(upbeat country rock music) - [Narrator] "Ocean State Sessions" features performances by New England musicians and brings you the stories behind the songs.

This time, the Dust Ruffles are making pop rock with a nostalgic, familiar sound.

♪ You show me your shiny car ♪ ♪ And you tell me what you've done so far ♪ ♪ And you say you love me forever ♪ ♪ Never hurt me and we will stay together ♪ - [Narrator] While the Dust Ruffles try to deliver a comfortable experience for their listeners, the Cannibal Ramblers shake things up with a mix of punk and country blues.

♪ Heaven's marching band ♪ ♪ That morphine drip was like whiskey and wine ♪ ♪ I asked for more, oh, I ain't lying ♪ ♪ Knock yourself out ♪ ("Going Home" by Cannibal Ramblers) ♪ Yeah, going home ♪ - Hey, we're the Dust Ruffles.

And this next song is called "Thump."

And the inspiration behind it was that I asked the band for a challenge what could I write a song about in 30 minutes time?

And they sent me the like symbol.

And the song is about someone who sees a girl they like and wants to dance with her.

("Thump" by Dust Ruffles) (upbeat electronic guitar music) (upbeat electronic guitar music continues) ♪ I see you dancing, baby ♪ ♪ I realize ♪ ♪ The way you're shaking ♪ ♪ Makes me wanna treat you right ♪ ♪ I fell in love with you at first sight ♪ ♪ And I (indistinct) over ♪ ♪ And try to claim my prize ♪ ♪ I didn't know that I was lonely ♪ ♪ Until tonight ♪ (upbeat electronic guitar music) ♪ I can never let you outta my sight ♪ ♪ Ha ♪ ♪ I see you dancing, baby ♪ ♪ Can you dance with me ♪ ♪ The way you're shaking ♪ ♪ Makes me fall to my knees ♪ ♪ And I never wanna lay my eyes ♪ ♪ On anyone other than you, yeah ♪ ♪ Won't catch me messing around ♪ ♪ I never want to loose you ♪ ♪ I'll be faithful to you ♪ ♪ Right from the start ♪ ♪ I'll be there for you ♪ ♪ I never wanna be apart ♪ ♪ Hey pretty girl ♪ ♪ Will you be mine ♪ ♪ Come dance with ♪ ♪ Loose track of time ♪ ♪ Lift up your hands ♪ ♪ Swing to the beat ♪ ♪ Don't turn away ♪ ♪ Come dance with me ♪ ♪ As the base goes thump ♪ ♪ Oh, as the base goes thump ♪ (upbeat electronic guitar music) ♪ I see you dancing, baby ♪ ♪ And you stole my heart ♪ ♪ And when you walked away ♪ ♪ It tore me apart ♪ ♪ Don't you be spinning around ♪ ♪ And dancing away from me, yeah ♪ ♪ Come here and dance around next to me ♪ ♪ You will always be mine ♪ ♪ For eternity ♪ (upbeat electronic guitar music) ♪ Let's start this off right ♪ ♪ Come dance with me ♪ ♪ Hey pretty girl ♪ ♪ Will you be mine ♪ ♪ Come dance with me ♪ ♪ Loose track of time ♪ ♪ Lift up your hands ♪ ♪ And swing to the beat ♪ ♪ Don't turn away ♪ ♪ Come dance with me ♪ ♪ As the base goes thump ♪ ♪ Oh, as the base goes thump ♪ ♪ Don't you turn away ♪ ♪ Come and dance with me ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Don't you turn away ♪ ♪ Come and dance with me ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Don't you turn away ♪ ♪ Come and dance with me ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Don't you turn away ♪ ♪ Come and dance with me ♪ ♪ As the base goes thump ♪ ♪ Oh, as the base goes thump ♪ ♪ Hey pretty girl ♪ ♪ Will you be mime ♪ ♪ Come dance with me ♪ ♪ Lose track of time ♪ ♪ Lift up your hands ♪ ♪ And swing to the beat ♪ ♪ Don't turn away ♪ ♪ Come dance with me ♪ ♪ Hey pretty girl ♪ ♪ Will you be mine ♪ ♪ Come dance with me ♪ ♪ Loose track of time ♪ ♪ Lift up your hands ♪ ♪ And swing to the beat ♪ ♪ Don't turn away ♪ ♪ Come dance with me ♪ ♪ As the base goes thump ♪ ♪ Oh, as the base goes thump ♪ (upbeat electronic guitar music) ♪ Don't you turn away ♪ ♪ Come and dance with me ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Don't you turn away ♪ ♪ Come and dance with me ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Don't you turn away ♪ ♪ Come and dance with me ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Don't you turn away ♪ ♪ Come and dance with me ♪ ♪ As the base goes thump ♪ ♪ Oh, as the base goes thump ♪ (audience clapping) - When I was 13, I was homeschooled.

I had just started to become homeschooled.

I started playing guitar all the time.

So basically, I was at home doing my schoolwork, but also mostly just playing guitar constantly.

I ended up just spending a lot of time writing songs.

The pick sound on my electric guitar strings, so all they could hear was (mimics ticking) and it was just like constant.

And so it drove them nuts.

But...

I ended up recording an album as a teenager.

When I write a song, I try to make it predictable.

If someone doesn't know what's coming next, they can't feel it coming, then it's not the right part for that song.

♪ I'm alive ♪ ♪ I'm alive ♪ ♪ You can't really love me ♪ ♪ If you left a paper trail for me to see ♪ ♪ I won't let you... ♪ Our job really is to know which things don't work.

You can be as creative as you want, but if something is going to make people uncomfortable and they're not just intrigued, it can't be in it.

It has to be removed.

So this next song, this next song is called "Resume."

I wrote it when I was much, much younger before I knew you could lie on a resume.

And it's about someone is pursuing someone and the person is responding with, "You're not actually who you say you are.

You're lying to me.

You still have a girlfriend."

And you'll see the rest.

("Resume" by Dust Ruffles) ♪ You are all talk ♪ ♪ You tell me are on the phone ♪ ♪ You show me your shiny car ♪ ♪ And you tell me what you've done so far ♪ ♪ And you say you'll love me forever ♪ ♪ Never hurt me and we will stay together ♪ ♪ And you tell me that I am beautiful ♪ ♪ But I'm sure you told the last girl too ♪ ♪ But she's crying over there ♪ ♪ And you don't seem to care ♪ ♪ You say you never matched ♪ ♪ And you never attach ♪ ♪ You'll never my hero, baby ♪ ♪ You won't save the day ♪ ♪ Don't see it on your resume ♪ ♪ See it on your resume ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh, I don't want you ♪ ♪ And all of your perfections ♪ ♪ You don't take rejection ♪ ♪ And you keep on trying still ♪ ♪ Please go away ♪ ♪ 'Cause I checked your references ♪ ♪ You don't match my preferences ♪ ♪ And you have a girlfriend still ♪ ♪ But she's crying over there ♪ ♪ You don't seem to care ♪ ♪ You say you never matched ♪ ♪ And you never attached ♪ ♪ You'll never be my hero, baby ♪ ♪ You won't save the day ♪ ♪ I don't see it on your resume ♪ ♪ See it on your resume ♪ ♪ On oh on ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Take those standards ♪ ♪ Take those flowers ♪ ♪ Put them where they grow ♪ ♪ 'Cause I am not the rightful owner ♪ ♪ Take those flowers, go ♪ ♪ Put that money in your pocket ♪ ♪ I'll pay for my own ♪ ♪ Because I am not the rightful owner ♪ ♪ Take the money home ♪ ♪ You're not perfect ♪ ♪ But you'll do it again ♪ ♪ You are a player not a friend ♪ ♪ So go, you say yes, I said no ♪ ♪ You might be use to getting anything you want to ♪ ♪ I won't fall into your traps, no ♪ ♪ But she's crying over there ♪ ♪ You don't seem to care ♪ ♪ You say you never matched ♪ ♪ And you never attached ♪ ♪ You'll never be my hero, baby ♪ ♪ You won't save the day ♪ ♪ I don't see it on your resume ♪ ♪ Don't see it on your resume ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪ (audience clapping) - This song is... "Going Home."

("Going Home" by Cannibal Ramblers) (bluesy rock music) ♪ Going home ♪ ♪ Going home ♪ (bluesy rock music) ♪ Going home ♪ ♪ Going home ♪ (bluesy rock music) ♪ Well I'm going where the water taste like wine ♪ ♪ Going where all the women look mighty fine ♪ ♪ Going where my troubles melt all away ♪ ♪ I'm going where I'm going ♪ ♪ And I'm going to stay ♪ ♪ I'm going home ♪ ♪ Going home ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Going home ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ I'm going home ♪ (bluesy rock music) ♪ Yeah, I'm going to see my mama and my daddy too ♪ ♪ And I might see my sisters ♪ ♪ I might see you ♪ ♪ I might see my old dogs ♪ ♪ My old friends ♪ ♪ If I see ole Waller, I will make amends ♪ ♪ I'm going home ♪ ♪ Going home ♪ ♪ Yeah, going home ♪ ♪ Home ♪ ♪ I'm gong home ♪ ♪ Where are you going ♪ ♪ Where are you going ♪ (bluesy rock music) (bluesy rock music continues) (bluesy rock music continues) (bluesy rock music continues) (bluesy rock music continues) (bluesy rock music continues) (bluesy rock music continues) (bluesy rock music continues) ♪ I was sitting down where I could not stand ♪ ♪ Thought I might join heaven's marching band ♪ ♪ That morphine drip was like whiskey and wine ♪ ♪ I asked for more, oh, I ain't lying ♪ ♪ Knock yourself out ♪ (bluesy rock music) ♪ Yeah, going home ♪ ♪ Going home ♪ ♪ Going home ♪ (bluesy rock music) (bluesy rock music continues) (bluesy rock music continues) (bluesy rock music continues) (bluesy rock music continues) ♪ Go where the wind never blows too cold ♪ ♪ And I'm going where nobody ever grows too old ♪ ♪ I'm going where the river meets the deep blue sea ♪ ♪ I'm going where I'm going ♪ ♪ 'Cause it's got to be ♪ ♪ I'm going home ♪ ♪ Yeah, going home ♪ ♪ Going home ♪ ♪ Yeah, going home ♪ (bluesy rock music) (bluesy rock music continues) (bluesy rock music continues) (bluesy rock music continues) (bluesy rock music fades) - Thank you.

For me, playing is performance art.

It's not necessarily, you know, although I write a lot of, write almost all the songs that we play, I don't think of myself as a singer/songwriter.

(upbeat punk and country blues) (Mark's singing drowned out by music) (upbeat punk and country blues) (Mark's singing drowned out by music) If I'm relating this, you know, synesthetically, how does this relate to the plank, this is certainly a kind of dense rhythm.

You know, like a chuca chuca chuca chuca.

The flowers might exist as, you know, the drummer hitting a symbol.

This is just crescendoing melodic.

What I see between visual art and music, it's all the same thing for me.

You know, it's the same language when you're talking about texture, form, color, whether it's music or visual art.

And I know it's the same part of my brain that lives in both areas.

I find that really fascinating.

You know?

And when I think of the correlation, you know, you think of like a singular line of sound.

Like either, whether it's a guitar or a violin or a harmonica.

It's much like drawing.

It's just, it's the same thing.

And then when you think of multiple sounds coming together, chords and bass and harmonica, and if there's a violin playing, and when that converges, it's much like when you look at a painting that has many colors converging, you know, creating a sense of just pure emotion.

So here's a song.

All the lyrics come from the first chapter of Moby Dick.

("A Warm Breeze Blows" by Cannibal Ramblers) Sadly, because I've read it many, many, many, many times.

But, so this is like a collaboration with Herman Melvin.

(reflective punk and country blues music) ♪ It's a thick night ♪ ♪ I'm feeling kind of gloomy ♪ ♪ Lightning in the sky ♪ ♪ I feel it running through me ♪ ♪ My barometer is dropping ♪ ♪ To where there's no below ♪ (reflective punk and country blues music) ♪ I feel a storm welling ♪ ♪ It's coming on the blow ♪ (reflective punk and country blues music) ♪ In the heat of the dome ♪ ♪ I'm feeling kind of gloomy ♪ ♪ My mind is on fire ♪ ♪ It's going to consume me ♪ ♪ My mind is a spiraling ♪ ♪ Sea of white foam ♪ ♪ The bottom of the sea ♪ ♪ Will become my home ♪ ♪ Well, the sky is still gray ♪ ♪ I'm feeling kind of gloomy ♪ ♪ I might knock off your hat ♪ ♪ Just so you will sue me ♪ ♪ If I see a coffin ♪ ♪ I will follow it along ♪ ♪ My liver and my spleen ♪ ♪ Are feeling kind of wrong ♪ (reflective punk and country blues music) (reflective punk and country blues music continues) (reflective punk and country blues music continues) (reflective punk and country blues music continues) (reflective punk and country blues music continues) (reflective punk and country blues music continues) (reflective punk and country blues music continues) ♪ Well my hypos are popping ♪ ♪ I'm feeling kind grim ♪ ♪ Well, I better get to sea ♪ ♪ I better learn to swim ♪ ♪ It's that damn drizzling ♪ ♪ And November in my soul ♪ (reflective punk and country blues music) ♪ It's that damn drizzling ♪ ♪ And November in my soul ♪ (reflective punk and country blues music) ♪ Sir, come ambulate the city ♪ ♪ On a dreamy Sabbath night ♪ ♪ Walk from Corlears Hook to Coenties Slip ♪ ♪ By the bright moon light ♪ ♪ Standing silent sentinels ♪ ♪ 10,000 mortal men ♪ ♪ Watching the ships and the rigging ♪ ♪ Ready to go to sea again ♪ ♪ Say you're in the country, in some high land of lakes ♪ ♪ Take almost any path you see ♪ ♪ See where it takes you down to a stream ♪ ♪ A mirrored lake or a pond ♪ (reflective punk and country blues music) ♪ It takes you from your sleepless nights ♪ ♪ To a night beyond ♪ (reflective punk and country blues music) (reflective punk and country blues music continues) (reflective punk and country blues music continues) (reflective punk and country blues music continues) ♪ It's a thick night ♪ ♪ I'm feeling kind of gloomy ♪ ♪ My mind is on fire ♪ ♪ It's going to consume me ♪ ♪ My barometer's dropping ♪ ♪ To where there's no below ♪ (reflective punk and country blues music) ♪ I feel the storm welling ♪ ♪ It's coming on to blow ♪ (reflective punk and country blues music) (reflective punk and country blues music continues) (reflective punk and country blues music continues) (reflective punk and country blues music continues) (reflective punk and country blues music fades) Thank you (upbeat country rock music) - [Narrator] For more "Ocean State Sessions" plus all your Rhode Island PBS favorites, visit RIPBS.org.

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