01:00 Our Final Climb
The Treacherous Snows by Andrew C. Hartzell recounts a climbing vacation to Mt. Kilimanjaro. For most, the climb is a test of strength, endurance, and willpower. But for local guides and porters who supply tourists with strong backs and knowledge of the terrain, the climb is just part of the job. The final leg to the summit on December 31, 1983 began with the lead guide Effatta Jonathan waking the group up at 1:00 a.m.
we time our final climb
to arrive by dawn
the same thing every time
just the like the week before
with bedrooms on our backs
and kitchens without sinks
provisions of all kinds enough to please a king
we’ll never see the place
from where these people come where buildings reach the sky where riches can be won
we’ll slowly reach the top
then slowly we’ll descend
a day or two at home
then we’ll do it all again
yeah we’ll see our families smile then we’ll do it all again
James DaRin- drums
Dave Fridmann- mix master
Additional recording at Greywood Studio, Jamesville, NY
Mixing at Tarbox Road Studios, Cassadaga, NY
01:05 Some Things Never Go as Planned
At 1:07 a.m. on February 2, 1915, a German agent named Werner Horn lit a bomb in an effort to destroy a bridge used to get supplies from the U.S. to England via Canada. To avoid collateral damage from the possibility of an unscheduled train passing through, Horn cut the fuse, which changed his escape time from fifty minutes to three.
devil wind, it’s blowin
shoulda stayed where it never snows
hard to be the hero
when you can’t even feel your toes
never thought I would be sittin in the middle of nowhere
one mistake away from Timbuktu
if I ever get away then I’m goin somewhere
somewhere far from everyone I know (give the devil his due)
we don’t need to beat the brow of our brother
we don’t need to send a train into the sun
we don’t need to escalate with each other
from the top tried to stop what you could
but it’s a job that never leads to no good
just because you can don’t mean that you always should
time is up, I know it
light it up and run and fast as I can
all alone, I’m frozen
some things never go as planned
I’m not the kind that takes too kindly to a hole in the story
certain expectation for the truth
I’m not interested in doin things for the glory
better not to dream of wealth and fame like I did in my youth
...
even if you never get to sainthood
find yourself a little forest to knock wood
just because you can don’t mean that you always should
fool ya once, shame on you
fool ya twice then it’s shame on me
I don’t know what’s gonna happen tomorrow
but tonight go ahead and make a hundred dollar bet
there won’t be any widows angry at me
Scott Collins- Variax banjo solo
Reggie Duncan- pedal steel
Additional recording at HighWay 44 Recording, McComb, MS
01:10 All Because of You
With a new family member in the house, a father reflects on the birth of his first child. At 1:10 a.m. on October 20, 2007, he writes to her in a journal that will be given to her someday.
light of the day glow far away
dark of the night comfort this place
here in the home, quiet and warm
closeness of sleep, ready to go
I’ll never be the same
forever I have changed
everyone I see looks different all because of you
everyone I meet seems different all because of you
everything is changed, it’s different all because of you
nothing is the same, it’s different all because of you
all that you are, all that I see
here in my life, joy that you bring
don’t wanna see what’s playing on the video
nothing matters, all I wanna do is be with you
don’t wanna hear what’s playing on the radio
nothing matters, all I wanna do is be with you
01:15 the truth
Former NFL football player turned police officer Patrick Goodpaster ran into a burning house at 1:15 a.m. on June 22, 2007 to rescue a 4-year-old. This song reflects on that moment through the eyes of (1) a fictional character who grew up with and continues to live in the shadow of the hero, and (2) another fictional character who sees the worth of this person who doesn’t find worth in himself.
they say the past can come back to haunt you
but there’s no time like the present for me
seems like I’m mostly scared of tomorrow
that it’ll be the same as yesterday
used to dream that someday I’d be the hero
gliding past the others for the win
they’d lift me high above on their shoulders
never let me down, never be the same again
when the truth comes for you now
where ya gonna run, yeah where ya gonna run tomorrow
jump in the fire or just sit and watch it burn?
when the truth comes for you now
where ya gonna run, yeah where ya gonna run tomorrow
so many things that we seem to never learn
seems like it’s not enough to be human
never enough to be yourself
the best of you is more than the things you do
see the one I see you and no one else
Jennifer Kimball- lead and backing vocals, vocal arrangement
Additional recording at The Living Room, Somerville, MA
01:20 (Don't Wait) Forever's Long Enough
On the evening of December 20, 1954, a small group gathered at a house, expecting to be visited by a spacecraft at midnight, sent by God to rescue them from earth’s impending destruction. After waiting well past 1:00 a.m., the youngest member, a teenager, made a call home to tell his mother he was on his way, as she had earlier threatened to call the police if he wasn’t home by 2 a.m.
hey, it’s me
I’m coming back
don't wanna talk about it
when we’re done I’ll call a cab
no need to get excited
on the ground I’m feeling like I can’t get lower
tried so hard believing that I’d be much higher
on my way to outer space
don’t wait, forever’s long enough
back and forth and back again
caught in an endless circle
hope I’ll see a different end
lights flashing red and purple
tripping over my shoes without any laces
sticks of gum without aluminum papers
on my way back home again
losing my way again, eyes will never mend
left with nothing
Ana Eveleigh- trumpets
01:25 (π) We Can Live a Life According to Truth
At 1:28 a.m. on October 4, 2006, after reciting pi for 16 hours, Akira Haraguchi stopped at the 100,000th digit.
we can live a life according to truth
原口 證 (Akira Haraguchi)- text recitation
Rich Goyette- mix engineer
Nicholas Soures- π to midi conversion
Additional recording at the home of Akira Haraguchi, Mobara, JPN Additional mixing at Low Gravity Sound, Milton, NH
more song info here
01:30 Copper Wires
Black Panther revolutionary Fred Hampton fell asleep during a phone conversation with his mother around 1:30 a.m. on December 4, 1969. Earlier that evening Hampton had been drugged in order to incapacitate him for a planned raid later that evening by law enforcement. At the time Hampton and his girlfriend Deborah Johnson were expecting the birth of their child, as she was more than eight months pregnant.
as chicago waits for sleep
on a cold december night
voices travel through the wires
familiar as the road that brings you home
there’s a mother and a son
tethering their quiet thoughts
of a newborn soon to come
the joy of life and beauty yet unknown
copper wires
through these copper wires the truth comes through
what would I do if you went away?
what would I do if you left for a while?
what would I do if you went far away?
take all the pennies in the world
melt them all down one by one
and wrap it all on a great giant spool
tie it to a messenger bird
fly away, all the way to you
Matt McGinley- drums, mix engineer
Additional recording at Furman Studios, Rochester, NY
Mixed at Low-Dar Sound, Binghamton, NY
01:35 Back to What it Was
October 26, 1985, 1:35 a.m., Lone Pine Mall parking lot. Doc Brown has just survived an assault rifle attack. He has yet to experience the time travel machine that he invented, and will soon be having an internal conversation trying to decide what his next move will be.
time again to plan ahead, time to find another way
libyans and violence always getting in the way
first you grab the gun again then make sure the coast is clear
plenty of plutonium, it can take you anywhere
have lunch with Edison
1927
or meet up with Faraday
Hampton Court #37
time to clean up everything, get it all back in the van
others will be coming soon so you need another plan
find a secret hideaway, maybe some deserted shack
pack up the delorean, you might not be coming back
go back to gettysburg
271 memorable words
or hear the voice of a carpenter
back at the mount of beatitudes
so long ago
watching the world around go back to what it was
go do whatever thing it is you’re thinking of
here’s another strategy if you wanna stay alive
drop the kid off quickly then get back in the car and drive
make a new reality, you’ve got everything you need
you can see tomorrow, you just need a little speed
you can forget your fears
just jump ahead by 30 years
or see the 23rd century
where you could live to eternity
or maybe more
life can pass you by
someday you’ll wake up but you won’t know that’s the day you die
there’s no compromise
just as certain as the sun will fall and the moon will rise
but this changes everything, yeah this changes everything
mathematics physics logic every concept of reality
yeah this changes everything, this changes every little thing
create a new beginning by watching the world around go
back to what it was
01:40 FOOLS GOLD
What do you do if it’s the middle of the night and you are craving a sandwich from a restaurant 1000 miles away? If you’re Elvis, you hop on your private jet.
flyin' a thousand miles
on ship number nine hundred nine
nothing but laughter and smiles
‘cause everyone’s feelin alright
started in the jungle room
conversation starts to turn
party with the boys in blue
anything you wanna have, well you can have it
everything’s within your reach, just reach up and grab it
if you wanna save your life for a happy ending
it’s alright, the only thing you’re missing is FOOLS GOLD
dining covered in leather buckles and faucets in gold perrier water and champagne a feast for a king and his court
there’s a price for everything
royalty with just one string
gonna have to shake those hips and sing
Aleisha Leo- backing vocals
Yona Marie- backing vocals
Michael Arden Sulzbach- backing vocals
Dave Hurwitz- guitar solo
Additional recording at A.L Studio, London, UK, and Song Spill Studios, Washington, D.C.
01:45 It's Gonna Be Alright
At 1:45 a.m. on September 17, 1988 in Boston, MA, a car was struck from behind, causing it to lose control, drive over a concrete median barrier, cross multiple lanes heading in the opposite direction, and jump a second curb, stopping on top of the pedestrian sidewalk as it hit the Tower Records on Mass Ave. Six people were struck by the car before it stopped, including 17-year old Frederick Cameron Weber, known to his family and friends as Ted.
it's gonna be alright
we’re gonna be ok
we’re gonna be sitting around and laughing about it someday
it’s gonna be alright
it’s gonna be ok
we’re gonna have stories to tell and pictures to share along the way
it’s gonna be alright
Patrick Cornelius- saxophone solo
Additional recording somewhere in Brooklyn, NY
01:50 The King is Dead (God Save The King)
On December 11, 1936 at 1:52 a.m., Parliamentʼs Bill of Abdication received Royal Assent, officially ending the reign of King Edward VIII, who had reached his limit with trying to please everyone but himself.
I've seen the frontlines of warfare
I’ve seen defeat of the brave
I’ve seen the face of confusion
where there was nothing to save
I’ve walked the streets of depression
where workers can’t get no pay
and in the moment that i say that something must be done
they try to warn me to get back in my place
the king is dead god save the king
I tried to follow the fanfare
pride pomp and circumstance
executing every appearance
the steps of the political dance
I tried to listen to reason
be the ruler that the good people need
but if a king ain’t allowed to choose his bride as his queen
then tell me what kind of king can he be?
Rich Goyette- guitars
Shawn Marquis- drums
Additional recording at Low Gravity Sound, Milton, NH, and
Studio 55, Berlin, NH
01:55 Hiding in the Dark
When recurring anomalies appeared to security guard Frank Wills during his early morning shift on June 17, 1972, he decided to call the police. His security log indicates that he returned to his station at 1:55 a.m. after doing his rounds at the Watergate Office Building in Washington, D.C.
someone's hiding in the shadows, someone’s hiding in the dark
this is no delusion, this is where it starts
someone’s in the building, don’t know where they are
call the police and let them know that something wrong is going on
tape is on the doorlock, something here is wrong
need more information, darkest before the dawn
they came in bluejeans, no uniforms
they looked disheveled, tattered and torn
police in plainclothes, they showed their badge
knock at the window, who can they catch
police in plainclothes, who will they catch
someone’s hiding in the shadows, someone’s hiding in the dark
don’t know what they’re doing, don’t know who they are
someone’s in the building, they’re not going far
Σεραφείμ Τριανταφύλλου (Serafeim Triantafyllou)- bouzouki
Σοφία Βουλγαρίδου (Sofia Voulgaridou)- accordion
Helen Broikos- backing vocals
Additional recording at Garden Music, Thessaloniki, GR