Raja Vocative

Lyrics

A bird you would've liked brought the sky down
But it was useless to see it without you around
And in the unstoppable[1] camera of my mind's eye
I saw you and some foreign guy

And I could hear your voice ringing
I could hear you singing
From all the way across the country in Palm Springs
I can hear you now

Your laughter tore through the New Jersey night
And I can't stand it that I'm alright
Stood out on the balcony and I took a look around
And a bird we would've loved the sight of brought the sky down

And I can hear your voice ringing
I can hear you singing
From all the way across the country in Palm Springs
I can hear you now

Banter

• Can you hear the violin? [Alastair plays violin] That's a violin. I'd tell you where and when it was invented but I don't actually know. My friend Joel would lie, that's why I love Joel, because he'd just make something up. And most of you would know that he was lying, I think what gives him satisfaction is that two or three people would go home like, wow, the violin was invented in Latvia as recently as 1931! Anyway, Alastair and I did a single together, and we'd like to play some songs from it. (1996-08-30)
• This is a song written by a much younger man than me who had the same social security number. It’s a love song. (2008-03-02)

Live Performances

• 1994-08-18 - Under ACME, New York City (JD and Rachel)
• 1996-08-30 - Knitting Factory, NYC (encore, with Alastair Galbraith on violin - recording)
• 1996-11-22 - Slattery's, Dublin
• 2015-04-11 - City Winery, New York City (recording - JD solo)
• 2022-05-21 The Sylvee (JD solo)
• 2023-10-28 Longhorn Ballroom (JD solo)

Footnotes