The Whole Bolivian Army

TRACK LIST
1. Got Yer Ears On 
2. Born Naked 
3. Bitch in a Volvo 
4. Toaster 
5. L.A.K. 
6. Follow Him Down 
7. Sunnyside 
8. No One's Father 
9. Fear 
10. Falling and Again 
11. Arbor Man 
12. Rock Anthem 
13. The Dull Ache

CREDITS
MB, vocals, percussion; Matt Kite, guitar, vocals; Steve Miller, bass; Dave Warburton, drums, percussion. Guest musicians: Kurt Ambruster, tuba; Coral Marchant, cello; Peter Fitzgerald, organ; Rodney Sherwood, gang vocal; Ian K. Larson, percussion. Produced by Scott Ross. Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Scott Ross at Hanzsek Audio (Seattle, WA). Music by TWBA. Lyrics by Matt Kite and MB.© 1997 Gargantuan Records/TWUBBA Music (ASCAP).

REVIEWS
"Their lyrics—sometimes mocking and shocking—jump out from behind opera-trained singer Mary Beth Kite's vocals: 'What's so special about that ring in your ear?/ What's so special about that ring in your crotch?/ It's been done before, it'll happen again' from 'Born Naked'; and 'You better watch out/ Keep your head low/ You better look out/ She's going shopping' from the snarling, punkish 'Bitch in a Volvo.' Others are luscious memories or delectable love songs. Passion, catharsis, sarcasm, melody, and a few Latin beats; it's all there with a sweet vengeance." 
— Jessica Anenberg, Seattle Weekly, Aug. 27, 1997 

"This is a band that is going to force the world to take notice! The Bolivians have delivered the goods with this 13-cut masterpiece of catchy and quirky pop/rock that will have you humming these songs to work. This Seattle band features super songwriting and one of the better female singers in the Northwest, Mary Beth Kite. My favorite is 'Toaster' (also featured on the Blimp Kitty Records Compilation last year) but all the songs are first rate. The Bolivians produced this latest release at Hanzsek Studios in Seattle and the quality is A+! ( Scott Ross produced this excellent CD.)" 
— Michael Green, Musicians Network, June 1997 

"Not only have The Whole Bolivian Army won their fair share of 'Battle of the Band' competitions around town, but with song titles like 'Bitch in a Volvo' and lyrics asking, '...what's so special about that ring in your crotch?,' it's clear that they're no longer playing nice. The hooks on their self-titled full-length follow up to their EP Hazen are a bit more brash than before, but TWBA's wham-bam guitar rock spans the spectrum of rock sound. The folksy 'Follow Him Down' and 'Sunnyside' feature Mary Beth Kite's prominent vocals without sounding wimpy, and if it's guitar yer into, 'Born Naked' and 'Toaster' will have you sitting in your beanbag chair and wailing air ax late into the night. Let's get it straight, though. TWBA aren't trying to make your eardrums bleed. Instead, they write complex rock songs which make for pretty sweet listening. And there ain't nuthn' wrong with that!" 
— David Musolf, Insite, May 1997

Got Yer Ears On 

(instrumental) 

Born Naked 

tell me what's weird about long hair 
tell me what's weird about bald heads 
what's so special about that ring in your ear? 
what's so special about that ring in your crotch? 

it's been done before 
it'll happen again 
I was born naked 
I'm more than what I wear 
and I don't care about my hair 
I was born naked 

tell me what's weird about big boots 
tell me what's weird about flannel and camouflage 
what's so special about black? 
what's so special about pale skin? 

you've been done before 
you'll happen again 
you were born naked 
you're more than what you wear 
and I don't care about your hair 
you were born naked 

tell me what's weird about bouffant hairdos 
tell me what's weird about bell bottoms and silk shirts 
what's so special about powdered wigs and fake moles? 
so special about sans-culottes, troubadour lycra 
turkish top hats, freakish flop mats? 

we've been done before... 

Bitch in a Volvo 

bitch in a Volvo 
you better watch out 
bitch in a Volvo 
keep your head low 
bitch in a Volvo 
you better look out 
bitch in a Volvo 
she's going shopping 

Toaster 

I met a man who found God in a toaster 
he said, "progress is the only sacrament worth dying for" 
toaster 
die for 
die for toaster 

didn't matter he didn't know 
the sound of frogs doing 
the Hallelujah Chorus 
on a warm winter evening 
Hallelujah 
Hallelujah 

I met a man who found God in a toaster 
he said, "progress is the only sacrament worth dying for" 
toaster 
die for 
die for toaster 

didn't matter he didn't know 
the smell of skunks mating 
he had his fucking toaster 

L.A.K. 

well, I've never watched anyone die before 
so forgive me if I do something wrong 
I brought a book with me 
and I could read from it, if you want me to 

but I don't know where you're going 
I don't know where you're going 

I'll catch up with you someday 

I wish you could tell me what you want 
what's going on inside your head 
let me rub your feet 
it's all I can do 

are you afraid? 
do you want out of here? 

I'll catch up with you someday

Follow Him Down 

he used to cut logs from the hillsides 
until his hands ached and he was covered with sweat 
that's how he got such big arms 

but the mill's as empty as me now 
nothing but ghosts and broken track 
and he lives on the other side of the country 

and I'm gonna follow him down 

his father used to fish in the river 
until his hip-waders filled with water 
he was always humming out of key 

it's still got the power to heal 
still as cold as the mountain that feeds it 
but the river's not the same without him 

I just came to say goodbye 

and I'm gonna follow him down 

his wife drove up the side of Shasta 
long after he left her 
the orange sky couldn't deliver her 

I just came to say goodbye 

and I'm gonna follow her down 

I just came to say goodbye

Sunnyside 

if I was an ant 
I'd swallow this apricot 
from the inside out 
from the outside in 

two weeks in August 
spill out into forever 
like a life I lived before 
before I lived a life 

I'm sorry, Sunnyside 

found a dead June bug 
hollow in the grass 
I feel much safer now 
it's safe to feel much 

a crop duster dives 
until the summer disappears 
and I can feel the sun go down 
and I go down with the sun 

I'm sorry, Sunnyside

No One's Father 

hero, you're my hero 
hero, don't leave me here 
someday, I'm coming for you 

I know you did the best you could 
but I can't stop from thinking 
somebody stop this sinking 
I can see you're human just like me 
but I can't stop from dreaming 
in league with the guillotine 

father, you're no one's father 
father, you killed her 
someday, I'm coming for you 

I know you did the best you could 
but I can't stop from thinking 
somebody stop this sinking 
I can see you're human just like me 
but I can't stop from dreaming 
in league with the guillotine

Fear 

I don't know why I'm so afraid 
of getting in the water 
and I don't know why I'm so afraid 
of going out at night 

I killed the Boy with the Golden Hair 
I sold the Wild Man to the freak show 

I don't know why I'm so afraid 
of standing next to you 
and I don't know why I'm so afraid 
of everything 

I killed the Boy with the Golden Hair 
I sold the Wild Man to the freak show 

I don't know why I'm so afraid 
to drink my own darkness 
to dream by myself 
to submerge with the worst 
to touch fear and let it run loose

Falling and Again 

never so fast 
too wild it was 
where do we go when we die? 
falling through cemeteries 
I'm running to see 
I know who it is who is there 

I'm still here, left behind 
I'm still here, left behind 

falling through cemeteries 
I'm running to see 
I know who it is who is there 
I can drift through darkness 
falling and falling and again 
I think I don't mind this at all 

I'm still here, left behind 
I'm still here, left behind 

je ne sais quoi 
I don't know what

Arbor Man 

I can see you weeding in the garden 
are we there yet? 
you can smell me 
(too many pot stickers) 
is this love? 

Arbor Man, you can save anything 
Arbor Man, make this dead tree sing 

we've got plenty -- plenty to wade through 
do we have the patience? 
that yellow ocean home with the wrap-around porch 
can we build it? 

Arbor Man, your thumb's turned all green 
Arbor Man, you've come to rescue me 

woolly thyme and lavender 
I can see your secret garden now 
will we live to see it bloom? 
I've got this vision 
and you've got your shovel 
what are we waiting for? 

Arbor Man, you can save anything 
Arbor Man, make this dead tree sing 
Arbor Man, you don't look so good 
Arbor Man, we won't hurt you 

I can see you kneeling in the garden 
are we there yet?

Rock Anthem 

your memory really sucks! 
for you remember everything 
and that's not fair to me 
and everyone who never screwed you 

I'm not sure if you know 
but truth is, I forgot 
so I guess it no longer matters 
how much of anything stays 

what is all this? 
why don't we just take it off and run? 

you pushed me down the well! 
no bucket coming to rescue me 
it's not your fault, though 
that I don't remember a thing 

seeing you through the hole in my head 
I know your reason was good 
who could have known I was ready? 
you knew, and I'm done 

what is all this? 
why don't we just take it off and run? 

what is all this? 
why don't we just take it off and run? 
one shot, and I'm done

The Dull Ache 

happiness makes him so tired 
happiness makes him so tired 
he can't help it if misery makes him feel alive 
if he loves the winter 
the dull ache, dark skies 

sitting by the window 
staring outside 
and wondering what it's like 

I wonder what it's like 
I wonder what it's like 
I wonder what it's like 
to be comfortable 
to be a part of the race 
to kill the curiosity 
to forget the dead