Racing Time

Rick Santers – lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards
Mark Santers – drums, percussion and background vocals
Rick Lazaroff – bass

Produced by Jack Richardson and Rick Santers
Engineered by Robin Browers and Kevin Doyle

Recorded at Phase One and Sounds Interchange, Toronto ON
Mixed at Phase One, Toronto ON
Remastered by Edward Tobin at ECV Mastering Studio, Toronto ON

Photography by Patrick Harbron
Cover Art Design by Dean Motter for Diagram Treatment by Kineblock
Cover concept by Mark Santers

Words and Music by Rick Santers
All songs © 1982 Santoonz Music (SOCAN)

Lyrics Reprinted by Permission. All Rights Reserved.

Original sound recording ℗  © 1982, 2019 Dandelion Records

Mistreatin’ Heart

Words and Music by Rick Santers

Girl, you’re looking at me like someone who’s never seen love before, and you’re making it seem that it’s me, I’m the one you chose to open the door. You say that you’re lonely; you say that you’re sad. It’s the world that is driving you mad. I’ll make you a promise but make no mistake. Don’t abuse me or we’re gonna break. Your mistreatin’ heart is gonna tear us apart. Your mistreatin’ heart puts us back to the start. There’s always a chance things will change, but I’ve seen your games before. You say you’ll play fair from now on, but you still leave my heart on the floor. You say that you’re lonely; you say that you’re sad. It’s the world that is driving you mad. Make me a promise but make no mistake. Don’t abuse me or we’re gonna break.  chorus  Girl the way you’re treating me, it just ain’t fair. You say you’re gonna miss me, but you just don’t care. No, no!  chorus

Mystical Eyes

Words and Music by Rick Santers

I see you’re hurting inside. Have I damaged your pride? Do you think that I’m cruel? Better cruel than a fool. Oh! Your mystical eyes keep me hypnotized. In your mystical eyes is it you who I’m seeing? Or are you just reflecting on me? You’ve got a questioning heart, it keeps us worlds apart. Before you walk away there are some things I must say.  chorus  chorus

Still I am
Words and Music by Rick Santers

I found the time to search my mind, see where it was leading me. I suddenly saw that I always was, I am, and will always be. Maybe if I were to close my eyes and eliminate this coloured world. But I can’t escape I have to wait for my life it will soon unfold. The meaning’s gone but the dream goes on and it’s better just to find the time. Being right for me is the only plea that I’ll make to this troubled mind. Still I am, here I stand. Still I am. Days go by and I always try to be better than I was before. But I’m to blame if I stay the same ’cause time’s not supposed to score. The meaning’s gone but the dream goes on and it’s better just to find the time. Being right for me is the only plea that I’ll make to this troubled mind.  chorus

A Dog Without a Home
Words and Music by Rick Santers

I’m taking the easy way, only work when I want to. I don’t know what more to say, only know what I’m gonna do. Drinking all night and sleeping all day, never gonna stop ’cause there ain’t no better way. They try and tell me I’m gonna wind up alone like a dog without a home, a dog without a home. I roam around all the time, get lost when I want to. If you can spare me a dime then I’ll make a toast to you. Out drinking all night and sleep it off all day, never gonna stop ’cause there ain’t no better way. They try and tell me I’m gonna wind up alone like a dog without a home, a dog without a home. Out drinking all night and sleep it off all day, never gonna stop ’cause there ain’t no better way. Don’t try and change me, just living to roam like a dog without a home, a dog without a home. (Give me a home, yeah!)

Road To Morocco
Words and Music by Rick Santers

I travel the world with my suitcase in my hand, right into the dawn. I ride with the wind saying, “Catch me if you can”, ’cause soon I’ll be gone. Where no one can find me, where I’ll find myself. I’m looking for heaven but I just found my hell. On the road to Morocco, the road to Morocco. I’m on the road to Morocco.  I don’t know if I’m coming back, I might not even see this place again. Now I’m sitting in a smoke filled room, my dreams fill the air. A man is selling me a girl from a tomb, she wears seven veils. Where no one can find me, where I’ll find myself. Looking for heaven, but I just found my hell!  chorus

Two Against the World
Words and Music by Rick Santers

Now, I play the part of a man who’s searching for the truth, and suddenly just to find my dreams all coming true. I know, I know that change is in the wind and I realize, deep inside who my friend has always been. Two against the world, we’re gonna make it. Two against the world. Days grow long and the night seems colder than before, and I dream of a time you walked right through that door. I know, I know temptation’s on the loose. But I just can’t shake this feeling of recluse.  chorus  Know we can’t make it alone. Two against the world, we’re gonna make it. Two against the world, know we’ll never make it alone. chorus

Back Streets
Words and Music by Rick Santers

I am the walker through city streets. You are the talker who cries to the beat. And people come and go, just like the sun and snow. And I have come a long way to see the light of day. Back streets, hear me coming down the road. Back streets! Back streets, hear the music as I go. Back streets! Machines in action, turning to rust. Your next attraction rises from the dust. And people come and go, just like the sun and snow. And I have come a long way to see the light of day.  chorus

Winter Freeze
Words and Music by Rick Santers

I’m just a single man looking for some sense in American girls. I’m just a simple man with broken dreams. Can’t you hear me calling you? No response, Oh! Lord, tell me what can I do? Why do I have so much trouble loving you? Winter freeze you’re freezing me. Never know what you never see. Winter freeze you’re freezing me. Ice and snow is all you’ll ever be. You caught me in a tail spin. Say you got to learn how to lose to win. Girl, the way you live’s like a deadly sin. You gave me a broken heart and let me know that we’re so many worlds apart. You gave me a broken heart from the start.  chorus I’m just a single man looking for some sense in American girls. I’m just a simple man with broken dreams. Can’t you hear me calling you? No response, Oh! Lord, tell me what can I do? Why do I have so much trouble loving you?  chorus

Hard Time Lovin’ You
Words and Music by Rick Santers

You… paint me pictures of the past. You… just don’t know how long to last. You… portray this silly game and it’s over now, I’m playing the same. You… provide this scenery. You… always give it to me free. Soon… you take your love away just to leave me here passing the day. You’re telling tall tales and making short sales. It’s been a hard time loving you. You… paint me pictures of the past. You… just don’t know how long to last. You… portray this silly game and it’s over now, I’m playing the same.  chorus

Racing Time
Words and Music by Rick Santers

Ten o’clock and I’m still in bed. Got this aching in my head. Can’t withstand this daily drive but I got to survive. Tires spinning, tempers flare. Feel the tension in the air. Destination, I don’t care, never ending despair. Racing time, got to meet the deadline. Racing time, gonna leave them behind. Now my life is out of control. Have to live by sample and hold. Want to tell but never be told, what I’ve bought and sold. Day is drawing to an end, rather live than just pretend. Once my foe but now my friend, no fort to defend. chorus Ten o’clock and I’m still in bed, got this aching in my head. Can’t withstand this daily drive but I got to survive.  chorus

Direction: Willy Bagnell and Alex Andronache

Thanks to: Andy Holland, Ray Van Doorn, Maureen Ramsay, Gottlieb and Linda, Gerry Rosa, 
Jeff and Paul from Steve’s Music, Debbie Ferrentino, Mike Faley, Fred Caserta, Mark Stainback,
Dave Dickson, Gene Kroth, Debbie Locke, Ed Glinert, Steve Duncan, Vern Bristow, 
Cathy Patton, Mario Amaral, Gary Rowe, Ralph Jolivet, Axel & Donna, and “Blue”.

Road Manager: Brian Ramsay
Live Sound Engineer: Garth Richardson
Lighting Director: Kelly Jones
Monitor Engineer: Kenny Brooman
Guitar Technician: Jim Rhodes

“I remember it like it was only yesterday. I was enjoying a late morning coffee in the fall of 1981, sitting at my desk with my acoustic guitar. It was one of those rare moments as a songwriter when you know without a doubt that what is being created is not coming from you, but is simply flowing through you, and you know that your job is simply to not get in the way. That’s how it was writing “Mistreatin’ Heart” remembers Rick. “The song wrote itself, effortlessly, with nothing to rewrite or “fix”. What fun! What joy! Now, if only they all could be written like that!”

So began the songwriting process that lead to the recording of the second studio recording for SANTERS. This was to be the band’s sophomoric effort, and the band was determined to avoid the second album syndrome that so many bands can fall victim to. Usually, bands have a lot more time developing their first album than their second, and this is a challenge that most struggle with, let alone surpass.

Rick’s answer to the challenge was to start writing early on. So, while touring the Shot Down In Flames album Rick would spend his afternoons before evening performances writing songs, and en route between shows, writing anywhere and everywhere possible. Rick recalls, “There’s something about being on the road sitting in the isolation of a hotel room in Winnipeg in the dead of winter that can evoke songs like, “Winter Freeze” and exotic, fantasy destination songs like “Road to Morocco”. Canada is like that.”

Phase One recording studios in Scarborough Ontario became the location where SANTERS would record album number two. As with the Shot Down In Flames album the Racing Time sessions were recorded on 24 track Studer A80 machine on 2” tape, through a Neve console.

This time around the band had two weeks to record and mix (double the time and budget of the first album!). The “Racing Time” album featured not only an all-new line-up of songs but of musical equipment as well. Rick Santers replaced his 50 watt Marshall with a pair of Mesa Boogie amps with 4×12” Celestian speaker cabinets. Rick’s 1969 gold top Gibson Les Paul was stolen so his 1964 Fender Stratocaster wound up playing an exclusive solo role on the album. On “Dog Without A Home” Rick used a talk box to growl out the guitar solo, and a wah-wah pedal was featured on the guitar solo for “Road to Morocco”. A Roland Super Jupiter synthesizer was used to enhance the grand intros for “Mystical Eyes” and “Back Streets”. Mark replaced his Ludwig kit with a set of double-headed Sonar drums, along with Zildjian cymbals and Rick Lazaroff made the switch to a Fender Jazz bass into an Ampeg SVT head with JBL 4530 bass bins and a custom-built JBL 2×12″ cabinet.

The recording of Racing Time was not without its struggles. Rick Santers and the album’s original producer were at odds sharing different artistic visions during the recording of the bed tracks. So, ultimately it fell upon Rick to take up the production reins to complete the recording sessions. It just so happened that the band’s live sound engineer at the time, GGGarth Richardson, son of renowned producer Jack Richardson, offered to help out by forwarding some rough mixes to his father.  “We met Jack at a studio in Vancouver while we were on tour. He liked what we had recorded up to that point and offered to assist us in completing the album” recalls Mark. With Jack at the helm and in preparation for the mix, some new vocal tracks were re-recorded and some extra guitar tracks added to round out the work that had already been done. After a couple of very lean late-night mixing sessions, the “Racing Time” album was complete.

With the release of “The Definitive Remasters Collection” SANTERS fans can finally listen to the band’s vast catalogue of rock classics mastered to the level of sound quality that was originally intended. So, sit back, crank it up and listen to SANTERS the way they were meant to be heard. 

Enjoy!