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Concrete Paradise

by John Bunzow

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    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Concrete Paradise, Counterfeit Salvation, Alive At O'Connor's, Darkness And Light, Off The Shelf, and Stories Of The Years. , and , .

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1.
Akron Ohio 04:49
Visions of Johanna Playin’ in this coffee shop All these surfers and seekers Are gettin’ messages from Bob Steam rises up From my double cappuccino I’m lookin’ for something real here in Akron Ohio Pretty girl next to me A dove flies from her pocket Her words bounce upon the tabletop Sparks shoot from the socket She’s wearin’ dime store pearls Got a Grateful Dead tattoo A rattlesnake is coiled Upon her cowboy boots Well she looks a little dusty Just rode in from Arizona A marching band welcomes her Right outside the window Here in Akron Ohio Gypsy woman speed dial on her telephone Reciting yesterday’s horoscope Spirits are dancin’ across the floor We got ballerinas and zydeco Here in Akron Ohio Akron Ohio (pg2) She’s got a photo of her cat That she named Fidel Castro And strapped upon her back Is a Fender Telecaster Needin’ practical advice Well she’s got all the answers And if a tree falls in the woods She’ll be there to catch it Here in Akron Ohio Gypsy woman speed dial on her telephone Reciting yesterday’s horoscope Spirits are dancin’ across the floor We got ballerinas and zydeco Here in Akron Ohio A Simple Twist of Fate Is playin’ in this coffee shop Hope she hangs around awhile And I sure need what she’s got Here in Akron Ohio Here in Akron Ohio
2.
My dreams they all got washed out in this cold grey heartbreak town Rains came down like a tidal wave The next thing I knew I was lyin’ face down So let some silver wings deliver me to where the sky is clear all day Need a southbound one-way ticket to get me outta this rain Yes I know there’s sunshine somewhere I can see it on my TV screen I can almost feel its warm glow Lookin’ at some travel magazine Yes I know there’s sunshine somewhere It’s burned into my memory There was sunshine somewhere Every day she was with me Hello operator won’t you help connect this call Not sure if I got her number or if she’s even there at all I think she’s out in California Got a postcard back in two thousand nine Where the sky was on fire with the sun so bright Melted my cold heart in the blink of an eye Yes I know there’s sunshine somewhere I can see it on my TV screen I can almost feel its warm glow Lookin’ at some travel magazine Yes I know there’s sunshine somewhere It’s burned into my memory There was sunshine somewhere Every day she was with me I see a new horizon It’s been there all along Somethin’ in the atmosphere That’s singin’ you this song Yes I know there’s sunshine somewhere It’s burned into my memory There was sunshine somewhere Every day she was with me There was sunshine somewhere Every day she was with me
3.
Somewhere Over The Rainbow You Shall Be Released To Strawberry Fields Forever Your love is all we need Julian he just spoke his first words Liz and Alejandro can’t believe their ears Betsy and Emma share your laughter They know you are still here Silver light shines upon the Sisters The snow sparkles on a tree The sun lies down on a crimson sky You appear in all these things Your family is at the table Your life it is living there Your song is alive within us all It sounds so sweet so clear You are still here Somewhere Over the Rainbow You Shall Be Released To Strawberry Fields Forever Your love is all we need Tupelo Honey and Turn Turn Turn You are still here You are still here
4.
Devil Wind 05:32
The storm is howlin’ that song Shake rattle and roll Walkin’ down some alleyway How I got here I don’t know The sky is breathin’ fire and I’m crawlin’ outta my skin Flames swirlin’ all around me It’s that devil wind Gabriel is blowin’ his horn Well that ain’t gonna make me stay Gideon’s bible Won’t show me the way Gettin’ me a taste Of every evil desire Can’t help myself in this sinners’ paradise Angels up on high Beggin’ me to turnaround That wicked road you walk Well it’s gonna drag you down It’s not too late to turn back now The fire is ragin’ I’m the flame that’s burnin’ In that devil wind The storm is howlin’ that song Shake rattle and roll Walkin’ down some alleyway How I got here I don’t know The sky is breathin’ fire I’m crawlin’ outta my skin Flames swirlin’ all around me It’s that devil wind Angels up on high Beggin’ me to turnaround That wicked road you walk Well it’s gonna drag you down It’s not too late to turn back now The fire is ragin’ In that devil in that devil In that devil wind
5.
The man there on the corner Sells me what I need to get by A twenty bill delivers me Beyond the dark clouds in my mind These streets will turn into the yellow brick road Pinwheels spinning so bright Shooting stars and halos Light up this concrete paradise No I won’t fall down any further If I can’t stand up Lyin’ on this cold cold ground Pretendin’ I’m the man I was When I got back here stateside My wife she was long gone Couldn’t keep a job Barely hangin’ on Now these streets they are my home The shame that I’ve been feelin’ Sure cuts me to the core Hoped someday I’d bleed out Wake up alive just like before No I won’t fall down any further If I can’t stand up Lyin’ on this cold cold ground Pretendin’ I ain’t had enough No I won’t fall down any further If I can’t stand up Lyin’ on this cold cold ground Pretendin’ I’m the man I was The man there on the corner Sells me what I need to get by A twenty bill delivers me Into this concrete paradise On this warm December evenin’ In this concrete paradise
6.
All I Know 03:11
The streets of heaven Are paved with gold So I’ve been told I’ve been told Ain’t been there yet Don’t know if that’s true All I know is I love you Had a dream last night Woke up all confused Is a dream just a dream Or a message comin’ through Sure makes you wonder But I ain’t gotta clue All I know is I love you Rain comes down It tastes so sweet Washing over you and me Wind and rain They are so real and true This I know I love you Rain comes down It tastes so sweet Washing over you and me Wind and rain They are so real and true The sun always shines When skies are blue This I know This I know I love you The universe Is a mystery Planets spinnin’ Through galaxies They say there’s billions of stars And water on the moon But all I know is I love you All I know is I love you
7.
Your footsteps in the hallway Always lifted me higher Knowin’ soon I’d be holding you close Now silence echoes so resoundingly And our room is so empty and cold We had forever in our hearts Such a sweet connection Love was so easy and carefree Now there’s only tears and sad words unspoken Let’s say goodbye and just let it be ‘Cause what are we doin’ What are we doin’ here We can’t resurrect our love ‘Cause it’s gone gone gone Let’s face the sorrow and the tears And ask ourselves what’s really goin’ on Honey what are we doin’ What are we doin’ here When there is doubt there is worry And our hearts can’t carry Such a heavy heavy heavy load Our love just crumbled and scattered in pieces Let’s say goodbye forever more We can’t resurrect our love ‘Cause it’s gone gone gone Let’s face the sorrow and the tears And ask ourselves what’s really goin’ on Honey what are we doin’ What are we doin’ here We can’t resurrect our love ‘Cause it’s gone gone gone Let’s face the sorrow and the tears And ask ourselves what’s really goin’ on Honey what are we doin’ What are we doin’ here What are we doin’ here
8.
This is Satan’s Playground Honey you’re his whore And all you wanna do Is even the score You been pimpin’ his gospel Since the day I left Bullets in the chamber Meant for my head Bullets in my head But you can’t kill me Cause I’m already dead Well I scorned you woman Got a pretty young girl To rotate my tires and change my oil Woke up one day read her letter goodbye Did not care if I lived or died I did not care No you can’t kill me Cause I’m already dead Woman you’re speakin’ in tongues Want to get medieval Got a ballpeen hammer A blade and a chisel A chainsaw nicely lubricated Want to splatter my blood But I ain’t participatin’ Got a ballpeen hammer No you can’t kill me Cause I’m already dead No you can’t kill me Cause I’m already dead You’re speakin’ in tongues Want to get medieval Got a ballpeen hammer A blade and chisel Chainsaw nicely lubricated Wanna splatter my blood But I ain’t participatin’
9.
Mercy Undone 03:23
When did mercy come undone Good intentions right now ain’t good enough Pick up the shield pick up the sword Carry their burden as if it was your own Rio Grande River overflows with tears Journeys of hope ending in a cage down here Broken dreams in the Promised Land Families lookin’ for a second chance When did mercy come undone Good intentions right now ain’t good enough Pick up the hammer pick up the spike Tear down the walls and shatter the locks Unseen people strugglin’ everyday Tryin’ to hold on and somehow find their way Do they see us as the invisible ones Hidin’ in our cars and shoutin’ on the television When did mercy come undone Good intentions right now ain’t good enough Pick up the hammer pick up the spike Tear down the walls and shatter the locks People denied people alone Walk in their shoes in your heart and soul Say a prayer say hello Stop and listen to their stories untold
10.
Cops are lightin’ up this town Like a Christmas tree Blue and red Ain’t nothin’ I wanna see People say I did it But I’m an innocent man And I will be damned I will be damned My baby kicked me out Just about a month ago Ashes in the fireplace She burned everythin’ I own All I got is time and trouble And a desperate master plan And I will be damned I will be damned I owe a lotta people money They sure wanna see me bleed Buzzards huntin’ road kill They wanna start peckin’ on me I once lived the high life One-carat diamond on both hands Now I’m hiding in this alleyway With a pistol in my hand And I will be damned I will be damned I will be damned
11.
Where did you come from And how did you know Just what my heart’s been longin’ for It’s the feelin’ I get when you walk through my door Hey baby I want some more Just about the time That I lost all faith You said the words I needed somebody to say Your whisper echoes deep inside of my soul Hey baby I want some more Maybe a little bit just might do I just can’t get enough of you Each taste is sweeter than the one before Hey baby I want some more All my yesterdays They were lonely and blue Now I just can’t wait to come on home to you Come lay down with me and let’s take it real slow ‘Cause hey darlin’ I want some more Maybe a little bit just might do I just can’t get enough of you Each taste is sweeter than the one before Hey baby I want some more Hey darlin’ I want some more I want some more
12.
Savannah 03:20
Oh Savannah prettiest girl that I ever did see Oh Savannah you’re the only woman that I will ever need Gonna walk through this life with Savannah right here next to me next to me She’s a Georgia peach sweetest one on the tree Just one taste sure got to me I can’t believe my heart feels like this It happened that day with one little kiss Oh Savannah prettiest girl that I ever did see Oh Savannah you’re the only woman that I will ever need Gonna walk through this life with Savannah right here next to me next to me The gate swings open on the picket fence My heart skips a beat hearing your footsteps The clock it don’t tic toc anymore Time stands still when you walk through that door Oh Savannah prettiest girl that I ever did see Oh Savannah you’re the only woman that I will ever need Gonna walk through this life with Savannah right here next to me next to me Look into our eyes There’s no secrets no lies Just honest emotions True love and devotion Oh Savannah prettiest girl that I ever did see Oh Savannah you’re the only woman that I will ever need Gonna walk through this life with Savannah right here next to me next to me next to me

about

John's sixth cd is an eclectic, genre busting multi-genre mix of styles, but at the heart of it all are 12 new songs born of John's imagination and real life experiences.

The CD was recorded in Nashville by legendary producer Brad Jones (Hayes Carll, Bobby Bare Jr., Steve Forbert) after a successful crowd-funding campaign.

One song is inspired by his son and another is a eulogy to his closest friend who passed away late in 2019.

He dips into his musical trick bag with acoustic music highlighting his songs and then stretches out with some R&B and blues grooves on others. On this record he hijacks some songs with his tasteful electric guitar soloing and some interesting lyrical and production detours.

Recorded in Nashville with "old friends and friends of friends" you'll find his new release lives up to the high standard John brings to his music. 

credits

released May 21, 2020

Recorded and mixed by Brad Jones at Alex The Great Studios Nashville, TN January 27-31, 2020.
Co-Producers: Brad Jones and John Bunzow
Horn and string arrangements: Brad Jones
Assistant Engineer: Boone Wallace
Mastered by Urie Tropets at Sherrett Studios Gresham, Oregon
Graphic Design: Fred Ingram
Photography: Owen Carey (Front cover) Debra Penk (Back cover)
Artist Management: Shelley Garrett

Executive Producers: Scotty Ferrari and Betsy Rickles

Musicians:
John Bunzow: Vocals, acoustic and electric guitars. (All electric guitar solos)
Brad Jones: Upright and electric basses, keyboards, xylophone, acoustic guitars, electric mandolin.
Jim Hoke: Steel guitar, clarinet, flute, keyboards.
Pat Buchanan: Electric guitars (wah wah guitar solo on Devil Wind)
James “Hags” Haggerty: Electric basses.
Steve Conn: Hammond B3 organ, accordion.
Jody Nardone: Hammond B3 organ.
Kenneth Blevins: Drums, percussion.
John Radford: Drums, percussion.
Josh Hunt: Drums, percussion.
Tammy Rogers-King: Violins, mandolin.
Carey Kotsionis: Background vocals.
Anthony Crawford: Background vocals.

All songs written by John Bunzow except Devil Wind written by John Bunzow and Tammy Rogers-King. You Can’t Kill Me written by John Bunzow and Brad Jones.
Heartfelt thanks to all the gifted musicians whose talents helped make these songs come alive!

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John Bunzow Portland, Oregon

He’s as likely to draw on his love of country legend Merle Haggard or barroom bard Tom Waits, as he is the smooth R&B and soul of Marvin Gaye, the folk wisdom of Bob Dylan, or the blues of Albert King.

He has established himself as an original artist of heartfelt depth, substance and style.
 
Bunzow commutes regularly to Nashville from his home base in Portland.
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