- Back in the old times when there were shows, I would like to, even though I'm acoustic, I would blast it super loud.

(soft instrumental music) I'm Tale of Giants, and this is my "Sound On Tap."

This first song is called "Bordertown."

(guitar music) ♪ I rest my head half a mile from Mexico ♪ ♪ In the southwest town ♪ Where my heart was grown ♪ My cup was filled ♪ From water of the Rio Grande ♪ Well, the warmth I need lives in this desert sand ♪ ♪ Oh, this bordertown and the life it gives ♪ ♪ It's the city of sun cause there's a fire that exists ♪ ♪ From scenic drive to the valley pride ♪ ♪ Raza de mi corazon (soft guitar continues) ♪ Well, bless the fathers ♪ Way stronger than me ♪ Who've thrown their backs out, trying to earn a living ♪ ♪ Half a penny for every crack in their neck ♪ ♪ Well, this is who I am now ♪ The fear, blood, the sweat ♪ And this bordertown and the life it gives ♪ ♪ It's the city of sun ♪ Cause there's a fire that exists ♪ ♪ From scenic drive to the valley pride ♪ ♪ Raza de mi corazon ♪ Our mothers fed us, culture that breathes ♪ ♪ Something deep in your chest that never leaves ♪ ♪ A tradition of faith ♪ To keep the family safe ♪ Well light a candle for me ♪ Light a candle for me ♪ Light a candle for me ♪ Light a candle for this bordertown ♪ ♪ And the life it gives ♪ It's the city of sun because there's a fire that exists ♪ ♪ From scenic drive to the valley pride ♪ ♪ Raza de mi corazon (soft guitar music) - [Man] It makes everything take infinitely longer.

- Yeah.

I first started using my name, Javier Martinez.

But, since there's like, I think there's something like, 7 billion of us.

(chuckle) I think every single Hispanic has the same name as me.

But, it was just hard, like on Spotify and everything.

It was hard to market and I needed a new name.

So, I went through some other names, but eh...

I think everybody's story in their life is huge, right?

I think everyone is so complex, but like, their background stories and their individual memories are giant.

Tale of Giants is a big name.

And it really corresponds to, like, our stories that we hold to ourselves dear.

(tuning sounds) Thank you all for coming tonight.

All right.

(guitar music) ♪ Well father, I carry ♪ Your sins in my bones ♪ And through the years ♪ Well, I've added my own ♪ Found places in this world ♪ We were never meant to be ♪ All my past desires ♪ A foolish decree ♪ I ain't a poet ♪ Haven't sold my soul before ♪ But the devil man ♪ Keeps knocking, pounding at my door ♪ ♪ There was once a river ♪ That led us to the sun ♪ Now it sits drier ♪ Than the bones of our buried ones ♪ ♪ It was once a sight to see ♪ Now it's just the shallow pitting ♪ ♪ Beneath the stars ♪ Choked by the city lights ♪ I aint a poet ♪ Haven't sold my soul before ♪ But the devil man ♪ Keeps knocking, pounding at my door ♪ ♪ Door ♪ Door oh oh oh ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh oh ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh ♪ I've neglected the words ♪ Like bricks beneath my feet ♪ This old stone, stagnant stone ♪ ♪ Keeping balanced and shattered street ♪ ♪ Well all of the ghosts I meet ♪ ♪ Have stories to feed ♪ Their past desires ♪ Their foolish decree ♪ Well I ain't a poet ♪ Haven't sold my soul before ♪ But the devil man keeps knocking ♪ ♪ Pounding at my door - This song is called "The Valley Pt.

2".

(upbeat acoustic guitar music) ♪ If I drown in a river ♪ Send notice by telegram ♪ Let it read "I found my way back home" ♪ ♪ Don't you dare shed a tear ♪ While you know it ain't your fault ♪ ♪ I left to explore the world ♪ And never learned to swim ♪ I seek to roam forever ♪ Through the valley of the shadow of death ♪ ♪ And I'm chasing clouds and mountains ♪ ♪ Where the sky can steal my breath away ♪ ♪ It can steal my breath away, yeah ♪ ♪ (guitar music) ♪ I've grown accustomed to ♪ Temples all torn down ♪ Been trying my best to rebuild what's left ♪ ♪ And be good ♪ Though my lover don't believe in God ♪ ♪ And neither do most my friends, as well ♪ ♪ It makes me feel dumb ♪ For having some peace of mind ♪ ♪ When we all go out for a drink ♪ ♪ We talk about their lives ♪ And what they've seen ♪ I'm boring, I'm awkward ♪ I'm a little bit weak ♪ Well, I don't say much of anything ♪ ♪ But I'm listening ♪ I seek to roam forever ♪ Through the valley of the shadow of death ♪ ♪ And I'm chasing clouds and mountains ♪ ♪ Where the skies steal my breath away ♪ ♪ Let it steal my breath away ♪ I've driven most the roads ♪ With the pleasure of touching both coasts ♪ ♪ 30 years and the clock, it's running quick ♪ ♪ I fear I'm getting old ♪ Disgusted with life, that totem pole ♪ ♪ I haven't changed the world ♪ That's never been the goal ♪ I seek to roam forever ♪ Through the valley of the shadow of death ♪ ♪ And I'm chasing clouds and mountains ♪ ♪ Where the sky can steal my breath away ♪ ♪ Let it steal my breath away ♪ Well, steal my breath away ♪ Steal my breath away ♪ Well, steal my breath away I left El Paso after I graduated high school.

And I always had that attitude, like, "Oh, it's small town and there's nothing there for me, or anybody".

And I think a lot of people have that mentality they all leave El Paso.

Like, I don't know, I was gone for like 10 years.

When I came back to El Paso, I really fell in love with what the city actually is and who I am, living here in the Frontera It's, the people are special.

The culture here is deep.

And, that's something that you don't really find in other cities.

Especially, like, in a big city, like, I lived in Chicago and it's like, you know, sure there's pockets of culture.

But, as far as the city uniting and just being like one place that everybody is kind of the same; there's some value in that.

I like being from El Paso.

Sometimes I wish I never left.

But, I think I wouldn't be who I am now if I hadn't.

This next song is called "Ulcers."

It's one of my favorite songs to play.

(guitar music) ♪ Woke up screaming again ♪ No one holding my hands ♪ Still alone and I'm thinking of you ♪ ♪ While my sheets are frayed, complicated, overlaid ♪ ♪ I've found stones in my mattress again ♪ ♪ Though I know a dream could bring me to you ♪ ♪ All these ulcers, they keep me from falling asleep ♪ ♪ I can't breathe again ♪ Can't afford the medicine ♪ All alone and I'm thinking of you ♪ ♪ I'm thinking of you ♪ I'm thinking of you ♪ I'm thinking of you ♪ I'm thinking of you ♪ I'm thinking of you ♪ I'll see you again when everything ends ♪ ♪ And that's something I refuse to lose ♪ ♪ See you again when everything ends ♪ ♪ Well, that's something I refuse to lose ♪ (guitar music) ♪ I still get lost in the streets ♪ ♪ Walking restless, sheep ♪ Avoiding clicks of that ♪ Ticker tape machine ♪ Standing eye to eye ♪ With the darkness that surrounds my life ♪ ♪ I pray it'll be the last time ♪ ♪ Burning candles at both ends ♪ Chasing shadows to claim his friends ♪ ♪ I can't breathe again ♪ Can't afford the medicine ♪ All alone and I'm thinking of you ♪ ♪ I'm thinking of you ♪ I'm thinking of you ♪ I'm thinking of you ♪ I'm thinking of you ♪ I'm thinking of you ♪ I'm always thinking of you ♪ Of you, of you ♪ I'm always thinking of you ♪ Of you, of you ♪ I'll see you again when everything ends ♪ ♪ And that's something I refuse to lose ♪ ♪ See you again when everything ends ♪ ♪ And that's something I refuse to lose ♪ ♪ See you again when everything ends ♪ ♪ Well, that's something I refuse to lose ♪ ♪ See you again when everything ends ♪ ♪ Well, that's something I refuse to lose ♪ ♪ See you again when everything ends ♪ ♪ Because, you're something I refuse ♪ ♪ To lose (soft guitar music) This song is called "Old Times" (guitar music continues) ♪ I stop for a second to think ♪ Of all the promises ♪ I still hold on to ♪ Knowing you won't ever come home ♪ ♪ And, I caught a memory of your smile ♪ ♪ Yet, I remember that day ♪ You were sad ♪ About being misunderstood ♪ Well, I wish I could see you one more time ♪ ♪ Cause the life without you just don't feel right ♪ ♪ One more sunrise ♪ Just like old times ♪ Just like old times ♪ It was always one more drink ♪ And, the conversations never changed ♪ ♪ But the stories ♪ They always felt brand new ♪ And a cigarette wouldn't kill us ♪ ♪ But, we talked as if it would ♪ ♪ Man, I would burn one down with you ♪ ♪ Those days are through ♪ And, I wish I could see you one more time ♪ ♪ Because the life without you just don't feel right ♪ ♪ One more sunrise ♪ Just like old times ♪ Just like old times ♪ Well, I wish I could see you one more time ♪ ♪ Cause a life without you just don't feel right ♪ ♪ One more sunrise ♪ Just like old times ♪ Just like old times (guitar music continues) ♪ Well shelter in place ♪ Was the first mistake ♪ Hidden away, but never saved ♪ Shadows keep finding me ♪ Well, I welcome them with open arms ♪ ♪ They need a friend ♪ We needed ours ♪ We are all the same ♪ Well shadows that steal your dreams ♪ ♪ Break your hearts ♪ leaving nothing to grieve ♪ Well place a little faith in me ♪ ♪ Trying to learn to believe this world ♪ ♪ Won't fall to its knees (humming) ♪ Oh, shed the fate of a sinner's soul ♪ ♪ Carried the shackles through the trials ♪ ♪ And watched justice balance her scales ♪ ♪ Well, time succeeds and it never fails ♪ ♪ And the things we've done never tell ♪ ♪ Judged by a king of thieves ♪ The shadows that steal your dreams ♪ ♪ Break your hearts leaving nothing to grieve ♪ ♪ Place a little faith in me ♪ Trying to learn to believe ♪ This world won't fall to its knees ♪ ♪ Well we all broke our innocence ♪ ♪ To scream all day ♪ While it makes no sense ♪ Victims to king of thieves ♪ The shadow that steal your dreams ♪ ♪ Break your heart, leaving nothing to grieve ♪ ♪ The shadow that steal your dreams ♪ ♪ Break your hearts ♪ Leaving nothing to grieve And after my last serious band broke up, I had to make a decision what I was gonna do.

Well, the story was, is that, I moved back to El Paso, had some guys together, and we had a band.

And we were gonna go on tour.

And, little by little, the members start trickling off, quitting the band, unable to tour.

So, then I was like, well, what am I gonna do?

So, I canceled some dates and I did them solo.

And, it felt good.

So, I went ahead and started playing solo and continued doing it.

(soft guitar music) ♪ Well, come with me now ♪ I'll show you things that you couldn't see ♪ ♪ It's just a game ♪ Laying your cards down straight ♪ ♪ Well, I've got nothing ♪ Nothing up my sleeve ♪ Well, show me what you've got ♪ ♪ What you've got ♪ what you've got is belief ♪ If you keep your mind straight ♪ ♪ And your precious hands in mine ♪ ♪ We'll fall in love again, someday ♪ ♪ We'll put your pieces back in the box ♪ ♪ Or play another day ♪ You lost your tongue between my teeth ♪ ♪ And what you felt, you couldn't say ♪ ♪ These charades turn to roulette ♪ ♪ And our friends are placing all their bets ♪ ♪ I just need one bullet ♪ Just one to forget ♪ We're drunk, diseased, and alone ♪ ♪ Drunk, diseased, and alone ♪ Keep your mind straight ♪ And your precious hands in mine ♪ ♪ You'll fall in love again, someday ♪ ♪ Fall in love again, someday ♪ Fall in love, someday (guitar music continues) ♪ Well come with me now ♪ I'll show you things that you've never seen ♪ ♪ It's not a game ♪ No, it's not a game ♪ When you race to make angels ♪ At the fall of winter's first snow ♪ ♪ Before it melts and goes ♪ We'll serenade the water below ♪ ♪ Send those angels drunk, diseased, and alone ♪ ♪ Drunk, diseased, and alone ♪ Keep your mind straight ♪ And each other's hands entwined ♪ ♪ And, we'll fall in love again, someday ♪ ♪ If you keep your mind straight ♪ ♪ And each other's hands entwined ♪ ♪ We'll fall in love again, someday ♪ ♪ Oh, we'll fall in love someday ♪ ♪ Yeah, we'll fall in love again, someday ♪ ♪ I seek to roam forever ♪ Through the valley of the shadow of death ♪ ♪ And I'm chasing clouds and mountains ♪ ♪ Where the sky can steal my breath away ♪ ♪ Let it steal my breath away ♪ Steal my breath away ♪ Steal my breath away ♪ Steal my breath away