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Every House I've Known

by Katie Castagno

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1.
Smoke and Cigars 03:27
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late at night before the sun rises there’s a place where the ocean and the sky collide turned down low, old pop songs on the radio we’ll wait to see what color the light will be and you answered my own question before I even knew it forgive my first impression and you’ll see me through it I’ve come so far late nights smelling smoke and cigars mixed with salt spray and wondering where you are will you go or wait so I’m not here alone and stay with me to see what color the light will be and you answered my own question before I even knew it forgive my first impression and you’ll see me through it over seas and streams and railroad tracks and roads through the doorway of every house I’ve known you’ve carried me home I’ve carried you home and you answered my own question before I even knew it forgive my first impression you’ve seen me through it
2.
Yellow Birds on High Street 04:28
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a hundred years ago the train still rolled through our backyard you covered your face from coal and the cold and since that ditch was dug, the barges floated down the Canal where you tightened your laces and picked marigolds cut your hair and smile sly you can’t just stay inside you’ve got the open sky yellow birds on High Street a hundred years ago the schools were closed and no more ships sailed the breath in your lungs crackled and failed in the Valley you picked banjo strings and read poetry ‘til you followed the 2 for city travails cut your hair and smile sly you won’t just stay inside you’ve got the open sky yellow birds on High Street I drag my heels where you walked thrust into the same town watch the planes lift off but keep my feet on the ground a hundred years ago the Brooks you know led to our backyard you dreamt of flight through lanternless nights and in a year or so you would go around the globe but for now we’ll share the same sights and I’ll cut my hair and smile sly I can't just stay inside we’ve got the open sky yellow birds on High Street fly, fly, fly fly, Amelia, fly
3.
Softer Things 04:05
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I’ll trade the palm trees of Daytona Beach for Maple leaves in northern skies I’ll leave concrete for softer things I won’t even say goodbye run as fast as I can in the morning I’ll feel better this salty New England air brings love and loss in equal measure I catch my face in the window panes someone I’ve never seen before I dip my toes in frozen lakes and track the mud in through the door run as fast as I can in the morning I’ll feel better this salty New England air brings love and loss in equal measure tell me I’m safe here tell me there's nothing to fear tell me I’m fine, I’m still learning all the time chase the sunset just to howl at power lines howl at power lines I traded palm trees for Maple leaves I think I finally know why ‘cause I’ve been smiling when I wake under this Massachusetts sky
4.
Eel Pond 03:08
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silverfish in cracking sinks sleeping in someone else’s bed nights of borrowed guitars and sand everywhere you stand I’ll give it a shot, I smell your hair to be frank my darling we never go anywhere I’ll shine a light and see what I can find outside on Eel Pond tonight tonight bright pinpricks in crashing ink the water’s overhead salty fingertips and sand everywhere you stand I’ll give it a shot, I smell your hair to be frank my darling we never go anywhere I’ll shine a light and see what I can find outside on Eel Pond tonight there’s a bat in the bedroom it got in while I was fast asleep, asleep there’s a bat in the bedroom open up the window and set it free you rescued me you rescued me you rescued me I'lll give it a shot, I smell your hair to be frank my darling we never go anywhere I’ll shine a light and see what I can find outside on Eel Pond tonight tonight, tonight, I’ll see what I can find outside on Eel Pond tonight tonight
5.
Third-Floor Walkup 02:49
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this third-floor walkup in the city gets hot when it’s been too long since it’s seen the rain kind of like when it takes a lot of time to see your face again is it true what they say? we’ve come too far to lose is it true what they say? an apple like that hides the bruise the flies have found the thing that rots; the screens won’t stop them anyway we'll wait for the heat to drop or find a better way we’ll keep our eyes to the sky tonight we’ll keep our eyes to the sky tonight we’ll keep our eyes to the sky tonight we’ll keep our eyes to the sky is it true what they say? we’ve come too far to lose is it true what they say? an apple like that hides the bruise this third-floor walkup in the city gets hot when it’s been too long since it’s seen the rain we’ll plant ourselves a garden plot and wait for drops of rain we’ll keep our eyes to the sky tonight we’ll keep our eyes to the sky tonight we’ll keep our eyes to the sky tonight we’ll keep our eyes to the sky
6.
Different Here 03:27
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I remember when I first moved into Paola Drive coughing over the bridge to hide watery eyes twenty four and wise (or so I said to myself) so I said to myself it’ll get better and it’ll get worse nothing you haven’t done before it’ll be different but it’ll pick up and guess what, you’ll do it again I remember when I first pulled into that Winding drive the water tastes different here and the sun sets on the wrong side twenty five and wild, and suddenly untied and so I said to myself it’ll get better and it’ll get worse nothing you haven’t done before it’ll be different but it’ll pick up and guess what you’ll do it again and guess what you’ll do it again every line I see on the road or around my eyes every copied key another turn to realize it got better and it got worse nothing I hadn't done before it was different but it picked up And guess what, I’ll do it again now guess what, I’ll do it again now guess what, I’ll do it again
7.
Ocean Road 04:15
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four lanes to the corner house where the pipes freeze every night we wake and the tub backs up damp ankles every time then locked out we’ll stay warm somehow I don’t know so I’ll wait wait for the waves to rise wait for the highest tide until then it’s one hundred steps to the ocean until then it’s one hundred steps two stairs to the front door where we searched for another key cold sand under fingernails chased goosebumps in the breeze then lights out the wind howls now I don’t know so I’ll wait wait for the storm to fade until we’re less afraid until then it’s one hundred steps to the ocean until then it’s one hundred steps to the ocean until then it’s one hundred steps to the ocean until then it’s one hundred steps you’re out so long to be without I know, so I can’t wait wait for the wind to blow wait to be on our own
8.
Other Plans 02:39
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you’ve done a lot of bad things but you were a risk I was willing to take said I didn’t care what you’d say you struck a match and lit the littlest flame hot that summer, cold that spring guess that’s how it’s supposed to be hoped I knew what winter'd bring you had other plans for me you said a lot of sad things light your words on fire follow the wisp wish I heard what you’d said (when you) spent every day burning your lips hot that summer, cold that spring guess that’s how it’s supposed to be hoped I knew what winter'd bring you had other plans for me I followed along blinded by smoke in your late autumn song I followed along blinded by smoke in your late autumn song you’ve done a lot of bad things but you were a risk I was willing to take I guess I’m not a bad thing you’ll be gone before the season has changed hot that summer, cold that spring guess that’s how it’s supposed to be and if I’d known what winter’d bring I’d make other plans for me I’d have other plans for me I’d have other plans for me not follow along blinded by smoke in your Mill River song we were so young we were so young we were so young we were so young
9.
Mosaic 03:12
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fireflies and orange skies in June after the storm breaks train whistles shake yellow walls a new place for the heartache like every ray of light will gleam before it fractures you broke the glass; I’ll paste it back together time will pass and I’ll learn to love it better this mosaic in Evanston ice cubes crack in whiskey glasses poured out on the porch steps stars don’t shine past Chicago's light I knew but each time I forget like every ray of light will gleam before it fractures you broke the glass; I’ll paste it back together time will pass and I’ll learn to love it better this mosaic in Evanston and I’lll float in Lake Michigan in the dark and I won’t even wonder where you are like every ray of light will gleam before it fractures you broke the glass; I’ll paste it back together time will pass and I’ll learn to love it better this mosaic in Evanston time will pass and I’ll learn to love it better this MOSAIC in Evanston
10.
Green Street 02:33
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I know you think you’re all grown up but you haven’t cut your hair yet and you won’t eat much wide eyes and your silence betray your heart hasn’t been broken but it’s always racing it’s always racing Sophia be kind be kind be kind all alone but the house is full you gather your things and climb up the hill you watch the river, kick a rock on the way your heart has just been broken and it’s always racing It’s always racing Sophia be kind be kind be kind align, refine, decide decide, divide, remind you don’t have to stay you will anyway I know you think you’re all grown up but you haven’t cut your hair yet and you won’t eat much you won’t eat much send her my love
11.
Seven Stoplights 03:47
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driving down country roads listening to the Indigo Girls real loud switch off the lights just for a second now stars above dirt below moonlight on the cornfield rows just plowed switch on the lights feeling alive now seven stoplights always seem to slow me down in this modernized mill town five thousand days I’ve learned what not to say soon I'll sing it anyway walking down empty streets a church on every corner it seems watching the sun set on mountain laurel leaves streetlights don't guide my feet just crickets and a distant stream a book of myths and a twelve string seven stoplights always seem to slow me down it's seven p.m., the siren sounds five thousand days I’ve learned what not to say soon I'll sing it anyway make phone calls on landlines walk stone walls to pass the time don’t think about it, don’t mind don’t fall for her smile pass in the hall avoiding eyes I promise we’ll leave this town behind seven stoplights always seemed to slow me down in this modernized mill town five thousand days I learned what not to say now I’m singing anyway five thousand days I learned what not to say watch me singing anyway five thousand days I'll make my getaway
12.
Great Hill 03:10
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I’ll keep growing like the birch tree in my parents’ yard when I was born the roots stretched deep into the riverbed but I’ve got blood and skin where sap and bark should be my roots are never deep enough it seems I can’t believe that every time it rains every time it rains you stay in spring you found me spinning like a maple seed you plucked me from the air like it was nothing with a soft place to land and some dirt under my feet my deciduous is now evergreen I can’t believe that every time it rains every time it rains I can’t believe that every time it rains every time it rains you stay a Great Hill in a hurricane you stay you stay when I’m older I’ll plant a birch tree in my yard and trust the roots will hold on to all of us I can’t believe that every time it rains every time it rains I can’t believe that every time it rains every time it rains you stay a great hill in a hurricane you stay you stay

about

it started as a pandemic project, when the concept of home was rapidly shifting. it ended as twelve songs, each about a different home in the past three decades. sometimes joyful, sometimes rancorous, “every house I’ve known” reflects on what it means to be home.

credits

released December 2, 2022

many many thanks to erin mckeown, kris delmhorst, and dave chalfant

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Katie Castagno image

Katie Castagno Massachusetts

a hurricane-chaser by day and a singer-songwriter by night

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