IGNORED OBSCURED RESTORED

In 1991 the two original members of the power pop group the dB’s, Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey, released a duo album in 1991 under their own names called Mavericks.

I first became aware of this album by my cousin Tom V who is tied into the Hoboken, NJ music scene where it was recorded. His friend James MacMillan played bass on Mavericks.

This is a beautiful album, well played, with terrific, heartfelt lyrics. The songs were all written by either Holsapple and Stamey except the Gene Clark chestnut “Here Without You” (recorded by The Byrds on Mr Tambourine Man) and a Stamey collaboration with Mick Jones and Joes Strummer of The Clash, “Lovers Rock.”

The SotW is their one collaboration on the disc — “Angels.”

“Angels” is understated, with clever harmonies over a bed of jangly acoustic guitars and a swirling organ. The lyrics are clever, charming and heartfelt.

Keep one eye out for angels
When you’re on the road
And if you see an angel, do let me know

‘Cause when you’re on the road babe
When you’re on the move
Sometimes I hear an angel on the roof

And it’s a crazy little sound that I here up there
And it wakes me up
Sometimes I think I must be dreaming and as it turns out
No such luck

Chorus:
Hear an angel
Hear her moving over me
Hear an angel
Hear an angel calling me

She says “I know where he’s at tonight
and he is not with you
he’s with another angel
and he’ll call you when he’s through”

Some nights I go back to bed
And sleep till way past ten
And some nights I lay wide awake
And wait for her again

And it’s a crazy little sound that she makes up there
And it wakes me up

Chorus

When you’re home it’s all OK
And when you’re gone it’s not
We don’t choose the lives we lead
But there’s one thing you forgot

An angel will protect you
From any present danger
Remember I’ve got one here,
From your last angel’s stranger

And it’s a crazy little sound that she makes upstairs
And it wakes me up
So I take her to the kitchen and feed her something
From her cup

She wonders where you are tonight
And so do I, I guess

Chorus

Mavericks went virtually unnoticed at the time of its release and quickly went out of print. Fortunately, through the magic of the internet, you can hear it today on either Spotify or YouTube, so check it out.

Enjoy… until next week.