Bill Madden

Chillin' In Hades

Chillin' In Hades by Bill Madden

Chillin' In Hades

Brothers, others
Lovers in chains
Repressed
For too long a day
Crumble the walls
Overrun the palace
Everyone has a right
To justice, not malice
I’m down here
Stuck in a world
Of violence and fear
But I’m a cool, cool breeze
Chillin’ in Hades

Everyone came
Excited
The flame
Was ignited
From a spark
Into a rage
But burnin’ and running’s
Cowardice, not courage
I’m down here
Stuck in a world
Of violence and fear
But I’m a cool, cool breeze
Chillin’ in Hades

You got it all
Wrapped up in your head
You got the answer
But you second guess
You got it
You got it
You got it all

Was once
Not long ago
A confused
Suffering soul
Angry
Cynical and bitter
I was the virus
Now I’m the cure
I’m down here
Stuck in a world
Of violence and fear
But I’m a cool, cool breeze
Chillin’ in Hades

Only Us

Had a dream
Like I’ve had many a time
A belief for brothers
And sisters alike
And I know
It’s time we sow
A seed of love
A seed of hope
It’s time we trust
Just because
There’s only us

There’s a stream
That runs down my eyes
A disease you can’t
Wash away by crying
And I know
It’s time we sow
A seed of love
A seed of hope
It’s time we trust
Just because
There’s only us

Only us, only us, one world
One love or nothing
Gather ‘round
Don’t fear the crowd
Wake up
And do the right thing
Do the right thing

There’s a way and only
One road to travel
Comes a day to win
The war, not just a battle
Now I know
It’s time we sow
A seed of love
A seed of hope
It’s time we trust
Just because
There’s only us

Wake up
And do the right thing
There’s only us

Here and Now

This is our world
This is our life
We are the sons and
Daughters of everyone
This is our fear
All in manifest
Trust and we get hurt, but
Violence, what is it worth
Here and now
Here and now
Here and now

Promises broken
Talk is a lie
See the frustration
Etched in our faces
Armageddon’s
Time arrived, the verdict
Wasn’t good, so we burned
Down the neighborhood
Here and now
Here and now
Here and now

Always another
Reason or other
Hungry people need
Jobs and shelter
Always another
Reason or other
Wake up brother

This is the result
Of all of our rage
Anger’s contagious, look
What we’ve made of this
Give us something
We can believe in
Be through with the grieving
And get on with the healing
Here and now
Here and now
Here and now

Reconcile

Better be true
To yourself
And not judge others
By race or wealth
Practice
Don’t preach
Don’t walk on nobody
Nobody walks on me
The time is now
Together people
Reconcile, na...
Together people, na...

It’s understood
I understand
I’ve been lied to, I’ve
Been programmed
The time is now
Together people
Reconcile, na...
Together people, na...
Reconcile

Better wake up
Open your eyes
See us all as one
And the same tribe
Blindness
Is a disease
Don’t look at nobody
Nobody looks at me
The time is now
Together people
Reconcile, na...
Together people, na...
Reconcile, na...
Together people, na...
Reconcile

What It’s Like

In the beginning
Everything was fine
As it usually is
Misgivings
Over silly things
Slowly render us blind

In the middle of a
Daydream, I awoke
As I usually do
Religion, with all
Its guilt and sin
I witnessed the truth
But I lived a lie
I know now, I know
What it’s like
What it’s like
What it’s like

And I know we have
To talk about it
We have to learn
To open ourselves
People
The lesson is love

Open up
All of us
Surrender our hearts
And our minds
I know now, I know
Now I know what it’s like
I know now, I know
What it’s like

Not the Same

And I know
Now she’s gone
And my world
Came crashing down
I was dazed
And confused
I was amazed
By a bit of truth
I’m not the same
I’m not the man
I was yesterday
I’m not the guy
She said I am

I may stumble
I may fall
Maybe sometimes
Even crawl
But as life
Passes by
Old wounds
Heal in time
I’m not the same
I’m not the man
I was yesterday
I’m not the guy
She said I am
I still see her
Cream and strawberry
Curls falling down

Now I know
Better now
To ever
Be so proud
Jealous love
Foolish pride
And an ego
Once was mine
I’m not the same
I’m not the man
I was yesterday
I’m not the guy
She said I am
Said I am

Merry-Go-Round

He says it all
All the right words
But he don’t come
With any real offer
The little fella thinks
He’s a king, he ain’t
Even prince charming
One by one by one
We come on
To clubland
And hang in the hall
One by one we
Get off and get on
And go round
And round and
Merry-go-round and
Round and round and
Merry-go-round and
Round and round and
Merry-go-round and
Go round

All I
Hear’s the same
Rhetoric lecture
In my face
I think he’s bluffing
Saying something
Signifying nothing
One by one by one
We come on
To clubland
And hang in the hall
One by one we
Get off and get on
And go round
And round and
Merry-go-round and
Round and round and
Merry-go-round and
Round and round and
Merry-go-round and

Down and around
Like a roller coaster
He’s talkin’ again
But talkin’s nothin’
Nothin’s not
Something isn’t
Anything at all

So for a price
We buy
Pay to play a late
Night Saturday
At the palace
We rattle the walls
With electric machines
We come on
To clubland
And hang in the hall
One by one we
Get off and get on
And go round
And round and
Merry-go-round and
Round and round and
Merry-go-round and
Round and round and
Merry-go-round and
Go round

Candy Hills

Here she comes
Head in the clouds
Hummin’ a song
To herself
Ribbons and bows
A smile says she knows
Secrets you can
Get her to tell
She’s so silly and fun
One by one
The fellas thrill
For just a little
Candy, Candy Hills

She’s a little naïve
And the world is so big
But she’s anything
But helpless
She gets what she wants
She know what she’s got
All the other girls
Are jealous
Everybody wants some
One by one
The fellas thrill
For just a little
Candy, Candy Hills

Monday she’s moody
Tuesday she’s crying
Wednesday, Thursday’s the
Same, but, Friday she’s smiling

Everyone knows
She’s got new clothes
A pretty skirt
Of her fancy
And when she twirls
All of the girls
Follow the
Leader dancing
She’s everywhere at once
One by one
The fellas thrill
For just a little
Candy, Candy
Fellas kill for just a little
Candy, Candy Hills

Chillin' In Hades Review

Sometimes the best-sounding local efforts come in without the least bit of fanfare. Such is the case with a commercial CD from Bill Madden.

Bill Madden's musical heroes are pretty well-known -- Bob Dylan, John Lennon, John Mellencamp and Van Morrison, to name a few.

And on his commercial debut, "Chillin' in Hades," the Costa Mesa resident doesn't let them down in a promising eight-song exploration of his musical roots that recalls the past though it's directed squarely at the future.

Using the acoustic guitar as a key component to his uplifting tales of life in a flawed world, Madden sings with feeling in quiet moments on "Chillin' In Hades," roars in rockers such as the driving "Only Us," and sings sweetly in the Beatles-esque "Candy Hills."

As fate would have it, Madden is still somewhat of an unknown here in his own backyard, even though the album has made several Top 25 lists on adult album alternative and college radio stations across the country, including hitting No. 1 at KSJD in Colorado.

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