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Man Of The Land

from Cactacus (ALBUM) by Ruth Theodore

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Extraordinary 8 panel concertina packaging which acts almost like a rubix cube allowing the image to be viewed in a variety of ways. Includes full song lyrics and note book illustrations. Features image by photographer Peter Ashworth.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Cactacus (ALBUM) via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • T-Shirt/Apparel

    Screen printed black T-shirt with Cactacus title on the chest.
    Organic and fair-trade clothing available in extra small. small, medium, large and extra large. Any other sizes can be ordered if you contact us to specify your preference however there may be a wait whilst we get it specially screen printed for you.
    XS = W.47 L.67 / S = W.50 L.69 / M = W.53 L.72 / L = W.56 L.74 / XL = W.59 L.76
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lyrics

a long time ago long before time
God made the earth and God made the sky
He screwed up a newspaper tennis ball tight
named it the Sun and set it alight

and just as the light of the last Day diminished
God made Man in his own image
He blessed the Earth and all that was in it
looked down on his work and declared it was finished

and God gave Man dominion on Earth
gave all of his Creatures hunger and thirst
He put pride in the heart and fear in the herd
He gave Venom to the bite and flight to the Bird

“Oh Lord what do you have for me
wrapped up underneath that apple tree?
give me wings, let me soar
and i’ll be yours forever creator”

but God gave Man the concept of dreaming
opposable thumbs and delicate feelings,
an Imagination fit for believing
and a Sense of his own existential being

“oh thank you” said Man and left with a Smile
and he entertained himself for a while
he made Fire and rhythm and paintings in sand
yeah Man of the Land
his gift on his hands

and Man made a book that spread from village to village
depicting guardian angels in his own image
in his own image except for one thing
fanning out from his spine grew a divine set of Wings.

‘cause when Man saw the Bird and how happy she sings
he made his bed in her feathers and dreamed of her Wings
and made up untold unnecessary things
in search of the Song her happiness sings

“oh Icarus, i’m just like you
never doing what i’m supposed to do.
i make it up half of the time
and soak my feathers, melt my wax
and tear my twine”

but with anchors for ankles Man became bored
so Man made the lock and Man made the door
and Man made the telescope and through it he saw…
more!

so Man made the cockpit and the vacuum tight door
and the radio magnetic indicator
and then defying all standing natural law
he took to the Clouds and beyond them he soared

and saw that by Stars and by Planets
the Sun had been joined
some spun out like spinning tops some
tossed up like coins
into a Galaxy splintered with Light
flung out like a boomerang into the night

oh but up in the sky Bird saw the Man
and saw for herself the hole in his plan
and knew before long he’d be where he belongs
humming his sad and maudlin song

still back to the other Birds she did report
“one of those ‘deep think’ creeps of the crooked claw!
one of them from all-fours up here in the sky
making one of those big bright white ‘stiff bodies’ fly”

And they sang
“why Pegasus its just as well
he can’t get off your carousel
‘cause ever since he left the ground
he’s been up and down and up and down”

so Man made the map and on it he drew
which bits of the Earth were belonging to who
and found in the weak a Spirit so strong
that man made the gun and Man made the bomb

but an eye for an eye and Man began to cry
and through quivering lip gave it one last try
he thrust his arms to the sky and into it he screamed
“WHY?”

and his cry shook the Earth and ruptured the Stone
until out fell the Fossils the Gems and the Bone
that told a story of Time as sad as his own
and for the very first time he did not feel alone

and those Constellations in the dark
started setting of their shooting Stars
saying “we’ve been here right from the start
we’ve been watching over you like Guards”.

and then man heard the distant firing of canons
heard every war cry and every national anthem
and high in the sky the little Bird sing
“if only his maker had given him Wings”

credits

from Cactacus (ALBUM), released September 23, 2016
Words and music by Ruth Theodore

Produced by Todd Sickafoose

Ruth Theodore: Vocals, Guitar, Slide, Piano, Harmonica
Todd Sickafoose: Double Bass & Electric Bass
Mathias Künzli: Drums & Percussion
Wayne Thompson, Neil Thurston, Jigh Ejakpovi: Backing Vocals
Rob Burger: Organ, Accordion, Fujara
Mike Gamble: Electric Guitar
Jenny Scheinman: Violin
Annissa Olsen: Viola
Kelly Quesada: Cello
Tony Glausi: Trumpet

Recorded by Billy Barnett @ Gung-Ho Studio (Eugene Oregon USA) and Todd Sickafoose @ Earycanal.
Additional recording by Ruth Theodore @ River Rat Records and Duncan Thornley @ Map Studio.
Edited and Mixed by Todd Sickafoose @ Earycanal.
Mastered by Alan Douches @ West West Side Music.

All vocal and string arrangements by Ruth Theodore.
Additional arrangement by Todd Sickafoose.

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Ruth Theodore UK

'Original folk voice' Ruth Theodore is described as 'one of the UK's most exciting artists'.
Her highly anticipated forthcoming records is the fruits of another collaboration withTony and Grammy award winning US bassist/producer Todd Sickafoose and percussionist Mathias Kunzli.

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