the gifted children - the festival of lights

Originally slated to be released in December 1996 as a 7", but that plan was aborted. These songs were never officially released on cassette or vinyl, despite the band having a fondness for both songs. ‘best wishes, good luck’ later saw the light in re-recorded form on the colorfast anthems LP in 2000.

Lyrics and individual track credits:

01 best wishes, good luck (suszczynski)

thanks for wishing me the best
i wish you'd keep it to yourself
your helpful hints are dabbing makeup on an exit wound

thanks but i don't think the bandage will stretch across this one
use your tools on something else
better yet, don't rip apart what you cannot sew

all in all, i'm not surprised –
you always had a way with knives.

jeff suszczynski – guitars, drumset, voices
bill trautman – bass, noise guitar

written: july 1996
recorded: november 1996
(southland drive, brighton, ny)

02 the festival of lights (suszczynski/trautman)

the angels all have halos
until closing time
i wish i could steal one and take it home with me
i could plug it in
and wear it until the bulb grows dim
or make it a gift to you, my love:
i could say that i married an angel...

yeah, i could say i married an angel
but that would be a lie
we thought the lights could hold us up
but we sink when they float:
we dream in their midst
and we will sleep too soon

i had so much to say
but the snowfall always hushes things
the camera pans out,
reveals the whole crowd:
and you and i are only two

i'll leave you in the wintergarden
it's always warmer there
i'll leave you in the wintergarden
please don't forget me, my love...

jeff suszczynski – voice
bill trautman – bass, guitar

written: november 1996
recorded: november 1996
(southland drive, brighton, ny)