Keeping the theme of songs-I've-only-played-live-once going, and keeping with the theme of life being horrible, here is an mp3 of a song I wrote called "In The Dumps."
This is definitely a rare one...I only played it once, and at this show (Sidewalk Cafe, 2005) only 4 of my friends showed up. Something you'll hear at this legendary show is that there was a big group of people talking really loud, right under the stage. They were destroying my self esteem for the first half of the set, and you can hear in my voice how blown away I was by people being so rude, most notably in the beginning of the mp3 : "Next song is called 'In The Dumps'....yeah....GRRRRR"
I sound so exhausted and defeated because of those people. And the "GRRRR" was directed at them. Maybe next week I'll post the song I made up on the spot about them.
So anyway, this song is pretty simple and basically from the point of view of someone dumping someone. Like many of my songs, it's inspired by stomach sickness and nervousness. Here are the lyrics, which in my opinion are just...OK. The song is more about the rhythm and intensity in the music and singing, that's for sure.
Hey hey, I don't know what They say, but I know that You and I are out of luck For once I'm not stupid You must not believe it I know how these things end up
In the dumps, out the door Under carpets on the floor Don't think we're growing we've stopped. And I'm not going to pick you up.
Last time that we met up Got sick, almost threw up I lied, said it was the food I just get so nervous Don't know how to do this Don't know how to say we're through
(Chorus)
Sorry sorry sorry I can't give advice Sorry sorry sorry I can't paint it nice Sorry sorry sorry I'm sorry sorry sorry tonight
Next time you'll do better Meet someone who's nicer You'll have oh so much to say Tell me now you're happy Tell me you were crazy To be with someone like me OH YOU KNOW RIGHT NOW WE'RE
(chorus)
And I'm not going to pick you up from work.
That's a lot of "sorry"s in one song.
My relationship was doing OK when I wrote that song, but I think I was picking up on signals from my girlfriend and maybe wrote this song from her point of view. I wrote a lot of songs about her breaking up with me in the last few months of our relationship, yet if you were to ask me I would have honestly said we were doing great. Very subconscious, all of this stuff.
This week's mp3 is a crazy old song, recorded live at the Sidewalk Cafe open mic in the late late hours of the night, back in 2002. It must have been 1 AM, and I think there were 4 people there.
The song was basically about this girl I liked who said she'd call me back, but never did. Here are the lyrics:
What the hell do I do now? I've had enough of this stuff I can't try to figure you out I'm not intact, you're abstract, it's
Not too fair that I'm in the air and I Can't deny that you are unbearably great
Months go by and not a sound Just think out loud, you're to proud It's another singing clown Fucked around, it's astound...ING
I can see you're not meant for me but if You can show some decency I'll be Free to believe that things can happen to me
What the hell do I do now? I'm waiting for a phone call Where the hell do I go now? If I go I might miss the phone call It's not a good thing thatI'm not hearing that Stupid phone ring andIt's amazing that I can sleep so late Wake up even later To an alarm clock playing that song I hate her
What the hell do I do now? I'm waiting for a window To turn bright redIn my head... It's simple.
Upon typing those lyrics I think the off phrasing throughout the song is kind of neat -- lines end with what should be the first word of the next verse. It's consistent through the whole song! That's cool. I don't remember planning that.
This is the only recorded live performance of this song, which I like a lot but is maybe more whiny and defeatist than usual, which may be hard to believe. Still I like the end, because I still don't know what it means. And I like the "it's another singing clown" line, because after being at an open mic where everyone is whining, that's really how it felt.
You'll hear singer songwriter Lach on this mp3, who hosted the open mic for many years. He, charmingly, liked to pop in on the song, with vocals, telephone ring sounds, and hand claps. His intense "OH MY GOD" after the performance definitely strokes my ego. It was fun stuff. Then he introduces my friend Dave Fox up to the mic. Weird.
This is an old instrumental from September, 2002, titled "Frayed", for reasons unknown to me. I like it a lot...it has a slow build up, some cool improvised guitar soloing from me (at a time when I can barely do that sort of thing), then things turn all happy and major key, then a subdued ending. I think this is a cool instrumental.
Thinking back, September 2002 was a very, very hard time in my life. Maybe Frayed has something to do with all that bad stuff.
Hello guys. Sorry for the delay. I've been busy trying to write some comedy sketches for National Sketch Month at my OTHER blog, http://jordancooperblablabla.blogspot.com, as well as dealing with awful things in my life. MP3 of the Week will still continue on schedule though.
This week's mp3 is an instrumental from April 2nd, 2006, called "I Try To Make it Better." What need be said that isn't already in the title? I'm a bit emotional about this one. Hope you like it.
