Soul Surfing

Last Call Records

Record Details

2002
Genre:
Rock
Elliott Murphy - Soul Surfing

Recorded in La Havre at Florent Barbier’s studio. Elliott’s first album with Danny Montgomery.

Tracklist

  1. Come On Louann -:-- / 4:06
  2. Strangers In A Train -:-- / 3:06
  3. A Little Push -:-- / 4:09
  4. Eiffel Tower Blue -:-- / 4:01
  5. Fix Me A Coffee -:-- / 6:25
  6. Dragon -:-- / 3:49
  7. Irish Eyes -:-- / 3:53
  8. Tell Me -:-- / 5:45
  9. Doctor Of Mercy -:-- / 5:46
  10. Black Crow -:-- / 4:17
  11. Hold On -:-- / 5:23
  12. Nothing Can Take The Place Of You -:-- / 3:49

COME ON LOUANN

When i look into your eyes all i see is lies – come on louann
When you hold on to my hand where you gonna take this man – come on louann
I’m tryin to maintain but your excuses are in vain – come on louann
If there’s a reason why i’m here you better make it clear- come on lou ann

Some day we’ll laugh together
Relive the past together
But tonight i’m feeling so bad
You look so good and i feel so sad

I could never break your heart and you knew that from the start – didn’t you louann
You had no other place else to go so you put on a good show – didn’t you louann
Made me think i was the one you robbed my love without a gun didn’t you olouann
How you gonna make a stand when you’re living hand to hand – come on louann

Chorus

When you’re lying in your bed and the lights are flashing red – come on louann
And you drink your cup of tea is that when you think of me – come on louann
One thing i’ll never understand
Is how you always kept your tan – come on louann
And if we meet again someday i’ll just probably say hey come on louann

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STRANGERS ON A TRAIN

What was I thinking…I must have been mad
You reminded me of someone, some love, I’d never had
Who always missed me – except when I came home
I told you my birthday – you gave me your phone

Like strangers, strangers on a train
Like strangers, strangers on a train

You were surviving on pills and promises un-kept
I providing you with reasons to hang on until you were met
At the station by your uncles and aunts
You were looking so good in your black leather pants

Like strangers, strangers on a train
Like strangers, strangers on a train

I try to make my point like a travelling salesman
Showing my goods – laying open my hand
Can I kiss you? I guess I asked too soon
You said that won’t change anything
But the stars and the moon

Like strangers, strangers on a train
Like strangers, strangers on a train

The weather it was perfect there was no sign of rain
I was sitting next to you – Like strangers on a train
Once in a lifetime – this will never happen twice
Seven come eleven – like a roll of the dice

Like strangers, strangers, strangers on a train
Like strangers, strangers, strangers on a train

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A LITTLE PUSH

The sun is setting in an orange glow
But rain is falling in my car
Can’t even think of where I got to go
‘Cause I’ve already gone too far

CHORUS
All I need is a little push to fall
In love with you tonight
All I need is a little push
And that’s all
And I’m heading over the top

Its not a question of what I want to do
Its a question of what’s right
‘Cause when I find myself alone with you
On this quiet Sunday night

(CHORUS)

The sun is setting in an orange glow
But its raining in my car
Can’t think of where I gotta go
‘Cause I just want to go too far

(CHORUS)

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EIFFEL TOWER BLLUE

I’m a man on a mission
To be kissing you
I need a section of protection
To keep me safe all the way through
I’m a stranger in a strange land
Eiffel Tower blue

Policy of avoidance
Avoiding the truth
While my pockets full up
I see change is running loose
Travel on a euro train
Eiffel Tower blue

Do you know what I’m asking
I got no trick questions for you
Such a touchy subject
Will you let me touch you
Cross the language barrier
Eiffel Tower blue

Do you know the hour
I haven’t the slightest clue
I know I’m living on borrowed time
And some day I’ll pay it back to you
You’re my banker and my account is due
Still I want to thank you
For doing what you do
I’d like to paint you
Eiffel Tower Blue

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FIX ME A COFFEE

Fix me a coffee
If you don’t have tea
Take a walk through the old town
Read Irish Poetry
I see you dressed in black and green
And your eyes deep blue
Well I could sit here all day long
Just looking at you
There’s a word for what we feel
That I dare not say
So fix me a coffee
It’s better that way

Soon the sun is in Pisces
Two fish swimming away
I don’t believe in anything
That will not stay
The last of the Troubadours
He sings his last love song
Then he packs up his Mandolin
And starts the long drive home
Pop a CD on the radio
The Rolling Stones
But this isn’t no main street
And this exile is alone

We got so much in common
Our favourite number is three
You think you can forget me baby
Well not so easily
I’m gonna just gonna sit here
Not gonna shed one tear
I’m not gonna think about
All the coming years

Last night I had one dream
Two heart-shaped doors
In my pocket I had three keys
Then someone counted to four “two, three, four…)
You are too beautiful
To be true
And I don’t know how I’ll go on
Living without you
But living with a broken heart
Its been done before
So fix me a coffee
Than I’m out the door

(Chorus)

If you wanna be young when you’re old
You better be old when you’re young
If you wanna take my heart prisoner
That’s so easily done

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DRAGON

Dragon on your shoulder
Chinese down your back
When you said you were twenty one
I almost had a heart attack

Every night I sit by my window
Counting up the stars
And that’s when I try to figure
Out where you are

When you bossa nova
I get a case of nerves
I want to fly to Sao Paolo
Or am I being absurd

Chorus

Because I want to
Yes I want you
Yes I want you
Right here right now

I didn’t take your number
I didn’t ask for your address
I guess I tried to avoid getting in a deep deep mess

Chorus

Dragon on your shoulder
Chinese down your back
With every breath I’m changing
And than I’m changing back
With every breath I’m changing
And than I’m changing back
With every breath I’m changing…Than I’m changing back

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IRISH EYES

Raindrops dripping on a glass roof
Leaves turning red and brown
As I enter the autumn of my years
(The autumn of my years are here)
I can take a good look around
(Take a good look around)
And I see everything that’s beautiful
Will still be here when I’m gone
But I don’t worry bout mortality
When you’re in my arms

And your Irish eyes have got me now
And I don’t know how
I could resist you anyhow
And your Irish eyes have got me now

Stormy rain on the west coast of Spain
Sea gulls taking flight
And I’m flying up there with them
And that’s where I’ll spend the night
Cause I don’t want to put my feet on the ground
I don’t want to take a step
I’m just a man whose fooling himself
With no regrets

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TELL ME

To call you like this – Its too late I know
When you gotta get up – Tomorrow
And yes I guess – I can agree
It was bound to end – you and me
But that’s not what – I want to hear
You sound so sleepy – and what I fear
Is soon you’ll hang up – and I’ll be alone
Just give me a minute – And stay on the phone

And tell me – tell me – then tell me
Let me hear the words
From your mouth to my ear
And I start to tremble
When you feel so near
Let me hear you say what I want you to say
Just give me this – don’t take that away
Tell me you love me

Let’s keep this a secret – Never see the light of day
I’ll stay your dream man – Full of mystery
I suppose I can do that – I suppose I can
I can learn to regard you – Like any other friend
I can stop this longing – I will forget this fear
Stop living in the past – With the darkness so near
Like I could stop the sea – And hold back the waves
That wash over me now – When I hear you say

So tell me – tell me – then tell me
Let me hear the words
From your mouth to my ear
And I start to tremble
When you feel so near
Let me hear you say what I want you to say
Just give me this don’t take that away
Tell me you love me

So tell me – tell me – tell me – tell me

I gotta go now and I will try to see
I’m looking for the answer I’m gonna find that key
So we can escape all these bonds and chains
Walk in the sun come out of the rain
And if you want to know my favorite fantasy
Its an endless night of you and me
Watching the stars and making a wish
Never having to trade one last kiss

So tell me – tell me – tell me –
Let me here the words from your mouth to my ear
And I start to tremble when you feel so near
Let me hear you say what I want you to say
Just give me this don’t take that away
Let me hear you say what I want you to say
Just give me this don’t take that away
When you tell me you love me…

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DOCTOR OF MERCY

1. Well i was walking these streets – and it was raining – and i didn’t know – what i was looking for – but i was looking for something
You can’t imagine – how much i needed
To find an unlocked door

2. Or an open window – that would lead my blind mind – out from the darkness
Into the light – to the nearest exit
To a little stranger – with a dirty white smile
That looked ultra-bright

3. That i would be lifted – from my useless concerns – from my mortal fears – of dissapearing from sight – into the void
Into the infinite wasteland – where a million billion years – they’re gonna pass right in the blink of your eye

4. But i stopped and i took – i took a cup coffee
With the doctor of mercy – she sat right in front of me – and all of my questions
Calmed down so slowly – until the only thing that really mattered – was if she coming back with me

5. And although she insisted – she insisted no
That didn’t matter – it didn’t matter to me
Because i had lost my initiative – and my incorporation – i was so unincorporated and globalized i couldn’t see

6. But the only thing – that i could remember
When we were covered with the lights of dawn that made the roses bleed – and i remember swearing by the shrine of elvis – the blue moon of kentucky would always shine on me

7. Here’s to the blood red days of the end of august – here’s to the years we swore we had nothing to lose – and in retrospect i goes i gotta be honest – or else i’m gonna suspect you were my only real muse

8. But i still easily recall – the way she passed my table – and the crinkle in her eyes
The way she walked – the way she tasted to me
It was just magic – the way she did her inuendos – it was so professional so polished
You could see

9. That she’d been around – so many drifters
So many pretenders – so many clowns
That i was no different – in fact i was usual
I was too normal – for her to stay around

10. Now i’m out of time – and i’m out of money –
Well i’m out of hope – i think i’m out of luck –
And all those wonderful things that i found so interesting – to tell the truth right about now i don’t give a fuck

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BLACK CROW

Black Crow outside my window – I feel a new age coming
She’s walking on red roofs – With a beak like yellow paint
Is this some kind of omen? – Or am I superstitious?
But that’s not the question – And the answer is too late

Black crow outside my window – She takes a bite and flies on
I could wait for her to return – Or I could go to lunch
Yeah I could go for Chinese – Something sweet and spicy
I could go for you – anytime at all

Black crow outside my window – Is it the same as yesterday
Or do they have my number? – Knowing I’ll be there

Fly Away…

Sitting at my keyboard – Staring at antennas
The last time the phone rang – Must have been a hundred years
If history is over – And all the poetry dried up
You’d still be my Cleopatra – I’m your Marc Anthony man

When I was seventeen – Now that’s an age that lingers
Always driving and thinking – Much too much of that
Black Crow outside my Window – You know I wish it was snowing
So her three pronged walking footprints – Would still be here after she’s gone – Fly Away…

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All Songs by Elliott Murphy – ©Elliott Murphy – Lyrics Reprinted by Permission

Soul Surfing
Last Call Records
2002

“Come On Luann”
Elliott Murphy: Acoustic Guitar, Voice
Olivier Durand: 12 String
Ernie Brooks: Bass
Kenny Margolis: PIANO, Accordion
Danny Montgomery: Drums
Patrick Riguelle: Background VocalS
Florent Barbier: Percussion
JO: Mandolin

“Strangers On A Train”
Elliott Murphy: Acoustic Guitar, Voice
Olivier Durand: Danelectro Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Ernie Brooks: Bass
Kenny Margolis: Fender Rhodes
Danny Montgomery: Drums
Patrick Riguelle: Background Vocals

“A Little Push”
Elliott Murphy: Nylon Guitar, Voice, Bass, Harmonica
Olivier Durand: Telecaster Guitar, Slide
Kenny Margolis: Fender Rhodes
Florent Barbier: Drums
Antoinette McDouglas: Background Vocals

“Eiffel Tower Blue”
Elliott Murphy: Acoustic Guitar, Voice
Olivier Durand: Acoustic Guitar
Ernie Brooks: Bass
Kenny Margolis: Accordion
Danny Montgomery: Drums
Patrick Riguelle: Lap Steel
Florent Barbier: Percussion

“Fix Me A Coffee”
Elliott Murphy: Acoustic Guitar, Voice
Olivier Durand: Acoustic Guitar
Ernie Brooks: Bass
Kenny Margolis: Wurlitzer
Patrick Riguelle: Lap Steel, Background Voice
Danny Montgomery: Drums
JO: Mandolin
Florent Barbier: Percussion

“Dragon”
Elliott Murphy: Acoustic Guitar, Voice
Olivier Durand: 12 String
Ernie Brooks: Bass
Kenny Margolis: Organ, Wurlitzer
Patrick Riguelle: Background Vocals
Florent Barbier: Drums

“Irish Eyes”
Elliott Murphy: Acoustic Guitar, Voice
Olivier Durand: 12 String
Ernie Brooks: Bass
Kenny Margolis: Accordion
Danny Montgomery: Drums
PR: Background Vocals
JO: Mandolin

“Tell Me”
Elliott Murphy: Acoustic Guitar, Voice
Olivier Durand: Acoustic Guitar
Ernie Brooks: Bass
Kenny Margolis: Chamberlain, Moog
Danny Montgomery: Drums
Christophe Leroux: Cello

“Doctor Of Mercy”
Elliott Murphy: Acoustic Guitar, Voice
Olivier Durand: Slide Guitar
Ernie Brooks: Bass
Kenny Margolis: Hammond B3
Danny Montgomery: Drums
Florent Barbier: Percussion

“Black Crow”
Elliott Murphy: Bass, Vocal, Nylon Guitar, Organ
Olivier Durand: Telecaster Guitar
Florent Barbier: Drums
Kenny Margolis: Rhodes & Wurlitzer
Patrick Riguelle: Background Vocals

“Hold On”
Elliott Murphy: Acoustic Guitar, Voice
Olivier Durand: Slide Guitar
Ernie Brooks: Bass
Danny Montgomery: Drums
PR: Background Vocals
Florent Barbier: Percussion

“Nothing Takes The Place Of You”
Elliott Murphy: Acoustic Guitar, Voice
Olivier Durand: Acoustic Guitar
Ernie Brooks: Bass
Kenny Margolis: Organ Mellotron
Patrick Riguelle: Lap Steel
Danny Montgomery: Drums

Record By Record, Murphy By Murphy: Soul Surfing

For me, this was third in a trilogy that began with Beauregard and continued with Rainy Season. We recorded in Le Havre at Florent’s studio and ate in the same Pizzeria almost every night. This was my first album with Danny Montgomery, a great U.S. Drummer also living in Paris who played with Percy Sledge and Ray Charles. Why are drummers always so funny? Originally I was going to do a soul album but finally I had enough songs of my own. The alternate title was The Heartbreak Club and Marc Ginot who lives in Montpellier and has done many covers for me shot the cover. Chloe, who worked for New Rose did the design and I think its one of my best.

Taken from Crossroads magazine.

This umpteenth album from the very prolific Elliott Murphy has at least as much commercial potential as anything he’s done since the 1970s. Certainly “Come on Louann” is about as catchy as pop tunes get, and tracks like “A Little Push” and “Irish Eyes” have addictive hooks as well. Throughout the ballad-dominated set, Murphy proves his vocal skill and versatility. The instrumentation, mostly by his longtime cohorts, is terrifically imaginative, with mandolin and accordion appearing prominently and male and female backup vocalists chiming in at just the right times. The original lyrics, mostly about love and mostly melancholy, are as distinctive as you’d expect from Murphy and the two non-originals — Tom Waits’ “Hold On” and Toussaint McCall’s “Nothing Can Take the Place of You” — garner powerful performances. Murphy’s low-key, vocals-upfront production is just right. Once again, you have to wonder why this guy isn’t famous.

Jeff Burger – AllMusic

Vinyl LPs

Germany:
Blue Rose Records BLU LP0269 (2 LPS)

CDs

Germany:
Blue Rose Records BLU CD0269

France:
Last Call Records 3074512
*Note: 2 CD set includes Rainy Season

Spain:
Dusty Roses Records DR 006

Italy:
Many Records MN 30746

Japan:
Music Scene MSIF-9926/7
*Note: 2 CD set includes Rainy Season

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