We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

LongShot Deal

by Bob Frey

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $10 USD  or more

     

1.
Summer's end is coming soon, I can feel it in the Wind Blowing gently 'cross the Water, now, I find myself again In a house inside the northern Woods my parents built when they were young They're older now and, I am, too, and I wonder where it's gone I'm all alone again It's someplace that I never thought I'd be I'm feeling stoned again It's a place that's quite familiar to me I've got no one to talk to even though I've got some friends There's no way that I can say how much I'm broken and I'm bent Can't stop the rain... But, they're not to blame Daniel was an artist, he made his living with his hands He liked his bourbon and his cigarettes, he loved his music and his friends Daniel was a friend of mine, he was loyal like the Sun Setting gently 'neath the Western shore, now, like another day he's done Now, it's been too long Since I sat and drank with him and we said goodbye I think he knew it, too... Though, he told me that it wouldn't be the last time That I saw him, "Shit," he said, "I'm gonna make it to the Woods" "We'll shoot some pool and drink until the dawn" and I know he would've If he could've... But, he couldn't... And, now, sometimes I can't help feeling like I'm losing everything Daniel would've said "Hey, it's not that way" "Quit writing all them words of woe and play a song that makes me smile" He always kind of lived his life that way There's freedom on the ledges, Babe, and you can always find some room Step outside the edges in your time On the backroads of your yesteryears you just might find some truth The kind you can take with you down the line
2.
Hey, hey Darling, my head's on fire I feel like something's gonna happen soon And, I've been waiting to see you for a little while Now, I don't know what to do If I could turn it around on my own, don't you think That I would do the same for you? It's a long, long way, and a longshot deal But, that ain't nothing new... Hey, hey Lover, it's cold outside But, inside it's colder still I've got a room with a window and a backdoor plan I've got a number and I've got the will I know you're traveling now, and it kind of seems far But, you could always find me still It's a long, long way, and a longshot deal But, you're still beautiful Hey, hey Friends, looks like I'm calling again I'm worn out on my sleeve I called it right from the start, I played it straight from the heart I took a runner on a longshot deal And, it ain't no surprise, you know I've always been lucky Now, I'm just looking for some time to steal It's a long, long way, I bet it all today On a longshot deal Hey, hey Lover, it ain't nothing tragic No more drastic than a second thought And, I've been easy to read for a long time now Some kind of steady, ain't that what you bought? I ain't going nowhere, I've got nowhere I'm longing to be 'Cept wherever you are, that's wherever I'll be It's a longshot deal, Baby, You and Me I bet it all today On a longshot deal, Baby, You and Me It's a long, long way, and a longshot deal Baby, You and Me
3.
I see 'em sitting at a table, they're right in front of me Her chin is on his shoulder, he's got his hand upon her knee I came to hear the band begin and, maybe, find some company But, as I sit and watch this scene unfold, I'm attacked by memory I can see desire burning as she stares into his eyes And, though he tries to play it cool, I know he feels the same inside I remember countless barrooms, countless tables where we sat And, I wonder did we used to look like that? Yeah, I wonder did we used to look like that? You never told me, Darling, when it all began to fade But, I don't forget the friends we had and the plans that we all made We don't talk that much no more, I wonder did we let them down? And, i wish that I could tell them, Darling, why you're not around anymore... I'm driving down the avenue, and right in front of me I see a couple in a car, I see him slam the steering wheel It looks like she is crying and it looks like he is mad And, I wonder did we used to look like that? Well, I suppose it's true we used to look like that I still don't know what happened It still feels so incomplete When we met and when you left, both times You knocked me off my feet And, I suppose you were unsatisfied, but I'm trying to understand How we ever let ourselves end up like that 'Cause I never thought that we could look like that But, I suppose it's true we used to look like that
4.
You are the one I would've wanted The one I would've longed for from afar But, you wouldn't have even noticed me back in them days 'Cause it was older dudes and cigarettes and cars Now, every time I hear them old songs From pop radio of our early teenage years I feel the yearning of a young kid In the backseat waiting for the chance to steer You spent them years in Minnesota I lived in Cleveland so far away I think it's just as well back then I didn't know you See, I think I probably would've been afraid To say much to you as your beauty blossomed And, with it, all the confidence that came And, I know I would've noticed you at every single turn Wondering if you even knew my name I think it's funny how the passing time can be a friend See, that ain't how I tend to view it, usually But, if it wasn't for the passing days and the passing years You surely wouldn't be sitting here with me I hear them songs, they make me think of younger days Days I wish I could've spent with you Some would say that things just have a way of working out I'd say that if you're lucky then they do Then, suddenly one fine Spring day I found you Always believed when I was ready that you would come Then the miles and years between us disappeared so easily We gave each other someplace to stop running You are the Beauty that I dreamed of You are the one I won't let go You are the Lover of my lifetime You are the Friend I've always known Since the days I would've been afraid to show myself to you Pent up and frustrated all the same But, I know I would've noticed you at every single turn Wondering if you even knew my name
5.
He ain't ever played the big stage, Darling 'Cept for maybe a couple of times But, you can find him on a small stage, Darling Guess he's a small stage kind of guy The songs he sings, they will not make you move your feet Ain't no one dancing 'cross that floor Just a crew of regulars and a bunch of empty seats There ain't no lines outside that door He ain't ever played the big stage, Darling But, It ain't like he hasn't tried You can find him on a small stage, Darling A pint of beer and a tip jar to the side Ain't nobody ever said that he was the "latest thing" Quite likely no one ever will But, unlike most every "latest thing" that's come and gone He's up there singing for you still He ain't ever played the big stage, Darling Hell, he ain't even got a band But, you can find him on a small stage, Darling All alone with just a guitar in his hand Sometimes he wonders why he does it anymore But, he still gets nervous before every show Then it all makes sense once he starts singing that first song It's something he learned many years ago He ain't ever played the big stage, Darling But, what's a big stage anyhow? There's something truthful 'bout a small stage, Darling And a falling tree will always make a sound Nowhere to hide up on that small stage, Darling Yeah, a falling tree still always makes a sound
6.
He was still just a Kid with a pen in his pocket She was a Beauty just back from the Orient And, all kinds of mystery and stories behind her The Kid always believed he was destined to find her Old red brick buildings lining century streets Dappled light from the Sun shining down thru the trees In the curio shops, filled with treasures and songs She said she'd stay for a while, but she never said how long They kissed in the basement, she talked about politics He played her some Dylan, said he never got tired of it And, all of the best things she said for no reason Like "Let go of Anger" and "Don't hate the Season" And, "Why really hate anything?" and "Remember your Mother" "It's brave to be truthful" and "Just consider the other..." "Jealousy's poison, just consider the other..." 'Neath the trashpaper news and the gathering flies The flash of a tragedy before the eyes Never lacks for attention, at least at the start But, quickly forgotten, 'less you're playing a part in it Or, got something to say and the time for to say it If you ain't got the time ain't that something to think about, Darling If you really don't care ain't that something to consider, Dear There's a house on the corner with nobody in it The neighbors walk by and they wonder what happened To the people inside and there's a crack in the window It lets in the wind and the rain and the snow And the Summertime bells from a distant cathedral Everything looks a little bit different when somebody needs you Yeah, your whole world can change all at once when somebody needs you There's always a Kid with a crush on a Girl Everything looks a little bit different from inside your world When somebody needs you...
7.
Best of Luck 04:01
So, you say you want something new I guess you think you're quite original I think you're clever, but wasted, too And, I don't know if you're forgettable You search for something you think will last You tell me minutes go by so fast I say it's all in the way you use 'em Writers sing, singers act, and actors write Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference Now, you stand here after all this time And make me question all my confidence You know I never had all that much I only trust in what I can touch And, a couple things I know are real I see you on the street You've got your pencil and your black beret It's not so often that we meet And, you don't realize there isn't much to say You always played the safest bet But, it ain't got you nowhere yet Saving pennies thru a hurricane
8.
You were used to being looked at, Darling, I could see that it was true As I'm sitting here, across from you, inside this room, I'm looking, too I am not shy, Baby, I'm looking, too What'd you learn from him I ask you, you say "Everything and Nothing" I say, "Darling, I wish that you could hear me now" Hear me now, hear me now, hear me now Yeah, just once again somehow But, no matter if you hear 'em, I will own these words I sing They mean just what I want 'em to, y'know, they might mean anything And, maybe, i am not the player that I want to be, but, I dig the one I am I am, I am, I am, yes, I dig the one I am... I wish you Patience and the Time to learn it, Darling I wish you Time, I wish you Time, I wish you Time Maybe, finally I'm the singer that you wanted me to be But, if I have slept in weeks, my Dear, it comes as news to me Yeah, if I have slept at all, Dear, I must be just too tired to see I'm too tired to see... I must be just too tired to see... I thank you for allowing me my mishaps and mistakes I should've been home early, Darling, now it's getting really late I know it's late, it's late, it's late Yes, it's getting really late I take comfort in some places that I shouldn't, Dear But, I could always take comfort in you If we only get one Season, shouldn't we try to be extreme Least something to remember 'stead of something short of dreaming Like a hidden Saint among Us, Lazarus without a bed Is it a Fable or a Deal dancing visions in your head? But, I will love you Here instead... If you always feel outnumbered, Babe, ain't it hard to get some rest And, if you're scared of being forgotten that ain't some sin you must confess When I think of where we're headed, Darling, it's always to the West Always to the West, into the Sun, always to the West So, now I'm fighting 'gainst the darkness, Darling, searching for the light I'm fighting 'gainst the darkness, Darling, searching for the light I'm always fighting 'gainst the darkness, I'm just trying to get it right...
9.
Snake Oil 05:26
"Snake Oil, Snake Oil come and get you some!" "Snake Oil, Snake Oil 'cause I got a bunch!" "Snake Oil, Snake Oil step right up!" "Snake Oil, Snake Oil all you need's a gulp" "You can mix it with the whiskey in your coffee cup!" The oil's been around for a thousand years Handed down from the pharaohs and the ancient seers Yeah, it's been around forever, it's heaven sent They used to sell it from the wagons and the circus tents Now, it's late-nite television, strip malls, and the internet Yeah, you can get it from me on t.v. or the internet Roots and herbs from a foreign land Make the blind man see, make the lame man stand Make the coward brave, a boy a man It used to be you couldn't, but, now you can With some honey and some oil taken straight from the serpent's gland Yeah, some honey and some oil taken straight from the serpent's gland I never had the inkling for medical school Too many numbers and too many rules But, I've got my intuition, I've got a hunch I could fix whatever's hurting with a little punch I've got the oil from the serpent, Darling, and the magic touch I've got the oil from the serpent, Darling, and the magic touch I moves around a little, moves around a lot I never stay in any single place too long So, get it while I got it 'cause I'm leaving town It seems like somebody from somewhere always follow me around IRS, FDA, FBI or the lawyers for the AMA CBS, CIA, I'm just trying to help the people, but it's getting harder everyday
10.
American Kid 06:21
Sleeping in on Sunday mornings as the neighbors went to church And, the countdown on the AM radio I guess I made the confirmation, but, it didn't mean much to me Just a temporary place I had to go At the retreat, she was older, but, she was nothing like a Saint Though, I still remember everything she did So, Condemn me, or Forsake me, Criticize me, or Embrace me I was just an American Kid Drinking beers outside the bars, after closing time was called We were not ambitious, we had no place else to be We were young, the Summer long, the cops they were not hard to dodge And, I played guitar 'neath her sister's balcony I sang my songs like no one else could, but, I don't think she even cared Though, my blood dripped off of every word I said So, Condemn me, or Forsake me, Criticize me, or Embrace me I was just an American Kid So, I wandered for a while, left everything I knew behind Everyone except the Trusted and the True I cast my fate into the Northern Wind, I did not know where I might land I took a chance, Babe, but I was counting upon you If I told you that I always do my best would you believe me? Or, would you leave me wandering where I stand? So, Condemn me, or Forsake me, Criticize me, or Embrace me I am just an American Kid Even looking backward, Dear, you know the view ain't always clear Though, it's plain to see I made some big mistakes If I could do it all again, you know, my Love, I can't pretend I'd know what to give back and what I'd try to take But, there ain't nothing black or white, Dear, though there are things worth fighting for And, if pressed to choose, I can only hope I would Condemn me, or Forsake me, Criticize me or Embrace me 'Cause I am just an American Kid

about

"LongShot Deal" is the 4th solo album by Minneapolis singer-songwriter Bob Frey. On this record, Bob is joined by some of the Twin Cities finest musicians, including Mark Joseph (the Big Wu) on guitar, Kevin Gastonguay (New Sound Underground) on organ / piano, Natalie Fine (More Than Lights) on harmony vocals, Rachel Felicia Calvert on violin, and special guest Marc Conklin on guitar. Bob's typically strong lyrics and beautiful melodies are tastefully supported here by this stellar crew in this stunning release.

"... If you mix insightful and intelligent songwriting with unique and soothing vocals, you will get a good snapshot of Bob Frey... This is a little bit on the folk side of things but has an attitude and great musicianship that differentiates LongShot Deal from your standard folk performers...
Smart songwriting is what Bob Frey is all about. These are not songs as much as they are poems set to music. They are incredibly tangible and all of them tell a great story or require some thought or introspection...
This isn’t just a collection of folk songs, rather a collection of anecdotes or short stories. Set to music, this release is a keeper and one i will play over and over."
-Harry Kaplan, TwangriLa

"Bob Frey's Longshot Deal presents a significant entry into the literature of American folk music. The deceptive ease with which the songs approach the difficulties of our times, personal and public, acts as a gift. The sound here, filled out by tasteful guitar, organ and violin, gracefully holds space for the vulnerability of the writing. Taken as  whole, Longshot Deal is a perceptive documentation of engagement with adult life. The songs lead us into the emotional territory that much contemporary folk music doesn't risk—we come back wiser and more openhearted."
—Spout Press

credits

released January 18, 2017

Bob Frey - guitar, vocals, harmonica
Corey Hess - bass, drums
Kevin Gastonguay - organ, piano
Mark Joseph - lead guitars
Rachel Felicia Calvert - violin
Natalie Fine - harmony vocals
Marc Conklin - lead guitar on "Every Single Turn"

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Bob Frey Minneapolis, Minnesota

Bob Frey is a longtime devotee to the art of writing and performing songs. His unique and memorable voice immediately engages his audience, the perfect vehicle for his wry, intelligent lyrics.
On each of these albums, Bob shows himself to be a versatile writer, his simple folk melodies forming a sound and solid base for his poetic observations and stories. He is the brother of author James Frey.
... more

contact / help

Contact Bob Frey

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

If you like Bob Frey, you may also like: