Get all 24 Daniel Mandel releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Adjusting to the Dark, The Psychology of Money, Etcetera, Screaming Booth, Flip It Upside Down, Fighting With Myself, The Gardener and the Tall Man, A Covid Song, and 16 more.
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THE TRAIN KNOWS WHERE TO GO
OK so we’re all on this train
and we are all alone
The Train Knows where to Go
The Train Knows where to go
OK, so we’re all on this train
and we are safe and warm
The Train Knows where to Go
The Train Knows where to go
OK, so we’re all watching scenes
change as time goes by
The Train Knows where to Go
The Train Knows where to go
We collect our souvenirs
Good memories & Pain
The Train Knows where to Go
The Train Knows where to go
The Direction of the tracks
are following the rails
They hold us on this path
mechanical and steel
OK, so we are looking out
We just soak it in
The Train Knows where to Go
The Train Knows where to go
We are ghosts on trains
traveling in skins
The Train Knows where to Go
The Train Knows where to go
Somehow what we feel doesn’t match the iron & Steel
We’re sensing what we lack from the click clack of the track
The heat from all these hearts beating in the dark
The truth of who we are carries us this far
The Direction of the tracks
are following the rails
They hold us on this path
mechanical and steel
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2. |
Candle Girl
03:44
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CANDLE GIRL
Desperate flickering
She is smoldering
Candles sputtering
Disembodying
Shadows, Shadows on the wall
melting shadows, shadows on the wall of my heart
Closing windows now
She is running round
holding terror down
No more candles found
Shadows, Shadows on the wall
melting shadows, shadows on the wall of my heart
There’s a tear that fell
Near the flame oh Hell!
Mustn’t shame or quell
the only light that’s in this spell
If this light should fail
How would true love hail
This she cried and wailed
No mere fairy tale
Her true love lost his way
needed dawn to show the day
needed night to kneel and pray
prayed his love would kill the flame
He is music to her
Bringing joy to her world
He can’t show this to her
as a frantic candle girl
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3. |
Hide
03:17
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HIDE
I hide from you
inside a conversation
these words I use
avoid a confrontation
I’m in plain view
but in this situation
my slight of tongue
just like a magician
If I act as Shame
If I think as Fear
If I live as doubt
would you still be here?
If I Live as love
If I act as Love?
If I am as love
I don’t reveal
my truthful aspect
because if you knew
then I might be suspect
I hide from you
behind a witty comment
I dodge your glance with a smile
to conceal me in this moment
If I act as Shame
If I think as Fear
If I live as doubt
would you still be here?
If I Live as love
If I act as Love?
If I am as love
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4. |
One Dark Night
03:44
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ONE DARK NIGHT
One dark night you glanced at me
Just after I had spoke
I felt you'd seen something inside of me
and deep down it made you choke
I know you see me as a monster
with your queen trapped in my cage
but in this story no one ends up saved
No mirrors, no liars
I'm the one in charge here
No Joy, No sweet melody
I'm the one that stays here
Biting bitter from this whole affair
like the first taste of bad wine
Your the ones should be ashamed
for leaving her behind
There's nothing you can be say to me
To vex my ear the more
You can't reach this monster any more
No joy, no crown, it's been thrown down
No joy, no crown, it's been thrown down
No mirrors, no liars
I'm the one in charge here
No Joy, No sweet melody
I'm the one that stays here
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5. |
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LOVELY EMPTY STRONG and BRAVE
I am lovely, empty, strong and brave.
Like a nun before an open grave,
I could fall into the emptiness,
Break my bones, and tear my dress;
But for a while I would remain
Lovely, empty, strong and sane.
Strength declines and beauty fades
God forgives, and Jesus saves;
Yet no matter my tomb bare or filled,
My emptiness could not be killed
I would lay there in the crypt
As empty as before I slipped
I do not lack for prayer or pain,
Yet lovely, empty I'd remain,
For hunger born of solitude
Cannot be fed by heaven's food;
And tragedy cannot restore
A fullness never there before.
But if my time on earth permits,
I would relent and beg your kiss;
And humbly stretch my arm to you,
Allow your hands to make me new,
Renounce the foolish pride of mine
That sealed my lips and steeled my spine.
No God, no loss, no length of time;
But burning fingers (yours and mine),
And terrifying sweet release
Will shatter all the empty peace.
Then lovely empty strong and proud.
Is fragile, ugly, weeping, loud,
Full and finally full and open-lipped,
Broken open, shorn and stripped.
For when you finally pierce my pride;
There will be joy and terror side by side;
But please, no soft words for my fears,
lovely empty bowls to catch my tears
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6. |
Possessed In Poses
02:09
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POSSESSED IN POSES
These shapes that Ana makes
the care that her attentions place
the Poses she articulates
the beauty of her body’s grace
is evident upon her face
some semblance of symmetry
of line and look she models me
Asana of geometry
She sculpts herself so I can see
And what has she achieved
abstraction in relief
an Idea in 3D
She holds a mirror up to me
Allowing me to see me
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7. |
Slow Blue
04:40
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SLOW BLUE
Slow blue, Don’t you
want to know me
So true, Do you
feel you see me
Pull in Pull in so small and thin
Come and come and come again
Bring down bring down the sun
You can turn him around
Feel your feet on the ground
Touch your hand on the top of his head
and his voice it will make such a sound
Is it part of the game
Or is it always in reach
Never knowing which way it will go
or let go and release
Slow blue Don’t you
Don’t you want to know me
feel you see me true
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8. |
Surrender Dorothy
02:54
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SURRENDER DOROTHY
Look up a scream!
black smoke carving out surrender in the sky
The witches broom, impending doom
I’m as terrified as a young girl asking why
It's a matter of survival
It's a matter of the questions she hasn't even asked
Without a home she's all alone
But Dorothy isn't giving up so fast
surrounded by courage heart & mind
If Dorothy falls, so do we all
She has to try and see what she can find
Given the same
Would I be brave as Dorothy
How do I survive in my own life
No wizard or balloon into the atmosphere
surrounded by courage heart & mind
She's got to try, she's got to try
surrounded by courage heart & mind
If Dorothy falls, so do we all
Something has to change this time
Darkness falls
I'm not so scared of what it brings
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9. |
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BEGGAR BURGLAR BASTARD BUFFOON
You anchored me
In my turbulent sea
You kept me tethered And safe from harm
Tossed like a rag doll
My beggar intact
I'm watching you with my burglar relaxed
But I don't need to sell you my analogies
I would risk you Just To be so deeply seen as me
My steady diet of misogyny and beans
left my blood full of sugar
And my spirit mean
My fury boils over
my bastard reacts
Just in time my buffoon drops his pants
Our connection is much deeper than it seems
we blossom open or collapse from all these dreams, these dreams
Pretending protection
Where panic will swim
I grab for you as I reach the deep end
But we are not swimming
There is no pool
Just one of the fears as seen by my fool
Our connection is much deeper than it seems
we blossom open or collapse from all our dreams, our dreams
You anchored me
In my turbulent sea
You kept me tethered And safe from harm
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10. |
Find Me A Lover
06:14
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FIND ME A LOVER
I want to find me a lover
Who can look into my eyes
Someone to take me over
And take me by surprise
I want to find me a lover
I want to find me a lover
who can grow into my shell
someone who can break it wide open
and pour it all over himself
I want to find me a lover
Chorus:
I don’t want a partner
I don’t want a friend
I don’t want a companion
Who’ll just pretend
I don’t want to tell him
It’s gonna end
I don’t want to
I don’t want to
I want to find me a lover
I want to find me a lover
who is tender and warm
Someone who can protect me
and keep me from harm
I want to find me a lover
I want to find me a lover
Who can scream into my ears
Who can writhe and toss his head back
and shed angel tears
I want to find me a lover
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Daniel Mandel Oakland
I'm so glad you found my Bandcamp page! I am a singer songwriter, I play guitars, keyboards, strange synthesizers and amazing virtual instruments. I love the craft of songwriting. I am also a Life Coach and a podcaster! I am actually very down to earth and would welcome hearing from you! ... more
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