The Graveyard Court is a conceptual album that follows the “Everyman” or “Common man” character through his realization and denial that his life is not “his” life at all. In fact it is a sham, a fabrication of always taking the path of least resistance, of only going with the flow and letting things fall into his lap. No decisions are his decisions.

B.B. Mayes being much inspired by the works of Camus (The Stranger) and Raymond Carver (So Much Water So Close To Home) depicts the nagging, the realization, and the avoidance of the skeleton through such songs as “These Rattlin’ Bones”, “Up until now” and “Stalking moon”. While the title track “The Graveyard Court/You stood by”, which culminates in a blistering piano solo from Ryan Black, puts the man on the witness stand in a face to face confrontation with his “skeleton”.

Mark Burleson musically and vocally adopts the character of “Everyman” while Ryan Black becomes the “Skeleton” character. Both producers wrote, performed and worked with B.B. Mayes separately on their songs in order to be true to their characters.

This is one original piece of art with both Black and Burleson at the top of their games. Burleson’s guitar work has never been more authentic or inspired. The solos on “That Skeleton” and “Still Rattlin’” are as cool as the “Lovin’ it” solo from “Where Three Roads Meet“. While Black’s piano and trumpet are highlights throughout the albums’ classical orchestration which is meant to give the album a theatrical feel.

The Graveyard Court is both creepy and funny while being a musically diverse listening experience which when digested slowly will keep your skeleton rattlin’ for years to come.

Lyrics:

THE CLEFTWAY presents

The Graveyard Court

“These Rattlin’ Bones”

You hid me in the closet

You turned the key and ya’ locked it

Hung me on a hanger in the back

Underneath the shelf with a bunch of boxed up crap

Hanging with the moth infested clothes

These rattlin’ bones

Won’t lay to rest

Are in my head

This skeletal system has musical ambition

Paganini with chattering teeth

Danse Macabre you turn the knob

I’ll even let you lead

Is that you peering through the keyhole?

“Shadow in the Park”

My hands are not idle feel as useless as a flea

As the dog days of summer start scratching

their nails into me

I’ve held all of my clients’ calls shaking off the desk

I’m brown bagging it to the local park bench

I’m your secret deep and dark

A shadow in the park

Today there’s a scornful sun and a tropical wind

A shadow in the park wants me to recognize him

The kids all circle ‘round him as he swings and slides

They all count to ten while he runs and hides

I’m your secret deep and dark

A shadow in the park

Ready or not here they come follow his tell tale heart

It’s beating with regrets that haven’t left their mark

My dreams are the machines as the clocks melt away

Shadows become real with a persistent memory

I’m your secret deep and dark

A shadow in the park

“Stalking Moon”

Before that shadow in the park reared and ugly head

A full moon fever soaked through the sheets on my bed

You woke up with a wolf man

Inside he’s being

Stalked by a zodiac sign

There he is again on the rise again

That stalking moon

When I’m walking the dogs at night after dinner

Who’s the one howling at the moon in the dead of winter?

You woke up with a wolf man

 Inside he’s being

Stalked by a zodiac sign

There he is again on the rise again

That stalking moon

At bedtime reading Red Riding Hood to my daughter

Through the blinds moonlight starts stirring up daddy’s hunger

There he is again on the rise again

That stalking moon

Always tracking me…

“Up Until Now”

I’ve made fair valuations

I have always birdied the ninth

I took warm yearly vacations

Fridays I made love to my wife

Up until now

I barbequed with the neighbors

I smoked cigars on poker night

I coached my kid for the majors

I had him only throwing strikes

Up until now

My suits were dry cleaned and pressed

I’ve had a shit, eating grin

At church we wore our Sunday best

I had not heard the rattlin’

“Turn the Knob/Peering Through the Keyhole”

Maybe I have gone a little over board

Pickin’ at your conscience like an open sore

Poking at the bear and the hornet’s nest

Harping on your heart while weighing on your chest

Death should be a motivator

For you to make the most of time

Turn the knob

You’re getting warmer

You’re getting hot

You have been as happy as a pig in shit

Ignorance is bliss and you never question it

Why rock the boat or give second thoughts?

Ignore Descartes and his bloody paws

Death should be a motivator

For you to make the most of time

Turn the knob

You’re getting warmer

You’re getting hot

Peering through the keyhole

I can see dust and moths

I can hear rattlin’ bones

Is this a closet or music box?

Or is it a snow globe…

Peering through the keyhole

…of frozen time and unworn clothes

Will I have to face the music?

Or try on the wardrobe?

Peering through the keyhole

Turn the knob

You’re getting warmer

You’re getting hot

“The Fruit Fell in my Lap”

The fruit fell in my lap

The low hanging fruit (fruits of trees)

Fruits with seeds (pits and meat)

Fruit that’s sweet (bitter and bleeds)

Fruit that’s picked (stolen and squeezed)

Fruits of my labor (and of the loins)

These are the fruits (fruits I’ve enjoyed)

All because of (a squeaking door hinge)

I can’t tell (which is an apple or an orange)

The fruit fell in my lap

“The Graveyard Court/You Stood by”

The Graveyard Court and his most honorable Skeleton

Have been carving headstones and swinging pendulums

Digging through closets and rattling bones

Sometimes you can hear them through the keyhole

They found a monkey suit and a frock

Above moon boots and a cardboard box

For your knick knacks and your bric-a-brac

Next to your old Time Magazine stacks

The Graveyard Court and his most honorable Skeleton

Have been carving headstones and swinging pendulums

Digging through and rattling bones

Sometimes you can hear them through the keyhole

The Court now calls…

YOU STOOD BY!

Your Skeleton that brought you inside

Your Skeleton will shed some light

Your Skeleton will open your eyes

Your Skeleton will TESTIFY!

Sailing with the tide

Letting entropy decide

It’s come what may when molecules collide

You could have hid your face in the cleft of the rock

Or stared your maker down and said, “ Show me what you’ve got!”

You could have worn your pants with an asteroid belt

Instead you stood by and watched your clocks melt

YOU STOOD BY!

“That Skeleton”

While living high on the hog

A mortgage, two kids, and the dogs

And my wife’s social ladder

I was out of the loop on dark matter

When I was punching clocks

He made me turn the knob

He showed me some rewards through the keyhole

Of his closet door

That Skeleton is out on a limb

Then those skeletal hands pinched my pineal gland

                           They tapped into my veins

Taking my pulse while the blood was drained

Now The Graveyard Court after grasping at straws

Has the cheaters proof

From chattering teeth and falling fruit?

That Skeleton is out on a limb

An expanding Universe

Intelligence makes it worse

It’s about the here and now

My world is neither flat nor round

“Nobody Knows the Skeleton You’ve Seen”

Nobody knows the skeleton you’ve seen

Nobody knows your closet

Nobody knows the skeleton you’ve seen

‘Cept these rattlin’ bones

Nobody knows the skeleton you’ve seen

And I’ll make no bones about it

(Make no bones)

“Cleaned Closet”

Whether springing forward or falling back

This dark closet makes is a musty mouse trap

A turned knob and lock

A clean closet and clock

A turned knob and lock

A clean closet

Pulling everything off their hangers

Sending my skeleton to the dry cleaners

I’ll wear that monkey suit for Halloween

And those moon boots, could be worn by African feet

A turned knob and lock

A clean closet and clock

A turned knob and lock

A clean closet

Sell the paperweights at a rummage sale

And the rest of my shit will go to GOOD WILL

Time to recycle these magazines

Nothing better than a closet that’s clean

A turned knob and lock

A clean closet and clock

A turned knob and lock

A clean closet

“Still Rattlin’”

Turn a blind eye hang him out to dry

Hang him on a hanger that’s hooked to his spine

Twiddling thumbs and chewing gum

Beating dead horses and beating drums

Your skeleton will be still be rattlin’

You can keep me under lock and key

While you get on with your daily routine

Of gizmos and gongs vibrating magic wands

Popping sugar pills and stoking up bongs

Your skeleton will be still be rattlin’

Skeletal Outro