I Lay Down

I love music. And I really like my music. I suppose that’s a good thing. If you don’t like the music you make, then it becomes this twisted masochistic relationship. That’s when you see people smashing guitars and screaming foul language and spitting on the crowd.

If that isn’t cool, I don’t know what is. Maybe Justin Timberlake.

Last night the four previously mentioned folk and myself gave my song another round. This time I had definate melodies, concrete lyrics, sheet music (sorta), and a time signature. Who knew the song was in 6/8?? That came as a shock to me that this song was actually in 6/8 time instead of 4/4 time like I had always assumed.

How did that get past me? I noticed it when I was trying to start the song and it hurt. I was trying to count so that Brandon would know when to come in, but doing the “One, two, three, four” felt horribly wrong. So I did “One, two” and that felt better then I said “One, two, three” and that felt closer to correct, but you need two of them. “One, two, three, four, five, six” was right on the money. Then we do 3/4 time later in the song and that turns out to be half time instead of the impossible time change we thought it was.

What kind of monster have I created? I got most of the lyrics right most of the time, but some of the timing is weird. I’m going to memorize these, though, so I don’t have a bloody sheet in front of me the whole time. I need to be able to walk around.

Poor Jeff. He has nothing the whole time. Really, what good is the music going to do him? I didn’t write timings on it. I guess the lyrics could help him know where we are, though, and where we’re going. Last night he looked bored stiff. I felt sorry for forcing him into this. Brandon’s part does well, but I don’t like his intro. I don’t think it sounds enough like the rest of the song. I may write something for him, or just talk to him about it. Chris tried his mandolin on this one and I liked the sound. The high mandolin voice compliments Bob’s high fret strumming very well. Bob did a great job. He’s always surprising me musically. For a guy who’s last band was called “Wall of Dildos”, he does well at ‘serious’ music.

Our next session is Thursday. Heather gets home today so she might be a part of this one. My original goal was to have female vocals, maybe female back vocals (or ‘vox’ as they say in the industry), but we’ll see how well she can follow me. The key to this band (I hesitate to use this word) is how well you follow me, in a manner of speaking.

I’m going to end this post by posting my lyrics to “I Lay Down” because I’m actually proud of these. You might not understand them. That’s okay, but I don’t wanna hear about you winny, idiotic fool. Now shut’tup and read.

“I Lay Down”

[V1]
It took me forever to walk up those steps
I already witnessed the specter that crept
The house that I share with the woman I loved
She lay down in the attic above.

[V2]
I passed by the door step, the dog was ‘asleep’
The family room glowed from the living TV
And there on the sofa my children I miss
They lay down with another’s fatal kiss.

[ refrain ]
such angels save sweet beauty eyes closed see God
my love made physical and taken away from me

[V3]
The rude player off there’s a quiet calm rush
I move up a level by praying too much
Up in the fear I discover my love
She lay down in the attic above.

[bridge]
1,2,3,1,2,3…
do i stay or do i run; is this over or now begun?

[V4]
‘Now lay down’ I heard him say
It was not the words, but thoughts that he made.
I didn’t know what he tried to convey.
I guess I’ll miss her.

[refrain]
such silence presses on me eyes closed see God
the fabric of being be taken away for now

[V5]
I lay down all by myself
I lay down when you stood up so straight
I lay down all by myself
I lay down when you stood up so straight
I lay down
I lay down
I lay down.