The Whole Bolivian Army: Hazen

Hazen (1995)

"It's refreshing to know that not every band in Seattle wants to pick up where Nirvana left off. Hazen, The Whole Bolivian Army's self-released CD, actually takes what seems to be Seattle's version of the road rarely traveled. It takes a little bit of groovy bass, beat driven rapid rhythm, and crosses it with light, but complex guitar work. The vocals of Mary Beth Kite are strong, but decidedly feminine. She has a good knack for even adding a jazzy feel to what seems to come off as an overall new hippie sound. You can't help but think that these guys got a love for the good folks in Seattle who are a little tired of the same old, same old. If this is their first effort, you can expect some good things to come from The Whole Bolivian Army."
— David Musolf, University Reporter, Dec. 1995

"It's pop but it's got power, and The Whole Bolivian Army has this way of sounding endearingly goofy without seeming silly."
— Marisa Lencioni, Seattle Times, Nov. 16, 1995

TRACK LIST
1. Sea Bus
2. Fear
3. Wow. Buckley.
4. I'm Not Much
5. Hymn 522

ALBUM CREDITS: MB, vocals; Matt Kite, guitar; Steve Miller, bass, vocal. Guest musicians: Brenda Hazen (backing vocals, percussion), Dan Hazen (drums). Recorded by John Nelson and mixed by Scott McAllister at Crow Recording (Seattle, WA). Cover photo courtesy of Steve Miller. Music by TWBA. Lyrics by Matt Kite and MB. Dedicated to the memory of Linda Kite, 1938-1994. © 1995 The Whole Bolivian Army.

LYRICS: See below.

Sea Bus

let's move to Moclips, baby
and plant a little garden
yeah, let's move to Moclips
and plant a happy garden
we can plant turnips, squash and red tomatoes
and eat them with our toes
we'll form a commune
and drive electric golf carts
and call each other brother and sister
and love each other real good

to the sea with you and me
out of this stinking urban air
on a bus to the sea
to the sea with you and me

let's go to Cannon Beach
where everything is out of reach
or to Florence, Oregon
where Italy never came or went
we can play croquet in the summer
or dominoes inside when it gets cold
dominoes are fun
'cause they knock each other over
and keep going in a line
...and love each other real good

to the sea with you and me
out of this concrete jungle
on a bus to the sea
to the sea with you and me

to the sea with you and me
don't bother me with the details
on a bus to the sea
to the sea with you and me

Fear

I don't know why I'm so afraid
of getting in the water
and I don't know why I'm so afraid
of going out at night

I killed the Boy with the Golden Hair
I sold the Wild Man to the freak show

I don't know why I'm so afraid
of standing next to you
and I don't know why I'm so afraid
of everything

I killed the Boy with the Golden Hair
I sold the Wild Man to the freak show

I don't know why I'm so afraid
to drink my own darkness
to dream by myself
to submerge with the worst
to touch fear and let it run loose

Wow. Buckley.

since autumn, it's been blackberry and thistle
we've been trying to cut them down
like napalm, like a goat that eats everything
we make the ground ugly

and we found a pond
kidney-shaped and full of frogs

we can hear black clouds rumble through
see the snow line come down
this is spring, even if it feels strange
and we're still swinging scythes

maybe we'll find another pond
kidney-shaped and full of polliwogs
all murky and ripe
a dark hole in the ground
and no good for a swim
no good for a swim

I'm Not Much

the world is your ashtray
so toss another cigarette out the window
the world is your ashtray
so ship another load to the Third World

I'm not much better than you
but at least I can see past my nose
you and others like you
get out of my car

the world is your toilet
so flush another goldfish and wave goodbye
the world is your toilet
so screw your kids and get what you can get

I'm not much better than you
but at least I can see past my nose
you and others like you
get off me!

Hymn 522

your church, your God, your fortress
they're crawling down my throat
crawling under the moat
forming a cesspool from your dead jewel
buried in darkness

I won't drink the water
I won't let it go down

you, you're choking me, drowning me
can't feel my fingertips or the wetness
spilling over my hips
chest heaves, I can't breathe
dropping into a bed of leaves
a million trees
infinity

I'm drinking the water
I can feel it go down

I'm drinking the water
I can feel it go down
it goes down
it goes down