“Other Shoe” will be included on the album In The Fifth Circle, which will be released in late 2024 or in January of 2025 (assuming it's ever finished). The song will be released (tentatively) as a single on May 30, 2024.
Sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
Sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
The banker man says in his experience,
Cream will always rise to the top.
So we're sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
If the telephone rings nobody will pick up.
If the telephone rings nobody will pick up.
It might be friends, but probably not.
Somebody lookin' for the money that we ain't got,
So we're sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
If they knock on the door nobody says a word.
If they knock on the door nobody says a word.
It might be a package, but probably not,
Somebody serving up papers for the county court,
So we're sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
(break)
I went downtown to get me some government aid.
I went downtown to get me some government aid.
They shook their heads, said "probably not",
"you should be thankful for what you got."
So we're sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
I went to the agency to try and find a job.
I went to the agency to try and find a job.
They said, lawd have mercy, you sure are old.
Not gonna hire ya, but we like your soul.
So I'm sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
I went to the college to get me an associate degree.
I went to the college to get me an associate degree.
Three years later with the paper in hand,
Jobs are only hiring with a bachelors, man!
So I'm sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
(break)
Washin' my hands, keepin' away the plague.
Washin' my hands, keepin' away the plague.
Newsman says I worry too much,
Sittin' there sippin' his martini lunch,
So I'm sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
Business man wants me to "Come and move that stone."
Business man wants me to "Come and move that stone!"
Got no time for the capital scene,
I'm digging through the scraps for the haute cuisine.
Sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
Sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
Sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
Billionaire says in his experience,
Cream will always rise to the top.
So we’re sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
Sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
Sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
Sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
Sittin’ here waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.
Music & Lyrics: Wicasta Lovelace.
Copyright © 2024: Wicasta Lovelace.
Copyright © 2024: Windhaven Network.
performers
Wicasta Lovelace - lead & backing vocals, guitars, bass, sample instruments, drums, programming
Victoria Lovelace - backing vocals
production
Wicasta Lovelace - mixing, mastering
The short story which matches to “Other Shoe” is titled “The Transient”. It was the last addition to the stories I've been collecting, and the only one to be started in 2024. It came from my experiences taking reports from sheriff's deputies at the agency I worked for, where you got used to seeing certain names; people who deputies and support staff often called “frequent fliers”. It's easy to forget those souls you see out there living in the streets are people, that they had lives before winding up on the streets. Those women you see out there prostituting themselves? They were someone's daughter. They sat at a desk in school, learning to read and write, with the rest of us. I can guarantee you she thought her life would turn out differently.
AN EXCERPT
Jack glanced behind him and saw the police cruiser. Hard to miss a Tahoe, much less the thin lightbar on top. He zipped up the front of his hoodie, pulled the drawstring at the bottom tight. Just be cool. Act casual. Keep on walking. He adjusted the milk and cereal he had stolen from the store, hoped neither would fall out. He had to look natural. Had to look like he wasn't hiding anything.
The cruiser pulled up beside him and slowed. Fuck. County deputy. A city cop would have been better. Deputies had their own way of doing things. You couldn't reason with a deputy.
The deputy rolled down his passenger window, and asked, “Sir, where are you headed?”.
Jack shrugged. He heard himself say, “I'm just hungry, man.” Then he winced. An admission of guilt. One he didn't mean to make. Way to go, dumbass.
“Please remain where you are,” the deputy told him as he put his cruiser in Park, opened his door.
Jack held up his hands to show the deputy he was unarmed. Last thing he wanted was to get shot because someone was twitchy. There was only way this would go. The worst part was that his stomach still growled. He hadn't eaten in days. Was dizzy. Sick. It would have been nice to have eaten some cereal before jail. They'd feed him in jail. But who knew when?
“Please place your hands behind your back, sir,” the deputy told him. “I am detaining you on suspicion of petit theft from the Save-A-Bunch up the street there. You have the right to remain silent...”
Jack nodded. He put his hands behind his back. He didn't hear much after that. He kept thinking of the old Ron White joke, kicking himself mentally. He'd had the right to remain silent, but not the ability. Not that it would have made any difference.
As the deputy placed handcuffs around his wrists, the milk slipped from his hoodie. It fell to the ground and popped open on impact. Jack watched the white nectar spread out in a small puddle at his feet. He sighed.
“Now... that's just a fucking waste,” he said to no one.
Coming in 2024
Coming in 2024
Coming in 2024
Both the album and the short story collection share the title, “In The Fifth Circle”. The common theme between the two is that everything in both collections happened in a fictional nightclub called The Fifth Circle. And both of them are connected to a novel title “Blood & Chartreuse”.
It's complicated, y'all.
Were the songs inspired by the stories? Where the stories inspired by the songs? The answer to both of those questions is “Yes”. To varying degrees there was push and pull in both directions. I hope that in the end they will all collectively add up to an immersive experience that takes us all a little off the beaten path.
The weird stuff is in the weeds. So they tell me. I'll just keep re-visiting these works until they're all finished and there's an album and a book that I can toss onto a fire if need be on those cold, dark nights of the sould. There are too many interesting critters and ideas running around in my head to not see this through.
~ Wicasta Lovelace
Copyright © 2024. Windhaven Network
