Music Distribution
We are currently experiencing some short-term hiccups with our physical CD distribution: in the meantime please click on the album links on our Albums page and hit the Amazon buying links to check if your title is available .
Download sales continue to be available via the usual services and you can also still stream our music as usual.
Music Distribution
We are currently experiencing some short-term hiccups with our physical CD distribution: in the meantime please click on the album links on our Albums page and hit the Amazon buying links to check if your title is available .
Download sales continue to be available via the usual services and you can also still stream our music as usual.
BETTY On The Rocks
December 2016
We’re delighted to share the most recent BETTY album, which launched on Monday 12th December 2016. Here you’ll find everything you need to know – or hear – about it.
BETTY and The Stereo Society go waaay back. Thorne first met the grrlz in 1986 when they were On Beyond Zebra at the Pyramid Club in New York’s East Village. In Thorne’s own words: ‘ three raucous women singers supported by a drummer and a guitarist. One was a statuesquely tall bass player, one had the quickest stage wit I’d heard in years, and the other, also voluble, played various things including timbales which fell off the stage at one point.’ They went on to make BETTY’s very first album together. More here.
Recorded by Mike Thorne at The Stereo Society, New York City.
Drums recorded by Ross Petersen at Avatar Studios, New York City
Mixed by Ross Petersen at Avatar Studios, New York City
Mastered by Joe Lambert at JLM Sound,
Produced by Mike Thorne
Alyson Palmer: vocals, bass
Amy Ziff: vocals, cello
Elizabeth Ziff: vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion, sequencing/programming, additional production
The Uptown Horns:
Crispin Cioe: alto, baritone saxophone
Larry Etkin: trumpet, piccolo trumpet
Bob Funk: tenor trombone
Arno Hecht: tenor saxophone
Sarah Dawn Finer: guest vocal
Mino Gori: drums
Lyris Hung: violin
Allison Miller: drums, percussion
Hadar Noiberg: flute
Lake Salvatore Palmer: spoken word
Tony Salvatore: guitar
Mike Thorne: keyboards, sequencing/programming
Find out about the tracks, and listen to some tasters
Sticky Rice
lyrics & music by BETTY
alyson palmer: vocals, bass
amy ziff: vocals
elizabeth ziff: vocals, keyboards, sequencing/programming
allison miller: drums
mike thorne: sequencing/programming
larry etkin: trumpet
crispin cioe: alto, baritone saxophones
arno hecht: tenor saxophone
bob funk: trombone
Lyrics
spice our love, exotically
sugar, get an appetite
are you ready for juicy and ripe?
sticky, sticky rice sticky rice and mango
thai tongue tango
sticky, sticky rice sticky rice and mango
sweet time
put some money in the coconut
eat to the beat
blow the roof off the BETTY hut
hungry people, hungry people
dumpling, sink a long tooth
it’s better than a baby ruth
cookie, your fortune’s right
are you ready for juicy and ripe?
roll the cart and rock the tray
eat to the beat
dinner’s not over till i say
hungry people, hungry people
sticky sticky rice
don’t get up from the table yet
sugar, sugar, sugar, what you’re gonna get
sticky sticky rice
Best Kind Of Perfect
lyrics by amy ziff
music by BETTY
alyson palmer: vocals, bass,
amy ziff: lead vocals
elizabeth ziff: vocals
allison miller: drums
tony salvatore: vocals, guitar
mike thorne: keyboards, sequencing/programming
Lyrics
when you walked away from your friends at the bar
you stood almost too tall
when you walked away from your friends at the bar
you came over to say
did i want something cold
a nightcap or two
were you being too bold
did i say your name?
was i waiting for you?
was i thinking of you?
for this kind of love
this kind of perfect
this kind of love
happened that night
drinks at first sight
the best kind of perfect
i must have done something right
or done something good
i must have done something right
did i give up my seat or help an angel to fly
i must have done something right
i could have just stayed at home
or found some other date
i could have waited too long
and thought it was too late
i could have just given up
thought it was too late
did stars fall from the sky
did the ground start to shake
did the earth hold her breath
was it pure luck or fate
a simple look and a smile
just the right time and place
changed the way i was
now i can embrace
the best kind of perfect
you had your friends at the bar
when you walked away from your friends at the bar
the best kind of perfect
Cold As Ice
lyrics & music by lou gramm, mick jones
additional lyrics & music by BETTY
alyson palmer: vocals, bass
amy ziff: vocals, cello
elizabeth ziff: lead vocals, guitar
allison miller: drums, percussion
tony salvatore: guitar
Lyrics
keeps growing colder
i would die for you
why won’t you die for me?
you are cold as ice
and you’re willing to sacrifice
our love
you never take advice
and some day you’ll pay the price
i know
i’ve seen it before, it happens all the time
closing the door, you leave the world behind
you’re digging for gold, you’re throwing away
a fortune in feelings, but some day you’ll pay
how i wonder why
you are cold as ice
you were cold when i saw you on the boulevard
you were cold when i had you in my bed
i wonder why you’re growing cold
Little Boi
lyrics by amy ziff
music by BETTY
alyson palmer: vocals, bass
amy ziff: lead vocals
elizabeth ziff: vocals, keyboards, sequencing/programming
mino gori: drums
tony salvatore: guitar
mike thorne: keyboards
Lyrics
run as fast as you can
i’m gonna help you grow up
gonna make you a man
come here little boi
lay right by my side
you’re gonna feel like you’re tripping
gonna feel like you’re high
did you know somebody loves me
but they live so far away
did you know somebody loves me
let’s just throw it all away
little boi
come here little boi
don’t think twice
let’s play naughty
it’ll feel real nice
come here little boy
don’t be shy
your sweet mama’s gonna make you cry
sing for your supper
mess me up right
be my son in the day
and my daddy
be my daddy at night
come here little boi
i know a game we can play
i’ll be december
you be may
come here little boi
run as fast as you can
i’m gonna help you grow up
gonna make you that man
i said it was ok
little boi
Unbound
lyrics & music by alyson palmer & BETTY
alyson palmer: lead vocals, bass
amy ziff: vocals
elizabeth ziff: vocals
mino gori: drums
tony salvatore: guitar
mike thorne: sequencing/programming
Lyrics
outside my window
staring me in the eye
while the sun is rising
so surprising
daring me
be wild
songbirds circling every rooftop
spreading tales in the trees
something’s rumbling up over downtown
tumbling in on a breeze
I’m getting ready
fly! jump up and down
don’t look at the ground
soar the speed of sound
gravity unbound
this time my time
no time like mine
dead eye aim for the moon
dropping bags dropping ballast
hopping on a hot air balloon
troubles come fast but
troubles don’t last
fly! jump up and down
don’t look at the ground
soar the speed of sound
gravity unbound
Sue's With Stevie
lyrics & music by elizabeth ziff & BETTY
alyson palmer: vocals, bass
amy ziff: vocals
elizabeth ziff: lead vocals, keyboards
allison miller: drums
tony salvatore: guitar
mike thorne: keyboards, sequencing/programming
larry etkin: trumpet
crispin cioe: alto, baritone saxophones
arno hecht: tenor saxophone
bob funk: trombone
Lyrics
laying on the floor in dc
coke and jack, kicking it back
it’s 1983
girlfriends waiting downstairs, she don’t give a damn
wanna stay forever locked up in a slow jam
it was only a moment, a moment in time
and she’ll always remember smoke in the sky
wrapped in each other, music on high
with stevie
sue’s with stevie
sweating underneath the broken ac
sinsemillia, starting to chill ya
on p street
telephone is ringing, don’t worry about a thing
all is fair in love and she’s falling as she listens to him sing
talk about taking back the night, tonight
it was only a moment, a moment in time
and she’ll always remember smoke in the sky
wrapped in each other, music on high
with stevie
Jerusalem
lyrics by amy ziff
music by BETTY
alyson palmer: vocals, bass
amy ziff: lead vocals
elizabeth ziff: vocals
hadar noiberg: flute
Lyrics
melting into
half awake days
i wish i knew what faith was
or how to pray
try and try and try again and try
try to remember what to live for
or die to reason why
you could be my jerusalem
helping me believe again
teaching me to dream again
safe in shadows
almost afraid of light
i wish i knew what brave was
or how to fight
try and try and try again and try
try to remember when love left
or die to reason why
every breath you and i have taken
with every breath
you could be my jerusalem
helping me believe again
teaching me to dream again
Penelope
lyrics by alyson palmer
music by BETTY
alyson palmer: lead vocals, bass
amy ziff: vocals, cello
elizabeth ziff: vocals, guitar
lake salvatore palmer: spoken words
allison miller: percussion
mike thorne: keyboards, sequencing/programming
Lyrics
rubs her eyes but she cannot sleep
she drinks warm milk but to her surprise
no sand fairies come to sprinkle her eyes
oh penelope
so penelope centipede
opens a book and begins to read
of slumberville in sleepytown
where all sand fairies can be found
oh penelope
giant flowers paint the ground
where sand fairies wear cloud nightgowns
and dance the sea and swim the sky
while calling out sweet lullabies
breathe deeply
sleep sweetly
all through the village all through the town
all through the night fly the quiet sounds
of wishes whispered over beds
floating over sleepyheads
soon penelope centipede
is drifting off so happily
she sinks in her pillow and sleeps so soon
she doesn’t see the sand fairy
still in her room
good night penelope centipede
sleep tight penelope centipede
sweet dreams penelope centipede
sleep well penelope
don’t let the bedbugs bite
good night
Everybody's Somebody
lyrics by amy ziff
music by BETTY
alyson palmer: vocals, bass
amy ziff: lead vocals
elizabeth ziff: vocals, percussion
sarah dawn finer: guest vocal
mino gori: drums
tony salvatore: guitar
mike thorne: keyboards
Lyrics
i thought it from a mile away
that’s what he said to me
that’s what he saw in me
that’s what he said to me
you used to be a somebody
i knew it just a moment ago
that’s what he said to me
that’s what he saw in me
that’s what he said to me
but you’re wrong, you know
he’s just a nothing little nobody
you said when I told you
what he said to me
what he saw in me
what he said to me
but you’re wrong, you know
a nobody is a somebody
that somebody calls a nobody
everybody is a somebody
so maybe take a second look before you pass by
or take a second chance before you say goodbye
even if a difference seems way too big
just take the time to look someone in the eye
when they serve up your burger and your fries
you could walk away or look away or stay away
you could say it doesn’t matter
that nobody matters
but it won’t be me that says so
but you’re wrong, you know
everybody is a somebody
New Year's Eve
lyrics by elizabeth ziff
music by BETTY
alyson palmer: vocals, bass
amy ziff: vocals, cello
elizabeth ziff: lead vocals, guitar, percussion
allison miller: drums
mike thorne: keyboards, sequencing/programming
larry etkin: piccolo trumpet
arno hecht: tenor saxophone
bob funk: trombone
Lyrics
want you to stay
for one night
just tonight
i
want you to be, need you to be
like the first time, the best time, this time
let’s pretend it’s new year’s eve
you’re the holiday
i’d take just one more day with you
let’s celebrate
i
feel that you know
know that you feel
it’s over
we’re over
hold me for now, hold on to what we had
in the falling, in the beginning, o it’s the ending
let’s pretend it’s new year’s eve
let’s celebrate
now
you said you’d love me and you’d never let me go
you said you’d love me and i’ll never let you go
but tonight, just tonight
i wanna have you
Barnyard
lyrics by amy ziff
music by BETTY
alyson palmer: vocals, bass
amy ziff: vocals
elizabeth ziff: vocals, keyboards, sequencing/programming
allison miller: drums
tony salvatore: guitar
lyris hung: violin
mike thorne: sequencing/programming
Lyrics
mama wants to ride
how about a little sugar, sugar?
for my hungry hide
poke me in my pen now piggy
mama wants to squeal
how about a little sloppy sugar
for my happy meal
EIEIO
yo
EIEIO
i’ll grab you by the horn now, bully
mama likes to buck
how about a little snort now, sugar
for some ringside luck
scratch me if you can now, pussy
mama likes it rough
how about a little licking, sugar
for my furry stuff
EIEIO
yo
EIEIO
Remarkable (For Anne)
lyrics by elizabeth ziff
music by BETTY
alyson palmer: vocals, bass
amy ziff: vocals, cello
elizabeth ziff: lead vocals, keyboards, guitar, percussion
mino gori: drums
tony salvatore: guitar
lyris hung: violin
mike thorne: keyboards, sequencing/programming
Lyrics
what if you’d stayed?
grown old and laughed with your kids
a beautiful fade
think of it all
just getting small
nothing at all
remarkable
what if you’d stayed?
what could have been
should have never been taken away
picture the books you’d have written
if you had survived
more than a beacon of hope
more than just light
i can’t explain what was done
to all, to some
now you’re the one
who paints meaning into oblivion
think of it all
just getting small
nothing at all
remarkable
Rise
lyrics by amy ziff & BETTY
music by BETTY
alyson palmer: vocals
amy ziff: lead vocals
elizabeth ziff: vocals
mino gori: drums
ross petersen: sequencing
mike thorne: sequencing/programming
Lyrics
up get up sing
up get up
change everything
silence must stop
violence must end
broken body and spirit
will rise again
strength in numbers
take a stand
right the wrongs
don’t ask, demand
if one woman hurts
if one woman cries
if one man bleeds
rise
brother, sister
woman, girl
time is now
change the world
no story forgotten
no soul erased
no promise left empty
we’re taking our place
get up get up
what time is it?
time to rise up
rise
up get up and dance
up get up and sing
up get up
change everything