We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

A Place In The Hills

by Magilla Shuwall

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $10 USD

     

1.
Runt Cats 04:11
See them little runt cats a-playin underneath the rusted car They’re gonna have twenty kittens of their own before they haul it away They sleep all night in a wheel well never knowin where they are And so do we too but I guess we like it that way We don’t know the make or the model-number of this world that spins But I guess that would only enable us to complain And I have faith that the dealer wouldn’t want us phoning in Each time there’s rain And the night bogs down the mirror inside the valley And I’m holding it out to the world tonight Throw another stick on the burn pile, let us light the bonfire high On a solitaire sort of night that tests our heart against chill Hold me forever darlin let the tears come from your eye If emotion don’t make you soon enough the hot ashes will I forged the trail through the tall grass found a place in the hills On the backs of generations just to observe They’ll pull me back in their laps if what I see makes me Lose my nerve I’m a baby in this world (So late to the show) (Growing arms and legs to walk) (Great Spirit teach me how to talk)
2.
Guilty Place 04:48
All the we’s turned to I’s after we said goodbye In the report of my life to the lord The weddings he favors with wealth shared to savor Is something I just can’t afford I nipped away, a Roman holiday Behind the back of everlasting grace And though I’d be forgiven I’d rather stay hidden And remember our guilty place Oh, the picture’s near black And the audio track is near silent But for peaks of delight We drew heavy curtains, still Could not be certain that no one was watching that night Those ancient trees, those gentle autumn breezes The animals who hunt and chase Care not for our stay, but they would have seen prey In the corners of a guilty place Home is where the heart is And my heart’s in you And that should suffice, but Earth’s fire and ice Leave me wanting a structure too (I never wondered how my love could fill the air Or who the love went to, the question became where)
3.
Get in my car, I’ll take you for a ride All the way down I-70 You can sleep in the back, I’ll play a tape you like With songs soft and heavenly We’ll stop in Effingham and get a dinner plate that’s just your size With piles of fries You’ll draw the best you can despite the moving car And fill up pages with your characters Get on my bus, we’ll ride away from here ‘Cos school is the scariest I read all the books that are coming out this year You can learn ‘em vicarious We’ll build a skyscraper on Merrydale Hill and sell the view To people coming through We’ll make a fortune off the people that we know They love us so We keep the lights on and the meter running Puttin’ on a big show just for you ‘Bout time you carry some of that fat weight sugar Too big for us to carry through We’ll bind you to the taxman’s treatise of employ and break your back To pick up all your slack He’s coming next for your guitar so look alive And write jingles for pizzerias
4.
The lifeguard unlocks the door, whistlin’ through his keys Sunlight hits the town Rec Center, peekin’ through the trees It’s time to start them big pool pumps, lots of kids comin’ out today And Sonny’s walkin’ back from his mornin’ chocolate milk, ready to play The lifeguard got an office job, he starts September 6th Till then, he swings his whistle around and he tosses out diving sticks Sonny gets faster and faster bringin’ those things back up ‘Cause runnin’ him around is the only way The lifeguard can get young Sonny to shut up ‘Cause he’ll talk all day ‘bout video games And schoolyard fights between unknown names His mama’s glad he’s found a buddy She also finds it a little funny That the lifeguard is the only one But they still have fun Now the lifeguard works for GuardLife, Ltd, typing out a letter to say “We’re sorry, but we have to deny your insurance claim” He didn’t recognie the address, it was that of Sonny’s mom And Sonny too, and when she read it she knew She would have to sell the car and sell the farm They packed everything in a little U-Haul And took it to the city, let some bitter nights fall He usually plays with more high-tech stuff But any shiny object is oddly enough To keep young Sonny on the run, and he still has fun His favorite game was to jump real high Off the c ouch and crush the head of the bad guy He played late at night when his mama was out And that wee hour was just about When the lifeguard’s tryin’ to turn in He lives below him, and he’s jumpin’ again Jump Sonny! Sonny’s getting’ back on track, swimmin’ just to stay warm And the lifeguard’s new, but just as true in dive-stick-tossin’ form GuardLife Ltd. Is gettin’ sued, someone was cookin’ up the books And Mama wasn’t dreamin’ when she thought she saw The new lifeguard givin’ her that special look They packed everything in a big U-Haul And took it to the ocean, sun and surf and all Sonny’s learnin’ to hang ten And Mama looks out to the men That kept her afloat when times got hard Sonny and the Lifeguard
5.
Chop Shop 03:13
Strung out on film & video Face down, you’ve got a place to go You can walk all night if you pull your coat tighter, yeah Got a backpack with a drum machine, A worms’-eye view of the city scene of snow Friends point fingers while they’re talking They know who’s down & out & one boy there wants to take you shopping If you check his music out Stay together, be a friend Share the trash you’re livin’ in Cause it’s all spare parts for the chop shop sugar The jaws that bite want you to trust them not to bite right through Cause they belong to a packmate who would not do that to you It’s bitter for us, yes But we shouldn’t second-guess ourselves with love Strung out among the places where the trains all run aground by a sound that cuts right through you know when i see you i hear it too strung out and you can't ask me where to go tonight some clown threw me 300 miles away down state looks good tonight with the city snow you sent us so relax and take it in from a distance my best friend when it thaws we'll hit the alleyways for similar spare parts and strays and spend our days in the chop shop sugar
6.
She walks in the room so light on her feet Heading in my direction she looks for a seat She's lit up like the skies over South Marcum beach in July And when I think who that bright smile might be for A sharp-dressed young man follows her from the door Puts his hands on her waist, gives the barkeep their order and I sigh If she's looking too good to be true it's never for you The luckiest man in the world's coming soon But till then she'll string you along for a while With her my-baby's here smile. She sees her grandchildren each Sunday at two They run around bored, treat the place like a zoo Her daughter just smiles as she makes her way through the spilt toys She can't say her name, but her smile tells all When her husband walks in from the nursing home hall Kisses her on the cheek and fixes her shawl before joining in the noise He held her through laughter and tears For fifty-two years Her body wore down but the magic appears On her face when her wheels cross the common room tile With a my-baby's-here smile They struggle and suffer to be fit and trim And choose the right shoes, bags and clothes to fit in But the best style that women can wear can't be fixed with a comb There's love in her eyes and she couldn't see clearer She's put up the makeup and become the mirror Reflecting the sweet play unfolding around her And knowing it'll carry her home Even the craziest cats are passed out And some tired drunken body has filled every couch But I’m sober enough to take these empties out before I go Out on the back porch you raise your eye And say “You considerate boys are my type” And I look behind me to see your guy but I don’t And now it’s not for someone else That twinkle that tells Me you’re so glad that you’ve got me to yourself I threw out my blues with the trash on the pile When I saw your my-baby’s here smile
7.
Got a steel reserve and a quarter-pound dog And a fat stack of papers on my backlog But I can’t, no I can’t be your dancing clown no more Gotta set my broken clavicle against the wheel Take a deep breath & let my burdens feel The right type of wind that my big brass lungs go for Bump yourself up a notcher, stoop to conquer Roll yr choices round yr tongue If you should falter, pray at the altar Of the love you draw your livin’ from, oh God I gotta suit that’s old, but the buttons new I got an old pair of shoes I took the kiwi to But I can’t and I won’t dance for you no more If I roll to the right I get a bump on my toe I roll to the left I get a freak show So I’ll sit here with you in the middle of somethin’ good You know them high-steppin strutters gonna roll that log Droppin’ waves on an unsuspecting tree frog It’s two roads diverged in a swampy southern wood There’s no indication of the frustration You’ll face when you first sign on So keep it upright And tip your cup right Off the curb till the liquor’s gone Dance for everybody in the whole reserve The tall black tango looks a bit unnerving Stumblin’ around the green years Make my love better, grow it every day I drink the hard steel, still my skin’s okay, Keep touchin me touchin me, smooth like the river on a Sunday Warm like the willow cryin’ everyday Tradin’ golden hours for some shit pay But once in a great great while you see A light shining through the rain That makes you wanna alchemize Your Steel Reserve into champagne And every time my family asks about that light They say Hey Magilla, what’s her name And though It’s held several over many years It always leaves me feelin’ the same It always leaves me singin’ the same
8.
Sweet Thing 03:00
I didn't think it was possible But you're just as sweet as I thought you were The right amount of sunshine for my day I won't let no man make a dog of me But you're a woman so I guess I'll see If I can keep my ego at bay And run up happy to see you Wagging my tail just to be with you Alarming how eagerly devoted I'd be, sweet thing You can call me a thousand times Call me some pet name that rhymes I won't get embarrassed, just call me again Keep me on the shortest leash I'll bark and bite whenever thieves Encroach in the night to rob my best friend Of her peace and her happiness I know she deserves no less Than comfort and protection and affection from me, sweet thing I'll be grateful for our precious ride Just as long as I can put my head outside And pretend that I'm flying But I won't have to pretend If your hand's in my hand Put your hand in my hand (shake) Maybe it's humanity That keeps me such a lonely me The money and the problems, just put them away Something to eat and something to smell Someone to love and I might as well Roll over and enjoy these dog days Without scratching or scrambling For some phony life that might have been What more could I need than what's right here with me, sweet thing
9.
How long must I wait for you to join me in this world? I know the person touchin your keys is the one you really want to be with But just give this old world a chance, you'll see How long God's been workin on this funny thing called me Just use your voice and there I'll be No network necessary So much riding on our vast connections How much do we really have If we can't suffer silence without text injections from equally bored strangers with the gift of gab? I know you can whip your gadget out and let the fingers fly But when everybody else is elsewhere, where am I? Too long have I seen these faces buried in their screens The world gets smaller every day, and so does people's tunnel vision Pretty soon it'll slip away & we'll see Whose song will be playin without digital compression, yeah It's quiet and it's out of key, but that's me The data's makin tracks along our busy airwaves, buzzin round our busy brains Half of it says "are you as bored as I am?" The other half says "Gotta go, I'm on the plane" Who knows what distant friends you're flyin off to now Cause everybody's got more elsewhere than the good earth will allow Stay right here with me and I'll show you the world As walked by two big feet Feel the same soft rains that'll fall On the grass after the last text message passes It just said 'help me, plz' We're here, and there's not much left to do but let the time go by You shouldn't have to run and hide from a world you can't control by typing Just push that buddy list aside and see If here is a place that you can handle with both hands free And soaking in the moon or sunlight, be happy Everybody's Elsewhere
10.
The world waits for you The world waits for you Is my heart full of poison because I decide my own fate? Is the clock full of ego because it tells you how late it’s getting? The world works for peace The world works for peace In your hometowns and cities, you’d see there’s much to be done But your own four walls are so comfortable And fun to die in The world waits for none I once ran through fields of technicolor green searching for gold Then they told me how much gold it takes to keep the fields green And I gave what I had and it wasn’t enough So the black bulldozers tore my field up And millers stole the grist Stealing sodas since the day we were born Blind to the new bite the pop’s taken on, so numbing Will we ever live our lives, right or wrong It’s better than airing our frustrations in the coldest dawn The boys search for home The boys search for home If there’s one to be had in the places where they stay Are they trusting enough to see it in that way and respect it? The home stands alone The home stands alone And the place in the hills sleeps among the waves of grain And I thought I was worthy to sing its sweet refrain Left the monitors on, so the world well knew All the powerful numbers two dear close friends could do But did nothing at all The world’s waiting
11.
Suppertime in Mactown, we all get Auten’s Pizza Got a crew to feed then you better feed ‘em right Game Day with the Foxes, let’s get Auten’s Pizza Grab the paper plates and we’ll divvy up the squares of delight Hamburger, green olives, or a Taco Pie Collect the little yellow coupons with the Chef Hat Guy Talkin’ ‘bout Auten’s Pizza People come from miles around for Auten’s Pizza Delafield to Broughton, Wayne City to Carmi Whether workin’ in the fields or fishin’ all day on Dolan At the end of the day you could use a hot Italian bite Where there’s open roads, a hand to hold, where there’s a cross There’ll be crust, hot cheese, and a rich red sauce (Let's Blues!) Nothin’s quite as haut’n fresh’n tasty as an Auten’s 643-3471
12.
I don’t know the last time I saw you Cause we broke up over the phone And ever since then, it’s my options gone thinner And my, how your prospects have grown Time closed the door, but I still love you We met in your hometown for coffee Despite all the places you’ve been A cup and a sleeve for each miniscule grievance A lid to keep all that steam in Let’s drink some more, cause I still love you Didn’t know what I had until you and the bad College education was gone A bad follow through with it and with you Left me chasing a dream and a song, so long I’m trouble, my pocketbook’s empty I’m trouble, I run with strange crowds And I won’t subject you do attempts to protect you From rain with my head in the clouds You deserve so much more, but I still love you Oi Magillers, don't be a plonker all your life A newer and brighter romance will inspire A wave of excitement in you You’ll love and you’ll laugh hard, and feel the half part Of everything you but me through, but we’re through So find a nice place in the city I’ll send a postcard from the sand And if the stars are aligned with the X’s I’ve signed with I’ll pull myself out by your hand And learn to soar, ‘cause I still love you

about

A recurring theme through the songs led me to name it after a piece of property that's been in my family for generations - the high country in Hamilton County, southern Illinois. They were always just called "The Hills" - I add Hamilton just to clarify. All photos shot at The Hills. Go there yourself on any day and you'll see the Great Architects of the Universe, milling about drinking their wine and writing stories.

credits

released August 20, 2011

Recorded in Mt. Vernon, SI by Tom Greathouse.
Music composed and performed by Magilla Shuwall.
Evil John Wilson sang on "My-Baby's-Here Smile".
Jonathan Raby played drums on "Runt Cats," "Chop Shop," "My-Baby's-Here Smile," "Sweet Thing," "Everybody's Elsewhere," and "I Still Love You".
Guitar arrangements by Michael Suess.
Mix Bouda-Lycaon shops at eBay.
Photography by Amanda Scott of Dream Big Photography.
Nealey Compton, Ember Harrelson, and Rachel Melton were our lovely models.
Back cover and graphics by Joel Lewis.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Magilla Shuwall Mount Vernon, Illinois

contact / help

Contact Magilla Shuwall

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

Magilla Shuwall recommends:

If you like Magilla Shuwall, you may also like: