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.

Which Way Is Up

by Jakob Berger & his hat

supported by
marcociatto
marcociatto thumbnail
marcociatto It immediately hit my heart, it took me to another dimension: I just love it! You're voice is "great"..**
Marco Favorite track: Everything Looks Better on Fire.
Jeffrey Harmon
Jeffrey Harmon thumbnail
/

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. Paying supporters also get unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app.
    Purchasable with gift card

      name your price

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    These were a beast to make, so I most likely won't be doing something like this again (or at least for a while), but they were a fun labor of love. When designing and making these, I really set out to make the packaging of the disc a tactile experience, somewhat reminiscent of the days of records. I'm really proud of these, and of course the music, too, so I hope you absolutely love it. ~Jakob

    -Handmade pop-up CD case, with a thick card back and a wooden front.
    -Professionally printed discs with original art by Juan Charlie Beaz.
    -Hand-carved linocut print on the cover and for the pop-up.
    -Each one stamped with its edition number, sold in order.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Which Way Is Up via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 15 days
    edition of 100 
    Purchasable with gift card

      $20 USD or more 

     

1.
C'est Ma Vie 04:32
lyrics
buy track
The world’s been here for far too long There ain’t no space for me All I ever wanted Was my autonomy I won’t keep my hands by my side No I won’t even try Gonna give my hands to the world Grow my hair and let it curl ‘Cause I’ve moved on to better things New people, new songs to sing I won’t keep my hands by my side No I won’t even try & I will play to my strengths Whatever they may be Life was so much better When we were speaking free C’est la vie C'est ma vie Another year, a little more clear What I'm meant to do Still hell-bent on wandering With little follow through Will I achieve at all cost? If I do, some things get lost But while some are lost, some are found Here I go, homeward bound Do you see them or do you see me? I don't think you've ever seen clearly Take the haze out of your eyes Maybe then you'll realize I will play to my strengths Whatever they may be Life was so much better When we were speaking free C’est la vie C’est ma vie And I need to find a way Take a step more than yesterday & I will play to my strengths Whatever they may be Life was so much better When we were living free C’est la vie C'est ma vie C’est ma vie
2.
Giving Tree 03:39
lyrics
buy track
Giving tree oh giving tree I took too much from you For a while I was content and I thought you were content, too But I left you all alone But I left you all alone Giving tree o giving tree I met you as a child Climbed upon your sturdy arms and stayed with you awhile But I left you all alone But I left you all alone Giving tree o giving tree I returned as a young man Asked from you your loving help and you quickly lent a hand But I took too much from you But I took too much from you Giving tree o giving tree now I'm old and withered It's been a while but I've come back so we'd be together But there was nothing left of you But there was nothing left of you
3.
We Were All Down 02:46
lyrics
buy track
We’re all here in the here and now Curtain’s still up, ain’t time to bow Gotta exhilarate and stimulate Your soul somehow We were all down to get ourselves all fucked up & We were all down to set it all ablaze We were all down to get ourselves blackout drunk & We were all down We were all down Lai da dai da… We broke into the room and at a glance Saw the tables, jumped up to dance We’ll never be dealt a second chance So we make the most of now We were all down Lai… I ain’t got no regrets I ain’t got no regre-e-e-e-ehts Now we’re stuck here, no one’s moving Smoke is rising, our bodies bruising Can’t shake the sight of this illusion I can’t pretend no more It’s all fucked up, no one to blame but ourselves It’s all fucked up, things are bad, ain’t looking up It’s all fucked up, what d’you know, it’s just my luck It’s all fucked up All fucked up
4.
Everything Looks Better on Fire 03:48
lyrics
buy track
I lost you But it was not my job To find you We row the boat upstream Against the current We row the boat downstream Oh so fervently You think everything looks better on fire You think everything looks better on fire I know that you may be right But I still disagree I know that you may be right But it doesn't change a thing We don't trust this river Can't tell how shallow or deep I know that you're not bitter But I wished I loved you more than me You think everything looks better on fire You think everything looks better on fire I know that you may be right But I still disagree I know that you may be right But it doesn't change a thing
5.
One More Night 03:00
lyrics
buy track
You are home alone Sleeping on the couch tonight I’m home alone Hoping that you’ll be alright I know that you’re at a loss for words And I know that it hurts And I know it’ll be alright If you can just make it through one more night Oh You and me--I mean, we Were sitting and sipping our tea Platonically at this table for three-well, hm, usually It’s just the two of us my dear And I know I’m not the one you want here But if you keep me in your sight I can help you make it through one more night Oh How we ever found each other I’ll never know But still I think it’s Providence, so the story goes Maybe others break our hearts So we can find A new start We – I mean me and you Are learning one plus one is two Now look at all that we can do Now that you’ve got me and I’ve got you Now you’re in my life for good I know we won’t be understood For moving fast but it feels so right I can help you make it through one more night Oh
6.
Life Jacket 04:13
lyrics
buy track
Looking over my shoulder at something not quite dead But nothing lies in front of me, nothing lies ahead I wanna know where I will go, what’ll I see out the window I ask my mother what to do, she says that’s up to you I can’t see, no I can’t breathe I can’t tell which way is up That’s why you wear a life jacket Here I stand, petrified, by uncertainty Wind is blowing, waves are crashing, face my destiny I forge ahead into the dark, listen to the matriarch My lips are cracked, my voice is gone, but still I must go on I can’t see, no I can’t breathe I can’t tell which way is up That’s why you wear a life jacket Once you get to the bottom then You will know Which way is up Which way is up I can’t see, no I can’t breathe I can’t tell which way is up That’s why you wear a life jacket That’s why you wear a life jacket
7.
Leave Me Whole 03:47
lyrics
buy track
I'll only hear silence when you speak If you try to take this day from me Beware the company you keep When they realize just like me they've been deceived I traveled all this way for you Gave you pieces of my soul I traveled all this way for you The least you can do is leave me whole Whole I moved my life upside-down for your desires Put my thoughts and feelings high upon the shelf Now I have this chance to rekindle my fire And it’s like you went and doused the flames yourself I traveled all this way for you Gave you pieces of my soul I traveled all this way for you The least you can do is leave me whole Whole I'll only hear silence when you speak But don't you worry, you can't take the day from me You better beware the company you keep I'm telling all of them that they've been deceived You won't leave me empty I guess you're just unkind But you won't leave me empty I'm taking what is mine Yes, I’m taking what is mine I traveled all this way for you Gave you pieces of my soul I traveled all this way for you The least you can do is leave me
8.
Separate Ships 01:19
buy track
9.
Little Miss 02:26
lyrics
buy track
Little Miss Katherine Look at the state I’m in You pick me up, you put me down You make me smile, you make me frown When I can’t get a hold of you You are my best friend And I’ll keep you ‘til the end Some days you drive me up a wall Some days I know I make you feel small For that I do apologize When I’m lost and all alone You’ve been there to help me home You tell me I’m being too dramatic You’re the one behind the scenes And you visit in my dreams Helping me to be much more pragmatic But I still find you oh so enigmatic Little Miss Katherine Little Miss Katherine Look at the state I’m in Been hanging round you way too much Loving your voice and missing your touch Amidst the week after we part ways Your lips they beckon me To travel ‘cross the sea We’ve been past the city walls Now it seems that London calls There’s just one thing: I’m longing for your gaze Had our courtship ever begun It’d already be dead and gone I know that we were meant to be just friends But now I’ve brought this up I may have fucked it up I hope this doesn’t change things in the end ‘Cause I still want you to be my friend I’d really miss you if you weren’t my friend Little Miss Katherine
10.
I'm Just a Son of a Bitch 03:56
lyrics
buy track
I gave you my eyes and I gave you my heart But it wasn’t enough for you You wanted my time but I wanted my art So you said you were through Now I know I need to warn the people I meet That I’m really no good It seems I’ll never choose you over my damn self Is that understood? ‘Cause I’m just a son of a bitch We were together for a pretty long time But time doesn’t make it right We didn’t think that we were only temporary So we held on tight And I kept on slipping farther every day I was just bringing you down We were on two separate ships going different ways I was just helping you drown ‘Cause I’m just a son of a bitch And I will not listen when you say it’s all my fault (for letting go) I’m gonna be who I’m gonna be I guess you better be you I ain’t gonna change no I ain’t gonna change Even if you want me to Don’t you dare go thinking that we’ll meet up again That’s selfish ‘cause you made it end There’s so much about you I just can’t comprehend So I won’t even pretend I’m just a son of a bitch All you cynical fuckers Everyone’s a fucking cocksucker So give a shit and don’t deny or give a half-ass alabi It’s just a title, don’t resist Everyone’s a narcissist I’m just a son of a bitch...

credits

released September 23, 2017

Produced by Grant Turley & Jakob Berger
Assisted by Kent Jenkins

Recorded and Mixed at home by Jakob Berger
Mastered by Grant Turley

Album Art by Juan Charlie Beaz

Special Thanks to Evan Freed & Réchard François

All music & lyrics by Jakob Berger

--except “C’est Ma Vie” with lyrical contributions from Chloe Pourmorady & “Giving Tree” with musical and lyrical contributions from Evan Freed

All instruments on all songs performed by Jakob Berger

--except for trumpet on “One More Night” and “I’m Just a Son of a Bitch” by David Aguila, and miscellaneous group vocals/hand claps/noisemakers by a small hoard of awesome friends:

Jesse D. Arrow, Erica Lynn Castillo, Jasmine Dahilig, Sarah Duncan, Eric Escalante, Réchard François, Gabriel Gavigan, Amanda Goad, Naomi Henry, Emily Hinkler, Kent Jenkins, Alex Roper, Elizabeth Roper, & Jessica Weiss

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Jakob Berger & his hat image

Jakob Berger & his hat Los Angeles, California

Gypsy-indie-folk songwriter & builder of alternative instruments.

contact / help

Contact Jakob Berger & his hat

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Jakob Berger & his hat, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Saxophonist Isaiah Collier chats about his new LP and the influence of Pharoah Sanders.
listen now