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The Forest City

by Donald Beck

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1.
The Black Cat's Out of The Bag 04:16
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I've been cursed since October of 2018 The Cleveland breeze, the trees, they lose all the green But I found a four leaf clover in the grass Caught my eye, it was hard to pass I burn so bright, my clover ignites, water in my eyes, my luck has died I am the city lights and you are the stars I am the deer and you are the car I miss your songs, my little crimson sparrow My favorite curse, struck by Cupid's arrow You burn so bright, my soul starts to ignite These superstitions aren't so bad, I guess the black cat's out of the bag This cat's been fighting for air to long I never wanted to steer you wrong I had to put it into a song Erase these words from the tip of my tongue Didn't want to destroy the friendship that we had I'd rather have something 'cause nothing's bad Everything I do feels like broken mirrors Everything I do feels like I'm near her You are the water in my lungs as I drown You are the atom bomb and I am the town I miss your songs, my little crimson sparrow My favorite curse, struck by Cupid's arrow You burn so bright, my soul starts to ignite These superstitions aren't so bad, I guess the black cat's out of the bag Da, da-da, da-da, da-da-da Da, da-da, da-da, da-da-da Da, da-da, da-da, da-da-da Da, da, da Da, da-da, da-da, da-da-da Da, da-da, da-da, da-da-da Da, da-da, da-da, da-da-da Da, da, da (Two! Three! Four!) I miss your songs, my little crimson sparrow My favorite curse, struck by Cupid's arrow You burn so bright, my soul starts to ignite These superstitions aren't so bad, I guess the black cat's out of the bag The black cat’s out of the bag The black cat’s out of the bag The black cat’s out of the bag The black cat’s out of the bag
2.
I'll Burn in Hell 04:03
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She is an old house Foundation to the roof, just rotting down Cobwebs in the gutter Rotting wood and broken shudders The spiders inside her Seep through the cracks like insanity she perspires Inspired to burn it down It's time to burn her down Like maggots in an open wound Devouring the skin and my attitude The sky is green, the grass is blue I'm the one insane but look at you Gaslight, take your life, pick a fight, choose Not right, poisoned mind, asinine you Bullying, cause a scene, coddling me Dreaming, weeping, juxtaposing Your insanities are not my problem Stuck living in your falacies, a thorn in my side from a poisonous tree Your drug abuse is not my problem I'm running on hours of sleep, don't have time for you to manipulate me Stuck living in your falacies, a thorn in my side from a poisonous tree I'll burn in hell before I apologize We've had enough of your crooked mind I'll burn in hell before I say goodbye We've had enough of your rehearsed lies Like maggots in the trash, you take yourself out Rotting fruit devours itself Suicide, live your life, pick a side, choose Everyone's tired of coddling you Your insanities are all your problem You are a hangnail on my finger, but when I cut you off you still linger And I am not the one who will solve them You are a paper cut on my mind, but tarnishing my vision and burning my eyes You are a hangnail on my finger, but when I cut you off you still linger I'll burn in hell before I apologize We've had enough of your crooked mind I'll burn in hell before I say goodbye We've had enough of your rehearsed lies You're past your expiration date My enemy, my friend, you've stayed too late Do the world a favor, create a utopia Cleanse these germs from the earth, get us off your plate You're past your expiration date My enemy, my friend, you've stayed too late Do the world a favor, create a utopia Cleanse these germs from the earth, get us off your plate I'll burn in hell before I apologize We've had enough of your crooked mind I'll burn in hell before I say goodbye We've had enough of your rehearsed lies I'll burn in hell I'll burn in hell I'll burn in hell Burn in hell I'll burn in hell I'll burn in hell I'll burn in hell Burn in hell
3.
Groundhog Day 04:21
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Every day, alarm set at 7, I don't get out of bed 'til 8:11 Getting up is hell, but I'm really dreading The rest of this week, this bed is heaven What the hell is wrong with my brain? Am I lazy or am I going insane? Every night, I track the sunset times Watch the sky turn red to feel alive Like a zombie, I've never died Need a drink to celebrate the night Life's too short to waste the summer Winter comes, and I'm wishing my life away for another And I wish, and I wish, and I wish I wish my life away for another Somebody save me, it feels like Groundhog Day I'm going crazy, 'cause every day is the same I'm running empty, I wanna change my ways What good is a story, if every chapter's just copy-paste, just paraphrased Meet me where the Cuyahoga meets the lake Give me something that's worth making change I need to be something bigger than me Something I can't comprehend or see Autumn strikes in the Forest City The nights get cold, the air is windy The stars lay like Christmas lights Nestled upon the Cleveland skyline Life's too short to waste October, Wishing time back for nights alone in the summer And I wish, and I wish, and I wish I wish my life away for another Somebody save me, it feels like Groundhog Day I'm going crazy, 'cause every day is the same I'm running empty, I wanna change my ways What good is a story, if every chapter's just copy-paste, just paraphrased Meet me where the Cuyahoga meets the lake Give me something that's worth making change I need to be something bigger than me Something I can't comprehend or see (GO!) And I wish, and I wish, and I wish, and I wish I wish my life away for another Somebody save me, it feels like Groundhog Day I'm going crazy, 'cause every day is the same I'm running empty, I wanna change my ways What good is a story, if every chapter's just copy-paste, just paraphrased Meet me where the Cuyahoga meets the lake Give me something that's worth making change I need to be something bigger than me Something I can't comprehend or see Meet me where the Cuyahoga meets the lake Give me something that's worth making change I need to be something bigger than me Something I can't comprehend or see
4.
Erythema & Tachycardia 00:32
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Boiling blood, deep within my veins My head burns, twisted in my outrage Sealing lips, words blow up in smoke Let 'em out before I begin to choke It's never good enough for you It's never good enough for you It's never good enough for you It's never good enough for you
5.
Berries 03:27
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Like kids, we were hoping to not get caught In the parking lot, we were breaking the law I kept you up all night long And the Brunswick skies glow within your eyes Like fireflies that summer night I felt like I was doing you wrong You said you felt just so wanted by me My wingless canary, I couldn't carry Your deepest wishes alone Couldn't grant your wings to fight or flight I can barely tell what's wrong or right They say that pains a part of life Life's too short we have plenty of time The alcohol puts words in our mouths Finds the cheer between a scream or a shout I've got my beer, you've just ran out We've got our tears let's let 'em out (Let's let 'em out) Keep biting, keep biting into poisonous berries, it's scary, I'm wary My soul's wearing thin, something else starts to begin These cursed feelings deep within Keep biting, keep biting into poisonous berries, until I'm dead and buried my darling I'm sorry I kept this hidden, it's forbidden Am I forgiven, am I forgiven You filled the void and eased decay I didn't want to use you in any way When my crimson sparrow flew away My wingless canary kept me from going astray Keep biting, keep biting into poisonous berries, it's scary, I'm wary My soul's wearing thin, something else starts to begin These cursed feelings deep within Keep biting, keep biting into poisonous berries, until I'm dead and buried my darling I'm sorry I kept this hidden, it's forbidden Am I forgiven, am I forgiven
6.
Dragonfly With Broken Wings 03:06
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Flowers burning on the window sill The tides are rolling but I can't hold still Approaching morning but I just can't sleep This short thrill has become my defeat Like a roller coaster flying off the track An hour glass counting down to a panic attack My tank of gas for a nine-to-five, eight hour drive A photograph in black of a friend who died I can't out-scream the power of tragedy Me and planet earth will lose our unity Separate, dissipate, hope for some place better Contemplate, hesitate, I won't be remembered A cup of coffee doesn't cut it anymore No hug or kiss will seal these open sores I'll never be the same, my sweet cocaine This void is driving me insane, it's driving me insane Coming down, down down, down down, down down To the ground, ground ground, ground ground, ground ground A helicopter with burning propellers A dragonfly with broken wings fallen and hurt Down to the dirt, into the worst of it's life It's a little bitter taste on my tongue It's numb, it's numb, it's numb Like cocaine into my lungs I'm young and dumb, so dumb Coming down, down down, down down, down down To the ground, ground ground, ground ground, ground ground A helicopter with burning propellers A dragonfly with broken wings fallen and hurt Down to the dirt, into the worst of it's life I can't out-scream the power of tragedy Me and planet earth will lose our unity Separate, dissipate, hope for some place better Contemplate, hesitate, I won't be remembered I can't out-scream the power of tragedy Me and planet earth will lose our unity Separate, dissipate, hope for some place better Contemplate, hesitate, I won't be remembered, my cocaine
7.
Dark Owl 02:53
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She had bad intentions up her sleeve He didn't get a single night of sleep He was a dark owl beneath the summer stars Taking in too much pain like a dagger to the heart He flew out to the lake with intentions of reversing the pain He put his life at stake as the blood drained from the razor blade He couldn't medicate, there is no antidote for heartache She didn't care at all, she didn't save, it was too late Ah-ah, it was too late Ah-ah, it was too late Dark owl, above the Forest City Sharp howl, echoing across Lake Erie Dark owl, flies across the Cleveland skies Dark owl, dark owl, dark owl, dark owl Drift into the black, manifested with the bad Dark circles under your eyes, like storms permeating your mind Everything you ever were is eclipsed, by a dark cloud, my friend your light is dimmed Live to tell the tale, don't die alone, it's set in stone Live to tell the tale, don't die alone, it's set in stone Dark owl, above the Forest City Sharp howl, echoing across Lake Erie Dark owl, flies across the Cleveland skies Dark owl, dark owl, dark owl, dark owl Dark owl, above the Forest City Sharp howl, echoing across Lake Erie Dark owl, flies across the Cleveland skies Dark owl, dark owl, dark owl, dark owl Live to tell the tale, don't die alone, it's set in stone Live to tell the tale, don't die alone, it's set in stone Live to tell the tale, don't die alone, it's set in stone Live to tell the tale, don't die alone, it's set in stone
8.
Cold October Night 04:45
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Separated, separated from the pack A lonely wolf on my own and I just won't last Running fast but I'm running out of breath The forest starts burning as I come closer to death Damnation is burning salvation and I See embers glowing with hope for my Chance to start again before I burn up and die Like a firefly through a fire-pit tonight Through a fire-pit tonight My battery is drained, my battery is drained From the intoxication running through my veins My blood's polluted from all the alcohol Like the Cuyahoga River, it's flammable Catching fire is my desire I'm so damned tired of the way that I'm wired I'm so healthy but I feel chronically ill My body is alive, but my soul's been beaten and killed All I ever wanted was a companion Someone to call my friend Someone who would be there 'til the end But this is the end, this is the end True colors show but I'm starting to die Feels like a cold October night I'm all alone watching my life flash before my eyes Before my eyes Lost in a storm, tired and forlorn Sometimes I wish I was never born My soul is grey, and void of light It feels like a cold October night The sky's so engulfed in clouds I can't make a wish to save myself The stars are gone, I've waited here too long I'm defeated and wronged, defeated and wronged The sky's so engulfed in clouds I can't make a wish to save myself The stars are gone, I've waited here too long I'm defeated and wronged, defeated and wronged True colors show but I'm starting to die Feels like a cold October night I'm all alone watching my life flash before my eyes Before my eyes Lost in a storm, tired and forlorn Sometimes I wish I was never born My soul is grey, and void of light It feels like a cold October night True colors show but I'm starting to die Feels like a cold October night I'm all alone watching my life flash before my eyes Before my eyes Lost in a storm, tired and forlorn Sometimes I wish I was never born My soul is grey, and void of light It feels like a cold October night
9.
I Trust You 04:42
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You are a star The brightest star in the whole sky Permeating the clouds You give me one last wish each night You've never steered me wrong Read between the lines in all my songs You've been on my mind for so long You've been in my heart for so long You've been in my heart for so long You've been in my heart for so long I was a bird with a broken wing I can't fly but I can't sing Needed flight to chase my dreams And I gave up on everything You were my halcyon days Kept me sane and not astray You were the colors within the grey Bright and beautiful in every way And I regret the way I spoke to you sometimes I was aloof and shy, afraid of the truth and not so concise My head inflated with these words, my heart began to hurt I grew fond of the glow inside your eyes, I couldn't swallow my pride I couldn't say what was on my mind Please don't ever disappear, I need you right here And I've been living deep in fear, drowning in my tears Always alone, left to die here in the snow My crimson sparrow, I trust you, 'cause I'm starting to glow You pulled me out of the undertow I was so careful to not make you collateral damage as I blew my self-esteem up I kept my lips sealed shut, I think I've had enough It's time to open them up, slice them open like a cut, it's time to spill my guts It's time to spill my guts Would everything be these same if I didn't meet you that October day? That October day I trust you because you make me trust myself I trust you because you pulled me from the pits of hell Please don't ever disappear, I need you right here And I've been living deep in fear, drowning in my tears Always alone, left to die here in the snow My crimson sparrow, I trust you, 'cause I'm starting to glow You pulled me out of the undertow Please don't ever disappear, I need you right here And I've been living deep in fear, drowning in my tears Always alone, left to die here in the snow My crimson sparrow, I trust you, 'cause I'm starting to glow
10.
The Forest City 02:41
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Light a candle on the beach as the sun sets on the lake Looking out to the East as the city lights my face Looking out to the West, the gradient of the sunset As the sunshine fades away Down the river and through the flats, my songs echo through the land The moonlight starts to glimmer and illuminate the band Crack open a Dortmunder and cheer for our town The Cavaliers, Indians and Browns Cleveland, Ohio My town, yes I know It's Cleveland, Ohio Come on and let your light glow Ohio City, Tremont and East 4th Street We sing, we dance, we cheer, as we're toasting our drinks Nothing to celebrate, just the fact we are alive And brighter than the stars in the sky Crimson sparrow, wingless canary, dark owl and I We fly in our dreams as we touch the city skyline Through the forest city where I live and where I'll die But my name will live on everyday and every night Cleveland, Ohio My town, yes I know It's Cleveland, Ohio Come on and let your light glow Cleveland, Ohio My town, yes I know It's Cleveland, Ohio Come on and let your light glow

about

Gosh, where do I start?! This is my first full album that I have released since Sweet Disaster Soundtrack's "Et Putredo in Acedia," which you will be fortunate enough to hear some throwbacks of that in here, as well as some really weird shit I've never done before, drawing influences from indie, surf, hardcore punk, grunge and folk, as well as the idea of a concept album and characters. "The Forest City" is Cleveland, Ohio's nickname and that is the main theme of the album.

credits

released November 11, 2019

Guitars: Donald Beck
Bass: Donald Beck
Vocals: Donald Beck
Drum machine: Donald Beck
Lyrics: Donald Beck
Keys: Donald Beck

Mix & master: Donald Beck

Artwork: Benji Marchbank

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Donald Beck Berea, Ohio

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