Between Five and Seven

"Lightning's Blues" appears to be a love song written from the unusual perspective of lightning—complete with references to forest fires, Benjamin Franklin, pressure systems, and weather fronts.

Musicians:

• Robbie Magruder – drums
• J. T. Brown – bass
• Jonathan Carroll – piano
• Duke Levine – electric guitar
• John Jennings – percussion & noises
• Jennifer Kimball & Lucy Kaplansky – vocals
• John Gorka – vocal & acoustic guitar

Billiard chalk

The title of "Blue Chalk" refers to the chalk used in billiards. The song introduces a pair of Gorka's characters a woman and a man. Gorka describes the male character's addiction:

He could always find the holes in the bottles
Even with a blindfold on
Never kept his seat on the wagon
Rolling off like a rolling stone

"Blue Chalk" was first recorded by Irish singer Maura O'Connell for her 1995 album, Stories. More recently it has also been recorded by the new-England based bluegrass band, Northern Lights for their 2005 album, New Moon. It has also been covered in concert performances by Lucy Kaplansky.[4]

Musicians:

• Robbie Magruder – drums
• Michael Manring – bass
• Dean McGraw – acoustic guitar
• Peter Ostroushko – mandolin
• John Jennings – percussion
• Jennifer Kimball & Lucy Kaplansky – vocals
• John Gorka – vocal & rhythm guitar

In "Can't Make Up My Mind" Gorka creates a song about indecision through a series of paradoxical statements. Some of these are humorous in nature. For example:

I have a lot of trouble
My boss at work
Yeah I'm still self-employed
I'd better wipe that smirk

Musicians:

• Robbie Magruder – drums
• J. T. Brown – bass
• Jonathan Carroll – piano, organ, & vocals (Ooh Baby Now)
• John Jennings – the ubiquitous backpacker guitar,

tambourine & vocals

• John Gorka – 12-string guitar & vocals

"The Mortal Groove" is one of only two tracks not to include drums. Michael Manring's fretless bass is featured as a lead instrument and is even given a solo. The late winter mood of the song is like the classic "brooding" often used to describe Gorka's earlier work. The lyrics also revisit the urban themes of blue-collar jobs and gentrification found in writing for his earlier albums such as Land of the Bottom Line and Jack's Crows.

Musicians:

• Michael Manring – bass
• Dean McGraw – acoustic guitar
• Peter Ostroushko – mandolin
• John Jennings – piano
• John Gorka – acoustic guitar & vocals

Musicians:

• Robbie Magruder – drums
• J. T. Brown – bass
• Jonathan Carroll – piano
• Duke Levine – electric guitar
• John Jennings – backpacker guitar & percussion
• Jennifer Kimball & Lucy Kaplansky – vocals
• John Gorka – acoustic guitar & vocals

Apparently a song written for Gorka's mother.

Soloist:

• John Gorka – vocal & guitar

"Two Good Reasons" is a love song.

Musicians:

• Robbie Magruder – drums
• Michael Manring – bass
• Dean McGraw – acoustic guitar
• Peter Ostroushko – mandolin
• John Jennings – piano & percussion
• Jennifer Kimball & Lucy Kaplansky – vocals
• John Gorka – vocal & acoustic guitar

"From an Indiana Dodge
To an Airstream by the parkway
In the silver they would lodge
And as for love they hit it sharply..."

"Airstream Bohemians" introduces another pair of Gorka's characters apparently living in an Airstream, recreational vehicle.

Musicians:

• Robbie Magruder – drums
• J. T. Brown – bass
• Jonathan Carroll – piano
• Duke Levine – electric guitar
• John Jennings – baritone electric guitar & percussion
• John Gorka – vocal & guitar

Musicians:

• Robbie Magruder – drums
• Michael Manring – bass
• Dean McGraw – acoustic guitar
• Peter Ostroushko – mandolin
• John Jennings – baritone acoustic guitar, & percussion
• Jennifer Kimball & Lucy Kaplansky – vocals
• John Gorka – vocal & acoustic guitar

Between Five and Seven was released just months prior to the 1996 U.S. presidential election, this song, however, appears to be several years older. "Campaign Trail" is spoken from the point of view of a candidate who is apologetic, but still seemingly insincere:

And I hope you will forgive me if I don't return your call
But there's someone watching every move I make
And I've got more hands than I could ever shake

At times the message appears to be of a more personal nature. Perhaps as a touring and performing songwriter, Gorka sees parallels between himself and the politician on the trial:

I pay my bills to the time collectors
They're getting more from me each day
I pay them off a few words at a time

Unlike the other songs, the basic tracks of this one were recorded by Eric Paul at Imagine Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. An earlier mix of the song appeared on the EP, Motor Folkin' (Windham Hill/High Street Records, 1994).

Musicians:

• Dave Mattacks – drums
• J. T. Brown – bass
• John Jennings – electric guitar, lap steel, organ, & percussion
• John Gorka – vocal & guitar

Following his own forty-sixth birthday (nearly eight years after this album's release) Gorka proclaimed on his web site, "I am now officially older than Edgar The Party Man."[5] "Edgar" is one of Gorka's characters, a middle-aged divorcé looking for a good time.

My name is Edgar
And I am a party man
I come from a party town
I come in my party van

Musicians:

• Robbie Magruder – drums
• Michael Manring – bass
• Dean McGraw – acoustic guitar
• Peter Ostroushko – mandolin
• John Gorka – vocal & guitar

"Scraping Dixie" is by far the album's longest track. The song profiles yet another of Gorka's misfits, this time a war veteran working various jobs throughout the south to avoid winter's cold. The imagery in the lyrics include lines such as, "I'll be fighting 'till they put that tree suit on."

Musicians:

• Robbie Magruder – drums
• J. T. Brown – bass
• Jonathan Carroll – piano
• Duke Levine – electric guitar
• John Jennings – acoustic guitar, backpacker guitar,

percussion, and vocal

• John Gorka – vocal & guitar