Wednesday 14 April 2010

Part L: My Lyrics For 'Life In A Box'

Ladies and lads, perhaps today, I can lure you all to look at, and listen to, what I consider an ever-lasting essential limb of my imagination. I have not yet let you see this side of me - the side which longs for and loves music and lyrics.

Below are lyrics for a song I wrote long ago. I have altered them somewhat, to live as written word, in the form of a poem, for the luxury of reading linear prose. However, below the lyrics is the original song - the audio. Yes, it is me singing and playing guitar. A little lacking in sound quality, but I'm not ashamed of that. Feel free to listen :)

I can’t help but think what life would be like
If every day was as dark as the night
How would you wake without the son of dawn?
Climbing through your window like a god’s been born?

Through the dark streets, the cats do cry
They disturb the false peace, where the hungry die
Glass is broken, screams are heard
It’s an illusion of Jesus and his holy word

Calls of fear fall from damp brick walls
Damp brick walls fall from fearful calls
The houses are empty, and the people skint
Yet the rich keep buying fur coats made of mink

I can’t help but think, if I had my way
If every night was as light as day
But how would I sleep without the silver moon?
Making shadows of leaves, on the walls in my room?

Please, save those words of guilt and fear
Stop preaching little nothings in my deaf ear
I know you’re hoping and praying, every year
But you’re living your life in a box, my dear.




Don't forget to sign up for my Internal Conflict Blog Fest!

31 comments:

  1. W.O.W. It was such a treat to hear your voice -- gorgeous, haunting, mesmerizing. The lyrics to this song are fantastic. My favorite line is in the refrain: Stop preaching little nothings in my deaf ear.

    And I got chills the way you sang this line: It’s an illusion of Jesus and his holy word

    Thanks for sharing this. I absolutely loved it!

    Happy Wednesday! (It's still Tuesday where I am :P)

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  2. Thanks for sharing this new side of you. Good job.

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  3. You have given us a treat tonight, the lyrics are beautiful and the audio is great. Thanks for sharing this.
    Yvonne.

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  4. That was amazing don't have time to listen to the audio but the lyrics acual mean something unlike some current popular songs.

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  5. You have an amazing voice! I loved this - thank you for sharing it! It reminded me of something I'd hear on my Lilith Fair CD.

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  6. You have a fabulous voice! Thanks for sharing the other side of YOU with us. :)

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  7. What a wonderful voice! wow I loved it! :o)

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  8. The lyrics are fantastic. I'm at work, and don't have headphones with me, so will listen to the song when I get back home.

    ~ Rayna

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  9. You are such a talent. Your voice is mesmerizing as are the lyrics. What a treat. I really enjoyed my visit and will be back for more.

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  10. Now that's talent. Me, I can write but I can't sing a lick. I really should take lessons.

    Stephen Tremp

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  11. This was WAY cool! You have a lot of talent, and I love the message in the lyrics... it's true, a lot of people talk the talk, but fail to walk the walk, and you said it much better than the little cliche I just used.

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  12. So soulful!

    Can't wait to get home and listen.

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  13. Will have to give a listen later at home when I have speakers, but the lyrics are amazing!

    Have a blessed day!

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  14. You are talented! First off, I loved the lyrics. And your voice is beautiful. I agree with Nicole - haunting is a good description.

    Thank you so much for sharing!

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  15. Jessica that was kick ass! You've been holding out on us.

    I have made respect for musicians who can sing and play an instrument at the same time! Mad respect!

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  16. Well done! Thanks for putting yourself out there, it is beautiful, clever and unique~I really enjoyed it, then I thought of Alaska, when I had too much darkness, too much light!

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  17. Ooooh, dark and deep. I can totally see you on stage or in a club. The lyrics were haunting and the imagery very stark. Great post

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  18. Thanks for listening guys! Was a little hesitant to post the audio at first because that's what my myspace page is for. But lyrics mean so much less without the music. Thanks everyone!

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  19. Thanks for being brave enough to share!

    I'm new here, I think I'll stick around. :o)

    ~Lola

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  20. Very haunting, I love those lyrics. And the audio? Fantastic. You have an beautiful voice, and the song was chilling. In a good way. :D

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  21. Weird, I've never heard of "three sheets to the wind". Thanks for a new one!

    Great lyrics!

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  22. Quote:Education broadens the mind, not the heart. No need to have a degree to relate in some way to every single person on this planet.

    Alli...i had to install a dictionary on my PC just to look up the meaning of the name of your blog. it was over my head.

    BUT...your comment wasn't:) thank you for that and your input. decided that i will tag along with your blog.... when i'm wrong in what i say, do, or even in my way of thinking...i admit to it. there you go:)

    haven't done my post yet nor have i listened to your song. read the lyrics and thought they were fantastic!

    also i'm going to look at your challenge too...

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  23. internal conflict of a fictional character? :) nope, i'll pass on that challenge. am kicking around writing though...

    had problems with the sound. but i love the lyrics

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  24. You are one very talented writer! I am blessed not just by the comments that you leave on my blog (which I love) but also the ones that I see you leaving elsewhere! Very deep thoughtful comments and I just wanted to take a moment here to say thank you!

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  25. Wow! I'm impressed. You have a great voice. What a treat...thank you. :)

    And stop feeling bad about my blog. It's all good. I'm glad you finally stopped by.

    - Shannon

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  26. AlliAllo ~
    Very original and very well executed! Below are a few of my favorite lines:

    >>They disturb the false peace, where the hungry die<<
    Do you know how I recognize a great line when I see/hear it? It's when I think to myself: Ooh! I wish I'd written that.
    THIS is a great line!

    >>Calls of fear fall from damp brick walls
    Damp brick walls fall from fearful calls<<

    Excellent! It's a bit opaque, but that's OK because it gives the mind something to chew on and try to digest. Don't wanna give up all meaning too easily and make the reader/listener lazy.

    It reminded me of a reoccurring nightmare I had in my youth where I was sealed up inside a brick pedestal supporting a statue of Buddha. I couldn't move an inch, could barely breathe and the hundreds of people who came to photograph the statue had no idea I was trapped in there.

    >>But how would I sleep without the silver moon
    Making shadows of leaves, on the walls in my room?<<

    Just a very cool image. I'm there.
    (But don't worry about it - go back to sleep;o)

    >>Stop preaching little nothings in my deaf ear<<
    Yup, another great line!

    I liked the little musical break toward the end, it was an interesting, quirky guitar bit. And your voice and singing style reminds me very, very much of... damn! I can't quite place her, but she was a singer from the late '60s and/or very early '70s. I'll come back and listen again in a day or two and let you know when I remember who it is I have in mind.

    Is that a photo of yer bad self at the top?

    Anyway, you've definitely got something there, Sister!

    As for "Koyannisqatsi" - you seem to be the type of person whom I would expect to thoroughly LOVE it. If you ever see it, please share your impressions with me.

    And lastly... are you familiar with the lyrics to Bob Dylan's song "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding" ?

    When I hear this, I just say "Hokey-Smoke" and bow before the master wordsmith.

    Thanks for posting this, AlliAllo. I will definitely return and listen to it a second time.

    ~ "Lonesome Dogg" Stephen

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  27. Thanks everyone for your lovely comments. :)

    Bud: I'm so glad you decided to tag along. You're comment made my day. :) Also don't worry about the Blog Fest. Not everything is for everyone. :)

    Stephen: Oh my gosh I love it when I can inspire someone to write such an in-depth comment! You ROCK!
    Nope, have never really got into Bob Dylan, but I'll check out the song you mentioned. I love Elvis Costello though. Have a listen to the song 'I want you.' My absolute favourite. :) Yes, that's a photo of my bad self a couple of years ago. My hair is quite short now. :)

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  28. I envy your talent! Thanks for sharing it with us.

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  29. AlliAllo ~
    I got more comment stuffs to say here, but I'm outta time at the moment. Gimme another day or two and I'll return with my (much anticipated - Cough!Cough!) follow-up. 1,2,3 days...I'll be back. [Hopefully you will have heard that Dylan song by the time I returns.]

    I think I've remembered what I couldn't remember back when I couldn't remember it.

    ~ "Lonesome Dogg" McStephen

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  30. AlliAllo ~
    I just spent 15 minutes going through all these comment sections trying to locate the place where you'd told me your real name. I remembered it as "Jessica" but wanted to make sure.

    Couldn't find the dang comment (did you delete it?), but after 15 wasted minutes, I saw that you have it posted in your website address. Uhp! I'm an idiot!

    Anyway, I've returned as promised with additional commentary.

    "You ROCK!"

    Aww, shucks. I know it.

    "Nope, have never really got into Bob Dylan, but I'll check out the song you mentioned. I love Elvis Costello though. Have a listen to the song 'I want you.'"

    You made that turn so sharply that I fell right out of your car. Dylan/Costello? I don't quite get the connection...unless you're implying that the "I Want You" mentioned is a cover of the Dylan original.-(?)

    "Yes, that's a photo of my bad self a couple of years ago. My hair is quite short now."

    "JESSICA NO"

    OK, I'm thinking that your voice and singing style in this song which you posted reminded me of Julie Driscoll singing (by mere coincidence) a Dylan song called "THIS WHEEL'S ON FIRE

    The tempo is different - I don't mean that the songs resemble each other - but I think there's a kind of similarity in your voices and in the mood or atmosphere that you both established for the songs.

    If it wasn't Julie Driscoll I was thinking of, then I don't know who it might have been. But I'm pretty sure...

    OK, now for the song I recommended. See the video before the Sony Corporation removes it, like it has done the others. I prefer the studio version of this song, which is slightly more uptempo than this old live version, but still, you'll understand why it's here.

    For two years (1965/'66), Dylan was in a zone like probably no songwriter before or since. It was as if he were a radio receiver picking up invisible transmissions from somewhere and just transcribing them. Stuffs like this just prolifically tumbled out of him:

    "While one who sings with his tongue on fire
    Gargles in the rat race choir
    Bent out of shape from society’s pliers
    Cares not to come up any higher
    But rather get you down in the hole
    That he’s in"


    The wordsmithing during those two years was mind-boggling and impressive as all hell! Most artists would have been overjoyed with just 3 months worth of that kind of production.

    Anyway, see what you think. Even if you don't care for the song from a musical standpoint, I KNOW you'll appreciate it lyrically:

    "IT'S ALRIGHT, MA (I'M ONLY BLEEDING)"

    Yak Later...

    ~ "Lonesome Dogg" McMe

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  31. Stephen, you're gonna have to send me your email address, so can answer you properly with vid links and all :)

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