From the recording Napoleon's Cavalry $ale
“The revolution it had failed. I wasn’t dead. I wasn’t in jail. I was like everyone, on the run…when I rode with napoleon’s cavalry’
In the tradition of story tellers who rock and rockers who tell stories, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Lou Reed, Neil Diamond, Neil Young, Steve Earl… Napoleon’s Cavalry appears like a ghost in the moon light. Is it a song from a Solomon King past life? Has some Spirit emerged from the netherworld? Or is it all just some fantasy that is born out of the ignorance and boredom that we call art?
None of that matters because Napoleon’s Cavalry take you along for the ride. And its a good one so saddle up!
Recorded live in Los Angeles’ Palomino Studios with Jason Soda (Chili Peppers, Neil Young), at the console, Solomon King (2 Grammy Entrant Nominations, honored by the City of Los Angeles and the California State Legislature for his contributions to blues music) delivers a signature vocal presence to a style of American music that refuses to be defined by any one category except “yeah…that’s the stuff”.
Lyrics
The Revolution it had failed
I wasn’t dead. I wasn’t in jail
I was like everyone
On the run
The farmers had no food
The dancers had no shoes
But I had my boots, my saber and my gun
And that uniform looked good on me
When I rode with Napoleon’s Cavalry
We we on parade
The bugles played. The ladies made
Discreet inquiries.
Drummer beat on his drum
We were young, having fun with
Gold braids on our sleeves
We rode for liberty & equality
When we rode in Napoleon’s Cavalry
We left Paris in a mist
For a place called Austerlitz
Man that was a trip with the battle raging fierce
I did not hurt I did not fear
but when I fell I could hear
Those church bells ringing in my ear from far away
Sister put a bandage on my wound and prayed the Roserie
God Save Napoleon’s Cavalry
I rejoined my company
Somewhere is Italy I met a girl with a mandolin
At an in by the sea
She had a child by a husband gone.
She knew a lot of songs
Mostly gavottes & some bourees
And to this day I wonder… if I had stayed?
But I rode away with Napoleon’s Cavalry
The Russian winter froze
He wore a white fur coat
A wheel had broke on the Imperial Coach
Sky was black clouds were grey
He had his hat on sideways
Pulled a locket from his pocket and showed me Josephine
If you see her son, tell her for me
Its another victory for Napoleon’s Cavalry
On that 18th day of June
It had rained on Waterloo
We all knew, we had come to loose.
When it was done
I swear I saw someone
In the setting sun
And she called to me
“Saddle up the company there’s no time to greive