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.

NAKED TRUTHS

by John Hanlon

supported by
Guy Wishart
Guy Wishart thumbnail
1rabbit1
1rabbit1 thumbnail
eddieo1
eddieo1 thumbnail
gavland
gavland thumbnail
/

  • Streaming + Download

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

      $15 NZD  or more

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    7
    releases

    Get all 7 JOHN HANLON releases available on Bandcamp and save 30%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of After The Dam Broke, Floating, Garden Fresh, Short Stories, Higher Trails, Use Your Eyes, and NAKED TRUTHS. , and , .

      $59.50 NZD or more (30% OFF)

     

1.
6.2.4. 03:14
lyrics
buy track
Six to four I sat by the edge of the ocean Watching the sun go down Dreaming you were the woman By my side The moon rising over your shoulder Stars throwing light in your hair A love that can never grow old or Be denied Here’s to the fools and lovers Who go dancing in the rain Here’s to the hearts that never know despair Here’s to the lost and lonely Who learn to live with the pain Here’s to the man who said he didn’t care Then you were gone Through that door Two to one At six to four I’ve never been one for dancing But music has fuelled my soul I don’t take a lot of chances With my heart A love that was ever easy A flame that just flickered and died A bond that was made in Heaven Fell apart Then you were gone Through that door Two to one At six to four
2.
Everybody's Talking 'Bout the Weather 02:39
lyrics
buy track
Two men standing in a parking lot Talking ‘bout the weather Old friends of a kind who laugh a lot And always will Listen to the radio all the people want to know What the hell is going on? Broken hearts greedy eyes talk about empty lives And everybody’s talking about the weather Young mum walking in the pouring rain Older than her time Two kids, a husband who lost his job And turned to crime Television morning show everything you need to know Tighten up those flabby thighs Interviews with movie stars, cooking tips, electric cars And everybody’s talking about the weather Everyone’s responsible but nobody’s to blame All of us are innocent at heart We’d like to live in harmony but we simply can’t agree How on Earth to play our part Africa’s a weeping sore The Middle East an endless war And everybody’s talking about the weather Old man wondering which way to go Which way is right? Wide eyes seeking out the road ahead On a foggy night Searching on the Internet, hasn’t found the answer yet So much talk but nothing said Half the world is lost at sea all of us are refugees And everybody’s talking about the weather
3.
The Hero 04:32
lyrics
buy track
Out upon the water a fishing boat is moving through the dawn Carrying a hero — everybody knows he’s coming home Standing on the shore she’ll be waiting Baby in her arms loudly wailing And none of us will ever know the things he saw that he will never tell We herald his arrival with soft singing and loud ringing of the bells The coffin comes ashore There is a small parade We gather in the church Some heartfelt speeches made Let’s raise him up today For soon he will be gone forever Standing in the graveyard A little boy tries hard to understand Your father was a hero They tell him as they shake his little hand He served his country well That’s what the army said But we didn’t win that war We try not to count the dead Generals survive politicians lie The people who make bombs and guns Have businesses that thrive And it’s been going on and on and on and on forever
4.
The Very Thought of You 02:53
lyrics
buy track
Gentle rustle whisper of the leaves Hustle bustle buzzing of the bees Far off thunder rain coming down Runs down the rooftop Falls on the ground Out on the hillside cattle cry Sound so mournful like somebody died Winter flowers seek out the sun Tui in the treetop happily in his song The very thought of you here in my solitude Instills a calm in me Fills me with harmony And I can’t say why so I just won’t try There are sad songs In the air of Muriwai Rumble tumble rhythm of the waves Seagull sings of all who have been saved Children laughing clouds overhead Old man hearing everything that’s said And out above the cliff tops gannets dive Hang glider wheeling feeling so alive Distant rainbow capturing the sun Some of us are walking others choose to run
5.
ballad, americana, folk - Be 04:47
lyrics
buy track
Be nothing more Just ignore the change We going round the sun Talking ‘bout everyone I’ve ever known And the sparkle in your eye The kaleidoscopic sky Let the colours of the day Surround you Walk by the rolling sea Salted breeze in our hair Talk of the things we plan to do Hoping it all comes true When we get there And if you should feel the same way too Let the music of the day Surround you Wind in the willows Lying on my bed Moon shining overhead Little Tommy wonders What nightingales would sing about I wish I could have told him I didn’t really know then ‘He’s happy Tom,’ is what I should have said Be nothing more Just ignore the change We going round the sun Doing what must be done To rearrange And the meaning of these words Depends on what is heard Let the music of the day Surround you Here we are Driving in the car
6.
Americana, ballad, acoustic - Muriwai Road 02:56
lyrics
buy track
Maybe it’s the magic I’ve been looking for The reason I arrived Or is it just a shadow in an open door Looking out at all the passers by Crashing waves on iron sand Come and go Some are caught in photographs By people we don’t know And in the silence the gannets overhead Are flying home to put their kids to bed On Muriwai Road down by the sea Somebody I know waits … for me Walking through the city in the pouring rain Everybody there seems kind of strange Echo of your footsteps in the narrow lane Someone somewhere drops some change And over in the doorway Homeless and confused Started with misfortune And ended up in booze Bu he can still remember The gannets overhead Flying home to put their kids to bed
7.
ballad, folk, Americana - It's True 04:29
lyrics
buy track
I’ve been looking for it everywhere But it’s nowhere to be found I thought I caught a glimpse of it Just before the sun went down It’s the wind that moves the clouds along It’s the rolling of the sea It’s the rhythm of a heart that’s strong It’s the busyness of bees At the end of the day When the sun goes down to rest Slowly slips away Way out in the west Have you ever seen The flash of green Well it’s true Yes it’s true It’s the dancing of the happy child It’s the singing of a bird It’s running of the free and wild It’s the truth that no one heard It’s the flowers by the waterfall It’s the rising of the moon It’s a sailboat dancing in the squall It’s a lonely windswept dune
8.
On a Boulevard in St Germain 02:50
lyrics
buy track
At the end of the day a Parisian café A girl with a small tattoo Slowly walking by a tear in her eye Wonder what she’s going through? Hear the children playing in the garden An old guy bends to tie his shoes There’s something he’s trying to remember A memory he’s hoping not to lose Another glass of wine I’ve got the time Nothing that I need to do Promises are made, people get afraid All the things we must get done Day falls into night all the pretty lights On a boulevard in St Germain Hear the children playing in the garden An old guy bends to tie his shoes There’s something he’s trying to remember A memory he’s hoping not to lose I’m thinking of when on a bridge across the Seine There were lovers dancing in the street Music in the night everything felt right That’s when I found my feet A moment of romance that happened quite by chance Nothing too dramatic just a little touch of magic On a Boulevard in St Germain
9.
It seems a little cold today 02:36
lyrics
buy track
It seems a little cold today Feels like winter's on its way And the leaves rustle in the trees Overhead I should call her just to tell her I adore her There's really nothing more that I could say All my reasons keep changing like the seasons Like colours change in winter from gold and red to grey Sometimes we just can't find the words The ones that come are just absurd Stumble tongued we fumble right along Anyway I should call her just to tell her I adore her There's really nothing more that I could say All my reasons keep changing like the seasons Like colours change in winter from gold and red to grey Far away someone's dog is barking And the sun calls it a day Lovers walking in the orange kiss of twilight I wouldn't have it any other way It seems a little cold today Feels like winter is on its way
10.
Girls Around Here 03:45
lyrics
buy track
She says it’s nothing much A matter of the heart Another tale to talk about Like all the other scars And buried by the sound The echoes of the parting words The wind that tears the leaves apart The screams that can’t be heard And when it’s time to leave And when it’s all been done There’s only ever love There’s only ever one And the girls round here The girls round here They’re dancing The girls round here The girls round here They’re dancing And all that went before And all that might have been Bewildered by the thought of all The tragedies she’s seen And all your magic woven words And all of your imagining It never did get heard It never changed a thing And all the angry telephones And all the hollow men Are frozen in the photographs Forever to remain
11.
Everywhere I go 03:32
lyrics
buy track
A ring on a finger A story untold A crack in the ceiling A fork in the road Does there have to be a meaning In the rhythm of the words Or is it just a feeling Like a sound that’s never heard There’s a new day coming There’s a chill in the air Some of us begin to stretch and yawn The splash and the crash As the ducks land en masse Hiding from the hunters in the dawn It’s everywhere I go All I ever see Everything I know All I’ll ever be It’s everywhere I go A life of adventure A twist in my tale A fabulous picture That isn’t for sale Does there have to be a meaning In the rhythm of the words Or is it just a feeling Like a sound that’s never heard And the day is over There’s a sigh from the sun A gentle breeze coming from the west Stars that whisper the promise of night We are just the early guests
12.
acoustic, folk, ballad - It's Cold Out Here 02:21
lyrics
buy track
There’s a cold wind in the city But the sun is coming I don’t want your pity I’ve had more than enough I used to be a husband And a father well adored And it’s cold cold cold It’s cold cold cold It’s cold out here My father was drunkard My mother was afraid It’s hard to hide the bruises There’s a price the children pay And living on the streets well You don’t want to know And it’s cold cold cold It’s cold cold cold It’s cold out here So before you go to sleep Tuck your children into bed Spare a thought for me Remember what I said I’ve been down before Had the road for my bed I’ve been down But I ain’t out yet If you find me someday Lying cold in the street Please take care of Gypsy He’ll lying at my feet He’s very good with children He’ll try to keep them warm Cos it’s cold cold cold It’s cold cold cold It’s cold out here
13.
This is New York 03:06
lyrics
buy track
This is New York strike up the band I took a walk I felt like Cary Grant Caught in the strains of a romantic tune Lost in the thrill of a kind of euphoria I stood in wonder in Times Square I caught a show I was without a care I had the mind to take on the world I found a rhyme for Waldorf Astoria And in the dawn I’ll take a walk in Central Park I always cry each time I pass by Where John Lennon died And later on as I stroll down Park Avenue Somebody said he’s out of his head completely This is New York and I am King I rule the world but I don’t own a thing I’m on my way yes I’m moving up I have all I need right here in this paper cup
14.
Things Are Rarely Absolutely True 02:55
lyrics
buy track
Well the thing is I don’t know dear I’ve been sitting on the fence I’ve been busy knowing nothing And none of it has ever made much sense Was a time I thought I had it made You could say I had that point of view None of us is ever really lying But things are rarely absolutely true Cos the truth is just a question It’s been bent as far as it can go And all the nonbelievers They don’t want to know And all of us are equally dismayed We don’t have a common point of view None of us is ever really lying But things are rarely absolutely true Someone take a photograph We’ll try to look our best And years from now we’ll look at it And laugh at how we’re dressed Time is just a passing of the days It can often change your point of view None of us is ever really lying But things are rarely absolutely true Because you know we never have it made We only ever have a point of view None of us is ever really lying And things are rarely absolutely true
15.
Oh No, I think I'm in Love 02:21
lyrics
buy track
I feel like dancing I feel I could lasso the moon Head’s a mess I confess Oh yes I’m out of control All too late Can’t see straight I think I’m in love Oh no, I think I’m in love I feel like singing I think I could walk on the clouds Oh no here I go Everything’s crazy but wonderfully sane Can’t believe the dreams I weave I think I’m in love Oh no, I think I’m in love Yes it feels like that, it sure feels like that to me I feel like flying I feel I could ride on the wind Sheer delight starry night Throwing light all through your hair Does it show? I’m all aglow I think I’m in love Oh no, I think I’m in love
16.
Isn't it a Lovely day 02:49
lyrics
buy track
The cat is sleeping quietly delighting in the sun The woman sitting next to me has come in from a run Her husband is a charlatan she says it’s not his fault She has a thousand secrets she keeps them in a vault And isn’t it a lovely day today Isn’t it a lovely day Isn’t it a lovely day Isn’t it a lovely day today? The cardinal is saying there’s nobody to blame The proof is overwhelming he denies it all the same But what about the children who grow up with the pain? Here and there and everywhere it’s happening again And isn’t it a lovely day today There’s nothing to excite me in the morning news Lily livered politics empty points of view The wind is making patterns out across the bay And all of it is wonderful that’s all I have to say And isn’t it a lovely day today I know I’ll never be King of the World I’m never going to call you my girl But isn’t it a lovely day today Walking in the park I wanna be one of the happy people You and me and isn’t it a lovely day
17.
What The People There Will Agree With 03:14
lyrics
buy track
What the people there will agree with Is there was not much going on Just a long and loud conversation While staring at a hole in the ground Something must be done about it A solution should be found But the people there can't agree so So there was not much going on Not much going on, not much going on What the whole damn world will agree with Is it's been going on too long Nothing good ever happens When children are carrying guns Don't talk to me about freedom Don't talk to me about rights I've seen mothers bury their children Lord that's a terrible sight But the people there who are greedy Know there's money to be made All they need to do is remind you There are reasons you should be afraid Somebody out there will get you Your family is under attack Go get yourself a machine gun And kill anyone who's black We can't blame the policeman He was only doing his job We all know he had his reasons The kid was attempting to rob A life for a handful of dollars That seems only fair I believe what I heard on Fox News From the man with a suit and clean hair And the children there in the schoolroom Are running for their lives Shots ringing out in the hallway Tears running out of your eyes A nation looks on in amazement This shouldn't happen at all But when a father screams out in anger Nobody hears the call
18.
We Do What We Do 04:07
lyrics
buy track
Feeling intellectual lying on my bed Got all this ineffectual static in my head And nothing really matters But the bees among the flowers in your garden Take the time to weave some rhymes I’m not inclined to waste a line And nothing really matters but the bees among the flowers in your garden You could close your mind and sit the whole thing out You can lie there and say you didn’t know But in the end my friend you’ve got to look life in the eye Think about what you did and what you said We do what we do and we don’t last forever In the end we’re only passing through So try to be kind do your best speak your mind my friend ‘Cos in the end it all comes down to you There’s been truths and there’s been lies And there’s been things you can’t deny And nothing really matters but the bees among the flowers in your garden The whole damned world has gone insane Let’s break it down and start again And all that really matters are the bees among the flowers in your garden
19.
We Don't Talk About That 03:34
lyrics
buy track
We don’t talk about that We never talk about that We don’t talk about that And we really should talk about that Pity the woman Who hides her face All of her children live in fear Too often hungry Always scared Methamphetamine and beer Battered and abused Conflicted and confused This is not how it should be But we don’t talk about that We never talk about that We don’t talk about that And we really should talk about that Cold of heart Hot in head Cowardly and cruel It was just an accident I feel like such a fool I never meant to Hurt the kid It was just a flash of rage I regret the things I did I’d like to turn the page Angels are weeping Another baby dies Can you imagine so much pain? Somebody’s lying Nobody takes the blame And then it’s happening again There’s nothing left to say Just turn and walk away This is not how it should be
20.
I Would Give You the World 02:43
lyrics
buy track
I would give you the world if it were mine to give I would hold you in dreams that I hope to live I'd be the light that keeps your dark at bay I'd be the why you'd never be afraid I have lived on the run I’ve done it for so long I have never found the words for the perfect song I looked for love as many people do I know I found it when I first laid eyes on you So meet me down by the harbour Let me come home with you If you like I might stay all night And if I should be there when you wake in the morning Would you mind if I stayed for the rest of my life? I would give you the world if it were mine to give
21.
Indigo 02:33
lyrics
buy track
Picking it up Putting it down Turn it around Start over again First is there Then it is gone This can go on and on Come an go Ebb and flow Indigo Open your eyes Know truth from the lies Try to be wise about that Make your amends Treasure your friends And in the end you’ll know Come an go Ebb and flow Indigo Here comes the wind knocking at your window Blowing like curse from the South Picking up leaves they’re going round and round And round and round
22.
The Rattling of Spoons 02:13
lyrics
buy track
Dogs will bark and babies cry Owls will hoot at the moon Building shakes as a train rolls by Rattling the spoons Feeling like a bird tossed upon a storm Don’t know when I’m ever coming come I may be back for Christmas At least I’m going to try I hope I won’t be coming back alone Someone shouting in the street Don’t know if he’s angry or insane May be just this midnight heat We sure could use some rain People ask I can’t say why Life keeps changing like the sky Sun will rise and stars will fall Waves will crash and sirens call
23.
acoustic - Daisy 02:23
lyrics
buy track
Daisy I don’t know How much of this is true Did we just imagine it — all that we went through? Daisy I have tried to live without regret And all the things that might have been Might still happen yet I still have dreams and so much time And all so many mountains left I still hope to climb And though it seems you have to leave us now Daisy go in peace, we’ll work it out somehow Daisy I’m afraid I don’t what to say I wish that I could hold you close And make it go away Take all our love and the promises we’ll keep Daisy spread your wings, fly away in sleep

about

While, as the Singer-Songwriter, I am credited with Words and Music, the reality is that my songs owe much to the genius of the Producer/Arrangers, Russell Finch in Australia and Bruce Lynch in New Zealand and some other brilliant musicians. Over my many years of recording, having my work so wonderfully interpreted by talented and sensitive people, has been my greatest reward.

You will find that I continue write in several genres, which means that with this album — like the proverbial box of chocolates — you never know what you might get next. I hope every unexpected change will surprise and delight you.

Listen closely and — woven within the music — you might well hear some Naked Truths.

JOHN HANLON 2021

credits

released August 8, 2021

All songs written and sung by John Hanlon.

Producer Arrangers: Bruce Lynch and Russell Finch. Each is credited with the songs they produced.

Musicians.
As always. I’m deeply grateful for the tasteful and sensitive work of the musicians who contribute to my recordings. What’s most impressive is that they often do this with only my hum and strum voice and guitar demos to inspire them.
Songs Arranged and Produced by Russell Finch:
Guitars/Ukulele: Rex Goh. Piano and Keyboards: Russell Finch.

Songs Arranged and Produced by Bruce Lynch:
Acoustic Guitars, Pedal Steel, Dobro, Acoustic & Electric Bass, Keyboards: Bruce Lynch
Electric guitars (Oh no, I think I’m in Love and Everywhere I Go): Dean Kerr
Clarinet (Things Are Rarely Absolutely True) Tenor Saxophone (This is New York): Lewis McCallum

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

JOHN HANLON image

JOHN HANLON Auckland, New Zealand

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, the son of a Chinese mother and New Zealander father of Swedish, Irish and Scottish extraction.
Raised variously New Zealand, Singapore and on an iron mine deep in the jungles of Malaya,
In the early 70’s, accidentally became a Pop Star in New Zealand.
In 1978 left the stage for a quieter, more private life
Now, nearly fifty years later, is back with a new album. ... more

contact / help

Contact JOHN HANLON

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like NAKED TRUTHS, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Beans joins the show to discuss his album release, "ZWAARD".

listen now