We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

The History of the United States as Performed by Animal Saint

by Animal Saint

supported by
Rene Fleichaus
Rene Fleichaus thumbnail
/
1.
These Years 02:48
lyrics
buy track
These Years © 2020 Ambiguous Try to set behind me the memory of these years The fading after-image and echo in my ears I’m too old to change them now I’m too old to change these years My sole ambition was life in all circumstance My act of contrition is losing faith in chance I’m too old to change them now I’m too old to change these years By my own definition another casualty I go on repeating the voices of memory I’m too old to change them now I’m too old to change these years
2.
City On A Hill 03:58
lyrics
buy track
City on a Hill © 2020 Ambiguous On the ship we signed a pact And when we landed in the wilderness Dedicated the ground to the Lord for salvation On our land we built our town The lord above was watching us Our City of God, a light to the world. Sanctified, we fought our foes The witch and the indian Death took many to hell or to heaven Others came to disbelieve in our errand in the wilderness They tried to corrupt our enterprise In our town we built a fire To purify the heretics But our town itself became the inferno (Glorious things of thee are spoken Zion city of our God He whose word can ne’er be broken Formed thee for his own abode With salvation’s walls surrounded Thou mayst smile at all thy foes On the Rock of Ages founded Who can shake thy sure repose?)
3.
Song of Freedom 01:52
lyrics
buy track
Song of Freedom © 2020 Ambiguous No lights shining bright enough Our eyes squint and strain. Where’s the truth they say will set us free. Who turned out the lights? Where’s the path worth following? Our footsteps vanish in the dust. We almost see freedom in the stars. Who turned out the lights? Our skin breaks with the cracking whip. Our only food is sighs. If only the light was a little brighter. Who turned out the lights?
4.
Fortunate Island 03:15
lyrics
buy track
Fortunate Island © 2020 Ambiguous When we arrived here to this island Our hands were eager for gold The sea was raging and hungry for flesh But god delivered our souls There we were we holy few The world was ours to explore We came to you oh fortunate island To bring god to your shore Silent night, holy night The stars baptized us With trickles of light When we arrived here to this island People were crude and obscene So we’ll remain on this fortunate island And keep them under our wing
5.
Where the Devil Dances 02:55
lyrics
buy track
Where the Devil Dances © 2020 Ambiguous People listen to me Hear what I will say From the gaping mouth of hell Are few who seek the way Leave this evil city And your sins confess Purify your minds and hearts In the wilderness Oh pray, pray, pray for the love of jesus To comfort you while you travel the miles Down the road where the devil dances Escape the lies of satan And his temptations Glory land is to the west With your salvation Press on, on, on as the darkness advances Keep yourself strong for the way is long Down the road where the devil dances So fare thee well, believer On your holy quest To spread the word of jesus christ In the wilderness Go on, on, though the trail is littered with corpses Salvation awaits at the pearly gates Down the road where the devil dances
6.
New Horizon 02:17
lyrics
buy track
New Horizon © 2020 Ambiguous Trees are falling down, down from this mountain They make a crashing sound then wait for us to guide them Guide them down the stream like cattle on the plain Through the river’s mud, to an eastbound train This forest will provide our families with homes We’ll fertilize this ground with our flesh and bones Our children will grow strong and populate this Eden Continuing to build upon this new horizon
7.
Oklahoma 02:43
lyrics
buy track
Oklahoma © 2020 Ambiguous God pointed west, so we came with the sun His Divine Hand will guide his chosen ones Over the mountains and over the plains Heading west to find Eden again god’s plan, god’s land… The sinners are baptised in the rushing flash flood The twisting wind pulls them up to god There they stand with the red dirt in their hands: “Here is the soil of your promised land” Red land, dead land Oklahoma And the stars in the sky stare with frozen eyes. Is the hand of god upon his troubled kin? The worried congregation can’t escape this land, The death in the water nor the death in the wind Every Sunday the same old hymns are sung The children of the saints jabber on in tongues Look up and pray Yippie tai yay Oklahoma Look down on your kin Forgive their sins Oklahoma
8.
Christ-jun Hymn 04:25
lyrics
buy track
Christ-jun Hymn © 2020 Ambiguous God loves us yes he does We are his little red children He’ll reward us in the end By taking us up to heaven God loves us yes he does And even more when we pray in English He’ll reward us in the end And save us from our hunger and sickness And will there be buffalo in heaven Or will we go hunting for angel hides? God loves us yes he does We are his little red children If we endure the devil’s tests He will grant us our liberation God loves us yes he does Or so they tell us in his missions And he’ll reward us in the end And deliver us from our tribulations And will there be buffalo in heaven Or will we go hunting for angel hides? And will there be buffalo in heaven Or will we go hunting for angel hides?
9.
An Evening 03:01
lyrics
buy track
An Evening © 2020 Ambiguous He smokes a cigarette and has another drink He sways intoxicated, eyelids slowly blink Alcohol recalls the memory Of a foreign city in flames Paper lanterns brighten Chinatown A woman sings a melody from far away A ship waits in the harbor To take him back to the war She says she wants to dance And wears a long string of pearls She bends to say hello All the lights wink out across the bay Is he now in Shanghai or the USA? Tokyo, Pusan, Bangkok Saigon or Taipei? She senses his desire But she sees that his eyes are very far away Away
10.
The Dance of Lewis and Clark Upon Arriving at the Pacific Ocean 00:59
info
buy track
11.
Fire in Heaven 04:01
lyrics
buy track
Fire in Heaven © 2020 Ambiguous Flying high, an angel in heaven Spiraling round, never touching down Falling upwards to heaven Lying low, an animal Hunger and thirst, crawling on the earth Water and sunlight streaming Stranded souls among the stars Searching for meaning of what they are While god in heaven fans and feeds the flames Bringing destruction and life again Wandering between earth and sky Bound by desire, far from the fire That burns eternally in heaven
12.
Man, Pitiful Insect 02:33
lyrics
buy track
Man, Pitiful Insect © 2020 Ambiguous Man, Pitiful Insect Out the womb with fear of death in his breast A corpse fallen in a narrow valley White bones that no one gathers up Man…
13.
Soft Furnishings 03:03
lyrics
buy track
Soft Furnishings ©2020 Ambiguous Sitting in fluorescent light Wondering if it’s day or night Browsing through pages of old magazines Ads selling cigarettes and amphetamines It feels safe on soft furnishings Fondly recall the simple things Happiness is what nostalgia brings A flag nailed like jesus to a barren wall Still, but defiant, we’ll survive it all It feels safe on soft furnishings Each passing day’s a mystery who are we to complain about destiny? It feels safe on soft furnishings The end of the world and the end of time Really is no concern of mine The afterglow of memory Will fade like mist into eternity It feels safe on soft furnishings
14.
Objects 02:35
lyrics
buy track
Objects ©2020 Ambiguous Objects keep my head turning Seducing me through shapes and sounds Answering my every question And promising a world made just for me Objects parading like saviors Peddling diversion and security listening in on my confessions absolving me of culpability Objects command my attention Governing my sense of reality The zenith of function and fashion Nursed upon the teat of technology
15.
Whispering Breeze 03:48
lyrics
buy track
Whispering Breeze ©2020 Ambiguous A tired sun, intrudes on a sleepy day As singing birds, welcome its morning rays Through the trees, is heard a whispering breeze She hears her name, blowing through the leaves An accusing sun, pushes through the blinds Annoyingly, grinning as it shines Through the trees, is heard a whispering breeze She hears her name, blowing through the leaves She tells herself, this is all a passing phase While nervously, she yearns for simpler days Through the trees, is heard a whispering breeze She hears her name, blowing through the leaves blowing through the leaves, blowing through the leaves
16.
Where the Devil Dances (Reprise) 01:41
lyrics
buy track
Where the Devil Dances Reprise ©2020 Ambiguous People listen to me A story I will tell Few are they who seek the way Out of the mouth of hell Leave this evil city Leave your lives of sin Purify your mind and heart In the wilderness Oh pray, oh pray Oh pray for the love of jesus To walk with you while you travel the miles Down the road where the devil dances Oh pray, oh pray Oh pray for the love of jesus To keep you strong for the way is long Down the road where the devil dances

about

Animal Saint is the name for the interdisciplinary art collaboration between musician/composer Paul Amiel and multi-media artist John Feodorov. Their debut album, "The History of the United States as Performed by Animal Saint", critically, and sometimes satirically, examines the roughly 250 years of US history. As a form of narrative theatre the songs address certain events from the point of view of the main actors – many times the exploiters, oppressors, and misguided leaders – as they conquered the North American continent, spreading, imposing, and instituting their peculiar outcast and radical ideologies into the nation we know today. Animal Saint does a critical rereading of this history with a sharply observational stance regarding these historic actors and events in an attempt to display the deep dysfunctions that led to their glorious and terrible acts.

Musically, Animal Saint draws on three of the most venerable American Musical traditions - the ballad, the hymn, and the pop song - utilizing a variety of instruments from many global traditions, their multicultural musical sounds and structures illuminating and commenting on the historical narratives in the songs.

credits

released October 1, 2020

Paul Amiel: voice, keyboards, gothic harp, flutes, shakuhachi, guzheng, accordion, harmonica, programming.

John Feodorov: voice, guitars, sanxian, bass, violin, keyboards, percussion, programming.

Recorded remotely between Seattle and Tucson. Mixed and mastered at Ambiguous Productions, Seattle.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Animal Saint image

Animal Saint Seattle, Washington

John Feodorov and Paul Amiel grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles, coming from very different cultural backgrounds but sharing the same disdain and critical eye for the pervasive dominant culture narratives. Creating and performing music together off and on since high school, their songs demonstrate a lyrical and multi-instrumental acuity honed over decades of writing and performing together. ... more

contact / help

Contact Animal Saint

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

If you like Animal Saint, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Beans joins the show to discuss his album release, "ZWAARD".

listen now