ACOUSTIC ANTERIOR ANGST
TRAPPER KEEPER SONGBOOK VOL. 1
Back in my schooldays I wrote many lyrics in the margins of my school notebooks. Revisiting these pages 40 years later, songs that existed only on a page and in a dusty melody in my mind are given life for the first time. Acoustic guitar based arrangements, this stuff is all real. Guitar playing, vocals, all recorded live. Drums via drum pads, and other musical touches through MIDI Keyboard. All songs written 1983-1989. All lyrics were kept intact - no rewrites, any edits noted in the lyrics below.
LO-FI 80’S ACOUSTIC ANTERIOR ANGST
〰️
LO-FI 80’S ACOUSTIC ANTERIOR ANGST 〰️
Praising Cain
Stubborn Mirror (It Was Still Me)
Kimberly Creek
Will You Be There
You Make Me Wanna Stay
Little Boy Under the Stars
You Can’t Go Home Tonight
Rock a Little Longer
Falling Fast
Tears and Alcohol
Distance Can’t Separate Us
Shadow At Our Heels
A Young Man’s Dream
I Don’t Know About You (Don’t Know About Me)
C) 2026 All songs written, arranged and produced by Brian DiMarco.
Published through Goop Melange Music
Brian DiMarco: Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica, Piano, Drums, MIDI
Microphone: Yeti Blue
Guitars: Palmer Steel String Acoustic, Fender FA-100 Acoustic, Ibanez Electric
Additional Instruments: Alesis V Mini
Recorded and Mixed: Apple Logic Pro
Mastering: Kits.ai
All vocals, acoustic guitars, harmonica recorded live, hence the “lo fi”
All songs were written between 1983-1989 in High School and College notebooks, hence the 80’s.
Recorded: Fred’s Addition Studio and Office, Pennsylvania August 2025 - January 2026.
Design: Brian DiMarco. AI images between MidJourney, Renderforest, Grok, and Snag-It for final mock-ups.
This is Trapper Keeper Vol. 1, yes there is a blue Trapper Keeper though truth be told, it mostly holds old baseball cards from the 80’s. Those Rickey Henderson rookie cards are worth more than the song publishing rights, but there are more songs in there. Don’t threaten me with a good time.
Special thanks to AI for taking 20+ pounds off in those current images. I appreciate any and all listens. Though if you’d rather listen to old Mink Deville vinyl, I understand.
(1) PRAISING CAIN
Praising Cain was a blind man’s uncle
Praising Cain was not a fool
Praising Cain could have had the world, yea
Praising Cain was a lot like you
Praising Cain … Praising Cain …
Praising Cain … Praising Cain …
Praising Cain … Praising Cain …
Down in the corner by the Stonehill Bridge
Praising Cain is in the local bar
Shots ring out for his vindication
Praising Cain ran to his car
Out of bounds come the police over
Wondering what Praising Cain might do
Well the man never stopped to listen
Praising Cain your days are through
Praising Cain … Praising Cain …
Praising Cain … Praising Cain …
Praising Cain … Praising Cain …
Praising Cain knew what the story was
Praising Cain ran for his life
Round the corner musta lost him somewhere
They got a cop waiting with his wife
He takes the streets and the darkest alley
Praising Cain could only roam
‘Til he wished to be in his late mother’s arms
Praising Cain went rushing home
Praising Cain was a blind man’s uncle
Praising Cain was not a fool
Praising Cain could have had the world, yea
Praising Cain was a lot like you
Praising Cain … Praising Cain …
Praising Cain … Praising Cain …
Praising Cain … Praising Cain …
Out in front of the split-level brick front
There’s tricycles tossed carelessly
He slips in through the garage door
Yells out, “Honey, my baby, it’s me”
Praising Cain should have taken precautions
He never acted so carelessly
Surprise son, out comes a Pennsy State trooper
Praising Cain what was it like to be free?
Praising Cain … Praising Cain …
Praising Cain … Praising Cain …
Praising Cain … Praising Cain …
He turned to run through the backdoor
“Shot in the back” He saw the papers read
But the trooper caught him and cuffed him up, yea
“Praising Cain: The Martyr” was not to be
Now on holidays she packs the kids up
They remember fondly at her parent’s grave
Then it’s to the cell to see Praising Cain, yea
As they leave crying she turns to wave
Praising Cain was a blind man’s uncle
Praising Cain was not a fool
Praising Cain could have had the world, yea
Praising Cain was a lot like you
Praising Cain … Praising Cain …
Praising Cain … Praising Cain …
Praising Cain … Praising Cain …
(12) SHADOW AT OUR HEELS
Wake up girl we’re dying
And we ain’t even up to the fight
Stuck in our cribs since birth
Under the watchful eye of night
When I wake up in the morning
There’s direction I want to know
Is love the answer in this world
To where you wanna go
And does a man get closer to hell
With every dollar he steals
And babe are we just running
From the shadow at our heels
Chasing girls down Main Street
I swear they moved to fast
Was there something wrong with living that way
That made sure it wouldn’t last
I took your hand out on Baker’s Field
And we walked into the sun
And by the look in your eyes as you stood by my side
I knew my search was done
And does a man get closer to hell
With every dollar he steals
And babe are we just running
From the shadow at our heels
Now as I live in a town I hate
With a job that’s making me slow
There’s wild flowers on the side of the road
But the trees don’t let ‘em grow
Yea, it’s cooler in the shade
And yet people are burning in the sun
But that’s where I wanna end with you
When the days are done
And does a man get closer to hell
With every dollar he steals
And babe are we just running
Running and running…
From the shadow at our heels
Shadows bring darkness…
Darkness is the absence of light…
And light is truth…
Light is love…
Light is God…
And are we just running…
running and running. running and running
Running and running
From the shadow at our heels
(3) KIMBERLY CREEK
Took a ride - last week
Ended up at Kimberly Creek
Night time on a busy two-lane
That cuts this county in two
I turned off the road to avoid a light
And I plunged head first into the dark of night
Well all the street signs were covered
By trees that strayed out too far
And as the road wound down a narrow hill
I cut off the engine and the night was still
I’m looking…I’m looking..I’m looking for a new hope
I’m looking…I’m looking..I’m looking for a new hope
There was no outlet where the road rounded
Except for a sign that said "County Park”
And I ran myself in a hazy dream
I laid my body down beside a running stream
Well the night is dark and the trees are tall
The stars are bright in a glorious sky
There’s something about, i don’t know where i am
And I don’t know if I’ll ever be here again
I’m looking…I’m looking..I’m looking for a new hope
I’m looking…I’m looking..I’m looking for a new hope
Took a ride - last week
Ended up by Kimberly Creek
Something says I better be going
I slip alone off the roadside
Well something went wrong, got nothing to say
The road I’d taken was only one way
I’m looking…I’m looking..I’m looking for a new hope
I’m looking…I’m looking..I’m looking for a new hope
The moon shines a yellow streak
From the sky onto Kimberly Creek
I’m looking…I’m looking..I’m looking for a new hope
(5) YOU MAKE ME WANNA STAY
Girl whenever you look my way
You make me wanna stay
In the night time or the day
You make me wanna stay
Girl, whenever you look my way
You make me wanna stay
You make me wanna (hey, hey) stay
You make me wanna (hey, hey) stay
Make me leave or let me stay, hey!
You make me wanna stay
Stop playing with my heart and my soul
‘Cause if you really want to know
You make it so I never wanna go
You make me wanna (hey, hey) stay
You make me wanna (hey, hey) stay
Make me leave or let me stay, hey!
You make me wanna stay
Please don’t make me go away…
You make me wanna stay
You make me wanna (hey, hey) stay
You make me wanna (hey, hey) stay
Make me leave or let me stay, hey!
You make me wanna stay
Please don’t make me go away…
You make me wanna stay…
(7) YOU CAN’T GO HOME TONIGHT
I hear you noticed there are girls in your class
Teenaged blues didn’t get past you
Amazing in just a year how much you learned
Man, you just discovered sex,
You ain’t learned nothing
Springfield Road and you stand alone
You made your bed but you can’t go home
You can’t go home, tonight
You can’t go home, tonight
You smell like pot and you look like shit
Just another new loser confusing it
And getting it wrong
Now every ounce inside of you
Wishes she had turned her back on you
Welcome my friend
You can’t go back again
Springfield Road and you stand alone
You made your bed but you can’t go home
You can’t go home, tonight
You can’t go home, tonight
Well you’d been hanging around Teri
Since you both were ten
And it seemed the time was right
A few wrong moves and Rosey’s quick hand
Ruined that tonight
Sometimes when I lose my way
I go back to where I can stay
‘Cause home’s the only place
Somebody else makes my bed
Springfield Road and you stand alone
You made your bed but you can’t go home
You can’t go home, tonight
You can’t go home, tonight
(9) FALLING FAST
Well I open up my door and arrive home again
I just sit back in that big old chair and wonder when
I’ve been this alone
When I’ve had all the time in the world
I fell in love now I’m falling fast
From the moment you first walked in the room
I fell in love now I’m falling fast
Yesterday is just a day away
So close but only going further away
Might as well accept it as a thing of the past
Well I knew all the things I could say
But would it matter anyway
I fell in love now I’m falling fast
From the moment you first walked in the room
I fell in love now I’m falling fast
Just sitting here now I can reach out and touch your face
This place makes me think of you
And it’s a vision I can’t erase
I fell in love now I’m falling fast
From the moment you first walked in the room
I pictured us as bride and groom
I fell in love now I’m falling fast…
(11) DISTANCE CAN’T SEPARATE US
Last night I sat and I stared
At faded visions that spun with the air
Off in the distance, as far as I could see
There was an image it was of you standing by me
I froze, startled, as a chill shot through my spine
For the image seemed to be of a long forgotten time
I sat and I realized our separation had been quite long
I peeked out once again and our image was gone
Distance can’t separate us - that’s what I vowed
Distance can’t separate us -
But distance seems longer now
We pour out our feelings - but it’s into a phone
Distance can’t separate us - only time spent alone
All night I sat and I wondered when I ‘d see you again
I wanted to call, or come back, right then
I thought of the love, a love I knew I had for you
I wondered if it could survive through all we’ve been through
Distance can’t separate us - that’s what I vowed
Distance can’t separate us -
But distance seems longer now
We pour out our feelings - but it’s into a phone
Distance can’t separate us - only time spent alone
Finally I dozed off and then had a dream
I was climbing a mountain you were lying by a stream
I was hurt and bleeding and someone came to my aid
What you saw was a vision but visions don’t fade
The river was filled with creatures tempting pleasure covering pain
You ran to jump in you stopped then started again
I ran on my bruises screamed for you not to go in
Then you disappeared then you started to swim
Distance can’t separate us - only jealousy and possessiveness
Distance can’t separate us - listen when I tell you this
After that i dove in and tried to swim along
But so much had been lost, I awoke
And our image was gone
(13) A Young Man’s Dream
Well I was justa small youngin’ playing with a toy
Had the same dreams and wishes like any boy
All those things you do at 20 I wanted to do by ten
A rock star a sports star a man among men
It’s a dream, It’s a young man’s dream
It’s a dream, It’s a young man’s dream
Well time went by and it was easy to see
I wasn’t going to be no child prodigy
Wasn’t going to be Cy Young by the time I was sixteen
But could I make it by twenty-five?
It’s a dream, It’s a young man’s dream
It’s a dream, It’s a young man’s dream
Well I ain’t gonna hit .400, hell, I never swung a bat
No chance to star in college, I’m too old for that
Well like a beacon in the night from some place small
I’m gonna shine a light and I’m gonna fool ‘em all
Gonna be the oldest guy ever to do something great
Cause when you only got time for dreaming you know it’s never too late
Young man, old man; that’s the dream
It’s a dream, It’s a young man’s dream
Every time I meet a stranger, I wanna tell them I’m a star
Cause I’ve convinced myself and sometimes it carries me too far
But tomorrow I’ll grind my nose like every other guy
Hoping I can wake up in one of my dreams before I die
It’s a dream, It’s every man’s dream
It’s a dream, It’s a young man’s dream
(2) STUBBORN MIRROR (IT WAS STILL ME)
I got myself a stubborn mirror
It never changes it’s ways
It’s getting so when I pass near it
I go and turn away
Stumbling around in the darkness
Feeling around for the light
Turn it on - there’s a mirror
Startled as I see my fright
It was still me - who was I expecting?
A glorious man with a chiseled face ?
Nah, I don’t know what I was expecting
It was still me - looking in my face
I got myself a stubborn mirror
Don’t it know I’m trying, man
I know I’ll change myself right
Soon as I see a man I like
In that stubborn mirror
Feeling good and lifting weights
My girl gave me a loooong goodnight kiss
Struck a pose and combed my hair
Maybe I’m getting somewhere
Nah, It was still me - who was I expecting?
A glorious man with a chiseled face?
Nah, I don’t know what I was expecting
It was still me - looking in my face
Another evening - another day
Another morning - another night
Another this - another nothing
Another day with the same damn sight
It was still me - what was I expecting?
A glorious man with a chiseled face?
Nah, I don’t know what I was expecting
It was still me - looking in my face
Still me…stubborn mirror…
Still me…what was I expecting?
Still me…stubborn mirror…
Still me…looking in my face
Still me…stubborn mirror…
Still me…what was I expecting?
Still me…stubborn mirror…
Still me…looking in my face
(4) WILL YOU BE THERE
When I’m walking tall but my head is hanging low
Will you be there, will you be there
When the world gets too much,
too hard to make it through
Will you be there, will you be there
Cause some times and times again,
I’ll be looking for a friend
Who will be there, will you be there
Seems at night the walls start talking
The floors move on their own
Will you be there, will you be there
Seems at night I should be sleeping,
I’m too ‘fraid to sleep alone
Will you be there, will you be there
Cause some times and times again,
I’ll be looking for a friend
Who will be there, will you be there
I can put up with a job,
busting my ass all night long
I can take it from my boss, because I know he’s wrong
But when I need to put up a heavy front
Can I put it up to you?
Cause some times and times again,
I’ll be looking for a friend
Who will be there, will you be there
To see me through the morning
right through the day’s end
Will you be there, will you be there
And if ever comes a time when I step out of line
Knock me back there, I will go there
Cause some times and times again,
I’ll be looking for a friend
Who will be there, will you be there
(6) LITTLE BOY UNDER THE STARS
All my friends back in Old Leo
Have no time for my tale of woe
They’re just sitting back and killing time
And wish their problems were as bad as mine
Little boy…
I’m a little boy under the stars
Little boy…
I’m a little boy under the stars
Down on a street called Shaded Sun
They take their seats there one by one
But I’ve got something to decide
I got two tickets on a one way ride
Little boy…
I’m a little boy, little boy under the stars
Little boy…
I’m a little boy, little boy under the stars
Something about you - made me stay
Something about her - took my heart away
You gave me memories of when we met
She gave me those thrills all over again
Little boy…
I’m a little boy, little boy under the stars
Little boy…
I’m a little boy, little boy under the stars
You take the moon babe I’ll take the sun
You take the moon babe I’ll take the sun
You take the moon and we can say it’s done
Little boy…I’m a little boy, little boy under the stars
(8) ROCK A LITTLE LONGER
Jeremy’s got the TV turned down
He’s looking for that rock and roll sound
He’s tuned in to his radio
And watching his favorite TV show
Don’t matter what it takes to fill your soul
You’re gonna need that rock and roll
Chorus
And I said hey, hey, hey. hey baby
We’re gonna rock a little longer tonight
Say yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah baby
C’mon let’s rock a little longer tonight
Say bop, bop - Rock a little longer
Bop, bop - Rock a little louder
Bop, bop - We’re gonna do it up tonight
Timmy works at an eatery
Tuned in to ninety-three-three
Driving home with a radio
He goes to sleep with his stereo
It don’t matter if you are slowing
Rock and roll will keep you going
And I said hey, hey, hey. hey baby
We’re gonna rock a little longer tonight
Say yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah baby
C’mon let’s rock a little longer tonight
Say bop, bop - Rock a little longer
Bop, bop - Rock a little louder
Bop, bop - We’re gonna do it up tonight
I’m sitting down in my backyard
I’m riding down on the boulevard
Passing people I don’t even know
Watch detectives on my TV show
Don’t matter where you are
Rock and roll is never far
And I said hey, hey, hey. hey baby
We’re gonna rock a little longer tonight
Say yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah baby
C’mon let’s rock a little longer tonight
Say bop, bop - Rock a little longer
Bop, bop - Rock a little louder
Bop, bop - Rock a little longer
Bop, bop - We’re gonna do it up tonight
(10) TEARS AND ALCOHOL
Well hey look at you looking good on my arm
And all you can do for me is do me some harm
Gimme, gimme, gimme and I’ll confess all sins
I’ll lose restraints and everybody wins
What kind of love is thicker than blood
It can see you through a fall
What kind of love is warmer than blood
We’re mixing tears and alcohol
Tears and alcohol
Well I never called you baby and I never called you dear
And I never called your bluff and I never called you near
But in a sober state I’d call it temptation
Never too close to infatuation
What kind of love is thicker than blood
It can see you through a fall
What kind of love is warmer than blood
We’re mixing tears and alcohol
Tears and alcohol, Tears and alcohol
So I’m out on the town in some watering hole
I’m drinking up a storm you got me baring my soul
You start crying to the heavens above
And I go and tell you there was a little bit of love
What kind of love is thicker than blood
It can see you through a fall
What kind of love is warmer than blood
We’re mixing tears and alcohol
Tears and alcohol, Tears and alcohol
Never mix them - Tears and alcohol…
(14) I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU
(DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME)
There seems to be a change in execution
That’s alright we both know the proper solution
Sometimes your dreams tend to go astray
But don’t lose faith and you’ll see a better day
It’s running late I think I’ll go
There’s no place I’d rather be
I don’t know about you
Don’t know about me
Set loose with high expectations
True achievement was my first intention
Never thought I’d make it far
Tough to tell where we are
It’s running late I think I’ll go
There’s no place I’d rather be
I don’t know about you
Don’t know about me
We dreamed aloud of money and fame
We dreamed inside of the same
I lived my life with fortune hanging above
But all I ever wanted was eternal love
I never thought I’d let you go
Oh, how much you meant to me
I don’t know about you
Don’t know about me
Did we deserve true love so young
Too much to see, songs to be sung
Someday we’ll know what we need
Someday we’ll know what we want
It’s so sad
Only then will we know, just what we had
It’s running late I think I’ll go
There’s no place I’d rather be
I don’t know about you
Don’t know about me