JJ Grey & Mofro

Olustee [Vinyl LP]

ALSO AVAILABLE ON CD

With his first release in nine years, JJ Grey has created a breathtaking collection of deeply moving, masterfully written, funkified rock and front porch Southern soul music. It’s an aggressively groove-driven record, fueled by JJ’s gritty vocals and biting guitar. “A deeply-rooted blend of southern-fried rock and swamp funk…richly evocative lyrics…plainspoken, blue-collar American music.” —NPR

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1.	The Sea	4:45	So level, straight out on the blue Every time’s the first time, Hallelujah Laying on the sand, feeling every grain A billion points of light, along the Milky Way Because I belong to the Sea Oh she’s out there somewhere calling me I belong, to the Sea Home of the free The moon shining through, silvered by a storm Painted on the night, all the way to dawn Because I belong, to the Sea Oh she’s out there somewhere calling me I belong, to the Sea Oh she’s out there somewhere calling me I belong, to the Sea Home of the free Rolling and tumbling and spiraling through the night Yet feeling connected to everything all of life, painted by the light Because I belong, to the Sea Oh she’s out there somewhere calling me I belong, to the Sea Oh she’s out there somewhere calling me I belong, to the Sea I, I belong, to the Sea
2.	Top Of The World	3:30	I worked hard all day now it’s time for me to get out and play Got my boat, in the cut gonna head to the sandbar don’t forget my guitar Hear my voice fill that cooler up with your beverage of choice Hold ‘em high when you toast Pleased to see you smile you know that you the most of all Where y’all at? Player we’re sitting on top of the world Where ya at cuz, feeling fine Where y’all at? Dog we’re sitting on top of the world Where ya at baby? Fee, fi fo fum a little bit of soda and a little bit of rum But you gotta take it easy Don’t get too greasy and act too sleazy Act like you been here before If you came to change the world let me show you the door It was made to beat you and defeat you You never gonna learn if you don’t let it teach you Where y’all at? Yeah we’re sitting on top of the world Where ya at baby, feels divine Where y’all at? Yeah we’re sitting on top of the world Where y’all at?
3.	On A Breeze	4:35	Floating down the state such a long way but she’s got to get back home anyway she can oh mile after mile Ah but she’s free and that ain’t always easy out here in the wild, out here in the wild free as she can be Just how far can she see when she’s looking down on me? In a break for the sun rocking and rolling on her run Floating on a breeze Floating on, on a breeze Sail to light my love may you see peaceful skies and all you deserve on and on and on... Break ‘em down love like a meditation Somehow I’ll fly away floating ever, up on a breeze Straight on out to the wild bring that horizon to me now In the everlasting blue it’s taking me home along with you Feeling light as a smile higher and higher by the mile She’s floating on a breeze She’s floating on a breeze floating on a breeze floating on, on a breeze
4.	Olustee	5:10	Way back Lord, in ’98 I remember when the whole state, was on fire Breathing ash, breathing ash falling down like burning rain, across the wire Ya better run, better run just as fast you can that heat is getting closer Hear it roar, hear it roar all the way around Olustee like a flaming hurricane See the deer flashing by see the crows flying high trying to get away Hear that pop go tree to tree see my life now flashing by me, I got to make it to the lake Damn the creek is high and dry I see it burn as I go by, it’s almost on me Ocean Pond is in my sight but them flames about to bite, I’m running out of time I’m out of time, time, time, time And now Lake Butler’s burning And Palestine she’s burning And Glen Saint Mary’s burning And now Olustee’s burning You better You better run, run run, run, run!
5.	Seminole Wind	6:17	Ever since the days of old men have searched for wealth untold They dig for silver and they dig for gold and they leave the empty holes And way down south in the Everglades where the black water rolls and the sawgrass sways The eagles fly and the otters play in the land of the Seminole So blow, blow Seminole wind Blow like you’re never gonna blow again I’m calling to you like a long lost friend cuz I know who you are And blow, blow from the Okeechobee all the way up to Micanopy Blow across the land of the Seminole the alligator and the gar Progress came and took its toll and in the name of flood control They made they plans to drain the land now the glades is going dry And the last time I walked in the swamp I stood upon a cypress stump I listened close and I heard the ghost of Osceola crying So blow, blow Seminole wind blow like you’re never gonna blow again I’m calling to you like a long lost friend cuz I know who you are And blow, blow from the Okeechobee all the way north to Micanopy. Blow across the land of the Seminole the alligator and the gar So blow, blow Seminole wind Blow like you’re never gonna blow again I’m calling to you like a long lost friend I know who you are And blow, blow, blow from the Okeechobee all the way north to Micanopy Blow across the land of the Seminole alligator and the gar Blow, blow Seminole wind blow like you’re never gonna blow again Blow, blow Seminole wind Blow like you’re never, ever, ever gonna blow again
6.	Wonderland	3:34	No more clocks no more time A little less reason a little more rhyme All in all it’s been a day trip but I’m still me So clap your hands and stomp your feet Move your body around in it roll in it rock to the beat a keep a moving, moving the sweat out of me baby I’m exactly who I wanted to be All I had to do was find a way to get myself free And now I’m waking up, in a wonderland I said I’m waking up, Lord, it’s in my hand Here I’m buzzing ‘round, buzzing like a bumble bee Lord, I finally found, finally found a sense of me Now it feels like everyday is the first day of my life And now it feels like everyday is the first day of my life And now it feels like everyday is the first day of my life Oh yeah the first day, of my life Deep breathe in deep breathe out I feel that rhythm now girl you know you make me want to shout Hallelujah oh and throw my hands to the sun, to the sun You see all that joy’s got a smile on my face Got me dancing got me jumping Got me hopping all over the place Hold on, hold on hold on baby, here, here I come I’m exactly who I wanted to be All I had to do was find a way to get myself free Now I’m waking, up in a wonderland I said I’m waking up, Lord, it’s in my hand Here I’m buzzing ‘round, buzzing like a bumble bee Lord, I finally found, finally found a sense of me Feels like everyday is the first day of my life Feels like everyday is the first day of my life Now it feels like everyday, Lord, is the first day of my life Now it feels like everyday, Lord, is the first day of my life
7.	Starry Night	4:41	Come sit here beside me let’s pull ourselves near To the warmth of this fire and watch the stars all appear So shine on old starry night Shine on away from here Into the indigo Always so bright and clear From deep in the heavens A voice so clear Oh how you move me, you move me you move me Oh we marvel while sparks they fly out into the blue the deepest blue Our arms so entwined beyond all space and time they can’t undo what I feel for you When the veils all come down and the words are all gone When we no longer need to judge who’s right or wrong Together we’ve always been and we’ll always carry on To the tune of true love and it’s song that goes on and on and on, on and on So shine on old starry night Shine on away from here Into the indigo Always so bright and clear From deep in the heavens A voice so clear Oh how you move me, ah you move me ah you move me Oh how you move me, ah you move me ah you move me
8.	Free High	3:39	I’m rolling, I’m laughing I’m jumping and I’m clapping I’m dancing, I’m reeling I’m floating on the ceiling I’m loving, I’m living Oh what you giving to me is bonafide, I’m running late I need a ride I’m on a… Free high Free high Free high Free high Everybody gather around and listen Keep that turntable just a spinning Everybody gather around and listen Keep that turntable just a spinning Everybody gather around and listen Keep that turntable just a spinning That needle’s pumping music straight through the wire I’m buzzing ah Lord, I’m on a… Free high Free high Free high Free high I’m on a… Free high Free high Free high Free high
9.	Waiting	3:46	Tomorrow, oh tomorrow you know I’m gonna get it started that’s when I’m gonna get it done Come a Monday I’ll get right on it Same old story same old song it’s always, always one and done Cuz I’m waiting, waiting on me I’m still waiting for me Oh I’m waiting To get started, to get started with my life Well I’ve never been all I could be and I know it ain’t never been nobody’s fault but mine Well there’s too much hanging too much dangling Lord, there’s too damn many cheap ways to, to cut my time Cuz I’m waiting, waiting on me I’m still waiting for me Oh Lord, to get it right Lord, I’m gonna get it right someday Waiting on me, waiting for me You see I’m still waiting I’m still waiting Everyone’s a winner well we damn well know that’s a lie Cuz how the hell you gonna win if you don’t even get out there and try? All these excuses all they do is keep me waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting on me Waiting on me I’m still waiting for me Time keeps on ticking away When the hell am I gonna start living my life? Waiting on me, waiting for me I’m still waiting, I’m still waiting to live my life
10.	Rooster	4:51	See I’m a rooster, in the cut shining on girl watch me strut I’m a rooster, still a man guess you’ll have to change them plans I’m a rooster, just so you know I decide which way I go I’m a rooster, here to stay straight up molded out of clay Another late night grooving rolling with a rooster tonight, we rolling Another late night grooving rolling with a rooster tonight See I’m a rooster, standing true got to keep it straight stuck together like glue I’m a rooster, I know my place have to keep my kids and keep my woman safe The woman is the soul of a man she’s the soul of a man she can keep it all together when you can’t She’s the spring from which I flow teach me many things that I don’t know but I’m a rooster, and that’s a fact So now you know how I’m gonna act I’m a rooster, full legit keeping it strong boy with true grit Things get hard, you can’t split Some talk tough, some talk quit but only a punk would say that shit And that’s straight up country boy Another late night grooving rolling with a rooster rolling with a rooster tonight We rolling, we rolling We rolling, we rolling Another late night grooving rolling with a rooster tonight, we rolling Another late night grooving rolling with a rooster tonight I’m a rooster, got the hammer down By the grace of God I can’t be bound I’m a rooster, and I can go all day Love a little work and love a lot of play Holding the line they keep a coming all the time Gonna keep you weak if you want to stay blind to the joy and the pain and the love and the shame All around the world a rooster feels the same thing Another late night grooving Rolling with a rooster Rolling with a rooster tonight
11.	Deeper Than Belief	4:22	In that lullaby something moved me deeper than any thought that I could ever know But that’s the story now Told myself a thousand times I’m hanging by, by a thread But I believe it From the highest high and lowest low I’m holding on, deeper than belief And I see it Thru all space and time and thought and mind I’m holding on, deeper than belief Feel it spinning slow The face of all created made me feel so small but not alone The story is fading now Golden light, had the power to heal my heart But I believe it From the highest high and lowest low I’m holding on, deeper than belief And I can see it Thru all space and time and thought and mind I’m holding on, deeper than belief But there’s an easy way Chopping wood carrying water all day But I believe it From the highest high and lowest low I’m holding on, deeper than belief And I can still see it Thru all space and time and thought and mind I’m holding on, deeper than belief Thru all space and time and thought and mind I’m holding on, deeper than belief

All Songs written and arranged by JJ Grey, JJ Grey Music, BMI except Seminole Wind* written by John David Anderson, Almo Music Corporation & Holmes Creek Music, ASCAP

Produced by JJ Grey
Recorded & Engineered by Jim Devito
Recorded at Retrophonics Studio, Saint Augustine, FL
Additional recording at Outward Bound Studios
Mixed by Vance Powell at Sputnik Sound Studios, Nashville, TN
Mix Assistant Koehn Terry
Mastered by Pete Lyman at Infrasonic Sound, Nashville, TN

Executive Producer Ivory Daniel
Executive Assistant Hillary Clinton

Artwork by JJ Grey

JJ Grey: Vocals, Guitars, Dobro, Keys, Harmonica
Craig Barnett: Drums & Percussion
Todd Smallie: Bass
Eric Brigmond: Keys, Backing Vocals
Pete Winders: Guitars, Acoustic Guitars
Dennis Marion: Trumpet
Marcus Parsley: Trumpet
Kenny Hamilton: Saxophone, Flute
John Reid: Trumpet
Eric Mason: Congas, Percussion
Katie Dutton: Backing Vocals
Niki Dawson: Backing Vocals
Laiken Love: Backing Vocals
Sage Grey: Backing Vocals
Paul Curtis: Bassoon
Tali Rubenstein: Recorders
Lev Zhurbin: Fadolin
Quinn Carson: Trombone

Orchestral Arrangements by Ronen Landa

Editor & Assistant: Andrew Lembo
Copyist: Sasha - Louis Leger
Conductor: Zoltán Pad
Session Producer: Bálint Sapszon
Orchestra Coordinator: Bertalan Veér
Recording Engineer: Dénes Rédly
Librarian: Katalin Réti
Transcriptions: Henry Godfrey

Thanks to: Ivory Daniel, Hillary Clinton & everyone at Regime, Jim & Nancy Devito, Vance Powell, Koehn Terry, Pete Lyman, Ronen Landa, Andrew Lembo, Dan Prothero, Daryl Hance, Mark Baxter, Darryl & Deb Hobson, Michael Savage, Chris Delucchi, Bill Parker, Martin Thomas, Carey Abrams, Bruce Iglauer and the gang at Alligator, Sasha Louis Lege, Zoltán Pad, Bálint Sapszon, Bertalan Veér, Dénes Rédly, Katalin Réti, Henry Godfrey, Daddy O Britenfeld, Kevin Zinger, Joshua Knight, Olly Hodgson, Pete Frostic, Michael Frisch, Spookie Daly, Kalen Dennis, Sean & Madison Watkins, Josh Rosen, Robert, Dionna & Camryn Sowers, Tom & Michelle Miller, Jeff & Lorinda Dennis, Eric & Leslie Fewell, my family & the entire Budapest Symphony Orchestra for sounding so wonderful!!!

In memory of my man Jesse Aratow. Happy sailing brother!

jjgrey.com