So over my winter break I had the opportunity to record six (sort of) new songs. These are all unrelated from Horizons, and mark the beginning of a new musical direction in terms of my songwriting (though a few of these actually pre-date Horizons in terms of conception). Here they are:
Aces Wild - 4:41This one was pretty straightforward. The bass seems to disappear from time to time, but overall I think this one turned out pretty decently.
108:00 - 5:24This was the bear of the bunch. I had to do a drum overdub after the little extended fill section that didn't turn out too well, but that was the best I could get. It also sounds like I lost the rhythm in the "pounding E chord" section, but I don't think I actually did. I think one of the E chords just didn't make it through.
Roswell, New Mexico - 4:45This is one of my faves. The recording overall is pretty standard, but the experiments with structure really work here, I think. Not much else to say other than I'm pretty happy with this one.
Rolling Thunder - 5:12Again, another fairly standard recording. Nothing to complain about other than the usual sound quality.
Orange Moon - 4:02Another one that turned out surprisingly well. The bass is a little off at the end of the first chorus, but I don't think it's too noticeable. Other than that this was another typical recording.
Claire (Snow Globes) - 5:13Probably my favorite of the bunch, this one was the result of sitting around strumming different fingerings of a D chord. Found a pattern, found a hook, found a rhythm, and poof. Acoustic guitar solo. And I think the acoustic guitar actually sounds pretty decent with my recording software! Imagine that!
Here are the (updated) lyrics:
1. Aces Wild
Roll the dice
Think you’re gonna win now?
Deal the cards
Let it begin
I believe in chance
I don’t believe in fate
Do I believe in luck?
Ain’t gonna sit and wait
Take a seat
Give the roulette a spin
For a million bucks
I’ll do anything to win
Got my girl at home
Nothing else to say
Because I’m far from death
And got taxes to pay
And I know I’m in over my head
But it’s the perfect night to gamble my life away
Twenty chips on the table
And I’m losing fast
One more game
I swear it’s gonna be the last
Pull the slots once more
And I can make it right
So roll the dice
You might just get lucky tonight
Flip the flop
And ante in
Got ten more chips
And greed stemming from within
Got a pair of jacks
Got a five card straight
Show four of a kind
Gotta change my fate
Eyes of a snake
Staring me in the face
Lose another ten
Gone without a trace
Got my girl at home
Nothing else to say
Because I’m far from death
And got taxes to pay
And I know I’m in over my head
But it’s the perfect night to gamble my life away
Twenty chips on the table
And I’m losing fast
One more game
I swear it’s gonna be the last
Pull the slots once more
And I can make it right
So roll the dice
You might just get lucky tonight
2. 108:00
(Instrumental)
3. Roswell, New Mexico
They came one night
In a gleaming pod of light
Leaving wreckage in the desert sands
Those who believe
Are the only ones who see
The rest resist and reprimand
The sky turns a violent gray
The clouds conceal the moon
We watch the figures approaching
From the distant sandy dune
The darkness slowly traps us
The air is tense and still
We wait in apprehension
We see them ready for the kill
They fly away
Retreat at the sight of day
They leave us alone in peace
We watch them go
They wanted us to know
We’re safe for now at least
4. Rolling Thunder
What were the promises of our past?
Arguing over what we are fighting for
Administration intervening at last
Your boys will never see the horror of war
Kill them all
Pull the trigger and drop a thousand bombs
Waking up to the smell of napalm
The jungle’s burning and Charlie’s hiding
The only choice is to keep on fighting
They scorn the baby-killers who fight for nothing
Excuses and body counts stacking up
The protestors beg for something, anything
Because you never know just when your number’s up
Off to war
Pull the trigger and drop a thousand bombs
Waking up to the smell of napalm
The jungle’s burning and Charlie’s hiding
The only choice is to keep on fighting
The undercurrent of a transitory attack
Losing lives and land that we can never ever get back
You can’t win if you can’t cross the borderline
The only choice is resort to the great divine
Pull the trigger and drop a thousand bombs
Waking up to the smell of napalm
The jungle’s burning and Charlie’s hiding
The only choice is to keep on fighting
5. Orange Moon
Load up on silver bullets
I hear them coming now
I hope you know how to use a gun
Is that your bell that’s tolling
As the clock strikes at twelve?
Past midnight there’s nowhere to run
As the fangs pierce into your flesh
I can see your body start to change
Are you okay or are you too far gone?
As the clouds part the moon shines down
Spreading light all over the forest floor
Are you here or am I all alone?
The werewolves under the orange moon
Are out there killing them just like you
And I stand here wondering what to do
The werewolves under the orange moon
Are out there eating them just like you
You make me wonder what to do
About you
Under the orange moon
I’ll kiss you one more time now
Before I let you go
You’ve been taken over by the dead
Fall back and hope you’re waiting
Over on the other side
Keep thinking of the last three words we said
As the fangs pierce into your flesh
I can see your body start to change
Are you okay or are you too far gone?
As the clouds part the moon shines down
Spreading light all over the forest floor
Are you here or am I all alone?
The werewolves under the orange moon
Are out there killing them just like you
And I stand here wondering what to do
The werewolves under the orange moon
Are out there eating them just like you
You make me wonder what to do
About you
Under the orange moon
And now it’s too late
Once the silver hits the heart
Fall over dead now
The werewolves under the orange moon
Are out there killing them just like you
And I stand here wondering what to do
The werewolves under the orange moon
Are out there eating them just like you
You make me wonder what to do
About you
Under the orange moon
6. Claire (Snow Globes)
(Instrumental)
Enjoy! Next time I get a substantial break (beginning of March) I'll try to do the rest of the recordings (Yggdrasil and Evermore). I just didn't have time this time around.
-the smurf