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A social awareness song I wrote back in the 90s


Good morning! I’m back from this year’s Millennium Music Conference in Harrisburg PA and happy to bring you the latest addition to The Random Hubiak Band’s musical canon, “Days of Hollow Men.” The song itself is another back-catalogue number from the ENDLESS STREET: A SPIRITUAL TRAVELOGUE album that we’ve been re-recording while we work on the new stuff. “Days of Hollow Men” was written shortly after the 1992 L.A. Riots and used to be a regular part of my sets when I was still playing a little guitar but fell to the wayside when I switched to a largely piano driven set in support of the MEMOIRS OF A MANWHORE album. As always, Paul Galiszewski is on drums, and he gives a furious, propulsive performance here. The electric guitars on this version are all Tom Briant, and the bass is Julian Michalski. I play piano and rhythm acoustic guitar (the album version will feature Dylan Galiszewski on rhythm guitar). And the artwork is by Susette Earley, The Wizard Speaks. Please give the song a listen at one of the links below and, if you’re feeling generous, share the links on your favourite social media platform, whether that be twitter, Facebook, instagram…. Hell, I’d even settle for shares on Friendster if it exposes me to people who wouldn’t have heard it before. Also, of course, there’s a playlist that features a lot of the music that I was listening to at the time I wrote the song, as well as some songs that have come along since that seem share the same spirit and/or sonic palette.

Playlist on YouTube or Spotify Check Out the Content Before You Play!

The Random Hubiak Band: Days of Hollow Men Bruce Springsteen: Radio Nowhere R.E.M.: It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) Neil Young: Rockin' in the Free World John Mellencamp: What If I Came Knocking John Hiatt: Something Wild The Smithereens: Blood and Roses Sting: The Soul Cages Dar Williams: This Was Pompeii Shearwater: This Year Dave Vargo: Not Alone Rosanne Cash: Roses in the Fire Finger Eleven: Thousand Mile List Jason Damico: Only Myself to Blame Lone Justice: Shelter R.E.M.: Texarkana Gin Blossoms: Hands are Tied Crosby Stills Nash & Young: Deja Vu Fleet Foxes: The Shrine/An Argument David Baerwald: Sirens in the City The Charming Beardse: Jakob Joni Mitchell: Black Crow Stevie Nicks: Nothing Ever Changes Fleetwood Mac: Isn't It Midnight Pink Floyd: Run Like Hell Finger Eleven: Paralyzer R.E.M.: the One I Love Suzanne Vega: Undertow Syd Straw: Hard Times Karl and the Marx Brothers: Let's Get Back to That Feeling of Hate Billy Bragg: Between the Wars Laura Marling: All My Rage Buffy Sainte-Marie: Universal Soldier Bruce Springsteen: American Skin (41 Shots) Rosanne Cash: On the Surface Nina Simone: Mississippi Goddam Pink Floyd: ON the Turning Away David and David: Heroes The Random Hubiak: Days of Hollow Men (demo version)

Lyrics to Days of Hollow Men:

Within these lines, a soul to resurrect. Half mad, half blind, don't know what to expect. I pray devoutly to a god whose absence I deny. Something inside me has gone numb somehow; I don't know why. I'm old and weathered and I hide behind these battered eyes. I've seen too much for one man's days. I saw the riots in L.A. I thought that God had turned away. She said the baby's gone, there's nothing we can do. Just three months old. His tiny hands turned stiff and blue. Too many dreams go down in flames to fuel these cold, cold days. Ashes to ashes, dust returns to dust, or so they say. Live on the streets, I guess we're better off that way. What's in your hand, what's on my sleeve? Did no one teach you how to grieve? Here is a lie you can believe. Sat on the girders of some bridge at five a.m. It looks so nice down there, so cool, but I can't swim Cried out to Christ, dammit man, I thought you said you'd let me in. Turn out the sun, shoot out the moon. Set off the fireworks at noon. Promise me the end is coming soon. These are the days of hollow men. Eliot tell me once again How is the way the world ends?

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