Songwriting | Marcel Lee Pereira, singer-songwriter

Week 9 – The Meeting

Posted on July 2, 2010 by marcelpereira

Have you ever had an ex who hurt you so much that you have already planned in your head what you would say to him/her on that fateful day in the future when your paths should ever cross again?

You imagine how good it would feel to make that person realize how wonderful your life is without him/her, how he/she seems to regret leaving you – and how you don’t care about them at all.

They say that living well is the best revenge. How sweet it must taste.

The Meeting
© Music and Lyrics by Marcel Lee Pereira, 2 July 2010

Take back your smile, you don’t mean it
I’m not its captive, and I won’t let you
Captivate me today, no

You see, it’s a different me you’re seeing
In fact it’s because of you, but who’s complaining
And how are you, by the way?

Chorus
As you can see, I’ve never been better
That’s more than
Settled the score and
I’ve moved on, moved on
I’ve moved on, moved on

So you still look at my Facebook page
I’m not surprised, I’ve got tons of pictures
And yes, I’m in great shape too

You’re telling me that you miss me
You just need someone to walk all over, don’t you
I know you too well by now

Chorus
As you can see, I’ve never been better
That’s more than
Settled the score and
I’ve moved on, moved on
I’ve moved on, moved on

Take back all your wishes, they are not mine
And all our history too
Our paths they never were aligned
But this meeting’s long overdue
Now I’ve got a life to go back to

Chorus
As you can see, I’ve never been better
That’s more than
Settled the score and
I’ve moved on, moved on
I’ve moved on, moved on
I’ve moved on, moved on
I’ve moved on, moved on

***

P.S. In answer to the inevitable question: “Who’s this song about, huh?”, my disclaimer is: No one in particular! This is just me putting myself in that situation, imagining how it would feel, and writing a song about it. Simple as that 😉

Week 8 – He Hides It Pretty Well

Posted on June 25, 2010 by marcelpereira

Okay, I can hear people saying: “He hides what?”

This week’s song is about a guy who on the outside has a really great life. On the inside however, he is an empty shell. He can’t find any joy in what he has. To everyone else, he seems like he has it all, but he’s really hiding his true feelings.

A commonly-held belief about men is that they find it difficult to express their innermost feelings, for fear of appearing weak and vulnerable. While I think this is a generalization, I’d like to add that this song isn’t based on any one person, but on a collection of people I know.

He Hides It Pretty Well
© Music and Lyrics by Marcel Lee Pereira, 24 June, 2010

He’s 28 though he feels a lot older
Blames it on too much beer and cigarettes
He started because everyone was doing it
And he’s forgotten why

He likes happy hour conversations
They drown out all his useless thoughts
He watches football to have something to talk about
He really doesn’t care

Chorus
To everyone else he is happy
Still he feels out of place
An imposter
Sticking out like a pimple on a teenager’s face
But he hides it pretty well
Said he hides it pretty well

Alcohol dulls his borderline depression
His job pays but doesn’t satisfy
He lives out his secret fantasies online
Disgusts himself each time

He has a girl he doesn’t care that much about
But he’s afraid of being alone
He isn’t sure where he wants to go with her
She doesn’t know

Chorus
To everyone else he is happy
Still he feels out of place
An imposter
Sticking out like a pimple on a teenager’s face
But he hides it pretty well
Said he hides it pretty well

Until he finds his calling
Until he finds his place
He’ll float like a dead log the rest of his life
A smiling wooden mask over his face
But he hides it pretty well
Said he hides it pretty well

Chorus
To everyone else he is happy
Still he feels out of place
An imposter
Sticking out like a pimple on a teenager’s face
But he hides it pretty well
Said he hides it pretty well

***

P.S. I’m feeling much, much better now. Thanks to all those who asked. I’m really looking forward to this weekend! Carol’s birthday is on Sunday and I’ve planned something special for her 🙂 That’s all I’m gonna say. Till next week!

Week 7 – We’ve Got All Day

Posted on June 20, 2010 by marcelpereira

I’m writing this post with a fever, sore throat, cough and running nose – so I’ll keep it short. Been sick since Friday… I think it must be all the late-night World Cup matches.

We’ve Got All Day is meant to be a feel-good song. You know the feeling of just wanting to get away from the routines of life? This song is about that.

When she heard it, Carol said to me: “This song is so unlike you. You’re always saying we DON’T have all day.” Point taken.

Lyrics below. Apologies if I sound congested. I am. But hey, week 7’s done!

We’ve Got All Day
© Music and Lyrics by Marcel Lee Pereira, 19 June, 2010

Let’s get lost in a sea of passion
Forget about our cares, just for a while
A rendezvous never goes out of style

Go wherever the train takes us
Lose the map, we don’t need to know
We’ll just go with the flow

Cos we’ve got all day
Cos we’ve got all day

We’ll have a picnic by the beach
Take a walk along the never-ending shore
Find new places to explore

We’ll have the best day ever
The seconds will crawl slowly by
We’re not complaining, you and I

Cos we’ve got all day
Cos we’ve got all day

A taste sweeter than Indian candy
Something I just can’t resist, when we kiss
So let’s get away, we won’t be missed

So let’s get away…

Cos we’ve got all day
Cos we’ve got all day…

Week 6 – This Unfinished Song

Posted on June 13, 2010 by marcelpereira

Thankfully, my swollen eye subsided a little today and I managed to record this week’s song this evening. Yup, Sunday night is the absolute latest to upload my song for the week, and I just made it. Phew!

It’s been a loooooong week. The 13:34 musical on Thursday night was a blast, but it was tiring no doubt with all the rehearsals. Plus my eye infection didn’t help much. On Saturday, we took our cat Kooshie to the vet to be sterilized, and the poor boy has been limp and feverish all weekend. It’s quite worrying, not to mention heartbreaking, to see him like this. He’s lying beside me right now with a plastic cone round his neck, looking very pathetic.

Anyway, with everything going on this week, it’s a miracle I managed to finish the song at all. I actually wrote it on Tuesday because I knew I’d be busy with rehearsals after that. I would’ve recorded the video on Friday, like I usually do, but I decided to give my eye a rest and do it tonight instead. Everything worked out fine, thank goodness.

This Unfinished Song is literally about songwriting. It’s tongue-in-cheek of course, but I think fellow songwriters might be able to identify with it. It is about the challenges I face as a songwriter in finding my “muse”, so to speak.

Sometimes, inspiration leaves you high and dry and I can sit all day with my guitar and come up with nothing. Then the next day, all of a sudden, something hits me and a new song is born in 20 minutes. The process of creation, the spark of inspiration when an idea pops up in your mind, exploring different melodies until something sounds right – that’s why I love songwriting.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

This Unfinished Song
© Music and Lyrics by Marcel Lee Pereira, 8 June, 2010

I sat down with pen and paper
To write a letter to my muse
For she seemed to have deserted me
And left me all confused

My guitar won’t give me a tune, I said
Stop running, I implored
But the notes kept playing hide and seek
They wouldn’t form a chord

Chorus
I thought maybe it’s not meant to be
Maybe I just don’t belong
I guess I’ll just move on
From this unfinished song

With a silence ringing in my head
And a hollow in my chest
I tried to be like Dylan
And find something to protest

But my angst has come and gone
And so have all my rhymes
Synonyms and conjugations
Have escaped my mind

Chorus
I thought maybe it’s not meant to be
Maybe I don’t belong
I guess I’ll just have move on
From this unfinished song

Where are you?
What am I supposed to do?

So I looked for inspiration
I tried to improvise
Movies, posters, advertisements
Were all a bunch of lies

I picked up the papers
They were full of hate
And I flipped through the Bible
But I couldn’t find the faith

Chorus
I thought maybe it’s not meant to be
Maybe I don’t belong
I guess I’ll just have to move on
From this unfinished song

Maybe it’s best to move on
From this unfinished song

***

P.S. I’d like to leave everyone with a quote from American author Jack London, which I find very meaningful in my songwriting journey: “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” How true.

Week 4 – Why Wait For Life

Posted on May 28, 2010 by marcelpereira

I found this week’s song especially challenging.

My good friend Jeremy, who’s the keyboardist of my band, and the founder of the Songcraft Songwriting Circle, organised the inaugural “Songwriting Idol” contest yesterday. He asked me to sign up, and of course I did.

What made this contest interesting was that we had to write a song to fit the theme “Inspirational”. This was the brief given to us two weeks before the contest: “You are to write a song that has inspirational meaning. It could be a song that encourages people, to enthuse them towards a good cause, to promote peace, unity and harmony, or to promote change in the world.”

I feel it is so hard to write “inspirational” lyrics that don’t come across as clichéd and cheesy. I tried, I really did. I spent two afternoons with my guitar trying to write, but nothing came.

Then, on the day before the event, inspiration finally struck. I thought about all the people I knew who wanted to make a change in their lives, but were always waiting for the right time to do it. They were always resigned to their situation; they never believed they could be any different. And I thought of my own obstacles, doubts and challenges I battle every day in doing what I’m doing now. Then I realised that if I had waited for the stars to align, I might always be doing just that – waiting.

So if you want to write that book, pick up a new hobby, get that degree, visit the places you’ve never seen, or do something new, now is as good a time as any.

This song is for you. I hope it will inspire you to start living.

Can you laugh
Like a child
Can you run like the wind
Is in your stride
And dance, with your eyes closed
And not feel shy

Won’t you cry
If you feel like crying
Go where the wind of change
Is blowing
And if it feels right, then take flight
Why wait for life

Chorus
Why wait for life to begin
When it’s right outside your door
Why wait for life to begin
Time wears thin, then it’s no more

So sing
While your music’s still inside
Don’t let your dreams
And fear collide
The sun doesn’t need
Your permission to rise
You don’t need mine

Chorus
Why wait for life to begin
When it’s right outside your door
Why wait for life to begin
Time wears thin, then it’s no more

And if it feels right, then take flight
Why wait for life

Chorus
Why wait for life to begin
When it’s right outside your door
Why wait for life to begin
Time wears thin, then it’s no more
Time wears thin, then it’s no more

***

P.S. If anyone out there’s interested in attending or taking part in the “Songwriting Idol” series, I believe it’s going to be held at the Library@Esplanade once every two months. The next one should be in July. Stay tuned!

Week 3 – Coffee Love

Posted on May 21, 2010 by marcelpereira

I seem to be writing happy songs these few weeks 🙂 Maybe it’s because I’m finally doing what I love?

Anyway, this week’s song is another laid back track. It is an ode to coffee – dedicated to all coffee lovers out there. I had fun with the lyrics this time.

Go easy on the whipped cream honey I’ve got too much in my veins
The doctor said my pressure’s hit the roof, and I’m to blame
Toffee nut latte that’s my favourite but I can’t have any now
I’ve sought my 25th opinion and I say how now brown cow

But I love, love, love how good your lips taste after a lemon zest
And I could eat a tub of honey dripping down your
Oh, and the smell of your fresh cookies makes my tongue do a jig
They tell me stop before its too late, but I can’t help taking a swig

My coffee love, you’re my coffee love
Coffee, toffee, coffee love
My turtledove

You warm my cup, Heat me up
Frothy love

Storm my senses with your hot and spicy
You’ve got me nicely lost in paradise

Go easy on the whipped cream honey, I’ve got too much in my head
The shrink said I’ve got nothing to do but jump into bed
Oh but the sheets are cold and empty and I’m feeling a little sick
I need a little stimulation cos that’s what makes me tick

***

On a separate note, I’ll be performing a couple of songs at the “Originals Only Open Mike (OOOM)” tonight at the Singapore Art Museum in Bras Basah. It starts at 7pm.

As it’s a first-come-first-served event, I’m not exactly sure what time I’ll be playing, but if you’re in town do come and check it out! You’ll get to see a whole bunch of talented singer-songwriters take the stage.