Released 11 June 2002
Recorded 2002
Genre Rock
Length 60:59
Label Ear Candy Records, InsideOut
Producer Neal Morse
Track listing
1."It's Not Too Late" – 6:26
2."All The Young Girls Cry" – 4:59
3."Leah" – 4:02
4."The Angels Will Remember" – 4:33
5."So Long Goodbye Blues" – 4:39
6."The Change" – 4:40
7."Broken Homes" – 3:58
8."Oh Angie" – 3:19
9."The Eyes Of The World (George's Song)" – 4:09
10."Ain't Seen Nothin' Like Me" – 5:10
11."I Am Your Father" – 4:19
12."Something Blue" – 4:23
13."The Wind and the Rain" – 6:09
Lineup
Neal Morse - voice, keyboards, guitars ... and many more
Nick D'Virgilio - drums
Jordan Zimmerman - drums
Brad Wetmore - bass
Greg Westall - guitar
Chris Carmichael - strings
Letty Jones - French horn
Jim Hoke & Neil Rosengarden - horns
Susanne Christian & Debbie Bresee - backing vocals
It's Not Too Late is the second solo outing for Neal Morse and follows in the footsteps of his first CD. This is a more intimate, piano/keyboard led album and covers a wide variety of styles through melodic rock and blues to gentle acoustic tracks and strong ballads. The album comprises of thirteen songs, written over a long period of time - the earliest dating back 1982 and all have the comfortable air of an intimate almost "live" recording. Neal chooses to count in and even comment on a number of the tracks, this laid back approach and obvious passion for the songs makes you feel almost a part of the music. The songs that make up It's Not Too Late are more concise and song orientated than the music found on Spock's Beard albums, however, Neal's distinctive voice and style of delivery will make it accessible to followers of the band and ultimately, given the right airplay It's Not Too Late could introduce Neal Morse to a much wider audience.
The opening song and title track of the album starts with piano and voice and gradually builds into full flow with swirling hammond organ and fellow Beard, Nick D' Virgilio, doing what he does best and laying a great foundation for the track. It's Not Too Late is the longest song on the album and Neal, Nick and the rest of the band "jam out" to the end of the track. All The Young Girls Cry is a catchy driving guitar based track with an infectious chorus line and strong harmonies, if I were to take a track from the album as a single, this would be the one.
First of the ballads and as with the title track, opens with piano and solo voice, however Leah is a more melancholic track and the instrumentation helps to build to make this an emotive and strong song. The Angels Will Remember, So Long Goodbye Blues and The Change follow very much in the mould and arrangement style established with the first few tracks. Next track up is Broken Homes, which sees Neal backed only by a solo acoustic guitar and serves as one of the tracks that could easily form part of a longer piece from Spock's Beard.
Oh Angie follows in the same style as All the Young Girl's Cry - a possible follow up single perhaps? The Eyes of the World (George's Song) features some interesting slide guitar and again strong vocal harmonies in the chorus sections. Next up is You Ain't Seen Nothing - a fairly laid back number with a nice bluesy feel. I Am Your Father is the second of the ballads from the album again starting with Neal's solo voice and piano which builds and is possibly the strongest track on the album.
Something Blue lifts the tempo once again - an infectious track in a similar vein as All the Young Girls Cry and Oh Angie. The Wind and the Rain finishes the album - again a strong chorus but for me the highlight of this track was the interplay between the piano and drums on the outro - an excellent section.
This is not a progressive rock album by any stretch of the imagination, however, it is a must for all Spock's Beard devotees. The tracks are strong and full of melody and after listening to the CD several times, I found many of the songs I could not get out of my head. Tracks for me were Broken Homes, I Am Your Father and Leah. This is a tricky one to give a rating for many of the reasons already mentioned, however, I enjoyed listening to the material and for this type of album I would rate it at an 8+.
Lyrics:
It's Not Too Late
It's not too late to change your mind
The soul will lead you'll follow close behind
And your love will leap along
It's been asleep for so long
The drip becomes a gushing pour
You'll know it all at once what your life is for
Now it's open just a crack
When you get the chance....don't hold back
CHORUS:
It's not too late to change
It's not too late to be exchanged
Oh - it's not too late
The door is open wide
It's not too late to jump inside
You can twist your fate
It's not too late
There's nothing more that we can do
We chose it on our own as you will too
It can happen anytime
If you're twenty-one
Or ninety-nine
Chorus (to end)
All The Young Girls Cry
She was seventeen years, three months and seven days when she met THE ONE
The novel that was her life had just begun
But after six weeks it was already A. D. meanin' after death
And chapter two was all just remorse and regrets
Chorus:
Now it's so much for believing
So much for the lie
But that's alright - all the young girls cry
Kiss him for the last time
Kiss your heart goodbye
But that's alright - all the young girls cry
She always thought if she could color her world she'd color it in blue
She always felt she felt too much - that much is true
But inside she was clean and pure; insecure as the driven snow
But that's before he made his tracks and let her go
CHORUS
And she won't be the same
At least not for the rest of today......
CHORUS (to end)
Leah
Leah's mother and me were quite a pair
So we looked in the paper for a dog and a house to share
Her and her little girl came
Suddenly I had to explain
Things like lightning - why is it so mad at the rain?
Leah's mother left one morning in an April fog
Leaving me the saddest little girl and a nasty dog
Leaving me to answer why
When Leah asks as she cries
"Why did she leave me this way?"
And softly I say...
CHORUS:
"Leah - mothers love their daughters
I'm sure that she still cares for you now
And Leah - lay upon my shoulders
I'll be taking care of you now"
Leah's mother's been gone for a very long time
And Leah and me are sorta like the blind leading the blind
But when she asks about the fallen Queen
Sometimes I want to say somethin' so mean
But I hold my pain inside
And softly I say......
CHORUS ( to end)
The Angels Will Remember
Gone - that moment just passed by
It's written in the sky out there
I hope it's somewhere
Pictures - the remnants of our lives
No camera can see quite that far
It can't see how we are
CHORUS:
I hope when I die
I can somehow still be with you
And re-live right now
That's all I really want to do
If time forgets when we were together
I hope the angels will remember
Smiles a million lifetimes wide
And all the tears we've cried can't be
Like drops in the sea
The big screen
That flashes at the end
I hope it lifts us high and then I will get
To see you again
CHORUS
Take a picture of this with your heart and keep it safe forever
Take a picture of us with your heart and we will be together
CHORUS
Gone - that moment just passed by......
So Long Goodbye Blues
Wednesday
I was yesterday's news
Caught in the old
So long goodbye blues
Waiting for summer's light on my door
But summertime dreams don't live here no more
CHORUS:
Seems like that's all there is
So long goodbye
No matter what I wish
Or how hard I try
And me I can't lose those
So long goodbye blues
Sometimes I go out
With friends that I know
And I see the smiling people all in a row
And I wonder why they don't feel like I do
Do their lovers believe?
Do their wishes come true?
CHORUS
I was yesterday's news
Caught in the old
So long goodbye blues
Waiting for summer's light on my door
But summertime dreams don't live here no more
The Change
Calling all people wherever you are
Get ready for the changing that's not very far and you know.....
You know....yes, you know......you know
It's about changing time
It's about peace of mind
It's about falling in love for the very first time
It's about dreams and flight
Going beyond wrong and right
When the change comes everything'll be alright
Calling all people - gather around
Get ready for the changing that's got to come down and you know...
You know....yes, you know......you know
It's about changing time
It's about peace of mind
It's about falling in love like the very first time
It's about losing face
So we can win the real race
When the change comes you're gonna find your place
When the time will come - we don't know when
When the last is done we'll meet again
When the hour is here look to the sky
When the answer comes we'll all know why
Calling all people wherever you are
Get ready for the changing that's not very far
It's about changing time
It's about peace of mind
It's about falling in love like the very first time
It's about dreams and flight
Going beyond wrong and right
When the change comes everything'll be alright
It's about coming home
It's about children grown
It's about falling in love like you've never known
It's about losing face
So we can win the real race
When the change comes you're gonna find your place
People get ready the change is comin'.......
Broken Homes
Little Tommy's waitin' for someone to see
That he's left his light on
His Mamma cries herself to sleep in front of the old T.V.
Since the man of the house is gone
And Tommy sits and dreams about how happy they will be
When Daddy comes back home
He doesn't know he never will come home
And he'll be one more child fathered on the phone
One more child growin' up half alone in a broken home
You see Tommy's Mom got married when she was seventeen
To a boy who was dark and tall
She was young and she was willin' and she kept the house clean
So he married her in the fall
They stuck it out five years before he finally went his way
Leavin' Tommy all confused
Daddy said he'd never go away
And now Tommy's gettin' more angry every day
Tell me who's gonna pay the defaulted loans on our broken homes
With so many of us giving up
When it's hard to give we just give up
And the kids wind up like prisoners of war
Well, I'm not saying I know how
But we've got to set it right somehow
Before we wind up paying even more
'Cause some of us get more than just alone
We get broken in our broken homes
Now Tommy's all grown up or at least he looks that way
The very image of his dear old Dad
He's got kids of his own - he's gonna raise them the right way
Be the father he never had
But somehow at year five his eyes keep lookin' towards the door
He's got to get out now
Or live and die in a domestic war
Soon he's one more father callin' on the phone
One more man more than less alone in a broken home
Now little Tommy's waitin' for someone to see
That he's left his light on......
Oh Angie
It could have been good
We could have been the lucky ones
But everything's changed
Man, we made it such a mess
And now you're back
Back to see if you can hurt me some more
CHORUS:
Oh Angie
You left me broken and now you want to come back to me
Oh Angie
My heart has spoken and I know we'll never be happy
Oh Angie
I've got no time
No time left for suffering
'Cause that's what we are
Somehow it's just that way
Now you're coming on
Just when I got out from your spell
CHORUS
Oh Angie
Oh Angie
You couldn't be worse for me
The Eyes Of the World (George's song)
A world so innocent so easy to face
Full of what's possible and full of God's grace
My friend helped me to see 'cause that's how he saw this place
When I was hurting he would hurt for me too
The sweetest spirit that I ever knew
And the world seems sadder now that he's not with me and you
CHORUS:
The eyes of the world shed a tear for my friend
But when we're set free we will see him again
Right now it's hard for us to understand
So much that happens is beyond our control
We take the part 'cause we just can't see the whole
But the one that can is now in care of our loved one's soul
Please take care of our loved one's soul
CHORUS (to end)
Ain't Seen Nothin' Like Me
Adam was livin' a care free life
Nothin' to do but hang out all night
God said to Adam "I think you'll agree
You need someone to run things" so He made Eve
(She said) I'm livin' proof God blessed His daughters
I got what you need
You've seen fire, wind and water
But you ain't seen nothin'
Oh no - you ain't seen nothin' like me
Samson was one of the lucky few
Strong as a bull and the coolest hairdo
Well, you all know that after Delila got sore
He was nothin' but a crumpled mass on the floor
CHORUS
She said "now don't you fret
No, don't you worry
I'll be the ghostwriter
Of the rest of HIStory"
God made woman on a beautiful day
But don't you cross her or she'll make you pay
He made her strong and he made her sweet
And if she weren't around we'd be dead in a week
CHORUS (to end)
I Am Your Father
Sensitive boy, military father
Both of them needing something very badly from the other
They had no choice; they could not reach eachother
Now the boy's an angry man; he holds it in no longer
(He says) I could never win anything 'cause I already felt beaten
And you have always hated me so I guess now we're even
So look at me now - I'm not afraid to fight you man to man
And the old man says
I am your father
I am not another
Of your schoolboy classmates
I am your father
And you will not forget me
I will stay part of you forever
Listen to my side
Looking back I wonder
Why I couldn't feel for you the way I felt about your brothers
And there were times
I'm sure you still remember
When I tried to talk to you and you left me an outsider
I avoid painful things so you were avoided
And I never really hated you, just sometimes dissappointed
So look at me now
Am I the same as the man you love to hate?
No matter what....
Something Blue
Sharon's waiting for the other shoe to drop
Sitting there inside her empty house she walks the floor
Turns the T.V. on but she don't care
She's pretty sure she won't become a millionaire today
CHORUS:
She feels like something borrowed, something blue
Something pretty but ugly too
Just like something borrowed, something blue
She's like Cinderella without a shoe
Treasure Island without a clue
Just like something borrowed, something blue
Sharon's thinking "man, I've got alot to do
I'll vacuum again and maybe check for mail that no one's sent me"
She's a raging flower with the world to give
But somehow no one sees her as she really is....
CHORUS (to end)
The Wind And The Rain
The wind and the rain
Fiercely fall
Pounding on my roof and walls
Feeling nothing like
What I thought it might
When I felt the storm begin tonight
I knew it would
Eventually
Point it's cloudy finger at me
Making me drift behind
Sadly back in time
'Til I heard a voice from somewhere inside
CHORUS:
"Just let the wind and the rain roll off your back
You can do anything but you can't go back
So when you're feeling pain
It ain't no ball and chain
It's just the wind and the rain"
The wind and the rain
let you know
You are always vulnerable
So if it starts to pour
And what's enough cries for more
Don't pull the shades and lock the door
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