Back to Even

CREDITS

1. back to even (bill lloyd / don henry )
drums : ken coomer bass : robert reynolds
keys (strings) & melodica : phil madeira
background vocals : don henry; cindy bullens &
randell kirsch guitars, vocals, mandolin and percussion : bill


2.dancing with the past (bill lloyd / beth nielsen chapman)
drums : ken coomer bass : byron house steel guitar : rusty young
background vocals : beth nielsen chapman
gutiars, vocals, mandolin and percussion : bill


3. hindon’t (instrumental) (lloyd) instruments: lloyd


4. dial nine ( lloyd )
drums : marc owens
guitars, keys, vocals and perc: bill

5. almost taken ( bill lloyd / clive gregson )
drums : greg morrow electric guitar fills and
solos ; left speaker : clive gregson
guitars, bass, keys, percussion and vocals : bill


6. I got it bad (bill lloyd /steve allen)
drums : greg morrow slide guitar solo : steve allen
guitars, bass, keys, vocals and percussion : bill


7. the world is a different place without you (lloyd)
string bass: byron house guitars,keys, percussion and vocals : bill


8. for the longest time ( bill lloyd / peter case )
drums : ken coomer bass : robert reynolds
harmonica: peter case organ: phil madiera
harmony vocals : kim richey, peter case & bill
guitars, mandolin, percussion and vocals : bill


9. kissed your sister (lloyd )
drums : marc owens guitars, bass, keys and vocals : bill

10. we are two ( bill lloyd / bill demain )
drums : ken coomer bass : scott baggett
violins, viola and cello : chris carmichael
bg. vocals / swandive : molly felder & bill demain
guitars, mandolin & vocals : bill


11. me against me ( lloyd )
drums : fenner castner bass : don dixon
guitars, keys, percussion and vocals : bill


12. the perfect crime ( bill lloyd / pat buchanan)
drums : marc owens steel guitar : rusty young electric
solo (right speaker) & backerds guitar : pat buchanan
guitars, 6 string bass, vocals and percussion : bill


13. a story i can’t tell (lloyd )
drums : marc owens steel guitar : rusty young
guitars, bass, piano, mandolin, harmonica,percussion & vocals : bill


14. another side ( bill lloyd / david surface)
drums : fenner castner bg vocals : doug carman
guitars, bass, mandolin, keys, vocals and
percussion : bill

15. oasis ( lloyd )
drums : marc owens
gtrs, bass, keys, perc & vox : bill

produced by bill lloyd with tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, & 15 in association with scott baggett as co-producer - drums recorded by scott and tracks later mixed by scott at the electric sandbox / nashville tennessee - all other tracks mixed at def heffer studios in nashville (home) by bill except 4 mixed by scott - drums on tracks 5 & 6 were recorded at the hum depot in nashville by scott drums on tracks 4, 9, 11, 12, 13 & 15 were all recorded at high street studios in bowling green kentucky with marc owens drums on track 14 were recorded by steve allen at blue planet studio/nashville intros and musical interludes were recorded and performed by bill at dh

LYRICS

Back To Even
Bill Lloyd /Don Henry

V1
I’ve been in the red I’ve been in the black
Now it’s good to be Back To Even
I reached for the stars and I fell through the cracks
Now it’s good to be Back to Even

My life hit the curb knocked my wheels out of whack
but I made it Back to Even
It all re-alligned as a matter of fact
it took me straight Back to Even

CH #1
How I got from there to here
isn’t exactly clear
but that’s all behind me
and now you can find me ..
dancing on air..with only love to hold me up there

V2
From a Dom Perignon to a brown paper sack
It’s good to be Back To Even
From a Jacqueline Suzanne to a Jack Kerouac
It’s so good to be Back to Even

CH #2
The distance from here to there
doesn’t matter to me.. I swear
‘ Cos that’s all behind me
Now you can find me
dancing on air..with only love to hold me up there

(solo over verse)

BR
Even when luck runs out , leavin’ me full of doubt
I know what life’s about.. it’s love

V3
I was hanging myself but I gave me some slack
Now it’s good to be Back to Even
Just in the nick of time I got the knack
It’s good to be Back to Even

Dancing With the Past
Bill Lloyd / Beth Nielsen Chapman

V1
I don’t ever look back
I just want to feel this moment
Follow where it’s goin’, baby
I don’t ever look back
that’s just Dancing With the Past

V2
I don’t ever look back
I don’t like to let old messes
Ever get the best of me
I don’t ever look back
That’s just Dancing With the Past

BR
Well, I get so scattered when the four winds blow
And I stand real still and let the clouds keep rollin’ on
And I surrender to the Big Don’t Know
And the Back and the Forth and the Ebb and the Flow

V3
I don’t ever look back
Dwelling on the dreams that shattered
Now it doesn’t matter, baby
I don’t ever look back
That’s just Dancing With the Past

BR #2
Well, I get so scattered wehen the four winds blow
And I stand real still and let the clouds keep rollin’ on
And I surrender to the Big Don’t Know
And I turn it all over and let it all go

V4
I don’t ever look back
I’ve already fought those battles
Now they’re only shadows, baby
I don’t ever look back
That’s just Dancing With the Past
That’s just Dancing With the Past


Dial Nine
Bill Lloyd

V1
My guess ? You’re stressed
More than you can stand
Everything you planned
Lost in the shuffle
No win Shut in
Locked behind your door
Show me now you’re more
than a piece of the puzzle

CH#1
Don’t take the long way ‘round
Don’t let it get you down
Dial Nine Dial Nine Dial Nine
to get out

V2
Air tight Stage fright
Fighting for your breath
Don’t wait to confess
the way that you’re feeling
Last gasp.. break glass
in emergency
Defy gravity .. head for the ceiling

CH#2
Make your escape right now
I’m gonna’ tell you how
Dial Nine Dial Nine Dial Nine
to get out

BR
It always happens in an instant
You pick the time you pick the place
It’s gonna’ wear down your resistance
in a hundred different ways..


Almost Taken
Clive Gregson / Bill Lloyd

V1
Twice as real as yesterday
Half a lifetime ‘til tomorrow
Closing curtain ..come what may
Where you lead me I will follow
Falling through endless expectations
I was Almost Taken

V2
Two ships passing in the night
Crossing seas in stormy weather
Broken compass shadow light
always throwing us together
off our course.. from tempest to temptation
I was Almost Taken

BR
Taken from loveless arms to
a hopeless situation
Under the masks we wore you knew
I was Almost Taken
Falling through endless expectations
I was Almost Taken


I Got It Bad
Bill Lloyd / Steve Allen

V1
Here’s my secret
I Got It Bad
I can’t keep it
‘ cos I Got It Bad
my misery
is plain to see
you’re all I wish I had
whenever I see you
I Got It Bad

V2
Love’s a sickness
and I Got It Bad
God’s my witness
I Got It Bad
I try to speak
my knees go weak
I’m cold as Leningrad
whenever I’m near you
I Got It Bad

BR
I shut right down
each time you get too close
I want to tell you
but you never seem to notice


The World’s A Different Place Without You
Bill Lloyd

V1
What will I have?
Well, I’ll have what you’re havin’
from the night before the morning after
‘ Cos that’s how it was
at least what I remember..
A midnight kitchen full of laughter

CH#1
Taken away.. ready or not
and I never took the time to say
all I forgot, or thought that I knew
The one thing I know that’s true
The World’s A Different Place Without You

V2
I shout to the wind
and I hope somehow you hear me
up there in the vast horizon

I have a joke
and a couple of questions..
if eternity is worth survivin’

CH#2
Send me a dream while I’m asleep
and show me what I’m not supposed to know
Trust me to keep a secret or two
just leave out what I already knew
The World’s A Different Place Without You


For the Longest Time
Bill Lloyd / Peter Case

V1
Now when I saw you yesterday
it’s like the world stopped spinning ‘round
And it seemed like time was standing still
The years have been real good to you
there’s still a smile inside your eyes
that was something I was waiting to see
For the Longest Time

V2
I guess I made a mess of things.. and left you holding what was left I never dreamed I’d get a second chance to pick the broken pieces up from where I let ‘em lie but that’s been something I’ve been wanting to do For the Longest Time

CH
For the Longest Time
there was so much that I wanted to say
And For the Longest Time
all I thought about was how I threw it all away

V3
Somehow you still saw something there
You threw your arms open wide
That’s a place I’ve been wanting to be
For the Longest Time
(solo)

CH#2
For the Longest Time
I was lonely as a man could be
I thought that I was fine.. but I was livin a lie
blaming everyone but me

V4
I never stopped to think I’d break your heart
but the broken heart was mine
that’s something I’ve had to live with For the Longest Time
And that’s something I’ve been wanting to say For the Longest Time

Kissed Your Sister
Bill Lloyd

V1
Now out of all those memories
that keep coming back to me
I get one that reappears
nearly every seven years

It dates from the seventies
From the middle of my teens
How I could not resist her
the night I Kissed Your Sister

BR
The kiss.. it wasn’t bad
Maybe the first real kiss I had
Must be the reason it remains
in that corner of my brain

V2
These days she’s rarely on my mind
Just once a year at Christmas time
But it’s been bugging me for days
and I can’t make it go away

Despite the years of therapy
I get unwanted memories
that pop up like a blister
like the time I Kissed Your Sister

BR #2
The kiss was in the stands
and in full view of the fans
at the finals of the tournament
we had no shame.. but that was then

V3
Now if the time should ever come
you feel you need to tell someone
Don’t go telling her I miss her
It’s just a memory..somehow it stuck with me
like that song by Mister Mister.. or that game of Naked Twister was the time I Kissed Your Sister

We Are Two
Bill Lloyd / Bill DeMain

V1
we are two
two of a kind
we are
through and through
of the same mind
and heart

when I’m one
it feels like I’m wandering lost and alone
but then you come
to open my eyes
and I realize
that

V2
we are two
a couple of leaves
from the same tree
me and you
lifetimes ago
destined to be

as we dance
up in the wind .. drifting through time
left to chance
we can’t divide
what’s there inside
we are

BR
two.. of us
it takes two of us
always two of us
to make sense of it all

V3
we are two
two of a kind we are
shining through
look how we’ve come so far

when I’m one
it feels like I’m wandering lost and alone
but then you come
to open my eyes
and I realize
we are two

Me Against Me
Bill Lloyd

V1
I used to think the whole world was against me
If not the world.. then, most certainly, you
The daily rushes of the endless fight scene
No one a winner when the show is through

CH#1
I could never see ..
my worst enemy
was me
Me Against Me
Me Against Me

V2
I lived the life if you could call that livin’
I simply held the hand that I’d been dealt
Between us now.. it’s me who’s never forgiven
the crimes that I committed to myself

CH#2
I could never see
that my own worst enemy
was me
Me Against Me
Me Against Me

BR
I thought it was me against the future
I thought it was me against the past
I thought it was me against the hand of fate
like a Hindu and his caste.. his plaster caste...
aww rock on..

The Perfect Crime
Bill Lloyd / Pat Buchanan

V1
it’s just as well I forced my way
into this bed I made myself
and there you were waiting for me
to make ammends to keep my word

my heart slowed down to a crawl the writing was on the wall
CH
the moment came the moment went
I had my chance but it got spent
I ran the clock out now I’m out of time
the perfect crime

V2
Victory came without a parade
It fell in my lap like tea from a tray

the truth can’t touch me.. I’ve already won this round but not by much
I stuck around long enough to wait out the lease on love
CH
the moment came the moment went
I had my chance but it got spent
I ran the clock out now I’m out of time
the perfect crime
(solo)

my heart slowed down to a crawl
the writing was on the wall


A Story I Can’t Tell
Bill Lloyd

V1
We let it go by
The moment came and went just like that
So now you and I
both agreed to never look back

CH#1
It’s not easy as we learn to forget
the feelings that were too hard to handle
I can’t be bothered to go over it again
‘ cos I know this tale too well.. it’s
A Story I Can’t Tell

V2
It’s all tucked away
We finally had to put it to rest
The colors went gray
and the details are blurry at best

CH#2
It’s not easy as we learn to let go
of all the memories too big to carry
I can’t be bothered to go over it again
‘ cos I know this tale too well.. it’s
A Story I Can’t Tell


Another Side
Bill Lloyd / David Surface

V1
Red tail lights
fading in front of me
but I’ll drive all night
thinkin’ ‘bout what you said to me
Come around and see Another Side
Come around and see Another Side

V2
You say that I ... don’t want to understand
You know that’s a lie.. look at that ring on your hand
Come around and see Another Side

CH
We’ve been here such a long time
far from satisfied
Come around and see Another Side
Tell me you can see Another Side

V3
Hey what’s that
that look you’re givin’ me
from where I’m at
you’re miles from ever forgiving me and

CH#2
You think maybe you hate me
I think let’s take a ride
Let me show you there’s Another Side
Tell me you can see Another Side
Ever dream that there’s Another Side ?
Try and remember there’s Another Side


OASIS
Bill Lloyd

V1
a desert sun .. with miles to run
and not a drop to drink
that wasn’t how we started out
no matter what you think
as I look back.. the nights were black
but stars still shone above

CH
Nothing can erase this Oasis of love

V2
Daylight brings a millions things
that lie in disarray
Directionless I have to guess
on how I’ll find my way
but there’s a truth I hold onto
when push turns into shove
CH
Nothing can erase this Oasis of love

BR
More than a mirage or a fever dream
More than a figment of my memory

V3
the shifting sands of time demand
that nothing will prevail
the wind will blow away all proof
we ever left a trail
so I keep heaven in my head
and that will be enough.. ‘cos

CH Nothing can erase this Oasis of love

1. Back To Even (Bill Lloyd / Don Henry)
This title track was co-written with Don Henry who is one fine songwriter and makes great records himself. We wanted to write about those times in life when you’re able to step back and get some perspective on what you really have. The Swag/Wilco/Mavericks rhythm section of Ken Coomer and Robert Reynolds really worked out great on this. Cindy Bullens and Randell Kirsch sing the beautiful harmonies on the bridge. I recor d most of the overdubs at home at different times.. I don’t think they’ve ever met in person.

2.Dancing With the Past (Bill Lloyd / Beth Nielsen Chapman) Beth is another longtime Nashville friend who makes amazing records and writes boatloads ‘o ‘ hits. She sang harmony all over this one too. Rusty Youngs pedal steel added the country-rock meets power-pop thing I love. It’s like Poco Meets Elvis Costello. I wish I could really live up to the lyric on this. Anyone who knows me knows this is more of a self-reminder than a real-life truth!

3. Hindon’t (instrumental) (Lloyd)
While I haven’t made records with alot of instrumentals, I did get into the habit of recording instrumentals in my home studio and compiling them to pitch as soundtrack fodder or background music with hopes of finding spots in tv and film. This one seemed to fit coming out of “Dancing..”

4. Dial Nine ( Lloyd )
Woudn’t it be great to be able to simply dial nine to get out of any given situation you want out of? My longest musical collaborator (since fifth grade playing G-L-O-R-I-A in the basement) is drummer, Marc Owens. He knocked this out quick. My co-producer on many tracks, Scott Baggett, mixed this one and beat my ruff mix hands down. The best stuff I do from a sonic viewpoint is always with Scott.

5. Almost Taken ( Bill Lloyd / Clive Gregson )
Clive Gregson, my co-writer on this, is from Manchester, England but is now a Nash-Villian.. like so many of the musicians, writers and singers on this record. He was in a band called Any Trouble that was on the Stiff label back in the “New Wave” days. We’ve written several songs over the years but this one is my favorite. Clive also plays some fine guitar on this. He played second guitar to Richard Thompson on the road for a good while, so if you hear that guitar sound.. that’s him. Lyrically, I know what this meant to me but I get different reactions from different people on the songs meaning, so I think I’d rather leave that to interpretation!

6. I Got It Bad (Bill Lloyd /Steve Allen)
Steve Allen, who still plays in the fab 20/20, and I end up playing guitars a good bit together in different musical situations. Our co-write here is very much a Beatles/NRBQ sort of thing. Pretty and straightforward!

7. The World Is A Different Place Without You (Lloyd)
This started off being written to.. at.. someone who had “left the sphere” as Lord Buckley used to say. Now, when I sing it, it takes on new meanings. Old friend and world class bass player, Byron House, plays upright on this one.

8. For The Longest Time ( Bill Lloyd / Peter Case )
I was always a big Peter Case and Plimsouls fan so it was great to get to write one with Peter. He did the harmony vocal and harmonica when he came back through town later. Kim Richey has sung on every record I’ve ever made so I didn’t want this one to be the first album of mine to start the bad trend of her NOT appearing on my records. Kim has always had an amazing ear for vocal parts. This track also has the Swag rhythm section.

9. Kissed Your Sister (Lloyd )
This song is only about ten percent true. The jokey aspect of the song was too funny to NOT write. .. especially when all the sister rhymes started stacking up. I wanted it to sound like 1979. Again, Marc Owens played drums. When we cut the drums, you can hear me yell the arrangement to him at one point.. “KEEP GOING!”.

10. We Are Two ( Bill Lloyd / Bill Demain )
One of my favorite things about this recording is Chris Carmichael’s one-man string quartet. He’s a secret weapon of alot of Nashville’s better recordings. Bill Demain of Swandive and I write alot of songs together and this one is unabashedly romantic. A good respite from the rest of the darker aspects of many of these songs. Bill and Molly from Swandive sang a great vocal part here too. Ken Coomer’s drums really swing.

11. Me Against Me ( Lloyd )
I just found out that John Wesley Harding used this title before I wrote my own. I promise it wasn’t a “lift” Wes! I did write a whole ‘nother song with the same title on a trip to Switzerland in ‘98 or so. But this was the keeper and I like the jazzy vibe it has. Thanks to Don Dixon for playing bass on it when we were supposed to be writing.

12. The Perfect Crime ( Bill Lloyd / Pat Buchanan)
Pat and I have co-written alot over the years and he’s a good friend and amazing guitarist. I am somehow able to write pretty personal stuff with him in the room. This fits in just right following “Me Against Me”. It’s also one of the RAWK tunes on here.

13. A Story I Can’t Tell (Lloyd )
An obvious Neil Young influence here. That’s not bad is it? LOVE Rusty Young’s steel. Thanks Rusty.

14. Another Side ( Bill Lloyd / David Surface)
The other writer on this is David Surface, who is a longtime friend and collaborator. Stylistially, this song reminds me alot of the songs we wrote in our late ‘70’s / early ‘80’s bands.. except I think this SONG might hold up better in the long run than our “new wave” anthems. He steered the lyric onto very personal ground for me.

15. Oasis ( Lloyd )
This song DID start out as being a reaction to the band Oasis doing an album called “Standing on the Shoulder Of Giants” shortly AFTER my nearly identically titled album back in ‘99. I just thought I’d write a song called Oasis and call my next album Oasis (didn’t Nick Lowe already do that with Bowie?). At any rate, I got a “real” song in the process and had a blast putting this one together. I started off snarky and ended up with more soul than I had originally imagined. I wish Ringo would record it.