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Loyal to You

by Jeff Elbel + Ping

supported by
Lyle Bradley
Lyle Bradley thumbnail
Mike Beidler
Mike Beidler thumbnail
Rob Szarka
Rob Szarka thumbnail
JH Parker
JH Parker thumbnail
/

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Sealed CD. Includes two songs not available digitally on Bandcamp, color artwork, and six-panel booklet.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Loyal to You via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • Full Digital Discography

    10
    releases

    Get all 10 Jeff Elbel + Ping releases available on Bandcamp and save 65%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of The Threefinger Opera, No Outlet, Gallery, The Eleventh Hour Storybook, Engine of Destruction (live 2003), Loyal to You, The Eleventh Hour Songbook (instrumental sketch), Live at the Crooked Bar (plus), and 2 more. , and , .

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1.
Introduction 00:26
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2.
Holiday on Ice 05:07
lyrics
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I made it through the wasteland Thank God I’m back where I belong I thought I knew the way I guess the map was wrong I’ve missed these icy winters I’d not have thought it so When power lines have fallen And it's seventeen below I’m alive I can feel the fire within My skin may crack, my bones may freeze But I’m with kindred company Flowers grow in the desert If stems are thick and roots are strong I’ve watched them bloom together But never get along Seems every tender blossom Each wants the water for its own Each longs to teach the world To hum a different tone One fine song, got the feel and the rhythm The words don't matter, 'cause nobody listens Alive I can feel the fire within If I turn blue as deepest sea I’m here with kindred company Alive I can feel the fire within My skin may crack, my bones may freeze But I’m with kindred company One thousand dreams, I’ve been here Two thousand miles from heart to mind Three wishes, I’d be grateful For never having gone So tonight we're gonna party Like it's 1993 We may not make Cornerstone again But that won't bother me Three small words, gonna learn how to use 'em Take what's left, gotta learn how to choose 'em Alive I can feel the fire within My skin may crack, my bones may freeze But I’m with kindred company Alive I can feel the fire within If I turn blue as deepest sea I’m with kindred company
3.
Mary Across the Ocean 05:10
lyrics
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I could lend you a lesson from a long-toothed life Leave you face down and snoring in your dinner If you care for a wager on the last in line Here's your easy money on the winner When I harken back to those Illinois nights When I would sing to the crickets 'bout the L.A. lights Well, it must be the promised land is further west But I couldn't swim that far Mary across the ocean Loving you with deep devotion I’ve made a task reduction Finding you my only function So, I set off searching for the golden fleece A destiny I could visualize 'pon Trade the mundane here for the romantic there Waiting just to the south of the horizon I drove all day for Mexico But I broke down in Texas north of El Paso Left my vision of sleeping on the foreign soil 'Cause I couldn't walk that far Mary across the border Left me here in deep disorder I’ve made a task reduction Finding you my only function Tried to catch that dream We never will 'Cause these legs weren't made for standing still Old Sisyphus; he laid the rule We claw and strive But we never arrive If we did, we'd keep on going by I’ve spent half of my life just trying to turn your head From high school on to pushing thirty The music's fine, but as I sell myself It only leaves me feeling dirty The truth of the matter is life's not half bad Still, we dream of experiences we've never had I’d run through the pasture rolling thick and green If that fence didn't climb so high Mary across the border Left me here in deep disorder I’ve made a task reduction Finding you my only function Mary across the ocean Loving you with deep devotion I’ve made a task reduction Finding you my only function
4.
Dig 05:13
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I’m in it Deep in it And I made my own way down here With my fingernails and bones Chewing it Swallowing it My deafened ears and blackened lungs Full of earth and stone Someone up above left a pickaxe and a shovel A long strong rope and a pair of gloves They're little comfort to me here They'll never dig alone Should a brother have to ask if he's keeper of the other Still voice calling Dry eyes weeping Blood cries from the ground Exhume me Unearth me I think these sod-caked eyes are ready To see the sun again I’m sorry I’m helpless Compassion is a precious thing And I’ve nothing to spend Someone up above left a pickaxe and a shovel A long strong rope and a pair of gloves They're little comfort to me here They'll never dig alone Should a brother have to ask if he's keeper of the other Still voice calling Dry eyes weeping Blood cries from the ground
5.
Here Comes the Sunburn 06:17
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Here comes, here comes the sunburn, Masey Red hot white man Cutting through the savage tan Here comes the sunburn, Masey Red light white heat Incinerating by degree With the sun protection factor Running zero down on me Gonna wear the blackest shade of coal That the world has ever seen Here comes the sunburn, Masey Deep sky wide sand Only creature in the land Here comes the sunburn, Masey Spare time, no plans Idle mind and busy hands Busy, busy If absence makes the heart grow fonder Then everybody's loving me Gonna build the biggest sand castle That the world has ever seen Well, I can feel my body blister As I cross this desert land I’ll expire here in style In my palace in the sand If I had my old umbrella I’d be singing in the rays No tea across the Great Sand Sea No shelter from the sky No shade Here comes the sunburn, Masey All beach, no shore Crawling on the desert floor Little darlin' Here comes the sunburn, Masey Pale face blood red Peeling skin begin to shed Little darlin' I feel my eyes are slowly melting It's been so long since they've been clear Gonna leave a bleach-blonde skeleton And I’m going to leave it here Well, I can feel my body blister As I cross this desert land I’ll expire here in style In my palace in the sand If I had my old umbrella I’d be singing in the rays No tea across the Great Sand Sea No shelter from the sky No shade
6.
Just Add Water 04:48
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How far to Farafra How long 'til I see Siwa Way station in the wasteland A balm for bleary eyes Buzzing head rings hollow My mouth too dry to swallow Wander on through the wall-less maze As I’m flipped by rolling floors And this could be a lovely place, truly Skipping stones across the lake with you beside Fabled Atlantis pales before such liquid grace Just add water It's utter dehydration No drop of perspiration My brain begins to boil Like an egg inside the shell On the verge of vision A palm and cool reflection Could this have once been Eden Here in this Godforsaken land And this could be a lovely place, truly Gliding through canals past drawn Venetian blinds Racing the dolphin with his blissed and kindly face Just add water A diving swan, so sweetly see The surface rush to greet me The point of my entry Cast in ripples on the pool The final sound that I hear As the sand pours into my ears Is the laughter of the Northern wind As it howls across the dunes And this could be a lovely place, truly Shoot the curl all day and ride the perfect wave Off in a barrel down Niagara's raging face Hydroplane Hurricane A geyser unrestrained
7.
Going My Way 04:45
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Head says I wait for the buzzards Tail says I move along The cycle keeps repeating Over and over again Too long without a direction Too soon I change my mind My will is two-faced Like the coin that I’m throwing Over the dune and far behind Hey joe, hey joe A shuffling dromedary line Are you goin' Oh Going my way Oh, take me, run to the water Hey, get me out of here If you're going anywhere You're going my way This ain't no hitchhiking weather Worn legs are giving out Stagger until I stumble Over and over again I know you soak up the water You'll last for forty days It wouldn't bust your hump To give me a tow in Over the dune and far behind Hey joe, hey joe A shuffling dromedary line Are you goin' Oh Going my way Take me, run to the water Hey, get me out of here If you're going anywhere You're going my way Together we could clear the sand Together we'd survive the day But Kipling says you got that hump By blowing off the job So 'scrutiating idle How you got this far, I’ve got no clue Finally climb up the last dune The first of ever more No sign of transportation Looks like I’ve blown it again Sauntering after the nomad Such placid state of mind Your chance to save the day And you'll never know it Over the dune and far behind Going my way Take me, run to the water Hey, get me out of here If you're going anywhere You're going my way One camel turns to the other Hey, man, you got a light
8.
Miracle Rain 03:06
lyrics
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The sun shines down so hard it's beating me Shell so parched, it's cracked and bleeding I’m praying for a miracle Watching for a miracle Waiting on the miracle rain The rain falls scarce in the western desert It might this year, and it might not ever I’m hoping for a miracle Lost without a miracle Aching for the miracle rain Fall down, fall down come cover me Upon, around all over me Within, without, be part of me It's been so long since I’ve tasted water Chased that dream, and I never caught her Still, I’m hoping for a miracle Begging for a miracle Longing for the miracle rain The field, my soul, so dry and barren I’ve laid down want, I’ve laid down care and I’m praying for a miracle Gone without a miracle Dying for the miracle rain Fall down, fall down come cover me Upon, around all over me Within, without, be part of me Hope lay dead, but again it's stirring Revival as the horizon's blurring I’m staring through a miracle Pelted by a miracle Soaking in the miracle Fall down, fall down come cover me Upon, around all over me Within, without, be part of me Drinking from the miracle rain Wonder at the miracle rain Laughing in the miracle rain Singing in the miracle rain Swimming in the miracle rain Revel in the miracle
9.
Bedouin Girl 03:25
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Right about the time That I gave up hope Felt a weathered hand on my shoulder When I thought there was nobody 'round Just about then Before it all went black Said, I could swear that I’m floatin' through the air I was riding on a camel's back Life! She's giving Life! She's giving Life! I’m living Bedouin girl Lying on the ground In a handmade tent Soothing cool rag on my forehead Mercy angel by my side I can't understand Single word she says But her eyes say everything will be okay Thank God for that Bedouin girl Life! She's giving Life! She's giving Life! I’m living Bedouin girl She kept me alive For one more night One more night Of living Her eyes say everything will be okay
10.
Tomorrow 05:04
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Always so dim and somber Always the hollow man I left my spirit buried in the sand It's a quiet existence A dark and lonely view The echoing of laughter Among these solemn hills And now I realize how good it feels Just to open my eyes and Breathe and think it through My life could go a million ways It's ever new Why should I worry about tomorrow, before tomorrow I’ll never hurry along tomorrow, before tomorrow Why should I worry about tomorrow When today is not my due The morning arrives, I’m still alive It's ever new I saw the Khamsin blowing It spoke a living word It was the sweetest sound I ever heard Through the maelstrom raging The word rang clear and true Somewhere somebody loves you Your flesh was given spark From the dust that fills your eyes I made your heart And I set it beating Let the rhythm follow through Gotta make the most out of the time That’s given you Why should I worry about tomorrow, before tomorrow I’ll never hurry along tomorrow, before tomorrow Why should I worry about tomorrow Or wonder if I’ll find my way There's trouble enough to just getting by Day by day Three things I pray Grab today and hold it close Until it crawls into my skin The veil that held me blind is wearing thin Why should I worry about tomorrow, before tomorrow I’ll never hurry along tomorrow, before tomorrow Why should I worry about tomorrow When today is not my due The moment slides into another day It's ever new
11.
Pop (Some Days) 03:04
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Some days, baby, gonna wake up on the right side Some days, honey, gonna wake up on the wrong side I know, sugar, in the end you find the good side Some days, baby, you go walking on a thin line Some days, honey, you go running on a bee line I know, sugar, in the end it work out just fine Anywhere you go I will be with you When you're feeling low I will see you through Some days, baby, you can run and miss the last train Some days, honey, no umbrella in the cold rain I know, sugar, in the end you win the big game I know, baby, in the end you find the good side I know, honey, in the end it work out just fine I know, sugar, in the end you're walking cloud nine Wa-oo bop shoo-wop Wa-oo shooby doo-wop
12.
Healer 04:29
lyrics
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Like surgery And I’ve unskilled hands Tenuous and frail With hope and fear Place the knife in the grip Of hands that once held nails Render the healer The whole of my will Rely on the healer Like surgery Cut deep within Anesthetize the pain A blackened heart For opening I feel the pull again Render the healer The whole of my will Trust in the healer's skill Stitch into my soul Make my spirit whole For surgery I am not blessed My fingers fail to hold But I know one With steady hands And consummate control Render the healer The whole of my will Trust in the healer's skill Render the healer The whole of my will Rely on the healer

about

Summer of 2002 was a fine time for Ping as a young band. Following the release of our debut album No Outlet, we got booked onto the Cornerstone Festival's Gallery Stage and Acoustic Stage. The tour we built around the festival dates dotted the map all over the Land of Lincoln. With a few University of Illinois graduates in the lineup, it seemed funny at the time to borrow a line from our college fight song and dub our trip the "Loyal to You Tour." We eventually booked dates in Wisconsin and Michigan, too. We're loyal everywhere people want to hear Ping music. How about your place?

The set list includes six songs from Ping's lost album "Meet Your Maker." CD purchase includes two encore songs not available to hear on the Bandcamp platform.

credits

released July 4, 2003

John Barber - percussion
John Bretzlaff - guitar
Kim Bretzlaff - vocal
Tim Brooks - vocal
Clint Davidson - bass
Jeff Elbel - guitar, vocal
John Fischer - master of ceremonies
Stacey Krejci - keyboards
Bernie Mauban - violin
Andrew Oliver - drums
Emily Randle - violin and string arrangements
Mixed and mastered by Rev Hillstrom for Creation Station Media
Artwork by Brian Heydn
Written and produced by Jeff Elbel

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Jeff Elbel + Ping Wheaton, Illinois

Thanks for visiting! We're proud to be your source for roots rock and roll storytelling with wit and heart. Remember our motto: "No band could love you half as much as Ping."

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