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Cumplir con el Diablo

by King Of The Tramps (Todd Partridge Solo)

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1.
The Judge said BOY you know I don’t want to This mandatory sentence doesn’t fit the crime The law says I gotta give you 55 years I said judge it wasn’t the law, that just took my life away A half a pound and gun I didn’t need now I’m doin life for sellin a little weed they stacked those charges up on me If I’d shot him by now I’d be free Irony is the song the caged bird sings Irony is the song the caged bird sings If time was a mountain, I would climb it if it was a river I would swim to shore I never said I’d never, make a deal with the devil maybe someday I’ll see you on the other side Tell my boys I’ll be home as fast as I can This world can be mean, I hope they understand The universe evens every score Like angels knocking on the cellar door If you can’t hear them, no one’s on the other side I say if you can't hear them, there's no one on the other side If time was a mountain, I would climb it if it was a river I could swim to shore I never said I’d never, make a deal with the devil maybe someday I’ll see you on the other side
2.
Ain't No God 04:35
First there was white light creating life bright then came black as night like devils in a knife fight Like rolling thunder Like a rolling stone Like a heavy black sky calling you home There ain’t no god but love There ain’t no god but love Then a fiery acorn Grew a fiery tree like the devil’s hangman hangin hate seeds hangin hate seeds There ain’t no god but love There ain’t no god but love Then came music sweet like syrup with teeth like a saw blades Like subterranean shake Clouds of abundance poured light like diamonds roared No more dark night that sinister other died that sinister other died There ain’t no god but love There ain’t no god but love There ain’t no god but love There ain’t no god but love
3.
John Lee Hooker Didn’t need much more Just two chords and a bottle To open up that door Well, I been to Memphis, Been to Nashville too Been down to Austin Texas Where Billy Joe tells the truth They cookin up songs just to steal you blind Makin money off them same tired rhymes I can smell one from a hundred miles Another BULLSHIT Nashville line Say hey there girl, won’t you climb inside Slap you on the ass And buy you drink Feed you a Nashville line Feed you a Nashville line They cookin up songs just to steal you blind Makin money off the same tired rhymes I can smell one from a hundred miles Another BULLSHIT Nashville line There’s still a few outlaws getting it right Elizabeth Cook, Sturgill Simpson And them rebels on the East side And there’s still golden fingers And voices that’ll make ya cry But it’s the business side of the music business That keeps feedin’ us them Nashville lines That keeps feedin’ us them Nashville lines They cookin up songs just to steal you blind Makin money off the same tired rhymes I can smell one from a hundred miles Another BULLSHIT Nashville line Another BULLSHIT Nashville line
4.
I never met a job that couldn’t be done never saw a fight that couldn’t be won never met a beer I didn’t like I’m Iowa honest not Iowa nice Spent half of my life in South Sac County with barb wire and ditch weed all around me Last man standing is the first man standing alone especially when there’s no one left to tell him to go home last call means last call The higher ya get well the harder ya fall to be the last man standin, all alone Grew up fightin and fuggin in cars If you don’t believe me I can show you the scars marijuana, mushrooms and LSD for a little bitty while I did a lot of speed Hell most of my friends are nearly departed But I’m roundin’ first and just gettin’ started Last man standing is the first man alone especially when there’s no one left to tell him to go home last call means last call The higher ya get well the harder ya fall to be the last man standin, all alone Prickly when prodded like sucking on a thorn like the last bull thistle in a field of corn when someone says do that, I don’t they say they will, I say they won’t The morning hates me but it soon forgets Last night ain’t caught me yet. Last man standing is the first man alone especially when there’s no one left to tell him to go home last call means last call The higher ya get well the harder ya fall to be the last man standin, all alone
5.
6.
If I don't pay these bills they’ll throw me on the street if I don't pay these bills they’ll throw me on the street lord it's gettin harder for an honest man to eat Oh, that’s how it goes I Should’ve joined the army like my momma told me should’ve joined the army like my momma told me Uncle Sam would tuck me in and take good care of me Take my pension early and live carefree Oh, that’s how it goes x2 I’m a Twenty dollar man in a ten dollar land I’m a Twenty dollar man in a ten dollar land I don't have a chance when I’m workin' for the man Well the rich get richer and the poor stay poor the rich get richer and the poor stay poor doesn't matter what you working for Cause the rich get richer and the poor stay poor They told me if I work hard, I would get ahead They told me if I work hard, I would get ahead the harder I work well the closer I am to dead But I ain't dead yet....
7.
When I got on the plane I was already high as a kite When I got on the plane I was already high as a kite I drank 15 little bottles of whiskey on a 2 hour flight When I gave them my ticket I was afraid they wouldn't let me fly When I gave them my ticket I was afraid they wouldn't let me fly don't look up and don't fall down and they'll let you by These little airplane bottles help to ease the pain Little airplane bottles help to ease the pain I don't care if I ever fly again
8.
Oh, oh, oh, oooh oooh oh Sideburns, Burt Reynolds shades stereo blasting just got paid like king shiz on Saturday night You gotta have a ticket if you wanna ride Nobody Rides for Free Betcha Ass to Grass, nobody gonna get you there faster Bottle of comfort and Grain Belt beer 65 Impala hurst 4 gear pissin in the alley near 4th and main Sly and the family shootin’ funk in my veins got a mopar mouth and a shotgun brain Don’t talk much, but I always talk plain Nobody Rides for Free Betcha Ass to Grass, no one will get you there faster Betcha Ass to Grass, no one will get you there faster Oh, oh, oh, oooh oooh oh (slow with synth) Moonlight midnight everything gonna be all right Moonlight midnight, burnin it up all night Live to ride, ride or die Roll up the windows With the smoke inside Moonlight, midnight Burnin it all night Oh, oh, oh, oooh oooh oh Hit Me - just like James Brown Hit me - livin in a small town Hit Me - with that cornfed soul Hit Me - nobody got that soul no more Hit Me - with that Chaka Kahn Hit Me - funkadelic stereo on Hit Me - Hit Me Hit Me -Hit me with that motor ellic psychadelic 1970 godfather of soul
9.
10.
Depression 04:14
Depression You can put your feelings in a box, mail em to yourself open em back up and put em on a shelf, ya still feel em they feel like you you can cut out your heart, bury it in a ditch that heart will still be beating with a universal pitch These vibrations, only exist just remember to leave the light on its always darkest before dawn just remember there is a light and that light will shine when all you do is worry, fuss and fret about things that ain't here yet It’sl just tomorrows you may never know The clock is tickin up on the wall, drink that whiskey lord stumble and fall But when you get up, it’s all still there You been running so long don’t know what you’re running for getting tired can’t run no more, that’s what he always says from the cab of the truck Chorus I knew a guy, his name was M He said stay crazy, stay crazy my friend He kissed his own shotgun, they found him in his car somewhere it’s so dark, no one can see that sliver of light that burns inside me it burns mercurial, Fahrenheit equatorial Chorus
11.
Old Crow 05:55
Old Crow sittin in a tree Wonder if he was lookin’ at me or maybe I was lookin’ at him it's all the same when you’re singin’ to the wind and the same wind that helps ya fly is the wind that’ll knock ya from the sky sometimes Hey wise old bird, what’s the word Tell me something I ain’t heard Tell me everything’s, gonna be all right. Don’t wanna fuss, don’t want no fight just want to love the world tonight We can Love The World Tonight I asked Old Crow why does he sing and how many feathers on his wing can ya tell my why any caged bird sings When he can’t do some many things Can music make make a sad man smile If he’ll pull up a chair and sit a while Love The World Tonight 4xs I asked Mr. Crow to come home with me Sit on the porch swing in the breeze And tell me what does he see when he flies up over the trees is there more peace in being alone can you call up heaven on a telephone for me We just sat there in worn out shoes With a bottle o sunshine and yesterday’s news And the trash piled up in the yard The old crow tol me don’t work so hard Work doesn’t matter when you’re dead Sometimes words sound better unsaid Love the World Tonigh x4 Icarus flew too close to the sun Laughed at his father and thought it was fun I guess there’s a little rebel in all of us Sometimes we don’t listen and we like to cuss An old crow told me it’s never too late All It takes is a little love to overcome hatefulness Yes an Old Crow told me it’s never too late, All it takes is love to overcome hatefulness We can Love the World Tonight x4
12.
89 cutlass 20 years old 6 months in the driveway, can't get her sold Got those cigarette burns, in the back seat that night won't go away with that guns and roses tape stuck in the stereo - Sweet Child of Mine I should throw out the bottles, trash on the floor Your old sunglasses, don't need them anymore the dust in the upholstery, smells like sunshine but the sun, she gone away, and you can't tell the difference between the blood stains and the oil on the carpet It’s an 89 Cutlass bought in 1995 Didn’t need a reason, we’d just drive, drive, drive With that guns and roses tape stuck in the stereo guy from the craiglist wont leave me alone He said $1500, I hung up the phone sure she's got rust, he called it cancer he called back and I wouldn't answer I'm not gonna sell her to some dick, who would make her into a stock car It would just make me sick, to treat you that way It’s an 89 Cutlass We bought in 1995 Didn’t need a reason, we’d just Drive, drive, drive With that guns and roses tape stuck in the stereo spent the day in the front seat, my hands on the wheel starin at that adhesive square where the dashboard buddah used be He'd watch us drive around and spin circles in town in a snow filled streetlight dream now he's a plastic wax figure melted in the back window with my shotgun shells and your old magazines It’s an 89 Cutlass We bought in 1995 Didn’t need a reason, we’d just Drive, drive, drive With that guns and roses tape stuck in the stereo Broke the key off in the trunk lock, no one gonna get in there gonna let you rest in peace, with the tool box and the spare If I ever get her started I'll take this broken heart for a drive with that guns and roses tape stuck in the stereo sweet child a mine

about

King Of The Tramps new record, “Cumplir con el Diablo” was released on May 7, 2016. A vinyl release is scheduled for late Summer.


With Cumplir con el Diablo, the 4th album from Iowa roots- rockers King Of The Tramps, the tramps show that their “Whiskey Gospel” sound has more energy than ever, and their stories ring as true and hard as life on the road. The record features 9 songs and one bonus track.

Cumplir con el Diablo is about the general themes of being mired in the overwhelming personal quagmires and external hypocrisies’ that pull us all down on a daily basis. Translated, the album title means “Meet the Devil”, it is intended in the universal sense, as in “The devil is in the details”, or “Having a devil of a time”. Sometimes we make poor decisions or become overwhelmed with the devils in our lives, and some of these songs are about trying to overcome them. The songs touch on the usual King Of The Tramps themes like; good vs. evil, love, drinking, nostalgia for crazier fun times and just plain good times with no consequences.

Songs are;
See You on the Other Side - Loosely based on the experience of Weldon Angelos, sentenced at age 24 to the equivalent of life without parole, for several small drug busts due, to unfair and illogical mandatory federal sentencing guidelines established during the 1980’s war on drugs.

Ain't No God But Love – A fundamental belief of mine is that love is the only salvation of a world that is sometimes cruel. The song is chronicles my thoughts on the creation of the universe. It’s a simple version of Good vs. Evil with more complex underpinnings, and ends with music, sweet and powerful, saving the day.

Nashville Line - About the triteness of some of the current pop-country songs on the radio. Life imitates art, and you are what you eat. Not every song has to be deep and meaningful, but if you listen to songs about things like war, misogyny and misguided hyper-patriotism, you can become desensitized to the harm these themes convey.

Last Man Standing - About growing up in rural Iowa -and a life of excess, alcohol and drugs, and surviving, despite always being the “last man standing”. If you have watched the sun rise after an all-night party more times than any of your friends, take note!

That's How it Goes - About working hard and still getting nowhere, because the system is stacked against the working poor. "The rich get richer and the poor stay poor". This sentiment is universal and spans the ages. When we played this song in Germany it was received with the same populist enthusiasm as it was in the U.S.

Airplane Bottles – Todd says, " I fly often, and I remember flying out the day after the 9/11 tragedies. There were armed National Guardsmen stopping every car that entered the airport, and uniformed soldiers with assault rifles in the terminal. We all know flying isn't nearly as fun or convenient as it was pre 9/11. Osama Bin Laden will go down in history as changing the semi-trusting nature of our daily lives forever. Is it any wonder I drink when I fly?"

Small Town James Brown - From Todd; I remember this older guy in high school. He drove a slick 1970’s muscle car with a sticker that said; “Gas, Grass or Ass, Nobody Rides for Free”. My freshman year in high school was eerily similar to the main character in Richard Linklater’s “Dazed and Confused”, and this song is a character sketch of a 1970's muscle car, gear-head, with a lead foot and a loud stereo. It would have been fitting to include an 8 track and a mary jane scented air freshener with this single.

Depression - Depression sucks. This song is a hard-charging anthem about observations and personal accounts of causes, effects and attempts to self-medicate depression. Includes a verse about a true account of an acquaintance in college who killed himself, shortly after tell me to stay cool and different. The message is hang on; it’s going to be alright.

Old Crow - Optimistic and uplifting conversation with a crow, whose message is life has it’s ups and downs, but to keep singing and love the world and everything is going to be ok. “Icarus flew too close to the sun, laughed at his father and thought it was fun. I guess there’s a little rebel in all of us. Sometimes we don’t listen and we like to hate. The old crow told me it’s never too late to learn how to love and overcome hatefulness.”

(Bonus Track) 89 Cutlass - Love song about a nostalgic romance and a car with a dark secret. This song will strike a chord with anyone who has ever had a cassette tape stuck in their stereo and a song that reminds them of driving aimlessly around in happier times with the person they love. Listen for the dark twist at the end of the song.

credits

released May 7, 2016

Musicians;
Todd Partridge – Vocals and Guitars
Adam Audlehelm – Keyboards and Auxiliary Percussion
Ryan Aum – Drums
Ryan McAlister – Bass and Backing Vocals
Additional help from;
Andy Poppen – Trumpet
Aaron Ehrlich – Saxophones
Adam Smith – Backing Vocals and Auxiliary Percussion
Reilly Partridge – Acoustic Guitar
Justin Snyder - Slide Guitar on Nashville Line and Old Crow

Recorded at Old School Studios in Auburn, IA
Produced by Todd Partridge
Engineering Assistance by Michael Kemp
Mastering by Rob Arbelo

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King Of The Tramps (Todd Partridge Solo) Auburn, Iowa

King Of The Tramps is an original roots-rock group, whose sound calls upon influences from modern roots rock, rhythm and blues, rock and southern, country rock. Their sound has been described as “Whiskey Gospel” and “Midwestern Roots Rock” by critics.

KOTT has released 4 albums of material; Good People (2011), Wicked Mountain (2013), Joyful Noise (2014) and Cumplir con el Diablo (2016).
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