Posts Tagged ‘#songwriter’

When in Doubt
Throw it out
When in Doubt
Stand up and shout
When in Doubt
Just do without
When in Doubt
What’s it about?
When in Doubt
Kick them out
When in Doubt
Prepare for drought.

When in Doubt
Figure it out
When in Doubt
Follow the scout
When in Doubt
Take another route
When in Doubt
Go in or out
When in Doubt
Sit there and pout
When in Doubt
Hold your snout.

When in Doubt
Better to be stout
When in Doubt
Follow the crowd
When in Doubt
Say it out loud
When in Doubt
Pretend you’re proud
When in Doubt
Hide in your shroud
When in Doubt
Water the sprout.

When in Doubt
Open the spout
When in Doubt
Time to head south
When in Doubt
Shut your mouth
When in Doubt
It’s not allowed
When in Doubt
Fields should be plowed
When in Doubt
Do a recount.

When in Doubt
Always in doubt
When in Doubt
Always in doubt

When in Doubt
Close your account
When in Doubt
Pay any amount
When in Doubt
Prepare for draught
When in Doubt
Follow the crowd
When in Doubt
Say it out loud
When in Doubt
Shut your mouth.

When in Doubt
When in Doubt
Always in doubt

I really love the twist in these lyrics. They have a push-pull effect as you go through each verse. It reminds me of the excitement and fear sharing the same space as you find yourself in a new relationship….. each new step scary and thrilling. Afraid to share too much or hold too tightly.

A look at the industrial machines all focused to make you feel better. Food, drugs, music, sports, gambling, and sex are just the start of the list. Does more money make this go away? If money doesn’t stop you from doing anything you want, what will?

Maybe I’ve been lookin’ for the wrong thing.
Searching for the perfect harmony,
When I can’t even sing.

Maybe I am way out of my depth.
Thinking; just another minute
Right when I lose my breath.

I have banged my head against every wall:
Waited for anyone I know to call.
Listened to the righteous, but above all
Followed those thought of as weak or small.

Independent, courageous and defiant;
Yet I can’t seem to help myself.
Beat the dumbest giant.

So sure of myself all those years ago.
Put everyone that I love on hold.
Places I’ll never go.

I can solve everyone else’s problem.
Yet can’t even see my own.
The Wrong Thing lives again.

I have banged my head against every wall:
Waited for anyone I know to call.
I have banged my head against every wall:
Waited for anyone I know to call.

The Wrong Thing lives again.
The Wrong Thing lives within.

These lyrics are a sister version of Deep Inside. Writing the song I think I had too much to say so I ended up writing two songs with similar themes and lyrics. Neither is what I had planned and I am not convinced it worked out for the best, but I like the lyrics for each. The meaning is too complicated to get into details. We all hold a lot deep inside. Life is a journey full of traps with no signs to tell you how to get out.

A spin off from an afternoon contemplating how many people get the basic premise of evolution wrong. I often hear descriptions as if the organism intends to branch off or enhance a trait or feature. Anyway, I wondered what was the first emotion and how quickly did the others develop. While I am at it, in what order? Did humans and other primates have dreams before experiencing emotions?

You want us to play
But the game’s no fun.
Nowhere, no way
No how.

It’s not the lesser
Of two evils:
It is neither,
Neither, none.

Of the few choices
It certainly ain’t
This, that
These or those.

Sleeping with the bears
Or with tigers
Eenie, meanie,
Miney mo.

You spoke, but no one listened
Do you still have a voice?
The garbage is made to glisten
It’s Still Your Choice.

You are the many with nothing
Why don’t you all rejoice?
The powerful know you are bluffing
And it’s Still Your Choice.

They know its money,
Not skills we lack.
One step forward:
Two steps back.

Lie to your face,
And stab you in defense.
It’s all the same
Difference.

Six feet under
No more in the cup.
Dig a ditch.
Now, fill it up.

You spoke, but no one listened
Why don’t you all rejoice?
You are the many with nothing
Have you lost your voice?

At times I think I am a bit OCD, but it is probably just an organizational fixation I have developed. Mostly because I walk throughout the house without lights on all the time. If something is out of place I can find myself stumbling to the floor. Mistakes are made, wonders go unobserved, people search for the wrong thing. It’s easy to do.

I wrote lyrics for Take Away One based on the idea of removing a particular note from a 4-note-chord. This leaves you with a specific 3-note-chord. Hence the name of the song and also the foundation for the original poem. I had to add a verse to the poem converting them to lyrics because for a few weeks one band member or the other could’t make a scheduled music jam. Often three members would drop out one by one leaving me as the only bandmate that made it for the jam! Sometimes we travel and jam in person, but more often we use a program for on-line musicians and connect from our homes. That is how we survived the Covid-19 lock-down.

You will notice the difference right away. This is another example of a song that came together really fast because it was based on a mathematical theme or idea. The chord pairs were based on the idea above, but the progression was completely random. The arrangement was pretty basic so it wrote itself. Once I had the title it was easy to think of examples in life where things get taken away. You’re probably doing it right now.

If you get writers block, try starting from a different point. I’ve never had writers block in my 50 years of writing and recording songs, so maybe I’m on to something.

I had fun with the ending and the arrangement has a few twists as usual. Enjoy Take Away One.

Every decade or so I think I have written the best song I will ever write. Then I get older and write another. That is how I feel about Enemies in Your Head. It is a simple, powerful, emotional and deeply moving piece for me. I recorded the song with a piano, bass guitar and one vocal track. A capsule of desperation and futility. No end in sight. Often the price is paid, though there is no reward.