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Leslie Medford's Charm Offensive

by LESLIE MEDFORD

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Carl Salbacka
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Carl Salbacka Just as it says on the tin: a Charming romp through muscle, woe, and whimsy. Favorite track: THE GIRL WHO LIVED ON THE MOUNTAIN.
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1.
TIME ON MY MIND There's time on my mind. Spend some time. Walk downtown. Look around, yeah. And in the afternoon And in the evening too And in the mornin' light You know everything's all right. All right, yeah. Go for a second time. Second time around. The two mirrors of life. Look around, yeah. And in the afternoon And in the evening too And in the mornin' light You know everything's all right. All right. All right. All right, yeah. ALL RIIIIIIGHT... And in the afternoon And in the evening too And in the mornin' light You know everything's all right. All right. W' ALL RIGHT! Uugh! Ahhhh!
2.
GOD-SHAPED HOLE Let me tell you little something what is going on inside me. Yes he was penniless playing on the interest, Should have stayed in school. Darling, is it true what they say about you? Aren’t you going to let me in, sit me at your dinner table? Give me my choice of wine, slip into more comfortable. You look alright. Lady, is it true what they say about you? She got a god-shaped hole. Feels like I’m about to lose my soul. She wanna fill that space With a member of the human race. Kissing on a Sunday, leaving on a Monday. Isn’t this the way to spend a rainy day And a rainy night? Sweetheart, is it true what they say about you? You don’t even have to say. You give it all away. Take me by the hand down to shantytown, And give us the key. Darlin’, is it true what they say about you? She got a god-shaped hole. Feels like I’m about to lose control. She want ta fill that space With a member of the human race. Mmmm, this has been a long time comin’. Tell you true. Uh-huh. Woah yeah, MOTHERFUCKIN’ ALLRIGHT! She’s got a god-shaped hole. Seems like she’s about to take my soul. She want ta fill that space With a member of the human race. Tell me why This bantam take no jive. Lay it on me…pace your mind. In about time you’ll be mine. It wouldn’t do bein’ rover space, Taking a bop in a rollerlake. You left me without a choice. One two three four Knockin’ on your back door. She’s got a god shaped hole. Feel like I'm about ta lose my soul. She wants ta fill that space With a member of the human race. How… How does it feel?
3.
THE GIRL WHO LIVED ON THE MOUNTAIN Once upon a time Before this land was paved over There were families. And in one of these A growing rain was falling, Nurturing ideas. The green arrived. The green became incandescent. The earth itself warmed to the sky. The bucolic scene… The lateness of the hour… Path is beckoning… The day is done… But that is not what I’m thinking. I said Hi to the girl who lives on the mountain. It seemed the proper thing to do. I have a load I want unloaded. Could you help me out with that? I know one who wants a flower. Would you do this for me? She’s too sweet for words But I will try to describe her: Wisdom is her thing. She has read the dead, And she is brightly shining From those burning coals. Just what she knows… Her mystery goes without saying. I walked up to the girl who lives on the mountain. It seemed the proper thing to do. I have this load I want unloaded. Could you help me out with that? I know someone who wants a flower. Would you do this for me? Then, Before the sun Hit the sky I Found myself another queen. You Wouldn’t believe Everything that she did to me That was done ‘Fore the sun Kissed the mountain. I walk up to the girl who lived on the mountain. It seemed the proper thing to do.
4.
ARABELLA 03:28
ARABELLA Arabella… Daughter of the wind and the rolling sea. Arabella… So then we go a-rovin’ my true love and me. Yo Ho! We sailed the great red ship, We raised the sails and coiled the whip. Yo Ho! We went to sea on the great red ship, We manned the guns and let ‘er rip For the love of Arabella. Arabella… Daughter of the wind and the rolling sea. Arabella… So then we go a-rovin’ my true love and me. Yo Ho! The wounded heart no hand could heel, The broken belle no tongue could peel… The wounded heart no hand could heel, Set off to sail on a Spanish keel For the love of Arabella. Arabella… Daughter of the wind and the rolling sea. Arabella… So then we go a-rovin’ my true love and me. We wait the change of English crown Til the people pull the Stewarts down. Yo Ho! A diff’rent head beneath the crown To set our heading Bristol bound And home with Arabella. Arabella… Daughter of the wind and the rolling sea. Arabella… So then we go a-rovin’ my true love and me. Arabella… Daughter of the wind and the rolling sea. Arabella… So then we go a-rovin’ my true love and me. Arabella… Daughter of the wind and the rolling sea. Arabella… So then we go a-rovin’ my true love and me.
5.
A GYPSY PLAYED A gypsy played at the railway station. Your looks were causing a sensation. Yeah, Madonna’s twin, all the dogs agree. We took a taxi to your new plantation – A little dig above a filling station – Took out my knife and threw it in the weeds. You look to ride with a total stranger. I slipped inside on the plush upholstery. You drove so hard the white smoke came out. Your other half was another story. I wouldn’t want him coming for me. I think I’ll take care of doing that myself. You wanted me to be your private dancer. You wouldn’t take no for an answer. But I was already performing it with you. The last I saw of that lovely lady I do believe we were making headway. One of these days and it will belong to you. Hey, hey, hey, hey… Another night it’ll be alright. Hey, hey, hey, hey… It was the DNA.
6.
YOUNG GUNSLINGER The young gunslinger practices his move In front of the mirror lookin’ pretty smooth. Go shoot the cans down by the lake. You’re gonna show you’re no mistake. Ridin’ range for Mr Relf No way to make a name for yourself. One of these days you’ll find the groove, And then you’ll find some thing to prove. Young Gunslinger… Itchy trigger finger. This boy goes down to the town… Let’s follow him down. First thing he does is check the Post Office wall. His second stop is the Christmas Ball. Next thing ya know he’s in a fight. (Don’t have to ask who’s wrong or right.) He called the local boy outside… Two shots rang out and One boy died. Hey hey hey. He rode away. Young Gunslinger. The sheriff organized a posse and they set right out on his trail. Woah yeah! But our hero shook ‘em as he took ‘em over hill and dale. When the night had ended he had blended into the mountains there. He was on his way to being somebody the world wouldn’t dare… W’all right. Young Gunslinger. Young Gunslinger. Young Gunslinger. Itchy trigger finger… The young gunslinger practices his move In front of the mirror he sure looks smooth. One of these days he’ll find his groove. And then he’ll find some thing to prove.
7.
FREEFALL 05:25
FREEFALL Saw your face, my own turned red, In the night time barely seen Hearing what the thunder said. And all my ships were lost at sea The ocean big and deep and green But this can’t mean the end of me, the end of me! Freefall. A comet in the Western skies. Just about to close my eyes. Freefall. I fight the game but play to win. To live this burning love again. Just like pleasure love’s remorse Fastened to the lesser force. So go passion and distain The power of the spoken word Just running with the ball and chain, a ball and chain. Freefall. A comet in the Western skies. Just about to close my eyes. Freefall. I fight the game but play to win. To live this burning love again. Driven through a crack in time Between the reason and the rhyme, The hours churn the brass bells sing, You throw the coins the changes ring. The changes ring! The changes ring! Freefall. A comet in the Western skies. Just about to close my eyes. Freefall. I fight the game but play to win. To live this burning love again. Freefall. A comet in the Western skies. Just about to close my eyes. Freefall. I fight the game but play to win. To live this burning love again. Freefall. A comet in the Western skies. Just about to close my eyes. Freefall. I fight the game but play to win. To live this burning love again. Freefall. A comet in the Western skies. Just about to close my eyes. Freefall. I fight the game but play to win. To live this burning love again. Freefall. A comet in the Western skies. Just about to close my eyes. Freefall. I fight the game
8.
DRONE-LOVED QUEEN Like a drone who loves a queen, Like a truth that’s not believed, Like the reason never seen, Life is very hard for me. Like a drone who loves a queen, Like a queen who’s disposessed, Disposessed and put to sea, Little bird has lost her nest. Now the cat climbs up the tree While the queen is lost at sea. Like the drone lusts for the queen While the queen heaves on the deck. “Take me back to the land of my mother.” Little bird has lost her nest. Now the cat climbs up the tree While the queen is lost at sea. Like a drone who loves a queen, Like the queen who’s disposessed, Disposessed and put to sea, Little bird has lost her nest. Now the cat climbs up the tree While the queen is lost at sea. DRONE-LOVED QUEEN [Douglass/Medford Wallace “L’ace” Douglass : guitar, tape effect M. Roderick “Ricky” MacBride : bass Sean “Stag” O’Lee : drums Leslie Medford : all voices Performed by Leslie Medford’s Charm Offensive Arranged & Produced by Medford & Douglass Publishing: BrowBeat BMI Recording date: March 1991 Recording place: Oakland and Concord, CA Engineered by: Leslie Medford – TEAC 3440 4-track reel-to-reel Remastered by Carl Salbacka & Leslie Medford Running Time: 04:30 First appeared on: Leslie Medford’s Charm Offensive First released 17 August 2021
9.
THE FLOWER HAS CLOSED Rock ‘n’ Roll music sounds so sweet. Made me think, made me stomp my feet. It was something that young people had. And it sure pissed off my mom and dad! But that was a long time ago. Seems like there’s another show now, Because young people today Don’t seem to need music for freedom. The flower has closed without me. Talkin’ ‘bout the Sixties. The flower has closed without me. Such a pity. Rock ‘n’ Roll music sound so rad. Yeah, it was somethin' young people had. Weren’t controlled by industry goons. Hey these words mean something…and they got good tunes! And women stood up for themselves. Minorities would not be downtrodden. Ecology came into its own… Yeah, we broke the ground but where’s the building? We recognized we was governed by fools. But now such mediocrity rules, Is it true we’re worse off than before? Certainly the quality of music is lower! The flower has closed without me. The Seventies were way better. The flower has closed without me. The flower has closed without me. Oh yeah?! Tell me again rantin’ and ravin’ is out of fashion! Fuck this Sixties and Seventies bashin’! Nineties rock is original...not. People keep buyin’ what they already bought. Just goes to show how quickly we forget, But I guess we just need a new horse on which to bet. But I think that it’s just a shame To spend so much on such a bunch of lame-o’s, Who cut the heart out of what was great Art, And make a banal fashion accessory out of Rock ‘n’ Roll music. La la la la la la la la la la The flower has closed without me. It’s almost over. The flower has closed without me.
10.
HEY, LET'S SWAP INSTRUMENTS - extempore [instrumental]
11.
YOU & ME Hey-babe, you know, you and me, ah I dunno, but, like, we’ve got the strangest love in the world, doncha think? You & me…it’s just the strangest love in the world. When I’m off my myself in a luminous fog, And I’m walking the dog, but the dog isn’t there. And you’re all by yourself and you answer the phone… Hello…Hello?... But the phone didn’t ring. That’s when I get a clue that… You & me That, you know…maybe we do just have the fuckin’ strangest love in the world, you know that! You & me. You & me. It’s just the strangest love in the world. And I’m all myself with my brain in my hands. Suddenly a dwarf comes and stands near my head with a message for me And he opens his mouth and a spider comes out, So I know you’re about, But you’re not anyplace I can see. You & me You & me We’ve got the strangest love in the world, love in the world. You & me You & me It’s just…it’s just the strangest love. Love in the world. You & me. You & me. You & me. YOU & ME [Robyn Hitchcock] Leslie Medford : voices, acoustic guitar, glockenspiel Elena Powell : viola Performed by The Heaven Insects Produced, arranged, engineered by Leslie Medford on a TEAC 3440 4-track reel-to-reel tape machine. Recording date: 1990 Recording place: 1881 Drake Drive, Montclair, Oakland, CA Remastered by Carl Salbacka & Leslie Medford Running Time: 4:14 First appeared on: Leslie Medford’s Charm Offensive First released 17 August 2021

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Total Time: 43:35 (including the bonus track)
Recordings from 1989-1991.
Access detailed credits, lyrics, some commentary, and imagined record sleeves, through the individual tracks.

This collection of twelve character sketches is SICK! Sex-obsessed Medford constantly crosses us up (per the usual) musically and lyrically and he has a bunch of new coevals with which to rock heavy, in a way considerably different from The Ophelias...but then, not THAT different. Indeed the twelve songs boast tons of good electric guitar, bass and drums, plus you have Medford and others dithering on keyboards, tape effects, flutes, viols and glocks, and one song features an instrument swap; but in truth this is mostly a hard rock 3-piece-plus-vocalist type of sound on 7 of the 10. But additionally (pant!) there's a bonus track on Bandcamp, which adds yet more richness. “You & Me” is a Robyn Hitchcock obscurity, as you might expect, weird...and strangely lovely. Medford’s lyrics and vocals throughout the Charm Offensive are strikingly original and strong. The album employs quite a few textures-of-accompaniment, but if you enjoy clever Hard Rock veering to Art Rock, this may just float your boat! (The Arabella, apparently.)

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released August 17, 2021

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LESLIE MEDFORD Oakland, California

Leslie Medford is a dude from a world that no longer exists!The two bands he led 1984-1991 have their own bandcamp pages under The Ophelias and HighHorse. Medford was a busy fellow during his pro period (1982-1992) and this site covers solo things & side projects from as early as 1975 and as recent as 2004.There is tremendous variety here, of a high standard of idea, if not always execution.Enjoy! ... more

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