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Leave the Earth Behind

by Box Five

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Dani Mari
Dani Mari thumbnail
Dani Mari I saw Mary perform Ceasefire live at an open mic in Philadelphia many years ago. All I can say is WOW! This song is truly amazing and haunting! Big fan!

-Dani Mari
danimarimusic.com Favorite track: Ceasefire (The "Angry Girl at the Piano" Song).
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1.
What was I thinking, Relinquishing the reins? The world's gone up in flames And I am to blame Couldn't be content To sit there and behave: What was a cavalcade Is now an earthquake Slings and voodoo Won't protect you Sit still, be silent As we become the prey And imprecate the day My hands gave way
2.
When I was young, I just assumed It would be OK, it would be OK I'd go to school and pay attention Learn my numbers, make my millions And then get my way, then I'd get my way But the days, and the weeks, and the years went by And yeah here I sit, yeah well here I sit With no payoff for my efforts 'Cept a big fat pile of nothing With my name on it, with my name on it What's the point of living If you cannot live outside of yourself And chase the planet to its summit Just to say you were there? Thinking out loud is getting us nowhere I dreamt I woke up somewhere else Singing somethin' new, singing somethin' new Which calls to mind the old adage that states That that which doesn't kill us Must be good for you, must be good for you Hey maybe I should get while the gettin's good And the coast is clear, and the coast is clear Leave a note that stops mid-sentence Grab my satchel, tie my shoes And get me out of here (oh no!) Why should one stay stable In such crazed uncertain times like these When everybody else is on their heads Or up in the air? Thinking out loud is getting us nowhere Everything you haven't seen Is sitting right before your eyes But we won't look 'cause we were taught It's impolite to stare Thinking out loud is getting us nowhere credits
3.
No more distraction, it's full speed ahead Though halfway home, I am not there yet Far from the harbor we glide through the water With nary a sigh Carefully I sail along Steering clear of your song And plaintively you wail away Begging me that I stay I may be strong, but I'm not made of stone: Blame this traversing the sea alone Swallow the ocean and crack us wide open With nary a sigh Shakily I sail along Weakening at your song And plaintively you wail away Begging me that I stay (And then I give way) Merrily I sail along Giving in to your song And conqueringly you flail away Sinking me so I stay
4.
I can be vicious when I am upset And I am far from finished yet but, You can't take all the blame (You did not know) So I'm prepared to let this go just Say you're sorry and I'll cease fire Say you're sorry and I'll cease fire Say you're sorry and I'll cease fire Were you so positive That you would win? Poor dear, how foolish you have been Now I determine where The lines are drawn: Things will be different from now on now Say you're sorry and I'll cease fire Say you're sorry and I'll cease fire Beg my mercy, scream "forgive me!" Say you're sorry and I'll cease fire
5.
You know me I'm such a melancholy soul Thinking thoughts out of my control I just fear That I may not be what you want You have been acting different lately lately lately lately lately lately Set those sails: I've made a map of the unknown! (We can get real jobs when we're grown, grown) And who cares If I'm enamored with your hands? Everyone knows we are just friends, friends baby baby baby baby baby baby oh take me take me take me take me take me come on!!! credits
6.
you only visit when i am footsteps away from s l e e p i n g missives done up in hieroglyphs me and my shaky e n g l i s h willing to leave the earth behind if that is what you want, just give me an answer, make up my mind there is no need to be so unkind think of a shade from one to ten would that i were u n e v e n missives done up in hieroglyphs every girl has her l i m i t s i've tried making sense of all i've divined ghosts are so inconsistent just give me an answer, make up my mind i wish you would not be so unkind just tell me you love me say you're still mine why must you always be so unkind
7.
As per the conversation we just had I'm pretty sure that things are looking grim I'm rather sure that things are looking grim Meanwhile, in the interim I got a message from the other side That said that you had something up your sleeve It said that you had something up your sleeve (I don't know who to believe) So just come home and set me straight All these thoughtforms pouring out are Much to much to contemplate And I know at least this one thing is true: No one else but me would have the Patience to put up with you "And yes it's true I never call or write, But still, how dare you say that I don't care," you say. "How dare you say that I don't care! It's not my fault life's not fair." I got a message from the other side Proclaiming you would be the one for me Insisting you'd yet prove the one for me Goddamn propinquity Oh have mercy on my tiny brain You know what you're doing but you Will not tell me anything And I'm tired of uncertainty Give me just one reason I should Not elect to let you be
8.
underminded unresponsive walking wounded turned-to-ashes turned-to-ashes crushed and caving crushed and caving in unbeknownst and unreported microscopic don't remind me don't remind me crushed and caving crushed and caving in spiraling out of control and knowing when you aren't wanted aren't wanted when, my love, did all of this begin ?
9.
In fonder times, What was it That willed me wired To outfit A swift-decline Composite? (I've set it down. Forgot it.) softly say y y y y y don't leave me y y y y y It's no surprise What's under The scattered lines We wander. My foolish heart Can't take it My DAMAGED HEART CAN'T take it softly say y y y y y don't leave me y y y y y y y y y y
10.
[Lyrics were extracted from William Shakespeare's Hamlet.] How should I your true love know From another one? By his cockle hat and staff, And his sandal shoon. He is dead and gone, lady He is dead and gone, oh At his head a grass-green turf, At his heels a stone, oh!, At his heels a stone. Sing thee "down-a"; thou, "a-down-a-down" Sing theee "down-a down, down-a down, down-a down-a down." (Oh what a noble mind is here overthrown!) White his shroud as mountain snow, Larded all with sweet flowers. Which into the ground did go With true-love showers, love showers. Oh, they bore him barefaced on the bier (hey nonny, non nonny, hey!) And in his grave rained many a tear (hey nonny non nonny, hey!) Will he not come again, lady? Will he not come again? No, He is dead, and to thy bed he never will come again. Will he not come again, lady? Will he not come again? No, He is dead, and to thy bed he never will come again. Oh, he never will come again. No, he will not come again.
11.
This off and on Has gone far too long It's not particularly hard to explain So I shall be plain: Dear I have had All I can stand No more nice girl No more... Trying to hide my dismay Acting like things are OK Darling, TODAY IS THE DAY I plan my escape Before it's too late It's not a question of the why or the how Just the right now Dear I feel sick To my stomach No more "you win" No more... Hearing what friends have to say Watching my hair slowly grey Turning such nice men away (call me!) Darling, TODAY IS THE DAY Dear I've produced My last excuse No more waiting No more... Hoping it all goes away Making excuses to stay Letting things lie where they lay Darling, TODAY IS THE DAY credits

about

"An ambitious effort, beautifully executed, and one that entrenches itself with repeated listens" -- Boston Survival Guide

"Gifted is an understatement when talking about Box Five mastermind Mary Bichner; the musical twists, turns and full-on triple axels [of] 'Leave the Earth Behind' are so glorious and lushly layered that we can’t figure out why this record hasn’t reached Patrick Wolf-esque hype." -- Boston Band Crush

The full-length album of Mary's dear old "classipop" band, Box Five. Complete with rock band AND in-studio orchestra! <3

credits

released November 11, 2010

All songs written by Mary Bichner except: lyrics for track 10 extracted from the William Shakespeare play, Hamlet. All songs arranged by Mary Bichner except: acoustic drums and percussion for all tracks arranged by Chris Pires, bass for all tracks arranged by Brian Hopely, electric percussion for track 6 arranged by Ben Camp, piano for track 11 arranged by Joe Gribbin, FX guitar for track 11 arranged by Joe Bichner.

Performed by Mary Bichner (all vocal parts; all keyboard parts except track 11) Joe Bichner (all guitar parts except FX guitar in tracks 3 and 9), Brian Hopely (all bass parts), Chris Pires (all acoustic drums & percussion parts), Eliza Kopczynska (violin soloist for tracks 2, 4, 7, & 10; violin I and II ensemble for tracks 2-4, 6, & 8-11), Aaron Colverson (violin I and II ensemble for tracks 2-4, 6, & 8-11), Chia-yu Lai (violin I and II ensemble for tracks 2-4, 6, & 8-11), Sarah Silver (violin I and II ensemble for tracks 2-4, 6, & 8-11), Melissa Bull (viola soloist for tracks 7 & 10; viola ensemble for tracks 2-4, 6, & 8-11), Scott Moore (viola ensemble for tracks 2-4, 6, & 8-11), Oleg Soloviev (viola ensemble for tracks 2-4, 6, & 8-11), Valerie Thompson (cello soloist for track 7; cello ensemble for tracks 2, 4, 6, & 8-11), Su-hsien Hsu (cello ensemble for tracks 2, 4, 6, & 8-11), Joanna Goldstein (flute for tracks 6 & 11), Ana-Sofia Campesino (oboe for tracks 6 & 11), Anne Howarth (French horn for track 6), Rane Moore (clarinet for tracks 6 & 11), Sebastian Chaves (bassoon for tracks 6 & 11), Joe Gribbin (piano for track 11), Ryan Thomas (trumpet for track 11), and Kyle LaLone (FX guitar for tracks 3 & 9).

Drums for tracks 2 & 11 recorded by Mike Davidson at Zippah Recording in Boston, MA. Drums for tracks 3, 5, 7, 8, & 9 recorded by David Ivory at Dylanava Studios in Gwynedd Valley, PA. All other parts recorded by Ben Camp at Human Nature Studios in Boston, MA; Pikesville, MD; and Ocean City, MD. Mixed and mastered by Ben Camp. Artwork by the lovely Maeve Parker. Track 10 originally commissioned by Pieris Music (formerly Arts in Motion).

Though Box Five is no more, feel free to see what Mary is up to these days by visiting www.marybichner.com :)

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Mary Bichner Boston, Massachusetts

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