jim Salinger’s real shining light is his guitar playing." - Smother.net

Includes "How Did I Get This Far?" as heard on FOX TV's FRINGE.

After blazing through five years of drunken backyard barbecues and college festivals with the Philadelphia punktry rock band Lynwood Skynwood, Jim Salinger was ready to forge into new territory. For this he moved to Los Angeles and began writing more personal and introspective acoustic songs as part of the duo PT. Jim's vocal style quickly developed until it was unique enough to be defined as his own, somewhere between the likes of Lou Reed and Paul Westerberg.

By the fall of 2003, he was ready to record his first album, the songs for which would be culled from the enormous catalog of demos he had been compiling. Fortunately at this time, Jim was also introduced to producer Ronan Chris Murphy (King Crimson) who had just opened Veneto West, a new recording studio less than a mile from Jim's home. The conditions could not have been more perfect.

"Down By Fire" was recorded over a two week period in Murphy's unfinished studio. Casually over a fortnight, an eclectic handful of musician friends stopped by to build upon Jim's initial vocal and acoustic tracks with their pedal steel, percussion, bass, mandolin and handclaps.

The result of these "Cozy Sessions" (named after the studio's neighborhood bar, The Cozy Inn, pictured on the album cover) is an impressive album of emotionally-driven americana indie pop songwriting that is generating admiration from L.A. to Philly and beyond.


Buy down by fire at CDBaby: www.cdbaby.com/cd/salinger2

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released April 1, 2004

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Jim Salinger Los Angeles

Balancing romantic honesty with the transcendent nature of rock n roll, Jim Salinger’s music conjures up alternative rock greats like Wilco, while extending the tradition of the cosmic American songwriter.

With a steady growth of TV placements (ONE TREE HILL, COMMUNITY, FRINGE) Jim is preparing his next release with producer John Would (Fiona Apple, Lucinda Williams) at his Echo Park studio. ... more

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