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The Honor and Glory of The Gated Community

by The Gated Community

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1.
I’m a child of age who has lost my way I afford no cause that I could not say But I’d hold this close to my dying day ’Til I knew that I’d found my home Chorus: Over land, when the breath is done Over land, when I’ve left and run Over land, when my death has come I’ll return to the sea once more I was caught betwixt and between all things That my mother feared for a child who sings But there’d be no cage, nor a throne for kings When I knew that I’d found my home Chorus So I set on foot for a town out west And my mother knew that it was for best I could not delay, wasn’t time for rest As I knew that I’d find my home Chorus And I wandered long for a lonely year I had conquered naught but my only fear That I’d find no sand, and I’d disappear Then I saw that I’d found my home Chorus So I built a boat from a beached old tree And I set out west on the shining sea And the sky and sun finally came for me For I knew that I’d found my home Chorus (2x)
2.
It’s sad to be you Too good to be true It’s bad to be blue I’m mad that you knew What good will it do? You’re sad to be through You don’t have a clue It’s bad for the few It had to be new What good will it do? Never was a choice in making Never had the chance to start Never heard the voices breaking As you tried to tear this world apart Never could have made it harder Never did you raise the light Never would you deign to barter Though you couldn’t say what’s wrong or right It’s sad to be you (backing vocals: sad, sad you) Too good to be true It’s bad to be blue I’m mad that you knew What good will it do? You’re sad to be through But glad you’re on cue It’s bad for the few It had to be new What good will it do? If you could have made a difference Would you still have let me down? If you showed a shade of preference You would let it burn right to the ground If there was a tender moment Would you ever hold my hand? If you were a brave opponent Could I ever make you understand? It’s sad to be you (backing vocals: sad, sad you) Too good to be true It’s bad to be blue I’m mad that you knew What good will it do? You’re sad to be through You don’t have a clue It’s bad for the few It had to be new What good will it do?
3.
Hiding Hard 05:31
When you left here for good Just up and gone I wept ’til dawn When you went there you knew How much it cost You left me lost When you left here, you tore Through all my things We lived like kings We found hiding hard It got under our skin Dreams of riding far And you can’t wait to begin It’s not a matter of when You have to build it again When you left here alone It filled the air It felt unfair What you spent there, they kept A waste of crime A hill to climb We found waiting rough It got into your head Dreams of feeling tough To tough it out in the red It’s not the things that you said It was the way that you fled When you left here for good Just up and gone This can’t go on
4.
Reeling 04:21
One more stretch in the road Guess another shot will do it Stuck on what I was owed Guess I’d better sit right through it One more dollar a day Guess it never was quite worth it Stuck on what I would say Every one of them deserves it One more time on a hill See a lover soon departed One more line in a will Wish it’d never even started One more time of the day Just another passing moment One more word I could say To another vile opponent I get you, that you are reeling “I hate you,” what you are feeling One more weathered barn There ain’t nothin’ that can repair it One more night in a car This ain’t nothin’, but I can’t bear it One more mountain range As I travel west on Easter One more turn of the page As the devils half-released her I get you, that you are reeling “I hate you,” what you are feeling I get you, that you are reeling “I hate you,” what you are feeling I hit you, when you are kneeling I met you, and you are dealing
5.
Open Plain 06:07
Not for an hour That’s falling away Not for a winter And never for a day Not for a year When everything turns gray Not out of fear Of whatever comes that may I ain’t gonna ride on an open plain I ain’t gonna fight on an open plain I ain’t gonna hide on an open plain today I ain’t gonna ride on an open plain I ain’t gonna fight on an open plain I ain’t gonna hide on an open plain today Not when the sun Is coming to stay Not one for runnin’ To jump into the fray Not when the forest Gives way to the grain Not when the chorus Sings out in pain I ain’t gonna ride on an open plain I ain’t gonna fight on an open plain I ain’t gonna hide on an open plain today I ain’t gonna ride on an open plain I ain’t gonna fight on an open plain I ain’t gonna die on an open plain today Not this tomorrow Not again and again Not so much sorrow From way back when Not when the coal’s Left out in the rain Not when my goals Were all in vain I ain’t gonna ride on an open plain I ain’t gonna fight on an open plain I ain’t gonna hide on an open plain today I ain’t gonna ride on an open plain I ain’t gonna fight on an open plain I ain’t gonna die on an open plain today
6.
You Again 05:02
You said don’t be late As I passed through the gate I was hoping I'd made it on time The cops rushing forward, The mob pushed me northward I’d spoken in faith of no crime They’d just left the war And resented the poor Who had still earned a place in this town Then things went all sideways They marched on our driveways And burned every place to the ground It helped me more when I Dropped to the floor and I Shut down the roar, then I Counted back slowly from ten ’Cause it’s you, again You said don’t be long And I watched as the throng Did advance from the top of the stairs Those prodigal sons, yes we Mounted our guns And then fired while saying our prayers The engines did putter, The windows were shuttered as Flames poured down from the sky I tried not to choke On the billowing smoke I remember not wanting to die It helped me more when I Thought of our store and I Reached for the door as I Stopped them from pressing on in ’Cause it’s you, again Oh, in the darkness and light Oh, in the heat of the night It still gives me pause When I ponder the cause And consider the whiteness of whales My memory is blurred, Though the spirit is stirred, It devolves as a mess of details I miss you most when I Kiss your pale ghost and I Wish you were close then I Tally the bodies of men ’Cause it’s you, again ’Cause it’s you, again ’Cause it’s you, again ’Cause it’s you, again
7.
Mailman 06:40
Mailman, yes your bag is getting heavy And you’ve walked up here already But your feet still feel unsteady Mailman, must’ve dropped all of your letters ’Cause these days we’re all forgetters Never listen to your betters Mailman, spare me from the morning news When you weigh conflicting views, Should you let the reader choose? Mailman, keep my sins all to yourself Have the papers on the shelf That show the cleanest bill of health Mailman, you must brave the gusty breezes Does he understand diseases? He will do just as he pleases Mailman, I am on my knees in prayer Underneath the surface layer Always lies a cold betrayer
8.
Another Fire 04:35
It’s another fire And this one is dire But which gun’s for hire? You know it’s gonna be all night Look at the building With some old-time gilding That is worn and wilting And I know it’s gonna be all night Look at all the neighbors With their torn-out papers As they breathe in vapors And I know it’s gonna be all night Down by the river There’s a taker and a giver And I feel a shiver ’Cause I know it’s gonna be all night Think of all the time I wasted so much time Now I know you know it’s gonna be all night Now a crowd is standing Where the air’s expanding They’re gonna keep demanding And I know it’s gonna be all night Now we hear the sirens Tear through the environs In the sky with diamonds And I know it’s gonna be all night Think of all the time We wasted so much time Now I know you know it’s gonna be all night
9.
Saturday driving on the road to the end Everyone striving to get back on the mend The pavement is frozen, the houses alone If I could leave and go home If I could leave and go home Where could I be an unknown? ’Cause it’s cold outside Emptiness weighing and it’s closing me in Something I’m saying I forget to begin No one is waiting to talk on the phone If I could leave and go home If I could leave and go home Where could I be an unknown? ’Cause it’s cold outside And it’s a wasted ride If I could travel, if I could go If I unravel, or if I could know If I could grieve all the futures I’ve blown If I could leave and go home If I could leave and go home Where could I be an unknown? ’Cause it’s cold outside If I could leave and go home Where could I be an unknown? Then I would be all right
10.
I’m running faster I’m running my mouth Cause the wind keeps on kicking The wind that blows from the South I’m running faster And so far away With things so uncertain It’s the bomb at the end of the day I’m running faster Can’t say who I am But the mean one’s a master He’ll cut off your legs for a dram I’m running faster Make tears into wine Keep it cool and start chilling And ensure that our wishes align Chorus: I prayed for the day When I’d see you alone I’d watch every way Every stone that you’ve thrown And I wouldn’t Turn down A match on the ground I’m running harder And worked to the bone But a saint or a martyr Wouldn’t care if she lost all she owned I’m running stronger And I bought a pack of eight My list’s getting longer But it doesn’t feel good to feel hate
11.
I’m tired of being tired I don’t want to die My feet remain mired, I’m up to my eye In things so unholy I shudder to cry For the mud is taking me slowly I’m alone and I’m wasting The hours of my day I avoided a pasting That’s coming my way This fear isn’t lowly But what can I say? For the hope is leaving me slowly My muscles are weaker, My brain not as sharp The outlook is bleaker, As bleak as my heart The waters rush coldly When things come apart But the warmth is freeing me slowly I’m tired of despairing And I don’t want to leave I’ll set to preparing The hour when you’ll grieve And pretend to act boldly For looks can deceive My senses are coming back slowly
12.
Well you never even came from Kansas Everything you ever said was lies You would loiter by the dorms on campus You could barely pass as one of the guys But your jacket stank of beer and leather You were a type that I’d seen before But there was something just a little less or just a little more Well your hat was at a rakish angle And you talked a more convincing game Though you didn’t have a dream to dangle Or a dollar to your made-up name But it was funny when you jacked a blue Honda And you asked if I would step inside Or you said, “C’mon baby, we’re goin’ for a little ride.” Guess you’re a cruiser And a loser But what you told her Had consoled her With your toys out And your poise You took the life out from my eyes With a book for every empty pocket You feigned that you were just as smart And while straddling a navy crotch rocket You were riding on the state of the art How you talked about the past and the future How the world was always falling down And I was wavering from side to side as we would head into town Everybody’s got a big idea And yours was that nobody cares For every Jason there is a Medea Just a place where everybody stares Every wrong you ever felt was hopeless In every quarrel more’n two’s a crowd So you said if nothing ever matters, everything’s allowed You’re a refuser And you amuse her What you told her Had consoled her With your coy mouth Fit to destroy You took the life out from my eyes Even though you were another old lecher With a love on every wind It was better than a medical stretcher Or a wall to which I wouldn’t be pinned No, the darkness wouldn’t ever leave me But your expression of it wasn’t a thrill So would I swallow my inflated pride or just a bitter pill? No, we didn’t even get to marriage ’Cause he avoided every court of law There was justice only in miscarriage And we were waiting for the heat to thaw You could’ve sold me the Eiffel Tower I would have bought it with some pennies and dimes And I’d still have been a guilty party to your petty crimes ’Cause you’re a user And boozer But what you told her Had consoled her With the joy out And a ploy You took the life out from my eyes But this story has a happy ending Another fable of a death foretold No fences that need more mending No worries that I’m gettin’ old Yeah, we settled in a cheap apartment Had some babies to thicken the plot And made sure that I was giving back everything I got So you’re a bruiser Who’ll abuse her But what you told her Had consoled her With the boys out And the noise You took the life out from my eyes
13.
Mariia 04:44
No I can't cop a feel The Rain Man's got the wheel But Mariia still knows the deal Cause it's one more job before her Plane checks out of this spiel No I can’t hold her hand She’s got an older man But the genius is the plan Cause it’s one more time that you Slip your crime into the van So there’s this empty plot You reap just what you sought And rub that bloody spot Cause it’s one more sore if you Skip this chore and you are caught Well, she can hold a gun But she’s not the only one Go ask her native son Cause it’s one more God Who will shoot his wad on the run No I won’t poke the bear And you don’t really care If it drops its underwear Cause it’s someone’s crown So let’s all kneel down And say a prayer Well I still go to school But I won’t be made a fool And I think the Golden Rule Is just one more con So I must move on and play it cool quote 1 [Russian]: [Siberian gun rights speech] …to symbolize the fact that we have no effective means of defending ourselves. I did it myself. And, unfortunately yes, I have an empty holster that is evidence that we don't have anything to put in this holster. quote 2 [English]: [to Trump] Do you want to continue the politics of sanctions that are damaging of both economie[s], or [do] you have any other ideas? quote 3 [Russian]: [same Siberian speech, speaking of a Buryat man apparently charged in some gun use case] He defended himself, and should be released immediately. We demand a review of the verdict in his case. quote 4 [English]: [context?] ...the board member of the Right to Bear Arms, this is a [sic] all-Russian public organization, we promote gun rights

about

Known as Minnesota’s favorite Americana band of the 99%, The Gated Community celebrates the release of their highly anticipated new album The Honor and Glory of The Gated Community. Showcasing beautiful harmonies, multiple lead singers and virtuosic soloists, this 5th album from the folk/country cult favorites shows the band stepping out of their Marxist bluegrass band box to create poignant songs of personal and collective loss – many of which were written just a few blocks from where Minneapolis Police Department’s 3rd Precinct station was burned and abandoned following the murder of George Floyd.

Living just a few blocks from the 3rd Precinct, frontman Sumanth Gopinath (vocals, guitar) and his partner Beth Hartman (vocals, percussion) were filled with a particular anxiety and dread. “We went through a lot during the uprising itself, but we also feared repeat occurrences of violence at various points – like the November 2020 election, January 6, the inauguration and the Chauvin trial,” Gopinath says. “Moreover, family and friends died or nearly died from COVID-19. My retired colleague David Bernstein passed in March 2020, my aunt died in June 2020, and my uncle was in the hospital for months.”

Although The Gated Community started tracking some of the album in 2019 and early 2020, an electrical failure (caused by the 2020 unrest) fried the studio’s primary and backup hard drives. Left with only a few tracks and a whole new whirlwind of emotions stirred up by the pandemic, George Floyd’s murder, subsequent protests and the rise of fascism in America, the band reworked old songs and arranged new ones written by Gopinath during the pandemic. “Not being able to make music with the other five band members during 2020, I began composing classical music again for the first time in 25 years,” Gopinath says. “I also continued to write songs for the band until we were finally able to do some very distanced outdoor rehearsals in fall of that year.”

With various health concerns among band members, they worked safely and slowly, rehearsing and recording the new tracks with John Miller at Future Condo Studio in Minneapolis. Mastered by Bruce Templeton at Microphonic Mastering, the album was finally done in 2022. Their most ambitious yet, it includes 13 originals with powerful lyrics and thoughtful arrangements. Although still marked by the playfulness that have won them such a loyal following, these songs have less punk urgency and more of the laid-back folk and country vibes of some of their songwriting heroes – from the Ralph Stanley-inspired a capella song “To the Sea Once More” (written for Kobe Dimock-Heisler, a young man of color on the autism spectrum who had just been murdered by police in Brooklyn Center, MN on Aug. 31, 2019) to the Terry Allen-esque “Mariia” (about the alleged Russian spy and current politician Maria Butina) to the Townes Van Zandt-sounding “Another Fire” (written following the nightly fires that erupted in South Minneapolis after George Floyd’s murder) to the beautiful simplicity of Gillian Welch exhibited in “The Life from My Eyes” (about domestic violence towards women). The album also features the heartfelt playing of recently retired fiddler Teresa Gowan.

Once thought of as a niche novelty outfit, The Gated Community show their evolution into a sophisticated band that mixes social commentary with emotionally rich songwriting. They are incredibly proud to bring this album into the world after the collective traumas of the past three years and are finding solace in playing together once more.

——————

credits

released February 3, 2023

The Gated Community is Sumanth Gopinath, Cody Johnson, Teresa Gowan, Paul Hatlelid, Rosie Harris, Beth Hartman, and Nate Knutson

with special guest Adrienne Miller

words by Sumanth Gopinath, music by The Gated Community

produced by The Gated Community and John Miller
recorded at Future Condo Studio by John Miller
mixed by John Miller
mastered by Bruce Templeton, Microphonic Mastering

photography by Mark Nye
artwork by Ian Rans

full album information available at thegatedcommunity.bandcamp.com
contact us at thegatedcommunity@gmail.com

thanks and much love to our families, friends, and fans

special thanks to Tom Campbell and Adam Zahller

in memory of the family members and friends we lost over the past few years, including Liz Adams, Stan Adler, Shekhar Bal, David Bernstein, Josette Bethany, Max Bromley, Jason Christenson, Karen Dresser, Marian Gopinath, Gwen Hartman, Dave Hoenack, Qadri Ismail, Chad Marsolek, Jim McDonald, Ryan Muncy, Rita Elizabeth Nye, Peter Schimke, and Jerold Marvin Schultz

© 2023 The Gated Community

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The Gated Community Minneapolis

The Gated Community is a country/bluegrass/Americana band with rock influences based in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area in Minnesota and has been in existence since early 2006.

Bandmembers: Sumanth Gopinath
Rosie Harris
Beth Hartman
Paul Hatlelid
Cody Johnson
Nate Knutson
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