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Bangalore Blues

by Radha Thomas & Aman Mahajan

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    Comes in a specially designed handcrafted matte finish jacket, with artwork by iconic Bangalore cartoonist Paul Fernandes.

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1.
Four dry Martinis a few Gin ‘n’ Ts The sound in my head is the buzzing of bees Looked everywhere but I can’t find my keys Bartender call me a cab if you please Oh my head, somebody get me to bed I really can’t see far ahead, tomorrow maybe I’ll be dead On the ride way up town From down in China Town I’ll try to keep it down Cos I’ve borrowed this gown But the car sways and swerves I thought avenues had no curves But I know I deserve Everything that I’m served Take me home, I now that am oh so blown I know I need to be alone, so no one hears me moan groan Not again, not again, I swear, no, not again I’ve got nothing to gain from this broken refrain Can I take back the day, before you led me astray Where day is like night, day and night, night and day Hold me / Stop me / Let me / Go now ‘Cos I have to stay away Oh very, very far away I can’t do this, another day There’s no way No matter what you try and say Sitting here watchin’ the clouds rolling by Wondering if it will rain or be dry Counting the stars as they light up the sky I now know the what and the where and the why Oh my head, somebody get me to bed I really can’t see far ahead, tomorrow maybe I’ll be dead
2.
Jailer 04:22
You’ve locked me up and tied me down You’ve thrown away the key You say that I will fall in love With you, just wait and see You buy me diamond rings And then you ask if my heart sings But all that I want you to do’s Hand me back my wings Love, it wasn’t meant To be a one-way only street There’s no win or lose in love There’s only defeat You pour the fancy wine And sit beside me now to dine You dress me up in silk and satin Say I look so fine But there’s no point in this You know that I don’t want your kiss If you love me please set me free That would be my bliss Love it can’t be strained You know that love can’t be contained Love it can’t remain If there is always such pain You pushed me down, you held me down, I begged you please, I begged you please, I begged you please You said I'd have to fall in love with you, before you let me leave, before you let me leave, before you let me leave And tried to say that's not the way it works, people fall in and out of love, you need to find the space to grieve, find the space to grieve find the space to grieve That's the only way we go ahead, not together but apart. No broken heart, no broken heart, no broken heart.
3.
Would I Lie? 04:23
Would I lie for you Would I cry for you Would I try for you Would I die for you Would I run to you Or would I run from you Is it fun for you Am I the one for you Can’t know for sure If what we’re saying now Will be as true On every single day Can’t know for sure If what we’re feeling now Will be the same in every way You swear to me Though it’s plain to see It’s not to be There’ll never be a you & me There is no we Unless you see You hold the key What you say is what I’m hearing What I see I’m not believin’ So tell me when I will be Free of you Find my peace from you Take my leave from you I will not grieve for you I saw you on the street Looked good enough to eat You were holding someone’s hand Might have seen a wedding band I looked just to be sure Cos you said you were so pure But then I saw you eyes I understood the lies Hey hey, get those hands away you I’m thinking I should Go - find myself a life And put away that knife… I’m in a mood where I could hurt Uh lemme reassert So listen to me Here’s my final word I will no die for you
4.
Leifmotif 05:47
It’s seven o’clock that time again I’m trying to see through pouring rain Just when I thought I saw you there ‘Twas a leaf in the wind I think I can hear a roaring train I’m trying to wipe the windowpane Maybe I’ll clear away the grime Find it’s more than a leaf… I listen For just anything A bang, a thump That doorbell ring In the silence of This darkened night I wait, for you All of that hope, it’s all in vain Willing you back that’s just insane Like a leaf in a storm Trash on the street gets blown around Brimming with tears, I’ve run aground I thought that I felt a hand in mine It was only a leaf… I’m right on the edge so tightly wound I jump every time I hear a sound Just when I thought I heard you there 'Twas a leaf in the breeze I thought, I heard Somebody speak I think I hear A car door creak In the maelstrom of This fearful night I wait, for you There’s nothing here that I have found There’s nothing here that’s more profound Than a leaf in the wind
5.
I'm sitting in the darkness all alone There's nothing I can do but moan My fridge is on the blink, I'm burning up I got no ice to fill my cup The phone’s got no juice Computer’s blown a fuse What am I gonna do? The lights went out I know at half past six Tell me who’s been playing tricks The microphone don’t work, it won’t come on I sit here waiting for the dawn I can’t do a thing I can’t even sing What am I gonna do? (piano solo) I thought I’d heat me up some chicken pie The microwave won’t even sigh I thought I’d settle down, I’d try to write My laundry whirring out of sight Nothing’s goin’ right Tonight’s just not my night What am I gonna do? I thought that I would walk down to the store I’m stuck right up on sixty-four I count my fingertips to find the things That I can use without plug ins A paper and a pen A matchstick and a flame What am I gonna do? I’m sitting alone All do is moan Try to get the right tone What am I gonna do? Way down in the park I hear the dogs bark I’m afraid of the dark What am I gonna do? C’mon turn on the light Do I have to fight? Don’t citizens have rights? What am I gonna do?
6.
I hear his footsteps Although he’s never around I hear him speak now Although he’s not making sounds What’s that I see there? Shadows that grow on the ground Only illusion I’m lost, I want to be found I close my eyes I’m trying to bring back the way I felt his breath Oh, so soft on my neck every day Senses they’re heightened I feel so wide and awake Demons they torment They taunt, they won’t go away He said He’d be back and always stay right by my side But I Didn’t know that he would hide The truth Everything he said to me has been a lie He’s gone Every day just passes by Starlight it sparkles it says to me don’t you cry Moon, it fills up the sky I can’t tell you why Sun, is dawning lighting the morning sky World keeps turning But how do I keep going when I’ve Lost him forever If only I, I had known Why did I scare him? Oh why did I let him go?
7.
I’m all alone, All my welcomes worn I feel so sad ‘cos I’m oh so far from my home I can’t get up and go Cos I ain’t got the dough  I’m stuck here in the sleet and rain and the snow I dream of purple trees Gardens filled with bees I’m down with an awful case of the Bangalore Blues   I can smell the rain Playing dirty tricks on my brain I wish it was close so I could just hop on a train But that city’s too far I can’t get there by car So all that’s left to do is go find me a bar But one day soon I’ll fly I’ll take to those friendly skies But right now I’m filled with a case of the Bangalore Blues My friends they all said That travelling’s bad for your head Be careful there girl or you could wind up being dead Back then I didn’t care I knew I wouldn’t scare I was so damn sure about all my pizzazz and my flair I was filled with confidence And new experience But I got stuck with a case of the Bangalore I fell down with a case of the Bangalore I was stumped by a case of the Bangalore Blues

about

It all started as a Google search, where Radha Thomas was looking for a piano player and found Aman Mahajan just two streets away. A match made in musical heaven. The pair met in 2011 and have been working steadily ever since, composing and playing much music across India and Europe.

While their music is rooted firmly in jazz, there are definite strains of India in the songs. It is their heritage and therefore influences their music. But Thomas, who lived in New York for many years, also writes of those experiences in her songs.

credits

released March 15, 2020

Radha Thomas: voice
Aman Mahajan: piano, fender rhodes
all music composed by Radha Thomas and Aman Mahajan

Recorded at Island City Studios by Jehangir Jehangir in Mumbai, India, September 2019

Mixed and mastered by Sebastian Ohmert, Sonic Impulse Studio in Berlin, Germany, November 2019

Cover art by Paul Fernandes

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Radha Thomas & Aman Mahajan Bengaluru, India

Thomas studied Indian classical music. She blends Indian influences into jazz singing

Mahajan is a pianist, composer and improviser based in Bangalore, India, playing improvised music across a diversity of musical idioms

Often concept-driven, and inspired by a sense of unity and connection

Bangalore Blues is a special collaboration project done by the duo Radha Thomas And Aman Mahajan
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