Get all 42 Billie Ray Martin releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Electribe 101 - Demos and Rarities, Electribe 101 - The John Peel Session, Electribal Soul, Heading for the Night - The Frankie Knuckles Mixes, Your Loving Arms (Original single with Bonus and unreleased Mixes), The Glittering Gutter - The U.S. Club Mixes, Billie Ray Martin Vocal Sample Pack - The song sessions, The Soul Tapes, and 34 more.
1. |
Rainy Days And Saturdays
05:31
|
|||
Something to do on a Saturday
Look in the mirror
Apply the face
And frown
Too cold for the shops this Saturday
No one to call and no one to come around
A face for the world to see
Seems like a simple dream to me
But not on this Saturday
Life’s never seemed so far away, away...
And I wish that life could be
A Hollywood album
Like a book of perfect memories
But I don’t think so...
And I wish that life could be
A suburban postcard
Just the rain outside my window
But I know it’s not to be
It’s not for me
Tell me, do people run out of luck?
Walk to the kitchen, refill the cup
No pun intended
All just thoughts on a rainy day
The hours run dry
The fun has ended
A face for the world to know
Seems like a simple goal
On Monday
But not on this Saturday
My skin’s never seemed so pale and grey, away...
And I wish that life could be
A Hollywood album
Like a book of perfect memories
But I don’t think so...
And I wish that life could be
A suburban postcard
Just the rain outside my window
But I know it’s not to be
It’s not for me
And I wish that life could be
A Hollywood album
Like a book of perfect memories
But I don’t think so...
And I wish that life could be
A suburban postcard
Just the rain outside my window
But I know it’s not to be
It’s not for me
|
||||
2. |
I'm Not Simone Choule
05:36
|
|||
Now I know descending stairs are long
I’ve seen their faces gather, quite aware
This dream could last a lifetime
Now I see my fate ahead of me
I wear her floral dress my teeth are bare
This dream will last forever
And there’s no rest
Despite the silence
And there’s nowhere left to run
There’s a light there
At the bottom
They won’t find me
When I’m done
Now there’ll be someone that isn’t me
The lipstick on my mouth
It isn’t fair
The wig I’ll wear forever
There’s a ghost called isolation
It’s a tenant in my home
Where I will be who they tell me
When I’m down there
They’ll have won
And there’s no rest
Despite the silence
And there’s nowhere left to run
There’s a light there
At the bottom
They won’t find me
When I’m done
|
||||
3. |
Candy Coated Crime
04:56
|
|||
I was on my best behaviour
When the old attraction came to rise
If I make my breath go faster
The moment would arrive
Many times I’ve tried to refrain
But the image won’t subside
Could you be my sweet accomplice
In my candy coated crime
And if I only knew
If you know too
And what to do
Then I could do it to you
The moment would arrive
And if I knew you’d say
You would be meeting me halfway
Then I could plan it with you
My candy coated crime
Who would show the faintest interest
If I took it way too far this time
Who cares if I get arrested
I’m only playing CSI
It’s like murder in a sweet shop
You can’t tell the blood from sweet delights
Could I be identified of
My candy coated crime
And if I only knew
If you know too
And what to do
Then I could do it to you
My life is on the line
And if I knew you’d say
You would be meeting me halfway
Then I could plan it with you
My candy coated crime
And if I only knew
If you know too
And what to do
Then I could do it to you
The moment would arrive
And if I knew you’d say
You would be meeting me halfway
Then I could plan it with you
My candy coated crime
|
||||
4. |
||||
You can’t say I’m not human
But every hour, every minute,every second and beyond can pass me by
I’m really anything but bland
But what you see is what you get when I parade my silhouette down Rodeo Drive
And you can look inside
There is a light that shines
Under the pale white smile
You could say I’ve got some fame
Well I go out to lunch with actors now and then
And when I go home I’m still the same
And there’s really nothing there
When I look into the mirror I see really nothing here but a face and name
And you can leave me here
For where the glitter lay
There is a battlefield
And you can leave me here
I have no enemies
Only reality
If I was anybody then
I was a nobody to most but that was better
Now I’m everybody all the time
And I am miserable
Under the pretty shell
There are a thousand holes
|
||||
5. |
||||
Silent comes the nighttime from behind
Like a sandy greyish flicker in my eye
Ordering me to wash away the dust of everyday life
I watch TV, so much TV
Now there’s a vacancy where an aim used to be
If only silence would wash over me
But I’m only paralyzed
Like a puppet with the strings hanging I lie
A nothing, Mr Sandman
I need a dream badly
Give me the nightmares I’ll take them gladly
Give me the ghouls and ghosts
I’ll be a happy host
No more stalking, sleepwalking
Fearing the dawn that I’m so torn in, yeah
Silent the night descended
While all the world surrendered
I’m stabbing holes in this endless night
Silent the night came down and
Can I please just drown out of sight
Washing away in the clear starlight
Silent comes the nighttime just a solitary daze, hazy
And it feels more tiring than a hundred working days, this effort
But every night succeeds to put me in my place, this effort
Shooting these shadows, running the maze, this effort
I watch TV, so much TV
The books I read for company...
Was it like this as a child?
As a child/Was it always that
I was this tired from sleeping?
Outsmarted by tyrants, demons, demons, hazy
Like a puppet with the strings hanging I lie
A nothing, Mr Sandman give me one clear morning
Give me the nightmares I’ll take all of them
Silent the night descended
While all the world surrendered
I’m stabbing holes in this endless night
Silent the night came down and
Can I please just drown out of sight
Washing away in the clear starlight
|
||||
6. |
||||
Mama was beautiful
A mountain of fake hair would sometimes peek through the bedroom door
The money never hugged her the money was never warm
It did not tell her stories it did not sing bedtime songs
There were always sedate veils of some kind behind her eyes
And daily doses of something were keeping her paralyzed
Mama gave her Nembutal
When she interfered in her schedule
The measures were inevitable
Come on now be a good girl
Mama gave her everything
That chemicals and cash could bring
But instead of owning everything it only disowned her
Taking her life in hand
Selling her roller skates for an abortion
Almost joining the women’s movement
But she said the only movement I’m interested in
Is the one that gets me outta here and to Hollywood where I belong
Rosy cheeks productions helped her get to Hollywood
Where a girl’s gotta do what’s to do and be what she’s not
Now she’s dropped the booze and drugs
And discovered Häagen-Dazs
Her lips are injected with half her ass
Now she looks like the other girls
And she dropped the shoulder pads
For a pair of muscly lads
Don’t want to get Oprah on your ass
But her biography still won’t pass
Mama gave her everything
That chemicals and cash could bring
|
||||
7. |
Reality TV
03:44
|
|||
Saw a girl on the TV
At a prime time slot at five
Whatever made her believe if she’ll be herself she’ll arrive
And it’s been lonely
But it’s keeping her alive
With heaven starting around the corner if she tries
And there’s no one in the world just like her
No one with a face like that girl
See it all distort in tears when they break her down
Now she’s a lonely lonely girl
There’s no one else in the whole world
Oh such a lonely lonely girl
And the tears won’t stop
On her journey to world’s end
She was ready to fight it
Like a big eyed candy girl
Nothing but a desire to take on and beat the world
And the nation sees her make-up running
A dream ends at fifteen with no warning
Entertainment takes a life in a moments time
So now she’s a lonely lonely girl
There’s no one there in the whole world
Oh such a lonely lonely girl
And the tears won’t stop
On her journey to world’s end
Big tears and make-up
Leave a trace when she breaks up
And the tears won’t stop
When they pick her up
And now she’s a lonely lonely girl
There’s no one else in the whole world
Oh such a lonely lonely girl
And the tears won’t stop
On her journey to world’s end
So now she’s a lonely lonely girl
There’s no one there in the whole world
Oh such a lonely lonely girl
And the tears won’t stop
On her journey to world’s end
|
||||
8. |
Jalousies And Jealousies
05:05
|
|||
Here
From a fireplace
And the stale cocktails
To the one who fails
There
And I know the way
You go fall astray
When the rent’s not paid
Now you have me in your mirror
And I’m standing like a ghost
Through the jalousies
The wind it blows
And through all these strange illusions
I can hear it like a song
In your jealousies
The window knows
Framed
Like a forgery
And how much you pay
It is never real
Jailed
It’s the bars I see
In these jealousies
My fate I’ll be
Now you have me in your mirror
And I’m standing like a ghost
Through the jalousies
The wind it blows
And through all these strange illusions
I can hear it like a song
In your jealousies
The window froze
Now you have me in your mirror
And I’m standing like a ghost
Through the jalousies
The wind it blows
And through all these strange illusions
I can hear it like a song
In your jealousies
The window froze
Now you have me in your mirror
And I’m standing like a thief
Through the jalousies
The falling leaves
And through all these strange illusions
I can feel it like dream
In your jealousies
I’m gone and been
|
||||
9. |
||||
She will run and hide from the nannies
Making fun of those big nannies with guns
It’s a strange little girl, such a strange little girl
She’ll go through the fences
Sneak away to see her friends, beautiful blue
It’s a strange little girl
such a strange little girl
Dinah and the beautiful blue, in the fields
They will sing for hours
Dinah and the beautiful blue, letting through
All the hidden powers
Dinah and the beautiful blue, with the force
Of a million lifetimes
Dinah and the beautiful blue, bring me love
Make me smile again
So she runs and hides from the nannies
Making fun of those big nannies with guns
In the late afternoon, let them ring all the bells
Let them search as daylight fades way
Dinah and the beautiful blue, in the fields
They will sing for hours
Dinah and the beautiful blue, letting through
All the hidden powers
Dinah and the beautiful blue, with the force
Of a million lifetimes
Dinah and the beautiful blue, in the fields
They will sing again
|
||||
10. |
||||
I was on my best behaviour
When the old attraction came to rise
If I make my breath go faster
The moment would arrive
Many times I’ve tried to refrain
But the image won’t subside
Could you be my sweet accomplice
In my candy coated crime
And if I only knew
If you know too
And what to do
Then I could do it to you
The moment would arrive
And if I knew you’d say
You would be meeting me halfway
Then I could plan it with you
My candy coated crime
Who would show the faintest interest
If I took it way too far this time
Who cares if I get arrested
I’m only playing CSI
It’s like murder in a sweet shop
You can’t tell the blood from sweet delights
Could I be identified of
My candy coated crime
And if I only knew
If you know too
And what to do
Then I could do it to you
My life is on the line
And if I knew you’d say
You would be meeting me halfway
Then I could plan it with you
My candy coated crime
And if I only knew
If you know too
And what to do
Then I could do it to you
The moment would arrive
And if I knew you’d say
You would be meeting me halfway
Then I could plan it with you
My candy coated crime
|
||||
11. |
||||
You can’t say I’m not human
But every hour, every minute,every second and beyond can pass me by
I’m really anything but bland
But what you see is what you get when I parade my silhouette down Rodeo Drive
And you can look inside
There is a light that shines
Under the pale white smile
You could say I’ve got some fame
Well I go out to lunch with actors now and then
And when I go home I’m still the same
And there’s really nothing there
When I look into the mirror I see really nothing here but a face and name
And you can leave me here
For where the glitter lay
There is a battlefield
And you can leave me here
I have no enemies
Only reality
If I was anybody then
I was a nobody to most but that was better
Now I’m everybody all the time
And I am miserable
Under the pretty shell
There are a thousand holes
|
||||
12. |
||||
She will run and hide from the nannies
Making fun of those big nannies with guns
It’s a strange little girl, such a strange little girl
She’ll go through the fences
Sneak away to see her friends, beautiful blue
It’s a strange little girl
such a strange little girl
Dinah and the beautiful blue, in the fields
They will sing for hours
Dinah and the beautiful blue, letting through
All the hidden powers
Dinah and the beautiful blue, with the force
Of a million lifetimes
Dinah and the beautiful blue, bring me love
Make me smile again
So she runs and hides from the nannies
Making fun of those big nannies with guns
In the late afternoon, let them ring all the bells
Let them search as daylight fades way
Dinah and the beautiful blue, in the fields
They will sing for hours
Dinah and the beautiful blue, letting through
All the hidden powers
Dinah and the beautiful blue, with the force
Of a million lifetimes
Dinah and the beautiful blue, in the fields
They will sing again
|
||||
13. |
||||
Now I know descending stairs are long
I’ve seen their faces gather, quite aware
This dream could last a lifetime
Now I see my fate ahead of me
I wear her floral dress my teeth are bare
This dream will last forever
And there’s no rest
Despite the silence
And there’s nowhere left to run
There’s a light there
At the bottom
They won’t find me
When I’m done
Now there’ll be someone that isn’t me
The lipstick on my mouth
It isn’t fair
The wig I’ll wear forever
There’s a ghost called isolation
It’s a tenant in my home
Where I will be who they tell me
When I’m down there
They’ll have won
And there’s no rest
Despite the silence
And there’s nowhere left to run
There’s a light there
At the bottom
They won’t find me
When I’m done
|
||||
14. |
||||
Here
From a fireplace
And the stale cocktails
To the one who fails
There
And I know the way
You go fall astray
When the rent’s not paid
Now you have me in your mirror
And I’m standing like a ghost
Through the jalousies
The wind it blows
And through all these strange illusions
I can hear it like a song
In your jealousies
The window knows
Framed
Like a forgery
And how much you pay
It is never real
Jailed
It’s the bars I see
In these jealousies
My fate I’ll be
Now you have me in your mirror
And I’m standing like a ghost
Through the jalousies
The wind it blows
And through all these strange illusions
I can hear it like a song
In your jealousies
The window froze
Now you have me in your mirror
And I’m standing like a ghost
Through the jalousies
The wind it blows
And through all these strange illusions
I can hear it like a song
In your jealousies
The window froze
Now you have me in your mirror
And I’m standing like a thief
Through the jalousies
The falling leaves
And through all these strange illusions
I can feel it like dream
In your jealousies
I’m gone and been
|
||||
15. |
||||
Silent comes the nighttime from behind
Like a sandy greyish flicker in my eye
Ordering me to wash away the dust of everyday life
I watch TV, so much TV
Now there’s a vacancy where an aim used to be
If only silence would wash over me
But I’m only paralyzed
Like a puppet with the strings hanging I lie
A nothing, Mr Sandman
I need a dream badly
Give me the nightmares I’ll take them gladly
Give me the ghouls and ghosts
I’ll be a happy host
No more stalking, sleepwalking
Fearing the dawn that I’m so torn in, yeah
Silent the night descended
While all the world surrendered
I’m stabbing holes in this endless night
Silent the night came down and
Can I please just drown out of sight
Washing away in the clear starlight
Silent comes the nighttime just a solitary daze, hazy
And it feels more tiring than a hundred working days, this effort
But every night succeeds to put me in my place, this effort
Shooting these shadows, running the maze, this effort
I watch TV, so much TV
The books I read for company...
Was it like this as a child?
As a child/Was it always that
I was this tired from sleeping?
Outsmarted by tyrants, demons, demons, hazy
Like a puppet with the strings hanging I lie
A nothing, Mr Sandman give me one clear morning
Give me the nightmares I’ll take all of them
Silent the night descended
While all the world surrendered
I’m stabbing holes in this endless night
Silent the night came down and
Can I please just drown out of sight
Washing away in the clear starlight
|
||||
16. |
||||
I was on my best behaviour
When the old attraction came to rise
If I make my breath go faster
The moment would arrive
Many times I’ve tried to refrain
But the image won’t subside
Could you be my sweet accomplice
In my candy coated crime
And if I only knew
If you know too
And what to do
Then I could do it to you
The moment would arrive
And if I knew you’d say
You would be meeting me halfway
Then I could plan it with you
My candy coated crime
Who would show the faintest interest
If I took it way too far this time
Who cares if I get arrested
I’m only playing CSI
It’s like murder in a sweet shop
You can’t tell the blood from sweet delights
Could I be identified of
My candy coated crime
And if I only knew
If you know too
And what to do
Then I could do it to you
My life is on the line
And if I knew you’d say
You would be meeting me halfway
Then I could plan it with you
My candy coated crime
And if I only knew
If you know too
And what to do
Then I could do it to you
The moment would arrive
And if I knew you’d say
You would be meeting me halfway
Then I could plan it with you
My candy coated crime
|
||||
17. |
||||
Saw a girl on the TV
At a prime time slot at five
Whatever made her believe if she’ll be herself she’ll arrive
And it’s been lonely
But it’s keeping her alive
With heaven starting around the corner if she tries
And there’s no one in the world just like her
No one with a face like that girl
See it all distort in tears when they break her down
Now she’s a lonely lonely girl
There’s no one else in the whole world
Oh such a lonely lonely girl
And the tears won’t stop
On her journey to world’s end
She was ready to fight it
Like a big eyed candy girl
Nothing but a desire to take on and beat the world
And the nation sees her make-up running
A dream ends at fifteen with no warning
Entertainment takes a life in a moments time
So now she’s a lonely lonely girl
There’s no one there in the whole world
Oh such a lonely lonely girl
And the tears won’t stop
On her journey to world’s end
Big tears and make-up
Leave a trace when she breaks up
And the tears won’t stop
When they pick her up
And now she’s a lonely lonely girl
There’s no one else in the whole world
Oh such a lonely lonely girl
And the tears won’t stop
On her journey to world’s end
So now she’s a lonely lonely girl
There’s no one there in the whole world
Oh such a lonely lonely girl
And the tears won’t stop
On her journey to world’s end
|
||||
18. |
||||
You can’t say I’m not human
But every hour, every minute,every second and beyond can pass me by
I’m really anything but bland
But what you see is what you get when I parade my silhouette down Rodeo Drive
And you can look inside
There is a light that shines
Under the pale white smile
You could say I’ve got some fame
Well I go out to lunch with actors now and then
And when I go home I’m still the same
And there’s really nothing there
When I look into the mirror I see really nothing here but a face and name
And you can leave me here
For where the glitter lay
There is a battlefield
And you can leave me here
I have no enemies
Only reality
If I was anybody then
I was a nobody to most but that was better
Now I’m everybody all the time
And I am miserable
Under the pretty shell
There are a thousand holes
|
||||
19. |
||||
Now I know descending stairs are long
I’ve seen their faces gather, quite aware
This dream could last a lifetime
Now I see my fate ahead of me
I wear her floral dress my teeth are bare
This dream will last forever
And there’s no rest
Despite the silence
And there’s nowhere left to run
There’s a light there
At the bottom
They won’t find me
When I’m done
Now there’ll be someone that isn’t me
The lipstick on my mouth
It isn’t fair
The wig I’ll wear forever
There’s a ghost called isolation
It’s a tenant in my home
Where I will be who they tell me
When I’m down there
They’ll have won
And there’s no rest
Despite the silence
And there’s nowhere left to run
There’s a light there
At the bottom
They won’t find me
When I’m done
|
||||
20. |
||||
I was on my best behaviour
When the old attraction came to rise
If I make my breath go faster
The moment would arrive
Many times I’ve tried to refrain
But the image won’t subside
Could you be my sweet accomplice
In my candy coated crime
And if I only knew
If you know too
And what to do
Then I could do it to you
The moment would arrive
And if I knew you’d say
You would be meeting me halfway
Then I could plan it with you
My candy coated crime
Who would show the faintest interest
If I took it way too far this time
Who cares if I get arrested
I’m only playing CSI
It’s like murder in a sweet shop
You can’t tell the blood from sweet delights
Could I be identified of
My candy coated crime
And if I only knew
If you know too
And what to do
Then I could do it to you
My life is on the line
And if I knew you’d say
You would be meeting me halfway
Then I could plan it with you
My candy coated crime
And if I only knew
If you know too
And what to do
Then I could do it to you
The moment would arrive
And if I knew you’d say
You would be meeting me halfway
Then I could plan it with you
My candy coated crime
|
||||
21. |
||||
Here
From a fireplace
And the stale cocktails
To the one who fails
There
And I know the way
You go fall astray
When the rent’s not paid
Now you have me in your mirror
And I’m standing like a ghost
Through the jalousies
The wind it blows
And through all these strange illusions
I can hear it like a song
In your jealousies
The window knows
Framed
Like a forgery
And how much you pay
It is never real
Jailed
It’s the bars I see
In these jealousies
My fate I’ll be
Now you have me in your mirror
And I’m standing like a ghost
Through the jalousies
The wind it blows
And through all these strange illusions
I can hear it like a song
In your jealousies
The window froze
Now you have me in your mirror
And I’m standing like a ghost
Through the jalousies
The wind it blows
And through all these strange illusions
I can hear it like a song
In your jealousies
The window froze
Now you have me in your mirror
And I’m standing like a thief
Through the jalousies
The falling leaves
And through all these strange illusions
I can feel it like dream
In your jealousies
I’m gone and been
|
||||
22. |
||||
Something to do on a Saturday
Look in the mirror
Apply the face
And frown
Too cold for the shops this Saturday
No one to call and no one to come around
A face for the world to see
Seems like a simple dream to me
But not on this Saturday
Life’s never seemed so far away, away...
And I wish that life could be
A Hollywood album
Like a book of perfect memories
But I don’t think so...
And I wish that life could be
A suburban postcard
Just the rain outside my window
But I know it’s not to be
It’s not for me
Tell me, do people run out of luck?
Walk to the kitchen, refill the cup
No pun intended
All just thoughts on a rainy day
The hours run dry
The fun has ended
A face for the world to know
Seems like a simple goal
On Monday
But not on this Saturday
My skin’s never seemed so pale and grey, away...
And I wish that life could be
A Hollywood album
Like a book of perfect memories
But I don’t think so...
And I wish that life could be
A suburban postcard
Just the rain outside my window
But I know it’s not to be
It’s not for me
And I wish that life could be
A Hollywood album
Like a book of perfect memories
But I don’t think so...
And I wish that life could be
A suburban postcard
Just the rain outside my window
But I know it’s not to be
It’s not for me
|
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."
DJ Hell
"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"
... more
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