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Better Times

by CS Nielsen

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    New album on black vinyl. Stunning Gatefold cover in full colour with red inner sleeve.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Better Times via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    New album on black vinyl. Gatefold cover in full colour and red inner sleeve.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Better Times via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 7 days

      230 DKK or more 

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Compact Disc in full color digipack with all lyrics

    Includes unlimited streaming of Better Times via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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      150 DKK or more 

     

  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Original test press of the album from RPM RECORDS. Housed in a black cardboard sleeve + original full colour gatefold sleeve for the record. Signed by the artist.

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  • Vinyl Bundle 'Better Times' & 'Pilgrims' 12" Black Vinyl
    Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Get CS Nielsen's two newest albums on vinyl!
    Both pressed on 180 gram 12" black vinyl and housed in full colour gatefold cover with lyrics.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Better Times via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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  • Limited Edition Red Smoke 12" Vinyl
    Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    New album on limited coloured vinyl. Get your CS Nielsen record on beautiful and atmospheric red vinyl with black smoke. Gatefold cover in full colour and red inner sleeve.

    Only 30 made!
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    Includes unlimited streaming of Better Times via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.
Better Times 04:34
Better Times Sometimes we hit the road Sometimes we hit the wall Sometimes it’s hard to tell If there’s a difference at all Between the mask that laughs And the mask that cries Between old empires that fall And new ones that rise I wish my heart would break But it’s turned to stone I would give my kingdom for your kiss But I’m in this castle all alone The blinds are drawn The doors are locked And I’d pretend I didn’t hear you If you ever knocked But better times are comin’ Better times are comin’ The old man is dreamin’ Of a song he used to hear his mother hummin’ Called Better Times Are Comin’ Some people don’t believe In that old evil spirit But it’s right there in the mirror If they ever dare to see it You know I see it every day Sometimes it’s all I do I guess that’s what keeps me From reachin’ out to you Now I’m just killin’ time So I turn on the screen The deadliest weapon This world has ever seen But I turn it off again I need a little darkness I need a little light From outside of this fortress And better times are comin’ Better times are comin’ The minstrel boy is dancin’ And on the wild harp he is strummin’ Better Times Are Comin’ Your voice of hope Borne on the air Could lift my soul Above the clouds of despair But the fight is down here The foe is among us Can’t you hear his boot heels drummin’ Better times are comin’ Better times are comin’ Let’s sing this song together With all the courage we can summon Better times are comin’ Better times are comin’ Better times are comin’
2.
Harrowing of Hell Bridges burn behind me and bridges burn ahead With the fire of the living and the fire of the dead At first I built a fire to keep me from the cold Now I feed the flames to satisfy a hunger in my soul I stole this box of matches when Paradise fell I try to make them last until the harrowing of Hell I’m sorry that I couldn’t be what I promised you to be But you know I’m just a wanderer above the foggy sea I committed every sin took every holy name in vain And never offered you much more than misery and pain But at least we share a story that only we can tell The end of it depends upon the harrowing of Hell There’s danger on the ocean where waves roll mountain high There’s danger on the battlefield where angry bullets fly There’s danger in the selfishness lurking in my heart It locks and bolts the chamber doors to keep us far apart Love can’t find a home where deceptive demons dwell But here they will remain until the harrowing of Hell Saturday night I dreamed I heard a knock upon the gate A gentle voice was callin’ and I felt my shackles break Sunday dawn lit up the tomb and pushed the night away Death had lost when I awoke to the light of day Men will worship bondage and fight to keep their chains Even make believe it’s liberty they struggle hard to gain Oh hear them cheer for victory over generations past And hear the devil laughin’ but will his laugh be last I don’t know if the damned can be saved but I’m hopin’ still So call me if you’re ready for the harrowing of Hell
3.
Geeshie Wiley Alone tonight with Geeshie Wiley She sings her last kind words to me I close my eyes as she starts singin’ With my ears and heart she lets me see Your world turns blue like a little sparrow That falls to earth unrecognized Alone tonight with Geeshie Wiley I feel just like an orphaned child If I had wings like Amelia Earhart I’d fly across the troubled sea I’d soar above my earthly trials And they would mean no more to me But I wonder in my time of dyin’ If someone comes to meet me in the air If I had wings like Amelia Earhart I hope that you would meet me there I remember well my mother singin’ An old familiar lullaby I remember friendly shadows crawlin’ And sleepy moonlight in her eye But she’s not here to rock my cradle She’s not here to make my dyin’ bed I remember well my mother singin’ Will you sing with me when all is done and said I wish I could walk into the garden Alongside Mary Magdalene At the break of dawn she might show me A holy emptiness no man has seen I’m just a poor wayfarin’ stranger I know I’m only passin’ through Alone tonight with Geeshie Wiley I pray that I can count on you
4.
The Fight 04:17
The Fight The fight has finally come to an end We ran out of bullets and profanities I guess But the echo still rings Of our machine gun exchange My pulse is still rushin’ Like the night wind gushin’ From the sea that rocks her shipwrecked to rest Two wounded strangers in a lonely bed Two hearts turned from each other toward the shadows on the wall Within and without A shadow of a doubt Comes creepin’ with the poison Of the dreadful notion That our love don’t stand a chance at all I can’t lasso the moon I can’t reach the stars But I can give you all my strength and all my weakness too The road is long And suffering is strong My flag is tattered My armor is battered But the ground I gain or lose is with you There’s a time to build and a time to burn Some wounds stay open and some the night will mend Yesterday is never past And tomorrow’s fading fast But now I hear you sleepin’ While a vigil I am keepin’ Hopin’ that the healin’ will soon begin And that the fight has finally come to an end
5.
I Cannot Share My Darkness I cannot share my darkness With you or no one else It cannot be divided I must keep it for myself Your sky may be gloomy too With dark clouds of your own But I cannot share my darkness It’s mine and mine alone I cannot share this longing In my soul and in my flesh I try but all that comes across Is my itchy restlessness I’ll eat the fatted calf with you And drink more than my fill But my longing keeps on gnawing And perhaps it always will I guess it’s only loneliness A certain shade of black The hole each person rises from Until he falls right back I’d love to share the road with you Through the sunshine and the rain Just walk along together Share each other’s loss and gain Carry only half the load And have twice as many thrills But till I can share my darkness I must travel by myself
6.
This Mornin' 05:06
This Mornin’ This mornin’ I’m sober just slightly hung over And relieved to wake up and find that you’re still by my side In spite of stupid words spoken and promises broken In spite of bottles I’ve emptied and tears that you’ve cried They say old Father Time eats his own children Hours weeks and years I know my days are numbered but I’m not countin’ When you keep me busy right here Where the moments come splashin’ like drops of mercy Drippin’ down on my pillow from a leakage of eternity To the one who has plenty more shall be given And this mornin’ I almost believe that that one could be me The mornin’s used to be colder I even used to feel older After runnin’ all night from the blue devils on my trail I still hear them creepin’ in my dreams when I’m sleepin’ And they’re still out to get me but I’m glad that mostly they fail They say old Father Time eats his own children Hours weeks and years I know my days are numbered but I’m not countin’ When you keep me busy right here Where we have coffee and listen to better angels singin’ About the freedom and duty to be what each creature can be From the one who has nothin’ more shall be taken But this mornin’ I almost believe that don’t have to be me Those who love much will be much forgiven And this mornin’ I can believe that that’s you and me
7.
The Shepherd 05:25
The Shepherd Have you seen the shepherd I can’t find him today I’ve searched for him all over And it seems I’ve lost my way If you know which road he has taken Please tell me would you be so kind I tried to follow the shepherd But somehow I fell behind Somehow I just fell behind Did you see the shepherd Leave his flock on a whim To search for one stray out of a hundred Lost sheep mean the world to him Tonight I hear hungry wolves howlin’ I feel danger all around I wish I could find the shepherd But he cannot be found The shepherd can’t be found I’ve wandered through the desert Through cities made of dust I’ve seen the wood planks wither And the nails of iron rust The pool of blood is dry now As if it didn’t mean a thing But I keep callin’ to the shepherd In every song I sing In every song I sing Were you there when the shepherd Climbed that lonely hill Takin’ one step after the other Gettin’ ready for the kill Now I can’t find the shepherd Who himself is called a lamb He’s no longer where they left him So he must find me where I am I hope he finds me where I am
8.
The Crooner 05:16
The Crooner You wake up in a room that’s dark with somethin’ more than night You lie awake and can’t believe that you will ever see the light The moon and stars are hidden and the voice of God is still The world’s turned into one black hole too meaningless to fill But then you hear the crooner He sings a song for you Listen to the crooner He will help you through He keeps the music swingin’ All night long without a frown Just listen to the crooner He won’t let you down In your dreams you hear the bombers flyin’ low to drop their deadly load You dream of cities burning of cathedrals that explode Of carousels turned upside down the horses torn and crushed You hear lonely cries for mercy all muffled in the dust But then you hear the crooner Singin’ softly in your ear He comforts your affliction Helps you overcome your fear Just leave it to the crooner To heal the broken night Listen to the crooner And you will feel all right You try to get up in the mornin’ and face responsibility Take chances make commitments and walk the straight and narrow way But you know every bridge is burnin’ before you even try to cross Before the cards are dealt and your hand is played the game’s already lost But then you hear the crooner And reach out your trembling hand You give it to the crooner And he helps you make a stand You thought the rest was silence But once again your bell will chime If you listen to the crooner His rhythm and his rhyme Today I’ll be your crooner Tomorrow you’ll be mine
9.
John Barleycorn’s Rag People tell me I shouldn’t drink anymore I should get my act together and live cleaner than before Well I don’t drink any less But I don’t drink any more Some folks travel the road of excess To find the palace of wisdom or an early death I don’t drink any more But I don’t drink any less The doctors all say ol’ John Barleycorn must die They try to catch him the gutter but he’s ridin’ mighty high I bet he won’t come down Until the bottle is dry I saw a man drinkin’ out of a bottle But then the bottle started drinkin’ out of him They both wound up as empty and wasted As an old shedded snakeskin Drinkin’ makes the wino feel ashamed and distressed So he’ll keep on drinkin’ just to forget I don’t drink any more But I don’t drink any less I hear truth and love and beauty callin’ But they’re as far away from me as the sky Bartender please pour some ambrosia in my cup I need wings so I can fly Preacher says that alcohol’s the devil’s own design But I know someone else who changed water into wine And I’m cravin’ for the juice Of the grapes from the true vine So when kind people advise me not to drink anymore I tell ‘em Don’t worry you can rest assured That I don’t drink any less But I don’t drink any more
10.
Tragic Romantics The way I remember young Thomas Chatterton’s funeral We sang Ain’t No Grave Can Hold My Body Down And the roses on his coffin looked almost alive As we lowered him safely into the ground It’s like the tale about the maiden who’d dance to no music But the Grim Reaper’s rousing violin Her feet and her heart would stop when the dance was over I guess we all heard that story we all knew how it would end Just a tragic romantic tryin’ his wings on for flight Gettin’ ready to leave the land of the living tonight He heeds the call of the wild geese but he could never be one He’s just a tragic romantic flyin’ too close to the sun Hearts of youth are easily eaten by fire In my old age I still feel a distant glow I’ve gone through seasons of hell I’ve grown flowers of evil But I have lived long enough to learn seasons come and go Choosing a way to die well what’s the difference Choosing a way to live that’s the hardest part Daily work and play hope and pray for a vision To see that light is good in a void all formless and dark Where tragic romantics are tryin’ their wings on for flight Gettin’ ready to leave the land of the living tonight I hear the wild geese too but I know I could never be one I’d be a tragic romantic flyin’ too close to the sun
11.
Dance (Until the World Stops Turnin’) So we wanna beat the clock we wanna beat each other And grab it all for ourselves when we’d be better off with half It’s just the ways of the world just the law of the jungle Just a constant rat race ‘round the golden calf Daddy I will dance for you until the world stops turnin’ I think that’s what I heard my youngest daughter say But my head was in the clouds my ears deaf with my own echo My eyes blindly looked for somethin’ far away I don’t know if I responded to her very special offer But it’s sad to imagine what chance I blew that day Wish I could sit down on a kitchen chair Forget about my yearnin’ And watch my daughter dance for me Until the world stops turnin’ Every day we worry every day we’re in a hurry Every day we feel like strangers in a strange land But we’re reminded by our children that here’s somethin’ to believe in That we shouldn’t build our house upon the sand So I grit teeth clench my fists and try to choose my weapon To fight the spirit of the times it seems more than I can stand But now I’ll lay down my sword and shield Where I can rest my burden And ask my little girl to dance for me Until the world stops turnin’ Let’s just sit here in the kitchen Try to keep the home fire burnin’ And watch our daughter dance Until the world stops turnin’
12.
Cool Water 05:43
Cool Water All day I faced the barren waste Without the taste of water Cool water Old Dan and I with throats burnt dry And souls that cry for water Cool clear water The nights are cool and I’m a fool Each star’s a pool of water Cool water But with the dawn I’ll wake and yawn And carry on to water Cool clear water Keep a-movin’ Dan Don’t you listen to him Dan He’s a devil not a man And he spreads the burning sand with water Dan can you see That big green tree Where the water’s runnin’ free And it’s waitin’ there for you and me Water Cool clear water Dan’s feet are sore he’s yearning for Just one thing more than water Cool water Like me I guess he’d like to rest Where there’s no quest for water Cool clear water Keep a-movin’ Dan Don’t you listen to him Dan He’s a devil not a man And he spreads the burning sand with water Dan can you see That big green tree Where the water’s runnin’ free And it’s waitin’ there for you and me Water Cool clear water The shadows sway and seem to say Tonight we pray for water Cool water And way up there He’ll hear our prayer And show us where there’s water Cool clear water Cool clear water Cool clear water

credits

released December 8, 2023

digital release November 17, 2023

CS Nielsen: Lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, classical guitar, dobro, harmonica, banjo guitar & electric bass guitar.
Johnny Stage: Backing vocals, electric guitar, electric bass guitar, bass harmonica, banjo guitar, electric mandolin, autoharp, Jew’s harp, Stylophone, glockenspiel, Omnichord, electric sitar, keyboards & effects.
Johannes Gissel: Drums, percussion, Mellotron, organ, grand piano & celesta.
Michael Lund: Lap steel guitar, Omnichord, electric bass guitar & dobro.
Clara Luise Bryld: Backing vocals.
SALEM (Mikkel Risbjerg Nielsen & Kasper No Fisker): Backing vocals.
Una Skott: Backing vocals.
Maria Sonne: Accordion.
Dan Hemmer: Hammond organ.
George Mihalache: Cimbalom.

Lyrics and music by CS Nielsen – except 'Cool Water' (lyrics and music by Bob Nolan, 1936).

Recorded in 2023 at Old House by the Sea Studio, Samsø, Denmark, and Studio Queen O, Copenhagen, Denmark. Additional recordings at Hvalsø Kulturhus. ‘Cool Water’ was recorded in 2021.

Engineered, produced, mixed and mastered by Johnny Stage.

Sleeve design: Anders Cold.
Photos: Johnny Stage.

Kørfirs Records, 2023

Hats off and high praise to Johnny Stage for dedicating his visions, intuition and methodical excellence to the production of this album, to Michael Lund, Johannes Gissel and all the great musicians and artists involved and to Peter Ole Pedersen at Kørfirs Records for having faith in this collection of songs! Very special thanks to Søren E. Jensen and Kristoffer Garne for Dionysian and Apollonian coaching along the way, to Martha Marie Nielsen for inspiring a specific song and to Solvejg Nielsen for everything – including exquisite studio catering! Special thanks to Svend-Allan Sørensen for valuable suggestions, to Ole A. Thomsen at Akustikken for generous support through the years, to Søren Dahl-Pedersen, Ole Kæmpe, Thomas Rude Møller, Anders Tipsmark, Victor Smith and Linda Nielsen for assistance, to Uffe Bach and his family for special trust and inspiration and to Linda Joanna Mathiessen, Susanne Ove, Niels Erik Borges and Bert Lee for loyal support and encouragement! Thanks to heroes, muses, peers, family, friends, fans and followers for providing fire, wind and water! Tell the people far and wide that better times are coming! Godspeed!

CS Nielsen, 2023

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CS Nielsen Samsø, Denmark

CS Nielsen: sangskriver, sanger og guitarist. Igennem en omfattende koncertvirksomhed og med fire kritikerroste og prisnominerede pladeudgivelser har han etableret sig som en markant dansk ambassadør for Americana-musikken – samt som en historiefortæller med stor poetisk og musikalsk tæft.
Diskografi:
Against the Dying of the Light (2007)
Man of the Fall (2012)
Jericho Road (2016)
Pilgrims (2020)
... more

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