The Healing Comes Slow

The Band:
Stevie and the Wutnots is an ever-evolving musical extravaganza. The singer/songwriter is Stevie Wutnot, who happily invites other musicians to play along with him whenever they feel like it. Band members share a joy for music and self-expression, and a love for sharing the Song...

The Album
"The Rag and Bone Sessions" album has been recorded at Wutnot Sound, and mastered by Howard Baer.

The songs were recorded over the course of a year, with friends dropping by to add their magical touches here and there. May you listen in joy, and may you be pleasantly surprised!

The stories within this album of interconnected songs are all loosely based upon the life and times of Bix Wutnot -- a traveling vaudeville showman and songwriter in the 1920's and 30's. Stevie Wutnot found his uncle Bix's dusty old diaries and songbooks locked away in a trunk at the family homestead, and they are the inspiration for "The Rag & Bone Sessions".

The Players on The Rag & Bone Sessions:
Stevie Wutnot – piano, guitar, vocals percussion, and other wutnots…
Ron Kapitain – blasts of harrowing harmonica
Heather Inwood Montrose – shimmering, stunning backing vocals
Marion Lott – softly-haunting vocals
Mikaela Hayes – intense and lovely vocals
Tony Donkers – powerhouse slide-trombone

Stevie Wutnot’s Bio:
Stevie Wutnot (aka Stevie 'Wutnot' Bereza-sounds like "impreza"), has been a singer/songwriter since the early '90s, and he released his first indie album on cassette tape back in 1995. At that time, he was given the opportunity to mentor under Rick Hutt, the producer at Cedartree Recording Studios in Kitchener, Ontario. Rick gave helpful songwriting and recording advice, and Stevie remains grateful for the time Rick spent listening to his tunes and chatting about recording techniques.

After earning his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Waterloo, and his Bachelor of Education degree from Western University, Stevie received several amazing opportunities to teach overseas from 1997-2007. During those inspirational years he continued to write songs and play live with whoever was willing to make noise. He also wrote and directed several original musical plays that his students performed for their communities. His teaching profession (English Lit. and Drama) brought him to unique and exotic places - United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Mongolia, Tanzania, Guatemala, and more... He absorbed everything he could, and kept books of songs that are yet to be recorded. More recently, Stevie has also taught high school English in the wonderful town of Bancroft, Ontario.

Now settled with his wife and two adopted Alaskan Husky sled dogs, Stevie focuses on recording his own and others’ music from his home-based recording studio in cottage country - on the 'quiet side' of Algonquin Park. He has made connections with wonderful musicians and artists in the Rolling Madawaska Highlands, and he frequently plays his music live alongside friends at the famous/infamous Arlington Hotel and Pub in Maynooth, Ontario.

His studio is called Wutnot Sound (wutnots.ca), where he will soon build guest accommodations on his 7-acre lakefront property, and plans to offer personalized recording, songwriting, and nature-retreat experiences to artists.

In the future, Stevie will keep writing and producing indie music, and he will continue to build personal connections with like-minded, "true-indie" musicians, artists and music fans.


Lyrics and Stories for The Rag & Bone Sessions:

Lovely
"Lovely" is a simple wish for us, humanity, to rise to our true potential.

Bix Wutnot would often use this song as a show-opener as he traveled around to the various vaudeville theaters in the '20's and '30's. His favourite theater to play was a dusty old charmer called "The Rag & Bone" - hence the name of this album. For VIDEO, click: http://youtu.be/h2h9X63WGdQ

Lyrics:
Will the sun come to the rescue
Interrupt this heavy night – chase away the shadows
Will the moon rise out of her sorrow
And cast a light of her own

And will you ever see that part of me
You could find shelter in the very heart of me

Will the gods look down in kindness
On the sinners below – especially the one with the smoke-ring halo
Will the souls that wander the earth
Ever find what they’re looking for
Satisfy their thirst

And will you ever see that part of me
You could find shelter in the very heart of me

We could be lovely…
We could be something…
We could be lovely…

Do Ya Know?
This is a song that yearns for certainty. It's about longing for a time when things were less complicated.

"Do Ya Know?" was first performed live as a duet by Bix Wutnot and Fizzy Dynamo at "The Rag & Bone Theater", 1929. Bix and Fizzy often sang together casually when they ran into each other on the old vaudeville circuit. Here's a polished-up version of their duet...

Lyrics:
I see your dreams
And they make perfect sense to me
Do you mind if I tag along?
You’re the brightest thing I’ve seen

And yes I know you’re right
And you’re not the phony kind
Sometime I should tell you
All about the phony kind

Is it really believing
When you know in your soul?
Do you have to believe,
Or do you just know?
Do ya just know?

I used to be so sure
So centred and confident
I don’t know, I don’t know
If I can drum that up anymore

And I could see with one look from you
My relation to the line
I’ve been well-beyond it many times
And I always laugh at that particular smile

Is it really believing
When you know in your soul?
Do you have to believe,
Or do you just know?
Do ya just know?

Do ya know ‘cos somebody told you
Or do ya just know?
Do ya know ‘cos somebody told you
Or do ya just know?
Do ya just know?

Rusty Can
This song considers the impossible problems of trying to get money for one's art. How can something so precious and heartfelt have a monetary value? What compromises must be made to attain true success?

Supposedly, Bix Wutnot wrote this song on the night that he first set out on his glorious adventure to be a busker and "Rag & Bone" entertainer. He had always optimistically believed that Fortune would take a particular shining to his songs... But as we all know, nothing ever happens the way we expect it...

Lyrics:
Oh ho-wo….
Knowing what you got before it’s gone, that’s the secret of life…
Living every moment for the moment thru the passage of time…
But I have been guilty of sleep-walking through life…
And you! You have been guilty of forgetting to smile.
Oh, smile!

Now I never wanted to be that kind of a man,
Scratching for a bit of jingle with a rusty can…
It’s a rusty can…

I’m watching at a distance all these people on whom Fortune smiles,
Seems She isn’t very careful choosing who gets the easy ride…
I made a promise in my heart that I would send up my love to the sky,
Serving as a beacon for Her to see tonight…
Can you see the light?

Now I never wanted to be that kind of a man,
Scratching for a bit of jingle with a rusty can…
It’s a rusty can…

You know, I…..

One Foot
Alternate working title: "The Rehab Song". This is about moving forward and sticking to the plan, man! :)

Bix wrote this as a performance piece for when he traveled around to various hobo camps in the '30's. There was always someone who could join in on harmonica, or spoons, or a wooden block. A real stompin' crowd pleaser...

Lyrics:
One foot in front of the other, brother
One foot in front of the other
The journey’s gonna take a long-long time
But I think we’re gonna be alright
Oh, I think we’re gonna be alright

I hear you’re in a heavy situation
And something’s got you hard under the thumb
I’m pretty sure you’ll fight your way to freedom
Pretty sure you will overcome

One foot in front of the other, brother
One foot in front of the other
The journey’s gonna take a long-long time
But I think we’re gonna be alright
Oh, I think we’re gonna be alright

Certain things they run a little deeper
You feel it in your heart and in your bones
You never let a bad thing come between you
You never let a good thing go

One foot in front of the other, brother
One foot in front of the other
The journey’s gonna take a long-long time
But I think we’re gonna be alright
Oh, I think we’re gonna be alright

And here we are
Kicking the blues again
And here we are
Kicking the blues again…

The Healing Comes Slow
This one speaks for itself. The human condition is to suffer - so we're all linked together, and should be supportive to the healing of others...

Rumour has it that Bix originally wrote this when suffering from a broken heart right after his famous nervous breakdown in '33, but he always refused to give it any personal context. "Let others attach their own meanings", he would always say.

Lyrics:
Slow down the world, so you can see
Where you were left so unsteady
You let it all back in your head, now you should know
The pain rushes in, and the healing comes slow…

The healing comes slow…

Had so many dreams, they all flew away
I still feel the bottomless pit in my heart today
If I could arrange for the river to turn back its flow
‘Cos I’m moving too fast, and the healing comes slow…

The healing comes slow…

How do they do it-
Everyone else in this wonderful world of pain?
I cannot believe
How they manage to carry themselves
Under so much weight
To face the world again
One thing I know…
The healing comes slow

The Change
A song that explores restlessness and the desire to rise beyond limitations.

In his diary, Bix mentions a time when he had descended into a hellish underworld of doubt and regret. He explains that this song is the result of feeling lost and alone, and in the lyrics he calls out for help to move up to another level. Will anyone lend him a hand?

Lyrics:
Should have been better off by now
The honey at the top don't trickle down
If only I had listened to myself
I'd be rolling in it now... rolling in it now...

The honourable way will get you nowhere
The parts you have to play distort your shape
I wriggle in and out looking for empathy...
Looking for sympathy...
Looking for anything...
Something I can save.

Ahhh... I'm ready for The Change...
Ready for The Change...

Say, mister or ma'am, will you lend a hand?

Really Being There
This is about the desire to keep all of our memories, and to bring them into the world beyond...

There's a legend that goes with this song: Supposedly, Bix was performing it on stage at "The Rag & Bone" to a gloomy audience. It was a drizzly, stormy night, and energy was low. In the middle of this song, suddenly, from backstage behind the curtains came the angelic voice of Fizzy Dynamo - singing perfect harmonies in spine-tingling sweeps of tone. Bix and the band played on and on, as Fizz kept improvising from backstage. The energy soared, and the crowd experienced one of those rare moments of epiphany and joy that is seldom repeated in life. A perfect memory to keep!

Lyrics:
Hear them ringing out, unaware of their impending fate
And I made my play, but apparently a bit too late…
You got a gift of power, I got a friend to call
And we got a love that shines like a fireball
We got a love that shines like a fireball…

But will we ever remember these dreams that we share…
Will we ever remember really being there?

Been climbing hills in the landscape of my life
Seen amazing things in the glow of the amber light
And here in the darkness, in the sanctity of the den
We hear it calling us out again… We hear it calling us out again… *

When I close my eyes… When I close my eyes…
Ooooh-ooooh… Ooooh-ooooh…

Eat the Brains
This song depicts a character who uses guilt and fear tactics to convince his partner into staying in their conflicted relationship. Will she stay? Will she not stay? Are the zombies really taking over the world? Real heavy stuff!

Bix always claimed this was his favourite song to perform live. He said it was a "perfect stomper".

Lyrics:
Throw me one last look before you go
Throw me one last look before you blow
We may never meet again
Hey, you never know
So throw me one last look before you go

Bake me one last cake before you go
And burn me one last steak before you blow
I may never eat again
I cannot work the stove
So bake me one last cake before you go

It’s a very scary world out there
Don’t be tossed among the waves
There’s a sea of arms reaching for your pockets
Zombies fresh out of the grave
You know they eat the brains
Eat the brains

The devil is no company I hear
The devil is no company I hear
He’ll make a mess of everything
And then just disappear
The devil is no company I hear

It’s a very scary world out there
Don’t be lost among the waves
There’s a sea of arms reaching for your pockets
Zombies fresh out of the grave
You know they eat the brains
Eat the brains

The Medium Is the Message
Marshall McLuhan's philosophy of communication theory is explored here... in conjunction with the concept of a futuristic intelligence or "Media" that is only capable of telling humans the Truth about themselves. Would we heed it?

The lyrical background of this one goes deep... Bix had a series of hallucinatory visions after ingesting some bad liquor at a hobo camp. His trusted friend 'The Kid' stayed with him through the night in an old "TH&B" boxcar rumbling down the line. The Kid wrote down every mumbled incantation that Bix was spitting out, and they became the lyrics of this song...

Lyrics:
You are not loving nearly as much as you should
You are not giving of yourself in the ways that you could
To make everything good

This is an ocean of pivotal mutual dreams
We are in motion, our particles dance in between
Where everything is seen

And we are evolving…
We summersault into the Void
And back in the jungle, they sing of how the gods were destroyed

I am the medium, I am the message
I am the message, I am the medium…

With your mind you can hold down time for a moment
Then the river will swiftly deliver you on…

With your mind you can hold down time for a moment
Then the river will swiftly deliver you on…

Over and over and over she goes…
Over and over and over she goes…
I am the medium, I am the message
I am the message, I am the medium…

Grandma’s Shotgun
A song that depicts an acrimonious split-up. He thinks she's overreacting, and she thinks he's completely lost and corrupt. In the end, the male character attempts to reconcile - but the female has reached her limit...

Not many people know that Bix was actually married, and divorced, before he became an entertainer on the vaudeville circuit. Within Bix's inner circle, it was whispered that "Grandma's Shotgun" is a re-telling of that ill-fated relationship. Bix, as always, denied any personal affiliation--saying "Don't pin it down, man. Don't pin it down!"

Lyrics:
All I know is what I heard before
Not from the horse’s mouth
But the second-hand store
They said you are holding a grudge for some ridiculous reason
And if I should show my face it’s wide-open season

You’re camped out on the lawn
With your housecoat on
And your fuzzy slippers
And your Grandma’s shotgun
Grandma’s shotgun…

All I know is that I did something wrong
Not from what you told me
But from your latest song
You say I, I am a wolf dressed up as a sheep
And in the final verse
You’ve got me picking the wool from my teeth
Cozy under the fleece
And picking the wool from my teeth…

You’re camped out on the lawn
With your housecoat on
And your fuzzy slippers
And your Grandma’s shotgun
Grandma’s shotgun…

All in all, I guess it’s true
It’s been real nice knowing you
All in all, I guess it’s true
It’s been real nice knowing you
And your Grandma’s shotgun…
Grandma’s shotgun…
Grandma’s shotgun…

The Hand
This song condemns violence against women, and imagines the shoe on the other foot--with a woman who fights back against her aggressor. Wouldn't it be awesome if the victims of this world were suddenly empowered to strike back in effective ways? Yes!

Bix always said he was proud of this song. He was a strong defender of women's rights and equality, and he was always a gentleman to any lady in need. Rumour has it that Bix's long-standing best friend and constant companion, "The Kid", was actually of the female gender...

Lyrics:
Sorry, sorry, sorry
So many spoken apologies
Does no one ever worry
About devaluing sincerity?

You pushed her to the breaking point
And just a little bit further
And if she don’t come back
I guess you didn’t deserve her

She’s ready for a new kind of love
Who knows what we can do when push comes to shove?
When push comes to shove…

Don’t talk to the hand unless you’re ready for the hand to talk to you…
Don’t talk to the hand unless you’re ready for the hand to talk to you…

Contusions and bruises
And the occasional rosy flow from the nose
I’d cry me an ocean
If it could take the blood out of my clothes

Don’t talk to the hand unless you’re ready for the hand to talk to you…
Don’t talk to the hand unless you’re ready for the hand to talk to you…

I’m ready for a new kind of love
Who knows what we can do when push comes to shove?
When push comes to shove…

Don’t talk to the hand unless you’re ready for the hand to talk to you…
Don’t talk to the hand unless you’re ready for the hand to talk to you…

Do ya, do ya, do ya wanna dance?
Do ya, do ya, do ya wanna dance?

Solitary Way
A song about moving on...

In this autobiographical song, Bix finds himself on the shore of a new morning after the storms of conflict and tragedy have cleared. He pauses, to feel and appreciate all of the pains and joys of life... then dusting himself off, he moves on down the road....

Lyrics:
When the blue rain clouds roll into my head
I crawl into the hole again
Until they blow away

When the wind lashes out with a thousand blades
Keep your heart steady in its place
And, Love, we shall remain...

In the interim, I guess I can admit
It's a little lonely on the Solitary Way
It's a little lonely...

When the sun comes around to warming my heart
I just might fall apart
It's been a long, long time... since the sunshine...

In the interim, I guess I can admit
It's a little lonely on the Solitary Way
It's a little lonely...

When the moon swims through the Milky Way
She looks back over the day
Remembers her dreams again...
And through the trees...
She smiles at me....
She smiles at me....
:)