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The Sleepy Hollow Years

by Sleepy Hollow

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Darren Douglas Danahy
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Darren Douglas Danahy For fans of both heavy metal and progressive rock, there is quite a lot about this album to love.

Interestingly enough, the story of the Headless Horseman really stood out to me as a kid, I've even lived in the Hudson Valley and been to Sleepy Hollow.

Wild dynamic shifts, operatic vocals, face melting guitar perpetuate this album. Complex compound time signatures and sounds from celtic to classic dance around the album like characters in a play.
A film for the ears and a must for metalheads
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1.
1-Arm yourself only you are always there to protect you Laws and friends on your side cannot help all the time 2-You must beware the armed man he is always out there There'll be a time he will find you all alone --------------------------------- Hard times have come in the streets, at the hearthside At the hands of a stranger or someone you know Rape and assault may lurk 'round any corner Danger abounds for women Laws against violence, attempts at justice Can't erase pain, though they punish the crime There may be a time when there's none there to help Though the system may be on your side CHORUS: Learn how to fight, make your body a weapon Be your own guard, by knowledge armed Help build a world where those who do evil Shall be the ones who come to harm Reject the tradition where men do the fighting Where your safety is lost with no hero near Look to yourself and you'll find that you never Are in danger without a champion It takes time and effort, it will not be easy But the price that you pay is your own freedom Raise up your daughters with strong minds and bodies So they may be safe in their lives CHORUS: Learn how to fight, make your body a weapon Be your own guard, by knowledge armed Help build a world where those who do evil Shall be the ones who come to harm
2.
All the wisdom of the world is now at your fingertips Grasp the fruit of knowledge that Hangs within your reach Read what foods are best for you and how you can find true love Let TV and magazines Show these books to you News scans life's grand picture and Gives us the important facts Several billion tales are told Tell us which ones count No more need to look around Or learn through experience Open up your eyes and ears Hear the guru's words The love expert tells me the difference between men and women How to find romance and make the passion last Did you know that he is now on his third marriage? I'd rather trust one who made the first one work The foods that I heard last year were the best ones for me I just read in this book, I should avoid them the most How can it be these diets are thoroughly tested Yet every year proved wrong by further research This news story I see tells me of a racial riot Another case of a quite disturbing trend But this time I was there - both sides were of mixed race The reporter in haste just threw in his favorite slant What is the basis of you being an expert That all the world shall hang on your words? Could it be that we rely on experts That know no more than you or I do? Words you read in books attest to the power to channel the logic in reader's minds But, this is not truth if the logic runs false or is based on unfounded assumptions, so You must think for yourself and just do your best knowing no-one holds absolute wisdom, and Yet, within every mind there flickers the flame to illuminate truth in our daily life
3.
The Mirror 06:03
You speak ill of men Say that they're all pigs Yet to kindly ones Won't give the time of day You call women whores Give them no respect Especially the ones You can't get in your bed chorus: The side of life you see Can be what you seek out The world is evil - Could it all be just because You avoid the good? Have you ever thought How you see the world Your opinions, Could it be that they reflect On yourself most of all? You hate the white man Won't listen to his lies You know that they all Think you're all the same You say immigrants Just care for their own kind You would protect the "true Americans" from them chorus: The side of life you see Can be what you seek out The world is evil - Could it all be just because You avoid the good? Have you ever thought How you see the world Your opinions, Could it be that they reflect On yourself most of all?
4.
The Wanderer 10:08
You speak ill of men Say that they're all pigs Yet to kindly ones Won't give the time of day You call women whores Give them no respect Especially the ones You can't get in your bed chorus: The side of life you see Can be what you seek out The world is evil - Could it all be just because You avoid the good? Have you ever thought How you see the world Your opinions, Could it be that they reflect On yourself most of all? You hate the white man Won't listen to his lies You know that they all Think you're all the same You say immigrants Just care for their own kind You would protect the "true Americans" from them chorus: The side of life you see Can be what you seek out The world is evil - Could it all be just because You avoid the good? Have you ever thought How you see the world Your opinions, Could it be that they reflect On yourself most of all?
5.
A sea of darkness laps in through my window I swallow sadness, I drown in apathy Smothered by sorrow, I drift into another night's sleep My friends have drifted off to live their lives on islands far away Their own grails seek, our courses no more cross Housed in my heart, but ever distant now in space and time My youth has washed away, it's driftwood on a long-forgotten shore Now weather-worn, bruised and beaten down Storm-tossed by life, I am an old man in a young man's clothes Another day is left behind - it's gone forever now Seek sleep for solace, hold hope the dawn brings joy... Behold the dawn, the ocean lies before me now I will set sail and boldly face the day I will embark to sail into tomorrow Focus my mind on what I need to do To catch the wind, and steer my ship, and plot my course A life of action is a life of pride and joy I'll face the storm - the winds they shall awaken me Struggle to survive makes life it's own reward Each shore I reach is full of new adventure I will explore it, and find it's hidden wealth Each town or field, may prove a place of joy for me Each stranger's face, may turn into a friend's
6.
Blood on my hands, of a man I've been told is my foe Although, not long ago, I knew nothing of his people's ways And this man, before now, had known none from my land But was taught by his elders he must hate all those of my kind In a time not long past, a great empire we feared With this land in its shadow, in risk of becoming a part So our king sowed the seeds of dissent in this land Finding those who sought conflict and selling them weapons of might They've been told we break laws made by the One God Himself If he's the One God of all, did he not make this man and I both? If God's strength knows no bounds, why leave justice to Man? Could it be that our kings use God's name for their own godless ends? When a new king arose in this strange foreign land He made plans to keep his kingdom's wealth in his own nation's bounds And his people knew joy, in their own nation's health Until one day a dagger of strange make cut their king's reign short While the lords sit at home counting gold gained from foreign lands Squeezed by their agents using methods now outlawed The poor men of each nation must now be locked in fight Knowing nought of each other but the sight of his blood In the fields of the slain, all the blood's formed one pool From soldiers of both sides who shall never return to their homes In the towns near the war, even children were killed While our kings and lords, safe at home, secretly plan the next war
7.
Christina and her mother laid gold upon the bier (Who plucks the leaves from the lily stem?) The maiden wept in sorrow -Ah, dead her love so dear (Ah, ye are bright and joyous ever) Who now with gentle fingers is knocking at my door? Christina rise and open unto me I implore! My hand to none is promised as long as I am free To no-one I'll give entrance in dead of night to me Oh rise and open quickly and have of me no fear Thy love, oh my Christina, is standing waiting here! He scarce the words had spoken, she stay'd to hear no more But left her bed then quickly and opened wide the door Christina drew her lover towards the golden shrine She knelt and wash'd his feet there, with clear and sparkling wine Within her little chamber for many hours sate they And talked of love together till midnight waned away Ah! Morn's already dawning, Hark, love, the cock doth crow The time has come, when, dear one, the dead to rest must go Then drew the maid Christina her shoes upon her feet And followed through the forest her love with footsteps fleet At last, within the churchyard, both, hand-in-hand, stood they His hair so thick and golden had fallen quite away Christina, love, look yonder, how pure the moon's soft light She scarce had turned, her lover had vanished from her sight She sat upon his grave then "here will I stay, oh love" Till God my woe doth pity and call my soul above Hark! Loudly, clearly rang then the youth's voice in the air My only love, I pray thee, ah - sit not weeping there For every tear of anguish which from thine eye doth start Sinks in my place of resting and fills with pain my heart And every joyous moment which banishes thy care Ah' Fills my lonely coffin with roses sweet and fair!
8.
To the sands, our children go not knowing who's a friend and who's a foe We saw the twins crash into dust And fear of the next strike grips each of us Children in our schools gun children down And to criminals give Hero's crown One night of passion can bring your end And some are now afraid to shake your hand Have we come to the troubled times When God brings the end to punish Mankind's crimes? In my heart I just want to cry Despair fills my soul and all hope does die! To the jungle without a choice Our children learn to flinch at every noise Two kings down by the assassins' gun We await the bombs that make the Earth a sun People riot in the schools and streets They clash with police in the summer's heat Progress poisons us through meat & breath Unchecked growth within shall bring our death Our parents can recall the troubled times When the end seemed near to punish Mankind's crimes In their hearts they wanted to cry Despair filled their souls and all hope did die! L'Homme Arme doibt on doubter You must arm yourself with an iron hauberk The Hammer of the Gods is coming down To rape and pillage and to burn our towns Pretty Polly's lover took her life He'd had his way with her and sought no wife Ringed roses make us all fall down The smell of death infuses every town The worst of times have come before, my friend And despite predictions, it was not the end Though your heart breaks and you would cry You must not allow the flame of hope to die With our souls afire and our heads held high We will make it through to the other side . . . of these TROUBLED TIMES!
9.
Armageddon 08:30
The drums of war have started I tremble in my bones The prophecies of madmen Have suddenly come home I see the storm clouds gather I hear the ocean roar I feel the magma pulsing Our world shall be no more A comet burns across the sky, brings mountains low and valleys high, and makes the Earth shake with it's might The whole Earth tremors as she shifts, and her hot blood pours out in rifts, to show our death in Hellish light. Tsunamis pound us from the sea, and bring our cities to their knees, our screams of anguish fill the night (solo - Junior) Upon the world man has become A horrid plague, an evil scum To Nature's greatness he's grown numb He's poisoned sea and land and sky So all that swim and crawl and fly Shall in increasing numbers die The beasts he alters at his will The forests fall beneath his till He's stricken Mother Nature ill And so this horrid race of men Shall from the face of Earth be cleansed For us, I fear, it is the End Volcanoes spew their embers high and clouds send lightning from the sky upon the Earth it does rain fire The embers to great flames give birth creating, truly, Hell on Earth as Nature burns us in her ire The flames, they jump from tree to town burn our pride, with our houses, down the Earth becomes our funeral pyre (solo - Junior) And so the land is clothed in flame And all the world cries out in pain And yet the blood, it leaves no stain When all is cool, the dusty plain Shall bring forth life to gentle rain Thus shall the world be born again (solos - Joe & Mole)
10.
Young Ichabod Crane leaves the ball a defeated soul Visions of a beautiful lass, her voice still echoes in his ears Soon the feeling of a phantom presence alters his thoughts The sound of an unseen spectre arouses his fears Moonlight, casting strange shadows across my path - that move without wind Legends I've heard of this region that spectres walk - and stalk in the night A twig breaks, nearby in the woodland, from heavy weight - my heart starts to pound I cry out a "Hail!" and "Who goes there?" to no reply - but red eyes meet my gaze! chorus Sleepy Hollow in the trees, glancing at me Creepy feelings running through me - I cannot breathe I cannot escape - fear the mental rape I set my heels into my horse's flanks with force - and fly for my life Although I'm the only live horseman for miles around - I hear eight hooves pound Pure terror keeps my eyes locked forward, but I can feel - hot breath on my neck I must reach sanctuary in the churchyard across the bridge - if I'm to survive chorus Sleepy Hollow in the trees, glancing at me Creepy feelings running through me - I cannot breathe I cannot escape - fear the mental rape
11.
Mountain and forest filled with peace This sanctuary I once knew In this place Bird-song will cease For builder's dreams and highways through. Chorus: Earth bleeds To feed Your need For greed Why lakes must die and trees must fall I don't understand I'll never know More fast food another mall So that their bank accounts can grow. Chorus: Earth bleeds To feed Your need For greed

about

As a founding member of Lodi, NJ progressive/metal act Sleepy Hollow, Matt Schwarz contributed numerous songs to the project. The songs he's most connected to are gathered here, although there are many other great songs on the band's three main releases: the self-titled EP, Goin' Over, and Legend.

Several of these songs were written by Matt alone: "La Femme Arme," "Aristotle's Lantern," "The Mirror," "The Wanderer," "Mare Crastinum," "The Soldier's Lament," "Sorrow's Might."

"Troubled Times" was mostly Matt's writing, with some contributions from the band. Other songs - "Armageddon," "Sleepy Hollow," and "Farewell To Wilderness" were group collaborations that Matt had a part in and that he sang on the recording.

"Farewell to Wilderness" is the only one he didn't contribute lyrics to, while for "Sleepy Hollow," Matt wrote the verses and the bridge/chorus were written by the rest of the band.

"Sorrow's Might" is an unusual exception - a traditional Swedish folk song that Matt arranged for the band.

The band members also contributed to the arrangements.

For the full catalogue, look for these albums by Sleepy Hollow
Sleepy Hollow (4 song EP)
Goin' Over
Legend (2 disc)

credits

released April 25, 2020

Matt Schwarz - lead vocals, guitars, flute, harp, dulcimer, bass, mandolin
Joe Dell - keys and vocals, some bass
Gary Rinaldi - drums (except on Mare Crastinum and Sleepy Hollow)

Dan Castiel - bass and vocals on Mare Crastinum and Sleepy Hollow, lyrics on Farewell to Wilderness
Frank Melick - drums and vocals on Mare Crastinum and Sleepy Hollow

with:
Annie Dell - backing vocals on Sorrow's Might
Christina Kirk - backing vocals on Sorrow's Might and La Femme Arme
Anna LaBella - lead vocals on La Femme Arme
Mike Allen - backing vocals on Farewell to Wilderness and Armageddon
Tom Catuosco - additional guitar on Armageddon and Farewell to Wilderness
Tony Renda - additional bass
Lisa Thompson - additional flute on La Femme Arme
Jennifer Scott - violin on The Soldier's Lament
Gary Luhrman - additional bass

all songs, music and lyrics by Matt Schwarz except:
Sorrow's Might traditional, arr. Schwarz
Troubled Times and Armageddon - lyrics Schwarz, music Schwarz, Melick, Dell, Castiel
Farewell to Wilderness lyrics Castiel, music Castiel, Dell, Melick, Schwarz
Sleepy Hollow lyrics and music Dell, Schwarz, Castiel, Melick

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Matt Schwarz Bridgewater Township, New Jersey

Matthew H Schwarz moves between (and combines) the musical genres of classical, progressive rock, traditional and original folk, and heavy metal. His main instruments are guitar, harp, and flute. Sheet music can be found at www.sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/matthew-h-schwarz-sheet-music/3006990. ... more

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