The Words

The Words, by troubadour Nick Holmes, is a book of one page noir stories. The book is 132 song lyrics from Nick. Also included is Nick's short epic poem The Popular Legend of Faust, inspired by the 1926 silent movie by Mernau. Nick is a powerful songwriter with a dark vision, and a beautiful sense of humor. These lyrics are four minute vignettes of pulp fiction in a soft cover.

American Original The characters in Nick Holmes' lyrics have always just gone too far. They have found their connection to the normal world, and determined there was more. They are dark and comic personalities. The bridge sections of those songs, rather than leading us to a safer place, take us deeper into what it means to be free. It's a place where protagonists take full responsibility for everything, and call it a godlike freedom. The ballads have dimension. They tell stories of intrigue and adventure, deceit and vision. His characters, and what moves them, invite us in. There are no lyrics in the lexicon of story telling songwriters that more deserve the designation of 'Noir' than those of Nick Holmes. (Helga Simonette)

Nicholas Imre Holmes (1945—) is one of the masters of the deep and sweet popular song lyric. He was born on Manhattan, to Scotch-Irish American parents who were in the business of publishing pulp fiction. His first ten years were spent on Long Island. After schooling in up-state New York, he returned to the city in 1964 and decided to be a musician. Two years of playing cafes and bars in the city led to two more years of playing cafes and bars, in Florida. Then in 1969 he was hired by the popular TV and concert folk music act, The Serendipity Singers. He moved back to New York, to live on East 9th Street with his wife Shirley, and two children, Michelle and Christian. Four years later he joined, and recorded with, the big jazz band, White Elephant. During that time he lived on East 22nd Street and in the Chelsea Hotel. His songs were covered by Diane Keaton; Carly Simon; Art Garfunkel; Jerry Jeff Walker and Bette Middler. Then, after owning and operating a project studio in Chelsea for 25 years, Nick moved to the Bahamas and built a small house and recording studio there. He is still living there. 9/19.