Cody Weathers

Flip Nasty: River Dreams (studio, 1997)

 

	BUY IT:     $10 for CD available by special order
The Songs Neglect/ Love Is Paper/ Don't Lean On Me/ Rain/Ugly American String Quartet/ Lost/ Sarah/ Seize The Day/Ilocabro/ Wardrobe/ No One Is Alone/ Passing Through/ Mad About You/ River Dreams all songs written and arranged by Cody Weathers (c)(p)1997, Cody Weathers, all rights reserved. No stealing the worthless material, OK?	Additional MP3 Singles:
Don't Hate the Players:  (L-R above) John Speranza: guitar, bass on Lost, Wardrobe, Passing Through John Fried: bass Cody Weathers: vocals, percussion, keyboards   Additional Musicians: Background Vocals: Eric Rorem, Cat Mayhugh, Joh3n O'Meara, John Speranza, The Codies Speech in River Dreams: Ursula Gebhardt Violin: Ann Christensen, Andrew Erlich Viola: Brenda Liu Cello: Lori Resthus Radio Soundbites courtesy of KNST, Rick Reel @ Rock Box, Kollodi Nishimoto @ KLC, along with some obvious discourtesy elsewhere	MP-FREES: None yet posted, but there's a puzzle for kids below!

 

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Notes on the 2000 CD re-release of River Dreams:

River Dreams was a very special album for everybody in the entire world. Prior to its release, intense secrecy led to rumors of bassist John Fried’s death. Checkmate Records was flooded with frantic correspondence and had to temporarily employ 1500 additional clerks to assure the general public of Fried’s well-being. But the rumors persisted, and a black-light commando raid by very intense fans turned up a top-secret photo-ready proof of the River Dreams cover art, and instantly the fans were in an uproar again. The photo clearly indicated the cadaver of John Fried being borne across a river by a conceivably supernatural Weathers and mourning common man Speranza. Despite official press releases indicating that Fried had merely relocated to Japan mid-recording, the true fans were not fooled. Eric Rorem led a direct assault on Checkmate headquarters in an effort to recover critical “Fried Certificates” in late 1996 and was subsequently imprisoned. The design and well-published involvement of robotic bassist John Fried 2000 only fueled the speculative fires of the increasingly-hostile fan base. Even after the release and ensuing world tour, many remained convinced that John Fried had died and been replaced by a very clever robotic double. Now I know the company line, and here’s where I’m supposed to tell you he’s not dead, but.....

died thursday, John Fried, an American teaching English locally, he will be remembered as a good teacher and stern drinker. contributions to anti-chicken fund welcome, service saturday. nakano times, 10/11/96.

 

 

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Lyrics:

 

 

Neglect: Over the zur of asphault, even the road knows its course, and I would be quite a magnet if I kept you from flying north. These are the days of waiting, of boredom and bit goodbyes. So if I get weighed with water, will you bother to fight the tide? Chorus: For this is the mermaid's way. Silence is hard to breach. Love was our raft together. Neglect has let it leak. Out of the bulk of winter, even the ice knows delay. And you would be Midas popcorn if you taught me to swim today. Still you will be unfettered --each bottled boat be broke free. I am your ship this morning. Sorrow knows each piece of me. Chorus. These are the days of waiting, of boredom and bit goodbyes. So if you escape by water, I'll surrender you to the tides. Chorus.

 

Love Is Paper: Red, oh Red, you dangerhead, I'll fix my smart spaghetti. Give my dog a beer, you fool. I'd kiss you if I didn't drool. I know your art, you sneakyheart --you'll hide my love in someone's shoes. They tell you each you're in my reach and I'm the one for you. Chorus: Love is paper, love is ink, darling you are every word I think. Love is water, love is light, darling you are every dream I write. Honeybee, you stingerflea, hurrier I behindest get. Sing my songs all wrong, you tease, I'd hold you but you'd only freeze. I know your sweets, I like to eat (I starve in candy shops, you see). They tell you each I'm on your beach and you're the one for me. Chorus. My sorrow is the volume of your blood. My hope is the pressure of my shadow on your shoulder --turn around. Claire, oh Claire, you double-dare sweet pirate of the secret gold. Rope me close, you psychobreed. You beat up trees --I aim to bleed. I know your heart, you pumpkin dart. Your love the truncheon, me the bruise. They tell you twice forget the price for I'm the one for you. Chorus.

 

Don't Lean On Me: Heartbreak perfume don't make you real. Your poison attitude has no appeal. Perceptions in your mind are misleading --you want to change the world, but will it be a better place? Red-lipped seduction don't mean beauty. Dead eyes, no pride, no heart, no duty. Desires in your mind are too greedy. The treasures that you seek aren't attracted to that trait. Everything's magnified just like a memory. The bubble between us connects us. Chorus: Don't lean on me, I can't support myself. If you want wisdom, take your searching somewhere else. Don't fall for me, I cannot lift you up. Your empty passion fades, and I will let you go. Kerosene between your legs don't burn. You're so impatient --wait your turn. The lessons on TV are misleading. See yourself and sigh with patience in your heart. Everything's slowing down, just like a memory. The current between us would kill us, I fear. Chorus. How does it feel to have control? Any man you want is yours to hold. Decisions in your eyes are not final. The pulchritude outside disguises doubts within your heart. Everything's mystical, just like a memory. The circle unbroken confines me outside. Chorus. You are the things that you despise. You hurt yourself most with your lies. You're burning bridges, cutting ties. But there is hope within your eyes.

 

Rain: Rain, rain, thick and free. Water, water, over me.

 

Lost: Lost and high, the rock that bore your love to me. My roof is splinters, my bed is warm. Trope you like a daisy, swallow your fuel so you won't go, but you go. Like a storm, a million years of rain and dust. My heart is breaking. Your ship is flown. Breathe you like an atmosphere, follow your trail so you won't know, but you know. Chorus: Lost. Saturn's eye, the ring that bound my loyalty. Your moons are embers, your seas are foam. Tug you like a ripple, all of your tides will turn to me. Chorus.

 

Sarah: Now I'm really in the deep end, and my quarters won't buy time. I could see her in September and respect a dotted line. I can't buy the past, and I don't own today. I'm her lover in a distance, I'm the comet's oval way. I'm an arrow of her brilliance, I'm a chicken who won't say all the kindling words to turn this heat to flame. Chorus: My brain is smart, my heart is good, my eyes are buttons made of wood and love a stone on my tongue. But when I play my blue guitar and she is listening at the bar, will she allow me to leave alone? Is my heart a funny mirror? Does my love reflect a change? Are her stirrings more than dormant? Is my evergreen too strange? Will she whisper "no" or will she burst "OK." Chorus. She's my Cupid's little mystery, she's my greatest kind regret. She's a knothole in my history that I haven't sanded yet. She's my warmest thought on my coldest days. Chorus.

 

Seize The Day: I know that you're still hoping that your prince will come. I do not see the reason why you still hold on. If there is magic, then it must be pretty strong. I hope you'll look at me --I can't hold on too long. Chorus: I said to myself, "self, you fool, don't let her slip away. Hold her in your arms because you should always seize the day." I know that just one song won't fix this jealous rage. My heart is open season, aim and fire away. You are not having fun with any games you play. Why do you carry on --don't you feel betrayed? Chorus. Give me a throwaway pill, I'd take it. Need ID, I'd fake it. Bend my will, then break it. Bet my life, I'd stake it. Anything for you, anything at all, just give me the word and I'm yours. Chorus.

 

Wardrobe: Seven days of residence in the swell of lioness. Beauty listless, teapots kill, flannel makes me love her still. Seven nights of loneliness, seven dreams, a secret kiss. Bedboard rafts, her sheets the sails, longing floats the blood of whales. CH: Open your eyes you were sleeping, don't be surprised, you were dreaming. Into the wardrobe we'll break through. Into the wardrobe I'll take you. Seven roads of emptiness to the gates of happiness. Spin the wheel, pull the oar, winter makes me want her more. CH. Though I can never fly, teach me to dream. Seven weeks of saltiness, missing sugar from her lips. Stand the muscle, seek the bones, love is dreams of "welcome home." CH. You had your dreams, now you hold them in your hands, never let them go.

No One Is Alone: Chorus: No one is alone. Everyone is here. There's a little blue spark in the soil of her eye. She's a seed of light and I am the rat that died so she could sprout to the sky. Chorus. There's an ante the top and the joker's poison wild. She's the queen I need, he's the king and I am the ace again. Play me one more time. Chorus. In her fingers, more than handcuffs, more than anchors, more than glue. Are there secret bones inside her that might tell me what to do? We'll be kissing 'til we're starving --shocking as the zoo. Chorus. She's the pollen of the river, if I clutch she squirts away. She's a daughter of the moment, and the chicken has to say, "If you love me, if you love me, sit a while and stay." Chorus.

 

Passing Through: The spectre of young love is laughing at me. The horse that you hide in looks happy and free. And though it's been years, I still trip in these shoes --I can't tie the laces, my heart is an avenue. CH: Passing through You're just passing through. The phantom of Pamela lewdly amused. Every day's loser day --I live to lose. Oh, I can drive nails through the tops of your feet. You're looking ahead, and I know you're not with me, just.... (CH) I know you don't love me, there's no need to hide it. A shoe with no partner, I'm roadside detritus from.... (CH) The banshees are howling, they mean it today. They bite me and pound me to scare me away. With your flip agenda, you think you're so clever. You're leaving on Wednesday to haunt me forever with....

Mad About You: She was crazy when I met her, just as crazy as today And I knew that I would need her, but I couldn't make me say that if my heart could find no other, I'd be happiest that way. But then I saw the way she wants your eyes to stray. And I feel that I must tell you even though you don't deserve her. CH: She's mad about you. Something crazy in her eyes just says he's mad about you. And there's nothing I can do if she's mad about you I was up to my old no-no's when I told her not to love you, for I was all too cautious not to tell her how I felt true. And you still just perceived her as a carnival balloon: possession pretty soon is ugly and is taking too much room. Even though you don't respect her or enjoy her as I do. CH. Bridge: Mistakes of mine, you are too soft, the ruthless win this game. Vicious, cunning, hearts of steel attract and cut and maim. And that which may be tender can't compete, which is a shame. For love is built on cloudy things that paralyze the brain. CH

 

River Dreams: Water must follow the path. Water must cut the path. Every drop has river dreams. Not every bed is made. "There are things a brook should know," whispered the creek, "ways to move a stone, rates to fall, and numbers to remember. Above all, avoid heat because steam is --frankly-- out of the question." At the edge of the river, my love drank the water and carried it home. From trust was wept the wine of sorrow, and the moon dragged it with my heart west to the sea. Chorus: Sleep, my darling, dreams will flow. This thunder will away. Though every drop has river dreams, not every bed is made.

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Listening Log:

The only other fully 4-track analog album before we switched to 8-track digital, this is a vast improvement over the recording quality of Archaeology.  Since the Beatles also recorded on 4 tracks, I read up on some of their tricks and listened analytically to some of their albums to try to improve upon my technique before doing this album.  I think this is one of our better overall albums with tight performances, good songs, and a good flow.  I chose or created segue material (which I was very into incorporating at the time) to form a radio-based framework.  Fried was also overseas for most of these sessions, so Speranza covered a lot of the bass.  Offhand, I don't think I did any bass on this album.  We came up with the

Abbey Road

"Fried is Dead" artwork concept fairly early, and built a couple references into the segues.

 

Neglect: I have to think for a second, but I'm pretty sure this is the first time I recorded djembe on a non-live album.  I perfected the technique during the endless and ultimately fruitless Live Bait 4-track sessions.  This is a song about a road trip I took with someone I was dating, pretty much knowing that she was going to end our relationship.  Speranza on backup vocals.

 

Love is Paper: I love this song.  The drunken power of raw attraction.  Very gritty sounds all around.  Fried was here for this bass part, played like he's "kicking whiskey bottles onstage" (Speranza).  Eric Rorem joins the backup vocal gang for this album, here with Cat & Speranza.  That's O'Meara reprising his ground-breaking end to Sweet Sue by phone at the end.

 

Don't Lean On Me: Nice pocket on this re-recording.  For the re-records, we played the ensemble together without click to capitalize on our familiarity.  Most albums since this one struggle with the same balance between very accurate tempos from clicking and very organic feel from emulating live performance.  Nice solo from Speranza.  I'm not a great pianist, but I like this solo.  My best solos are usually thematic to compensate for a lack of virtuosity.  Answer to Eric's original Torch & Bacon trivia question ("Which song uses 'pulchritude' in the lyric.")  On the fade, we made sure to include some sort of "wheedle-ee" since we can't let go of that Nick-ism.  The "Rock Box" interlude cast: Eric Rorem as the host, Cat Mayhugh as Ted, Cody and Speranza as selves.

 

Rain: A cappella wish for a new start.  I attempted to "Speranzize" other vocal lines with minimal Cody support.  Bass: Cat Mayhugh, Baritone: Eric Rorem, Tenor1: Speranza, Tenor 2/Lead: Cody.

 

Ugly American String Quartet: One of two string quartets from my senior recital ("Ilocabro" being the other).  Both were written in a contrapuntal, fugatta style where the same melody was passed in variation to each instrument (2 violins, viola, cello).

 

Lost: I love this song.  Metaphor for loving over distance achieved through brilliant extraterrestrial theme.  I won a Cody Weathers award for this one (don't worry, the judges are an impartial panel of my backup singers).  In an oft-repeated anecdote speaking well to the non-compensated dedication of my buddies to my ridiculous art, I explain the ending: This is supposed to represent the welcoming song of the alien civilization when the two lovers are reunited.  Several ideas are in motion here: event-based rhythm, instigation-response, microtonality, found percussion, etc.  The key to the vocal is that all three backup vocalists (Speranza, Eric, & Cat) were given three words to chant --1 trigger and 2 responses.  If anyone said their trigger, the other two had to pick a response (this also happened in the instruments), but otherwise they could say whichever they wanted.  On the first take, Cat said his trigger, but then Speranza said Eric's response by mistake.  Eric noticed, looked at Speranza, then looked at me as if to say, "why aren't you stopping, we just screwed up!" and then everybody lost it.  What commitment to the craft of avant-garde riduculous pompous backup singing!  The final sound is running a guitar slide circle-to-fret with excess pressure down the length of a bass string (the clicking is the slide bumping over the actual frets).  Other instruments: a metal locker door rattled and banged, a thumb chime, a continous-tone flute patch.  This song fried the dead-battery flange pedal's motherboard.  So there.

 

Sarah: Fried on bass.  I wrote this song on my first tour while in Boise and started playing it immediately on the road.  I steal parts of the chorus a few years later in the fade of "When," but otherwise haven't played this song much in the past few years.  I like the tap-hammer outro, even though it's very hard to play.

 

Seize the Day: originally on Checkmate.  The take was dependent on the drum solo since we were playing it ensemble, but I think I was able to get something I liked after only a few attempts.  I don't take many drum solos, but this is probably my best, most balanced one.  Naturally, we had to bring back the bongos for the bridge.  We know your demands, listener.  You must have bongos.  We like the ensemble chord at the end.  Just like "Day In The Life" because we're the new Beatles.  And here's another clue you might need/The Coyote is Fried.

 

Ilocabro: My other recital string quartet.  This is my favorite of the two.  Ah, the little Apple voice synthesizer and the hillarious "John Fried 2000."

 

Wardrobe: I think this one cracks the top 20.  It's certainly a mainstay of the live show.  Speranza on bass.  We had this crappy 5-string that we only rarely broke out.  It required re-tuning so that the open B-string would be in tune with the 5th fret.  This version is on Songs You Hate.

 

No One Is Alone: Very minimal arrangement, a role song that works in the context of the album, but has never been able to stand by itself for me.  Speranza is the first backup vocal, then the rest of the gang joins in.  I hope you enjoy reading about nuances of who's singing backup because I'm obviously committed to reporting it over discussing the meaning or content of the songs.  Here, we take the dead-battery flange through several steps, changing the voltage as the part is played until the effect finally degrades.

 

Passing Through: Not quite a top-20 song, but one of the other standouts from this album (this version's on Songs You Hate).  Great bass part and solo from Speranza.  I don't know I had that piano solo in me --normally my improvs are lame to the Nth.  Capped off with the vocal triggers from the end of Lost.

 

Mad About You: much more Police in this arrangement.  Because we're also the new Police.  Fried on bass.  Great chromatic riff in Speranza's solo.

 

River Dreams: A song about finding your own way.  I originally wrote this for Robert McIntosh's senior percussion recital (duet for piano-persussionist and alto), requiring him to switch instruments frequently throughout.  A key effect is smacking reverberantly on the frame of a piano or slamming the lid while the sustain pedal is held.  Alanna Whittier performed the speaking and singing on the original performance, and Ursula Gebhart performed the spoken portion on this recording.  This was one of the most complex mixes I've ever done because of the number of instruments that have to drift on and off of each of the 4 tracks.  Multiple pan (position left-right in the stereo mix) and level (volume) changes were required with each change, and I had to make a map of what to do at what time in order to "perform a mix" for the song.  I love the final fade chorus.  Speranza's got some really great ideas for that spooky guitar solo.  That final sound is made by "bowing" my finger across a drum head in what we in the biz like to call a "whale noise."