Get all 16 Janice Whaley releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of The Diary of Dark Days, Dark Days (single), Stepping Out (single), Up On Me, We Need You (single)- Flexi-Vinyl or Digital, Jaden Rap!, Patchwork Life, Best Of The Smiths Project, and 8 more.
1. |
Possession
04:52
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Do you remember
That fateful night
You first heard me and let me into your soul
Into your soul
Well I remember it like
Just like it was yesterday
Although it was
Many hearts and wounds ago
The oldest magic
Your heart trips the magic
And when the sound waves travel
Deep into marrow, conjure me
Follow my voice and I will
Yes I will take you there
I mean it like it was
Just like it sounds, summon me
Scratch the needle, tear the silence
Turn me right round
The oldest magic
Your heart trips the magic
Let me in
Once you hear my voice
I’ll never leave
I am in the foreground
Singing out those veiled words hiding right beneath your skin
(possession)
I am in the background
Mending all those tiny little fractures in your soul
(possession)
I’ll never leave you
I’ll never leave you
And when the isolation
Tries to swallow you, cast a spell
Like a force field to deflect
And shield you from the pain
I am the time machine
To take you back
To the time, to the place
To the heartbeat of it all
The oldest magic
Your heart trips the magic
Let me in
Once you hear my voice
I’ll never leave.
Lean into the whispers
Once you hear my voice
I’m here to stay
I am in the foreground
Singing out those veiled words hiding right beneath your skin
(possession)
I am in the background
Mending all those tiny little fractures in your soul
(possession)
I am in the foreground
Singing out the words your hiding deep beneath your tongue
(possession)
I am in the background
Singing out those tiny little voices in your soul
(possession)
I’ll never leave you
I’ll never leave you
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2. |
Pretend
06:42
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Oh, alternate reality
I will be what ever you need me to be
Put on this hat
Grab that coat there
Time to become someone else
I’ll wear my best lipstick
You'll pour on the charm
We can be whoever we want
To step out of our rough-draft skin
And dive into the night
To make believe that it all works out
Though the fire’s at your door
It burns so red white and blue
Oh take me out of here with you
Let’s play pretend
I’ll be the monster that’s howling for you
You be the shadow that wraps around us so carefully
I wish that I had a different background
I wish that you weren’t so pixelated
By the way... do you know how to keep breathing?
Don’t take your eyes off me
But don’t drain your battery
Let’s just be whoever we want
I’ll be wearing red in a broken room
(As seen from behind the curtains)
You'll be changing shape in the pale moonlight
Just to jump out when I look away
Oh it’s getting hard to take
I wish that I was right there by your side
Help me find the alternate reality tonight
Let’s play pretend
You be the monster that’s howling for you
I'll be the shadow that wraps around us so carefully
You are so unreal
You are so unreal
Let’s play pretend
I'll be the monster that’s howling for you
You be the shadow that wraps around us so carefully
Let’s play pretend
I’ll be the monster
You be the shadow
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3. |
Dark Days
05:06
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So much for stories tried and true
Well here comes the part you never knew
And it was written especially for me and you
Well I close my eyes and count to ten
Hoping to even-keel and then
When I open my eyes nothing's changed
It's all same as it ever was but now
We're gonna watch you melt
It's going to be a long day for you
They stood on high and called you out
For trying to bring the end about
In a cataclysmic call to ending things
Can't you see I'm for you, you're for me
Well I just can't fight it anymore
No I just can't fight it anymore
This colossal washout of misery
Flowing down and out to the sea
We're gonna watch you melt
Oh any day now we're gonna watch you melt
It's going to be a long day for you
Oh watch you melt
Did you think that you could get away with it?
Did you think that we would never find out?
Oooh fuck around and find out
And if we had a do-over
If we went back to the start
Don't you know we would make the same mistakes
Headed for dark days
You're headed for dark days
But soon we're gonna watch you melt
Oh yeah, we're gonna watch you melt
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4. |
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I really can't explain it she said
It's as if I'm not at all here
This feeling that I'm not fully opaque
And the pen scratched at the paper quietly on and on and on
Then she stopped to force a tear
But neither this nor laughter came
Did you steal the last piece of the puzzle?
The one that could have helped me to fit in
If I weave the threads of you silence
Into arms that I wrap around me
It wouldn't change the fact that I just don't belong here
And I fear I can't shake this gutwrench
If I....
Keep it inside
Keep it locked up
Keep it safe
Where no one will find out
When I'm in a crowd
When I'm all alone
I just can't shake this gutwrench
When I am with you
I'm still so alone
I just can't shake this gutwrench
If I weave the threads of you silence
Into arms that I wrap around me
It wouldn't change the fact that I just don't belong here
And I fear I can't shake this gutwrench
When I'm in a crowd
When I'm all alone
I just can't shake this gutwrench
When I am with you
I'm still so alone
I just can't shake this gutwrench
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5. |
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It was the darndest thing
You'd never believe where I woke up
It was pitch dark
And the ceiling was just above my head
And everyone else was six feet above me
What a wake-up call
What a wake-up call
It's strange the things that go through your mind
Like the time when you posted that How-To Guide
If this should happen to you...
Well here's
How to escape being buried alive
Here is the low-down, the pro trick
To escape being buried alive
Here is a list of things you must do
To free yourself
Screaming increases anxiety
And you've only go one more hour left to breathe
Cross your arms at the waist
And pull your shirt right over your face
To keep the dirt out
Of your mouth
Push the lid over
To one side
Push the dirt down
All the way down to your legs
And don't forget to breath slowly
As you try your best to sit up
That's how you escape being buried alive
Here is the low-down, the pro trick
To escape being buried alive
Here is a list of things you must do
To free yourself
To free yourself
Free yourself
Can't believe I did it
Can't believe I...
Free yourself
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6. |
Stepping Out
06:10
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Peel away the broken skin
Of sour grapes
Death defying reason
Falls into place
Woke up from a real life
To set the dreams alite
It takes guts to step out into the unknown
Believe, it's time to believe
Stepping out
Believe, it's time to believe
Every little step
Every little step I'll be there for you
Every little step
Stepping outside without spacesuits
Fall away the cracked shell
Of wariors past
Terrifying freedom
Of being here at last
Hold tight to the rope now
Don't look down
On the verge of everything
And turn it into sound
Believe, it's time to believe
Stepping out
Believe, it's time to believe
Stepping outside without spacesuits
Break free of the rusty lock
And old chains
The warmth of letting love win
Will sustain
Wrap your arms around me
Feel how it sounds
Kiss me til we run out of breath
And the earth stops spinning 'round
Believe, it's time to believe
Stepping out
Believe, it's time to believe
Stepping outside without spacesuits
It's our turn now
Hold my hand
We'll do this together
Kiss me til we run out of breath
And the earth stops spinning 'round
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7. |
The Science Of Things
05:05
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I can not understand
How you hold me to you
It's stronger than gravity
I can feel you pulling me to you
You're like thunder in mid-July
You caught me by surprise
Do you realize you're my gravity?
I will follow you
Through the Land of Ooo
And Florin, too
Or anywhere, just take my hand
We can build a robot
Or forge a sword
Late night popcorn and nature shows
Tell me how a star is born
I could have sworn
It's just like popcorn
And if I had to put it into words
You are the brightest star in the sky
You are my scientist
You are the Everything's Alright
Nothing else in the world
Can make me see the world like you do
There's my heart up ahead
On the path you're on
I sing this song
To light your way
Make things ok
Oh the places you'll go
And things you'll do
And when you dream I'll meet you there
In a flying car to anywhere, I don't care
Who needs gravity?
I don't care where we go
You're my gravity
Love stronger than plutonium, rocks, lemonade, tardigrades
It's just the science of things
Love stronger than earthquakes, bombs, hurricanes, tidal waves
It's just the science of things
Love stronger than ionic bonds, trucks, pyramids, crystal caves
It's just the science of things
It's just the science of things
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8. |
Lock The Door
04:55
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Did you forget to lock the door?
It’s wide open now
To let the crazy out
Would anyone love you after this?
Once you let the poison seep out
Everyone will know
Everyone will see
Would anyone love you after this?
Would anyone need you after they all know?
Would anyone love you after this?
Would anyone need you after they all know?
You tried so hard to keep you secrets
But then in an instant they go crashing through the door
Would anyone love you after this?
Would anyone need you after they all know?
Would anyone love you after this?
Would anyone need you after they all know?
They saw the poison under the breastbone
They saw the poison seeping out
They saw the poison under the breastbone
They saw and they will never ever love you
Tried to hide all the destruction inside
But once it’s free there’d be nowhere to hide
All would see your worst amplified
Would anybody love you?
Would anybody love you after this?
Did you lock the door?
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9. |
Roadblock
04:43
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Stuck in the stands-still again
It’s the same routine day after day
We don’t look at each other, it’s better that way
Just keep spinning our wheels in the same damn place
Try to change lanes, oh let me through
It’s the least you can do
But I know another way home
Don’t be that way
Oh, I will run you down
'Cause I am stuck on the road
I am stuck going nowhere
A million miles per hour
Oh, you’re the roadblock my dear
You always say you will move over
You always say the road is clear
Kiss me so hard
And then get out of my way
We’ve just been inching along
We’ve just been inching along
I am stuck on the road
I am stuck going nowhere
A million miles from nowhere
At a million miles an hour
A million miles to nowhere
At a million miles per hour
And oh, I'm spinning my wheels
Let me go right now
Oh, I’m stalling out
Let me go right now
Oh, don’t be such a roadblock
Don’t be such a roadblock
oh baby, don’t be such a roadblock
Don’t be such a roadblock
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10. |
Here Lies Love Bleeding
05:28
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Oh can't you see it
I'm lying on the ground
Broken heart and head and bones
You said you would
Be there to break my fall
So then why am I lying here alone
It's so typical of me
It's so very typical of me
I don't fall in love
I don't fall in love
I don't fall in love
I just fall
Here lies love bleeding
I tried to shake your eyes free of their gaze
Turn you empty skull around
But still you wouldn't face me
It's so typical of me
It's so very typical of me
I don't fall in love
I don't fall in love
I don't fall in love
I just fall
Here lies love bleeding
Ohh here I go again
Amusing myself
I don't fall in love
I don't fall in love
I don't fall in love
I just fall
Will you ever claim my pile of broken bones
Here lies love bleeding
Will you ever claim my pile of broken bones
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11. |
Heart Valve
06:26
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If you had a crowbar
You could open me up
Pry open this rib cage
Tune the strings
Light the display
And blow off the dust
Comb through tangled knots
Tunnel through this heart valve
The exposure's set
And joy is leaking in
I am growing from seeds you've sewn
Crowbar to the heart
I'll be new for you
Crowbar to the heart
I'll be new for you
If you opened me up
And took a peak way down inside
Watered the soil
To grow trust from this heart wreck
And blow off the dust
Comb through tangled knots
Tunnel through this heart valve
The exposure's set
And joy is leaking in
I am growing from seeds you've sewn
I'm growing hands to touch with
I'm growing eyes to see
I'm growing love to feel with
My heart valve is open
I'm open to feel something new
I'm hoping to feel love from you
I'm open to feel something new
I'm hoping to
Blow off the dust
Comb through tangled knots
Tunnel through this heart valve
The exposure's set And joy is leaking in
I am growing from seeds you've sewn
I'm growing hands to touch with
I'm growing eyes to see
I'm growing love to feel with
My heart valve is open
When will I see you again?
When
When
When...
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12. |
Scream To A Blue Sky
04:46
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Did it crumble around you
Did it slip through your fingers
The things they said would come to pass
Never really materialized
There has got to be a better way
Did it crack when things settled
What was left when the smoke cleared
You did you best when all around kept you
In a tailspin dreaming
There has got to better way
It’s a sorry kind of song
When the words come out all wrong
But you’ll feel better if you
Scream to a blue sky
It’s the perfect kind of day
Great fears with open arms
Just hold your head up high and scream to a blue sky
Scream to a blue sky
Woa, scream to a blue sky
Do you feel the winds blowing
There’s an audible hum
From the new electric current
Telling you to just keep on going
Chest constrictions be damned
It’s a sorry kind of song
When the words come out all wrong
But you’ll feel better if you
Scream to a blue sky
It’s the perfect kind of day
Great fears with open arms
Just hold your head up high and scream to a blue sky
Scream to a blue sky
Don’t hold back, don’t hold back
Scream to a blue sky
Don’t hold back, don’t hold back
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Janice Whaley Joshua Tree, California
NEW ALBUM The Diary of Dark Days
was released in 2022 to Patrons. Public release March 14,
2023.
www.patreon.com/JaniceWhaley
Awarded San Francisco Guardian's 'Best of the Bay 2011' & SF Weekly's 'Best of San Francisco 2011,' Janice Whaley covered every song by The Smiths in 2010, using only voice in 30-50 layers and 1300 hours.
Insta: janicewhaley
Twitter/@JaniceWhaley
... more
Janice Whaley recommends:
Curt Smith from Tears For Fears has been a huge part of my life's soundtrack and it was a huge honor to work with him on this bonus track: Trees. All instrumentation was created using only my voice!
go to album
Zoe is an amazing artist who loops her cello into an enchanting world of mesmerizing music. It's beyond description so you just have to listen. She is inspiring beyond words!!
go to album
Feathersongs For Factory Girls (Parts One & Two)
by Stripmall Architecture
Anything by Stripmall Architecture is great but this album gets lots of play at my house recently. Also, anything by their former band Halou is awesome. Ryan and Rebecca are great. Check 'em out!
go to albumIf you like Janice Whaley, you may also like:
Emotions and Math
by Margaret Glaspy
featured on Bandcamp Radio Jun 6, 2017
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featured on Bandcamp Radio Sep 24, 2019
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You're Not Alone
by Allison Russell, Brandi Carlile
Two essential singer-songwriters join forces for an uplifting anthem to raise awareness and support for gun safety and reproductive rights.
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