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Life (Unreleased 2007 Studio Recording)

by Paint

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Joe Mac
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Michael Straus
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1.
Life (Unreleased 2007 Studio Recording) 04:03
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[Verse 1] The first time I saw your smile You had just turned 25 You had just started doing time And I had abolition on my mind You saw so many die I could never fathom what that would be like In a jungle where only the strong survive Time just could never seem to fly Who gets to decide: five years, ten years, or life? They don't know you, man, they only know your file They've never felt your smile [Chorus 1] Or even cared to hear you speak -- They think they know your mind (and "your kind") [Verse 2] The last time I saw your smile You were 40, still inside And I just wanted to keep your voice alive: Your story through your eyes But somehow your words became mine -- Wasn't what I'd had in mind Such a wasted institutional pantomime Ironically the crime {Chorus 2] Is that one again your future lies In a stranger's hand One who hasn't lived your life And could never understand [Bridge] You're still breathing And I've long since died Hoping life would love you on the outside If that's where you are today I guess I'll never know Watching you survive It helped me see How to live a life of harmony {Chorus 3] Even if the cards are stacked against me [Outro] I wish you peace I wish you peace
2.
Life (Instrumental) [Unreleased 2007 Studio Recording] 04:04
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THE NEXT RELEASE FROM PAINT'S ONGOING TEN-YEAR ARCHIVES SERIES.

Whilst a later demo version of "Life" appears on the Can You Hear Me? 5th Anniversary Deluxe Edition, this 2007 studio recording, produced by Caleb Stull (Field Study, Parlour Steps) has remained in the vaults until now. The first hint at the eventual "wall of sound" that Robb Johannes, Matt Laforest, and Paula McGlynn would explore in spades through the Can You Hear Me? sessions and live shows, "Life" presents layers of stacked guitars and a finding-his-voice Johannes taking on a narration of a young prison abolitionist and what becomes a lifelong friendship with a prisoner serving a life sentence.

With subject matter as relevant today as when it was written (at the time, Johannes was also coordinating Transformative Justice initiatives in the federal prison system and lecturing about the 13th Amendment and prison-industrial complex -- long before the Ava DuVernay film), "Life"'s message of social justice ties directly to the Black Lives Matter movement and calls for investment into community resilience in the face of punitive systems rooted in long histories of racism.

Includes the studio recording of "Life," an instrumental version of the song, plus a 4-page digital booklet.

credits

released October 1, 2021

A SLICE OF PAINT PRE-HISTORY:
vocals, electric & acoustic guitars, eBow, and bass by ROBB JOHANNES
electric guitars by HENRY HSU
vocal harmonies by KAREN O’HEARN
drums by KENAN SUNGUR
produced & mixed by CALEB STULL
engineered by NELS B. TAYLOR
at vogville studios, coquitlam, bc & figment productions, vancouver bc, in february 2007
remastered for 2021 & artwork / layout / studio photography by CLARENCE KING
front photo: ROBBEN ISLAND, table bay, south africa
front page text: Are Prisons Obsolete by ANGELA Y. DAVIS, 2003
back photo by MONTECRUZ FOTO

executive producers: JORDAN SHEPHERDSON, KEIKO GUTIERREZ, and DEVIN JANNETTA

words and music by ROBB JOHANNES © 2007/2021 (SOCAN/ASCAP)

REST IN POWER: gordon alcorn, karlene faith, claire culhane

this release is dedicated in loving memory of elizabeth elliott (1957-2011)

THANK YOU:
warren glowatski, malik cook, colin cameron, matt laforest, paula mcglynn, tina hsu, amanda ceniti, hannah bean johannes, jonathan fluevog, and paint fans far and wide.

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Paint Toronto, Ontario

"Rockstars and entertainers with a sincere change-the-world-with-heart attitude" (Midnight Matinee), Toronto's Paint have earned their reputation as one of Canada's hardest-working and most genuine indie bands with their infectiously energetic live performances, pop hooks, and lyrical depth. ... more

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