This opening track from the album is a pure narrative folk song on many levels. “Mercy for Discipline” is a term that I coined from the long tail concept of “receiving divine mercy for maintaining discipline in the face of a hostile situation, not of my own making”. The lyrics recall a true situation verbatim where a dire situation was fortuitously turned with a mighty sense of poetic justice. The true story behind this commenced around 2013 and was finally resolved 2016 (I can’t legally elaborate any further, but let’s just say that the “good guys” won).
Musically “Mercy for Discipline” is driven by an acoustic guitar, accompanied by two electric guitars giving it a real of Western feel. With the lead vocals, I tried to make it more of a deep voice Marty Robbins-like heavy reverb type situation. This is the first official public release where I play drums and they were recorded on two separate tracks – brushes on the main beat with a very simple country-like beat and some orchestral flourishes added and mixed with a heavy flange effect.
Ric Albano – vocals, guitars, bass, drums, percussion
Composed by Ric Albano on July 2, 2020
From the album Out There Somewhere by Ric Albano
Released October 24, 2020
Listen to the Song:
Lyrics
Trembling with fear as the date was drawing near,
I gauged all potential outcomes
Well, I didn’t want this fight but it arrived ‘neath the bright n’ sunny
August dog day summer sun, placing me under the gun
To avoid a sour fate, I wandered all throughout the state
And almost missed what’s clear and bright
In a classic case of irony, I capsized that misery and…
Reversed the culprit’s crooked plight to gain leverage in the fight
Dance with a plume to a retribution tune, sometimes the good guys win
Oh, how swift their pollution met a sweet retribution,
Instant mercy for discipline, wholly expunged sin
Well, go on now and do your worst for I refuse to reimburse
Or relinquish what is rightly mine
A magpie stored some paper gold which brought this dog in from the cold
And restored prestige back to fine, reset life to nine
Dance with all joy at this barricaded ploy, occasionally the right folks win
Infringement revised, remunerated, rectified, gentle mercy for discipline
Wholly expunged sin, elate revival within
Sure feels good to get a win, oh, thank God for my kin
© 2020 Ric Albano & Cygnus Wave Records. All Rights Reserved.
Track 1 of 13 from Out There Somewhere by Ric Albano (2020)
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