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Life Happens {EP}

by Amanda West

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1.
The summer I stayed home I did not tend my nest dust stayed on the shelves projects all unfinished The summer I stayed home letters were unwritten the kitchen was abandoned and weeds grew in the garden 'Cause the summer I stayed home there's only one thing that I did I made a human being I made a human being and learned how to love him The summer I stayed home no one saw me on the street I missed every festival, parade and party The summer I stayed home I stepped out of the game out of the workforce made no money to my name 'Cause the summer I stayed home there's only one thing that I did I made a human being I made a human being and learned how to love him The longest I ever pushed the most I ever gave the hardest I ever worked, ever was the summer I stayed home! It was the most I ever did I made a human being I made a human being and learned how to love him The summer I stayed home felt I'd never leave again but September always comes and summer always ends The summer I stayed home the summer I stayed home The summer you were born The summer you were born!
2.
So Does Love 03:28
Oh dear heart of mine off you go making your own way again - ignoring all the plans we made the lists we wrote, our conversations But life never fits well into boxes and oh well so much for all that! Can I follow you? 'Cause the place you're going is not on the map But I so long to and it feels so good, feels so good when I do I went to the ocean to offer up the questions to the Great Spirit of it all I saw the waves come rolling in how nothing can stop them, from breaking and forming How each wave comes from the Everything, returns to the same thing and so does love! And I will follow you, though the place we're going is not on the map but I so long to, and it feels so good, feels so good when I do! What else can I do? And this is how it goes, this is how it goes: forming and breaking, over and over again This is how it goes, this is how it goes forming and breaking, breaking and forming Each wave comes from the Everything, returns to the same thing and so does love
3.
Habit 04:13
----------------------------------- LYRICS - "HABIT" c. 2011 Amanda West Music ----------------------------------- i have a bad habit of worrying, stressing, fretting, brow-knitting over every little thing and i have a bad habit of thinking i'll never no matter what never be enough but the birds and the bees and the redwood trees they've got it figured out and they are all about today you have a bad habit of worrying, stressing, fretting, brow-knitting over every little thing and you have a bad habit of thinking you'll never no matter what never be enough but the birds and the bees and the redwood trees they've got it figured out 'cause they are all about today so let's start a new habit of waking, walking, breathing singing thank you for everything and let's start a new habit of knowing we are already already enough 'cause the problem is not those little things and the problem is not who we are it's just that to break a habit is hard but the birds and the bees and the redwood trees they've got it figured out 'cause they are all about today yes the birds and the bees and the redwood trees oh they will teach us well they've got so much to tell us today just let them teach you well they've got so much to tell us today ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
4.
Someone, anyone, could do it better Everyone, everyone's got something to say Why should I, why should I try to be different, when it all sounds the same? Oh you scratch and you pull and you beg and you plead, "Please, please pick me!" "This one will be it, this one's the best! She's gonna stand out apart from the rest. She'll be better at it all, than anyone else." But why? Why? Why? When someone, anyone could do it better Everyone, everyone's got something to say Why should I, why should I try to be different when it's all just a game It's just a game! And I hate to push and I don't like to pull I can't stand all this capitalist bull I'm an inch away from turning away and going home to sing alone I don't write songs to be better than you ~ it's just what I love to do Someone, anyone, could do it better Everyone, everyone's got something to say Why should I, why should I try to be different, 'cause we are all so much the same
5.
Once long ago all was done by hand before electricity now today everything's plugged in and life moves too quickly Oh I dream of the days before electricity Once there were paths we would walk by foot there were lanterns and dark starry skies Now there's a haze and a skyscraper maze and screens to hypnotize Oh I dream of the days before electricity Yes I dream of the days before electricity Oh I dream of the days before electricity

about

LIFE HAPPENS was produced and released in Amanda's first year of motherhood. It is a compilation EP of sorts, pulled together from various unfinished projects and recordings in a recognition of, and offering that, "life happens", and sometimes we must simply give what we have.

The five tracks offer a beautiful cross-section of the variety of music that Amanda can create, supported by the skilled engineering of her multi-instrumentalist partner, Pete. "So Does Love" and "Anyone Could Do It Better" set a new standard for the levels of production and polish. Both "The Summer You Were Born" and "Habit" have since been made into visually and emotionally stunning videos, and "Before Electricity" offers a quirky and surprising commentary, slated also to soon become a music video.

This rich, multi-textured album has recently received updated album art featuring Amanda & Pete's son's artwork ~ and what could be more appropriate.

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FROM THE LINER NOTES...
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"Songs can be written anywhere - while washing the dishes, between gigs, folding laundry or changing diapers. But making a record takes a certain kind of time that I guess we haven't found much of in the last few years. I never expected these songs to be on an album together, but here they are, offering the vulnerability and strength of honesty: this is where we are now, this is what we have. Life happens, and here it is!"

~ with love & song, Amanda
May 2013, Felton, CA

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Heartfelt Thanks:
to all the musicians, to everyone we've met on our travels these last five years and everyone who believes in our music;
to Syd for the photos, to Shivani for above and beyond;
to baby Solas for rockin' our world;
and to You, the most wonderful listener ~
may these songs bring you connection and joy

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credits

released June 1, 2013

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AMANDA WEST vocals, harmonies & guitar
PETE SOLOMON soprano saxophone, piano, percussion, harmonies, electric appliances

BABY SOLAS fetal heartbeat & one month gurgles (track 1)
MATT BOHN upright bass (track 2)
BILLY KEMP bajo (track 2)
PETER YOUNG upright bass (track 3)
DANIEL VEE LEWIS electric bass (track 4)
MIKE SHANNON drums (track 4)

Recorded at Bear Creek Studios, Bonny Doon, CA
& Grandview Studios, Felton, CA
between the Springs of 2011 and 2013

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Pete Coates
Produced by Pete Solomon & Amanda West
All songs written by Amanda between fall 2007 and 2012

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all rights reserved

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about

Amanda West California

For the seekers and the artists, the mothers, children and elders, for the ones who wonder, choosing the path less travelled, and the ones who listen with their whole heart cracked open, these songs are for you. Amanda’s music breathes mindfulness, medicine and magic. Distilled over a 25 year-long career of songwriting, touring, recording & teaching, this is the truth you have been seeking. ... more

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