Where do songs come from? In my case they come from a word catching my ear. Being tickled by a turn of phrase. For example reading Pamela Des Barres’ Let’s Spend the Night Together I heard these words; “Dishing out damp dreams to horny strangers” about a groupie’s time as a burlesque dancer and just loved the way it sounded so I wrote it down.
I love the Bible. Verses like “in the beginning there was the word and the word was with God“, that stuff is awesome.
Speaking of the bible I watched a YouTube video breaking down the tolkein mythology and found many phrases striking but “not tied to the music of creation” was most striking.
“Too many years spent chasing paper fortune forsaking the riches of life.” came from a Ken Williams quote in the book Hackers by Steven Levy.
A story my wife’s cousin Mel told me about her first biopsy when she had cervical cancer struck me so I wrote it down, “The first time I went alone. All I wanted was to hug my mom. I drove stoned from the treatment to her house to tell her but she wasn’t there. I crawled into her bed and cried. Got up an drove myself to work to pick up my pay check because Tyler wouldn’t. He was too hung over and my mom was too busy with work.“… Powerful stuff, right?
Other times (like all of the following) something will just pop into my head and I’ll think it sounds cool. Maybe it does. Maybe it doesn’t. It all gets written down. What follows is all leftovers; garbage; thoughts that faded before they elaborated themselves into songs.
Life after death
i don’t see it
campaign promises
can’t believe it.
The lines of clouds are crisp today
Here we are again sitting in front of snow?
How long will it last? You ask.
I tell you I don’t know.
a lot on my mind.
going to dump it.
hope I’m not too late.
Hope i don’t do too much damage
for my mothers sake.
the way i feel tonight
i may never be happy again
and at the same time i mourn
three years lost of life
these conflicting emotions do things to my mind
i don’t expect anyone to understand
beyond reason just feelings
not pain or sadness i begin to understand.
do not dismiss miracles as mere coincidence
put the magic back in life and press your face against the glass.
your dream self is painfully shy.
like rain when i can see the sun
you’re cold to me but warm to everyone
you’re in need?
i believe you
i believe you can fuck off
i believe you have the need to make me as cynical as you
I’ll write about it for hours but no I don’t want to talk about it
fellas, keep a close eye on your gal. gals keep both eyes on your fellas.
I know more people fucking round on their other than are loyal.
fidelity is dead. no one gives a fuck.
That hair, not real.
those clothes, chosen for them.
that smile, it’s real.
but it’s not for you.
it’s like, falling in love with plastic.
we can make it, anyway you want it.
we can even make, you think you can’t live without it.
but in the end, you just fell in love with plastic.
they sing a song, straight into your heart.
that song wasn’t written for you baby, but 1 billion teenage hearts
got into a fight via text
with my best friend
over something really stupid
i couldn’t help but offend
i guess i lost my mind
and my friend
all in one move
now this is the end
if you don’t treat people right
they’re going to hate you
you think they’re mad about you said
thats good for a start
how about you don’t respect
who they are at the heart
if you think thats bad
oh it gets worse
you’re not the first friend I’ve lost over words
if you don’t treat people right
they’re going to hate you
Brains to Byzantium 