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Darling, oh Darling

by Miss Tess

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1.
Riding Home 04:21
Riding, riding, riding the long night through Riding, riding, riding home to you There’s nothing in the world I’d rather do Shining, shining, is the moon up above Shining, shining, for the one that I love There’s a pretty little baby I’ve been dreaming of Waiting, waiting, waiting for the hours to pass Waiting, waiting, don’t think I’ll last Just to watch the hours Sure ain’t moving fast Praying, praying, someone’s waiting for me Praying, praying, please don’t let me be I’m coming home soon So you’ll be sweet to me
2.
He’s a one stop shop from his feet to his top And they all seem to agree He could make you crazy go But that don’t bother me I remember a time when falling in love Was the best part of the day Now he’s walking in the door Keep things going that way Cuz he’s got that oo oo oo What a lovely how do you do He’s got that oo oo oo In the bag He’s got that oo oo oo He’s a strong as the hoochinoo He got a white starch collar A dime on the dollar He can make you shout and make you hollar He’s the king of cool turn you into a fool ‘fore you can stop and look around he’ll catch your eye he’s that kind of a guy pick you right up off the ground there’s no stopping the man he’ll take you by the hand take you out there for a ride he make sure before he goes you’ll never want to leave his side cuz he’s got that oo oo oo what a lovely how do you do he’s got that oo oo oo in the bag he’s got that oo oo oo and he’s strong as a hoochinoo he’s a real smart cat no matter where he’s at he can make you hollar if you like it like that well he’s got that oo oo oo what a lovely how do you do he’s got that oo oo oo in the bag he’s got that oo oo oo and he’s strong as a hoochinoo he’ll make you feel so good better than you should so you’d better watch out is that understood cuz a man like him will try to pull you in I thought that you’d might like to know He’ll make you feel so nich and sweet And then he’ll let you go
3.
What can you do when you’re feeling low There’s a place inside where I have to go again See my only friend There’s a beating heart underneath my skin It took all I had just to let you in tonight And it just ain’t right You don’t believe my love is true You think I’m gonna leave and make a fool of you I wish you’d take my point of view And you’d see how much I’ve cared for you I know it’s hard But I’ve been trying Now I’ve gotta keep from crying Darling, oh darling Once we met as lovers would Underneath the skies I understood it all And I had to fall Your words came drifting through my head And they lingered until you said goodbye Can you tell me why You don’t believe my love is true You think I’m gonna leave and make a fool of you I wish you’d take my point of view And you’d see how much I’ve cared for you I know it’s hard But I’ve been trying Now I’ve gotta keep from crying Darling, oh darling One more night I wait for you Just sitting in this lonely room of mine Just to pass the time If love is blind then fate can see The way it ends for you and me alone Do you wanna know? You don’t believe my love is true You think I’m gonna leave and make a fool of you I wish you’d take my point of view And you’d see how much I’ve cared for you I know it’s hard But I’ve been trying Now I’ve gotta keep from crying Darling, oh darling
4.
There’s a man sailing around Never on ground Can never be found And sometimes his sails get lost in the gails Of a thunderstorm And now he’s drowning at sea Just hoping to be Rescued somehow But the waiting is long And soon he’ll be gone He knew all along this was true His life boat is sinking Saltwater he’s drinking He must not be thinking of shore… And now he’s under the waves Too late to be saved He’s falling down He puts out his hand And touches the sand Of the ocean floor But the waiting is long And soon he’ll be gone He knew all along this was true His life boat is sinking Saltwater he’s drinking He must not be thinking of shore…
5.
I’m saving all my love for when my baby gets home How am I gonna get by when I’m so all alone We can talk on the telephone But it just ain’t right until my baby gets home When he’s around he’s a lover for sure He’s loving me like I never been loved before Once on the table two times on the floor He’s a mean old man to leave me beggin for more There are times that come to mind my head has turned for another guy But I don’t want to even try to trade my lover for another Here’s the reason why I’m saving all my love for when my baby gets home When he comes back I won’t be so alone It seems no matter where I go He’s the sweetest thing that I ever did know
6.
Take a Train Ride Down to Caroline (2X) When the wheels start rolling You must be going on a train ride down to carline Don't let your baby see you cryin' (2x) you may miss them so but you have to let em go don't let your baby see you cryin' Let that railcar ease your troubled mind (2x) on the windowpane you have to write your name to let that railcar ease your troubled mind There's no getting off this train (2x) with the distance growing you must be knowing that there's no getting off this train
7.
Maybe it was just a dream Maybe it’s not what it seems But I thought we had some magic Oh please don’t let it end I just wanna make love again I’ve tried to read your mind Maybe I’m just wasting time The time we spent, just one night You made me lose my head I just wanna make love again Maybe you have someone else To give you happiness Maybe someday you’ll find That I’m the one that you like best Darling please remember me When you need some company I tell you I’m not hard to find Remember what I’ve said I just wanna make love You’re the one I’m dreaming of I just wanna make love again
8.
Time can take the pain away The waiting game is done Yesterday is far away The morning light has come Once there was a time to change But it’s all come down Time can take the pain away When nothing else can be done The days are growing longer now Much later is the sun Take a breath of springtime air And let the calming come Nothing could’ve changed the way That we all become Time can take the pain away When nothing else can be done So go ahead and live your life Find another song Go ahead no turning back You have to move along The memories will stay by your side When you think he’s gone Time can take the pain away When nothing else can be done
9.
Oh No 03:45
Oh No I’m off my feet again Oh no can’t find the street again Up and away I’m sure to stay Why must you treat me this way Spinning around and around Until I fall to the ground Won’t you take me by the hand When I get to dizzy to stand All these games are about to drive me insane I want you to know I don’t want you to go My love’s in vain Oh no… Riding in your car Just hoping to go somewhere far Yes down that road we fly Careless of time passing by All these games are about to drive me insane I want you to know I don’t want you to go My love’s in vain Oh no… Taking me out at night Dancing is such a delight The music fills the air And I’ve never seen someone so far All these games are about to drive me insane I want you to know I don’t want you to go My love’s in vain Oh no… You have always known That I’ve wanted to call you my own I’d do anything that I can If I could call you my man All these games are about to drive me insane I want you to know I don’t want you to go My love’s in vain Oh no…
10.
Love 03:10
11.
Awake 04:45
12.
13.

about

"The thrift-shop clothes, the vintage Weymann guitar, the demure stage name – all those clues signify, right from the start, that Miss Tess plans to take us on a retro roadtrip. The vocal stylings of the past perfectly suit her bell-like voice — more Madeleine Peyroux or Zooey Deschanel than Norah Jones – with its offbeat blend of sassiness and winsome charm.

Gimmicks like that can easily fall flat, and I must admit I felt a little trepidation as I first put Miss Tess’s newest CD, Darling, Oh Darling, on my player. It didn’t take long, though, for me to relax and breathe a sigh of relief. Miss Tess has the chops to pull it off.

To classify this Boston-based singer-songwriter as merely a jazz singer would miss the point – she’s a musical chameleon, recalling at various moments Tom Waits’ barfly humor, the cabaret-rock of Beirut, or even the wink-wink wit of early Bette Midler. On previous albums (this is her fifth), Miss Tess has included a fair number of jazz standards, but Darling, Oh Darling takes a bigger leap — Miss Tess has written every track, revolving like a vintage jukebox through a whole catalog of musical styles. What’s impressive is how thoroughly she has absorbed the old-school genres – these aren’t just catchy songs with retro arrangements, you’d swear they were 30- or 40-year-old standards. She’s equally adept at the fast-talking scat of “That Ooh Ooh Ooh” and the Dixieland strut of “Saving All My Love”; she can shift seamlessly from the gentle oompah waltz of “Time Can Take the Pain Away” to the rockabilly kiss-off of “I Don’t Wanna See You Anymore.” There’s a risk involved, of course; some of the genres she explores don’t suit her voice or my predilections. Nevertheless, the lady gets top marks for trying.

Her stylized songs – both tongue-in-cheek toe-tappers and campy strolls – are a hoot, but the numbers that really won me over were more mainstream tracks, songs that prove she’s got substance as well as style. There’s the title track, “Darling Oh Darling,” a yearning two-step with poetic lyrics like “There’s a beating heart under my skin / It took all I had just to let you in / Tonight,” sung against a plangent pedal steel. The lilting “Love” is a tuneful (and refreshingly upbeat) meditation on the fleeting nature of romance. “Awake,” with its brooding dissonances and wistful banjo shuffle, crystallizes an almost existential moment between waking and sleeping. She’s got a wonderful ear for melody, whether it’s a catchy upbeat number or a haunting slow song; her tunes take surprising turns, but it doesn’t take long before you find yourself humming along.

Credit must also be given to Miss Tess’s backing band – a lean but multitalented ensemble that includes Paul Dilley on upright bass, Gillian DeLear on drums, and the marvelous Alec Spiegelman on just about any woodwind instrument you could ask for. Spiegelman’s clarinet in particular lends extraordinary texture to several tracks – when was the last time a clarinet trill made you laugh out loud?

I’ve been listening to this CD for days now, wearing off its initial strangeness, settling into its softly burnished groove. What started out sounding to me like a novelty album is just endearing now, full of oddball personality. Unfortunately, in the decentralized music business of today, an offbeat charmer like this record could easily get lost, dropped into the bottomless pit between jazz and alternative music. Here’s hoping that doesn’t happen – this record is too much fun to go unheard." –Holly Hughes, Blog Critics

credits

released October 1, 2009

Miss Tess: vocals & rhythm guitar
Alec Spiegelman: clarinet, sax, horn arrangements
Paul Dilley: upright bass
Gillian DeLear: drums, recording engineer
Lyle Brewer: guitar on tracks 3, 6, 9, 10, 12
Jerry Miller: pedal steel on tracks 3, 9
James Rohr: piano on 1, 2, 5, 7
Jeff Galindo: trombone on 1, 5, 8
Scott Aruda: trumpet on 1, 5, 8
Matt Boucher: tuba on 5, 8
Charlie Rose: banjo on 11
Rachael Price: vocals on 3
Avi & Celia: vocals on 7

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Miss Tess Nashville, Tennessee

Miss Tess has always been known for creating her own sound, inspired by an eclectic array of vintage blues, country, jazz, and rock n roll. Currently residing in Nashville, she finds no shortage of inspiration in the roots scene there. However varied Tess’ music can be, front and center sits her voice described as "alternately seductive and sexy, and a pure joy to listen to” (Pop Matters). ... more

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