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Released
on Places I’ve Been, 2008, backed
by Johnny Harper (electric guitar), Marty Holland (electric
bass), and John
Hall (drums). Mayne contributed both resophonic guitar and
pedal steel, and the fine mouth harp was played by Gary Smith.
Mitch
Greenhill and I played some gigs in England and Italy in
1982, and just getting to Europe meant a lot to me. On the
other hand, it didn’t feel as exotic as I thought it
might. In a sense it’s ironic that of all my own compositions
this one best reflects my love of American urban blues. This
song previously appeared on the 1986 Mitch & Mayne album,
Back Where We’ve Never Been (no longer available).
April 2010: This song is now available as performed in 1986
by Mitch Greenhill & Mayne Smith and originally released
on a cassette tape titled Back Where We've Never
Been. The same all-live duo performances (no overdubs,
no extra personnel) are now rereleased on a CD (GSCD02).
See the CDs
AVAILABLE page for more information.
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I
have loafed in London, I have rambled ‘round in Rome
I have loafed in London, I have rambled ‘round in Rome
But Oakland, California, is the place I call my home
I take my Dobro and my toothbrush, take a ride on a DC-10
Take my Dobro and my toothbrush, take a ride on a DC-10
And it takes me ‘cross the ocean, someplace I’ve
never been
(and it brings me back again)
Flight attendant,
flight attendant tell how long ‘til
we land
Flight attendant, flight attendant tell how long ‘til
we land
I been shut inside this airplane ‘bout as long as I can
stand
(like a salmon in a sardine can)
CHORUS 1
Now there are so many ways that you can skin a cat
And there’s a lot don’t skin ‘em if it comes
to that
There’s people talk like prophets but they act like fools
And one’s man’s jive is some other guy’s
Golden Rule
(Instrumentals on the 12-bar verse structure.)
CHORUS 2
You got to go away so you can get back home
And find out what you’re missing, darlin’, while
you’re gone
You can cross that ocean to an older place
But when you look in the mirror you’re still gonna see
that same old face
Now when you come to Oakland, go down San Pablo Avenue
When you come to Oakland, go down San Pablo Avenue
Down under London’s bridges they are sleeping on cardboard,
too
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