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.

Million Miles

by Garrick Rawlings

/

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $7 USD  or more

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Found a box of my first CD, pre dreaming/downloading era

    Includes unlimited streaming of Million Miles via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      $7 USD or more 

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    5
    releases

    Get all 5 Garrick Rawlings releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Love's Been Sold, Garrick Rawlings, Dollars To Dust (feat. Ramblin' Jack Elliott), Soul Fly, and Million Miles. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      $20.25 USD or more (25% OFF)

     

1.
Just Passin' Thru 03:42
lyrics
buy track
Just Passin’ Thru by Garrick Rawlings ©2002 I learned to crawl in Wichita Got up and ran in Michigan I followed the girl who stole my heart Left alone in Chicagoland I left there with the blues, I had nothin’ much to lose I went down to New Orleans town To get my baby back I found her there in another man’s arms My dreams they did fade to black I was feelin’ like a fool, sittin’ on that ol’ barstool I like wearin’ my hat low I dig walkin’ in my boots But most of all I love, just passin’ thru The western states is where I’m bound tired a breathin’ city air The Rocky Mountain high I’m told Is clean and healin’ there Oh no more will I lose, and I will kill big city blues I like wearin’ my hat low I dig walkin’ in my boots But most of all I love, just passin’ thru I staked my claim in the golden state The Garden of Eden The do-re-mi don’t last you see Time to hit the road again I’ve paid all my dues with worthless IOU's From the north south east and west I’ll be chasing wild sunsets By road rail or mule, I don’t know what else to do I like wearin’ my hat low I dig walkin’ in my boots But most of all I love, just passin’ thru I like goin’ up town I dig goin’ downtown Really I just can’t wait to get out of this town Maybe someday I’ll settle down But pound for pound I’ll take ramblin’ around
2.
Whiskey, Cryin', Pain... 03:43
lyrics
buy track
Whiskey, Cryin', Pain... by Garrick Rawlings ©2002 Here’s to the ladies you love and Never want to see again Last night seemed kind of special This mornin’ you realize how long it’s been Don’t fight the lonely feeling Tryin’ to get what you can We’re only flesh and blood and sometimes Old bones just need a friend So take all those promises and lies We all say that ain’t right But don’t beat yourself up Sometimes you’re just too tired to fight Be it whiskey, cryin’, pain, runnin’ or spite I’m for whatever gets you through the night So pull up those ol’ bootstraps Put on your brave face for a new day Face all those faces and memories You’re not willin’ to trade Don’t take it so hard At least you’re still willin’ to play Ain’t it funny, how the right little smile Can make you feel OK Be it whiskey, cryin’, pain, runnin’ or spite I’m for whatever gets you through the night Here’s to the ladies you love and Never want to see again We’re only flesh and blood and Sometimes old bones just need a friend
3.
Million Miles 07:41
lyrics
buy track
Million Miles Garrick Rawlings © 2002 Another day a year gone by I’m not scared and I wonder why I sit here alone night after night I still think I’ll end up right A million miles keeps us apart A million miles and a thousand stars A million miles keeps us apart Do you keep the old folks close in kind? Do you ever dream they can see through time? Have you ever looked and tried to find those things that are true inside your mind? A million miles keeps us apart from a sweet little smile and a brand new start Tired ‘a playin’ Mr. Lonesome, of bein’ third wheel; these honky tonks and pool halls, they ain’t no great deal I lost faith somewhere, I don’t know when; right now I just want it back again [Chorus] Do you find it silly how so many hid From the dreams they had when they were kids? Do you find success in the almighty buck or in a stud palomino and a pick up truck? Do you ever look at your old friends and wonder where they all went? Have you ever looked up into the sky and screamed out loud; “Please god why?” C’mon baby let’s bust a move; tell me honey, do you still groove? [Chorus] And a million miles keeps us apart A million miles and a billion stars
4.
Lincoln Penny 05:34
lyrics
buy track
Lincoln Penny © 2018 by Garrick Rawlings I see that penny shinin’ On the ground beneath my feet I see my grandad’s face I hear the land of Lincoln speak… Down in Morgan county; Franklin, Jacksonville My roots, prairie farmers; Howsers, Oxleys and Scholfields Grandad took me to that land when I was just a kid The sun was blazin’ hot down there the air as thick as sin We stayed at the old farmhouse with Uncle Mac and Aunt Bernadine I realized years later “American Gothic” I had seen He took me to an old log cabin he told me what the legend did He said Abraham Lincoln was the greatest man that ever lived I see that penny shinin’ On the ground beneath my feet I see my grandad’s face I hear the land of Lincoln speak I pick up that old coin I stuff it in my jeans I hold it in my pocket No one knows what it’s worth to me We drove to the big river the mighty, muddy Miss In that giant golden Buick listenin’ to that old 8-track hiss We went inside a shop filled with artifacts I saw a lock of hair with some books in a case of glass The hair was all wrapped up in square clear cellophane I asked who’s Sam Clemens? He said son that’s Mark Twain - Ch - As we drove back north to Bloomington past the rows and rows of corn He said boy don’t forget where the rest of us were born He took me to an old log cabin, he told me what the legend did He said Abraham Lincoln was the greatest man that ever lived I pick up that old coin I stuff it in my jeans I hold it in my pocket No one knows what it’s worth to me
5.
Little White Cross 03:39
lyrics
buy track
Little White Cross Garrick Rawlings ©2002 Another man done gone Another man done gone He never hurt no one Now we get this song Another man done gone Another man done gone Just got out and run Men collect some bodies Women collect their souls Now there’s another little white cross On the side of the road Where did you go? I loved you so I saw that hole Hole in your soul Another man done gone Another man done gone So your woman let you down Now it’s over, you’re in the ground Another man done gone Another man done gone Now you hurt everyone What do we tell your son?
6.
Problem 00:40
info
buy track
7.
Dollars to Dust 03:53
lyrics
buy track
Dollars to Dust Garrick Rawlings ©2002 Ashes to ashes and dollars to dust We’re killing our country it’s turning to rust New country music it sounds all the same Thank god Johnny Cash never played that dumb game The best rock and roll, the samplers all steal Package it up new, ain’t that a great deal Ashes to ashes and dollars to dust We’re killing our country it’s turning to rust Movie stars, rap stars and jocks on TV I’m so disgusted, let’s kill their Humvies Politicians smilin’ then laughin’ then lyin’ I see ‘em kiss babies, no wonder they’re cryin’ Cyberspace, cell phones and daytime TV Hey Jerry! Hey Oprah! please let me be Ashes to ashes and dollars to dust We’re killing our country it’s turning to rust Rome, Spain and the United Kingdom Got fat and content, you just couldn’t please ‘em The kids today, I like to tease ‘em From the gap in the mall, they all look so pleasin’ Ashes to ashes and dollars to dust We’re killing our country it’s turning to rust I’m tryin’ and tryin’ and tryin’ to find What my dad and grandad could see so blind I’m scared for the future that is my reason Want to fly Old Glory without committin’ treason Ashes to ashes and dollars to dust We’re killing our country it’s turning to rust
8.
Worst Girl 03:37
lyrics
buy track
Worst Girl Garrick Rawlings ©2002 She was good at making promises, and making me believe If I hung in there a little longer, then I would retrieve All the love I had given her, all the hopes and all the dreams But when it came right down to it She was the worst girl I’d ever seen She had a penchant to exaggerate, which tended to exacerbate Any anger I was feelin’, life used to be serene But it’s my fault for not thinkin’ and for takin’ such a beating Oh, my eyesight, it did fail me, she’s the worst girl I’d ever seen Aye ah aye ah aye Well her mom was kind of pretty, but I had to feed those goddam kitties I should of left them up that tall tree, where they might have let me be Oh, seein’ is believin’ no more cryin’ sad song singin’ All those tears they stopped today and I’m just glad I got away I’m just glad I got away Well I tried to do right by her, yeah I tried to conceive A long and happy future, maybe a child there in-between Thank god it never happened, my unborn child is safe If she’d a had my baby, my whole family would’ve been disgraced Aye ah aye ah aye Well the sex was pretty awful and travelin’ was a bitch If I’d a wised up a little sooner, I’d a left her in a ditch All her friends lived in a dog pound and her family was all jail bound And the interest in the incest was just a little bit obscene Yeah, just a little bit obscene Well this song it ain’t so pretty and the words are all kinda mean But I don’t know how else to say it, she’s the worst girl I’d ever seen Oh, seein’ is believin’ no more cryin’ sad song singin’ All those tears they stopped today and I’m just glad I got away I’m just glad I got away
9.
Two 06:27
lyrics
buy track
Two Garrick Rawlings ©2002 I was the first born son Of a first born son My room painted baby blue In four years time, spring of ‘69 Along came number two Baseball we’d play Out in those fields all day Everything so green and bright It was our little town, with kids all around Suppertime’s at six tonight Someday I’m gonna be like him Someday he’s gonna call my name I want to do what he does, I just want to feel the same Oh aye oh aye oh It ain’t easy comin’ through, when you’re always number two Well the folks split up Mom had had enough Dad, he didn’t know what to say You were stuck at home, you were so alone And I just kept runnin’ away Now I don’t know why Little kid jealousy or spite But I didn’t treat you very good And it kills me to say, I sold you out that day In front of the kids in the neighborhood It was sin after sin You just couldn’t win After a while you didn’t even care You spent time in jail, after I set sail Like they say life just ain’t fair In the wide open spaces I’ve seen so many places Today I just wish you were here No sad refrains, but I’ll call out your name It’s time to share a couple bottles of beer It ain’t easy comin’ through without you number two After so many years Loneliness and tears I was thinkin’ how it was before How long has it been, the four of us then? Hell it don’t seem real no more The thought came to me We’re the legacy How I miss blood on blood Like sunny days and bad weather Old folks don’t last forever We’re bound to learn how to love Won’t be easy comin’ through When it’s only me and you
10.
L.P. Reprise 00:58
info
buy track
11.
Soul Fly 03:06
lyrics
buy track
A good portion of the lyrics in this song are album or song titles of my heroes. Below the lyrics -there's a "key" to the titles. Soul Fly Garrick Rawlings ©2001 Desolation Boulevard, Live At Budokan Eat A Peach, Brothers And Sisters, Duane and Berry are gone King Of California, Road To Bayamon I cant’ wait to take a ride on that ol Young Brigham I’m Up On The Lowdown, I love Sun Sessions There’s Shotgun Willie, with a sawed-off Remington There’s A Slow Train Coming, and Blood On The Tracks Get Your Wings, Fly By Night, Sheer Heart Attack Rust Never Sleeps, out On The Beach Why don’t these old records sound right on CD? A Little Bit O’Soul, when you’re down and out Whole Lotta Shakin’, Round And Round Once in a while it makes me cry Day After Day it helps me fly Raw Power, Love It To Death, Kick Out The Jams Tooth, Fang & Claw, We’re An American Band You’re Gonna Get It, Long After Dark Every Picture Tells A Story, A Wizard, A True Star Round About Midnight, Miles In The Sky Reigns A Love Supreme you know you can’t deny I don’t know much of what this world’s about I’m standin’ in a mean ol flood, over there’s a ten-year drought Houses Of The Holy, Tommy, Twist And Shout Let It Be, Let It Bleed, Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! KEY: In order of appearance Desolation Boulevard – Sweet Live At Budokan – Cheap Trick (amongst many others) Eat A Peach – Allman Brothers Brothers And Sisters – Allman Brothers King of California – Dave Alvin Road To Bayamon – Tom Russell Band Young Brigham – Ramblin’ Jack Elliott Up On The Lowdown – Chris Smither Sun Sessions–Elvis Presly/Johnny Cash/Carl Perkins/Roy Orbison/Ike Turner/Charlie Rich/Sonny Burgess/ Billy Riley… and all the rest of ‘em! Shotgun Willie – Willie Nelson Slow Train Coming – Bob Dylan Blood On The Tracks – Bob Dylan Get Your Wings – Aerosmith (the good ‘smith) Fly By Night – Rush Sheer Heart Attack – Queen Rust Never Sleeps – Neil Young On The Beach – Neil Young Little Bit O’Soul – The Music Explosion When You’re Down and Out – Tommy Bradley – James Cole Whole Lotta Shakin’ (Goin’ On) – Jerry Lee Lewis Round and Round – Aerosmith (again, the good ‘smith) Once In A While – (Too Many to List) Day After Day – Badfinger, Pretenders (Many Others) (The MICHIGAN verse!!!) Raw Power – Iggy And The Stooges Love It To Death–Alice Cooper(Alice Cooper Band:the real one!) Kick Out The Jams – MC5 Tooth Fang & Claw – Ted Nugent’s Amboy Dukes We’re An American Band - Grand Funk You’re Gonna Get It – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Long After Dark – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Every Picture Tells A Story – Rod Stewart (the good Rod) A Wizard, A True Star – Todd Rundgren Round About Midnight – The Miles Davis Quintet Miles In The Sky – Miles Davis A Love Supreme – John Coltrane Houses Of The Holy – Led Zeppelin Tommy – The Who Twist and Shout – Isley Brothers, Beatles Let It Be – Beatles Let It Bleed – Rolling Stones Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! – Rolling Stones Here’s one I loved but had to leave out: Ridin’ The Storm Out, Women and Children First On Your Feet Or On Your Knees, it’s kinda like goin’ to church! (REO Speedwagon, Van Halen, Blue Öyster Cult)

about

Million Miles is Garrick Rawlings’ debut release, a collection of 10 self-penned, self-recorded songs ranging from quiet introspection to loud protest.

As stated in the opening cut, “Just Passin’ Thru,” Garrick was born in Wichita, Kansas and grew up in a small town in Southwestern Michigan. “Sturgis lies at the midpoint on an old Chicago-Detroit Indian trail, now called US-12,” explains Rawlings. His mother was born and raised in Chicago, daughter of Greek immigrants, while his dad is from farm country in central Illinois as described in “Lincoln Penny.” “I had the best of both worlds; growing up in a small town environment, along with plenty of exposure and time spent in the city of Chicago. I started out working on farms and then in the factories that feed the Detroit automotive industry.”

Garrick’s Midwestern roots and adventurous Western migration are all over these songs. He started playing electric guitar early in high school and has been at it ever since. “Although I’ve had many great times and musical moments, I never had any luck with either joining or forming a band that would persevere. I experienced all the stereotypical setbacks and lost chances and egos long associated with the music industry. That’s the genesis of the Million Miles project. I had a burning desire to get my songs out there and figured I better pull up my bootstraps, take the reigns, and figure out how to get it done by myself.”

Garrick reveled in the aggressive rock attitude emanating two hours northeast of Sturgis in Detroit (the aftermath of the MC5/Stooges era,) and was exposed to massive amounts of blues and some jazz two hours southwest over in Chicago. “When I was living in Chicago, I had the good fortune to hear many brilliant blues musicians. This one guy, Lefty Dizz, played in a nearby dive after Cubs day baseball games. I watched and listened to that guy I don’t know how many times and could never figure out why nobody had heard of him.”

“Dizz was a tiny guy with a West side, uptown look, one of those guys who always wore a suit and had all the moves onstage. He had a wonderful twinkle in his eye, a marvelous grin and loved to drag his guitar along the floor with one hand while playin’ licks at the same time with the one hand. He had a beautiful, nasty tone and played southpaw on a right-handed Strat, strung right-handed. Dizz never really made any proper records before he died in ‘93 but did record a decent one-off with Louisiana Red. I learned later that he did have a reputation as a hotshot gunslingin’ guitar cat, but he could never be found! I was damn lucky to have wandered into that bar one day; I soon had a regular stool! There was a play based on his life performed in Chicago for a while after he died.”

Moving a Million Miles away to Los Angeles, Rawlings survived by working numerous jobs in the film industry while plotting his musical future. “I figured my dream of being in a working band as the lead guitar player and writer was never going to pan out. The music industry gatekeepers are pretty much doin’ a great job of keepin’ any good, original, soulful, interesting rock and roll or country off popular radio and TV. I was really at a loss until I discovered the solo works of Dave Alvin and Tom Russell along with rediscovering MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer, and his rebirth as a solo artist. It finally dawned on me that I needed to get it done myself, my own way, like those guys.”

Around this time, Rawlings was getting to know Ramblin’ Jack Elliott through mutual friends. “Of course I was and am a huge Ramblin’ Jack fan and was thrilled to meet and hang out with him. Jack’s wife/manager/road manager Jan always made sure to get me backstage to say hello when he was in town. Sadly, Jan got very sick and then died way before her time from a liver ailment, leaving Jack heartbroken and alone with gigs to play. I was available at the time and for better or worse, became Ramblin’ Jack’s road manager. Along with his usual solo appearances, I was fortunate enough to be along for shows with Merle Haggard, John Prine and the Everly Brothers and some great Cowboy Poetry Gatherings. There’s no way and not enough hours in the day to describe the value and good fortune of the time I spend together with Jack -my god- he started out with Woody Guthrie!”

Garrick’s music is neither traditional folk, blues nor rock and roll. “The best I can describe it in terms of comparison, with no intent of insulting the masters, is Neil Young meets Johnny Cash meets Led Zeppelin meets Wayne Kramer meets Dave Alvin meets Tom Russell meets John Prine meets...well, you get the idea. As much as I admire and honor the artists who have mastered and carry on in the purist form, I know my strength is in writing and making things my own. There’s a part of me that wants to be the wandering folk/cowboy minstrel a la Ramblin’ Jack, and another part aches to be a down and dirty “nothin’ but the blues” man, and I’ll never outgrow my love for 50s/60s/70s rock or traditional and outlaw country. I can never be all of those things but I think anyone with similar tastes can hear seeds of a lot those and many other influences coming right back out in my own songs. Someone will hopefully prove me wrong, but I think modern musical evolution peaked long ago. Once punk brought it back full circle in the mid-late 70s, it hasn’t really gone anywhere new since. All that’s left to do is write good songs and play it like you damn well mean it.”

It’s always been about the music with Garrick and we invite you to give these 10 new songs a good listen, and then another...

credits

released July 4, 2003

All Songs by Garrick Rawlings
Pappatheofanis Mousiki (music) ©2003
Recorded and mixed by Garrick Rawlings:
May-December 2002
Recorded on 4-track analog cassette tape
Recorded entirely in the Garage except:
Rick’s Lead Guitar recorded in His Garage
Ramblin’ Jack’s & GR’s Vocals on “$ To Dust”
Recorded in Jack’s Living Room.

Mastered by the Soundlab at Disk Makers

GR – acoustic 6 & 12 string guitars, electric guitars, bass, mandolin, drums, vocals
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott – vocals
Rick Shea – lead guitar
Tom Gruzo – piano, keyboards
Chris Brantley – drums
Jimmy McClelland - violin
Rich Podgur – vocals

CD jacket/disc design by GR
Graphic design on the computer by Kate Boyle
All photos by GR except:
Back Cover: “Somewhere in West Texas” by Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
Insert Shots: “Jack and Garrick”, “Walkin’ Thru Oregon” – Jody Foss
“GR & Jim Lager 7th St. LA” – Elizabeth Annas
“Blue Shirt” - Shayne Sawyer
“Mowing Indiana w/Johnny” – Garry Rawlings

Thank you again & again & again:
All the musicians listed that helped so much
Out of the kindness of their hearts.
Rich & Jimmy for their instruments & gear they let me hold hostage
Kate for the artistic expertise (and kind heart)
Chuck Gilbertson for scanning and logo help
Dan Franzen for the use of his photography gear
Emily Schaffer for twisting the knob

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Garrick Rawlings image

Garrick Rawlings California

Americana artist born in Wichita KS, raised in Sturgis, MI, left for Kalamazoo, on to Chicago, SoCal, Prescott, AZ and again LA.. A GR show is best described as Neil Young & Johnny Cash meet the MC5 riding horseback through the desert chasing Woody, Ramblin' Jack, Townes Van Zandt, Led Zeppelin, Tom Russell, John Prine, Guy Clark and a mariachi band at some obscure and magnificent raging campfire. ... more

shows

contact / help

Contact Garrick Rawlings

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

Garrick Rawlings recommends:

If you like Garrick Rawlings, 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