posted
Ok, it's not a specific post count (though that hasn't stopped a couple other people), but it's still a landmark. Today is one year from the beginning of the landmark tradition, so I wanted to do something special.
I've already told you about myself. I've already told you about my family. My wife has already told you about herself. There have been oodles of threads about Mooselet. (I was thinking of compiling all that information into a single post, but I didn't think I could accurately remember the myriad emotions Mama and I experienced at the times, so it would be more newsy than anything else, and that didn't feel right.) So what was I gonna do?
I decided I'd share some songs with you all. I wish I had a way to record them for you (along with wishing my singing voice were better and that I could play guitar better), because I like the music and the words. Maybe some day I'll figure out a way to do that. I haven't written many songs in my life, and aside from these three I think all the others were Bible verses put to music. Sharing the lyrics to those wouldn't be all that impressive.
Please realize that I'm no musician, and no lyricist. If someone feels like critiquing, I'd be interested, but it's not like I'm gonna record a demo and send them out. The reason I want to share the songs is that they're all me, though all at different points in my life. So it's just another way of sharing myself with Hatrack.
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THE CIRCUS
Daniel is a clown They smile when he's around He's always got a cheerful word or two He goes from place to place A smile upon his face But it's a lie; he puts it there for you
And Daniel hates his life Filled with disappointment, strife and pain He doesn't think he'll ever live again A series of raw deals They don't know how he really feels inside He's always looking for a place to hide Away
Daniel is a clown Nothing brings him down His life is just a constant holiday A social butterfly The always happy guy He can't be sad; what would the people say?
So Daniel lives a lie Continuing to wonder why should he Be drowning in responsibility? He puts it on himself Lays the blame on no one else, just him He looks for hope, but then despair sets in Can't win... no
He wants to let it go He wants to end the show He wants them all to know The circus went too long
Do you know a clown? There's one in every town You never know just who the clown could be Usually it's fun Fooling everyone The hardest part is learning honesty Honesty
That's the real key So everyone can see His true identity He needs his own life to claim He doesn't want the fame Give him back his name Let him end the game The circus went too long
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IS SHE PAYING ATTENTION?
I wait longer It grows stronger Gotta let my feelings show I can't seem to say it So I'm trying to play it I'm afraid that she'll never know Can't she see that I need her so?
Is she paying attention? Can she see it in my eyes? Is she paying attention? Can she hear my silent cries? Is she paying attention?
I started to feel it I don't wanna conceal it Can she see what I'm all about? Wanna help her discover That I really do love her But my fear always locks me out Makes me want to scream and shout
Is she paying attention? Can she see how I really feel? Is she paying attention? Can she see that my love's for real? Is she paying attention?
The feelings are trapped inside The feelings I cannot hide And I'm petrified with fear But I know she cannot hear if I don't tell her So I don't know exactly how But I'm going to tell her now I've waited for far too long I'm tired of waiting Now I'm anticipating How she'll feel when she hears this song
But is she paying attention? Let me succeed in my endeavor Is she paying attention? I wanna be with her forever Is she paying attention? Is she paying attention? Is she paying attention? Is she paying attention?
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CONNIE
She lives there on the second floor Catalina's where I met her It's been three months or maybe more You know I never will forget her
I see her with her long brown hair You know it sparkles in the sunshine And it doesn't matter what she wears 'Cause she's always lookin' real fine To me Now how can it be?
Although it's crazy, it seems She came out of my dreams Now I know that it's true ...
Six years later, on one knee In my hand a diamond ring I ask, she says yes, the waitress cries And my pounding heart begins To sing She's my everything
Although it's crazy it seems She came out of my dreams Now I know that it's true I love you
A few years later with our son And another on the way We've had a most fantastic run Getting better by the day I'm sure I belong with her
Although it's crazy it seems She came out of my dreams Now I know that it's true Connie, I love you
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So there you go. My name isn't Daniel (though my brother's name is), but I couldn't put Michael in there at the time I wrote it because I hadn't admitted to anyone else yet that it was about me, and that would have been a dead giveaway.
She wasn't paying attention (and the "she" here wasn't Mama Squirrel, since I wrote that one the year before we met).
And Connie you all know. It was written over a long period of time -- beginning three months after we met, and finishing today. And she did live on the second floor. And the waitress did cry.
posted
Mama reminded me of another song I wrote that didn't use Bible verses as lyrics. It needs a little bit of intro, though.
I was taking a "ropes course" class my senior year of college -- just something to boost the number of units I was taking that quarter, but that I thought would also be fun, and not too tough to pass. Well, part of the class was personal journalling -- an entry for each day of class, more if one felt like it. Additionally, there was a "class journal," for which each person in the class would make one entry. It was to be presented to the class, and would be graded on thoughtfulness, relevance, and creativity. I became at that point (and remain so, as far as I know) the only person to write/perform a song for an entry, which is pretty cool. The person teaching the class (Wayne, to whom I refer in the song) actually invited the other teacher of ropes course classes to come in and hear the song, and set up video equipment to record it on the last day of class (with the entire class singing, rather than just me).
To the tune of "Do You Want To Know A Secret" (Beatles), but with an additional bridge and verse thrown in:
quote:You'll never know how much I'm really frightened You'll never know how much I'm really scared
Careful Did you lock your carabiner Are you ready to belay? Wo-o-o-oah Once more One more time please check it all 'Cause I do not want to fall I am trusting you Ooo-oo-oo-ooh
Ready Can't believe that I am climbing Need more footholds in this wall Wo-o-o-oah Uh oh Cannot let them see me cry Even though I'm gonna die I will break in two Ooo-oo-oo-ooh
Careful not to catch your shirt Wayne said that could really hurt
Crazy That's the only explanation For me trying to rappel Wo-o-o-oah Slower I don't want to lose my grip Because if I start to slip Hope you're spotting, too Ooo-oo-oo-ooh
Seems like I'm the only one Everybody else is having fun
Awesome Can't believe it was so easy Take your turn and make it fast Wo-o-o-oah Hurry Get your feet back on the floor 'Cause I wanna climb some more Give me more to do Ooo-oo-oo-ooh Ooo-oo-oo-ooh Ooo-oo-oo-ooh....
Since it was a "group" journal, I tried to write the song with the whole class in mind -- I personally wasn't really afraid of climbing. I was definitely afraid of playing guitar and singing in front of the class, though, but that turned out "awesome" in the end as well.
Oh, and there was one other song, but I co-wrote it with an old roommate. It's called "Song." Here are the words:
quote:A chord D chord A chord E chord
A chord -- A seventh chord D chord -- F chord A chord -- E chord A chord Walking baseline
<repeat>
The chords were pretty simple, too -- it was sort of an old K-mart "yellow wrap" concept....
posted
Ye cats and little kittens, I missed this when it was first up?!
Great, GREAT words, Pop. I wanna hear 'em! Go record them and put them up for Hatrack to enjoy!
Does anyone else say "ye cats and little kittens"? I picked it up from old Scrooge McDuck comics. I'm weird.
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I picked it up from old Scrooge McDuck comics. I'm weird.
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