The Hi-Fives

And A Whole Lotta' You (& more)

This digital album contains all the tracks from Lookout #135 ...And A Whole Lotta You! (1997), and also includes songs from the It's Up To You single Lookout! #159 (1996), Lookout #154 More Bounce To The Ounce compilation (1997), Estrus Flaming Burnout compilation, and a cover of the Stingray TV show theme. The LP was recorded and mixed by Andy Earnst at Art of Ears in Hayward, Ca.

The cast: John Denery (vocals, guitar), Chris Imlay (guitar, vocals), Jess Hilliard (bass guitar), Danny Seelig (drums).

The cover art is by the ever-fabulous Stephan Britt.

And A Whole ‘Lotta You

Liner notes

By Comfy Jones

Yes indeed, the Hi-Fives!  Quite!  As perhaps one of the first people to notice and comment upon the various talents of these four feckled Fives, they have put me to task, as it were, in the creation of a potentially libelous, literary litany in their regards, er, well regarding them, they being those whom are a group known as: The Hi-Fives.  

“Group?” you might ask, “what kind of group are you talking about?”  Well, firstly, look at what you are holding: that’s a clue, if you can get one.  This sleeve you are reading is wrapped around an  item that is a particular format for a certain kind of information commonly made by things known as “groups”.  If you are unable or unwilling to make the calculation, and must therefore leave it to me to, “do the math” as it were, then  I’ll tell you what kind of group The Hi-Fives are:  They are a musical group! Ahhh now you see!  It is becoming clear now.  They are the union of more or less “musical” individuals into a loose knit team bent on delivering their songs to whomever will listen.

Here then before you lies the very fruit, perhaps fermented to delusional potency, of the union of this group. And such fruit!  The questionable talent and bountiful simplicity borne out by their songs might make one only wonder at the lack of distance these four fives have traveled from the “tabla rasa”, as it were, mysteriously gorging a swath of dedicated intelligencia along the way.  Be that as it may, the question remains: How?  The answer: Irrelevant. The conclusion: This recording.  Could it be that simple?  Probably.  But it’s never enough, is it?  Indeed, as I write, it dawns upon me that these notes are not at all for them, but for you, the Gentile Reader, the Smart Shopper, the Audiophile, the Lover of Pleasure, namely the Record Store Cut Out Bin Browser.  

It is with the best intentions, and thoughts of you then, that I must dig even deeper, moving to the next logical and necessary question, that is, to ask exactly what kind of musical group they are. To this I would have to definitely, probably say “BEATPUNK”.  I’m not sure who first coined the term “BEATPUNK” for these boys, (I think it might have been  Percy T. Keegan in his article “It Really Makes Music, But You Never Touch It!” - May 1994, Saskatoon Herald)  but one would have to admit that it’s quite an apt description really.

The “BEAT” influences can be seen from all of the 1960’s so called “beat” groups such as the Beatles, Gerry And The Pacemakers, the Searchers, the Kinks etc. (the boys even wear three button suits!) ...and on to the modern “beat” incarnations, most notable of which would be Chatam, Kents’ The(e) Milkshakes whom we know the Hi-Fives to often play the songs of.  Additionally, the influence of “PUNK” can be heard in The Hi-Fives apparent knowledge of the Ramones, the Buzzcocks, and even the Sonics .  

At any rate, whatever one wishes to call the sound of this music, this very disc you are holding is full of it.  Full of that exciting “BEATPUNK” sound surrounding songs that are tales of woe, glee, merriment, and always, always about You.

-Comfy Jones

And A Whole ‘Lotta You

Song lyrics

(for non-cover songs)

It’s Up To You

Well I’m stuck in a rut, and I can’t get up. Baby kicked my jack, and now I’m looking up. My my my heart starts to slow, my mind says no, now everything: it’s up to you. I watch you disappear, as the angels come near. I’m on my last breath, wondering why you left. Why why why I know you know it’s true. Now everything: it’s up to you. I’m left here to die, lying on my back. I’m wondering why Baby kicked my jack. 

It Begins With You

With every breath I take it seems like such a waste using all that time and effort while you’re so far away.  I’d like to save them up and use’m for days to come like when we’re hanging out and our lives have just begun and I’ll wait for you  I’ll wait for the ice to dry and the sea to rise for you I’ll wait for every star in the sky to fall I’ll wait for you and I won’t stop waiting til there’s nothing else to wait for. I’m seeing things that I ain’t never seen before, you’re taking me to places you can’t get there through doors  been put on hold until I’m told just what to do until you do well I’m never ever gonna lose I’ll wait for you.

Time Is Now

I’m not sure just where I’m going or if I’ll have to pay a cost but as long as you leave a well worn trail then I know I won’t get lost cus all I know is where you go is the kinda place that I wanna be the closest the time is now and now I wanna be with you I don’t know just where I’ll be in between now and then I’ll walk with you in summer and hold you in the winter and then I’ll ask you again come on honey come on sugar there’s a blizzard that’s giving me the shivers the time is now and now I wanna be with you. My dinners chili my nights are cold I’m all ate up cus you don’t know what it is you need to know I could put you on the hook but I’ll grab another book and I’ll pray I’ll fall asleep.  Whatever I’m doing it’ll only be ruined if you’re not worth the wait.

No-No

I’m gonna do, what I think i should.  Not telling you, what you should do.  Cuz i don’t own you, that’s not what i wanna do. no-no. no-no.  You should do, what’cha think you should.  don’t tell me to, do what you do.  You don’t own me, that’s not what’cha wanna do. no-no. no-no. (Golly golly gee now, you’re so sweet now. golly golly gee now, you’re so sweet oh-no. no-no. oh-no.) 

All I Wanna Know

All I wanna know starts with your head to your toes to the pleats in your clothes and I know that it ain’t much but I’m counting my luck cus it’s more than enough and I know there’s things that I’ll miss but all I really wanna know is this.  The places I used to go are no longer the decrepit holes that I used to know now they’re relics of their own like that there street it’s my belief it should be layered in gold cus it’s not just any fifth and vine, that gets to guess your wieght so many times.  Whether it’s your wide eyed smile that makes a mile seem like just a block or maybe it’s the way you talk that makes the time go by there’s just no stopping the clock  and the same old dive just turned divine where we’d eat pies, burgers and fries and I’m not sure just what you’ve done but even my alarm clock is a lot more fun.  Nothing will be the same from here on out it’s something else with the same old name with a few new alterations what you’ve done is did and it’s an  observation that you took this town and put it upside down and now I’m hoping that you’ll stick around and that’s all I wanna know. 

Words Of Love

Words of love she says to you, and she’s a dear, she’ll want you near.  And though i know she sounds sincere, you’ll play the fool, cause she’ll say to you:  Words of love, words of love, words of love she’ll say to you.  I fell as you have and i have advice, isn’t she nice, but watch out for rice.  And when she calls you but wont let you near, you’ll get the Fear, and then you’ll hear:  Words of love.  Words of love she’ll say to you, words of love but they’re not true. 

I’ll Take You There

Just tell me where you wanna go i’ll take you there cause it’s all the same to me.  Just to be by your side makes the miles go by so come on and  fly with me.  Let’s pack our bags baby let’s split don’t take a map honey let’s take a trip i really don’t care what we do just as long as i know i’ll be there with you.  We can go out come back in drive up the coast maybe go for a swim it should be getting clear that I’d leave this stratosphere if you pointed north and sounded sincere.  We could go for a stroll and call it a walk have a talk and call it a chat I really wouldn’t care   nothing at all just as long as I’m where you’re at so just tell me when you close your eyes and I’ll tell you what we’re passing by and just tell me if you’ve seen it before and I’ll put this car in another gear I wanna know I gotta know how can I know I wanna know wanna know let’s go now.  We could go to the grange go to a movie drive to Maine and eat shrimp louie maybe we could go to  some far off distant land that you can’t read about at some kind of news stand we could go somplace far far away with any luck  maybe we could lose our way and spend the rest of our lives on this quest of blinker lights and turning left.  I wanna know I gotta know  how can I know I wanna know wanna know let’s go now.

Say What’cha Want

You can say what’cha want. You can say what’cha need.  If you know what’cha want, well say it and i’ll heed.  The girl knows what she wants. The girl knows what she needs.  The girl didn’t get where she was, by begging down on her knees.  ʻCause after all is said and done, what we say we should really do.  And in the end, why pretend, what we did was the only truth.  We’re right and they’re wrong. Think otherwise and you’re gone.  The words might seem strong. But i’m not selling this for a song.  Play smart and you’re dumb.  Believe me man it’s been done.  Try not to succumb- Smart and Dumb have been known to do lunch. 

You Can

No one can make believe your lies but you can and no one can make me believe your smile but you can and when I’m feeling down I want nobody around but you can no one can make me understand what you can but you can’t believe a word that I say and it doesn’t matter anyway.  I rigged an ingenious device to my heart for you girl I crossed the desert land in my frost bitten hands for you girl I did all these things because you asked me to for you girl I’d do anything multiplied by two for you girl. For you girl I would do all these things for you girl I would do any.  It doesn’t matter anyways what I do or what I might say because if it mattered anyways you wouldn’t be so far away. Our eyes have met but our lives not yet it’s true girl but sooner or later I’ll get you yet it’s true girl sooners better but later than never for you girl I’d do anything just to satisfy you for you girl. For you girl I would do all these things for you girl I’d do anything

Black And Blue

I’m turning black and blue, I don’t know what I should do.  I need a talking to on accout of you.  Well if it’s not gonna fly, should one give it a try,  dumb enough to defy what accountants do? So were going down and it’s a darn good thing to do, and we’re new in town, the things we do will still seem new till the snow turns brown or the sand gets in our shoes yeah we’re going down.  I’ve studied history, yet I’m doomed to repeat.  Sense make a retreat all because of you.  there’s not a lesson plan, no book but just man, this man with his hands would plough the earth for you.  Was better, regret her, wish I haddn’t met her at all.  Whoa!  Now we’re numb and bored where lions roared before I can see what’s in store, and so can you.  Well you like me alot, but ʻcha say we don’t talk well I’d better start or you’ll walk out on me.

A Whole Lot Of You

well i finally found some lips and it’s a perfect fit and now i’m  hoping hoping they’ll pry open so I can seal them shut with a simple little kiss and make something something out of nothing cus your hearts bigger than a canadian praire and your lips are sweeter than an upscale sherry whatever you do please include it too don’t leave out a single clue. Well everytime I see you walking down the street I get a feeling feeling I hit the ceiling and by the time I get back down to the ground I see you turning turning and I’m yearning to learn everything there is about you solve all your troubles and the things that doubt you whatever you do please include it too don’t leave out a single clue cause it’s a whole lot of you  it’s a whole lot of you it’s a whole lot of you I could live this life happy just knowing you exist but give something more than that and I’m telling you I could live in eternal bliss. Oh well I finally........ you’re not just like any other you’re better than a Chet Atkins album cover cause it’s a whole lot of you  it’s a whole lot of you it’s a whole lot of you yeah it’s a whole lot of you that I wanna know

Peaquod

I’m feeling so bound, to yourself, madamoislle, the ship has run aground.  Don’t fail to  come about, cause i can’t help, fare-thee-well, grab a rail and bail out.  Underneath, the current sea, and urgently, Your needed.  This knot is taught, and it’s a square, if ya care,  so if i seem a bit distraught:  It’s not tied oft, but holds me there, in a snare, upside-down and aloft. Underneath, the current sea, and urgently, I needed you to tell the truth, tighten the noose, or just cut me loose. It’s all white meat, there’s no Greenpeace, so neat to eat, basted in blue.  Lashed onto you, lost ship and crew, never see the slew

Shhh!

Shhh!  Shhh!  Shhh!  Shhh!

Here's a sketch by the fantastic Stephan Britt for the "...and a Whole Lotta You" album. (with an older signature)