Thank you for indulging me on these songs and instrumentals, especially since several of them are entirely too long. I did try to shorten songs by cutting out parts or speeding up the tempo, but they just never sounded like they were “meant” to be that way. So thank God for the Skip Forward button! Do me a favor and, every 10th time one of these marathons comes on your shuffle play, listen in full.

Thanks to George Frichter and Brett Johnson for their great work. I really wanted to collaborate more on this album than I did, since that was how Groupthink Demise was envisioned from the start- a collaborative studio project. I just could never seem to get over to George’s house enough, or I couldn’t afford to pay outside musicians that I had been thinking of hiring. Sometimes in the end, it’s just easier and quicker to do it all yourself- just not as much fun.

Okay, enjoy!

BTJ

All songs written by Brooks T. Johnson except:

“Let Me Letty,” words and music by B.T. Johnson & L.C. Newton.

All songs arranged, produced, and mixed by Brooks T. Johnson except:

“I Know the Way to Your Heart,” Thinky Thoughts Suite, and “Let Me Letty,” produced by B.T. Johnson & G.M. Frichter.

All instruments played by Brooks T. Johnson, except:

Brett Johnson: Guitar solo on “No One Can Hold You.”

George Frichter: Color guitar on “More or Less” of Thinky Thoughts Suite; Rhythm guitar, guitar solo, backing vocals, and Ha-Ha-Ha!!! on “Let Me Letty.”

Copyrights for specific songs: Hurting Myself (1999, 2017); I Know the Way to Your Heart (1997, 2017); No One Can Hold You (1995, 2017); Light of the World (2017); Thinky Thoughts Suite (2017); Night’s End/Lorring Lane (2017); Let Me Letty (2008); Andalusia Pony Ride (2017).

Album is © 2017 Brooks T. Johnson, U.S. Library of Congress; Beggar’s Choice Records.

HURTING MYSELF

Outside my window falls a pouring rain on a cold winter’s day

I call you up on the phone at home though I’ve nothing to say

I ask you all about that other guy though I don’t wanna know

And you’re so honest you just tell me the news as my heart starts to blow

It’s not like I’ve tried to stop thinking about you

It’s not like I’ve tried to let you go

I wanna run just as fast as I can but I’m locked in these chains

Though I create em baby you know I hate em they’re just causing me pain

There’s other women who would like to break em but I won’t let em in

I’ve never read it anywhere in the Scriptures but it must be a sin

I just won’t let em in

It’s not like I’ve looked around for some other lover

It’s not like we fit like hand and glove

I need to take my heart off the shelf

Because I’m really doing nothing more

Than hurting myself

(Hurting myself)

Where there’s a gray there’s a blue sky

Where there’s a thorn there’s a rose

And if it doesn’t send you to your grave

It only makes you stronger and your character grows

It’s not like I’ve tried to find some other lover

It’s not like I’ve tried to let you go

I need to take my heart off the shelf

Because I’m really doing nothing more

Than hurting myself

I KNOW THE WAY TO YOUR HEART

I’m water, she is fire

No quenching this desire

Redemption, mortal savior

It changes her behavior

Angel in destruction

She’s yielding to corruption

The good her

Somewhere in there

But vanish

Into thin air

I know, I know

Run me around

Tear me apart

But I know the way to your heart

Denial, life in tatters

Compulsion all that matters

She’s rigid with precision

In orbit she’s collision

I know, I know

Run me around

Tear me apart

Cuz I know the way to your heart

All of us

Tried to warn her

She’s painted

Into a corner

I know, I know

Drug writes the script

You play the part

But I know the way to your heart

NO ONE CAN HOLD YOU

I can’t hold you

They can’t hold you

No one can hold you

Anymore

Don’t think twice of me

I am just a poor man

Who cannot see the mystery of a beautiful woman

The game goes on forever

It seems as though I’ll never understand

The world is out to beat you

Its leeches thirst for the blood of the weaker man

There’s a pressure building waiting on a fool

I’m the angry one who catches thunder

Only to throw it all away

The wise man sees the sign

“Eternity comes one day at a time”

To make the most of this world

You’re gonna have to learn to play the game

So turn it around, turn it around, turn it around

The ice between reminds me

Unceasingly that I am not strong

And believe that I am honest when I say

You’re much too good to just let slip away

And so you wake one day

And find that nothing’s changed

You can douse the hate

Sit and wait

For the Light to call you home

A life so filled with color

That sometimes you have to hide within the gray

Just to get away

I can’t hold you

You can’t hold you

No one can hold you

LIGHT OF THE WORLD

“Prosecutors Will Be Shoplifted!”

Day after day night after night

You are the light of the world

Lost in the fray, too weak to fight

You are the light of the world

Of the world

It’s been a long time since you walked on this land

There are things here that we don’t understand

Are these holy words held in my hand?

What a bad world if you long to be pure

For every good deed will be punished for sure

Chasing down the next ephemeral cure

Day after day night after night

You are the light of the world

Always the same, might leads to right

You are the light of the world

Of the world

It’s not a turn-the-other-cheek universe

But fighting fire with fire is worse

No one can remember who fired first

We’re gonna find us another scapegoat to blame

We’re gonna hold down that vermin’s hoof to the flame

Bigger picture in a smaller frame

But you remind us that we’re all the same

Day after day n night after night

You are the light of the world

Ever the same, wrong dressed as right

You are the light of the world

Of the world

Shine a little light on me

Shine a little light on me

Illuminate the things you want me to see…

When I’m feeling sad and lonely and all these ghosts begin to haunt me

Well I don’t have to look too far for you

If in time the science proves that all the things they taught me were untrue

Well I would nonetheless prefer to stay with you

Here’s the church and here’s the steeple

And it’s sheltering misguided people

Ah but I don’t mind the things they say or do

‘Cause everyone who walks this land

Is simply living life the best they can

And it makes me think the chosen aren’t so few

Day after day night after night

You are the light of the world…

THINKY THOUGHTS SUITE

Act 1: Raise a Toast

I think I’m gonna raise a toast tonight

To everyone who helped lead me to that light

I’ve seen a lot of others fade away

But they just keep on shining out a bright array

I think I’m gonna raise a toast tonight

I think I’m gonna raise a toast tonight

To every woman who’s let me hold her tight

It’s nothing but nostalgia some will say

But all those memories make it worth the hell to pay

I’ve seen a lot of others fade away

Act 2: More or Less

I had no idea at all

When you came into my life

I was golden, I was foolish, I was blind

Then you opened up my eyes

Couldn’t be more plain to see

The more of you my dear the less of me

I had all this heady promise

Didn’t come to anything

All those right turns just to keep from turning left

And though I’m just as much to blame

To this day I still believe

The more of you my dear the less of me…

Act 3: Never Lose the Fire

…I’ve never been a fool for you

But I’ve always been a liar

And if I never get to you

I never want to lose the fire

I never want to lose the fire

I don’t ever want to lose the fire of my love

No I never want to lose the fire

I never want to lose the fire

I don’t ever want to lose the fire of my love

One score and three years now

Looking back not so bad

I’ve had more than most have requested

But still some touch of sad

But it’s not like this is news to me

Still I cannot shake these blues

But I’ve got methods I can use to pull me through

You see I’ve been kicked around, I’ve been down

But I don’t ever want to lose the fire

I never want to lose the fire

I don’t ever want to lose the fire of my love

I don’t ever want to lose the fire

I never want to lose the fire

I don’t ever want to lose the fire of my love

Act 4: Unbelief

You saved me from my depravation

Now save me from the less important things

With me there was no hesitation

What more could a sinner want than just to believe

But I’ll feel better when my heart is on my sleeve

And I’ve been trying (Oh Lord I believe)

Trying to believe there’s more to life than crying (Help my unbelief)

When everything that’s good in my life now is dying

I can’t stand the pain

I look upon the world with such disdain

I haven’t gotten anything done again today

And I’ve been praying (Oh Lord I believe)

Trying to make it through this game of life I’m playing (Help my unbelief)

When I’m not even sure you hear a word I’m saying

I’ve been here before

I’ve opened up and closed the same old door

I can’t remember what it is I’m praying for

(Oh Lord I believe)

(Help my unbelief)

I can’t stand the pain

I look upon the world with such disdain

I haven’t gotten anything done today

NIGHT’S END / LORRING LANE

(Instrumental)

LET ME LETTY

(Music: B.T. Johnson, Words: L. Newton/B.T. Johnson)

“My vocabulary, for lack of a better word, sucks.”

Girl next door got a face like an angel

Sounds like Betty but it starts with an L

Washes her car and does a whole lotta scrubbin’

I want to do with her some hot monkey lovin’

[Chorus]

Come on Letty won’t ya let me love you true

Let me tell ya what I think I’m gonna do

I’m gonna make a livin’ outta lovin’ you

Let me let you love me too

‘Cause Letty Letty I love you

I found a note on my door in the evenin’

Started to do myself a whole lotta grievin’

Methought it my landlord announcin’ my eviction

Instead it was Letty tellin’ me her affection

[Repeat previous chorus]

And don’t think Letty’s not gonna love me

'Cause I got a certain kinda innocent charm

And she’s next-door right now thinkin’ of me

The power is out due to a late summer storm

In her apartment power generatin’

We lit up the block with the love we were makin’

Ten years on and we’re still goin’ steady

Ain’t no one I love more than my Letty

Let me Letty, Letty let me love you true

Let me tell ya what I think I’m gonna do

I’m gonna make a livin’ outta lovin’ you

Let me let you love me too

‘Cause Letty Letty I love you

Come on Letty won’t ya let me…

ANDALUSIA PONY RIDE

(Instrumental)

All songs written by Brooks T. Johnson except:

“Let Me Letty,” words and music by B.T. Johnson & L.C. Newton.