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18 Carat Garbage Demos

by Billie Ray Martin

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jkaFL
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jkaFL I love this demo album because you can hear the 18 carat garbage album from a different angle, with more focus on just Billie's vocal and minus all the electronica elements (which are great, don't get it twisted!) This stuff is pure soul and rhythm and blues that sounds like a final record actually and not just a demo album! Favorite track: Legends That Die.
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1.
hello! why are there footprints on the wall and w-oh hello! tissues and tears on the floor and why does the sun hang so low in the sky it pries through the blinds and the walls have long shadows hold on! there's no spirit in your sadness hold on! there is method in your madness and no honey, you're not insane just Jackson Pollock in your brain so come on hold on to your madness too hello! you need a script just to talk and w-oh hello! there ain't a bomb you won't drop but you're not the only one who will stalk his own mind the blind lead the blind and the gods have long faces hold on! there's no spirit in your sadness hold on! there is method in your madness and now that you stand accused there's only you and Howard Hughes so come on hold on to your madness too oh you you are the soul of the asylum celebrate your creation come on hold on! there's no spirit in your sadness hold on! there is method in your madness and now that you stand accused there's only you and Howard Hughes so come on hold on to your madness hold on! there's no spirit in your sadness hold on, yeah! there is method in your madness and no honey you're not insane, ha ha! just Jackson Pollock in your brain so come on hold on to your madness too
2.
I saw my face in the paper today it said hello to the face that i saw at home then I read a tale of a girl with my name it was not the one that I know, no you shook my hand and you said you understand and you said that you know where I'm coming from but the only place that I've ever been is far, far from known what you say about me stabs me in the heart what you read about me is a shot in the dark I've never been to Memphis I've never seen my good-luck star I've never seen Las Vegas lights laughing at the dark I've never dragged the train of my dress down Elvis Presley Boulevard I've never been to Memphis cross my heart, hm I want to see my name in neon lights cause the words that you write they don't last, my friends they only shine a day at a time and leave stains on my hands, well so what's the use in rolling the dice when you already know how it's gonna fall you think that if you play your cards right you might deal with us all what're gonna do when a seven falls will the rolling thunder scatter all of your cards I've never been to Memphis, no I've never seen my good-luck star I've never seen Las Vegas lights laughing at the dark I've never dragged the train of my dress down Elvis Presley Boulevard I've never been to Memphis cross my heart, cross my heart ooh yes believe me I've never been to Memphis, no no I've never seen my good-luck star, baby I wanna see Las Vegas lights, yeah laughing at the dark I've never dragged the train of my dress down Elvis Presley Boulevard I've never been to Memphis cross my heart, cross my heart I've never been to Memphis, no no no I've never seen my good-luck star, yeah I've never seen Las Vegas lights, yeah laughing at the dark I've never dragged the train of my dress down Elvis Presley Boulevard (yeah) I've never been to Memphis cross my heart, yeah I've never been to Memphis, no no I've never seen my good-luck star (no no) I've never seen Las Vegas lights, yeah laughing at the dark I've never dragged a train of my dress through the Nevada desert sand I've never been to Memphis raise my hand, raise my hand, baby, yeah tell it how it is, c'mon on whoo! cross my heart whow! that's the one - that was the one
3.
I don't know how long I've been alone now oh and I I don't know, oh no how it ended up this way oh and I I don't care who will break my heart the next time around oh and all I can say is that this loneliness makes me scared anyone will do for a heartache, hm and if it's not you let it be anyone but you anyone will do fine for a heartache, yeah and if it's not you let it be someone, anyone but you I don't see (I don't see) oh no no what becomes of the broken hearted (no no) no and I I don't see (sometimes I don't see) see them walking down the same old dead end street as me, no oh and I I'm so tired (I'm so tired) just to wallow around in all of this sorrow oh and all, all this time (all this time) ain't enough time (no no no no) to ease the pain anyone will do, oh for a heartache, mm and if it's not you (if it's not you) let it be anyone, anyone but you anyone will do, oh for a heartache, mm and if it's not you (if it's not you) let it be someone, anyone, anyone oh, no time waits for anyone no it won't wait for anyone (no no no...) who waits in vain anyone will do, oh, for a heartache (for a heartache) baby and if it's not you (hm) let it be anyone, oh anyone but you anyone will do, yes! for a heartache and if it's not you (if it's not you) let it be someone (someone) anyone, anyone let it be someone, anyone (someone), anyone (anyone) but you (hm)
4.
oh, my heart here right now I, I tell ya I wanna know how could you go this far hidin' away all the love that you've got [hey there] (you) gave it all away locked yourself in a shell but don't you know that in every shell you might find the white of a pearl these lonely hearts in armour standing alone cause they don't know the words to say crying those tears out of steel for the love they're hidin' away [wow] there'll come a time when these hearts in armour I'm hiding will come to conquer you you'll be a heart in my arms, no more hearts in armour for you oh, my pearl everyone knows that you're as frail as a bird I know when love's unkind fallin' again seems a waste of your time oh in this battle of romance, yeah everyone wears a shield (yeah) but you might find that behind all the iron there just waits a hand to be held these lonely hearts in armour standin' alone cause they don't know the words to say cryin' those tears out of steel for the love they're hidin' away, oh baby there'll come a time when these hearts in armour I'm hidin' will come to conquer you you'll be a heart in my arms, no more hearts in armour for you, ooh oh baby these lonely hearts in armour standin' alone cause they don't know the words to say these lonely hearts in armour, yeah standin' alone cause they don't know the words to say these lonely hearts in armour standin' alone cause they don't, no they don't know, oh oh... yeah-yeah...
5.
I don't like your party dress cause this ain't no party you're falling around as if you you know where the ground is you've seen me a thousand times and you know what my name is but if you were in my shoes you'd know what the price of fame is so I wait outside to see what I can see and I follow you in through the blinds until you're part of me and I'm waiting yes I'm waiting I'm eighteen carat garbage parked outside your door won't you recognize my face you've seen me here before I'm eighteen carat garbage won't you hear me out don't wanna be living a lie don't slam the door I won't take a photograph cause nothing would be on it and there ain't a dime store novel that I could write from it and I don't wanna sound insane and I don't know what your game is I just wanna seize your brain and see where LA is so lock the house, burn it but save the silver tray but please give daddy that knife back and please throw the gun away I'm eighteen carat garbage parked outside your door won't you recognize my face you've seen me here before I'm eighteen carat garbage won't you hear me out don't wanna be living a lie don't slam the door there are hollow sounds in the hall of fame and they're haunting me I like people yeah I like people when they're on tv I'm eighteen carat garbage parked outside your door won't you recognize my face you've seen me here before I'm eighteen carat garbage, yeah won't you hear me out don't wanna be living a lie don't slam the door I'm eighteen carat garbage parked outside your door won't you recognize my face you've seen me here before I'm eighteen carat garbage won't you hear me out don't wanna be living a lie don't slam the door because I'm eighteen carat garbage parked outside your door won't you recognize me you've seen me here before I'm eighteen carat garbage won't you hear me out don't wanna be living a lie don't slam the door I'm eighteen carat garbage parked outside your door won't you recognize my face you've seen me here before I'm eighteen carat garbage won't you hear me out don't wanna be living a lie
6.
Captain Drag 04:07
give me a story (tale of a lifetime) give me a story (tale of a lifetime) (tale) (tale) he was a sailor he was captain of his ship and his arms were painted and strong he had his work and he had his friends there was only one thing that was wrong well, he had a change of mind he could no longer use what he knew he didn't choose well, he had a change of body and that's all that he wants you to know give me a story a reason to tell a tale of a lifetime something that is real give me a story like a long lost friend cause that's all he ever wanted and that's all he ever did now he's a woman he thought life could go on but his ship was taken away, hm (tale) he's still a captain and his arms are still strong but they don't like the dress that he wears oh yes, they had a change of mind they could no longer know how the wind was gonna blow he had a change of body and that's all he ever wanted to be, oh give me a story a reason to tell a tale of a lifetime something I can feel I've often wondered what these things are for on a cold night by the harbour life in a bottle, well well was never so hard, oh no it never was, mm-hm all the waves of his passion had to break out from under the glass, oh with all of the pressure oh well give me a story a reason to tell tale of a lifetime something that is real, yes give me a story no beginning and no end cause that's all he ever wanted and that's all he ever did and that's all he ever wanted, well well and that's all he ever did, hm-mm and that's all he ever wanted and that's all he ever did
7.
rats in the basement the family upstairs grow, grow tall as can be for the family on the fourth floor, oh everyone here will have love for sale today the stars are on the ground the girl is on the game if she don't get a job she won't be back to play rats in the basement the family upstairs food on the table and strangers that swear doves in the attic and dogs on the stairs legends that die and live again wait, see peroxide and pearls oh they come and go a knock on the door, oh-hoh who is outside is the dog all right dad's on the floor, these crumbling stairs are no solid ground heroes never fall legends never found the rats in the basement the family upstairs food on the table and strangers that swear doves in the attic and dogs on the stairs legends that die and live again won't you come back again and take her hand won't you come back again and take her hand help them to understand what makes a man and if they don't mind tell them to find rats in the basement the family upstairs food on the table and strangers that swear doves in the attic and dogs on the stairs legends that die and live again rats in the basement the family upstairs food on the table and strangers that swear doves in the attic and dogs on the stairs legends that die and live again they live again
8.
last night your picture crashed off the wall and I picked up the broken pieces off the floor since then every time I turn around broken glass is back right where it was before and I can hear your footsteps sound and your shadow's there beside me I can hear your footsteps sound and your ghost is right behind me tonight the night falls like a fear so dark and once again I'm haunted by the ghost of what once was but I can hear whispers and the sound of broken glass (mercy now), hm all I can do is to sit here, waiting for the past I can hear your footsteps sound and your shadow's there beside me, oh yes it is I can hear your footsteps sound, amen [?] and your ghost is right behind me and the day that breaks will find me in pieces (oh mercy now) just like your shattered frame, there lies my broken heart - waiting for the dark, oh and I can hear your footsteps sound and your shadow's there beside me (baby) and I can hear your footsteps sound, oh baby like I used to do and your ghost is right behind me, mm... and I can hear your footsteps sound, baby and your shadow's there beside me, oh yeah and I can hear your footsteps sound, baby, oh yes and your ghost is right behind me
9.
I've been misplaced and I've been mislead and I've been lost to myself for so long I am undone and I am untouched and I've been unmoved by this game for so long, oh Lord I am discolored and I am diluted and I've been dissolved into nothing for so long, oh Lord and I've been so caught up that I didn't notice that I know a change is gonna come (come) I've been withdrawn (withdrawn) I've been withheld and I've been put on the shelf for so long (so long, I have) oh yes I have I am disjointed and I am discouraged, oh yes and I've been holding my breath for so long, oh Lord, yeah I've been so ready (so ready yeah) so way ahead of myself that I didn't see a change is gonna come (come) (oh yes it will) to my mind bring all the peace you can find to my hands bring all the power that love commands cause I've been keeping (I've been keeping) my soul from receiving (my soul from receiving) oh yeah and oh Lord I've been helpless for so long, oh yes I have, oh yeah so let me go now (let me go now) cause I should know now (baby) that I know (I know) a change (mm-hm) is gonna come (come) (yes it's coming, yes it is) oh yes
10.
raised in no-man's land of solitude and time a radio's playing but the song's too pale to shine you're like your mobile home that's, that's been parked in desert land there's only a shopping mall to pull at the traveller's hands you're the echo of another day that time forgets conquer tomorrow it's like a call from the past conquer tomorrow and make it last just as long as it lasts and hold on to today cause this may be as good as it gets do you ever, do you ever see such grace? from the tequila inside you you wouldn't be too suprised if an alien landed in your trashcan tonight and there's a casino waiting at the chance of your restlessness it looks like a spacecraft shining through the fog and the mist and should you decide to gamble any future that you possess conquer tomorrow it's like a hole in the past conquer tomorrow and make it last just as long as it lasts and hold on to today cause this may be as good as it gets have you ever, have you ever been this blessed? and did you ever did you ever, yeah and did you ever know that you're you're larger than life? conquer tomorrow it's like a hole in the past conquer tomorrow and make it last just as long as it lasts and hold on to today cause this may be as good as it gets and don't ever, (yeah) don't ever feel dispossessed conquer tomorrow it's like a call from the past conquer tomorrow, yes

about

I love these demos. At the time i complained to Jon Tiven that i didn't like the basic drum programming and on the full-lenght demo vocal of 'Eighteen Carat Garbage' i can be heard at the end: 'I don't liiiike it", which of course ended up on the 'cutting room floor' as they say. Now i love them more than a lot of things I've done. First ever vocal performances of first ever recorded songs are always the best. Period.
The challenge, as is so often the case in this 'business' is the years of waiting until recordings, demos or otherwise, finally see the light of day.
Here's more:
Marvel as old drum machines clonk their way through BRM's original 'Billie goes to Memphis' demos. It has been uttered that these recordings capture her vision in a more immediate manner than the finished 18 Carat Garbage album. They were recorded at various bedroom recording facilities in London and New York, which did not stop one well known British editor-in-chief of an influential magazine to ask the question: did Willie Mitchell produce them?
One should also know that these demos contain the first unrehearsed vocals Billie ever performed of each song: sung shortly after writing was finished. magic! And as an added bonus, it includes 3 tracks recorded as demos for the album, but left off the final version, and only available here!

credits

released April 21, 2014

Written by:
01: Martin / Cole / Mackendricks.
02: Martin / Tschanz.
03: Martin / Mole.
04, 05, 06: Martin / Tiven / Tiven.
07, 10: Martin / Mackendricks.
08: Martin / Duffy.
09: Martin / Fryer / Conolly.

01, 07, 10: Musician/production: Caroline Mackendricks.
02: Musician/production: Mark Tschanz.
03: Musician/production: Charlie Mole.
04, 05, 06: Musicians: Jon and Sally Tiven. Production: Jon Tiven.
08: Musician/production: Melvyn Duffy.
09: Musicians: Fryer / Conolly. Production: Andrew Conolly.

Published by:
01: Touch Tones Music / Universal Music / Copyright Control.
02: Touch Tones Music / EMI Music Publishing.
03: Touch Tones Music / Warner Chappell Music Ltd.
04, 05, 06: Touch Tones Music / Jon Tiven Music, BMI / Sally Tiven Music, ASCAP.
07: Touch Tones Music / Copyright Control.
08: Touch Tones Music / Unknown.
09: Touch Tones Music / Running Mouse Music PRS / Warner Chappell Music Ltd.
10: Touch Tones Music / Copyright Control.

Recorded at various bedroom recording facilities in Great Britain and the USA.

Billie Ray Martin is a member of MCPS / GEMA / BMI.

Photography by Sissi Marini at House Of Blues studios, Memphis, Tennessee.
Graphic design by p-dog.org.

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Billie Ray Martin Berlin, Germany

"Billie Ray Martin is one of the living legends in modern music history and one of the best voices on planet earth."
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"Billie Ray Martin is an absolute revelation."
K.Hollings, The Wire
Billie Ray Martin: "I'm a kid from Hamburg’s red-light district, who wanted to be a soul singer, but ended up playing repetitive machine music, while still trying to be a soul singer"
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