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Best Of

by Jason Collett

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Heavyweight 180g black vinyl, with beautiful matte-coated jacket and inner sleeve.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Best Of via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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1.
all the flowers fade and all the stars pale as this bitter beauty grabs you by the tail how long will you hesitate half way up the trail yes it's dark in the trees and some wounds never heal but you're dreaming with eyes wide open your heart has spoken for the first time all the gun for hire poets who try to sing so loud just to drown out the roar as the bombs hit the ground and the band is whistling Dixie for its sentimental sake that's the sound and the fury of this new dark day all the penny wishes and the trickle down schemes the Cracker Jack box prizes splitting at the seams you're standing in the doorway with your hair all in a mess you in all your glory wondering what comes next
2.
Blue Sky 03:28
you tried to make good hiding out in the neighbourhood getting by and it's understood there's no time like the time rite before the flood you get high to feel your love it's alright so you need the crutch step aside wonder what's up you close your eyes you see you've missed so much bring on the blue sky you can fly in your dreams floating by the black and white scenery take a drive where lovers leap only to arrive dead on your feet bring on the blue sky the paint is peeling off the hood of this old truck as you drive into the West where the eye of God is sinking fast
3.
Fire 02:46
dance locust dance the prophets shrug their shoulders as calamity's child lost her head in the bell of the trumpet's blast I know you just want to be on fire jam radio jam power to the pirate stations broadcasting up through the cracks in the pavement I know you just want to be on fire the good morning comes like a hit and run with a marmelade sun for everyone I know you just want to be on fire staring at the sun will only make you blind but a fiery glimpse is all you need sometimes
4.
it was in your basement apartment with all of its earth and sea making love on the carpet under the light of the TV outside the sour moon minstrels shook their dark tambourines the morning came in sinister well window light menacing with clouds up above and clouds down below killing time but it won't stand still, it won't stand still you said you never made a promise that you could keep I thanked you for being honest you said, "don't pull that shit on me" these are the hangover days of frosted glass and metallic gleam all the new non-places erase my memory we try so hard, we try so hard we try so hard to love it was underneath London Bridge I finally realized what you mean meanwhile all of fashion's latest were nipping at the heals of history I tried to send you a postcard but all I could write were apologies so out the Columbia Hotel window I threw my heart into the street with stars up above and stars down below killing time but it won't stand still, it won't stand still
5.
you took hold of my affections with your bible and your sword your celebrity connections I was not use to keeping score from your fine gilded chalice I drank all your cheep red wine It was a good place to play Judas hiding pearls from the swine I'll bring the sun to you when I come you won me just as I failed you fist full of cake, who could refuse all of my love got stuck in traffic two thousand miles away from you bleeding into the telephone on a reupholstered bed of nails I'm a long, long way from home I hope my jet lagged heart don't fail I'll bring the sun
6.
from St. Christopher's house into the streets you set out with the dispossessed and the broken down you looked around and saw the need dug in your heels rolled up your sleeves you were no stranger to refugee and you wouldn’t let the bully boys get you down these are your streets from the projects to the slums of China town from Denison square to the synagogue steps the shopkeepers and merchants all families of immigrants Charlyn angel of Kensington laundry hanging in the ally yards cats sunning on the hoods of parked cars children messing ‘round in the vacant lots fish market woman laughin’ out loud old Portuguese men hanging 'round in the ancient smoke of a local bar you feeding birds right out of your hand on the sidewalk café while the street preacher quotes the old testament down in Alexandra Town I can almost hear the old steel drums ringing out courage take courage for every lonely soul that you’ve lifting up pushing out the walls of this neighbourhood I guess that’s why they call you the angel of Kensington
7.
roll on over you clouds of doom the silver lining is coming through just say yes just say yes just say yes quit giving up so soon our love will win what war will lose every little bit of light helps get us through the night these days time fled from west under a crescent moon the Elderado sun set the stars came unglued and the sky fell in like the smoke we grew from these ashes
8.
Lake Superior tonight set sail the dancing stars with all your might flash of silver through the pines crashed out on your shore by bonfire light lake superior you blow my mind ill tempered in November tender in July Lake Superior I drove all night on the beach on cassette on the whole time raindrops falling in the headlights windshield wipers slapping time there is nothing so near as feeling left behind I’ll sink like a stone here in your depths tonight Lake Superior rambling tree line the sleeping giant and the legend of the silver mine gitche gumee waves reaching thirty feet high Ojibway Ocean stormy on my mind north shore wind howlin’ down the line breath it in come back to life
9.
in the golden age of love’s architecture Shakespeare was lying drunk in a ditch scribbling out his rapture while getting his pocket picked he said, lust is a subscription passion’s what its worth greed is a conviction love’s a dirty word you get hung up and you get hurt love is a dirty word from a bird’s eye view you can see it it’s sublime and it’s absurd you can buy it and you can sell it but nobody’s figured how to make it work you can talk about it like a lawyer you can call it a crush but in the end it’s all buried treasure underneath the mud it brings you down to earth love is a dirty word down the snakes and up the ladders black eyed Mona is my crutch the mission bell warned me of disaster but I’m still waiting on the sucker punch love is a dirty word you get blind and you get burned you get hung up and you get hurt but it brings you down to earth
10.
T-shirt rolled up to his shoulders Six inch sideburns and a pompadour A two pack habit pushing a baby stroller My daddy was a rocknroller He drove used cards Built 'em outta used parts Kept 'em in the front yard up on blocks A grease monkey with a weekend job Couldn't care less about what the neighbours thought He really knew how to stretch a dollar Sneaking us kids into the drive in theatre Four on the floor underneath the covers My daddy was a rocknroller My daddy was a rocknroller He dodged the war 'cause he was nobody's soldier Settled down here just north of the border A union man 'til the company sold her My daddy was a rocknroller He grew up but he never got older A wise cracker and a straight shooter Just like Lenny on Law And Order My daddy was a rocknroller My daddy was a rocknroller My daddy was a rocknroller He never kissed no ass unless it was my mother's My daddy was a rocknroller
11.
I was a paper boy Back when there were paper boys Book stores and record shops Bricks and mortar Now I made the cover But I can’t pay the band What’s more important is We’re building a brand Everybody clap your hands for the song and dance man Pass the hat for pennies Kick start some fans If you can tweet something brilliant You got a marketing plan Jingling and jangling Living in a van If we can just sell some T shirts We could pay for the gas Everybody clap your hands for the song and dance man Everybody clap your hands I’m a song and dance man You got to do what you can when you’re a song and dance man
12.
Smell the roses taste the wine Try not to drink too much tonight Love you babe Zip up your dress damn you look fine Zip off your dress cause you changed your mind Love you babe Across the room you catch my eye I stir for you every time What can I say? Love you babe You like to eat you like to talk You hate to lose when we play cards Love you babe You like to dance kick off your shoes Turn it up shake your hair loose Love you babe You got a temper but I can take it You’re not as tough as your reputation I know just where you ache Love you babe All lit up on a Tuesday night A hard day deserves another bottle of wine So you say It’s so hard to deny you I don’t ever want to deny you Love you babe Lets go to bed before we fight hold your body close to mine So I can love you babe Love you babe
13.
it must be late I’ve lost track of time everything changes then comes around again and suddenly you’re a fashion crime last call is over house lights are up turn my collar to the wind and stumble back up the block crab walking home in the rain another tattoo parlour another coffee shop the new peasants are presently movin on up but the night is a wonder and your shadow is long the last of the sentimental ghosts of the old neighbourhood haunts crab walking home in the rain I remember that old apartment above what was the late night Chinese drinking beer from a tea pot When you’d order up “cold tea“ I remember your laughter I remember your strong mind I remember your warm body tangled in mine crab walking home in the r ain

about

Jason Collett has worn many hats over a story-filled career now spanning twenty years. Springing from Broken Social Scene, the indie folk troubadour has captured a view of his surroundings with a worldly, neighbourly tone entirely his own. This 13-track Best Of is a collection of his songs that crystallize moments from an ever-changing era, vital threads that connect us to our musical city and family.

The career-spanning collection is spearheaded by the singer-songwriter’s first new recording since 2016’s Song And Dance Man. “Crab Walking Home In The Rain” was arranged and produced by beloved indie folk artist Andy Shauf (his first production for another artist) and, according to Collett, is “a reflection on the changes I’ve seen my neighborhood, in Toronto’s west end, go through over the years.” Since the release of his official solo debut, 2003’s Motor Motel Love Songs, Collett has in honeyed tones and measured style soundtracked a hazy day-drive by the North American alt-countryside.

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released March 19, 2021

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Jason Collett Toronto, Ontario

Jason Collett is a Toronto-based Canadian singer-songwriter. He has released four solo albums, and is a member of Broken Social Scene. His latest album, Song & Dance Man, was released in February, 2016.

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