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!
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.
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.
Honestly, I’m quite relieved to be done with this week’s song.
It’s been a really, really hectic week for me and my band. Let’s see, there was a rehearsal on Tues, filming at Clarke Quay on Wed, and a gig on Thurs. So, I really only had today to work on the song, because most of the weekend will be taken up rehearsing for the 13:34 Musical, which takes place next Thurs!
I spent most of this morning and afternoon finishing up the song and working on the melody. I set aside the evening to record the video, with Carol helping me on the camera, as usual. I think I was feeling hard pressed for time, which is why I lost count of the number of takes I took to get the song right. It was frustrating, but after putting down the guitar and taking a short break (Carol made a snack, too), I finally got a pretty decent take.
The song “Lullaby” is indeed intended to be one. Carol has not been sleeping well for weeks. She keeps waking up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat (I blame it on the lousy air cooler we have in the room). There was one night when she startled me awake all of a sudden. In the dark, I heard her shout: “Look, red dots!”, and what freaked me out was that her eyes were wide open and she was pointing her hand at the ceiling. I looked up, half-expecting some monstrosity to be perched above me, but nothing was there. For a moment, I thought she had been possessed. I shook her awake to see if she was okay, and she groggily told me she dreamed she was walking past a row of cute canines and had actually yelled: “Look, many dogs!”. *Slaps forehead*
Anyway, in the hope of better sleep, this song is dedicated to her.
Sleep easy my love
Close your eyes and
Drift into your space
Where I can’t find you
Rest easy my love
There are no monsters
Underneath the bed
I guarantee that
Dream easy my love
May you see wonders
Do amazing things
And not forget them
And when you wake up
You can take up
The story where you left off
Don’t worry, I will listen to you
Did you have a bad dream
Your sweat is cold
Put your hand in mine
Keep the light on
Did you dream that I
Was not beside you
Feel my caress
This is what’s real
High above the world
No one can find us
This room is our tree
This bed our nest
And when you wake up
You can take up
The story where you left off
Don’t worry, I will listen to you
And when you wake up
You can take up
The story where you left off
Don’t worry, I will listen to you
Sleep easy my love
Close your eyes and
Drift into your space
Where I can’t find you
***
I’d just like to say thanks to everyone for all the positive comments about the UK Songwriting Contest. It’s encouraged me a huge bunch and I really do need everyone’s support as I embark on this new chapter in my life. Actually, I am slightly worried about next week, because it’s the week of the musical and we’ll be frantically preparing for the show over the next few days. But I’m sure, with God’s Grace, I’ll have another song to share with you then!
I’ve got some good news to share! My song “Take The Highway” was a semi-finalist in the Rock/Indie category of the 2010 UK Songwriting Contest. This is an international competition where songwriters from all over the world submit their songs to be judged by producers in the UK, and entries are assessed based on songwriting ability – not how well they are produced or performed. You can find out more about the contest here.
The results were announced today and I must say I’m pretty pleased with that achievement, considering that this is my first time entering an international songwriting competition. Have a listen to the song below (it’s the same video I submitted for the contest).
“Take The Highway” is a conversation between a father and his young son. The father expresses regret for the life he has led, and acknowledges that he has not set a good example to his boy. He entreats his son not to follow in his footsteps, and vows to provide a good life for the boy. Lyrics below:
How long can you hold your breath
Just count from one to ten
I’ll stub out my cigarette
And you can breathe again
The father laughed with his little boy
As he sat him on his lap
Spoke Dunhill coated words
Lifted his tiny little cap
He said you know I want to give
Everything to you
When your mother was alive
She said the same thing too
So I’ll try to make a good life
For us two
Chorus
I may not know wrong from right
But there’s one thing I have learnt
Money is a dark dark tunnel
There’s no end there’s no return
You may not become what you imagine
Eventually
But take the highway, yeah
Not the dirt track like me
The boy eyed curiously
A tattoo of St. Paul
Preaching from his father’s arm
Scarred by one too many brawls
I was driven by failure and greed
His father softly said
Every dollar stained with blood
It got to my head
He said you know I want to give
Everything to you
When your mother was alive
She said the same thing too
So I’ll try to make a good life
For us two
Swept away my tracks
Washed off the scent of my past
Don’t use me as your mirror
Don’t come any nearer
***
Another of my songs, “We Dance”, received a Commended Entry in the Pop category. This is a song I wrote last year about the beautiful and personal moments I share with my wife, Carol, when it’s just the two of us in our own little bubble, protected from the outside world. I’m quite happy with how this song did as well. Most importantly, though, Carol has always loved it 😉
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!
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.
Where would you go to relax, get away from it all, or just be happy?
Well, we all have our happy places, and mine is by the sea, on the beach. I’m not talking about the tiny sandboxes we call beaches here, but long, gleaming stretches of sand that seem to go on forever; where the water is shimmering blue, and so is the sky.
This song is inspired by our Bali honeymoon, which took place just a few months ago (you can read more about it on our blog). They say Bali is touched by the gods, and indeed it is. Its beaches make you want to pause, take a deep breath, and give thanks for being alive.
We had a private beach at our hotel reserved only for guests, and we felt so privileged to have a little piece of heaven to call our own. When our two-week vacation was up, you bet we didn’t want to leave. “Our Own Beach” aims to capture that idyllic, daydream-like mood we had in Bali. It is hopefully a song that you can just close your eyes and listen to by the sea.
When I was planning this week’s video, I thought to myself: Why not have some fun with it? And what better place to record a song about the beach? So on Thursday afternoon, Carol and myself headed to the Pasir Ris Park, which is literally at our doorstep. Not only were we there to record a video, we also decided to have a barbecue lunch to top it off! It was a simple affair: chicken marinated with a special Thai dressing, some red peppers, and a disposable grill from the supermarket. Yes, the weather was muggy, but we made camp under a hut and had a blast.
Special credit goes to my lovely camerawoman, Carol, and of course the resident beach cat who made a cameo appearance.
This is a song about a girl. You know her. She’s the girl who’s really a child inside. Her face is an open book, true to her every emotion. You know what she’s feeling – or maybe you don’t. Her laugh fills the room with the sweetest music. Her tears, well, they are cold drops of December rain. They make you want to hold her close to you, to make her sadness go away.
I wrote the lyrics to this song a while ago, but never got down to writing the melody until this week. It is inspired by December, a time when the rain never seems to stop. The phrase “tears fall like rain in December” was stuck in my head for some time, before I had the inspiration to write the lyrics below. I tried to make the melody “floaty”, with a simple chord progression and a 3/4 beat.
Just got back from musical rehearsal. I think we’re finally getting the hang of the dance and rap routine, and for the first time we had a chance to run it with Fr Mike, the priest who is performing with us. (Yes, he will be rapping!). He’s really sporting and I’m sure it’ll be one of the highlights of the show 😉
After that, I had an interesting conversation with our vocal trainer, Jane. I noticed she had been warming us up with scales my own coach used for me, so I asked her if she was SLS-trained. Speech Level Singing (or SLS) is a technique I have been training with for some time now, and I was under the impression that there were only two certified teachers in S’pore. (Read more about SLS here). Jane told me however, that there were now about 5-6 SLS-trained teachers here, some of them pretty new ones. Well, it’s great that there are more choices now, especially in terms of price.
I’m just about done with the first song of my “song a week” challenge. Firmed up the melody and played it to Carol earlier today – she really liked it 🙂 Will try recording it tomorrow, if my voice holds up. Both Carol and myself are having bad throats, thanks to the Botak Jones’ spicy fries we had the night before. Had no idea it would affect us that badly! Won’t be having that in a while, I tell you.
But anyway, I was really encouraged to see the comments on my earlier blog post, and on Facebook. Thanks everyone for the kind words. This is going to be exciting!
I’ve been thinking about what to do with this blog, and I’ve finally come up with an idea that really excites me.
You know, songwriting is my main passion in life. I feel I have so much inside me that I want to share with everyone, and there’s nothing I love more than sitting down with my guitar and crafting music and words into a song. The satisfaction than I get from performing my own songs to a live audience is beyond words. Sometimes, however, it gets hard to find the time to write… and songwriting I feel is a stream of creation that flows faster and stronger the more you give. My work so far has been a mere trickle.
It’s time to change that.
For one year, starting today, I will post one new original song on this blog every week. That means by the end of the week, you can expect to see either a video or mp3 uploaded here, with lyrics of course. I already have several videos on my YouTube channel, but these don’t count. Each song will be a completely new creation.
This is my challenge to myself… not easy I know, but it’s going to be fun!
What will I write about? The sky’s the limit. I’m open to suggestions, too 😉
Marcel Lee Pereira, singer-songwriter 