I will be 70 years old later this year. Not that old but in truth, way older than I thought I would become. I am in fairly good health, with back pain like most men, but otherwise doing well.
But recently I am reminded of old movies or dramas where people are lost in the freezing cold in the middle of nowhere.
They keep walking and walking to get to a place of safety and warmth. Nothing in sight, they keep walking, knowing if they stop to rest, they will cool down dramatically. The movies warn about not moving and if you sit too long you will just fall asleep and never wake up. A bit too dramatic, but every so often I JUST WANT TO SIT DOWN FOR A WHILE.
Knowing one day I might not ever get back up is actually a comforting thought at times. Tired all the time with so much that still needs to be done. Everything is sore. Little things are difficult now. Friends and family are farther and fewer.
One of these days or nights I will just want to sit down for a while. Close my eyes and rest for a minute or two.
A cute association I made when it looked like I was finally going to get a divorce last year. This song blends ideas over a number of years as many of my lyrics tend to do. Screaming over nothing. Saying stuff she knows isn’t true. But the reflections of a love that got away was from a past relationship decades ago. What are your Eight Letters? I love you I am sorry A B C D E F G A
As with many authors, I often write about my personal experiences. For some, peace is not something to be attained but avoided. Quiet leads to suspicion and tension. Better to whip up some good old fashioned drama that helps you feel excited and important. In the center of the storm you can’t feel the winds ripping the rest of the world apart. This is what makes you happy, but there is only room for one.
This was just a fun song in so many ways. National news has always been a good source for ideas and material and Cut the Fat takes it all and smashes it into a kaleidoscope of political slogans to irrational fears. In the recording I got everyone including neighbors, my kids and other relatives to sing and read news sections. My wife Ellen did a quick run on the vocals to get a feel of the timing. We never recorded another take.
Lyrics with few words but lots of passion. Prophetic, in some cases but sad throughout. This kind of pain is even more difficult to watch. I put it to a slow bluesy ballad with sparse chords and vocals. It is still a haunting tune to me. I only have old reel-to-reel recordings copied and recopied over the years but it still paints the mood very well.
MidiMike 