Olustee [CD]

JJ Grey & Mofro

Olustee [CD]


SOME AUTOGRAPHED CDs REMAIN.

OLUSTEE IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VINYL LP

With his first release in nine years, JJ Grey has created a breathtaking collection of deeply moving, masterfully written, funkified rock and front porch Southern soul music.  It’s an aggressively groove-driven record, fueled by JJ’s gritty vocals and biting guitar.  “A deeply-rooted blend of southern-fried rock and swamp funk…richly evocative lyrics…plainspoken, blue-collar American music.” —NPR


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1. The Sea 4:45

So level, straight out on the blue
Every time’s the first time, Hallelujah
Laying on the sand, feeling every grain
A billion points of light, along the Milky Way

Because I belong to the Sea
Oh she’s out there somewhere calling me
I belong, to the Sea
Home of the free

The moon shining through, silvered by a storm
Painted on the night, all the way to dawn

Because I belong, to the Sea
Oh she’s out there somewhere calling me
I belong, to the Sea
Oh she’s out there somewhere calling me
I belong, to the Sea
Home of the free

Rolling and tumbling and spiraling
through the night
Yet feeling connected to everything
all of life, painted by the light

Because I belong, to the Sea
Oh she’s out there somewhere calling me
I belong, to the Sea
Oh she’s out there somewhere calling me
I belong, to the Sea
I, I belong, to the Sea

2. Top Of The World 3:30

I worked hard all day
now it’s time for me to get out and play
Got my boat, in the cut
gonna head to the sandbar
don’t forget my guitar
Hear my voice
fill that cooler up with your beverage of choice
Hold ‘em high when you toast
Pleased to see you smile
you know that you the most of all

Where y’all at?
Player we’re sitting on top of the world
Where ya at cuz, feeling fine
Where y’all at?
Dog we’re sitting on top of the world
Where ya at baby?

Fee, fi fo fum
a little bit of soda and a little bit of rum
But you gotta take it easy
Don’t get too greasy and act too sleazy 
Act like you been here before
If you came to change the world
let me show you the door
It was made to beat you and defeat you
You never gonna learn if you don’t let it teach you

Where y’all at?
Yeah we’re sitting on top of the world
Where ya at baby, feels divine
Where y’all at?
Yeah we’re sitting on top of the world
Where y’all at?

3. On A Breeze 4:35

Floating down the state such a long way but
she’s got to get back home anyway she can
oh mile after mile
Ah but she’s free and that ain’t always easy
out here in the wild, out here in the wild
free as she can be

Just how far can she see when she’s looking down on me?
In a break for the sun rocking and rolling on her run

Floating on a breeze
Floating on, on a breeze

Sail to light my love
may you see peaceful skies and all you deserve
on and on and on...
Break ‘em down love like a meditation
Somehow I’ll fly away floating ever, up on a breeze

Straight on out to the wild bring that horizon to me now
In the everlasting blue it’s taking me home along with you
Feeling light as a smile higher and higher by the mile

She’s floating on a breeze
She’s floating on a breeze
floating on a breeze
floating on, on a breeze

4. Olustee 5:10

Way back Lord, in ’98
I remember when the whole state, was on fire
Breathing ash, breathing ash
falling down like burning rain, across the wire
Ya better run, better run
just as fast you can that heat is getting closer
Hear it roar, hear it roar
all the way around Olustee like a flaming hurricane

See the deer flashing by
see the crows flying high trying to get away
Hear that pop go tree to tree
see my life now flashing by me, I got to make it to the lake
Damn the creek is high and dry
I see it burn as I go by, it’s almost on me
Ocean Pond is in my sight
but them flames about to bite, I’m running out of time

I’m out of time, time, time, time

And now Lake Butler’s burning
And Palestine she’s burning
And Glen Saint Mary’s burning
And now Olustee’s burning

You better
You better run, run run, run, run!

5. Seminole Wind 6:17

Ever since the days of old
men have searched for wealth untold
They dig for silver and they dig for gold
and they leave the empty holes
And way down south in the Everglades
where the black water rolls and the sawgrass sways
The eagles fly and the otters play
in the land of the Seminole

So blow, blow Seminole wind
Blow like you’re never gonna blow again
I’m calling to you like a long lost friend
cuz I know who you are
And blow, blow from the Okeechobee
all the way up to Micanopy
Blow across the land of the Seminole
the alligator and the gar

Progress came and took its toll
and in the name of flood control
They made they plans to drain the land
now the glades is going dry
And the last time I walked in the swamp
I stood upon a cypress stump
I listened close and I heard the ghost
of Osceola crying

So blow, blow Seminole wind
blow like you’re never gonna blow again
I’m calling to you like a long lost friend
cuz I know who you are
And blow, blow from the Okeechobee
all the way north to Micanopy.
Blow across the land of the Seminole
the alligator and the gar

So blow, blow Seminole wind
Blow like you’re never gonna blow again
I’m calling to you like a long lost friend
I know who you are
And blow, blow, blow from the Okeechobee
all the way north to Micanopy
Blow across the land of the Seminole
alligator and the gar
Blow, blow Seminole wind
blow like you’re never gonna blow again
Blow, blow Seminole wind
Blow like you’re never, ever, ever gonna blow again

 

6. Wonderland 3:34

No more clocks no more time
A little less reason a little more rhyme
All in all it’s been a day trip but I’m still me
So clap your hands and stomp your feet
Move your body around in it roll in it rock to the beat
a keep a moving, moving the sweat out of me baby

I’m exactly who I wanted to be
All I had to do was find a way to get myself free

And now I’m waking up, in a wonderland
I said I’m waking up, Lord, it’s in my hand
Here I’m buzzing ‘round, buzzing like a bumble bee
Lord, I finally found, finally found a sense of me

Now it feels like everyday
is the first day of my life
And now it feels like everyday
is the first day of my life
And now it feels like everyday
is the first day of my life
Oh yeah the first day, of my life

Deep breathe in deep breathe out
I feel that rhythm now girl you know
you make me want to shout Hallelujah
oh and throw my hands to the sun, to the sun
You see all that joy’s got a smile on my face
Got me dancing got me jumping
Got me hopping all over the place
Hold on, hold on hold on baby, here, here I come

I’m exactly who I wanted to be
All I had to do was find a way to get myself free

Now I’m waking, up in a wonderland
I said I’m waking up, Lord, it’s in my hand
Here I’m buzzing ‘round, buzzing like a bumble bee
Lord, I finally found, finally found a sense of me

Feels like everyday
is the first day of my life
Feels like everyday
is the first day of my life
Now it feels like everyday, Lord, is the
first day of my life
Now it feels like everyday, Lord, is the
first day of my life

7. Starry Night 4:41

Come sit here beside me
let’s pull ourselves near
To the warmth of this fire
and watch the stars all appear

So shine on old starry night
Shine on away from here
Into the indigo
Always so bright and clear
From deep in the heavens
A voice so clear
Oh how you move me, you move me
you move me

Oh we marvel while
sparks they fly out into the blue
the deepest blue
Our arms so entwined
beyond all space and time
they can’t undo what I feel for you

When the veils all come down
and the words are all gone
When we no longer need
to judge who’s right or wrong
Together we’ve always been
and we’ll always carry on
To the tune of true love
and it’s song that goes
on and on and on, on and on

So shine on old starry night
Shine on away from here
Into the indigo
Always so bright and clear
From deep in the heavens
A voice so clear
Oh how you move me, ah you move me
ah you move me
Oh how you move me, ah you move me
ah you move me

8. Free High 3:39

I’m rolling, I’m laughing
I’m jumping and I’m clapping
I’m dancing, I’m reeling
I’m floating on the ceiling
I’m loving, I’m living
Oh what you giving to me
is bonafide, I’m running late
I need a ride I’m on a…

Free high
Free high
Free high
Free high

Everybody gather around and listen
Keep that turntable just a spinning
Everybody gather around and listen
Keep that turntable just a spinning
Everybody gather around and listen
Keep that turntable just a spinning
That needle’s pumping music
straight through the wire
I’m buzzing ah Lord, I’m on a…

Free high
Free high
Free high
Free high

I’m on a…
Free high
Free high
Free high
Free high

9. Waiting 3:46

Tomorrow, oh tomorrow
you know I’m gonna get it started
that’s when I’m gonna get it done
Come a Monday I’ll get right on it
Same old story same old song
it’s always, always one and done

Cuz I’m waiting, waiting on me
I’m still waiting for me
Oh I’m waiting
To get started, to get started with my life

Well I’ve never been all I could be
and I know it ain’t never been
nobody’s fault but mine
Well there’s too much hanging
too much dangling
Lord, there’s too damn many cheap ways
to, to cut my time

Cuz I’m waiting, waiting on me
I’m still waiting for me
Oh Lord, to get it right
Lord, I’m gonna get it right someday
Waiting on me, waiting for me
You see I’m still waiting
I’m still waiting

Everyone’s a winner
well we damn well know that’s a lie
Cuz how the hell you gonna win
if you don’t even get out there and try?
All these excuses
all they do is keep me
waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting
on me

Waiting on me
I’m still waiting for me
Time keeps on ticking away
When the hell am I gonna
start living my life?
Waiting on me, waiting for me
I’m still waiting, I’m still waiting
to live my life

10. Rooster 4:51

See I’m a rooster, in the cut
shining on girl watch me strut
I’m a rooster, still a man
guess you’ll have to change them plans
I’m a rooster, just so you know
I decide which way I go
I’m a rooster, here to stay
straight up molded out of clay

Another late night grooving
rolling with a rooster tonight, we rolling
Another late night grooving
rolling with a rooster tonight

See I’m a rooster, standing true
got to keep it straight stuck together like glue
I’m a rooster, I know my place
have to keep my kids and keep my woman safe
The woman is the soul of a man
she’s the soul of a man
she can keep it all together when you can’t
She’s the spring from which I flow
teach me many things that I don’t know
but I’m a rooster, and that’s a fact
So now you know how I’m gonna act
I’m a rooster, full legit
keeping it strong boy with true grit
Things get hard, you can’t split
Some talk tough, some talk quit
but only a punk would say that shit
And that’s straight up country boy

Another late night grooving
rolling with a rooster
rolling with a rooster tonight

We rolling, we rolling
We rolling, we rolling

Another late night grooving
rolling with a rooster tonight, we rolling
Another late night grooving
rolling with a rooster tonight

I’m a rooster, got the hammer down
By the grace of God I can’t be bound
I’m a rooster, and I can go all day
Love a little work and love a lot of play
Holding the line they keep a coming all the time
Gonna keep you weak if you want to stay blind
to the joy and the pain and the love and the shame
All around the world a rooster feels the same thing

Another late night grooving
Rolling with a rooster
Rolling with a rooster tonight

11. Deeper Than Belief 4:22

In that lullaby
something moved me deeper
than any thought that I
could ever know
But that’s the story now
Told myself a thousand times
I’m hanging by, by a thread

But I believe it
From the highest high and lowest low
I’m holding on, deeper than belief
And I see it
Thru all space and time and thought and mind
I’m holding on, deeper than belief

Feel it spinning slow
The face of all created made me feel so small
but not alone
The story is fading now
Golden light, had the power to heal my heart

But I believe it
From the highest high and lowest low
I’m holding on, deeper than belief
And I can see it
Thru all space and time and thought and mind
I’m holding on, deeper than belief

But there’s an easy way
Chopping wood carrying water all day

But I believe it
From the highest high and lowest low
I’m holding on, deeper than belief
And I can still see it
Thru all space and time and thought and mind
I’m holding on, deeper than belief
Thru all space and time and thought and mind
I’m holding on, deeper than belief

All Songs written and arranged by JJ Grey, JJ Grey Music, BMI except Seminole Wind* written by John David Anderson, Almo Music Corporation & Holmes Creek Music, ASCAP

Produced by JJ Grey
Recorded & Engineered by Jim Devito
Recorded at Retrophonics Studio, Saint Augustine, FL
Additional recording at Outward Bound Studios
Mixed by Vance Powell at Sputnik Sound Studios, Nashville, TN
Mix Assistant Koehn Terry
Mastered by Pete Lyman at Infrasonic Sound, Nashville, TN

Executive Producer Ivory Daniel
Executive Assistant Hillary Clinton

Artwork by JJ Grey

JJ Grey: Vocals, Guitars, Dobro, Keys, Harmonica
Craig Barnett: Drums & Percussion
Todd Smallie: Bass
Eric Brigmond: Keys, Backing Vocals
Pete Winders: Guitars, Acoustic Guitars
Dennis Marion: Trumpet
Marcus Parsley: Trumpet
Kenny Hamilton: Saxophone, Flute
John Reid: Trumpet
Eric Mason: Congas, Percussion
Katie Dutton: Backing Vocals
Niki Dawson: Backing Vocals
Laiken Love: Backing Vocals
Sage Grey: Backing Vocals
Paul Curtis: Bassoon
Tali Rubenstein: Recorders
Lev Zhurbin: Fadolin
Quinn Carson: Trombone

Orchestral Arrangements by Ronen Landa

Editor & Assistant: Andrew Lembo
Copyist: Sasha - Louis Leger
Conductor: Zoltán Pad
Session Producer: Bálint Sapszon
Orchestra Coordinator: Bertalan Veér
Recording Engineer: Dénes Rédly
Librarian: Katalin Réti
Transcriptions: Henry Godfrey

Thanks to: Ivory Daniel, Hillary Clinton & everyone at Regime, Jim & Nancy Devito, Vance Powell, Koehn Terry, Pete Lyman, Ronen Landa, Andrew Lembo, Dan Prothero, Daryl Hance, Mark Baxter, Darryl & Deb Hobson, Michael Savage, Chris Delucchi, Bill Parker, Martin Thomas, Carey Abrams, Bruce Iglauer and the gang at Alligator, Sasha Louis Lege, Zoltán Pad, Bálint Sapszon, Bertalan Veér, Dénes Rédly, Katalin Réti, Henry Godfrey, Daddy O Britenfeld, Kevin Zinger, Joshua Knight, Olly Hodgson, Pete Frostic, Michael Frisch, Spookie Daly, Kalen Dennis, Sean & Madison Watkins, Josh Rosen, Robert, Dionna & Camryn Sowers, Tom & Michelle Miller, Jeff & Lorinda Dennis, Eric & Leslie Fewell, my family & the entire Budapest Symphony Orchestra for sounding so wonderful!!!

In memory of my man Jesse Aratow. Happy sailing brother!

jjgrey.com