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Rainbows in the Gasoline

by Karl S. Williams

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stiks I really love this album. Some great heartfelt tunes well worthy of praise. I cannot wait to add it to my vinyl collection.

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1.
Flickershow 04:31
Unlucky in love I know you've seen it before The same old movie with the same old score The credits roll and then there's nothing more And nothing comes to save us The story's tired but it's also true Look pretty close and it could be you Couldn't cry the way I wanted to When nothing comes to save us Whoa nothing comes Nothing comes Nothing comes to save us Sometimes the light burns out Sometimes the light burns through Sometimes all the colours fade to blue Sometimes the film runs out Before the story do Sometimes it's already over at the ticket booth Oh Then it's done and the screen is dark End of the reel there's a cigarette mark The lights come up and everybody leaves Then nothing comes to save us Whoa nothing comes Nothing comes Nothing comes to save us Until new love comes New love comes Whoa new love will come to save us Oh new love comes New love will come Ah new love will come ooh To save us
2.
Moments 04:03
Moments In a line Moments Making up a life Out of moments Moments, moments, moments Moments Quickly they all go by In the blinking Of an eye Moments Moments, moments, moments There’s a trail we make Of moments lying in our wake Stretching out behind us From the cradle to the grave No one will survive Not one of us gets out alive If I have just one moment left Let me spend it… Moments Without rhyme or reason Moments Long forgotten seasons Moments Moments, moments, moments Moments Some we wish had never Found us Threatening To drown us Moments, moments, moments There’s a trail we make Of moments lying in our wake Stretching out behind us From the cradle to the grave No one will survive Not one of us gets out alive If I have just one moment left Let me spend it by your side Moments Do not count them Moments All too quickly end The moments Moments, moments, moments There’s a trail we make Of moments lying in our wake Stretching out behind us From the cradle to the grave No one will survive Not one of us gets out alive If I have just one moment left Let me spend it by your… Moments Sentimental Moments Wear them like a medal Moments Moments, moments, moments
3.
There’s a golden thread, and it’s joining me To the ones that’s dead, and yet to be And the thread when plucked, rings the note of love For that is the song in all of us In all of us, in all of us That is the song in all of us There’s a golden thread, between you and I And the fish in the sea, and the birds in the sky If the thread should break, then my heart will too That is what hearts are made to do They break in two, they break in two That is what hearts are made to do Oh I’m a bead on a string I’m a fleeting thing I know Oh just dust in a bowl Just a part of a whole Just a flake of the everlasting soul There’s a golden thread, and it joins us all Lest we forget, we are not so small And the thread when plucked, rings the note of love For that is the song in all of us In all of us, in all of us Love is the song in all of us
4.
I’m built this way I love you still I can’t explain But I always will A season passed As seasons will My lot is cast I love you still I’m built this way I’m a fool for love A formless thing An empty glove Just a sheet of cloth Till you make it a sail With your wind of love With your mast and rail I’m built this way Throw out the oars And pierce the veil My love is yours I’m built this way I love you still I can’t explain But I always will I can’t explain But I always will I’m built this way I’m a fool for love As it is below So it is above As it is above So it is below I’m a fool for love I told you so It’s a curse for me I’m built this way But I love my curse I’ll never change It’s a promise Not a platitude I’m built this way I would die for you I’m built this way I would die for you I’m built this way I would die for you
5.
I pushed it to the edge And then I pushed it over ‘Cause every jewel shines better with a flaw You get broken in some places A little tired and worn I’m not much but I’m all yours There’s no justice at the end Not much in the beginning There ain’t none in the middle that’s for sure I don’t know much But I know one thing for certain You’ve gotta take this life and make it yours The stars are in the gutter The moon is on the roof There’s rainbows in the gasoline There’s a lie within the truth There’s a truth within a lie Sometimes I’m just a bit player And this is my part To strut and fret a while on this floor Stand up in the limelight Shine through me cracks and all I’m not much but I’m all yours The stars are in the gutter The moon is on the roof There’s rainbows in the gasoline There’s a lie within the truth There’s a truth within a lie It’ll get you every time There’s wrigglers in the billy can And diamonds in the beach sand I’m lost here but I have a plan I’m all yours
6.
We'll meet again Some sunny day in heaven Some sunny day When all the sadness ends We'll meet again Where we have no fear of losing And no want for gain And no memory of pain Oh we'll meet again When we're weary from this living We've given all we've got It ain't a lot to give For loving isn't easy Loving isn't easy Loving, loving, loving isn't easy We'll meet again When all questions find an answer When the final curtain calls And the last note Of the last song Falls
7.
I'm Ready 03:53
I know you're not an angel But you look like one to me Whoa standing in your perfect girlish body I know I should be thankful That I'm here at all to see But I want you and I want you to want me I want you and I want you to want me You say you'd only break my heart but I'm ready You say you'd only break my heart but I'm ready You say you'd only break my heart but I'm ready I'm ready to feel that bad again I already know that it's worth the pain Ooh I am reaching for the place I am reaching for the place Where we ache most beautifully I am reaching for the place You showed to me You say you'd only break my heart but I'm ready You say you'd only break my heart but I'm ready You say you'd only break my heart but I'm ready I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready
8.
It was really pissing buckets On the highway to another town And I thought I heard the sound Of God crackling through the radio And I thought you loved me Of that I was mistaken too  Life's like that for those who love  You bleed when someone else is cut And a heart is not an anvil You can lay your hammer to Although it may seem sturdy as it suffers blows You can break it half in two There's a certain kind of despair That gathers lightly in the air When where you're bound is so far away You're not sure if you can make it there In this lifetime And you start to question where you're going And then you start to wonder why You ask yourself if maybe you should've Played the game with loaded dice And a heart is not an anvil You can lay your hammer to Although it may seem sturdy as it suffers blows You can break it half in two And I miss you my love I miss you But I still remember what it's like To be with you We don't always know what's best for us We can only guess and hope that's enough We hope that it's enough
9.
Powerless 04:15
The Devil came He knew my name He asked me down To live with him I said “not today” Nor any other day No, I ain’t going Down that way Better hear me When I say You are powerless against me You are powerless against me You are powerless against me You are powerless against me Nevertheless Down I went Life is beautiful but indifferent And if you find You need a friend Here is a song That I can recommend Sing to me Sing to me You are powerless against me You are powerless against me You are powerless against me You are powerless against me You are powerless against me You are powerless against me You are powerless against me You are powerless against me Powerless Powerless
10.
Falter, Fade 05:19
I think I've found a love That will not falter Will not fade I who've known sadness For so long Can I smile today? Is it ok? Is it ok? I'm hanging up my gloves Gonna put my shield away Beat my swords to ploughshares Till the earth Break new ground... In my own way In my own way In my own way In my own way Something tells me Something tells me this time Will not falter, fade Will not falter, fade Will not falter, fade I’ve been this way before And I’ve been wrong How do I trust the heart again Let it tumble from my hand Into the mill To be polished Or just worn away Something tells me Something tells me this time Will not falter, fade Will not falter, fade Will not falter, fade Gonna do it in my own way In my own way In my own way Gonna do it in my own way In my own way, in my own way, in my own way Something tells me Something tells me this time Will not falter, fade Will not falter, fade Will not falter, fade

about

Rainbows in the Gasoline was recorded live-to-tape in a fibro cottage up on Mount Nebo in South-East Queensland, Australia, with light streaming in the windows and dogs sleeping on the floor. It was recorded by Jamie Trevaskis and this place is his home and studio, called Tape Land, shared with his partner Mia and a couple of requisite studio hounds. I don’t know what magic Jamie worked to make it sound and feel so right in there (and he seemed to do this effortlessly) but that’s how it was, and as a result the songs just flowed out.

In the first session over two days we got through about fourteen songs. So many that I had to go away and work on another batch. This was a great relief to me as I had been obsessively working on the first batch for the best part of a year already. Prior to that I had carried many of them around with me for a long time.

I wanted to make a really raw solo record, to just play the songs and capture them as performances - unadorned and unquestioned. Simply songs, allowed to be. It’s so easy for songs to get crushed before they can ever be heard and many of the songs on Rainbows I believed particularly fragile. It’s typical in a loud world to want to add more to a song, make it bigger, bolder. I decided I wanted to try quietness, space, less.

There was a rough period in 2014-2016 wherein I was signed to a record label and many of these songs were presented to them as demos, which they subsequently rejected. Later (after I was dropped from that label) I still couldn’t find much enthusiasm for these songs aside from my own. I carried a lot of sadness that these strange, quiet songs might be forever lost and I took it personally because they all feel like parts of me and therefore their imperfection is implicit.

The thing about songs is they haunt you, like lost souls hoping to be born. Some of them are relentless in their quest to be heard and it’s a burden to carry them around. So when I carried them up Mount Nebo to Jamie’s place I was relieved to find no hesitation to roll tape and this album represents the outpouring that ensued.

credits

released September 1, 2023

All songs written and performed by Karl S. Williams

Recorded and mixed by Jamie Trevaskis at Tape Land, Mount Nebo, Queensland, Australia

Mastered by Andy Stewart at The Mill Studio, Bass Coast, Victoria, Australia

In Memoriam Claes Johnny Magnus Loberg

Created with the assistance of RADF, The Regional Arts Development Fund - a partnership between the Queensland Government and the City of Gold Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

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Karl S. Williams Currumbin, Australia

Drawing from folk, blues and gospel Karl S. Williams' songs are steeped in the swamp water of the northern NSW cane country where he was raised, lending the distinct flavour of this land to all his work.

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