Gino VANNELLI


These Are The Days

(2006)



1. It's Only Love 4'08
Music and Lyrics by Gino Vannelli
Published by WHIRLING RAINBOW MUSIC, BMI
2. Venus Envy 4'11
Music by Gino Vannelli
Lyrics by Gino Vannelli and Brian Hamilton
Published by WHIRLING RAINBOW MUSIC, BMI and ENDLESS SONG, BMI
3. These Are The Days 4'11
Music and Lyrics by Gino Vannelli
Published by WHIRLING RAINBOW MUSIC, BMI
4. Rock Me To Heaven 4'25
Music by Gino Vannelli
Lyrics by Gino Vannelli and Steven Hale
Published by WHIRLING RAINBOW MUSIC, BMI and HALESTORM MUSIC, ASCAP
5. Eastwest World 4'25
Music by Gino Vannelli
Lyrics by Gino Vannelli and Steven Hale
Published by WHIRLING RAINBOW MUSIC, BMI and HALESTORM MUSIC, ASCAP
6. The Great Divide 4'32
Music by Gino Vannelli
Lyrics by Gino Vannelli and Steven Hale
Published by WHIRLING RAINBOW MUSIC, BMI and HALESTORM MUSIC, ASCAP
7. Right Where I Am
*** 4'03
Music and Lyrics by Gino Vannelli
Published by WHIRLING RAINBOW MUSIC, BMI
8. Wild Horses
** 4'42
1986 "Big Dreamer Never Sleep"
9. Hurts To Be In Love
* 3'44
1984 "Black Cars"
10. Black Cars
* 3'12
1984 "Black Cars"
11. Just A Motion Away
** 4'19
1984 "Black Cars"
12. Living Inside Myself
* 4'24
1981 "Nightwalker"
13. I Just Wanna Stop
* 3'41
1978 "Brother To Brother"
14. People Gotta Move
** 3'18
1974 "Powerfull People"

Total Time: 57:15


This compilation ©2005 UNIVERSAL MUSIC CANADA Inc.

  • Gino Vannelli - Acoustic Guitar (1, 4), Acoustic Piano (2, 4, 6, 12), Guitar (9-11), Electric Piano (12), Additional Keyboards (1), Organ (12), Steel String Guitar (3, 4, 6, 7), Electrio Guitar (3, 5), Synthesizer (12-14), Bass (2), Drums (1-7, 9-11), Drum Programming (9-11), Percussion (1-7, 9-11), Vocals (1-14)
  • Rok Golob - Acoustic Piano (1, 5, 7), Electric Piano (3), Keyboards (1-6), Organ (1), Synthesizers (2, 3, 6), Bass (1, 3-7), Fretless Bass (6), Violin (2, 5, 6), Drums (1-7), Percussion (1-7), Background Vocals (3)
  • Ross Seligman - Electric Guitar (1), Vocals (12), Background Vocals (12)
  • Paul Brainard - Pedal Steel Guitar (1, 4)
  • Mike Miller - Electric Guitar (8-12), Classical Guitar (8), Acoustic Guitar (9-12)
  • Carlos Rios - Guitar (13)
  • Joe Vannelli - Keyboards (8, 12-14), Sequencing (8), Synthesizer (9-12, 14), Piano (9-11), Piano Electric (9-11, 14), Drum Programming (9-11), Synthesizer (13), Synthesizer Bass (9-11), Organ (12), Piano (12), String Arrangements (12)
  • Brad Cole - Piano (12), String Arrangements (12)
  • Richard Baker - Organ (14), Synthesizer (14), Bass (14), Strings (14), Horn (14), Keyboards (14), Horn Arrangements (14), String Arrangements, Synthesizer Arrangements (14)
  • Marc Russo - Saxophone (8)
  • Reverend Dave Boruff - Saxophone (12)
  • Ernie Watts - Saxophone (13), Tenor Sax (13)
  • Ron Blessinger - Added Violins (2, 5, 6)
  • Lisa Hansen - Added Violins (5)
  • Neil Stubenhaus - Bass (12)
  • Leon Gaer - Bass (13)
  • Jimmy Haslip - Drum Programming (8), 5-string Bass (8), Bass (9-11, 13), Electric Bass (13)
  • Ross Vannelli - Drum Programming (8-11), Guitar (9-11), Percussion (9-11), Vocals (13), Background Vocals (9-11, 13)
  • David Garibaldi - Drums (8), Percussion (8), Drum Programming (8)
  • Mark Craney - Drums (9-11, 13)
  • Vince Colaiuta - Drums (12)
  • Graham Lear - Drums (14)
  • Michael Fisher - Percussion (12), Conga (12)
  • Manolo Badrena - Percussion (13)
  • Tony Golia - Percussion (14), Bongos (14), Conga (14)
  • John J. Mandel - Percussion (14)
  • Sean L. Holmes - Background Vocals (1, 4)
  • Leisa Hart - Background Vocals (1, 4, 7)
  • Steven Hale - Background Vocals (3, 5)
  • Margaret Linn - Background Vocals (4)
  • Jim Walker - Background Vocals (5)
  • Wahida Basani - Background Vocals (5)
  • LaTanya Carter - Background Vocals (7)
  • The HEART And SOUL GOSPEL CHOIR featuring:
    Leisa Hart,
    LaTanya Carter,
    Sean L. Holmes - Background Vocals (6)
  • Marilyn Scott - Background Vocals (8)
  • Lisa Fischer - Background Vocals (8)
  • Maxayn Lewis - Background Vocals (8)
  • Alfie Silas - Background Vocals (8)
  • Lori Leiberman - Background Vocals (9-11)
  • Doug Parry - Background Vocals (12)
  • Julia Tillman Waters - Background Vocals (12, 13), Vocals (13)
  • Stephanie Spruill - Background Vocals (12, 13)
  • Maxine Willard Waters - Vocals (13), Background Vocals (12, 13)
  • Victor Feldman - Background Vocals (13)
  • Lani Hall - Vocals (14), Background Vocals (14)

    Produced and Arranged by Gino Vannelli and Rok Goiob
    * Produced and Arranged by Gino Vannelli and Ross Vannelli
    ** Produced and Arranged by Gino Vannelli and Joe Vannelli
    *** Produced and Arranged by Gino Vannelli, Rok Golob and David Goldblatt
    Rick Duncan - Engineer (1, 2, 5, 6)
    Nick Moon - Engineer (1, 2, 6, 7), Mixing (1-3, 5-7)
    David Goldblatt - Additional Arrangement (3)
    Garnet Armstrong - Art Direction
    Susan Michalek - Design
    Margaret Malandruccolo - Photography

    All Songs Mastered by Chris Bellman at GRUNDMAN MASTERING
    Executive Producer: Randy Lennox

    Recorded and Mixed at INKA STUDIO, Ptl Oregon (1-7)
    Wahida was Recorded at
    MELUSINE STUDIO, France by M. Moore Belhad)

    Thanks To Jason Koones, Rick McMillan, Kurt Bevers and David Wiederman for coming to my equipment resque.

    Love and Thanks To BAREND AND TREES.
    My Thanks To YAMAHA, GENERAL MUSIC, DAD, CAD, and BASIX.
    Bernard Purdies Thanks for the HAND, amico.
    Tom Berry and DJ McLachlan, for your FRIENDSHIP and STEADY GUIDANCE.
    Andrew Stokes and Dan Erison for BEING THERE.
    To Jess Rossen, The SWINGINGEST SPIELER NEATH THE SUN.
    Tom Blaylock for your instrument knowldge of the VOICE (and the temperament behind it).
    My Thoughts Go To You, Dear Friend Poonce, wherever you have landed.
    Merci, Shawn.Paul, Scott, Steve, Garnet, et tous A UNIVERSAL, to The HEP CHIEF EXEC.
    Randy Lennox Thank You for your DELICATE HANDS on approach.
    I have truely enjoyed (and benefited from) our music conversations.
    Allan Reid, you have restored A&R of its original honor.
    Tricia and Anton, love you for many reasons,
    Not the least of which is for boring a few holes in this thick skull to let out some trapped air once in while.

    Management:

      McLACHLAN / BERRY INT'L: W. Tom Berry: contact@alertmusic.com
      DJ McLachlan: DJMGT@aoi.com

      T H E   R I D D L E   O F   T H E   R I V E R

      THOUGHTS UPON LOOKING ACROSS THE COLUMBIA

      There is a great river that runs through this land
      Between two rims of sharp rock and sand
      Waters deep and dark, with currents strong
      In its depths lying many a voyager gone.
      One day, on one bank facing the other
      I wondered, to set foot, what would I discover
      For since long ago I have hungered knowing
      What lies across these rough waters flowing
      Whereupon there drifts many a shattered sad
      Moldering wood spiked with rusted nail
      Proof of struggle to span opposites together
      All ending in thrashing and collapse.
      Whether By war of the elements or shadowy force
      Lying in wait beneath the angry course,
      Whatever made wreckage of many a command
      In one held breath I came to understand:
      The river defies crossing by material designs
      Of wood, metal, anything of the kind,
      But begs to be met by more delicate means

      Beyond the province of cables and machines.
      Upon following the drift of many a shattered sail
      Hoping to sucteed where many more will fail
      I was struck by a vision of two made one,
      As I stared long into the winding oblivion.
      For suddenly was the wdy to the other side
      Across the mighty river, this hopeless divide:
      The wind, the rain, the thunder overhead
      The spillway of the heavens racing over the dead,
      The hissing of alders by the riverside,
      The spit and spew far and wide,
      The black pools whirling, the white caps roar.
      In a moment of clarity daunted me no more.
      As if the world had suddenly broken its spin
      Ending the illusion I had been living in.
      And so I walked upon the flux and flow
      Following where my heart bid me to go
      Step by step with every faithful leap
      I fell not to the bottom of the raging deep
      But stood atop the heaves and swells
      My soles and the surges in perfect parallel

      Crossing the river upon a dreamy weir
      Raised by a voice, that whispered in my ear:

      Beliwinq is seeing, not the other øîö around,
      There are no limits by which spirit is bound
      The river itself existing not
      But as the object of a desired thought.
      What I once suspected I now knew to be so
      As I smiled and looked across the water flow
      For there I stood upon a new frontier
      The contrary side of doubt and fear
      A long way from the self I left behind.
      Soon, with heart at peace and wholeness of mind
      Wandering the length of the new found shore,
      Strange, I found the trees growing no more
      Or less green than they did across the tide
      No deeper breath did the air provide
      Rocks were rocks, sand, the makeup of sand
      Of no unique composition was the land
      But oh, such was the great difference to me
      Made by crossing the narrow sea.

      -•••-

    When the idea of releasing a Greatest Hits CD, with the opportunity to personally oversea the modernization of old recordings rose, I not only was very willing but also very curious as to what some songs, dating back thirty years now (my, my) would sound like in the process. Needless to say I am pleased as to what technology has afforded. Holding to the that a couple of new tracks would help smarten the project, I was asked to compose and produce two new songs. After month of head scretching, wearing a permanent far of look on my face and answering everyone in three-second delays preceded by a, 'huh, I finally decided to pick up the guitar I hadn't touched in years: an old, cracked gut string, (the one I wrote "People Gotta Move on) that I had put to rest in a dark closet, thinking to keep it to purely sentimental reasons. Well the short story is that I was stopped at seven new songs have tucked away the rest in a shoebox, for another day.





    1. It's Only Love

      Now just cause the world's come to an end
      That's no cause to lose my mind
      So the girl went south on me
      And left my skivves in a bind
      Yeah but we shall overcome somehow
      Yea any day now

      Fact is I saw my sweetie pie
      Of all the indignity
      She was doing to some other guy
      There were things she's never done for me
      Alright, so I've hit a patch of hard luck
      But that's life, so suck it up

      I keep tellin' myself all will be well
      If you just take it like a man
      Be brave be big be bold
      Go out like a lamb
      Well anyway the thing is
      Why should I really give a damn
    Chorus:

    When it's only love
    And let's not get too hung about it
    It's only love
    I can learn to live without it
    She only broke my heart in two
    Hell if I'm gonna cry
    Well now excuse me while I go off and die

      All is fair in love and war
      Truth is I oughta thank that young man
      For takin' that no good woman
      Off of my hands
      So glad it's goodbye
      Yea so happy I could cry

      I keep teltin' myself there are many fish
      In the mighty deep blue sea
      Just cast my rod and trust in what will be
      Anyway the thing is, why take it all so serious)!
    Chorus
      You watch in a year from now
      She'll come running back to me
      But until such time won't somebody please
      Hand me a rope and point me to the highest tfi

    2. Venus Envy

      Don't want no marble statue smooth and cold as ice
      Not some man-made goddess custom cut and spliced
      Don't need no great big set of charms to tempt my heart
      Prefer the feel of something real over plastic art

      Well Aphrodite's got grace but she ain't the face
      I know and I love
      'Cause I got blood in these veins while she's some
      spooky dame
      Lost in the heavens above
    Chorus:

    Why do you wanna be Venus
    When your light shines brighter than the brightest star
    Why do you wanna be anyone else other than who you are
    Why do you wanna be Venus
    When you're so much more than she coutd ever be
    Yeah I feel like I'm losing you
    Come back to me

      Don't want no hand-made inlaid porcelain china doll
      Not some babe who comes unstitched before every
      mirror on the wall

      Yeah DiMilo's some piece but no thanks please
      Not my cup of tea
      "Cause I want flesh and bone not some block of stone
      Lying in bed next to me
    Chorus
      Blame it on those dippy dreams of beauty queens
      Who kowtow to the pressure
      Prescribing to the point of view that bigger is better
      Yeah those tattooed lips those vacuumed hips this
      whole insanity
      Remember what you do you do for you and not for me

    3. These Are The Days

      A man holds up a mirror to his soul
      Shocked by what he sees
      Reflecting on the life he never planned
      And yet his dreams go on inspired by the one
      Who understands
    Chorus:

    These are the wars that we fight
    These are the tears that we share
    These are the wastelands we cross
    To dream the dreams that we dare
    This is the worls that we choose
    Right or wrong win or lose
    These are the days that make up our lives
    These are the days that tell us
    Love never dies

      There are those days I feel to run so far
      As to vanish out of sight
      Put everything that I belive in to the flame
      But then I kiss your wounds knowing that you might
      Feel the same
    Chorus
      These are the days that rob us of our faith
      And shake our will to carry on
      The days that break our hearts
      But in the end make us twice as strong

    4. Rock Me To Heaven

      It's always so fine to come home to you
      To the healing touch I've grown accustomed to
      That small piece of comfort in the last light of the day

      I'm a little battle worn, I'm down and out
      But you weave a silver lining in every
      dark cloud
      When you kiss me and you look at me that way

      You quite the storm in my mind
      Every time we come together
      Yeah, you raise me high to the moonlite sky
      Above the heavy weather
    Chorus:

    Yea rock me to all night wrong
    Take me away till the hurt is gone
    Send me across the night like a shooting star
    Yeah, sway me slow and look into my eyes
    And open up the gates of paradise
    Feel the love that you draw from
    heating of my heart
    It's been a long hard day
    And somtimes I feel like I'm loosing the flight
    So darling be an angel and
    Rock me to heaven tonight

      You go to my head like a very fine wine
      Soak up my sorrows like the sunshine
      You rush to my paint like a miracle cure

      And when I'm driven despair
      It's who restores me to health
      You give me reason to live
      When I'm ready to give up on myself

    5. Eastwest World

      Hello pretty woman dark as night
      Dancing like a flame burning brig
      Hiplocks and shimmy,yeah baby gimme
      Those water pipe deams

      Spin your raven hair round and round
      Turn the right side up, up side down
      Tap your cymbals and jingle the jangle
      Of your magic tambourine
      While tomcats on flat tops jet over thi
      What say you and me put some love into motions
    Chorus:

    Eastwest world !
    And the walls comei
    And the blue eyes turn to brown
    Deep in the heartland
    Eastwest world ! In a flash yesterday's gone
    And the cowboy sings his song
    Out in the desert sand

      In your eyes I see the rising sun
      The crescent moon and the cross as one
      The Grand Unified Theory in the golden earing
      Of a gipsy girl

      So what say you and me set our spirits free !
      Sip a little white lighting neath a banyan free
      Against the the wind against the grain make a baby make a change
      In a big bad world

      In the long run this earth with turn into a heaven
      By love or by war, baby choose your weapon

    6. The Great Divide

      In the small time in the morning I saw you by the window
      Just waiting for sunrise to light up the dark
      I stood by in silence but it felt just like dying
      As each fear you shed drove a knife through my heart

      And I'm so sorry I've caused you such pain
      But your tears are my shame
      Tell me how do I reach you when you make me an outsider
      Tell me how do I touch you when the valley grows wiger
    Chorus:

    Tell me, how do I cross this great divide
    How do I love you from the other side
    And how do I make lonelyness end
    And when will you love me again

      You have every right to hate me, doubt me, forsake me
      Deserve that and more for letting you down
      But the silence, the distance this halfway existence
      Is killing us slow without making a sound

      I'm so sorry you feel all alone
      But your tears are my own
      And how do I reach you when you make me invisible
      And how do I go on in a world that's unlivable
    Chorus
      I know I've driven you far
      I made you feel much less than you are
      Have your way with me only give me some sign
      It's not a matter of love but just a matter of time

    7. Right Where I Am

      I have been through the fields of fire and ice
      Fought the unthinkable war
      Searched the world over for real happiness
      From western to far eastern shore

      I have crossed over mountains and valleys below
      In search of a lost paradise
      But I never would find what I was looking for
      Till I'd see with a new set of eyes
    Chorus:

    It's a Sunday walk in the park
    The new light of day dawning after the dark
    The sound of my new baby's cry
    The bright ray of hope looking me in the eye
    So much more than the will to survive
    It's the glorious feeling of been alive

      It's the wonder of knowing that all that I want
      Is right in the palm of my hand
      Cause everything's right where I am
      Right where I am
      Yeah right where I am

      Well I promise to never desert you again
      In body spirit or mind
      No more will I knock upon heavens door
      Till heaven reveals it's my time

      Cause I was taken by an angel who locked
      me away
      In mansions of dark moons and mist
      Only to find myself back in your arms
      Seeing life in what it is

    8. Wild Horses

      As the sun goes down on the arizona plain
      and the wind whistles by like a runaway train
      hey hey hey it's a beautiful thing
      well it's me and you and a flatbed truck
      my heart kicking over like a whitetail buck
      hey hey hey in the middle of spring

      You can cut me deep
      you can cut me down
      you can cut me loose
      don't you know it's okay
      you can kick and scream
      you can slap my face
      you can set my wheels on a high speed chase
      hey no matter what you do

      Wild horses could not drag me away from you
      Wild horses could not drag me away from you

      As the sky falls down from the midnight blue
      spittin' like bullets on a hot tin roof
      hey hey hey it's a beautiful sound
      well it's me and you in a flatbed truck
      in a foot of mud just my luck
      hey hey hey a hundred miles out of town

      You can call me a fool
      you can call me blind
      you can call it quits
      can't hear a word you say
      cause if I had you once
      I'm gonna have you twice
      I'm gonna follow my heart instead of good advice
      hey no matter what you do

      Wild horses could not drag me away from you
      Wild horses could not drag me away from you

    9. Hurts To Be In Love

      More and more
      Your kiss is like a half opened door
      I can't get in
      You stop me just before I begin
      And it hurts to be in love
      When you never get enough
      Oh it hurts to be in love

      This endless urge
      Keeps my body right on the verge
      We touch and then
      I wanna do it all over again

      And it hurts to be in love
      When you only want me half as much
      I tell you it hurts to be in love

      I'm always worried you think I'm pushing too hard
      Oh baby it hurts me when you tell me I'm going to far

      We touch and then
      I wanna do it all over again
      And it hurts to be in love
      When you only want me half as much
      I tell you it hurts to be in love
      It hurts
      Baby it hurts
      It hurts

    10. Black Cars

      Under the cover of night
      She crawls into sight
      Her skin is cold china white
      She's a dark angel wearing dark glasses
      Dark shadows under long false lashes

      The night exposes the cracks
      She wears her makeup like wax
      To hide every scratch
      'Cause she a dark angel riding dark horses
      Sitting pretty in her dim lit covers ... I say

      Black cars look better in the shade
      She smears her lipstick on right before she sleeps
      For all those phantom lovers in her dreams

      She smokes them french cigarettes
      In cocktail gloves and a strapless dress
      She cuts a perfect silhouette

      But she's a dark angel wearing dark glasses
      A fading beauty as the night time passes ... I say

      Black cars look better in the shade
      Black cars look better in the shade

    11. Just A Motion Away

      Sometimes you win sometimes you lose
      Ain't turnin' back for me and you
      Don't look over your shoulder
      No time for regrets

      You got your demons I got mine
      Our paths have crossed at a crucial time
      Suddenly we're older
      Scared of whats ahead

      We were looking for the answers in all the wrong places
      But now the chance is knocking on our door
      To grab hold of what we been readin' for

      It's just a motion away
      It's just a motion away
      It's just a motion away

      No need to wonder where the future lies
      It's right before our very eyes
      Don't even think it over
      Just say yes

      We were clinging to some old cliches and old familar faces
      But now they're only shattered dreams
      So let's dry our eyes and start away clean

      It's just a motion away
      It's just a motion away
      It's just a motion away

      We were lookin' for the answers in all the wrong places
      But now the chance is knocking on our door
      To open up our aliing hearts once more

      It's just a motion away
      It's just a motion away
      It's just a motion away

    12. Living Inside Myself

      In my life
      I've felt so self assured
      But suddenly it's all changed
      She's a cloud
      That hangs above my world
      And I find myself wond'ring in the rain
      And now I can't go on

      'cause I am lost
      Living inside myself
      Living inside this shell
      Living outside your love
      I am lost
      Somewhere inside my own dreams
      Afraid of what life really means
      Living without your love

      I need a guiding light
      To shine on my darkest days
      I was young, and time was on my side
      But like a fool I let it slip away
      And now those days are gone

      And I am lost
      Living inside myself
      Living inside this shell
      Living outside your love
      I am lost
      Somewhere inside my own dreams
      Afraid of what life really means
      Living without your love

      In my life
      I've felt so self-assured
      But oh how all the seasons change
      And now I'm not that strong

      'cause I am lost
      Living inside myself
      Living inside this hell
      Living outside your love
      I am lost
      Somewhere inside my own dreams
      Afraid of what life really means
      Living without your love

      I am lost
      Living inside myself
      Living inside this shell
      Living outside your love
      I am lost

    13. I Just Wanna Stop

      For your love
      When I think about those nights in Montreal
      I get the sweetest thoughts of you and me
      Memories of love above the city lights
      Ooh, I tried so hard to take it
      But oh Lord my heart won't make it

      I just wanna stop
      And tell you what I feel about you babe
      I just wanna stop
      I never wanna live without you babe
      I just gotta stop
      For your love

      When I think about the way the world must turn
      I get the saddest thoughts for you and me
      Memories of life and times go on and on
      Ooh, I've tried hard to forget it
      But of Lord my mind won't let it

      I just wanna stop
      And tell you what I feel about you babe
      I just wanna stop
      The world ain't right without you babe
      I just wanna stop
      For your love

      Ooo, I've tried so hard to take it
      But oh Lord my heart won't make it

      I just wanna stop
      And tell you what I feel about you babe
      I just wanna stop
      The world ain't right without you babe
      I just wanna stop
      For your love

    14. People Gotta Move

      People come on and do it right
      Shake your behinds like dynamite
      Chuck all your worries and toss your thighs
      To be tame is a pain when you realize

      You gotta move...
      People gotta move...

      Shake all your brains and pump your heart
      Show all the world what you are
      You come on for right, you come on for wrong, you come on for zeal
      'Cause the tones of your bones makes you feel

      You gotta groove ....
      People gotta move .....