Journey to the Center of the Mind
Uncle Ted might be famous for his straight-edge lifestyle now, but with The Amboy Dukes he created music directed towards a more alternative lifestyle. The title of the album alludes to using hallucinogenic drugs to expand one’s mind, but Ted claims he had no idea! Drugs aside, this album produced by Bob Shad — the producer best known for his work in the jazz genre — is sure to please. Hard-hitting and psychedelic, this record is bursting at the seams with intricate and fascinating guitar stylings. Unlike some of the other lighter psychedelic fare of the 1960s, this album packs a punch!
Released:
April 1968
Record Label: Mainstream
- 1. Mississippi Murderer
Lyrics
Mississippi murderer
Runnin’ down the track
Wherever you’re headed, boy
You know you can’t look back
You might…forget
That thing that you’ve done
You might live to regret it
But you probably die young
Now don’t look back
Keep on runnin’ down the track
Yeah!
Sing your song
Look out!
Mississippi murderer
Whatcha gonna do
You found her with another man
She was bein’ untrue
The lights went out
You scrambled for the knife
Mississippi man…
He took a man’s life
Now don’t look back
Keep on runnin’ down the track
Oh, sing it…
Oh, Mississippi murderer
Whatcha runnin’ for
You know you’re gonna get caught
Gonna get caught now, for sure
You’re gonna keep runnin’
Runnin’ ’round the world
Things like this happen
When a boy meets a girl
Don’t look back
Keep on runnin’ down the track
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- 3. Flight Of The Byrd
Lyrics
Look what you’ve done
You’ve paved my way…path
I know that it must be right
And we’re on our way
Talk to me, girl
Tell me what you know
You give me all my soul
This is what I say
You little poster child
Singing in my ear
It puts my mind in gear
Let me hear you sing
Give me some action now
Some like I’ve never seen
You make it plain to me
Come on and do your thing
Look what you’ve done
You’ve paved my way…path
I know that it must be right
And we’re on our way
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- 6. Journey To The Center Of The Mind
Lyrics
Leave your cares behind come with us and find
The pleasures of a journey to the center of the mind
Come along if you care
Come along if you dare
Take a ride to the land inside of your mind
Beyond the seas of thought beyond the realm of what
Across the streams of hopes and dreams where things are really not
Come along if you care…
But please realize you’ll probably be surprised
For it’s the land unknown to man
Where fantasy is fact
So if you can, please understand
You might not come back
Come along if you care
Come along if you dare
Take a ride to the land inside and you’ll see
How happy life could be if all of mankind
Would take the time to journey to the center of the mind
Would take the time to journey to the center of the mind
Center of the mind
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- 7. Ivory Castles
Lyrics
Aren’t all the ivory castles
Worth all of the hassles?
One incurs when he blows his mind
Aren’t all the rainbow colors
Worth all the rain?
Aren’t the fine sensations
Worth all the pain?
If life seems to be a drag
Keep your spirits high
And try to quit relying
On the outside world
To bring you joy
You can’t command them
To want anything but wealth
Don’t try and understand them
‘Till you understand yourself
No greed and hated (rule?) today
I feel it right now
Going up and coming down
Colors all around
And I thrive
Now all my ivory castles
Were surely worth the hassles
And I’m glad
That I blew my mind
I’ve learned to make my pleasures
Things that I can find
I’ve learned to take my treasures
And store them in my mind
And happiness is everything
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- 8. Why Is A Carrot More Orange Than An Orange
Lyrics
First the world
Then boy then girl
Six days it took in all
In His image he designed us
With no thought of flaw
Now the question of perfection
Lingers in my mind
Why is a carrot more orange than an Orange?
Why are you greener than green?
Why do we sometimes believe
In things we’ve never seen?
Never doubt what it’s about
And you’ll get along fine
But thy seeing the true meaning
Proves you’ve got a mind
My suggestion is inspection of humanity
I see why the ground is lower than the sky
And why sound can penetrate your mind
But why is a carrot oranger than an Orange?
Oranger than an Orange?
Oranger than an Orange?
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- 9. Missionary Mary
Lyrics
Missionary Mary don’t you go
reap your seeds and let us sow
This new land with happiness
dwelling in your mist
Mary do you want and come
and sit with me and watch the sun go down?
Mary wanna? Yes, I wanna
sit with you and feel the touch of sound
Missionary Mary don’t you go
reap your seeds and let us sow
This new land with happiness
dwelling in your mist
Mary will you come with me
and help to help others to see the way?
Mary Will, Indeed I will
I’ll change their darkest night to brightest day
Missionary Mary don’t you go
reap your seeds and let us sow
This new land with happiness
dwelling in your mist
Missionary Mary don’t you go
reap your seeds and let us sow
This new land with happiness
dwelling in your mist
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- 10. Death Is Life
Lyrics
Things are getting much worse
People will actually curse
Ladies are sighing and babies are dying
And happiness comes with a hearse
Time heals all wounds it’s been said
But try healing wounds of your dead
No matter how you try they’ll pass you right on by
You and your future’s been wed
Whats the use? There’s no excuse
Death is life
Seems that you never will learn
The only thing is to return
Do what you care and hope your not there
When all your world start to burn
Whats the use? There’s no excuse
Death is life
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- 11. Saint Philips Friend
Lyrics
Happiness just came in,
It pierced my skin
Insights of Christmas lights right now
I’m so deeply in,
For I’m Saint Philips friend
I’ve left my mind and soul behind somehow
But my life means more to me than before
And I’m not afraid to walk out the door
Calling my name doesn’t seem such a chore
So deeply in Saint Philips friend
Look into my eye,
And You’ll realize,
That I’m not handing you a line
Whether right or wrong,
I must go along
Saint Philips friend until the end of time
No handwriting on the wall
tells me to stop it all
But I must be there when my Saint Philip calls
For without him I surely would fall
So deeply in Saint Philips friend
People blush each time I rush
The cry for peace is heard the least
Some day man will understand,
Or he will destroy this land
I found the best way out,
I found what life’s about
Philip taught me not to fear my death
He’s shown me through the maze,
For this I’ll sing his praise
And worship him with my last dying breath
So if you want happiness listen to me
Look only at the things you want to see
life is a joke, and it always will be
So deeply in Saint Philips friend
Saint Philips friend
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- 12. I’ll Prove I’m Right
Lyrics
I don’t know why I feel this way
I haven’t bought a thing but I’ll have to pay
No ones gonna let me have my say
And you see what you’re doing to me
Tonight I’ll prove I’m right
While collar man working nine to five
Blue collar man working to survive
I’m glad I haven’t got the time
And you see what you’re doing to me
Tonight I’ll prove I’m right
It seems it started but where will it end
I’m too rich to borrow and to poor to lend
I have acquaintances but no ones my friend
And you see what you’re doing to me
Tonight I’ll prove I’m right
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- 12. Conclusion
Lyrics
Now my journey is ended
And I’m back where I began
For I’ve seen things beyond you wildest dreams
And I’ve searched the soul of man
Though I dye unknown and unrecognized
I’m glad I found the time
To take the journey
To the center
To the center of my mind
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