Leave the Earth Behind

by Box Five

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02:41
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02:24
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05:29
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02:36
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02:24
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9.
02:55
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10.
03:39
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11.
02:47
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about

"An ambitious effort, beautifully executed, and one that entrenches itself with repeated listens." -- Boston Survival Guide

"Gifted is an understatement when talking about Box Five mastermind Mary Bichner; the musical twists, turns and full-on triple axels [of] 'Leave the Earth Behind' are so glorious and lushly layered that we can’t figure out why this record hasn’t reached Patrick Wolf-esque hype." -- Boston Band Crush

credits

released 11 November 2010
All songs written by Mary Bichner except: lyrics for track 10 extracted from the William Shakespeare play, Hamlet. All songs arranged by Mary Bichner except: acoustic drums and percussion for all tracks arranged by Chris Pires, bass for all tracks arranged by Brian Hopely, electric percussion for track 6 arranged by Ben Camp, piano for track 11 arranged by Joe Gribbin, FX guitar for track 11 arranged by Joe Bichner.

Performed by Mary Bichner (all vocal parts; all keyboard parts except track 11) Joe Bichner (all guitar parts except FX guitar in tracks 3 and 9), Brian Hopely (all bass parts), Chris Pires (all acoustic drums & percussion parts), Eliza Kopczynska (violin soloist for tracks 2, 4, 7, & 10; violin I and II ensemble for tracks 2-4, 6, & 8-11), Aaron Colverson (violin I and II ensemble for tracks 2-4, 6, & 8-11), Chia-yu Lai (violin I and II ensemble for tracks 2-4, 6, & 8-11), Sarah Silver (violin I and II ensemble for tracks 2-4, 6, & 8-11), Melissa Bull (viola soloist for tracks 7 & 10; viola ensemble for tracks 2-4, 6, & 8-11), Scott Moore (viola ensemble for tracks 2-4, 6, & 8-11), Oleg Soloviev (viola ensemble for tracks 2-4, 6, & 8-11), Valerie Thompson (cello soloist for track 7; cello ensemble for tracks 2, 4, 6, & 8-11), Su-hsien Hsu (cello ensemble for tracks 2, 4, 6, & 8-11), Joanna Goldstein (flute for tracks 6 & 11), Ana-Sofia Campesino (oboe for tracks 6 & 11), Anne Howarth (French horn for track 6), Rane Moore (clarinet for tracks 6 & 11), Sebastian Chaves (bassoon for tracks 6 & 11), Joe Gribbin (piano for track 11), Ryan Thomas (trumpet for track 11), and Kyle LaLone (FX guitar for tracks 3 & 9).

Drums for tracks 2 & 11 recorded by Mike Davidson at Zippah Recording in Boston, MA. Drums for tracks 3, 5, 7, 8, & 9 recorded by David Ivory at Dylanava Studios in Gwynedd Valley, PA. All other parts recorded by Ben Camp at Human Nature Studios in Boston, MA; Pikesville, MD; and Ocean City, MD. Mixed and mastered by Ben Camp. Artwork by the lovely Maeve Parker. Track 10 originally commissioned by Pieris Music (formerly Arts in Motion).

Visit us at www.boxfive.org because we love you very much!

tags

tags: box five britpop classical classipop cute vocals indie pop leave the earth behind orchestral pop Boston

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Track Name: My Hands Gave Way
What was I thinking,
Relinquishing the reins?
The world's gone up in flames
And I am to blame

Couldn't be content
To sit there and behave:
What was a cavalcade
Is now an earthquake

Slings and voodoo
Won't protect you

Sit still, be silent
As we become the prey
And imprecate the day
My hands gave way
Track Name: Thinking Out Loud
When I was young, I just assumed
It would be OK, it would be OK
I'd go to school and pay attention
Learn my numbers, make my millions
And then get my way, then I'd get my way
But the days, and the weeks, and the years went by
And yeah here I sit, yeah well here I sit
With no payoff for my efforts
'Cept a big fat pile of nothing
With my name on it, with my name on it

What's the point of living
If you cannot live outside of yourself
And chase the planet to its summit
Just to say you were there?
Thinking out loud is getting us nowhere

I dreamt I woke up somewhere else
Singing somethin' new, singing somethin' new
Which calls to mind the old adage that states
That that which doesn't kill us
Must be good for you, must be good for you
Hey maybe I should get while the gettin's good
And the coast is clear, and the coast is clear
Leave a note that stops mid-sentence
Grab my satchel, tie my shoes
And get me out of here (oh no!)

Why should one stay stable
In such crazed uncertain times like these
When everybody else is on their heads
Or up in the air?
Thinking out loud is getting us nowhere

Everything you haven't seen
Is sitting right before your eyes
But we won't look 'cause we were taught
It's impolite to stare
Thinking out loud is getting us nowhere
Track Name: Scylla and Charibdys
No more distraction, it's full speed ahead
Though halfway home, I am not there yet
Far from the harbor we glide through the water
With nary a sigh

Carefully I sail along
Steering clear of your song
And plaintively you wail away
Begging me that I stay

I may be strong, but I'm not made of stone:
Blame this traversing the sea alone
Swallow the ocean and crack us wide open
With nary a sigh

Shakily I sail along
Weakening at your song
And plaintively you wail away
Begging me that I stay

(And then I give way)

Merrily I sail along
Giving in to your song
And conqueringly you flail away
Sinking me so I stay
Track Name: Ceasefire
I can be vicious when
I am upset
And I am far from finished yet

but,

You can't take all the blame
(You did not know)
So I'm prepared to let this go

just

Say you're sorry and I'll cease fire
Say you're sorry and I'll cease fire
Say you're sorry and I'll cease fire

Were you so positive
That you would win?
Poor dear, how foolish you have been

Now I determine where
The lines are drawn:
Things will be different from now on

now

Say you're sorry and I'll cease fire
Say you're sorry and I'll cease fire
Beg my mercy, scream "forgive me!"
Say you're sorry and I'll cease fire
Track Name: Melancholy Soul
You know me
I'm such a melancholy soul
Thinking thoughts out of my control

I just fear
That I may not be what you want
You have been acting different

lately lately lately lately lately lately

Set those sails:
I've made a map of the unknown!
(We can get real jobs when we're grown, grown)

And who cares
If I'm enamored with your hands?
Everyone knows we are just friends, friends

baby baby baby baby baby baby

oh

take me take me take me take me take me

come on!!!
Track Name: Still Mine
you only visit
when i am
footsteps away from
s l e e p i n g

missives done up in
hieroglyphs
me and my shaky
e n g l i s h

willing to leave the
earth behind
if that is what you want, just
give me an answer,
make up my mind
there is no need to be so unkind

think of a shade from
one to ten
would that i were
u n e v e n

missives done up in
hieroglyphs
every girl has her
l i m i t s

i've tried making sense of
all i've divined
ghosts are so inconsistent
just
give me an answer,
make up my mind
i wish you would not be so unkind

just
tell me you love me
say you're still mine
why must you always be so unkind
Track Name: Set Me Straight
As per the conversation we just had
I'm pretty sure that things are looking grim
I'm rather sure that things are looking grim
Meanwhile, in the interim
I got a message from the other side
That said that you had something up your sleeve
It said that you had something up your sleeve
(I don't know who to believe)

So just come home and set me straight
All these thoughtforms pouring out are
Much to much to contemplate
And I know at least this one thing is true:
No one else but me would have the
Patience to put up with you

"And yes it's true I never call or write,
But still, how dare you say that I don't care,"
you say. "How dare you say that I don't care!
It's not my fault life's not fair."
I got a message from the other side
Proclaiming you would be the one for me
Insisting you'd yet prove the one for me
Goddamn propinquity

Oh have mercy on my tiny brain
You know what you're doing but you
Will not tell me anything
And I'm tired of uncertainty
Give me just one reason I should
Not elect to let you be
Track Name: Microscopic
underminded
unresponsive
walking wounded
turned-to-ashes
turned-to-ashes
crushed and caving
crushed and caving
in

unbeknownst and
unreported
microscopic
don't remind me
don't remind me
crushed and caving
crushed and caving
in

spiraling
out of control
and knowing when
you aren't wanted
aren't wanted
when, my love,
did all of this begin
?
Track Name: The Clear
In fonder times,
What was it
That willed me wired
To outfit
A swift-decline
Composite?
(I've set it down. Forgot it.)

softly say
y y y y y
don't leave me
y y y y y

It's no surprise
What's under
The scattered lines
We wander.
My foolish heart
Can't take it
My DAMAGED HEART
CAN'T take it

softly say
y y y y y
don't leave me
y y y y y
y y y y y
Track Name: How Should I Your True Love Know
[Lyrics were extracted from William Shakespeare's Hamlet.]

How should I your true love know
From another one?
By his cockle hat and staff,
And his sandal shoon.
He is dead and gone, lady
He is dead and gone, oh
At his head a grass-green turf,
At his heels a stone, oh!,
At his heels a stone.

Sing thee "down-a"; thou, "a-down-a-down"
Sing theee "down-a down, down-a down,
down-a down-a down."
(Oh what a noble mind is here overthrown!)

White his shroud as mountain snow,
Larded all with sweet flowers.
Which into the ground did go
With true-love showers, love showers.

Oh, they bore him barefaced on the bier
(hey nonny, non nonny, hey!)
And in his grave rained many a tear
(hey nonny non nonny, hey!)
Will he not come again, lady?
Will he not come again? No,
He is dead, and to thy bed he never will come again.

Will he not come again, lady?
Will he not come again? No,
He is dead, and to thy bed he never will come again.
Oh, he never will come again.
No, he will not come again.
Track Name: Today is the Day
This off and on
Has gone far too long
It's not particularly hard to explain
So I shall be plain:

Dear I have had
All I can stand
No more nice girl
No more...
Trying to hide my dismay
Acting like things are OK
Darling, TODAY IS THE DAY

I plan my escape
Before it's too late
It's not a question of the why or the how
Just the right now

Dear I feel sick
To my stomach
No more "you win"
No more...
Hearing what friends have to say
Watching my hair slowly grey
Turning such nice men away (call me!)
Darling, TODAY IS THE DAY

Dear I've produced
My last excuse
No more waiting
No more...
Hoping it all goes away
Making excuses to stay
Letting things lie where they lay
Darling, TODAY IS THE DAY