We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Miles and Miles: Songs from the Strange and Foreign Land of North Carolina

by Mike Whang

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. Paying supporters also get unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app.
    Purchasable with gift card

      name your price

     

1.
sunshine won't break through these blinds like i used to know their words empty and calloused but i'm holding all these stones where have i sold my soul for what have i walked this road if they don't call my name am i clown in the rain i see a dying affection alive in my reflection it's cold, cold as the grave if i have been sold to my deceptions inject me with infections of love and pierce through the blood in my veins street lights off in the distance of a carolina night sorrow for my loneliest questions my medicine, my fight where have i sold my soul? i was looking for a narrow road! now they won’t call my name i'm just a clown, let it rain i see a dying affection alive in my reflection it's cold, cold as the grave if i have been sold to my deception inject me with infections of love and pierce through the blood and let it rain let it rain buy me a drink i've fallen from the heights of my belief my eyes could not weep deeper than this ocean wept for me i see a dying affection alive in my reflection it's cold, cold as the grave if i have been sold to my deceptions inject me with infections of love and pierce through the blood in my veins let it rain...
2.
Convinced 04:33
i was convinced this time the boundaries were far back behind me never in my dreams, had i wandered this far i used to wrestle my shame with my pride persuading myself that my heart was alive, but this time it's so quiet oh this crown weighs heavier now here, i've built a foundationless house and its quiet my voice and my will, they won't speak my resolve like the heart in my chest starts to sink and the sorrow of promises i have unkept swallows me look how this picture with fire once painted rests on the wall like a memory faded in time i might be free ten thousand songs i have sung with the rest only to find out under my breath there lies a pretender instead far too quick my passionate vows and i can't keep my innocence now its so loud all these voice inside they won’t keep all these secrets of mine till my death follow me now my heart is exploding with all the affliction i need paint me deeper now deeper now deeper now and i will go la da da la da da da... all accusations and curses aside i need a savior much bigger than mine which i, can hardly imagine i feel the breaking under my feet maybe this sorrow’s my portal to breathe my knees are touching the ground now these wounds are starting to bleed scared to death could i believe
3.
I think we know it doesn’t matter where we go Fire or sun, cold from the shadows it’s begun Where could we go? I think our home floats through this ocean of hope Summer or snow, hold stead the sorrows it’s begun
4.
If I’ve ever seen a wolf In the garments of sheep Disguised as my destiny If I’ve ever heard a snake Dressed in a tongue Of make belief fame Distracted in love Enslaved to my passion Serving a god In make belief mansions I was young, I was brave I was a fool, I was a slave Oh... If I’ve ever dined with a wolf Talking to me About holy dreams If I’ve ever shook hands with a snake With a smile on his face My honor to take I kept these skeletons deep in my closet Stories untold, stories so delicate I was light, I was deceived I was color, I was unseen Oh... "I’ll build a house in Hollywood I’ll call it international If they should ask me for the truth I’ll say, ‘god told me to' ‘god told me to’" It goes deeper and deeper The story of love defiled In "holy" ambition It goes deeper and deeper The song of a child is lost In vain repetition He built a house at 29 On the back of children, On a woman’s spine He said they’d be grateful If they'd chain themselves to the "faithful" As the water would fall The sun it would shine We started to see an opened disguise Surely yet slow, there in the light A crease in the clothes, A man but a swine Children were slow to open their eyes Ever afraid of what they would find He was a father, fed them til then Only in love, if only, instead Look at him, how he stumbles along Colorful words to cover his wrongs Heaven forbid to discover his end Only to see he's already dead he's already dead, he's already dead, he's already dead meaningless songs, on and on and on and on his meaningless song, meaningless song on and on and on, on and on and on meaningless song, colors won't cover it no, no, no, and the colors won't cover it no, no, no, i'll build a house in hollywood i'll build a house again
5.
Leaf 03:32
I painted a leaf Bending beneath Sycamore branches I wouldn't sleep Til every crease Told a story of anguish But a thousand colors were not enough So the years were born from months and months Before the water hit the painted brush My time, my time had come Death, like a thief Crept closely and Took away my breathing How could this be I'm falling My hands and feet are freezing But Sir, my work is far from done My story has only just begun I never drew the forest or the glowing sun My time, my time had come Young man! You're not what you used to be Young man! Can you hear my voice beckoning Young man! Before you paint your changing autumn leaves Young man! All this time, you've been painting me
6.
Oh... Until the kernel falls and sinks into the ground It’s roots will never know the soil of earth abounds This melancholy song of all my letting go Joins the chorus of the ones who’ve gone before Voices of women, voices of men Tell me consider this age for the next Even love must pass through loneliness Oh... Should the treasure at my feet return to dust Could I ever say aloud I’ve had enough The bravest of women, the strongest of men Renouncing their rights without recompense Hidden was the path to their happiness What will last until the night tomorrow If this path, if it has an end Will I drink the deepest of my sorrow For idle days of all of my regret Look all the streams the mountains have cried This is the day Lazarus died Look how the ocean feeds into the sky This is the day Lazarus died
7.
Collide 05:24
Old These dreams I've held on to These lofty dreams I've kept As a child Breath So much wasted without you I'd grit my teeth For years Without a smile Now my premonitions they won't wait Forsaking my ambition for my fate Collide, collide, collide All these dreams of yours and mine All I wanted for this life Was to be remembered Rain The seasons ever changing And my days For love They come and go You Were you really for the taking? Do you mean to say I missed you On this road? Collide, collide, collide All these dreams of yours and mine All I wanted for my life Was to be remembered Alive alive alive All your tears are soaked in mine All I wanted for my life Was to be remembered Oh... Jealousy Burning me Jealousy burning me to the grave Of unsurrendered dreams Collide... Collide, collide, collide All these dreams of yours and mine All I wanted for my life Was to be remembered Alive alive alive All your tears are soaked in mine All I wanted for my life Was to be remembered
8.
It's the roots Not the bloom That make true Promises Here at the edge of the canyon I hold her hand The Joshua Trees They call out to me To love her Better than I can It’s the roots Not the bloom That make true Promises Every year of my life now, wherever Rich or poor, with you The oceans won’t drown out What’s woven in time now Should the stars in the sky Fail to shine still I'll call out It’s the roots Not the bloom That make true Promises It’s the roots Not the bloom That make true These promises Love and Mystery Oh these chains on both my feet Swallowing the key I am free It's the roots Not the bloom That make true Promises It's the roots Not the bloom That make true My promises
9.
the silhouette of mountains on the foothills paint a portrait of this love that we enjoyed and threw away only to crawl back, digging through the garbage, picking up pieces of glass and she says i’ll take back every word that i used to curse your name i’ll take back every word that i used to curse your name last night the silhouette of mountains on the foothills they call my name though i’ve never heard their voices before still in the twilight, reflections of a hallowed glowing sun illuminate a love that endures there is something more than i can touch or say there is something more than i can touch or say tonight Now I’m falling in Now I'm falling in A place we call our own Where no one else can find or know No one else can find or know No one else can find i see it in her eyes, welling up, our lives have intertwined falling off her lips, as she whispers out a prayer oh god could i be a feeble jar of clay tonight here i've stumbled on a treasure unadorned though my vision's blind to what has not been revealed i will give my life like the merchant for the field each night Now I’m falling in Now I'm falling in A place we call our own Where no one else can find or know No one else can find or know No one else can find Ooh... our silhouette our silhouette of mountains
10.
Miles and miles Of oceans and continents Separate our pilgrimage Of love Years and years Waiting in dissonance Steady through this wilderness Of time Lisa, you’re the only woman that I love Ten thousand miles wouldn’t be too much Carolina heat is burning, but babe I’m not giving up Your bluebird singing over us and Lisa, you’re the only woman that I love Tears and tears When seasons were colorless When they refused my words again For you Hold on, my love We’ll soon be at the water’s edge Never to be apart again For good Lisa, you’re the only woman that I love Ten thousand miles wouldn’t be too much Carolina heat is burning, but babe I’m not giving up Your bluebird is singing over us, and Lisa, you’re the only woman that I love You’ll take a train through downtown Seoul I will awake in Carolina And oceans will sing a Bridegroom’s song Like a jealous love in travail Oh but when at last I hear your voice The banquet will be prepared The banquet will be prepared Lisa, you’re the only woman that I love Ten thousand miles wouldn’t be too much Carolina heat is burning, but babe I’m not giving up Your bluebird singing over us You're the only woman that I love You're the only woman that I love Lisa, you’re the only woman that I love

about

This album chronicles my inner life between 2012 and 2015 when I lived in Durham, North Carolina. The album has four thematic movements:

MOVEMENT 1 (Tracks 1-3): Existential Examination
MOVEMENT 2 (Track 4): Mark Driscoll
MOVEMENT 3 (Tracks 5-7): Death
MOVEMENT 4 (Tracks 8-10): Marriage

Reflections on the exchange of music and money: bit.ly/1HRrz4R
Blog posts for each song available on Instagram feed (@mikewhang)
Lyrics and Liner Notes .PDF document to follow
Email List: goo.gl/forms/aRGdvPmdnB

credits

released April 29, 2015

All Songs Written by Mike Whang
"Where Could We Go" co-written with Lingie Park
"Leaf" co-written with Alex Hwang
Mixed by Daniel Chae & Mike Whang
Mastered by Daniel Chae
Drums by Kevin Derby & Nathan Walker
Sleigh Bells by Kevin Derby
Bass by Nathan Walker & Gilbert Kim
Guitars by Andy Davis & Mike Whang
Piano by Jeremiah Siochi & Mike Whang
Vocals by Mike Whang
BG Vocals by Nathan Walker & Tori Lye
Violins by Daniel Chae & Andy Bonner
Recorded in various home studios including Mike's Bedroom in Durham, Andy's old apartment in Raleigh, Gilbert's bedroom in Fullerton (I think), and Kevin's house on the other side of Durham. Also recorded in Mosaic Church in Durham, Small Town Records Studios in Duke University, and New Life Camp in Raleigh.
Artwork by James Chong

license

all rights reserved

tags

If you like Mike Whang, you may also like: