Rollicking old-school rock and roll, gospel-tinged soul and razor-sharp R&B. Salgado’s huge, expressive vocals deliver wistful, street-wise lyrics that hit hard on a dozen new original songs and a frisky cover of Larry Williams’ "Slow Down." "Salgado inspires chills. Upbeat and original…poignant and wise with a great sense of humor." —Blues Music Magazine
(Curtis Salgado, David Duncan and Mike Finnigan, Odaglas Music, ASCAP/Covered Call Music/Irish Stew Music, BMI)
Let me testify a little bit Yeah, yeah
What is the meaning of life? Well, I can’t talk philosophy I know with every new sunrise The more it dawns on me Well, I may be getting on But I sure ain’t done yet ‘Cause the longer that I live The older I wanna get
My body’s just flesh and bone Wrapped around a soul And when it’s time to leave this earth I hope I’m the last to know When I go I’ll be screaming “I ain’t finished yet!” ‘Cause the longer that I live, yes The older I wanna get
Now listen Some folks just lay down and quit At the end of life’s race But I’m gonna keep on keeping on With one foot down in the grave Oh yeah
You see, I climbed the mountains high And I played the valleys low And for all the gigs I’ve done I ain’t got much to show No, I’m never slowing down Until I play my final set ‘Cause that the longer that live The older I wanna get
Oh, you better believe it, yeah I want to keep on keeping on With every new sunrise The older I wanna get I wanna push and keep on keeping on Heading down life’s long road I’m gonna have to be dragged Just kicking, screaming, I wanna live a long, long life Until I get My final curtain call
2.
What Did Me In Did Me Well
4:26
(Curtis Salgado, Vyasa Dodson and Mike Finnigan, Odaglas Music, ASCAP, Irish Stew Music, BMI)
I lost my pride, but gained an insight Discovered the truth I was blind I learned in time Oh, love is in the details What did me in Oh, did me well
My heart was on fire My path ablaze Smoke in my eyes Whoa, I lost my way But when I saw you again I knew I knew how far I fell, how far I fell What did me in You know, it did me well Stars align, they’re out of reach Up above where we can’t see Heaven has a master plan And I know it’s looking over me
Well, I had no faith I stumbled and I fell So many questions No answers to tell
Back you came This time love, love prevailed, yes it did Now I know Well, what did me in did me well Oh, what did me in did me well Oh, when you forgave me baby, yeah Don’t you know you did me well When you brought me back in your arms Don’t you know baby What did me in did me well It’s alright
3.
You're Going To Miss My Sorry Ass
4:09
(Curtis Salgado and Alan Hager, Odaglas Music/Ahamusic, ASCAP)
My daddy was wild He ran with bad men He robbed a drugstore With a filthy syringe He got a nickel and a dime In the state pen And the warden said He'd never last Well, that wasn't true Oh, the story instead Yeah, three squares, a blanket And a bunkbed He did 15 years Standing on his head And parole Came up fast
On his release He turned to say “I enjoyed myself a vacation stay I made some new friends Hell, we had a lot of laughs”
“But don't expect no apology I got none to give I showed you how to walk the razor’s edge And the chance to finally live”
“What's so bad about doing wrong? My saying “sorry” won't change the past When you look on back and think of me You’re gonna miss My, my sorry ass Yes, you will now”
Like father like son I make no amends I’m causing hell and then some A hazard to my friends So I got none I’m just a rolling stone I got two big balls made of brass So if you come with me You put your life in my hands I'll get you in trouble Pull you out again We’ll cut up this world Share the dividends From the treasure down to the trash
We’ll find trouble You’ll get angry with me Crying how I put you in jeopardy But you gonna agree It was the best time he ever had
“So, don't expect no apologies I got none to give I showed you how to walk the razor’s edge And a chance to finally live What's so bad about doing wrong? My saying “sorry” won't change the past When you look on back And think of me You’re gonna miss My sorry ass”
Yeah, when I'm dead and gone And I’m buried, oh yeah Buried six feet down in the cold, cold ground I know you will think of me from the past Oh, and you’ll say to yourself Along with everyone else “I'm gonna miss Oh, I’m gonna miss His old sorry ass”
4.
Precious Time
4:03
(George Marinelli, Curtis Salgado, Andrew Harrison and Mike Finnigan, Odaglas Music, ASCAP/Irish Stew Music, BMI)
He had a dream he would travel No destination, no place to stay Just the clothes on his back and the wind guiding the way Off in the distance he sees a shadow The shadow screams and seems to know him by name Saying, “Life’s finite and it’s time to make a change”
It’s in the way that they tremble when they must say goodbye The way that they sing to the stars (to the stars) The way that they cry with no direction in sight Precious time Oh, precious time
She had a dream she would be different And break the chains of a small town charade And let the beating of her renegade heart just lead the way Deep in her bones she begins to feel restless She opens up like a flower in the rain She takes a step towards the light and another towards the pain
It’s in the way that they tremble when they must say goodbye The way that they sing to the stars (sing to the stars) The way that they cry with no direction in sight Precious time Precious time
Moments fly by, but the years always seem to just crawl Trapped in the ages doesn’t feel like freedom’s call And in time Time won’t exist at all, oh yeah
Well, they were destined to find each other Two hearts that are beating the same And the stuff their dreams are made on Time spent was not in vain
It's in the way that they tremble when they’re loving at night The way that they sing to the stars (to the stars) The promise that they gave in sharing their life Precious time
It’s in the soul of a sage who knows the secrets to life The hands when they finally let go The breaking of routine in this predictable life
Precious time Oh, precious time, yeah Hey, hey, hey Precious time It’s just the way that we tremble Precious time
5.
Count Of Three
3:35
(Curtis Salgado, David Duncan and Jackie Miclau, Odaglas Music, ASCAP/Covered Call Music, BMI)
I lost a friend So close to me I always thought we’d talk again But it wasn’t meant to be
We cared about each other Oh, heart and soul I never got a chance to say I love you so
And when I think about my dear friends It’s enough to make me cry Now I always say “I love you” At the end of my goodbyes
A faded book Of my photographs I see our smiling faces Remember how we laughed Old lovers and good friends Well, I’m sad to say I wish I could have told them, yeah Before they slipped away
And when I think about it I wanna break down and cry So now I always say “I love you” At the end of my goodbyes
I’m gonna speak my heart With every chance I get So I don’t repeat Oh, this sad regret So now you’ll know When I look into your eyes Why I always say” I love you,” oh yes At the end of my goodbyes
Living life ain’t easy We need all the love we can get You could be here one day Oh, and gone the very next So tell the ones you love you love ‘em Don’t let it pass you by And always say “I love you” At the end of your goodbyes Always say “I love you” At the end of your goodbyes
6.
Always Say I Love You (At The End Of Your Goodbyes)
4:03
(Curtis Salgado, David Duncan and Jackie Miclau, Odaglas Music, ASCAP/Covered Call Music, BMI)
I lost a friend So close to me I always thought we’d talk again But it wasn’t meant to be
We cared about each other Oh, heart and soul I never got a chance to say I love you so
And when I think about my dear friends It’s enough to make me cry Now I always say “I love you” At the end of my goodbyes
A faded book Of my photographs I see our smiling faces Remember how we laughed Old lovers and good friends Well, I’m sad to say I wish I could have told them, yeah Before they slipped away
And when I think about it I wanna break down and cry So now I always say “I love you” At the end of my goodbyes
I’m gonna speak my heart With every chance I get So I don’t repeat Oh, this sad regret So now you’ll know When I look into your eyes Why I always say” I love you,” oh yes At the end of my goodbyes
Living life ain’t easy We need all the love we can get You could be here one day Oh, and gone the very next So tell the ones you love you love ‘em Don’t let it pass you by And always say “I love you” At the end of your goodbyes Always say “I love you” At the end of your goodbyes
7.
Hail Mighty Caesar
4:17
(Curtis Salgado and Kevin McKendree, Odaglas Music, ASCAP/East Folks Music, BMI) You know way back in time Before the fall of Rome Caesar conquered everyone The world was his home They would dance at the plaza Down at Palace Square Grooving to the Nubian band playing there There were four beats to the bar And the backbeat was new Cleopatra shakin’ it Showing ‘em what to do
Hail, mighty Caesar! (Hail, mighty Caesar!) I said, Hail, mighty Rome! (Hail, mighty Rome!) Cleopatra was a beauty Oh, she is the goddess of the sun Cleo loved his power, Caesar loved her looks Love brought them together So they say in history books (Hail, mighty Caesar!) But he don't understand Cleopatra loves her country She's the queen of Egypt land
Caesar loved his women Couldn’t leave them all alone Had a swinging situation With the nightlife back in Rome Got hisself a wife, but she ain’t hip to the fact He loved Cleopatra That's why he brought her back He brought her back from Egypt land To dance at Palace Square He made a lot of enemies But Caesar didn't care
Hail, mighty Caesar! (Hail, mighty Caesar!) Hail, mighty Rome! (Hail, mighty Rome!) Cleopatra was a beauty She is the goddess of the sun Cleo loved his power, Caesar loved her looks Love brought them together So they say in history books (Hail, mighty Caesar!) But he don't understand Cleo loves her country She's the queen of Egypt land
Well, Cleo threw a party Said, “Let the games begin!” It was at Palace Square When who come walking in His name was Mark Anthony The new kid on the block Cleo had to have him Yeah, she knew the stud was hot But what about poor Caesar? He's in trouble all alone Politicians killing him In the name of Rome
Hail, mighty Caesar! (Hail, mighty Caesar!) Hail, mighty Rome! (Hail, mighty Rome!) Cleopatra was a beauty She is the goddess of the sun Cleo loved his power, Caesar loved her looks Love brought them together So they say in history books, y’all (Hail, mighty Caesar!) Aw, but he don't understand Cleopatra loves her country She's the queen of Egypt land
Well, Tanqueray and Stoli My old my partners in crime Two friends I knew Tried and true Who could ease my troubled mind And when I finally hit rock bottom Way down on the killing floor I almost took my own life But then I thought twice So I don’t do that no more Well, I don’t do that no more I had to let it all go I was high and wild Burnin’ up miles Living right out of control Well now, I like to live on the edge But it ain’t worth dying for So oh no, I ain’t never Telling you no I don’t do that no more Had my battles with the hard stuff It just about killed me dead It was more than I could take Made my body shake Did a number on my head Well, I swore to the heavens above If I survive I’ll give it all up Now the hardest thing I touch Thank you very much Is caffeine in my coffee cup Well, I don’t do that no more I left it all behind
I had my fun with it Now I’m done with it At least I’m not out of my mind I still like to rock and roll
I guess I’ve always been hard core But I ain’t never gonna do that Yeah, true that I’m never gonna do that no more I used to be a bad actor Center stage, bigger than life Now the smallest things make my heart sing I know I finally got it right Well, I was far from sober Tore up and laid to the side Now my only vice is loving this life And watching this world go by
Oh, I don’t do that no more I got a whole other thing There’s a smile on my face I’m in a better place And my woman treats me like a king, oh yeah We like to have our fun And life is better than it was before I said, oh no!
No, no!
Hell no! I ain’t never Never gonna do that, do that
Never, oh no Never gonna do that no more
9.
Oh For The Cry Eye
3:34
(Curtis Salgado, Jackie Miclau, Mike Finnigan and Alby Allen, Odaglas Music, ASCAP/Irish Stew Music, BMI)
It’s tough to be lovers It’s hard to be friends When all we seem to do is complain Might be about money and how it don’t last Or something I said, or my sins from the past In spite of myself, I start to defend So, you go back to the top And I start back at the end And we go over and over Don’t accomplish a thing I’m like a hand grenade With a pulled pin
(Oh, for the cry eye) That’s what my mama would say She’d tell me (Oh, for the cry eye) “Just look at this mess you made”
There must be an answer Got to be a way There’s something here that’s bigger than me Well, I get frustrated, so ashamed I won’t talk to myself for a week This bitchin’s just a prison And I got to break free The problem’s not you, then it must be me I might be over thinking or going insane I’m like a screen door in a hurricane
(Mama’s Voice) “Aw boy, keep your temper down, son” “Aw, look at the mess you made”
So, I searched my soul And here’s what I found I got a hot temper, need to cool it down Surrender myself, admit defeat I’d stop overheating in a heartbeat My mama was right When she said in the past “Be a friend to your woman And your love will last” I can still hear her voice Her wisdom still shines Just like a diamond in a coal mine
(Oh, for the cry eye) Aw yeah, that’s what my mama would say (Oh, for the cry eye) She’d say, “Your hard headed temper Gonna drive her away”
(Oh, for the cry eye) Yeah, my mama told me My daddy too (Oh, for the cry eye) He’d say, “Son, don’t let that temper Make a fool of you” (Yeah, that’s right) That’s what my mama would say “Aw, look at the mess you made” She’d say (Oh, for the cry eye) “Just look at the mess you made”
(Oh, for the cry eye) That’s what my mama would say Oh yeah, yeah (Oh, for the cry eye) They’d say, “Your stubborn temper, boy Is going to drive her away”
10.
Damage Control
4:04
(Curtis Salgado, Mike Finnigan & Ryan Waters, Odaglas Music, ASCAP/Irish Stew Music, BMI)
Another day just beginning Another day that will soon end And all that takes place in between Is what you call this life, my friend
We never asked to be here, oh no We didn't have a choice Nobody asked our opinion ‘Cause we didn't have no voice
Just trying to carry on And take it easy Slow your breathing Keep your head up Stay down low And deal with this damage control
They say we‘re flirting with disaster So say the news and their talking heads That's everyday operating procedure Let’s call it what it really is instead
Never asked for special treatment And hardly ever step out of line Now it’s kid gloves on and bite your tongue And think before you speak your mind
So just trying to carry on Take it easy Slow your breathing, yeah Oh, keep your head up Stay down low And deal with this damage control
Sometimes I think it’s all a big mistake Someone upstairs just fell asleep I don't know about any of that But I know, I know, I know It wasn't up to me
So many questions, the cosmic design The professors and the doctors And the next Einstein They’ll never find the answer ‘Cause they don’t know So I’ll just try to carry on And do my damage control
I never asked to be here, oh no I didn’t have no choice Just along for the ride Yeah, don’t you know Try to stay out of trouble, yeah Just trying to carry on, carry on And deal with this damage control
11.
Truth Be Told
3:15
(David Duncan, Curtis Salgado and Mike Finnigan, Covered Call Music, BMI, Odaglas Music, ASCAP/Irish Stew Music, BMI)
Well, the sun is out The sky is bright But I can’t wait For the evening’s night My love I’m gonna hold, oh ‘Cause I love her And she loves me That’s the way it’s supposed to be We’ll make it up as we go, oh If the truth be told
I never knew ‘Cause it’s all so new Now there’s only one thing left to do Just let the cards unfold, oh My love is pure And my heart is, too And I wanna spend my life with you Till the two of us grow old, whoa, whoa If the truth be told
I can’t believe After all this time I found a woman Who knows my mind She brought me in from the cold, oh She gave me her heart Sealed with a kiss I’m so lucky to live like this A love as good as gold, whoa oh If truth be told
I can’t believe After all this time I found a woman Who knows my mind She brought me in from the cold, whoa oh
She gave me her heart Sealed with a kiss I’m so lucky to live like this A love as good as gold, oh If the truth be told
If truth be told, yeah If the truth be told She picked me up Turned me around Put my feet on solid ground f truth be told, yeah Hey, Curtis I found a love If the truth be told If the truth be told Got to have truth You got to have love If the truth be told Come on If the truth be told Yeah if the truth be told
12.
The Fix Is In
5:01
(Curtis Salgado, Alan Hager, Ryan Waters, Alby Alan and Suzanne Dominique, Odaglas Music/Ahamusic, ASCAP)
Hello, music lovers It’s the 21st century But the more times change The more the old hustle remains the same And I’ve learned if it sounds too good to be true It usually isn’t good…or true I’ve learned to question everything And not to be a fool and believe the spin And I watch my back because The fix is in
The fix is in Long before we tossed the dice They sized us up And oh, they figured right They know how to keep you hooked Take more money from your pocketbook ‘Cause there’s a sucker born every day They can see you coming a mile away
They’ll meet and greet Call you their friend But behind your back They’re whispering, The fix is in Well, well, the fix is in
Now, wait a minute Remember the crash, 2008 and your 401k It’s the number on your pay stub that you file away It’s the golden ticket that’s just a tease That you’ll retire to a life of ease But those dreams had vanished From crooked business dealings White collar crime, greed and corporate stealing Not one CEO responsible did time in the pen ‘Cause they’re the one percenters Americans The fix was in The fix was in
Somebody, play me the blues!
Now listen It’s election time We’re standing in line Elephants, donkeys, casting pearls before the swine They promise to make a change Tell us what we want to hear Tempt us with hope And hook us with fear It’s the same old okey doke I think you might agree Back room politicians With trump cards up their sleeves
Still, I always show To cast my vote again But it’s hard to trust the system When the fix is in Well, yeah, the fix is in
I, I know, it hurts you, don’t it? Supposed to look out for one another I can’t trust nobody these days What’s happening to our country? There’s so much greed The fix is in, oh The fix is in
Well, come on pretty baby, won’t you walk with me? Come on pretty baby, won't you talk with me? Come on pretty baby, give me a chance Try to save our romance
Slow down Baby, you're movin' way too fast You gotta gimme little lovin' Gimme a little lovin' If you want my love to last
Well, I used to walk you home, baby, after school Carry your books home, too But now you got a boyfriend down the street Baby, what you tryin' to do?
You better slow down Baby, you're movin' way too fast Oh, you gotta gimme a little lovin' Gimme a little lovin' If you want my love to last
Rock and roll!
Well, you know that I love you, tell the world I do Come on pretty baby, why can't you be true? I need your lovin' oh so bad Best little woman that I ever had
Slow down Baby, you're movin' way too fast You gotta gimme little lovin' Gimme a little lovin' If you want my love to last
Oh, you gotta gimme a little lovin' If you want my love to last You gotta gimme a little lovin' Gimme a little lovin’ If you want my love to last I know it will last
Produced by Curtis Salgado Mixed by Sandy Solomon Recorded at: Ultratone Studios, Studio City, CA, engineered by Johnny Lee Schell Rock House Recording, Nashville, TN, engineered by Kevin McKendree Greaseland Studios, San Jose, CA, engineered by Kid Andersen Additional recording at: Falcon Studios, Portland, OR, engineered by Dennis Carter Dockside Studio, Maurice, LA, engineered by Justin Tocket Mastered by Reuben Cohen at Lurssen Mastering, Los Angeles, CA Photos by Jessica Keaveny Packaging design by Kevin Niemiec Special thanks to: Randy Fennell, Johnny Lee Schell, Kevin McKendree, Kid Andersen, Mike Crider, Kathy Goranson, Suzanne Dominique, Dave Duncan, Mike Finnigan, Michael Bard, Wendy and Philip Salgado, Tracy Arrington RIP.
Curtis Salgado plays Hohner Harmonicas customized by Joe Filisko
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