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Country Songs

by Karen Jonas

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Purplemule74
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Purplemule74 The album gets stronger from track to track - looking forward to seeing what she does next.

Ordered the LP and shirt, and Ms. Jonas sent me a polite note that the record was on the way and provided me a CD while I was waiting. Very polite and appreciated.

Now a dedicated fan & sharing her work with others. Favorite track: Why Don't You Stay.
Bill Goodman
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Bill Goodman This is about as country as you can get while adding a little swagger of rock to the mix here and there. This is a fine example of country music done right. Karen's voice soars much higher than Icarus was ever able to. This should be on everyone's must have list.
James Williams
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James Williams In this second album Karen adds new musical layers to her songs while keeping everything I already love about her songs, especially the great storytelling.
Jason Quentin Teeter
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Jason Quentin Teeter I have been waiting for this record for a while, Karen and Tim continue to amaze with an excellent second album. Listening to this now, I cannot convey my excitement as I hear each new track. Love this. Favorite track: The Garden.
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1.
Country Songs When I was young I never cared for country songs and the honky tonks they all seemed strange to me but honey since you’ve gone now I realized I’m wrong gotta get your heart good and broken before you sing along So thank you for teaching me to love country songs for making me so sad I wanna sing along when I hear that fiddle start I can dance all over my broken heart and I hardly care that you don’t love me like you used to do no I hardly care that you don’t love me like you used to do You’ll never understand me like Buck Owens does and I’ll never love you quite like I love him where’s your fancy suit in technicolor blue you wouldn’t win a fight not with a single Buckaroo You’ll never understand me like Dwight Yoakam does and I’ll never love you quite like I love him with his hat down in his eyes honey please don’t even try it’s a miracle the way he wears his jeans tighter than mine So thank you for teaching me to love country songs for making me so sad I wanna sing along when I hear that fiddle start I can dance all over my broken heart and I hardly care that you don’t love me like you used to do no I hardly care that you don’t love me like you used to do So boys bring out the guitar and the mandolin we’ll have another round and then we’ll start again I know you’ve done me wrong and you’ve already moved on but thank you for teaching me to love those country songs thank you for teaching me to love country songs
2.
Keep Your Hands to Yourself Don’t worry I’m taking back my heart you don’t look like you would take good care of it at all well I can take a hint you don’t need to rub it in because I’m already moving on I’ve been down a road like this before I over-commit, I fall on my face right in front of you on the floor don’t bother trying to help I can get up by myself and find my way to the door So don’t worry about me well I’ll be fine but you should keep your hands to yourself next time if that’s how you wanna be just because I wanted you doesn’t mean you can make a fool out of me Hey can’t you find a better way to let me down Yea give it to me straight instead of running around walking right by like we never met I slept in your bed boy or did you forget no I don’t have the time to sit and wait you’ve already done enough damage today I thought you meant more than just being friends that was my mistake it won’t happen again So don’t rub it in when it already stings can’t you stand to be polite boy have some decency my days are hard enough I don’t need you playing rough and making trouble for me So don’t worry about me well I’ll be fine but you should keep your hands to yourself next time if that’s how you wanna be just because I wanted you doesn’t mean you can make a fool out of me yea just because I wanted you doesn’t mean you can make a fool out of me
3.
The Garden 05:41
The Garden Take me back again to your mother’s home where once I laid my head in the yellow grass twenty years ago the earth the earth was our bed It was there between my body and the sky you moved like Babylon your mother’s voice from so far away was only heard by the stars I was seventeen you were twenty one the harvest moon has come and gone the cold fell in with the setting sun but we had fire of our own Hands like birds in November bodies bare as the branches above your mother’s voice from so far away was only heard by the stars No I don’t recall much of what you said as twenty years takes a toll when we meet again in that garden I know our love will be whole
4.
Ophelia 03:35
Ophelia Ophelia sweetheart come sit down there are important things I have to say I know you love him honey but you can’t let him treat you this way when a man calls you a whore go on and find the closest door and walk out go home maybe take a cold shower but baby don’t let him make you crazy Well I heard you singing bawdy songs you’re howling at the moon don’t even think of going swimming ’til you’ve leveled out your moods you might have a hard time until you find someone new but you’re a clever girl I know that there’s a better man for you I know that you decided you’re in love I can see it in your eyes and logical thinking and reason can fall by the wayside so pay attention hey I wouldn’t lead you astray this won’t end well if you keep moving this way and baby don’t let him make you crazy Well I heard you singing bawdy songs you’re howling at the moon don’t even think of going swimming ’til you’ve leveled out your moods you might have a hard time until you find someone new but you’re a clever girl I know that there’s a better man for you So take a deep breath Ophelia take a deep breath you know it isn’t that bad, no it isn’t that bad go on and take a deep breath Ophelia take a deep breath you know it isn’t that bad, it isn’t that bad Ophelia sweetheart come sit down there are important things I have to say I know you love him honey but you can’t let him treat you this way I don’t know if it’s to be or not it hasn’t happened yet but honey didn’t you read Romeo and Juliet when things start getting messy you better keep a level head and baby don’t let him make you crazy
5.
Wasting Time 04:43
Wasting Time Wasting time with you I’m always wasting time giving too much away and you take and you take and you take But I’m holding on I’m holding out for love I’m holding on I’m holding out for you I don’t know what else to do believe me I tried to forget you I give with you I always give there’s something that you need and I swear it could be me it could be me But you don’t know I don’t know how but you don’t know I’ve stopped trying to say but I feel like I should tell you everyday That I’m holding on I’m holding out for love I’m holding on I’m holding out for you I don’t know what else to do believe me I tried to forget you but I still love you I still do I’m holding on I’m holding out for love I’m holding on I’m holding out for you I don’t know what else to do believe me I tried to forget you Wasting time with you I’m only wasting time
6.
Wandering Heart What should I do when I’m lonely and you’re gone believe me baby I don’t wanna do you wrong But baby why would you wanna leave me here in this tiny town of thieves I’m yours when you’re here loving me but I got a wandering heart and you got wandering feet There’s a new bar in town I’ve been waiting to see and there’s a couple guys been calling on me So baby why would you wanna leave me here in this tiny town of thieves I’m yours when you’re here loving me but I got a wandering heart Please don’t blame me but I get awful lonely I wanna do the right thing I promise I’m trying can you tell me What should I do when I’m lonely and you’re gone believe me baby I don’t wanna do you wrong Oh baby why would you wanna leave me here in this tiny town of thieves I’m yours when you’re here loving me but I got a wanderin heart and you got wanderin feet I got a wanderin heart and you got wanderin feet
7.
Whiskey and Dandelions Well I don’t have money but I wish I did I’d buy a little house where we both could live we’d never give a dollar to the banks again I don’t have money but I wish I did But I don’t worry and you don’t mind I never had use for the nine to five spent all day Tuesday looking in your eyes I don’t worry and you don’t mind Sing a little love song hold me like you can’t get enough I’ll be June and you be John we won’t notice the days go by ten years in the blink of an eye silver morning to golden night we won’t notice the days go by Don’t buy me roses or bring me wine I like cheap whiskey and dandelions give me love and give me time don’t buy me roses or bring me wine Sing a little love song hold me like you can’t get enough I’ll be June and you be John we won’t notice the days go by silver morning to golden night we won’t notice the days go by I don’t have money but I wish I did I’d buy a little house where we both could live we’d never give a dollar to the banks again I don’t have money but I wish I did
8.
Why Don’t You Stay You’re gonna go like you come so sweetly but too quickly for me I got a body of gold and a mind of steel but my hearts a china plate that you will break Why don’t you stay why don’t you say what you mean how could you love me and still leave Why don’t you stay I’ve got a home to keep so do you want the open road or do you want me It’s seven o’clock and the ghosts come knocking It’s a party it’s Saturday night but you’re only here to say goodbye imagine my surprise I don’t think I heard you right Why don’t you stay why don’t you say what you mean how could you love me and still leave Why don’t you stay I’ve got a home to keep so do you want the open road or do you want me I’ll just let it go sweep it under the rug leave me the skeletons of our love I’ll just let it go sweep it under the rug It’s only the skeletons the sweet remains of our love Why don’t you stay why don’t you say what you mean how could you love me and still leave Why don’t you stay I’ve got a home to keep so do you want the open road or do you want me Why don’t you stay you can’t have everything so do you want the open road or do you want me
9.
The Fair Shake There ain’t no easy way there ain’t no fair shake and all the things you think that you deserve aren’t really yours to take All the people that you know are only finding their own way be gracious if you can and when you can’t let em walk away There’s more power than you know in letting go there’s more ways to solve a puzzle than you think I’ve been chasing down these dead end roads for as long as I remember and tracing my steps back til I’ve got blisters on my feet I’ve been working til I’m tired but I still can’t seem to keep the lights on There ain’t no easy way there ain’t no fair shake and all the things you think that you deserve aren’t really yours to take all the people that you know are only finding their own way be gracious if you can and when you can’t let em walk away I don’t wanna fight with you anymore you are not mine I am not yours and I’m sorry I lost sight of the chasm that divides us even pressed right up beside you you were miles and miles and miles away There ain’t no easy way there ain’t no fair shake and all the things you think that you deserve aren’t really yours to take all the people that you know are only finding their own way be gracious if you can and when you can’t let em walk away There ain’t no easy way there ain’t no fair shake and all the things I think that I deserve aren’t really mine to take all the people that I know are only finding their own way be gracious if I can and when I can’t I’ll let him walk away That’s the hardest part To let him walk away
10.
Yankee Doodle Went Home Yankee Doodle went home about 4 or 5 years ago he couldn’t keep it up anymore how long’d you expect him to go I heard his pony got tired after seventeen years the pony laid down and died Yankee Doodle bought a Ford and drove it up to New York But the girls don’t like his hands no he never was a handy man when the juke box stopped Yankee Doodle couldn’t make it work again it doesn’t matter even if he could he couldn’t dance There’s hard luck going ‘round Yankee Doodle had to get out of town but with his pony gone his Ford got a flat and there’s Yankee Doodle with a feather in his hat On the side of the road thumbin down truckers like old Tom Joad but the trucks don’t stop he don’t wanna walk so Yankee Doodle sits down and waits for better luck but it never comes no it never comes He looks down at his hands no he never was a handy man never tried too hard when things get broke he’s not trying to fight with how things go but there he’s sitting on the side of the road and that’s no way, no you gotta get up and go So Yankee Doodle went home about 4 or 5 years ago he couldn’t keep it up anymore how long’d you expect him to go well he couldn’t keep it up anymore so Yankee Doodle went home

about

Born, raised, and recorded in the heart of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Karen Jonas's Country Songs is a celebration of music made outside the machine - of songs written in her living room, captured live in the studio just down the street, and sent out to see where it stands in the big, wide world. Releasing October 14, the album is a collection of character, talent and tenacity.

Country Songs is a refreshing mix of classic sounds with new, head-turning country swagger. At times defiant, celebratory, or pining, Country Songs remains intensely personal. It is crafted to be focused on - perhaps alone, while sipping whiskey on a quiet evening - for poetry, story, and nuance. The layered fiddle, steel, and organ are the stage upon which Jonas's stories shine, with collaborator Tim Bray's lead guitar acting as a spotlight. The swanky, two-steppin' title track professes a love of the Bakersfield sound (and Dwight Yoakam's jeans), born out of heartbreak. It isn't quite serious, but isn't quite tongue-in-cheek. "Wasting Time" adds a softer side with a timeless tale of love that won't disappear, while tracks like "Ophelia" and "The Fair Shake" show off the talents of twang-master Bray's big orange Gretsch.

Recorded live in the studio, the collection encompasses both the vibrant local music community surrounding Fredericksburg, as well as the dynamic live feel that Jonas and Bray have spent nearly three years honing while on the road supporting the release of 2014's Oklahoma Lottery. The critically acclaimed album was praised by Rolling Stone Germany, Farce the Music, Saving Country Music, Twang Nation and Country Perspective, among others.

In a time when the country music genre is complicated by competing definitions, Jonas weighs in strongly with her own version of what country music should be. Country Songs may be the self-made duo's showcase of a local sound, but the collection has them poised to take a bow on an international stage. Maybe they'll ask Dwight Yoakam if they can borrow a pair of his jeans.

credits

released October 14, 2016

All songs written by Karen Jonas
except The Garden, music by Eddie Dickerson and lyrics by Karen Jonas

Karen Jonas (acoustic guitar and vocals)
Tim Bray (electric guitar)
Jordan Medas (bass)
Jason Cizdziel (drums for The Garden, Wandering Heart, Whiskey and Dandelions, The Fair Shake, Yankee Doodle Went Home)
Jack O’Dell (drums for Country Songs, Keep Your Hands to Yourself, Ophelia, Wasting Time, Why Don’t You Stay)
Jay Starling (lapsteel, electric piano, organ)
Eddie Dickerson (fiddle)
Recorded and Engineered by Jeff Covert at Wally Cleaver’s Recordings Studio, Fredericksburg Va.
Mastered by Bill Wolf at Wolf Productions Inc

Photography by Amber Renée Photography
Album art by Erin Bray

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Karen Jonas Fredericksburg, Virginia

The Restless (3.3) is “a stunning collection of dreamy and dark alt-country confessionals; a deep exploration of love and vulnerability from one of Americana’s most hopeless romantics” (Holler.Country). As Parklife Mag DC put it, “the voice of country music in the DMV is a big, bright voice that belongs to Virginia native Karen Jonas.” ... more

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