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.

Secret Handshake

by Anthony da Costa

/
  • Streaming + Download

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

      $8.99 USD  or more

     

1.
In the summer, you took your clothes off and I watched you from your back to the front. I told myself that you were the one and I meant it. We were happy. And a little happy never hurt no one, no not in the least. Just as long as you can keep the peace with your family. 'Cause now we are sitting alone at the top of the stairs, praying to God or whoever that no one is there watching, listening, suspecting. Nothing will bring this down, now. Nothing will bring this down All the people, the pretty people, how we used to sit and watch them go by. I was nervous; you were painfully shy. Wonder why... I'd say you've changed me. You know you've changed me, from the way I used to follow the crowd, but now their talking, well, it's getting loud. Hear the sound? 'Cause now we are sitting alone at the top of the stairs, praying to God or whoever that no one is there watching, listening, suspecting. Ooooh Nothing will bring this down, now. Nothing will bring this down You wanna know, how can I be so sure? How can we lift this curse when there is no cure I remember days when I'd go anywhere, just to be far Just to be where you are I should've never gotten into that car I should've kept myself a promise I should've kept myself alive But I wanted it so badly I sat back and let you drive But I won't duck down in the passenger's seat no more I won't hide from my mistakes I'm gonna settle this score I'm gonna kiss you where it hurts I'm gonna tell it to you straight I still love you and it's not too late Nothing will bring this down, now. Nothing will bring this down If they throw it off course, there’ll be no remorse: We’ll just pick it up and turn it around! Nothing will bring this down
2.
St. Therese 02:14
The lights are off, The record player’s spinning Billy Joel (it’s all I could find). Nights ago, I went and taped your picture to the wall. It’s not your fault I’m lonely. It’s not your fault I’m blue. It’s not your fault that you don’t love me the way I want you to. When winter came, I thought I’d never see your face again; I guess I was wrong. Oh St. Therese, I’m going down in flames tonight. It’s not your fault I’m lonely. It’s not your fault I’m blue. It’s not your fault that you don’t love me the way I want you to. Loneliness is listening to the record that you’ve got, not the record you want. It’s not your fault I’m lonely. It’s not your fault I’m blue. It’s not your fault that you don’t love me the way I want you to the way I want you to the way I want you.
3.
A thousand boats out on the ocean Every one is like a fire in the sunlight Are you in the hold? Would you be so bold as to signal to the shore? Flashing tail lights on the freeway Every one is like a star in the ether Looking through the glass, every car I pass Have you seen me on the phone? Carve it on the door All it takes is time Give me half of yours I’ll give you half of mine If I could only find you A thousand trains across the nation Every one is someone leaving someone Did you get your tea? Have you found your seat? And can I help you with your coat? Cause I can feel your body burning Even from a thousand miles away Wishing on a star, sleeping in your car and if you find a place to stay Carve it on the door All it takes is time Give me half of yours I’ll give you half of mine If I could only find you So let me be your lost companion You could be my summer constellation.
4.
Sometimes I want to be alone Okay, that’s a lie But sometimes you’ve gotta lie to keep yourself as your own Find a place where you can go I’m still learning to say no. And she has got a hold on me The kind of hold where it’s hard to see the things you ought to see Cause she’s so pretty and she knows That I’m still learning to say no Got a bird that whistles Got a bird that sings Got a bird, but that bird can’t sing me everything Got a heart in a cage, and it burns every day until she comes back home So here I am, it’s twelve o’clock Should I go home or take a drive around that God-forsaken block? From the party to her door I try to separate the feeling from the one that I adore Through this empty rain and snow I think I’m learning to say no I think I’m learning
5.
I come to your town so anxious that I can’t sit down so frightened, I can hardly breathe You get the water You say “Love of mine, where’ve you been what is wrong this time? Is there anything I can do, for to ease the pain?” And I say How can you love me? How can you love me if I can’t love myself? How can you love me? How can you love me? How can you love me now? So I settle down I swear I like having you around You shine like a polished dime the last one in my pocket So put the coffee on or maybe whiskey, we’ll be gone ‘til the morning comes, with bloodshot eyes and a ringing in my ears Singing How can you love me? How can you love me if I can’t love myself? How can you love me? How can you love me? How can you love me now? I can’t decide why I don’t know which is worse: To give it up or love when you know that love is cursed? But who cares tonight All the reasons why it’s just not right The lights are off, the record’s on and I don’t want to be alone How can you love me? How can you love me if I can’t love myself? How can you love me? How can you love me? How can you love me now? How can you love me now?
6.
Me Plus You 03:47
I’d like to take you where nobody knows, where nobody goes but my dream And when I take you, I’ll hold you so tight My heart, it just might bust a seam And I will take care of you Just like he’d never do ‘Cause together we’re better than he ever knew Stuck on a boat that’s been out on the sea, I’ve been waiting to see if you’d ride Sailing our boat to nowhere land, doing all that we can just to glide And I will take care of you Just like he’d never do ‘Cause together we’re better than he ever knew I’m tired of watching the snow on the pines Your hand touching mine’s all I need ‘Cause while I’m watching those trees shiver and freeze I fall to my knees, splinter and bleed And I will take care of you Just like he’d never do ‘Cause together we’re better than he ever knew A me plus a you...
7.
Thought I had nothing to say to you, guess I’ve got a big mouth Thought there was nothing that we could do, nothing left to try and figure out Yes, you go your way and I mine baby That’s just what we said You’ll be with him, I’ll be with me, stuck inside my head It’s too late for anything else but this You better love yourself at least enough to know that there’s no time to reminisce Live while you can You can never go back, you can never go back, so Live while you can Give me a reason to come back home and one more to believe ‘Cause I know myself too well and that love is hell This was never meant to be He thinks he’s got a hold on you, you think you’ve got a hold on me We all should go leave each other alone That’s what I call free t’s too late for anything else but this You better love yourself at least enough to know that there’s no time to reminisce Live while you can You can never go back, you can never go back, so Live while you can
8.
Where do we stand here? I don’t know I think that I might need some air So I step outside and you follow closely, turn my cheek, and you kiss me there You whisper something like, “Please remember me” Like you think I could forget So I put my hand on over your heart, like “Don’t you count me out just yet...not yet” The moon is hanging on by a thread I swear I can almost see the stars It’s all the same as when we first met Except it’s me who’s nervous and you who’s scarred You whisper something like, “Please remember me” Like you think I could forget So I put my hand on over your heart, like “Don’t you count me out just yet...not yet” Waves are crashing all around But we’re still here Hands are pushed under the ground But we’re still here You whisper something like, “You should go now” Like some kind of half-assed threat So I kiss you hard and tell you, darling “Don’t you count me out just yet. Don’t you count me out...yet.”
9.
Well sometimes I see them high above the trees Flying ‘round in circles as they please: My dreams of all the things we never did I do my best to keep my feelings hid But there was a time when I could be there We’d watch the sun fall from the sky I would show you to the rooftop You would show me how to fly And I know everyone looks different I know everything has changed But I will be your river valley If you’ll be my mountain range Well November was the worst time of the year The crops were burned, the furnace fueled with fear Cain had wrestled able to the ground I had lost out on the love that I had found But there was a time when I’d go with you Soaring so high, we’d never come down Laughing over all the people that we left in that sad town And I know everyone looks different I know everything has changed But I will be your river valley If you’ll be my mountain range I know everyone looks different I know everything has changed but I will be your river valley if you’ll be my mountain range
10.
Giver 03:59
When you’re away, I’m more like myself Lonely and desperate for something else But when I’m with you, I’m more like a friend No need to be careful, no need to pretend So maybe I’m cured by the banks of your river I wade in the water until I’m gone And maybe you’d stay and wash me away Holy river, giver, gone Jesus, he cries each time that I speak of dancing with you, dear, cheek to cheek ‘Cause Jesus, he knows what love is about It’s giving your life, dear, to a world full of doubt So maybe I’m cured by the banks of your river I wade in the water until I’m gone I wish you would stay and wash me away Holy river, giver, gone When you’re away, I’m more like myself.
11.
you can never be too sure just how long your love will last if i've learned any from the past it's to be careful of making a promise so she's leaving you today so your love is gone away you've gotta handle it, someway somehow, they say love is impossible at times at best improbable a natural disaster a skill you can't master love is impossible so you're up and leaving town all 'cause she won't be coming round you can't stand to hear the sound of your own name same old story, same old blues comb your hair and shine your shoes you only have yourself to lose much less to gain love is impossible at times at best improbable a natural disaster a skill you can't master love is impossible (say it again!)

credits

released April 10, 2012

Produced by James Frazee and Anthony da Costa
(c) (p) 2011 Anthony da Costa.

Engineered by James Frazee.
Basic tracks recorded at Headgear Productions in Brooklyn, NY, assisted by Kyle Boyd. Additional recording at Saltlands Studio in Brooklyn, NY, assisted by Aaron Rutledge, Hobo Sound in Weehawken, NJ, assisted by Frank Lopez, and at Aubergine in New York, NY.
Mixed by James Frazee at Hobo Sound, assisted by Frank Lopez.
Mastered by Warren-Russell Smith at The Magic Shop in New York, NY.

Band:

Anthony da Costa- vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, wurlitzer, synthesizer, banjo, glockenspiel, percussion
Brian Viglione- Drums
Shawn Setaro- Electric bass
Franz Nicolay- Accordion, organ
Emily Hope Price- Cello, bells
Rich Hinman- Pedal steel
Alicia Rau- Trumpet, flugelhorn
Emilyn Brodsky- vocals (2, 4, 11)
Anna Vogelzang- vocals (1, 2, 4, 10)
Ana Egge- vocals (9)
John Elliott- vocals (1)
Jonathan Byrd- vocals (2, 5)
Oliver Hill- viola (9)
Brandon Seabrook- bowed banjo (3)
James Frazee- percussion (5, 10), vocals (11)

All songs written by Anthony da Costa (BMI) (c) 2011 except "St. Therese" and "Secret Handshake", written by Anthony da Costa (BMI) & Jonathan Byrd (SESAC) (c) 2011.

String arrangements for "Nothing Will Bring This Down" and "Giver" by Emily Hope Price.

Design and Layout by Dan Grissom.

Thanks to:
All of the musicians, My family, Lindsey, everyone at Aubergine, Postcrypt, The Living Room (NYC), Richard Cuccaro/VIcki Peterman of Acoustic Live! (NYC), John-O, Raina, Dru, Trevor, the city of Austin, TX, Roach, Nels, Parks, Jbyrd, Em, and most of all, Mr. James Frazee, without whom this project would have probably been made on "Voice Memos".

Special Thanks to:
- Stewart Lerman & Tony Shanahan
- Joel Morowitz at Ecstatic Electric
- Scott Altizio
- Phil Collins
- Ricardo Pascoe

Oh, and of course, thank YOU!
We took our time with this one. We hope you enjoy it.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Anthony da Costa Nashville, Tennessee

Anthony da Costa is a singer/songwriter from New York, currently living in Nashville, TN.

contact / help

Contact Anthony da Costa

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Anthony da Costa, you may also like: