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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Full CD of The Witching Way, with beautiful cover art by Adam York Gregory and booklet about the project by Ali Matthews and Leo Burtin.

    CD available for pre-order, to be shipped by March 15, 2020. Price includes immediate digital download.

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1.
Bedroom Song 02:50
Up in my bedroom With all of these songs in my head I can picture the stadium cheering Like someone's arrived And then stadium turns to a bird's nest The swallows they fly away into the forest My thoughts are the swallows The feathers are falling My thoughts they can't get off the ground They are weighted by morningtime Weighted by 'fraidy-cat May be a witch but I'm scared of so many things (Whoa whoa whoa) Scared of so many things... Bedroom, I'm trapped inside my bedroom Dreaming, I dream of what to do City, all I see is gritty city Dreaming of rooms with other views Once in awhile I see out the window The willows are weeping for my broken heart And the poplars are trying to tell me a secret But I cannot hear it I'm deaf to the universe Faulty machinery I am not right inside Mother and Father they should have returned me I'm meant to be magical Meant to be musical May be a witch, but I'm scared of so many things (Whoa whoa whoa) I'm scared of so many things... Bedroom, I'm trapped inside my bedroom Dreaming, I dream of what to do City, all I see is gritty city Dreaming of rooms with other views Music & lyrics © Ali Matthews (all rights reserved)
2.
Bullet/Gun 04:45
It started out with a dare​ Bet you can’t jump out that second story window into the snow I remember the wind in my hair​ As I tumbled towards the ground, I bit my lip and then just let the blood flow Drink this peach milkshake but mix it with onion juice Don’t puke or spit, drink all of it, do not show any weakness Peer pressure works a lot like a blackmail ruse Do what I say and it’s okay I won’t tell them all your secrets (SECRETS!) Oh she made me do it​ Like a bullet can blame the gun ​ The games we started playing Are a web and I am spun​ We would shoplift all the lipsticks from aisle ten Just one of each, pink purple peach, in pockets under acid spotlight (SPOTLIGHT!) The fresh air outside tasted like so damn sweetened A feeble grab at innocence, pretending not to feel the fright The new girl smelled a lot like a way up the chain Do what I say and it’s ok and you are next in line She brought her guitar into the locker room We hid her amp, the air was damp and teaming up felt fine (FINE!) Oh she made me do it Like a bullet can blame the gun The games we were playing They were starting to feel fun ​ We’re all gonna smoke a cigarette We’re all gonna steal a tape cassette ​ We’re all gonna hang out in the park ​ We’re all gonna (clap clap) ​/ We’re all gonna (clap clap) ​ The way that new girl swanned in with rocker hair All jam band chic, a gig a week, come down and hear my open mic We planned the heckle long before that day came A little sabotage technique and she’ll know what it’s like Tiny club, tiny stage and a big bouncer We sat in back, our voices crack with glee as curtains rise Our ‘boos’ began before she had tuned her strings Malicious shrieks, I threw a peach, it hit her between the eyes (EYES!) But she made me do it Like a bullet can blame the gun The games we are playing Are a web and I am spun Oh no, I [made me do it] This bullet don’t need no gun The games we were playing Stopped working and I was done Music & lyrics © Ali Matthews (all rights reserved)
3.
Rowan 01:43
4.
Redwood splinters And fingertip blisters A friendship like sisters But something is different Jack is a grafter He knows what he’s after He knows how to build a house Cellar to rafter She is a traveler Roads they unravel Before her and she knows Her stirrups from saddle bags Sing We Of Lumberjacks​ Men in Plaid Who Work Like Mad ​ Sing We Of Lumberjacks Men In Plaid Who Work Like Mad On Tree Trunks Sing We Of Lumberjacks​ Men in Plaid Who Work Like Mad ​ Sing We Of Lumberjacks Men In Plaid Who Work Like Mad On Tree Trunks Morning-time mists Chopping block sun-kissed Talk that exists between Cups of coffee, biscuits. Autumn unfolds, He tells her of the woods and how they Change to leafless corridors When winter’s breath is cold Evening-time fog and She stops by every time she passes Loves to answer all he asks and Look into his reading glasses Sing We Of Lumberjacks Men in Plaid Who Work Like Mad Sing We Of Lumberjacks Men In Plaid Who Work Like Mad On Tree Trunks Sing We Of Lumberjacks Men in Plaid Who Work Like Mad Sing We Of Lumberjacks Men In Plaid Who Work Like Mad On Tree Trunks Seed into soil and A friendship blooms over the winter She sees to his redwood splinters He strikes steel against the flint Fireside chats Revelations and wisecracks And they tell each other stories By the light of candlewax Cuddle in bed A cuddle turns to more Then they meet inside the sheets And the quilt goes on the floor Sing We Of Lumberjacks Men in Plaid Who Work Like Mad Sing We Of Lumberjacks Men In Plaid Who Work Like Mad On Tree Trunks Sing We Of Lumberjacks Men in Plaid Who Work Like Mad Sing We Of Lumberjacks Men In Plaid Who Work Like Mad On Tree Trunks Off on the road again Roman road over the fells Villagers wait at the gate And greet her with their silver bells (but still...) She Thinks Of Lumberjacks Men in Plaid Who Work Like Mad She Thinks Of Lumberjacks Men in Plaid Who Work Like Mad On Tree Trunks Sing We Of Lumberjacks Men in Plaid Who Work Like Mad Sing We Of Lumberjacks Men In Plaid Who Work Like Mad On Tree Trunks Music & lyrics © Ali Matthews (all rights reserved)
5.
Rowan trees in blossom Hazelnut in hazel tree Seed begins to sprout and then Our village sings this melody Rowan’s belly’s blooming Who’s the father? No one knows. For now we give the benefit of doubt And we’ll see how it goes. Fertile, the fertile myrtle The fertile myrtle of the village gets a totem in her image Fertile, the fertile myrtle The fertile myrtle of the village will become our summer visage Hazel is the elder Hazel does this every year Teaches budding blossoms How to be the stalk and hold the ear Rowan’s hands are chafing Tying knots to totem make Tries to learn from Hazel Without showing that her hands do shake Fertile, the fertile myrtle The fertile myrtle of the village gets a totem in her image​ The fertile myrtle​ The fertile myrtle of the village will become our summer visage​ ​ Bun is in the oven Heat increases, bread dough rises Get this totem up before This Rowan gives us more surprises Overcast then storm clouds Cornstalks shrivel in the rain Harvest ruined, Rowan’s fault That all our efforts were in vain Fertile, the fertile myrtle The fertile myrtle of the village gets a totem in her image Fertile, the fertile myrtle The fertile myrtle of the village will become our summer visage Fertile, the fertile myrtle The fertile myrtle of the village gets a totem in her image Fertile, the fertile myrtle The fertile myrtle of the village will become our summer visage Fertile, the fertile myrtle The fertile myrtle of the village gets a totem in her image Fertile, the fertile myrtle The fertile myrtle of the village will become our summer visage Music & lyrics © Ali Matthews (all rights reserved)
6.
Water Witch 04:02
7.
I walk towards the line of bulls Testosterone fog and birds stop singing I still think that somehow social etiquette Keeps me safe to tread where they are grazing This is our turf shout the band of bovine boys No females allowed in the bull lagoon Can’t you see that this is the bro-zone, mate? You girls need to learn how to read a room Stampede of hoofed masculinity Cock, balls and horns (holy trinity) Stampede of hoofed masculinity Machismo is our divinity You have gotten all of it by this point What more do you wicked witches want from us? This lagoon is free from soft underbelly. Here we banter like toreador-uhs. Domination of the softer side of things No discussion of vulnerability It hurts us as much as those we come across But we soldier on towards our virility Stampede of hoofed masculinity Cock, balls and horns (holy trinity) Stampede of hoofed masculinity Machismo is our divinity What to do with such a band of bovine butch? Run away or fight with muscled ammunition? This question has echoed throughout the years Swift retreat or more war of attrition There is a third way, it’s to use alchemy Of conversation. There’s a world in which our Weaknesses are strengths and hostility Dissolves into the air like condensation Stop this stampede of masculinity Let’s pick a new holy trinity Where’s the comfort in hoofed masculinity? We are stronger when we have fragility [INSTRUMENTAL OUTRO] Music & lyrics © Ali Matthews (all rights reserved)
8.
I go to celebrate the fact that I just won the war I thump my chest jump up and down and then let out a roar Looking around I ‘member no one’s here to share my glee Cuz no one’s at the party if the party is just me No one is at the party if the party is just me No one toasts my victories or weeps with sympathy No one made the birthday cake and no one booked the clown Cuz no one is at the party - they’re all out of town. But still But still I'm getting out of my bed this morning Hard to get out of your head they told me Hell is other people / Jean-Paul told Simone She just laughed and sat down to her dinner all alone.... I used to think that friends were fellow soldiers in the fight Better to side with strong-arms than be on the losing side I’d love to learn to let a warmer force into my life But no one comes to party with a girl who loves to hide If I was on an airplane and it started to go down I wouldn’t know just who to call. Instead, I’d look around And watch as people called their people, sharing dying words My own last declarations would be only for the birds But still But still I'm getting out of my bed this morning Hard to get out of your head they told me Hell is other people / Sartre told Simone She just laughed and sat down to her dinner all alone. No one is at the party if the party is just me No one toasts my victories or weeps with sympathy No one made the birthday cake and no one booked the clown Cuz no one's at the party - they’re all out of town. They're all out of town No one's at the party. Music & lyrics © Ali Matthews (all rights reserved)
9.
Tiny Price 04:09
Enter my sweet abode You are tired, put down your load Here is fire, here is food Listening, I hear from you Wouldn’t it be easier to throw the towel in Teleport to your front door and start living your life again Give your powers up to me and I will send you on your way You won't have to worry and it’s such a tiny price to pay (Tiny price. Tiny price. Give you powers up to / Tiny price. Tiny price. Give you powers up to) Remember, the pharmacy Remember, the looks of glee When the joke was on you When you were a bully too None of that was easy so just throw the towel in Teleport to your front door and start living your life again Give your powers up to me and I will send you on your way You won’t have to worry and it’s such a tiny price to pay (Tiny price. Tiny price. Give you powers up to / Tiny price. Tiny price. Give you powers up to) Normal is, as normal does Power makes a witch stand out Don’t you want the journey done Say the word, and you are gone Witchcraft's never easy so just throw that towel in Teleport to your front door and start living your life again Give your powers up to me and I will send you on your way You won’t have to worry and it’s such a tiny price to pay (Tiny price. Tiny price. Give you powers up to / Tiny price. Tiny price. Give you powers up to / (Tiny price. Tiny price. Give you powers up to / Tiny price. Tiny price. GIVE YOUR POWERS UP TO.) Music & lyrics © Ali Matthews (all rights reserved)
10.
Taxidermied foxes turn at me and stare Stuffed stoats and glass toads play checkers by the fire A small boy is pulling pints in pressed shirt and slacks Two rabbits with rifles in full footguard attire Welcome to the weirdos says my inner monologue Time to turn around and leave through that door in a second ‘What’s your drink?’ a plastic doll shouts, picking up a glass Foxes smirk and toadies wait, and I say what the heck How bad could it be? ​I’ll stay for just one cherry cola How bad could it be? ​They say now let’s all get to know ya They say friendships start on fizzy drinks and we’re the Hark to Bounty crew Grab a seat, the cola’s sweet and there is nothing left to do Tell me all your dreams they say and we’ll keep them safe Why are you alone and walking out there by yourself? I tell them my stories as my clothes drip dry The tiny barman pulls a guitar down from off the shelf What’s your take on rock and roll? He says as he tunes up, You’ve got power in those lungs and we could start a band I don’t know, I play solo, I’m not the joining type I like to work alone and make my songs by hand (​Ali centre stage) See I've been burnt before, I trusted all the wrong people And I became someone that the world never needed It has taken all this time to get this witch’s power seeded I have made many mistakes and I don’t want them repeated Still HOW BAD COULD IT BE? The band all want to get to know you HOW BAD COULD IT BE? Our band of weirdos want to show you That friendships start on fizzy drinks and we’re the Hark to Bounty crew Grab a seat, the cola’s sweet and there is nothing left to do [INSTRUMENTAL OUTRO] Music & lyrics © Ali Matthews (all rights reserved)
11.
See I've been burnt before I trusted all the wrong people And I became someone That the world never needed It has taken all this time To get this witch's power seeded I have made many mistakes, And I don't want them repeated Because I MADE ME DO IT This spell is being spun The path that I took Made my mysteries come undone... Oh yeah I GREW INTO IT This spell has now been spun I found my way back From the dark into the sun... We're all going to turn our words to deeds We're all gonna scatter them like seeds We're all gonna watch them grow like weeds We're all gonna (clap clap) We're all gonna (clap clap) Music & lyrics © Ali Matthews (all rights reserved)

about

Based on a story by Ali Matthews and Leo Burtin

credits

released January 20, 2020

Songs written by Ali Matthews and arranged with the band

Vocals/loops: Ali Matthews
Keys, synth, bass and BVs: Becky Wilkie
Drums, SPD, violin and BVs: Sophie Galpin
Guitar and BVs: Ellis Davies
BVs: Matt Randall

Produced by Matt Randall and Becky Wilkie at Gracie Studios (Manchester UK).

Mastered by WR Audio (Salford UK).

Album art by Adam York Gregory.

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Ali Matthews & The Celestial Seasonings Manchester, UK

Ali Matthews is an artist working across music and performance. The Guardian has called her 'a bewitching performer whose songs clings and haunt'.

This concept album, The Witching Way, premiered as a live show at The Royal Exchange Theatre in 2019 and continues to tour the UK. For bookings or more information, please see www.alimatthews.org.
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