We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Short Life Of Trouble

by Country Mouse

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $8 CAD  or more

     

1.
Who killed Cock Robin? "I," said the Sparrow, "I slayed him with my arrow, I killed Cock Robin." Who saw him die? "I," said the Fly, "With my 96 eyes, I watched him die." Who caught his blood? "I," said the Fish, "I caught it in my dish, I caught his blood." Who'll dig his grave? "I," said the Owl, "I'll dig it with my trowel, I'll dig his grave." Who'll be the parson? "I," said the Rook, "With my little book, I can be the parson." Who'll carry the coffin? "I," said the Linnet, "I'll go fetch it in a minute, I'll carry the coffin." Who'll toll the bell? "I," said the dove, "For I mourn for my love. I'll toll the bell." All the birds of the air fell a-sighing and a-sobbing, When they heard the bell toll for poor Cock Robin.
2.
Motherless children sees a hard time when their mother is dead and gone Motherless children sees a hard time when their mother is dead and gone They go hungry, they go cold, they go begging from door to door Motherless children sees a hard time when their mother is dead and gone Father will do the best he can when their mother is dead and gone Father will do the best he can when their mother is dead and gone Father will do the best he can but he don’t really understand Motherless children sees a hard time when their mother is dead and gone Sister will do the best she can when their mother is dead and gone Sister will do the best she can when their mother is dead and gone Sister will do the best she can because she really understands Motherless children sees a hard time when their mother is dead and gone
3.
4.
Oh, he lived in South Nanaimo Worked the mill for many a year All he owned earned with his backbone A wife and daughter he held dear Hard times fell, he fell harder He lost his job, he lost his pay He lost his home, he lost his family He lost his mind, he lost his way I’m going down this morning To that old Nanaimo mill Them old boys there in the office Don’t wanna see me, but they will Cuz I’m going down this morning To that old Nanaimo mill Since them old boys took my living Well, I got some time to kill He walked up to the mill that morning, He shot poor Michael Lunn down He didn’t stop, just kept on walking He shot everyone he found He found and shot poor Fred McEachern Left him for dead and walked away Two men were hit, but kept on living One more was sent beneath the clay Old Fred rose up and with his last strength He took a chair and raised it high He brought it down upon that killer And held him there until he died I’m going down this morning To that old Nanaimo mill Them old boys there in the office Don’t wanna see me, but they will Cuz I’m going down this morning To that old Nanaimo mill Since them old boys took my living Well, I got some time to kill
5.
Heroin 03:52
I took heroin last Saturday night I took it in that heroin way If somebody hadn’t come just as they did I’d be in my grave today When the smack begins to flow, I really don't care anymore About them politicians makin crazy sounds And everybody putting everybody else down And all them dead bodies piled up in mounds I took heroin last Sunday night I took it like a silent scream All alone in my silent home I fell into a darkening dream I asked my dear father, is your god aware, I have made the big decision, tell your god I do not care. Drive that spike into my vein, and things aren’t quite the same I guess that I just don’t know I heard my mother's voice singing, Do don do I heard my own voice shouting, Momma, Momma is that you? I saw the berserk city, saw the dead stacked in piles Saw the screaming crowd, I screamed, “Where am I?” I took heroin this Sunday night I took it in a hell of a way Nobody came for me, I sat there for a while Til your God came along and he threw me on the pile
6.
Dead to Me 06:33
You're dead to me, you're on your own Don't bother calling, don't bother coming home Discovery on a darkened tide That the drugs you fed me turned to suicide You don't trust yourself on a crumbling cliff Where we see rocks, you see a salty mist So you're dead to me, you're on your own Don't bother calling, don't bother coming home
7.
Hangknot 04:51
Did you ever see a hangman tie a hangknot? Did you ever see a hangman tie a hangknot? I've seen it many a time and he winds, he winds, After thirteen times he's got a hangknot. Tell me will that hangknot slip, no it will not, Will that hangknot slip, no it will not. Slip around your neck, but it won't slip back again Hangknot, hangknot, that hangknot. Did you ever lose a brother to a hangknot? Did you ever lose a brother to a hangknot? My brother was a slave and he tried to escape They drug him to his grave on a hangknot. Did you ever lose your father on a hangknot? Did you ever lose your father on a hangknot? They hung him from a pole, and they shot him full of holes, Left him there to rot on that hangknot. Tell me who makes the laws for that hangknot? Who makes the laws for that hangknot? Who says who will go to the calaboose? Get the hangman's noose on a hangknot. I don't know who makes the law for that hangknot. I don't know who makes the law for that hangknot. But the bones of many a men are whistling in the wind, Just because they tied their laws with a hangknot.
8.
Oh, Death 08:34
What is this that I can’t see That’s got its icy grip on me I am Death, I’ve come to tell, I’ll open the doors to Heaven or Hell. Oh, Death, how can it be That you have got your grip on me? I have come to reap your soul Leave your body and leave it cold. Oh Death, oh Death, can't you spare me over another year Oh Death, oh Death, please spare me over another year Oh, Death, please hear me pray, Come for me another day. You've had your day, save your speech, The time of mercy is out of your reach. Oh Death, please give me time To fix my heart and change my mind. Your heart is fixed, your mind is bound, I hold the shackles to drag you down. My mother come to my bed, Placed a cold towel upon my head. I’ll lock your jaws so you can't talk, I'll freeze your feet so you can't walk. Oh, Death, how you're treating me, you've closed my eyes so I can't see. Yeah I closed your eyes so you can't see The road you're doomed to travel with me. Oh Death, please let me see If Christ has turned his back on me. When you were called and asked to bow, You wouldn't take heed - it's too late now. Too late, too late, to all farewell, My soul is damned and summoned to hell, As long as God in Heaven shall dwell Your soul, your soul shall scream in hell...

about

Many years ago now, I envisioned a really weird band based around a distorted electric banjo. It would be droney and arty and ambient and we'd play really short sets but really long songs, somehow. I ended up gathering together some of the best players I knew and it became a much more collaborative effort than I had planned, and I think a much better band than I would have concocted. They subtly worked their way around the dumber things I wanted to do and we made a fantastic record that has been languishing in the can for like five years or something. It's time to birth this baby.

I give you A Short Life Of Trouble, the very first full length album by Country Mouse. I am very proud of it, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Play it loud.

Dwayne

credits

released May 9, 2022

Alain Champagne - Low Notes, High Value
Alicia Murray - Bashing, Crashing, Smashing
Ben Zyakin - Strings, Sings, Manic Things
Dwayne Strohm - Banjo, Bad Vibes

Album Artwork by Atana Mae
Engineered by Myke Fucking Hall
Mastered by Arlen Thompson

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Country Mouse Nanaimo, British Columbia

Country Mouse are four feral forest creatures brought together by a shared love of outsider music and the unlikely coincidence of each having a body to bury. They have conspired, collaborated, and shared shovels ever since. They create low tone psychedelic doom folk with Appalachian and punk rock over and undertones. They sound best in forests and look better in the dark. ... more

contact / help

Contact Country Mouse

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

Country Mouse recommends:

If you like Country Mouse, you may also like: