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SHOWSSunday, Nov. 20, 2011, 1 p.m.Sally O'Brien's335 Somerville Ave., Somerville, MAMini set with John SchindlerJulie Dougherty programRyan & OrtolaniMonday, Nov. 7, 2011, 7:30 p.m.Emerson UmbrellaOpen Mike, Feature40 Stow St., Concord, MARyan & OrtolaniSaturday, Sept. 17, 20112 p.m.Lanesville Music FestivalLanesville Community CenterVulcan St.Gloucester, MAMelissa, Charlie, and GerryPart of all-day music festivalSaturday, July 16, 20116 - 8 p.m.Lanesville Community CenterVulcan St., Gloucester, MAGerry & Charlie in concertSunday, July 102 p.m.Emmanuel Lutheran Church24 Berwick StreetNorwood, MAFeature at duos & trios showMelissa, Charlie & GerrySunday, June 26, 20117:30 - 10:30 a.m.North Shore Cancer WalkNorth Shore Auto Clinic43 Essex St.Salem, MAWednesday, April 27, 20119:00 - 11:30 p.m.In A Pig's Eye148 Derby St., Salem, MASunday, Nov. 28, 2010Gerry Ryan & Charlie OrtolaniFeaturesParish Center for the Arts10 Lincoln St.Westford, MA Monday, Oct. 25, 2010Gerry Ryan & Charlie OrtolaniFeaturesRoslindale Open Mike25 Cummings HighwayRoslindale, MAWednesday, June 30, 20109:00 - 11:30 p.m.In A Pig's Eye148 Derby St., Salem, MASaturday, April 17, 20108 p.m. (Doors open at 7:30)Rose Garden CoffeehouseMansfield, MAGerry Ryan, Charlie Ortolani & Melissa Fleming opening for The Great Country Duo Barry & Holly TashianWednesday, April 28, 20109:00 - 11:30 p.m.In A Pig's Eye148 Derby St., Salem, MAThursday, July 23, 2009 9:00 - 11:30 p.m.In A Pig's Eye148 Derby St., Salem, MASunday, June 21, 20097:30 - 10:30 p.m.North Shore Auto Clinic, 43 Essex Street, Salem, MAA performance for the North Shore Cancer WalkSaturday, March 21, 2009The Linden Tree Coffeehouse, 326 Main St., Wakefield, MAOpening for Chicago-based singer/songwriter, Michael SmithWednesday, March 11, 20099:00 - 11:30 p.m.In A Pig's Eye148 Derby St., Salem, MAWednesday, January 14, 2009 9:00 - 11:30 p.m.In A Pig's Eye148 Derby St., Salem, MAWednesday, October 15, 2008 9:00 - 11:30 p.m.In A Pig's Eye148 Derby St., Salem, MAFriday, September 19, 2008 8:00 p.m.Me & Thee Coffeehouse28 Mugford St., Marblehead, MAOpening for Jez Lowe and the Bad PenniesThursday, August 28, 20089:00 - 11:30 p.m.In A Pig's Eye, 148 Derby St., Salem, MAThursday, June 26, 2008, 9:00 - 11:30 p.m.In A Pig's Eye, 148 Derby St., Salem, MASunday, June 22, 2008, 8:00 to 10:30 a.m.A Performance for the North Shore Cancer WalkNorth Shore Auto Clinic, Essex Street, Salem, MAWednesday, June 4, 20087:00 - 10:00 p.m.Main Street Market & Cafe, 42 Main Street, Concord, MAThursday, May 29, 20089:00 - 11:30 p.m.In A Pig's Eye, 148 Derby St., Salem, MAMonday, March 24, 20089:00 - 11:30 p.m.In A Pig's Eye, 148 Derby St., Salem, MARyan & Ortolani Host the Open MikeWednesday, March 12, 20089:00 - 11:30 p.m.In A Pig's Eye, 148 Derby St., Salem, MAMonday, March 3, 20089:00 p.m.Emerson Umbrella, 40 Stow Street, Concord, MAOpen Mike featureSunday, February 10, 20087:30 - 10:00 p.m.Parish Center for the Arts,10 Lincoln Street, Westford, MAOpen Mike featureThursday, January 3, 20089:00 - 11:30 p.m.In A Pig's Eye, 148 Derby St., Salem, MAMonday, November 19, 20079:30 p.m.Cantab Lounge, 738 Mass Avenue, Cambridge, MAGeoff Bartley's Open Mike Feature Saturday, November 3, 20077:30 p.m.Nameless Coffee House, 3 Church Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MARyan & Ortolani will be one of four actsincluding the great John Lincoln WrightSunday, October 7, 20075:30 - 9:30 p.m.King Hooper Mansion Cafe, 8 Hooper Street, Marblehead, MAOpen Mike Feature with Allied FolkThursday, September 18, 20079:00 - 11:30 p.m.In A Pig's Eye, 148 Derby St., Salem, MA

Gerry Ryan Sings Pick Up the Pieces on www.AcousticMusicTV.com
Nothin' But The Water - Gerry Ryan, Charlie Ortolani & Melissa Fleming
Seaport Town by Gerry Ryan on Acoustic Music TV
Nothin' But The Water - Gerry Ryan, Charlie Ortolani & Melissa Fleming

Welcome to Yesteryear and my latest collection of songs gathered from wherever it was my mind led me. Music is too vast to squeeze into one slot or genre. Inspirations are everywhere. You just have to pay attention and they will find you. Then the real work begins. Life takes from the past to get to tomorrow.

A quick thanks to Seth for his excellent production skills, Charlie and Melissa and all the other musicians and singers who performed so well on this CD. They dug into the soul of my tunes and with their skill and imagination took them even better places. I am indebted to them for their excellent work and enthusiasm.

Enjoy ~ Gerry Ryan

VIDEO Gerry Ryan, Charlie Ortolani and Melissa Fleming were honored to be the guests of Acoustic Music TV in August, 2009. See more clips from this recording here.

New CD: Today in Yesteryear

All rights reserved.Gerald C. Ryan | Photos by Stephen Ide

Bio About Gerry Ryan"This life's a journey, it's not our home." - Gerry RyanIt's not that far from a three-decker in a central New England city to a seaport town bordering on the Atlantic Ocean. Maybe 60 miles at most. But when one follows the call of music, the miles can pile up faster than an odometer on a cross-country freight train.For most of his adult life, Gerry Ryan has been chasing the musical muse, learning and writing songs in a wide range of styles... folk, country blues, western swing, rock, ballads ... songs that explore topics snatched from the ledger of life. He has performed his songs wherever lovers of acoustic music gather -- coffeehouses, clubs, and camps, festivals -- and any place good songs are welcome."I remember years ago seeing Pete Seeger on his TV show talking about the mighty quest a person embarks upon when they decide to play a musical instrument," Ryan explains, "the places you travel to, the interesting people you meet, the times you enjoy, the lessons you learn, but most importantly, the songs you share. Like a lot of things Pete said over the years, this journey has certainly turned out to be true for me."Ryan performs as a solo act, but he is most frequently found in the folk duo, Ryan & Ortolani, touring throughout the Northeast, performing his original music as well as compelling cover material. He's traveled down the well-worn paths others have traveled, past the trials and tribulations of everyday life except like most musicians he is prone to veer off the path whenever he hears good music playing."Dreaming the impossible is what made us singer/songwriters in the first place," Ryan continues. "As a songwriter, you want people like your music. That's always a goal. Still as I look back and think where the search for true music has taken me, the venues, the good people, the great performers, the friendships, the good times and the fine music I've encountered over the decades, I guess I'd have so say I've been paid back pretty handsomely."
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Ryan Ortolani Fleming About Ryan, Ortolani and FlemingA folk trio featuring Gerry Ryan, Charlie Ortolani and Melissa FlemingRyan & Ortolani have been performing together since the turn of the century. This duo is a versatile group who combine decades of musical experience to produce some of the sweetest harmonic and rhythmic sounds around. You may hear catchy original tunes, American acoustic classics, country blues, Celtic covers, swing and jazz standards... depending on their mood and what their audience wants to hear. Most recently, the talented vocalist Melissa Fleming has been joining them on stage, adding even more depth to their harmonies.Ryan & Ortolani have highlighted shows at Rose Garden Coffeehouse in Mansfield, MA, opening for Barry & Holly Tashian, the Linden Tree Coffee House in Wakefield opening for Michael Smith, the Me & Thee Coffeehouse in Marblehead opening for Jez Lowe & the Bad Pennies, and the Amazing Things Coffee House in Framingham opening for Bill Staines. They have also featured at Geoff Bartley's singer/songwriter nights at the Cantab Lounge in Cambridge, the Nameless Coffee House in Cambridge and the Music Room Coffee House in Reading. They have also appeared at the Common Ground Coffee House in Bridgewater, In a Pig's Eye in Salem, the MayFair in Harvard Square for WUMB-FM and numerous times at the Parish Center for the Arts in Westford.They have also featured on main stages at the Gloucester Festival in Gloucester, Yankee Homecoming in Newburyport and the Summer Acoustic Music Week (SAMW) stages of the Boston Folk Festival.
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Music

Today in YesteryearWelcome to Yesteryear and my latest collection of songs gathered from wherever it was my mind led me. Music is too vast to squeeze into one slot or genre. Inspirations are everywhere. You just have to pay attention and they will find you. Then the real work begins. Life takes from the past to get to tomorrow.A quick thanks to Seth for his excellent production skills, Charlie and Melissa and all the other musicians and singers who performed so well on this CD. They dug into the soul of my tunes and with their skill and imagination took them even better places. I am indebted to them for their excellent work and enthusiasm.Lyrics

Today in Yesteryear:

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Halfway HomeHalfway Home features 12 original tunes that cover all the trials and turmoil of everyday life. This CD was produced by Seth Connolly, who also plays on a number of the tracks, as do Lorraine and Bennett Hammond, Charlie Ortolani, Julie Dougherty and other musicians from the greater Boston area.As Ryan explains, "It has always been a mystery to me how the tunes that songwriters discover and craft touch others. We all know the sure-fire elements to add to the recipe; melody, rhythm, a catchy chorus, words that ring true, the right mood --- gently stirred with a little innovation and a few musical twists and turns. Still we all know songs that abound with these ingredients that somehow miss the mark. Still as songwriters we persist. I hope you find that some of the songs in this collection reach you. They span more than 20 years of work, although the majority were written in this new century. I put them together with much thought and care, and shaded them with some of the best musicians and singers I know. 12 songs that I hope will take you more than Halfway Home."Lyrics

Halfway Home:

Order online at CD Baby

$15.00 for the CD or to download the entire album

or .99 for each track

Download at iTunes

Lyrics

Today in Yesteryear

Halfway Home All Lyrics by Gerry Ryan

1. A Country Waltz Overture(G. Ryan)G. Ryan, guitar, Matt Leavenworth, violin2. Pick Up The Pieces(C. Ortolani, G.Ryan)G. Ryan, guitar, vocalsMelissa Fleming, vocalsCharlie Ortolani, guitar, vocals, bass guitarDan Croad, drumsWe got to go back, and pick up the piecesAnd find the little bits of the gold that keep shining throughAnd say thanks to god, and say thanks to jesusFor leaving us alone so we could do the things we had to do(Chorus)Let's go back and pick up the piecesWho knows what pleasures we might findLet's go back and pick up the piecesFind a little piece of heaven, little peace of mindNow the road of life is full of twists and turningsEverything we have could be lost in the blink of an eyeWe got to be smart and keep our love light burningOr we could lose everything and kiss all of our dreams goodbye(Chorus)(Bridge)Life rarely gives us second chancesAs we struggle on along our wayToo many broken dreams and bad romancesThat we have to deal with everyday.(Break)We got to go back, and pick up the piecesDon't know where were going, but well know it when we find it thereSomething thats real, so our love increasesSomething that is genuine we carry with us everywhere(Chorus)3. Seaport Town(G. Ryan)G. Ryan, guitar, vocalsCharlie Ortolani, guitar, vocalsMelissa Fleming, vocalsThe harbors cold and dark and greyHere on this fine September dayAs I slowly make my wayOut to my boat at the head of the bayI always knew it dwelt in meAn internal longing for the seaAn echo calling for the coastIt was the life that I wanted the most(Chorus)Living in a seaport townTide comes in, the tide goes downI marvel at the life I've foundWhen you're living in a seaport townThe smell of the brisk salty sea airThe boats in the harbor waiting thereFor their captains to arriveRaise up their sails and they become alive.And I have found the finest friendsOn whom my sanity dependsThey're hardworking, loyal and trueThey are the ones who I raise my glass to.(Chorus)Living in a seaport townTide comes in, the tide goes downI marvel at the friends I've foundWhen youre living in a seaport town.This seaport town it is my homeNew England brick and wood and stoneThe wild Atlantic rolling onLifting my heart from the dusk till the dawn.I could not ask much more of lifeBut somehow I found the perfect wifeLove astounds in many waysAnd here I remain til the end of my days(Chorus)Living in a seaport townTide comes in, the tide goes downI marvel at the love I've foundWhen you're living in a seaport town4. If I Only Had a Heart (C. Ortolani, G. Ryan)G. Ryan, guitar, vocalsCharlie Ortolani, guitar, bass guitar, vocalsDon Croad, drums(Chorus)If I only had a heart, Darling how I'd fall for youBut I lost mine a long, long time agoI've broken a few hearts and had mine broken tooMy poor heart just can't take it anymoreI used to wear my heart out on my sleeveJust a little foolish and a lot naïveI'd love with all my heart, Until things fell apartI always gave out more than I received(Chorus)It's hard finding love inside a local barAnd I'd like to know what your intentions areYou seem so innocentWith all the time we spentThings seem to be going fine so far(Chorus)They say its just a phase I'm going throughThe doctor said call him in a week or two.Now that's the lesson I have learned through all the yearsAll this heartache, isn't worth the pain and tearsBut some day who knows whenMy heart might care againEspecially if I drink a few more beers.(Chorus)5. Misery Island(G. Ryan)G. Ryan, guitar, vocalsSeth Connelly, upright bassOut on the island where no one ever wants to goThere's stories, there's rumors, but no on really knowsThey say that it's haunted with dangerous tides along the bayThe old timers tell you, it's best to stay away.Shipwrecks and sailors have piled upon those rocksThe stories they'd tell you if only stone could talkBut none was more tragic than the story of two sisters thereAnd whatever harmed them vanished in the air(Chorus)Out on Misery Island, Out on Misery IslandIt happened in winter in the time of wooden ships and sailTheir husbands were fisherman say those who tell the taleNo one remembers how they came to live out on that isleBut they seemed to be happy, if only for a whileNow the life of a fisherman chasing cod beneath the seaBrings many long hours searching endlesslyOne night returning as they made their way up from the shoreThe island seemed different than it had before(Chorus)No lantern lighting gleaming through the window or the doorThe sisters were huddled there upon the floorThe perished in silence amid great mysteryThey're buried on that ledge high above the sea No sickness, or evidence to prove there was a crimeThe sheriff was clever, but he was stumped this timeThe locals blamed demons or wicked sorceryThey swore there was evil out on Misery(Chorus)So many islands, so many ghostly talesThey say living on one can be like time in jailPersistent rumors were all that did remainBut no ones dared to live on that island again.(Chorus)6. Beautiful Dancer(G. Ryan)G. Ryan, guitar, vocals, bass guitar, percussionCharlie Ortolani, vocalsSeth Connelly, classical guitarSee the way that she moves you can see shes a beautiful dancerWith her style and her grace yes she knows that she's really a starAnd you know in your heart, there's no way you ever could have herAh but just for a moment you forget how useless you are.Watch her move to the musicWatch her moveShe dances free, so easily away from meSee the way her hips sway, so sensual, so undulatingIn slow easy movements in rhythm so perfect in timeAnd she seems unaware of the hunger and want she's creatingAh, but that's how you do it, that's why she dances so fine.Watch her move to the musicWatch her moveShe dances free, so easily away from me(Instrumental)Watch her move to the musicWatch her moveDont miss your chance, the elegance, oh watch her dance Get a hold of yourself, you can't take your desperate eyes off herCome back to your senses cause this aint going nowhereBut you're under the spell, the allure of a beautiful dancerAnd there's something powerful, magical holding you there.Watch her move to the musicWatch her moveShe dances free so easily away from meShe dances free so easily ..7. No Ones Coming Around(G. Ryan)G. Ryan, guitar, vocals, bass guitarMatt Leavenworth, violinsIt looks like no ones coming around tonightIt seems theres no one homeTheyve taken off to parts unknownNo one picks up there telephoneIm sentenced to a night alone(Chorus)And it looks like no one's coming around tonightIt's just me entertaining myself tonightI could go find the listOf things to do at times like thisBut all those efforts would consistOf tasks to fill the emptiness(Chorus)All my amigos and my compadresI don't know where they have goneI can't believe that they'd leave me stranded To spend the evening aloneI'm out of books to readThere's nothing decent on TVThis silence isn't good for meI'm desperate for some company(Chorus)And it looks like no one's coming around tonightIt's just me entertaining myself tonightTonight .8. Walking in the Graveyard(G. Ryan)G. Ryan, guitar, vocals, bass guitarMatt Leavenworth, violinCharlie Ortolani, Melissa Fleming, vocalsWhen you're walking in the graveyardDon't be afraid, if you're standing on my graveI won't be there to harm you, so just enjoy yourselfI'm with my deadbeat pals, or someone elseIt's peaceful in the cemeteryAnd quiet why we wait for youSo when you're walking in the graveyard,Just relax, cause you know one dayYou'll be coming backJack the Ripper was a killerBut he's long gone. Now he can't harm anyone.It's living bastards thatll kill you, and cut you downMake your next address underground.Be careful of the life you're livingDeath might be creeping up on you.There's nothing here to be afraid ofJust these headstones, and that feeling you're not alone(Chorus)Don't you have any questions, You'd like to ask, about your future, about your pastI'm quite well known for my silencesBut I'll be straight with youSome of my biggest lies, sound like they're trueDon't think that I am not trustworthyThere's one thing I can promise youThat when you're lying in the graveyardYou won't be afraid, if someone's standing on your grave.(Chorus)Walking in the graveyardLife is very deadlyWalking in the graveyardStepping cautiouslyWalking Treading ...9. Crying(G. Ryan)G. Ryan, vocals, pianoSeth Connelly, upright bassDan Croad, drumsCrying, you're always cryingYou're always wasting your time Letting teardrops fallYou're always crying.Lonely, you say you're lonelyBut when you're always aloneThat's the best you getYou wind up lonelyFriends, you gotta have friendsWhen your happiness endsWhen you're all aloneTry, you gotta tryTo tell your problems good byePull yourself togetherDon't go one like this foreverWith your cryingCrying, you're always cryingAm I the one that's to blameFor the way you feelI get you cryingFun, you gotta have funTo send the blues on the runTo get through the daySmile, you gotta smileTo feel good once in a whilePull yourself togetherDon't go one like this foreverWith your cryingStop your crying10. If You Go(G. Ryan)G. Ryan, guitar, vocals,Billy Novick, clarinetSeth Connelly, upright bassSearching for My LoveIf you go, I'll be so sorryI won't know what to do,Without youI'd be lost like a skiff on the harborHeading out to seaSaw your name, on an old country gravestoneHigh on top of a hill,It haunts me stillAh that name was so enchanted Calling out to me(Chorus)That's when I went searching for my loveHoping to get my fair shareLosing myself in the magicSearching for you everywhereThat is when, I started my journeyTracking down every clueThat led to youProbing on like a desperate detectiveTo find a love thats true(Chorus)And I kept on searching for my loveSearching for you everywhereLosing myself in the magicSearching for you everywhereWandering down the cobbled streets and alleywaysLiving with a tomb inside my heartSenses wide alert observing everythingWaiting for this love of mine to startThen one day so unexpected, A bolt out of the blueYou felt it tooRaining down like a meteor showerThe moment I met you.(Chorus)Now we are together in our loveIt travels with us everywhereLosing ourselves in the magicCertain it is always thereIf you go, I'll be so sorryI wont know what to do,Without youI'd be lost like a skiff on the harborHeading out to sea. 11. Place To Go Home To(G. Ryan)G. Ryan, guitar, vocals,Charlie Ortolani, guitar, vocalsIn the dark heart of the cityDown the alley, way belowThat's where the lost are taking shelterSearching for some place to go(Chorus)They need a place to go home toWhen everything is going wrongThey need a place to go home toWhere they belongThe conductor on the night trainTakes the tickets, knows no namesEach car slips into the otherTill they all seem bout the same(Chorus)He needs a place to go home toWhen everything is going wrongShow him a place to go home toWhere he belongsIn the city's tallest office towersAnother mid-life working dayStill your heart's incessant seekingSays there must be a better way(Chorus)You need a place to go home toWhen everything is going wrongYou need a place to go home toWhere you belongAnd in your lonely darkest hourWhen time comes creeping up on youWill you find what you are looking for?I'm not taking any questionsI've heard all Im going to sayWords collide and lose their meaningAnd you're not listening anyway(Chorus)I need a place to go home toWhen everything is going wrongShow me a place to go home toWhere I belong12. Falling In Love With You Again(G. Ryan)G. Ryan, guitar, vocalsEvery now and then my thoughts meander back to youI try and keep them deep inside but there's nothing I can doAnd I'm thinking the same old thingsFor the sanity that it brings For the momentIt's a Sunday morning clothes are strewn about the chairsThe sunlight is streaming in, summertime is in the airOn a day we reserved for us, It was good for you dear I trustAs I remember(Chorus)And then I'm falling in love with you againFalling in love with you againWe moved to different cities you went your way I went mineI tried to do the best I could and leave it all behindBut when everything settles down,Those old memories come aroundAnd haunt me.(Chorus)I think I'm all right, but then I'm not quite really hereI'm so uncertain and my composure disappearsEvery now and then your words echo back to meIt isn't so much where you are, it's where you're meant to beAnd I pray that our destiny, will weave our lives eventually Back together.(Chorus)13. Whats Been Going On(G. Ryan)G. Ryan, guitar, vocals, bass guitarSeth Connelly, electric guitarDan Croad, DrumsIn the light, I cannot seeForgotten moods in my memoryWhat's been going on with meI used to be a carefree guyThe darkest clouds just passed me byWhat's been going on with me(Chorus)What's been going on with meI used to be so wild and freeAll I am I used to beI'm living in ancient historyWhat's been going on with meA sudden change, a sudden chillI'm being held against my willWhat's been going on with me(Chorus)What's been going on with meI'm living in such miseryI was all right, ask anyoneThey'll tell you all of the things Ive doneYou'll seeWhat's been going on with me(Instrumental: follows verse)(Chorus)What's been going on with meI used to be so wild and freeThe air is heavy, the night is darkI need a flame, I need a sparkWhat's been going on with meCould be a woman, could be the timesCould be the troubles I got on my mindWhat's been going on with me(Chorus)What's been going on with meI'm living in such miseryI was all right, ask anyoneThey'll tell you all of the things I've doneYou'll seeWhat's been going on with me.A Country Waltz(G.Ryan)G. Ryan, guitar, vocals,Laurie Ure, vocalsMatt Leavenworth, violinSeth Connelly, upright bass1.Can't believe the way that you waltzed right into my lifeAnd turned down the night To three-quarter time.Gazing down into those blue eyesThat saw through my poseAnd drove me right out of my mind.2.I don't go in for country dancesThere's too much to learnThe calls and commandsSet off alarmsDo si do and swing your partnerYou're too far awayI want you right here in my arms.(Chorus)For just a country waltz, under the moonlight with youCan I walk you home, after the dancing is throughFeels like when we dance, all of my dreams could come trueJust a country waltz, who knew what the dancing would do?3. Out there on that wooden dance floor Is where it beganDestiny calledAnd fate played its handCaught up in a perfect momentWhen two souls collideGliding along to the band(Chorus)Just a country waltz, under the moonlight with youCan I walk you home, after the dancing is throughFeels like when we dance, all of my dreams will come trueJust a country waltz, who know what the dancing would do?(Bridge)It helps to hold on when youre losing controlWaltzing is good for the heart and the soul4. And I cannot believe the way that you waltzed right into my lifeAnd slowed down the night To three-quarter time.Gazing down into those blue eyesThat saw through my soulAnd drove me right out of my mind.(Chorus)Just a country waltz, under the moonlight with youCan I take you home, after the dancing is throughFeels like when we waltz, all of our dreams will come trueJust a country waltz, who knew what the dancing would do?
DOWN THE HIGHWAYIn the darkness I drive, never certain I'll arriveEver distant, ever near, as I move away from here(Chorus)Down the highway, down the roadI leave it all behindDown the highway, down the roadToo late to change my mindEvery journey teaches me, I'm not where I need to beThe disguises that I wore, I won't need them anymore(Chorus)Memories may come and they may goLike the stations on the radioAh the sight of something new as it eases into viewRound the corner, round the bend, lifts my spirit once again(Chorus)AGAINAgain I felt your presence, againThe ghost of a moment back whenI thought Id see you againAnd thenLonesome old feelings beginAnd I take it right on the chinCause I'll never see you again(Chorus)Now I'm waiting for nothingTo come my wayWaiting for nothingEverydayThat's when Just mere sensations remainAs memories mist in the rainAnd I'll never see you again(Chorus)The past is not a friend of mineIt's not easy to forgetBad affairs and broken dreamsLost chances and regrets(Chorus)Again I felt your presence, againThe ghost of a moment back whenI thought I'd see you againFOOL MOONI see the happy couples, strolling everywhereThey pass me as I make my way aloneWhere is the leading lady, I've been searching forThere's just the moon tonight to take me home.(1st Chorus)Fool Moon, shining down on meFool Moon, won't you ever let me beAh moon you have looked down On my attempts to make a woman fall for meI played the Casanova like an awkward clown,I found the lock but I don't have the key(2nd Chorus)Fool Moon, laughing down on meFool Moon, won't you ever let me beYou fooled me into thinking in still out thereI tired of watching dreams vanish in the airThey say that there's a mate out there for everymanI'm here to testify it isn't trueI'll plead the case for solitude, and living life aloneAnd moon you'll be my starring witness, too(2nd chorus)THE BUREAUCRAT'S GOING HOMEThat's all there is, call it another day600 forms sorted and filed awayLock the desk, turn out the light, and power downCause the bureaucrats going homeAll of these forms, stand for a live out thereFacing hard times, hoping someone will careBut there's only so much he can do on the phoneThen the bureaucrat's going homeThere is a hole in the bottom of his soulAnd it overlooks an ocean of longing and emptinessOver time the hole subsidesTill he comes to feel it less and lessIn his middle aged happinessTen year ago, he never thought he would still be hereHere in this job, in a safe shadow grey careerThe endless round of trivial tasks never doneStill the bureaucrat's going homeThere was a love that he once had long agoAnd it filled his life with passion and purpose, neverthelessAh it died, he closed up inside, Till he comes to feel it less and lessIn his middle age happinessAll the routines, the procedures, the certaintyThis is his life, and it is all it will ever beThe solace of the same old things, till kingdom comeWhen all bureaucrats head for homeSo sound the alarm, make sure the streets are clearIts 4:59, all their legions will pass through hereRing it out from the steeple tops and golden domesFor the bureaucrat's going homeDANCE A LITTLE CLOSERPut your arms around me and we'll dance real slowJust let all your problems and your worries goEach step takes us far away, From all the concerns we deal with each dayFall into the temp of three quarter timeJust relax and darling put your hand in mineFollow the sweet melodyOh darling come dance with me(Chorus)And dance a little closer to meYeah come a little closer as we start to glideThen we feel the magic that's always insideDon't think its all in your mindI could be the one youre hoping to findDancing puts the sparkle in a winters nightThat shines all through the springtime till the sun burn brightMoving so easy and free, oh darling come dance with me.(Chorus)So put your arms around me and we'll dance real slowJust let all your problems and your worries goFollow the sweet melodyOh darling come dance with me(Chorus)STAYAs the last glimpse of daylight descends down the mountainAnd shadows ease into the gloomJust myself and my memories, sitting here wonderingWhy you're not here in this room.(Chorus)Why dont you stay with meWhy do you leave me aloneOh how long, can this go onDont leave me waiting foreverJust stay with meThere is no way to make do what I want toYou have to make up your mindBut if love is the measure of all that we treasureLet's leave this vagueness, behind(Chorus)We are not getting any youngerWe should use all the time we haveThere could be nothing better, than living togetherI dream of it everydayAll these hours were apart dear, are breaking my heart dearPlease tell me why won't you stay(Chorus)GATHER ROUND MY FRIENDSAh, gather round my friendsSo good that we're all hereTo sing the songs we know so wellAs troubles disappearAnd let your voices rise, Aloft into the skiesWhere they will blend and harmonizeLet your voices rise(Chorus)Sing it loud, sing it trueLet the music flow through youAh sing it out my friendsAnd as we start to singThe guitars they will ringTheir strum will set the pace for usAnd anchor everythingAnd then the fiddles playSo sweetly through the dayTheir sound will lift us far awayLet the fiddles play(2nd Chorus)Listen close, play it clearMay sweet music linger hereAh play it well my friendsGuitar and violinsThe harps and mandolinsAh can there be a sweeter soundThen when a song beginsAnd as we play the tuneThe warmth surrounds the roomMay this night not end too soonAs we play the tuneDON'T TALK TO MEWhy do you, talk to meWhen you don't have nothing to sayAh just go awayDon't talk to meTell the truth, tell some liesJust use words that sparkle and flyOr just tell me good byeDon't talk to meThere's nothing wrong with keeping quietSometimes I wish that more would try itOld clichés, a tired phraseYour words bore me to the boneSo just leave me aloneDon't talk to meThe art of conversation's dyingYou've done your part without even tryingSo why do you, talk to meWhen you don't have nothing to sayAh just go awayDon't talk to meTHEY WON These are dangerous times, night time holds a breathEverything is still, scares you half to deathProud defiant men, sure we could not loseBut fate would not decide, which side it would chose(Chorus)Now as we hide out, deep in the shadowsWe have to admit they wonAll of our standards and all that we stood for are gone, gone, gone.The land is dry and bare, with all that we've been throughNo one is in charge, or knows what to doThunder rolling east, dark and ominousThere's nothing we can do, till they come for us(Chorus)We let out chances slip right through our fingersSomehow the bastards wonAll of our vision and hope for the future is gone, gone, gone.Time for letting go, its all in the pastIt's all over now, nothing ever lasts(Chorus)Will there be tomorrow, or something to live forWhen will we sing again?Or ever hear laughter, or trust anybodyIt's gone, gone, goneBELIEVE IT OR NOT(Chorus)Believe it or not, you got me lonelyMy get-up-and go, is goneI'll never believe how much I miss youAnd I don't want to be alone anymoreI used to lead every partyThe man about town, the star of the showBut lately, I've lost ambitionAnd there's no place that I'm dying to go.(Chorus)Believe it or not, you got me lonelyThe go-lucky kid is downI'll never believe how bad you hurt me And I don't want to be alone anymoreEveryday it's always rainingDrizzling down on top of meI don't mind, I'm not complainingI'm just tired of keeping me company(Chorus)Believe it or not, you got me lonelyBelieve it or not you got me downI'll never believe how much I miss youAnd I don't want to be alone anymoreCigarettes and southern bourbonHave taken their toll most definitelyDrinking alone is so suburbanBut there's no one who's attracted to me(Chorus)Believe it or not, you got me lonelyMy get-up-and go, is goneI'll never believe how much I miss youAnd I don't want to be alone anymoreRENEGADE MANSaturday morning all shrouded in white, Lace veils and flowers, it's a fantastic sightAll the guest are assembled looking back down the aisleAs she marches towards them with a confident styleThey see her smile but they can't see her heartAnd the sea of uncertainty thereBut she's made her decision, its the safe thing to doThough her intended is not like the love she once knew(Chorus)She remembers her time with the renegade manShe opened her heart so recklesslyMagical times with the renegade manThe way love ought to beThe man at the altar is stable and soundHe owns his own business, he's respected in townHis past is his future, steady and calmShe knows he is someone she can depend onBut where's the excitement, oh where is the spark?The fire that ignited her soul?Oh but that's all behind her now she's matureWho needs the passion, the love the allure?(Chorus) She found in the arms of the renegade manShe opened her heart so recklesslySo many nights with the renegade manThe way love ought to beWith every step forward, her mind paces backThe thrill was the perfect aphrodisiacHis touch was so magical, it melted her willThe heat of his kisses, linger there stillBut it was too risky, she couldn't be sureShes never feel safe with himSo she broke it all off, he drifted awayThough his memory follows her every day.(Chorus) She remembers her time with the renegade manShe opened her heart so recklesslyWonderful nights with the renegade manThe way love ought to beNow the wedding is over, the vows seemed sincereLet us hope that this marriage lasts many a yearAs they leave the cathedral, the organ pipes soarThey both seem contented who could as for much moreThey've got a good chance it all will work outAs good as it gets now these daysAnd as she looks at her husband, shock and surpriseIs that the look of a renegade, there in his eyes?(Chorus)So there may be nights with a renegade man,When shell open her heart so recklesslySo many nights with a renegade manThe way love ought to beOh let there be nights with a renegade manOpen your heart so recklesslyMagical times with a renegade manThe way love ought to be.SOMEDAY I AM GOING TO PLAY MY LITTLE GUITAR(G. Ryan & L. Hammond)(Chorus)Someday I am going to play my little guitarFind the notes and play the chordsAnd be better off by farSixteen years ago, I found my instrumentIn a little music shop I found along the wayThey say that that guitar was special madeWith its rosewood sides and mother pearl inlay.(Chorus)Someday I am going to play my little guitarFind the notes and play the chordsAnd be better off by farDo my best to play it wellAnd learn all the songs by heartWhen I finally find the timeTo play my little guitarThat guitar was fine, it rang out strong and trueAnd it played like it was made to be within my handsSmall guitars they make the sweetest soundsAnd touch the heart in ways few understand(Chorus)But then my days got full of useless busy tasks,Those strings are slack and my guitar is safely stored awaySometimes the best intentions go astrayBy I swear that I'll play my guitar one day(Chorus)
Reviews old-stump-texture

Reviews Halfway Home

Geoff Bartley " Gerry Ryan has made the CD his friends and fans have been waiting for. Tastefully produced using acoustic guitars, piano, violin, Dobro and harp (and partly funded by a grant from the Salem, MA Cultural Council), Halfway Home features twelve songs, all written by Ryan, with lovely melodies and delightfully surprising chord progressions that give voice to this gentle man's search for connection and his love of music and friendship. The song "They Won" indicts arrogant men who sacrifice all for profit. "Renegade Man" lets us peer inside the heart of a woman who's chosen security over passion. "Gather Round My Friends" has every chance of being sung in living rooms and around campfires for years to come while "My Little Guitar" (co-written with Lorraine Hammond) is a metaphor for everything, in our heart of hearts, we'd most like to be."

Julie Dougherty , Sweet Unraveling "Of all the dozen or so years I've been friends with Gerry Ryan, he has constantly worked at the craft of writing songs. I've heard many of them over the years, sung at open mics or at local folk clubs ... now, I'm exceedingly pleased that he has finally taken the recording plunge; and finished his first CD, Halfway Home . His songs are wonderful, made even better by recording with Seth Connelly... in his capable care, Gerry has come out with a stellar recording that shows all of his musical sides: country, folk, swing ...beautiful arrangements and accompaniments throughout. Bravo, Gerry."

David Fishken, from the folk duo, Fishken & Groves " Very nicely done! The arrangements are wonderfully simple.... lyrics clear as a bell."

John Schindler , Memory Train " If Halfway Home was a menu and I was not even starving, I would've ordered every item anyway. Great CD, tasteful and fulfilling. Are there seconds?"

Photo by Johanne Eible

On the Radio

Radio Interview:

WBCR-LP 97.7 FM , Great Barrington, MA, Common Sense Songs Program with Hosts Graham & Barbara Dean

Halfway Home as heard on:

Rich Warren's The Midnight Special Radio Program

WFMT-FM, Chicago, IL

The Saturday Morning Folk Show

KDVS-FM Davis, CA

Contact

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