Gothic Americana Music

Heathen Apostles “Boot Hill Hymnal” Preview Player

Preview samples from the new Heathen Apostles album Boot Hill Hymnal, produced by Chopper Franklin, out now on Ratchet Blade Records. Click HERE to order. Read reviews of Boot Hill Hymnal HERE.

Album Details

BOOT HILL HYMNAL coverLiner Notes:

Mather Louth – vocals, foot stomps
Chopper Franklin – guitar, banjo, mandolin, keyboards
Thomas Lorioux – upright bass

Michael Livingston – mandolin, violin
Dimitri Artemenko – violin
Rick Ballard – vocal on “It All Came Down”
Reese Ehn – drums, percussion

Produced & Mixed by Chopper Franklin
Recorded at the Devil’s Doghouse, Echo Park, California

 

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1. Red Brick Dust  (Louth/Franklin)  2. Dark Was The Night (Louth/Franklin)
3. Forget-Me-Not (Louth/Franklin)  4. Never Forever (Louth/Franklin)
5. The Reckoning (Louth/Franklin)     6. The Dark Pines (Louth)
7. It All Came Down (Franklin)   8. Murderer of Souls (Louth/Franklin)
9. Darkness of Dawn (Franklin)   10. Lonesome Whistle (Louth)

Boot Hill Hymnal Lyrics – Click to Expand/Close

1. RED BRICK DUST

I first succumbed to some strange fever
A new sensation undefined
The wind was welcomed with a whisper
The act of judgement was maligned

Cast down the circle…

No more, no more
Red brick dust lays at my door
No more, no more
Take your pound of flesh

The divinations sought to warn me
To choose to tred the holy line
The spirits tossed within my belly
Yet knowing not I was entwined

Cast down the circle…

No more, no more
Red brick dust lays on my floor
No more, no more
Take your pound of flesh

Subtle serpent, slither by (Awhooo)
Tempt me not with silver lies (Awhooo)
Til the stars fall from the skies
Til the ocean has run dry

To the East, the blood moon rises
And the blood is burning in my veins
The circle will contain

No more, no more
Red brick dust lays at my door
No more, no more
Take your pound of flesh

2. DARK WAS THE NIGHT

Dark was the night that they laid my dearest six feet under
Dark was the shadow that cast over my bed
Dark was my heart beating louder that the distant thunder
Gone was the light from the night that we were wed

The air turned strange, the crows arranged
A somber scene in winter
The midnight sky turned a blind eye to tears I shed

Dark was the night that my dear became the dear departed
Dark was the blood that stained my wedding veil
Dark are the hours that I lay lonely and broken hearted
Gone was my love from this quiet country dale

(chorus)

Oh, the darkest thoughts
Oh, can you hear?
Oh, to follow you
Oh, to hold you near

(chorus)
(verses)

3. FORGET-ME-NOT

Wild the wind that stirs within my heart
Shaking branches in the autumn trees
There will come a day the wind will part
And my ashes cast upon the leaves

Wild the fire that races in my veins
Burning brushes in the summer heat
There will come a day the fire will wane
One more circle of a life complete

Forget-me-nots shall lay upon
The lawn that leads to where I’m laid
I pray that one will keep it safe
Until the day the earth will lay
Its claim upon my tired bones
I hold no fear of my own grave

Wild the moon that waxes in my eyes
Brightly shining as the winter snow
There will come a day the moon won’t rise
Leaving darkness in its afterglow

Wild the tide that pulls within my bones
Rising faster than the flower in spring
There will come a day the tides will roam
Never telling what the end will bring

(chorus)

I’ll be returned to the dirt
Ashes to ashes, so is said
I’ll be washed in the river
And my body will find its rest
Lay the flowers down

4. NEVER FOREVER

Your shovel digs the grave so shallow
How do you look them in the eyes?
You hail your every step as hallowed
How do you walk among the lies?

You wear your crown so heavy with pride
How do you hold your head so high?
Your spirit is never satisfied
How do you find your sleep at night

I wanted to run ‘til my feet were left bleeding
But I could not move
I want to scream at the top of my lungs
Yet no sound came through

You gorge yourself from other’s plates
How do you keep your appetite?
Your strength lies in lying in wait
How did you learn to face the fight?

(chorus)

Your dagger plunges without morals
How do you wash your hands of blood?
You sink down to rest on your laurels
How did you rise above the mud?

(chorus)

I wanted to swing my fists ‘til they were broken
But my arms stood still
I wanted to set fire to the foundations
Yet I lost the will

How do you do the deed so well?

5. THE RECKONING

Once upon one past November, I remember it quite well
I walked four weeks with no relief, My gypsy blood had cast its spell
Nowhere in mind to ramble I trudged on with shoes of lead
Til there came a town for settling down, With a hex heavy on my head

A light was shining dimly, O’er one house with room for rent
The family was eyeing me, Just to suss out my intent
Small towns don’t take to stranger, Yet I settled, just the same
With charm and style, they were beguiled
Til they all knew me by name

This town was beckoning I bring the reckoning
With hallelujahs raised I bring the end of days
The branches bend and break No life left in my wake
The preachers could not see The mark of devilry

The winds were blowing bitter I found no rest when alone
Oh, what I craved was so depraved It rotted at my bones
No God knew of the devils That would guide my able/little hands
And in the end, who knew, my friend I’d be in high demand?

(chorus)

The lord won’t help you Last rites won’t save you
I cannot spare you I cannot stop…stop!

(chorus)

I am the reckoning I am the reckoning
With hallelujahs raised I bring the end of days

6. THE DARK PINES

Tell me, what lies in the forest
While the little ones are sleeping
Oh lord, does this heart dare to learn
All the secrets it’s been keeping?

Now I’ve heard tales of many murders
Still the truth remains uncovered
Were the pine trees weaned on the blood
Shed by some unfaithful lover?

Does the willow bend to the ground
Weeping for the horrors it has seen?
Do the flowers sprout in the dirt
That failed to cover over deeds unclean?

How strong is the ache in my heart
The death tears our households apart
How long shall we suffer this curse
When life took a turn for the worse…

Think of all my little children might learn
Should ever they decide to ask the crows
And what of the robins and bees?
I beg them not to share the things they know

Wake now children, wake your sleepy heads
Heed as best you can your mother’s words
For there are things you can’t understand
And won’t be better off to ask the birds

I beg you children, never wander
And find yourselves amidst those tall pines
For night will come and you won’t return
Then I am surely doomed to lose my mind

How strong is the ache in my heart
The death tears our households apart
How long shall we suffer this curse
When life took a turn for the worse…

We have already lost…our only sense of peace
We are but little lambs…slain for the Devil’s feast
What sins did we not cleanse…that claimed the price of blood?
I fear there yet are bones…still buried in the mud

7. IT ALL CAME DOWN

He: Broke to a goner, nerves in the dirt
Rolled the bones, put the steel to work
I’m not long for this world

She: The man and me pulled a job for some weight
Dropped the hammer, the cops jerked the bait
We don’t belong to your religion

They said to give in but I wouldn’t give in
I rue the day that they came around here
I fought the good fight and I tried to live right
What happened is it all came down, yeah

He: Gats blazin’, backed out the door
She took the rap and I took the score
She’s all alone now – isolation

She: Found my head but now it’s too late
Family’s gone short of a prison break
It’s gettin’ dark, now – south of Heaven

They said to just quit but I wouldn’t do it
Sometimes you just gotta take a stand, yeah
I fought the good fight and I tried to live right
What happened is it all came down, yeah

She: Went for some wrong
He It all came down, yeah
She: I’ll get along
He: Yeah, it all came down
The world’s spinnin’ ’round & around,
That’s what happened when it all came down
She: Wherever that you happen to be
I’ll be longing, I’ll be longing

(chorus)

8. MURDERER OF SOULS

Death is on the nighttrain
Morning bringing more pain
Turn the cheek in my name
But speak it not in vain

Down to skin and bone
Everywhere I go
Sent to die alone
Murderer of souls

Now we’re playing my game
Sin and law are all same
Both are sharing all blame
The End will have its day

Saints are going home
Everywhere I roam
Angels sent to moan
Murderer of souls

9. DARKNESS OF DAWN

We gave our souls to the wind
Came back forgotten, never see them again

Weren’t we born together? In the black and the shock of night?
We kneeled to Gotham just to make it right

The darkness of dawn
Have you gone away for good?
Seems like it’s been forever
Since I belonged to only you

We’ve been lost to the sin
Died for nothing, never feeling again

Wasn’t the time forever?
And the end never coming back?
Sealed the coffin just to make it last

The darkness of dawn
Are you looking for something new?
You vowed that we’d stay together
When I belonged to only you

10. LONESOME WHISTLE

Swear I heard that lonesome whistle
Was begging me to up and go
Cos there ain’t no man wanna kiss me So what am I hanging ’round for?

When I was young my mama done told me
Once you are grown you’ll spread your wings
But i’m just stuck here drinkin’ whisky
Trying to drown out the last of my dreams

Wish the train that rolls through this city
Would take me places I’ve never seen
Cos my life here just ain’t so pretty
And love has treated me awfully mean

Still i hear that lonesome whistle
That cannot be quelled or cast aside
If times would change or if i were younger
The fate of my love would not be lost to pride