Mostly this place has been somewhere to rant about the inconsistencies of people and to have a good vent. But there's only so much you can do with that before it gets stale and you start seeing the same crap with a new name. So I'm making a change.
I was digging through my old files yesterday to find some lines I vaguely remember writing down that would fit a song I'm working on. After digging around I realized that I've written more songs than most bands will ever put out. Of course, that doesn't make them good. It just surprised me how many I had. I always thought my output was low at best. Most don't have full music. In fact, most just have a melody or a very basic chord structure. I got to thinking that, if I keel over tomorrow, no one would ever know these exist. So I thought I should put them out there. After all, is art really art if there isn't anyone to interpret it or take meaning from it besides the artist? I can make my own meaning and I do it solely for myself, but I think true art is about seeing things in work that even the artist doesn't see. So here is mine.
I'll probably only post lyrics since chords, timing, and other musical stuff is hard to type up. I won't post poems or stories for the simple fact that, if I ever do actually want to attempt to publish anything, I don't want issues with publishers saying "it's already been published", even if on a backwater blog that no one reads. Since no one publishes lyrics I think that's a good compromise.
A short blurb is in order at this point. My inspiration to create comes from a dark place. I write best when I'm sad or angry. So don't expect a lot of happy, dwarf whistling tunes. I'm working on a few but mostly I write sad, tragic, or angry pieces. Not "bitches, hoes, and guns" type angry. More frustration angry. I'm also partial to tragic stories. Like my brother I tend to prefer tragic songs that have a ring of hope (think "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" by Death Cab for Cutie). Although, in my own interpretations, I often find that "sad" songs are really quite moving and hopeful and, underneath, happy, if you really delve into them, even if they don't include an explicit hook.
So enjoy. If you like them, that's great. If not...well, maybe you'll find one you do. But I also didn't write them to please anyone else. I wrote them for me and to help me deal with things. I'm happy to discuss them or tell you the story behind them if you want to know why I chose a particular theme or name. And if you have an idea for music or an addition/subtraction to the piece please chime in. Art can be a very good collaborative process. But I retain final cut of the lyrics, so please don't be offended if I think your contribution doesn't fit the mood I was going for.
Sleeping Beauty
(fast tempo, rock feel)
Devil's in the kitchen
Devil's in the kitchen
Devil's in the kitchen
And she's calling out my name
Early morning sunrise
was peeking through the curtains
when I woke up and caught you sneaking in
Then against my better sense,
I forgave you for your sins
and all you did was break my heart again
It goes against my intuition
all these things I never mention
Like how you kept me down and fed me lies
Your secrets were not misconstrued
and all that I can say for you
is you didn't hurt me bad enough to die
You can break me
but you can't change me
I am what I am and that's all that you will ever see
She's Sleeping Beauty
with no dress on
Yeah being subtle never was her thing
Trying to live down all those lies
still staring at me with those accusing eyes
like I should still owe you a happy life
Every time I tell you that
I love you more than life itself
you just smile at me and say “It’s better this way”
All your passes are rejected
desperate call are disconnected
I don't know how it ever got this bad
Just another sweaty night
in the back of a Cadillac holding tightly
to a dream that just don't seem to die
You can break me
but you can't change me
I am what I am and that's all that I will ever be
She's Sleeping Beauty
with no dress on
and being feminine never was her thing
I’m alone even when you’re here
Your body’s cold and your eyes are steel
You always wanted what you couldn’t have
I can finally recognize
that you don’t love you idolize
and all the shit you have can’t make you smile
Don’t it hurt to realize
there’s nothing there but stupid pride
and it won’t keep you warm when all this dies
You can break me
but you can't change me
I am what I am and that's all that you will ever see
Like sleeping beauty
with no dress on
Being subtle never was her thing
4 comments:
Very interesting song Brandon. As I was reading it, I could heard someone like Seether singing it in my head. Much cool.
-Jack
My favorite part:
"I can finally recognize
that you don’t love you idolize"
Awesome.
The one part that bugged me was this:
"She's Sleeping Beauty
with no dress on
and being feminine never was her thing"
I liked that you changed the final line in that part of the chorus, but the "and" threw me off flow-wise. Plus I don't see why being naked isn't being feminine.
That line "and being feminine" was really in reference to the fact that, at least in our society, feminine is seen as more of a passive quality. The girl in the song is being pushy, emotionally abusive, sexually forward, and demanding. None of those qualities are usually associated with femininity. Not to say they can't or shouldn't be, but that's not what we usually think of when we say feminine. So that's why I used that line the way I did. She's acting more masculine (i.e. doing things males are typically seen to do in relationships) in order to get her way.
I understand what you mean about her personality not being what society would typically classify as feminine. I guess I just don't see it as fitting with the lines right before it since sleeping is "passive."
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