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Things Were Better

by Zach Jones

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1.
I Didn’t mean to cause a scene Didn’t want to start a fight I got better ways to waste my night Now what have I done To make you feel forsaken Oh, and hell if I know I need your love That’s the one thing I’m sure of And things were better with you around And things were better with you around I Didn’t mean to make you cry Didn’t want to hear you say goodbye And are we at the point of no return Now what can I do To make you see the whole truth Oh, and hell if I know I’m feelin’ weathered I need you like a bird needs feathers Things were better with you around Things were better with you around I’m feelin’ weathered Need you like a bird needs feathers Things were better with you around Things were better with you around
2.
Hard To Get 02:31
Oh, I just need that girl She’s all that I want in this world I ain’t got no money (I ain’t got no money) Well, she’s so sweet to me She’s like the sugar in my tea And everyday’s sunny (and everyday’s sunny) And every time that I think I’m in love I start singing like the birds up above Then suddenly like the day that we met She starts playing hard to get (You’re playing hard to get) You’re playing hard to get girl She’s playing hard to get (You’re playing hard to get) You’re playing hard to get girl Whenever Monday’s around You know she’s easily found She’s smiles and kisses (she’s smiles and kisses) But when the weekend is here All my laughs become tears My shots will be misses (my shots will be misses) And every time that I think I’m in love I’m still on cloud 9 when push comes to shove Then suddenly like the day that we met She starts playing hard to get (you’re playing hard to get) You’re playing hard to get girl She’s playing hard to get (you’re playing hard to get) You’re playing hard to get girl Now every night on my knees I pray That one of these days you’ll be coming home to stay Each day that goes by I need you more and more Through these tears in my eyes I watch for you at my door I’ll always remember the night that we met And you’re still playing hard to get (you’re playing hard to get) You’re playing hard to get girl She’s playing hard to get (you’re playing hard to get) You’re playing hard to get girl
3.
What a surprise finding this note on my door You’ve written inside, you say you don’t care anymore There’s nobody home When I pick up the phone to call you Said I should leave it alone Just walk away today, there’s no need to argue But if you don’t care How come you want me to know If you don’t care about me (How come you want me to know) Oh what a shame, I’m so used to calling your name Did you get a thrill when you moved in for the kill You’ve worked so hard to make me aware Then you say, you say you don’t care Every person in this town Knows that you don’t want me around But if you don’t care How come you want me to know If you don’t care about me (How come you want me to know) yeah, yeah, yeah, ooh Feels like the world Feels like the world is crumbling As I’m stumbling Feels like the world Feels like the world is crumbling As I’m stumbling If you don’t care about me How come you want me to know If you don’t care about me (How come you want me to know)
4.
Saturday night I roll into town Thinkin’ I can be ready for whatever’s going down I know that all of my friends will be out at the bar I make my way over and park my car Inside music is playing, undeniable beat I just can’t help but to tap my feet There’s a girl on the dance floor looking at me I’m thinking that I should take the chance But I don’t know how to dance (dance dance) No, I don’t know how to dance (dance dance) I said I wish I could dance (dance dance) Yeah, I wish I could dance Sheepish and shy, but still feeling good A couple of drinks did just what they should I make my way over and try a few steps I swear I got rhythm, but sometimes it forgets After a couple of moves she’s laughing out loud I guess I’m not very good, but I’m still kind of proud Maybe it’s time for one more drink I guess tonight’s not the night for romance Cause I don’t know how to dance (dance dance) No, I don’t know how to dance (dance dance) I said I wish I could dance (dance dance) Yeah, I wish I could dance
5.
Like a tear that just won’t cry Like a mountain that’s far too high I reach out my hand to you But the door is closed I can’t get through God knows how hard I’ve tried Stuck on the other side They say one and one make two But one and one is all we do Cause you and me together we would tear this whole thing down Maybe stop the world from spinning round I just keep getting lost, but maybe one day I’ll get found Head up in the clouds feet on the ground I want you around But some things in life you just can’t teach And you’re just out of reach You’re just out of reach Like a river running dry Can’t quench my thirst I die No matter what I do I run, but can’t catch up to you So close, but far away The sun won’t shine today Every time it starts to rain I weigh my joy against my pain Maybe it’s the longing for the things that we can’t have That only seems to make us want them more Thinking ‘bout the lives we lead, the good times and the bad The life the two of us together could have had Try not to be sad Cause some things in life you just can’t teach And you’re just out of reach You’re just out of reach
6.
All The Time 04:03
You come in the morning You leave in the evening The way it happens all the time You come here with laughter You’re cryin’ after The way it happens all the time But, you know when you’ve been wrong You won’t admit it ‘til you’ve gone Yeah, you know when you’ve been wrong You won’t admit it until you’re in it Always deceiving You say that you’re leaving The way it happens all the time Always around you I’ve lost and I’ve found you The way it happens all the time But, you know when you’ve been wrong You won’t admit it ‘til you’ve gone Yeah, you know when you’ve been wrong You won’t admit it and now you’re in it You know it hurts so bad I can’t be glad at all, no, no We’ve lost the things we’ve had It hurts so bad that’s all, oh, oh You come in the morning You leave in the evening The way it happens all the time You come here with laughter You’re crying after The way it happens all the time
7.
If you had tried to tell me ten years ago I never would have listened I was twenty years old Though looking back I’m glad you tried to help But the mistakes that I’ve made have helped me learn for myself You can’t succeed if you never try And though thirty years have now gone by I’ll still just keep singing this song Over and over ‘til another year’s gone And now that we’ve made it this far Somebody tell me what’s next, what’s next Now that we’ve made it this far Well there have been ups and there have been downs I guess I’m just happy that I’m still around When you take the good, you accept the bad But you can’t second guess all the times that you’ve had You ask me how can I be happy But life’s a bittersweet melody So, just keep singing this song On and on ‘til another day’s gone And now that we’ve made it this far Somebody tell me what’s next, what’s next Now that we’ve made it this far You and me A bittersweet melody Right and wrong Words and song Yesterday It seemed so far away And now that we’ve made it this far Somebody tell me what’s next, what’s next Now that we’ve made it this far
8.
You made your bed while I made mistakes You're sound asleep while I lay awake Now people keep trying to tell me that’s the way that it goes You probably don’t care, but I thought you should know That I keep holding back these tears in my eyes Why should I cry, why should I cry I just keep holding back, holding back these tears Why should I cry You always play the fool, but you wrote the book Whenever I play it cool you always give me that look Well, why you wanna be so cold Your golden rule is you get all of the gold So I keep holding back these tears in my eyes Why should I cry, why should I cry I just keep holding back, holding back these tears Why should I cry You played with words, I played with fire I kept getting burned, but you just kept getting higher Now every little thing I say is one big joke You laughed in my face with every word I spoke So I keep holding back these tears in my eyes Why should I cry, why should I cry I just keep holding back, holding back these tears Why should I cry
9.
Same Mistake 03:20
I keep making the same mistake I keep making the same mistake She was heavenly warm and lovingly Only a fool would let her slip away I was attracted, slightly distracted How could I have led her astray Cause every time that music is playing I get lost in the groove and the tune that they’re singing I just can’t see that her heart’s about to break And I’m making the same mistake I keep making the same mistake I keep making the same mistake Seems like only yesterday she was here to stay Patiently waiting there for me My mind was somewhere else, she left with someone else Bound to happen eventually Cause every time that music is playing I get lost in the groove and the tune that they’re singing I just can’t see that I’m doing something wrong When I’m lost in a song And I keep making the same mistake I keep making the same mistake How could I have gone down that road again Guess I should have learned my lesson back then She waits all alone for me when I’m gone But, she’ll only wait so long when I’m lost in a song Cause every time that music is playing I get lost in the groove and the tune that they’re singing I just can’t see that I’m doing something wrong When I’m lost in a song Every time that music is playing I get lost in the groove and the tune that they’re singing I just can’t see that her heart’s about to break And I’m making the same mistake I keep making the same mistake I keep making the same mistake
10.
Complication in every situation’s suffocating me And there’s nothing I can do about it No solution, no school, or institution’s educating me Guess that’s the way it’s gonna be Now I see why it Always seemed much easier Always seemed much easier I used to be so young I used to be so young It always seemed much easier Always seemed much easier I used to be so young I used to be so young Fear and loathing, starving with no clothing that will keep them warm Sometimes I feel so uninformed Air pollution, unexcused toxic intrusion that I’m breathing in I wish that I was just a kid again Though that won’t make it end It always seemed much easier Always seemed much easier I used to be so young I used to be so young It always seemed much easier Always seemed much easier I used to be so young I used to be so young

credits

released June 5, 2012

Musicians:
Zach Jones – Vocals/ Wurlitzer/ Piano
Max Cantlin- Lead Guitar
Anthony Drouin- Rhythm Guitar
Tyler Quist- Bass Guitar
Kate Beever- Percussion/ Vibes
Christopher Sweet- Drums
Anna Lombard- Vocals (Track 5)

Additional Musicians:
Mike Nelson- Trumpet
Duncan Hardy- Alto Saxophone
Kyle Hardy- Tenor Saxophone
Brian Graham- Baritone Saxophone
Lauren Hastings- Violins
Bryan Brash- Viola
Tim Garrett- Cello

Backing Vocalists:
Lyle Divinsky
Chas Lester
Sara Hallie Richardson
Megan Jo Wilson
Jocelyn Emery

Credits:
All songs written and arranged by Zach Jones except Things Were Better, written by Jon Nolan
Produced by Zach Jones and Jon Nolan
Recorded and Mixed by Jon Nolan at Milltown Recording Company, Rollinsford, NH
Additional Tracking by Zach Jones
Mastered by Adam Ayan at Gateway Mastering, Portland, ME
Photos by Jake Austin (jakeaustinphoto.com)
Art and Layout by Kelsey Munroe (scowldesign.com)
Website by Adam Flaherty (adamflaherty.com)
Executive Producer: Jill M Hill

Thank You:
Dad, Mom, Josh, Kate, Chris, Lauren Rudser, Jon Nolan, Andrew Hodgkins, Spencer Albee, Hache Horchatta, Michelle & Dakota Bathurst, Charlie Gaylord, Johnny Coffee, Neil Upham, Aaron Lee Marshall, Greg Martens, friends, family, fans, I love you.

Special Thanks To:
All the wonderful musicians who donated their time and effort toward the making of this album, it could not have been done without you. To my friends, family, and fans who helped this record come to life by offering your faith and support before hearing a single note of this album. And to the artists, musicians, writers, and engineers of the 1960’s who inspired the sound of this album.

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Zach Jones Los Angeles, California

With an encyclopedic knowledge of yesterday’s music and an awareness and appreciation for today’s, Jones combines the raw energy and style of the 1960’s British pop explosion, with the soulful expression of the R&B that poured from Motown & Stax. While paying tribute to the music he loves, yet expanding beyond tradition, Jones has created a fresh musical melting pot of modern rock, pop, and soul. ... more

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