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Oklahoma Lottery

by Karen Jonas

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Oklahoma Lottery on CD: Ten tracks in shrink wrap.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Oklahoma Lottery via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days

      $10 USD

     

  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    spin Oklahoma Lottery like it wants to be spun

    Includes unlimited streaming of Oklahoma Lottery via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days

      $20 USD or more 

     

1.
Suicide Sal 03:05
Gettin’ on the road again feelin’ mighty low slidin’ by like a rattlesnake just west of Texaco I been keepin’ quiet since old Clyde done flipped the car took a bridge they hadn’t built and I might not ever walk • Papers say we’re livin’ large but it’s no life at all we’re wanted ‘cross three states and we can’t hardly stop for lunch tried to rest at a tourist court in the middle of July we left with a bullet in Buck’s head and glass in Blanche’s eye • They call me suicide Sal but honey I don’t smoke cigars it was just a joke you know and I never shot no one three years on the run just about all a girl can do honey if you’re goin’ down I’m goin’ down with you • Hidin’ in an old carnival when someone called the law ‘round and ‘round like a carousel and Buck and Blanche got caught now they got a bounty on my head like all the rest they’re closin’ in like death but man they haven’t caught us yet • Well I ain’t so bad no sir I never laughed at death I been thinkin’ hard ‘bout what I done and God I do repent. Through the pines of Louisiana Clyde was drivin’ fast I took a long deep break who knew that it would be my last •
2.
Get out of my head please drive as fast as you can here’s a little money I got some ones and a twenty maybe if you spend it wisely instead of buyin’ cheap whiskey and coffee you could get far enough away to get out of my head • You know I think that there’s a bus here takes you all the way down to Mississippi and if you ever wanna see me here’s a picture you can keep and if you get lonely on that long ride there might be a pretty girl sittin’ right by your side I don’t wanna hear about her but please have a good time • ‘cause I’ve been crazy for you baby been denyin’ it but maybe I got a sweet tooth for you boy you’re makin’ me blue been tossin’ and a’turnin’ when I oughta be sleepin’ and I wake up in the mornin’ thinkin’ only of you • You know I think that there’s a bus here takes you all the way down to Mississippi and if you’ve got enough money honey buy another ticket for me ‘cause if you went to Albany or Muskogee or out to California or down to Dixieland you couldn’t get far enough away to get out of my head
3.
We hang our hope with the clothes on the line the corn leaves reach to the ground the horses beat the first of the dust with their hooves in the grooves from the wagon wheels round • The wind stirs the fields the earth shakes loose the horizon’s a blurry line the dust seeps in through the cracks in the windows to where the children sit restless inside • I’m sorry we’re losin’ the Oklahoma Lottery we’re prayin’ on our knees there’s no work to be done until the rain starts to fall so you pack up your old jalopy • Mama said the preacher man is way out of line askin’ for the rain to fall she said if God had meant to he wouldn’t forget and so it ain’t our business at all • But papa said if God cared a little bit about us then he wouldn’t have left us to die he ties a kerchief round his face puts his goggles on his eyes kicks the door and stalks outside • You got some friends who say they’re workin’ out in California so you pack up everything you can hold with some vague hope but you know you left your soul with the corn back in Oklahoma •
4.
Money 02:17
I’ve been workin’ for minimum wage and boys I can’t pay my bills that way something’s gotta give someone’s always gonna take and I’m about down to nothin’ • You can take my house you can have my car but hey leave my bed and my guitar I’ll watch you mow my lawn from afar just grinnin’ and singin’ and sleepin’ • It’s not that bad it’s all I have and sir I bet you’d like to take the clothes off of my back but I won’t give you that you can have your money back • I never dreamed I’d have a million bucks it’s a damn good thing ‘cause I’m broke as fuck I like to think money doesn’t matter much but it sure does get you somethin’ • No I don’t need you Mercedes Benz but my car won’t start and I can’t take it in meanwhile I’m tryin’ to feed my kids man have a little mercy • Hey money’s never gonna buy you style money’s never gonna buy you friends money’s never gonna satisfy you you can’t buy love or happiness • There’s nothin’ you have that I need and wantin’ nothin’ makes me free next time you come looking for me I might be off and wanderin’ •
5.
I’ve been thinkin’ of you again got me feelin’ blue again I haven’t met a fella quite like you yet I always sort of hoped I would • It’s been a long time friend I can’t even remember why it had to end I had a lot of love with a lot of men but none of it was any good • Maybe you moved on did you and found a nice girl to live with you I hope she cooks you dinner and kisses you but if you didn’t I got a couple records that you’ve been missin’ why don’t you come over tonight and get them I promise I’ll treat you good • I’ve been to Paris twice I haven’t had too many lonely nights I made some money sellin’ the songs I write and tried not to think of you • I’ve been dressin’ up I’ve been to fancy theaters and restaurants sure that I would find someone else I wanted but here I am callin’ you •
6.
Well the River City Diner’s just a half a block away that’s where you’ll find them they sit there nearly every day and when the moon’s right he likes to stop by here on his way home • I don’t know where she goes I don’t know if she knows but he leaves his cigarette butts and his clothes on my floor and if he’s feeling awfully generous he might leave some money by the door • Just last week I was outside hanging clothes when I heard the gate open and I heard the gate close he’s as wild as the wind blowing in shaking shingles from the roof • We went inside we went upstairs he ran his fingers through my hair he said his woman couldn’t please him and of course he still cared and I’m a sucker for pretty words but not a stickler for the truth • Because that man is hotter than a lighted cigarette faster than your old tomcat he’ll haunt you like a ghost he’ll promise you the moon and then he’s gone makes you think you’re the only one I oughta know better but somehow I never learn • I thought of tellin’ his old lady with a letter in the mail I thought of movin’ with sister put my house up for sale I thought of buyin’ me a shotgun to keep there by the door • But when it’s been a week or two I start lookin’ for the moon I put my best dress on and I spray a sweet perfume and I pretend to read a novel while I wait on my front porch • And when I wake up he’s always gone clean the bottles off the floor and put my clothes back on I’m goin’ out today I’m gonna buy myself that gun •
7.
Lucky 04:13
I got five cards not one is an ace you’re gonna trump me baby I can see it on your face you might have better cards but darling you’re givin’ yourself away • A couple kids in the back shootin’ dice you can’t count on nothin’ but luck and I never had enough to count, so I’m gonna sit playin’ poker til my money runs out • You can call me lucky but you never seen the way I took to get here look at me losin’ again • Now, big Jim does run this town he owns this place and a couple around I never crossed him yet but you know once I came awful close • It was Friday at the table and I drank a few bet my twenty and man did I lose I came up short on Jim at the bar someone spotted me the money but the payback was hard • You came lookin’ for something that you probably didn’t find spent your money had a pretty good time called your shots and rolled the dice but I bet you don’t want to do me right • The boys are all hot on Rose at the bar she starts fixin’em drinks about seven o’clock some of ‘em come just to sit and watch she turns and smiles and pours their shots • She’s got big holes in the front of her jeans her shirt’s so tight you can see when she breathes they say she never kisses a man once she pours him a drink that’s why they talk to me • I don’t know why I bet ‘cause I’m losin’ again
8.
I try so hard but I don’t know how to love you like you want me to it’s a dance I don’t know I’m steppin’ on your toes again • So you pull back and I make space and I lose count and you turn away • Tell me why is it so hard to love you it seems like such a natural thing to do tell me why is it so hard to love you and why is it so easy too • In case you didn’t know let me tell you how this goes just hold me and count one-two-three-four and step and sway and don’t let go just hold me and count one-two-three-four •
9.
The River Song Got a broken heart I’m busted up my legs are tired my eyes are shut there ain’t no doctor gonna ease my pain if I make it to the judgment day with calloused feet and dirty nails they’re likely just to send me home again • I’ll go down to the river and I’ll wash away the sand and when I look across the water I’ll find some peace again I know that you can’t help me we can only help ourselves and I’m doing the best that I can • I done some things I shouldn’t have I said some things I can’t take back there are people who don’t wanna hear my name but I never meant to hurt no one my heart is true and when we’re done I hope you will forgive my wilder days • I’m cleanin’ up my very best I’m ironin’ my Sunday dress I’m shinin’ up my favorite pair of shoes when the water hits my knees I’ll feel the grace of everything the world will be a perfect shade of blue •
10.
White Trash Romance The man said Woman are you for real? You’re as twisted as the busted old buckle on my favorite belt you know the one that got stuck in the tractor last year and you’re lucky that it didn’t bust off something else she said Man I wish it did you’re always pokin’ me thinkin’ like I’m some kind of voodoo doll goddamn I got a little more class than you look at them holes in your overalls and the man said Maybe it’s time you learned how to sew the woman said Maybe it’s time that you learned to look after your own clothes ‘cause baby don’t you wanna look good for those pretty girls? Yea I heard about you stoppin’ in them dirty bars if your own woman ain’t enough you’re probably gonna wanna stop and think about it long and hard and the man said Baby you know it is and he smiled the woman said Jesus Christ oh you and your dirty mind the man said Baby you ain’t leavin’ so stop sayin’ like you are, and I guess we could be better but it isn’t all my fault so take your pretty little suitcase and bring it on upstairs when you’re finished with unpackin’ I’mma show you how I care she turned around to take a swing but he caught her halfway there she said Man me and my suitcase are gonna get us some fresh air he said Run on to your mama like you always do I’ll be by to pick you up in an hour or two and don’t you get too much unpackin’ done ‘cause you know you and your mama gonna fight like dogs before long she said Man don’t wind me up I ain’t kiddin’ with you I don’t need no more of your mouth and I don’t need the rest of you too don’t even kiss me goodbye I don’t wanna see you cry I mean what I said and I’m gone and don’t stand here waitin’ ‘cause I ain’t comin’ back I’m through with you then a big black truck pulled up layered with a brand new coat of dust there was a man with a hat and the windows were black out-of-state plates and a hitch on the back and she picked up her suitcase and jumped inside didn’t even turn around to say goodbye so the man went and put on his going-out clothe wiped his face with a rag hit his head with a comb took a walk to the closest bar up the road sat down with a woman with a long red coat they talked for a while about the weather and the beer she showed him a tattoo she had on her ankle: a little red bird on a little green tree, her ankles were thin and her skin was pale pink he said Hey pretty baby! I been lookin’ for you I got half an empty bed I been lookin’ to fill I got two big closets one is for you I got good hot water and air conditioning too so she took his arm and they left and it all started over again

credits

released March 21, 2014

All songs written by Karen Jonas
Recorded and Engineered by Jeff Covert at Wally Cleaver’s Studio, Fredericksburg, VA
Mastered by Bill Wolf at Wolf Productions Inc

Karen Jonas (acoustic guitar and vocals)
Tim Bray (electric guitar)
Claude Arthur (bass)
Brian Barbre (drums)
Jay Starling (lapsteel, electric piano)
Jeff Covert (electric piano track 3)

Photography by Shervin Lainez
Art by Erin Bray

℗ © 2014 Karen Jonas, BMI

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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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