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The Wonders of Female Strength

by Bicycle Face

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    Purchase a lovingly handmade hard copy of our album! Album comes in a recycled cardboard case with color photographs collaged on the front and back. The CD itself is covered in a color sticker with our own interpretation of what a "bicycle face" is! Our gorgeous zine comes hand bound with yarn, with a personal thank-you note enclosed.

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1.
Home 02:37
Well you’ll find home on the forest floor and you’ll find home in the branches And you’ll find home in a big canoe and fall asleep on your haunches Well you could make your home in a chrysalis and wake up a butterfly Or you could live in the desert sands under the starry midnight sky Well you could go to bed with the setting sun, Be at home when it rises You’d find dew on the leaves of the plants and all sorts of other surprises Well you can grow your garden big and you can grow your garden tall Cause if you grow your garden right, you’ll have plants from the spring into the fall Well you can live in a big ol house With all sorts of people around you Or you could live in a place so rural That nobody ever could find you Well you could build your house of straw And you could build your house of clay Cause if you build your house real strong No big bad wolf can blow it away Well there’s the home that lies before you And the home you left behind you And the home that’s all around you And the home that lives inside you This place is a home for you But it’s home for other plants and animals too If you learn to respect your home You know you’ll never wander alone Chorus Home is where you run and play Home is where you spend your day Home is where you rest your head Home is where you make your bed Home is how your body feels Home is where you eat your meals All throughout Cascadia Home is just a place you love
2.
There's a Light that was shining when the world began, And a Light that is shining in the heart of man: And a Light that is shining, friend, in me and in you. So let your light shine in all that you do! With a book and a steeple and a bell and a key They would bind it forever but they can’t! said he. O, the book, it will perish, and the steeple will fall, But the Light will be shining at the end of it all. "If we give you a pistol, will you fight for the Lord?" "But you can't kill the devil with a gun or a sword." "Will you swear on the Bible?" I will not," said he, "For the truth is more holy than the Book to me." There's an ocean of darkness and I drown in the night Till I came through the darkness to the ocean of Light; You can lock me in prison but the Light will be free. And I'll walk in the glory of the Light, said he. Chorus Walk in the Light, wherever you may be! Walk in the Light, wherever you may be! In my old leather breeches and my shaggy, shaggy locks, I am walking in the glory of the Light, said Fox.
3.
Well if you visit Santa Cruz you'll find Autumn working hard Taking care of chickens in her own backyard There's Dusty, Curtis, Chester, Birdy Girdy and Begonia And Leslie, Logan, Cluckles, Andrea and Vidalia But the most special one of all I have yet to mention Their name is Hope, a gender variant chicken Hope took the parts of gender that they liked best And added some of this and that and took out all the rest They've got a comb like a rooster And some masculine spurs But they lay eggs like a chicken And nest like a girl Some people think that gender's only blue or pink But even barnyard creatures think that idea really stinks You can wear a dress and play machines all day Or wear Carhartts and boots While ya do ballet And if people don't like the clothes that you're pickin Just tell em bout Hope, the gender variant chicken! They've got a comb like a rooster And some masculine spurs But they lay eggs like a chicken And nest like a girl Hope took the parts of gender That they liked best And added some of this and that and took out all the rest HEY!!
4.
Otter Song 02:55
We’re gonna go swimming in the river Swimmin in the river Swimmin in the river Oh we’re gonna go swimmin in the river You and me my otter We’re gonna eat shellfish on our bellies… We’re gonna ride with the top down… I don't care if you got a hairy butt… I love you and all of your belly… I love me and my belly too... We’re gonna fall asleep holding hands… We’re gonna make pancakes in the morning… We’re gonna eat pancakes on our bellies…
5.
Banana slug taxi Is goin real slow Banana slug taxi Has no windows If you want a ride That's slimy and moist Banana slug taxi Should be your first choice Well old Mr. Spittlebug Planned a jewel heist He got all the tools And chose a disguise Banana slug taxi Was his getaway plan He couldn't afford A creepy black van Banana slug taxi Left a clear shiny trail Which might lead you to think That this wouldn't end well But the flea police Were down on their luck The more they pursued them The more they got Stuck!!! The spittlebug foamed In bedazzled delight As banana slug taxi Slimed off into the night banana slug taxi Although he had tried Just wasn't cut out To be Bonnie or Clyde Could his business survive? The answer was...nope. Went back to his old job Sealing envelopes
6.
Bearded Lady 02:19
Well Holly was a schnauzer A little grey dog with a beard And she noticed something that she thought was kinda weird When she'd go out with her humans people thought she was a boy These humans had some strange ideas And she was quite annoyed I've got a human friend With some hairs upon her face When most folks look at her they say her beard is out of place Some said her beard was ugly and they told her she should shave But her facial hair was part of her And she was quite outraged! She says I'm wearing bright red lipstick Gold boots and spiky heels I like the way that my beard looks I like the way it feels Having facial hair does not make me any less of a woman Why you think you can tell me who I am, I find that quite confusin Chorus: Cuz mother walruses with whiskers Nurse their babies in the sea And girl mountain goats with facial hair Are living wild and free You tell me that my gender's wrong Your constructs are just lazy! Just because I have a beard It doesn't mean I'm not a lady!
7.
Well the world is big and beautiful Too beautiful to waste On petty arguments about our egos So I am gonna sit here and savor the waste That the tree selflessly gives unto me Well I can see a sunset that's too beautiful for words From my perch up in this tree! And my heart begins to ache when I remember that it's a byproduct of smog and industry And the open patch of sky from the clearcut nearby Makes the full moon much easier to see And we encourage struggling salplings To not give up hope In this barren land where a forest used to be And the weather outside on this clear October night Is just a little bit too warm But we bear our naked skin Throwing caution to the wind Trying not to think of ice caps or tropical storms Now it's been three years since we were sitting in these woods And that forest is just a charred memory But the fiddleheads unfurling remind me that I'm always learning That there is beauty to be found in life’s incredible tenacity If there's one thing that scares me it's the way that I feel When I can't see beauty Beauty in myself or beauty in the world or beauty in anything So scare me, scare me, beauty! But let me know you're still alive But let me know when things get ugly So I can continue the fight to defend this land that I love Well the world is big and beautiful too beautiful to waste On feeling sorry for our sorry selves, So I am gonna sit here and savor the waste that the tree selflessly gives up to me
8.
Celilo Falls 04:09
Can you see the great and mighty falls in your imagination The salmon rode the rolling tides and fed indigenous nations But greedy men from other lands poured concrete through their river And killed the life they once had known The story makes me shiver Celilo Falls was the great place where they all came together To talk and work and gamble Trade canoes and flicker feathers When salmon came in early fall folks came from far and wide To celebrate the fish that kept their communities alive But them white people took the land where native nations once had thrived But promised them the salmon and life by the riverside But soon they wanted to build a dam, a giant concrete wall But this would kill the salmon, and drown Celilo Falls! People from all colors, creeds, and nations joined the fight They didn’t have to be native to see this wasn’t right The native people fought the law and desperately they pled They won a lot of sympathy, but this is what the US courts said: “We made a promise but you people did misunderstand You can have the salmon but you cannot have the land!” The Wishram had to move their dead, sacred objects and their homes The dam it started working, and with a mighty groan Celilo Falls just dissapeared, entombed under the water The people cried, they had no hope For their sons or for their daughters Can you see the great and mighty falls in your imagination The salmon rode the rolling tides and fed indigenous nations But greedy men from other lands poured concrete through their river And killed the life they once had known The story makes me shiver
9.
Wildflowers 03:01
The hills were alive with wildflowers And I was as wild, even wilder than they For at least I could run, they just died in the sun And I refused to just wither in place Just a wild mountain rose, needing freedom to grow So I ran fearing not where I'd go When a flower grows wild, it can always survive Wildflowers don't care where they grow And the flowers I knew in the fields where I grew Were content to be lost in the crowd They were common and close, I had no room for growth I wanted so much to branch out I uprooted myself from home ground and left Took my dreams and I took to the road When a flower grows wild, it can always survive Wildflowers don't care where they grow I grew up fast and wild and I never felt right In a garden so different from me I just never belonged, I just longed to be gone So the garden, one day, set me free Hitched a ride with the wind and since she was my friend I just let her decide where we'd go When a flower grows wild, it can always survive Wildflowers don't care where they grow
10.
Families 02:33
When my mom had me I didn't have a dad But she had a couple friends that she thought were pretty rad Now we all live together in a big purple house And they're all my folks although nobody has a spouse Although my dads are great and can't be beat When my momma comes to see us it's a real special treat She wanted to find people who could take good care of me And now I am a part of a bigger family Well golly gee, I sure do feel lucky That both my moms got to help out When they made made I've been so proud since I was a baby That one of my moms is a transgender lady Well there's just one of me And just one of him But I couldn't have picked a better dad or friend It doesn't matter if your family is big or small My daddy's been my biggest fan since I could crawl Though they tried real hard to make it work at first My parents thought it would be better if they got a divorce Although my parents don't get along Their love for me is really strong! Though my mom is stellar and my dad's lovely There are so many kids and grown-up here that care about me We can wander round our land without getting into trouble Cause if there's any danger they'll be there on the double Chorus: Families come In all shapes and sizes If we're going to get along what we need to realize is There are lots of different ways For us to care for one another All that really matters is that we love each other
11.
Lucretia learned from a young age that slavery was wrong That all genders and races are equal and should learn to get along She said no slave made sugar, or cotton would she buy For itchy wool and bitter tea would suit her needs just fine She thought that education was where she could make a change But when she saw her paycheck she became quite enraged! She said I’m just as good a teacher, And just as apt a scholar But still I’m making 33 cents for every man’s freakin’ dollar! She traveled all the way to England for the world anti-slavery convention Men said sorry that you came so far, guess we forgot to mention Women aren’t allowed to speak or vote, you just aren’t as bright, we’re certain So won’t you kindly join your sisters right here behind this curtain Lucretia was outraged, and to her neighbor she started rantin’ It turned out sitting next to her was Elizabeth Cady Stanton! The two became the fastest friends and thought something must be done! Women’s oppression is wrong, not to mention not much fun! The women’s movement had no voice, and no cohesive vision How can we have a movement if we don’t have a mission? 1848 was the year that all would change For Lucretia and Elizabeth decided to arrange A conference for women’s rights, which they planned in just 10 days But the Seneca Falls Convention would be remembered always! After two long days of careful deliberation They all had come together with a powerful declaration! They said “We’re sick of husbands taking all our cash and property Having power over our future and deciding our destiny After we are married we want to right to work and education We don’t want to be dependents without self-determination If we decide to leave our husbands we want our children and our stuff And we want to vote to change these laws, cause we have had enough! Chorus: Lucretia, we need ya! In our fight for women’s rights For you always taught us to speak our truth and follow our light! Lucretia, a preecha, speakin out against slavery Cause if one of us is in bondage, then no one can be free!
12.
Her name was Charlotte Smith And she really had it in For men who would walk around Just acting like they owned the town And if they would see a girl They would be mean to her Sayin women shouldn’t leave their homes Without a chaperone And she said... Didn't your mama teach you better Than to put women in danger? I don't know who taught you That that was an OK thing to do Women face enough discrimination And they don't need your condemnation And to make her point clear She would just whack em with her umbrella ella ella eh eh eh She’d hit him with her Umbrella ella ella eh eh eh She broke 5,000 umbrellas ellas ellas eh eh eh Watch out for her umbrella ella ella eh eh eh Charlotte stood in solidarity With women working in factories Who had to work 15 hour days And got very little pay She couldn't work for the government But she still made a fit And helped pass over 50 laws To make working conditions better for all And she said... Women are in this together We been fighting this fight forever Don't you know it's now or never Now it's raining harder than ever Know that we'll still have each other If we stand under the same umbrella If we stand under the same umbrella ella ella eh eh eh Together under one umbrella ella ella eh eh eh United under one umbrella ella ella eh eh eh Together under one umbrella ella ella eh eh eh United under one umbrella, ella, ella, eh eh eh
13.
When I grow up I don’t want to forget the feeling of running down the sidewalk. marshmallow bows and arrows and the salty taste of playdough. I don’t want to play by your rules! No gods, no masters, and no school. When I dress up it’s sparkly and fun And I go to tea parties with unicorns! When you get dressed up to go to work, it doesn’t seem great. Why would you spend so much time doing something you hate? Don’t tell me you get much wiser Automatically as you grow older. ‘Cause I’ve seen the world and it seems to me Most grown ups are haters who are unhappy. I’ve had enough of your tall tales! No laws, no money, and no jail!
14.
Hollis:If you were a woman back in 1892 There'd be a lotta things you couldn't do You always had to work and clean And you couldn't leave your husband if he was mean And you definitely couldn't speak your point of view You couldn't really work or play or even exercise When you're living in a man's world and you're not one of the guys But the weirdest thing girls couldn't do From cascadia to France Is they could never ever never ever never never wear pants! Evan:They couldn't wear pants?? Hollis:No! They definitely could not wear pants!! Evan:Well if they didn't wear pants, what did they wear? Hollis:What did they wear? What did they wear? Well first of all, they had to wear like 20 pounds of underwear!! First there was the corset, laced really really tight If you couldn't really breathe They'd say it fit just right Then you'd have to wear ten petticoats When it would rain they would get soaked You would drink tea and play croquet In boobie boosting bustiers It was awful hard to get around With all these heavy clothes It made it really easy to keep women in the home Wow...that sounds awful. It was awful! But don't worry! The story gets a lot better. Great! What happens next? Someone invents the bicycle! Evan & Roxanne: YAY!!! Hollis:Women couldn't really ride with all those extra clothes So the petticoats got lighter and the corset had to go But oh what an embarrassment When you were riding by And your petticoat got caught and over handlebars you'd fly Evan & Roxanne: OH NO!!! Hollis: In 1895 Ethel dermont thought of a solution "I'll wear some bloomers!" she said with a determined absolution They look a lot like pants, They'd been around for 50 years But people said that women wearin pants was kinda queer! March 25th was the day she took her fateful ride The people of Victoria were truly scandalized!! Evan (as a Townsperson): Oh what a scandal Oh what a sight Parading in her underwear in broad daylight Was that a touch of ankle Was that a bit of skin These infernal garments are such a horrible sin! Us women are the weaker sex Prone to moral failing With our scandalous skin and bosoms The men we all are baiting Our petticoats protect us from the men who might accost us By the time they reach the fourth ore fifth I'm afraid they might have lost us Not like those peddling harlots Who coast freely tempting fate Who say feel my muscle To try and find a date Hollis: The police sprung in to action! Women's freedom they detested Roxanne (as Policeman): You wear that bloomer suit again, you'll surely be arrested! Til today we had only heard rumors Of these mannish, ugly bloomers! We can't have you go around dressing like men It's the devil’s work! It's a preposterous sin! If we let this one go Next thing we know Women will go dancing at the vaudeville show! They'll abandon their husbands Leave their children to the state Serve instant mashed potatoes on our dinner plates They'll turn in to witches They'll squander our riches On each other they’ll dote They'll even want to right...to vote!! Evan (as Townsperson): NOOOOOO!!!!! Hollis (as Ethel): Have you nothing better to do than harass me while I'm out I don't understand what all this kerfuffle is about! Why is it that a strong women is what men fear? We all deserve to share the right to wear pants upon on our rear And if you think that what I'm wearing now is really crude Well just you wait, in 100 years Victorians will be cycling in the nude! (Once a year at the World Naked Bike Ride!) I’ll turn my bike around, yes you cops have won today But the wheels of change are coming and I'm here to lead the way We can be good wives and mothers if we choose that life to spend But a woman should not be defined by her relationship to men (Harrumph!) Hollis: The news spread far and wide of Ethel's groundbreaking bike ride And the people agreed That those rules were just silly So now we can wear pants Without thinking twice So don't forget this story the next time you ride your bike! Evan: Wait, wait, wait! It might be OK for cis women to wear pants, but what about trans women, or other people who want to wear dresses without getting harassed or made fun of?? Hollis: Oh yeah! You’re right! I guess we should say...progress is like a tandem bike that’s going kind of slow, it’s hard to work together but it’s the only way to go!
15.
Daisy Bell 02:31
There is a flower within my heart Daisy, Daisy! Flounted one day by a dancing dart Flounted by Daisy Bell! Whether she loves me or loves me not Sometimes it’s hard to tell… Yet I am longing to share the lot with my beautiful Daisy Bell! I will stand by you in wheel or no Daisy, Daisy! You’ll be the bell which I’ll ring, you know My sweet little Daisy Bell You’ll take the lead in each trip we take And if I don't do well I will permit you to use the brake My sweet little Daisy Bell Chorus: Daisy, Daisy! Give me your answer do Your love slays me, my love for you is true! It won't be a stylish marriage I can't afford a carriage But you'll look sweet Upon the seat Of a bicycle built for two!

about

All proceeds from the sale of this album go to Friends Ugandan Safe Transport, a non-profit based out of Olympia Friends Meeting that helps persecuted LGBT Ugandans flee the country. Check out friendsugandansafetransport.org for more information. When donating, please consider that bandcamp and paypal take about 20%. Feel free to make a small donation here and a larger donation through the FUST website to pay for the album.

The members of Bicycle Face acknowledge that much of the persecution of LGBT Ugandans comes directly from the impact of western imperialsim on countries in the global south. We do not see our donation as "charity," but as an acknowledgement that the privileges that we enjoy as queers in the United States is built upon the suffering of others. This is an attempt to rectify a small amount of the harm that we do as westerners.

So far, the proceeds from this album have helped 3 people escape from Uganda! Your donation makes a difference!

credits

released March 15, 2016

Bicycle Face is:
Hollis Proffitt: vox
Roxanne Rappaport: banjo & vox
Evan Farnsworth: ukulele & vox

Lyrics by Hollis & Roxanne, with help from:
Adhamh Roland, Sarabel, Cims, Kelly, Winter, & Elona

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Bicycle Face Seattle, Washington

Back when bicycles were first invented, doctors told women that if they raced on their bicycles, their face would get stuck in a strained-looking, bulgy-eyed mess. Thankfully, we have disproved this theory, and our bicycle faces are all smiles!
Bicycle Face is a musical project by Lichen & Evan. We believe that it's important to teach history so that children know that they can change the future!
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