Written before "Roger McClain", "Madison Avenue" is another gamble for Dean's writing style. Embracing elements of his earlier work by essentially having no chorus and consciously inserting his own voice into the tradition of American folk-country story-songs about real, lost men the songwriter has encountered, Dean weaves a narrative set in his home town about one of many people that could be met at the corner of Ridgewood and Madison Avenue on any given evening.
lyrics
He stormed out the front door,
Went to catch a ride
He stormed out the front door,
Went to catch a ride
Well, Lorena threw the bottle,
He woke up on the other side
The rain was coming down now,
Gee, what a surprise
The rain was coming down now,
Gee, what a surprise
Well, it's bound to cast a shadow
With a cloud about this size
Saw him with his thumb out,
Offered him a lift
Saw him with his thumb out,
Offered him a lift
I asked, "Where are you headed?"
He said, "Mostly, I just drift."
"Pour yourself some coffee,
There's a thermos on the floor."
"Pour yourself some coffee, man,
There's a thermos on the floor."
He climbed in, and said "Thank you,"
Had some trouble with the door
He said he got out of prison
When he said he got back from the war
He said he got out of prison
Same time he said he got back from the war
Then he said, "Lorena's married,
But her ol' man knows she whores."
We rode on in silence
For a quarter of an hour
We rode on in silence
For a quarter of an hour
Then he said he'd like to change things
But he didn't have the power
Some folks you just can't help, too much,
Can you?
Doesn't mean it hurts to even try
Sometimes, man, the best thing you can offer
Is something warm to drink
And someplace to get dry
Often genre-bending, thought provoking and emotion stoking, Dean Batten's music is most concretely one thing:
captivating.
Moving forward from his previous work, Dean has re-embraced the folk, early rock and country sounds of his childhood with 3 new albums: "Optimist Breakfast", an acoustic album; "Pessimist Lunch", a full band version with the same songs; and "Realist Supper", a live album....more
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