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BetaFish

by Andy Joseph

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1.
Tick Tock 03:30
I don’t understand why people take life so seriously; it’s always seemed kind of like a joke to me. No, I don’t see the seriousness in it at all: it’s just a joke, so let’s toke, and get wrapped up in the mysteries. Let’s go learn something new tonight. Come on now, I’ve got nothing to hide. If you’ve got reservations, just walk on by, ‘cause there’s only room in here for open minds. I would like to let a raging river flow of the white hot passion burning deep inside my soul. Let it wash away the trite and old, Clear the shore, so new life can grow. Your material, It don’t matter to me. And skin color is only skin deep. You can believe whatever you believe. When you give out freedom, you are free. Roll away the dew. Make some space for something new. It’s in your mind, so it’s up to you. Don’t let no one limit what you can do. Armed with my guitar in hand, my only purpose is to spread love throughout the land. I urge you all to make a stand before our seed is buried in the sands of time.
2.
Lovers, lovers on a starry night laying in the shadows of the full moon’s light. The stars above are not too bright, and the temperature is not quite right. But they could care less about the weather. When you’re waiting on perfect, it could take forever. Instead they enjoy their time together, It doesn’t matter what they’re doing, they’re just having fun because they want to. An old man thrown into his grave, he could not learn how to behave: about familiar ideas he would always rave, but in the face of something new he was never brave. His life became tuned to static Ideas in his head stored like boxes in an attic: shut tight and wrapped in plastic so nothing new could seep inside and challenge his point of view. Lonely girl sitting by herself wishing there was someone else who could whisk her away on a fairytale, so she could write her story and put it on her shelf. She should know that a romantic fool is nothing more than their own tool for making this world seem all too cruel, when everyone was hoping she would just come and join the crew. Life deals out many hands, like the romantic fool, or the broken man; because you hold your cards my friends means you don’t have to end with the same hand you began. *now with a Lou Reed inspired interval, it goes* Doot do doot do doot do doot do do Doot do doot do doot do doot do do Doot do doot do doot do doot do do Doot do doot do doot do doot do do Doot do do dooo Doot do doot do doo Doot do do dooo doo doo do doooo Just go ahead and shut down your fat men and little boys, or we’ll end up dead. Or just go ahead and start another war, and we’ll make sure to drop you instead. He who carries a bigger stick, had better make sure to have a bigger brain because no science will save you from your science and all of this will be in vain. Mike was an angry man, forced to be someone that he didn’t like: water likes to keep us all alive, but this was not the case with Mike. He was dropped onto an Atol, and under the sea, it was blown. He tried to run away, and he would have taken the atmosphere if he had gone. Now, I’m not saying we don’t deserve this power, but this power is easily miss used. We should use it to help each other, instead of using it too abuse. And I know you think that a big man should stick to his guns and be strong, but I think it takes a bigger man to admit when he was wrong. That he was wrong. *It’s ok, we all make mistakes!” Doot do doot do doot do doot do do Doot do doot do doot do doot do do Doot do doot do doot do doot do do Doot do doot do doot do doot do do Doot do do dooo Doot do doot do doo Doot do do dooo doo doo do doooo
3.
Health deteriorates. To an end you can’t escape. To a place where we all meet: common ground beneath our feet. A happy beginning if you let it be, or a fearful fate if you don’t accept me. I come for you as I do for all. The mightiest mighty I make weak and small. Hate me not, the job must be done. For every beautiful morning there is a setting sun. I want to help you see, accept I and I will set you free. I want know how it feels, accept I and I will make life real. Heart beats: andante. And your doubts, they cannot stay. A common fate for good or bad, your 15 seconds reveal the life you had. Just so you know it’s being stripped away, but it won’t hurt, in fact, it’s all ok. You are going back to null, so pacify that empty skull. A tunnel of light in a darkened world. And into the either your once-self hurled. I will be there with you, give I your hand and I help you through. I ferry you through the night, give I your hand and I reveal the light. Don’t you run from me anymore, you don’t even know what’s in store. Eternal loneliness? HA, that’s for the damned, the wicked, and fools who do not take my hand!
4.
Girl 02:59
Girl, you know I don’t mind spending time with you. But you’ve got some strange habits and I don’t know what to do: You get yourself all excited and you shake and scream and hit. But you look so cute when you sleep that I can deal with it. Well, things will change and rearrange and maybe in the morning it will all be alright. Girl, I don’t know what you come here for, Why don’t you just go ahead and leave your worries at the door. Ain’t no one here rushing you so why don’t you slow on down and take yourself a big ol’ breath, I’ll show you around. Take my hand, lets go upstairs, and I’ll show you where you can stay tonight. Girl, you look sad. Come now, I’ve got all day. Sit yourself down and talk to me, we’ll make those troubles go away. It can’t be all that bad, I see you’ve still got all your toes, sometimes your so short sighted girl, can’t see past your nose. Realize and recognize that it’s ok for you to stand for your rights. Girl why don’t you take yourself and sit it right next to me, it would sure be nice to watch the sun come up and have you as company. We can take the whole day off and watch the world rush on by, I would rather live my life then just try to survive. This world could end tomorrow girl, so why don’t we live like it might? Live it up, GO!
5.
Now I’d do anything for you girl, so you ask for everything from me. from the necessities to the useless - ask me to make your life complete. The requested remedial task at hand may take me all day, but it’s an instinct from antiquity: make sure nothing is in your way. I do what I can, Girl don’t abuse your man. You nit-pick to make me better, but you sure lay it on hard. Take me deep off into your mist to save me from my fog. And it’s always a one-two punch with you ‘cause you know where I’m weak. Aiming for a quick knock out girl, but I’m steady on these feet. Just give me some time, and I’ll give you all of mine. All of mine. I’m young! Loving blood flows through these veins. This song is sung as an expression of my pain ‘cause you’re the one, ya: who I trust to rearrange, but when you’re done who knows how much of me will remain. So I’m sitting here thinking about what actions I should plan: I need to be free to be myself, but I want to be your man. The work you put me through leaves me cross-eyed, dumb and tired. But I won’t be sitting here on my ass until my time expired. I’m making my move. I’m moving for you. *You owe me one!*

about

BetaFish was tracked in the dead of the worst midwestern winter of our generation. Deep in the underbelly of Minneapolis, MN's Institute of Production and Recording, Andy Joseph and several colleagues toiled relentlessly for many months to bring the artistic vision to fruition. Rampant with metaphor and allegory, BetaFish explodes with an emotional passion attained only through dedication. Modern attitudes are set to an unrefined musical land scape in a manner common of eras long past.

credits

released November 4, 2011

Tracking:
-Acoustic Guitar: Michael Rogers
-Electric Guitar: Bruce McLaughlin
-Vocals: Jessica Bentley

Mixing and Mastering:
-Steven Scholz
-Andy Joseph

Album Artwork:
-Monique Payan

All songs written and performed by Andy Joseph

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about

Andy Joseph Minneapolis, Minnesota

Just a Madison boy, born and raised. I play the guitar to pass my days. And when the time comes to entertain, I'll leave no inactive cell in your brain. When the word goes through about the work I do, I hope you'll open up and sing along too.

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