I don’t know about you, but I can hear loads of musical influences shining through in ‘People pleaser’. The awesome contributions from Elizabeth Auzan, Chris Matthews, Chris Bouchard and Tarjei Skarlund make this one a true gem. Ultimate JustVera. Kompoz rules!
People pleaser, stop choosing not to choose
Say yes, think no Decide the road you wanna go Reflecting in the future tense You sit upon your little fence
You say you’ll win, you think you’ll lose It’s time to learn you can refuse Your little fence Is no defence Invite yourself t’the present tense
People pleaser
People pleaser, people pleaser, sitting on the fence, stop choosing not to choose
Doobiedo dee Doobie do do-ooh Just be you
Doobie do dee Doobie do da-ah You’re a star
Doobie do dee Doobie do do-ooh You’ll shine through
Doobie do dee Doobie do da-ah Goin’ far
Doobie do dee Doobie do do-ooh Oh, so true
Doobiedo dee Doobie do do-ooh Just be you
(Lyrics by Elizabeth Auzan, vocals Tarjei Skarlund)
Tarjei Skarlund (vocals), JeanLui Toudou (bass), Chris Bouchard (drums), Kelly Miller (guitars), Elizabeth Auzan (lyrics). These people never actually met -each other or me-, but they did take my initial idea to the next level. All thanks to Kompoz.
Tusen takk! ¡Muchos gracias! Thank you so much!/Merci beaucoup! Vielen Dank!
Your point of view Is what makes you, YOU
Born and screaming alone Smacked on the behind I didn’t ask to be born Nor did the rest of humankind
I was pressured to conform But I didn’t give in Learned true values and respect For kith and kin through thick and thin
All wisdom can be held In the laughter of a child Capacity for wonder Keeps adults from being defiled
See the glass half-full See it half-empty as you will Your point of view Is what makes you, YOU
What have l learned After this toil and strife? Life is worth nothing But nothing’s worth life
(Lyrics by Elizabeth Auzan, vocals Tarjei Skarlund)
Jim Bryan (bass) and Mark Murtha (guitars) reinforced my instrumental framework. Truly great stuff. But the game changed dramatically when Brian Hallstoos stepped in. His lyrics and vocals added the dimension which turned the track into the three-minute-powerpop song I’ve been looking for for so long. Next level JustVera.
Hail to ‘Your Majesty’…
Flood me Majesty All hail, Your Majesty Flood me Majesty, flood me
You just do what you want to do Like a godless queen, you flood me
Problem from another century Seems to be with us all time Funny way of showing sympathy Well, to me it’s just fine, fine, fine
A little boy up in his book now Mama don’t know what to write Can’t you see he’s feeling naked today No, not alright
Standing on the rooftop Kick dirt looking down Foggy morning messy little memories Sticks and stones, back in the ground
Push, shove, look me in the eyes Tell me just what do you see Climb on top, cannot stop Not love hath wrought what sets us free because
You just do what you want to do Like a godless queen, you flood me Rain, wind, sorcery, I don’t care what you do to me Your Majesty
You just do what you want to do Like a godless queen, you flood me Rain, wind, sorcery, I don’t care what you do to me Your Majesty
Turning round, so many faces, but only serving one Can I get a little space here until you are done
You just do what you want to do Like a godless queen, you flood me Rain, wind, sorcery, I don’t care what you do to me Your Majesty
‘Ample’ is one of the few JustVera instrumentals. Quite an unusual track. Something about the structure, choice of instruments, atmosphere? Something I love anyway. Bill McCarthy added his rhythmic touch, Jim Bryan his growling bass groove and recently Dan Rosati dropped his mouthwatering saxy cherries all over the cake. Much obliged, guys!
The starting point of ‘Stranger’ was a song I created some 4 years ago: ‘Lost your halo’ (https://justvera.com/2017/09/23/lost-your-halo/). Just love the sound of these programmed drums. I played around with a new direction, Tez Katajala came up with the lyrics, but no singer seemed interested to turn those into a vocal performance. So I decided to have a go myself… The result was fair, thanks to many hours of meticulous tuning/synching/editing. Still I felt the song deserved a lead singer. I invited Buck, who sang on previous JustVera tracks and fortunately he accepted the challenge. Long story short: I mixed all bits and pieces into the present version with his lead and my backing vocals. And all instruments and production by me/Reason. Three minutes of perky powerpop. So me.
I Have a primal wound Just trying to survive By not getting too deep Into other peoples lives
I’m Trying to survive Just trying all the time I have a primal fear An anxious depression Of losing someone near Of losing someone near
Stranger When will you feel When will you heal
Stranger You’re a stranger to yourself
My Compulsive behavior Compulsive behavior When will I heal
It was back in 2014 when the first JustVera (mini)album got released: ‘What took us so long?!’. Four years later there was ‘Raw and Reckless’ and now there is ‘More than anything’.
35 NEW JustVera tracks, which I composed and produced with the help of dozens of musicians from all over the world. (Full list below.) Be prepared for some amazing new and original stuff… Mastered by Insub and Tommy Hellsten. And Tommy offered to remaster the first two albums as well. So I decided to include these remastered tracks on ‘More than anything’ as a bonus.
All official JustVera tracks collected on one album. Enjoy.
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These are the artists who contributed to JustVera. For the sake of Music. It was a pleasure and a privilege to work with you. More than anything.
Alan Abernethy Alex Zulaika Alexander K. Alice Minguez Amanda Moubarak Amy B. Andrea Spaziale Andrew Boucher Bill McCarthy Bryan Shoemaker Buck M. Caleb Anderson Cali Beach Chris Bouchard Christine Linge Dan Rosati Daniel Swain David Koehler Elizabeth Auzan Ellen Kussy Esther Bredius Frederic Osuch G TeePee Gabro Jazz Gustavo Abreu Heidar Sigurdsson Ian T. InSub Jan van de Garde Jannik Gade Jarek Adamowski Jean Lui Toudou Jeff Bragg Jeff Dalton Jen Carie Jim Bryan Joel Sattler Joey Six John Heavern Jon Garcia Jordi Ribas Kari DeNeal Kris Pride Lisa Dewey Lloyd Plueschow Loek van der Knaap Louis Marchena Marc Brouwer Mark Adams Mark Alan Dooley Mark Bowen Mark Miller Martin Nilsson Maurizio Marini Michel Pilotte Mike Patterson Monroe De La Vega Nicola Offidani Nigel Robinson NunoW. Olivia Brame Olivier Demaine Oppy Parmia Vaala Patricia Kigilcim Pepino Lorenzo Peter Bomhof Peter Hendriks Ray Kaliss Rick Farrell Rob Glass Robert Saint Denis Sean DeCataldo Serenn Steve Rice Sven-Martin Keil Tarjei Skarlund Tez Katajala Thomas Hjorth Todd Vierra Todd W. Tom H. Tommy Hellsten Tracy Hayden Tracy Hutchison
‘Go ahead and cry’ features Olivia Brame singing a mix of lyrics by Mike Mantecon and Tez Katajala. A beautiful song about accepting life as it is.
Photos on the wall You run and hide For a brighter, better day While the summertime seems to fade, so far away
Thinking about days gone by Is it my turn to cry? Contemplation, consideration Thoughts lead back to you
At the bright of day When shadows still seem so real And you never learn The only constant is change You don’t have to be perfect But you cannot live like that When nothing’s really worth it And the hurt is on the attack
So let go of what’s holding you down Spread your wings to fly You don’t have to be perfect But you can’t let this life pass on by
Never fear what’s ahead, what’s behind, what they said Never fear what they think, what is real, what it seems You don’t have to be perfect
Let go of what’s holding you down And spread your wings to fly Don’t ask why Go ahead and cry
(Lyrics: Mike Mantecon/Tez Katajala, vocals: Olivia Brame)
Powerful vibrations: ‘The 5th dimension’. David Koehler&Buck M. as the lyrical/vocal team, JeanLui Toudou&Sotiris Petridis as the ultimate rhythm tandem. Great collab, cool JustVera track!
I met you once so long ago In a place so far away As we talked vibrations flowed It filled me with the light of day
It was just a short time You said you could not stay Before I knew it you were gone Though there was more I wanted to say
Eversince I knew There was a connection to be sure I’m desperate to go back and feel That energy so pure We live in separate worlds Locked on separate tracks We lost something beautiful With no way to get back No way to get back
I need to break the rules I’ll travel place to place Transform the timeline Alter my life’s pace
It is my intention Defying all convention To seek the fifth dimension And leave barriers of time and space behind
What’s it gonna take To make my dream come true To stop the clocks from ticking So I can return to you They say it can’t be done That it’s a mad delusion It’s mathematical impossible But I won’t accept that sad conclusion There’s got to be a way To go back to that day To keep you in my sight To always feel that light
Show me how to pass These universal laws Through machinery Or magic chance To get a shot at sweet romance
Through time and space I’ll slide To return to your side
It is my intention Defying all convention To seek the fifth dimension To leave barriers of time and space behind
I’ll seek the fifth dimension I’ll leave barriers of time and space behind
It is my intention Defying all convention To seek the fifth dimension To leave barriers of time and space behind
Some 15 years ago I composed an instrumental canvas called ‘The ballad of Errol Warwick’. Recently I added an original love story, based on personal experience and transformed it into ‘Steel mills and apple pie’. Thank you G Tee Pee, Bill McCarthy, Caleb Anderson and Amy B. for helping me to create an epic piece, bringing back happy memories…
Nothing ever changes around this town Nothing ever moves, it’s in the ground
Fifteen, high school, looking past the school room She sat two rows in front of me The one I wanted instantly It’s raw when you’re a teen
Hung at the club where you played guitar I listened it broke my heart the drunks in the bar drinking hard
It’s better than this, that I know
Mid life, now I’m twenty five It’s a clown show, full flow Played out and passed out on the bar floor Saw your mother still serving slow
Malt to the flies and the guys from the yard Hard men, working men That’s all we are
Small town girls look for a car A ride away to a dance in the bar Nothing changed, nothing does, Nothing will, the way things are Nothing ever changes around this town Nothing ever moves it’s in the ground Of steel mills and crunching sounds
Thought I’d look up to you again thought I’d think that’s what mother said I met him at high school, the captain of the team There was something about him, that stood out to me He treated me good, he treated me right It ended up leaving in the same night
Nothing ever changes, nothing ever moves We’re all stuck in the ground With nothing to lose
Been around the world Had many nights Some full of pain Others of delight Other wild times So high on life
I’ve had many lovers of all kinds I’ve rolled from bed to bed from nameless faceless, hopeless covers Missing you so much that I can’t take it, I can’t take it
Nothing fills the hole of you Nothing feels the same as you Nothing works, work work harder Run away you run further
So I find I’m here again (Nothing ever changes around this town) Back here again, sober, straight, saved (Nothing ever changes) Ghost of a town, ghosts are all around (Nothing ever moves, it’s in the ground) There’s no more draw than you No more pull than your eyes You keep me true (Hypnotized by the local sound) This is the life I found (Steel mills and the crunch of apple pies)
Excuse me miss, do you know the way to the…? Well I’ll be, it’s you! Umm, how have you been? It’s been ages you look wonderful, striking actually.
It has been some time hasn’t it, I’ve been well. I’ve been traveling a lot with a man that I met. There are some days that I wish for a quiet moment without the motion of life swirling around me, but those times of trial have made me much stronger.
Sounds like quite the journey. Are you you doing anything right now? If you have time I know a beautifully little cafe right by the beach where we could catch up. I’d love to hear about your all of your plights and victories.
You know what, I think I might have an hour or two that I could spare. Come on, let’s go.
Nothing ever changes around this town Nothing ever moves, it’s in the ground Hypnotized by the local sound of steel mills and the crunch of apple pies
(Lyrics: G. Tee Pee, vocals: Caleb Anderson and Amy B.)
Sure, it was my idea and it is my production. But my goodness… The über-excellent contributions of Joey six, Jim Bryan, Mark Miller and Jeff Bragg made to this 3-minute power ballad almost were too much for me. Do yourself a favour. Open up to 179 seconds of sheer class.
Now who am I?
Frustration, desperation The seeds of this anxiety What if I open my eyes? If what I see I despise? Powerlessness feeds insanity
Destitution my restitution For all these atrocities
Reclamation, emancipation Where did you leave the keys?
Each day begins the healing Pages in the book of liberty
Just who am I supposed to be?
Starting early, not yet seaworthy These first steps of sobriety But am I immune to the lies? Primed for another reprise Prepare for another round of apologies
Now who am I supposed to be?
Remembering who I was Essential to who I will be I live for it all …
