Mayfield was a band I formed after moving to New York to be with Frances and to escape the UK music business. It was a couple of years into my hiatus from Tears For Fears and the premise was to not use my name (hence Mayfield) and just try to rediscover the joys of music through playing live. We regularly played at downtown New York clubs like Brownie’s, Mercury Lounge and CBGB’s, in fact the only criteria was that the club had to be within walking distance of my apartment on Mercer and Houston. The “Mayfield Walking Tour” was born!

These were probably a couple of the most enjoyable years I’ve spent as a musician: no pressure and just doing it for the love of music. These songs were ostensibly recorded live, that is with the band playing together with overdubbing and editing used only to polish a few things. We recorded them over a period of three weeks, and whilst I may question the quality of some of the recording and mixing in retrospect, I still can feel the passion intended today.

I have decided to reissue this CD for two reasons:
1. People have asked me to.
2. The original distribution company is no longer in existence. So you can rest assured that if you buy the original CD, not one cent of what you pay for it will come to me. For this reason, I’ve updated the artwork a little so that everyone can differentiate.

Last, a very special thanks to Janice Whaley for the rerecorded, rearranged bonus version of Trees.
If you get a chance visit thesmithsproject.blogspot.com, or follow Janice on Twitter @janicewhaley.

PS. To those wondering about the name: Curt-is-Mayfield (geddit?)



Mayfield

All songs by Smith/Pettus 
Happy Fish Music exclusively administered by Kobalt Music Publishing Limited BMI 
Margerine Music ASCAP 
Lead Vocals: Curt Smith 
Music: Charlton Pettus & Curt Smith 
Drums: Aaron Sterling & Charlton Pettus 
Cello & Cello Arrangement on “All Is Love”: Zoe Keating 
Lead Vocals on “Hold It Together” & backing vocals on “Beautiful Failure”: Carina Round 
Lead Vocals on “Porn Star”: Holly Palmer 
Additional & particularly excellent keyboards: Doug Petty 
Backing Vocals on “Heaven’s Sake” & “My Point Being”: Claire Acey 
Assorted Backing Vocals: Charlton Pettus, Georgica Pettus, Harry Pettus, Michael Wainwright. 
Recorded at Shabby Road 
Mixed by Charlton Pettus 
Mastered by Ted Jensen for Sterling Sound

Management: The Artists Organization 
Legal: Stacy Fass 
Agents: Carole Kinzel & Mike Greek at CAA 
Art Direction and Design: Curt Smith & Gina Vivona 
Photography: Alan Shaffer 

Curt would like to thank: Frances, Diva & Wilder. Charlton, Al, Georgie, Harry & all the Pettus/Saraspe clan. Rishi, Gary, Aimee, T.J., Hillbilly & all at The Artists Organization. 
Zoe, Carina, Holly & Claire for being fabulous. Aaron, well...for being Aaron. 
Finally a heartfelt thanks to Arlene Wszalek for five invaluable years!! 
Charlton would like to thank: All the patient people. 
Enjoy!

Deceptively Heavy

Never should be told :)

Beast of burden 
Shades of grey 
Fall to pieces 
Fight the good fight 
Hold the line 
Take me backwards 
Things only fall apart 
Swing slowly down 
One for sorrow two for joy 
Three is for happy ever after 
Beg or borrow lose or steal your own 
One for sorrow two for joy 
The question or the answer 
Some secrets never should be told 
Hope and glory 
Do the time 
Send me packing 
Take the highroad 
Save the day 
Once forgotten 
Things only fall apart 
Swing slowly down 
One for sorrow two for joy 
Three is for happy ever after 
Beg or borrow lose or steal your own way 
One for sorrow two for joy 
The question or the answer 
Some secrets never should be told

iTunes

Some Secrets

"I love the manic in your kind of crazy" - the title is an amusing play on the lyric & became the inspiration behind the album sleeve. The song itself is about my mother-in-law who also passed away last year. She suffered from manic depression/bi-polar disorder her whole life, but when she was up she could be one of the funniest people you would ever meet. I prefer to remember her that way.

Would you kindly not mind me 
I see things untimely 
Bring dark clouds and white knights bright lights 
Shepherd to the edge of time’s not on my side 
I love the manic in your kind of crazy 
I’ll hold the line for you slide down the mine with you 
I love the manic in your you’re kind of crazy 
Sit back, step on the crack, get out of your tree & pick up the slack 
I love the manic in your kind of crazy 
I’ll hop the rails with you pick out a cell for two 
I love the manic in your you’re kind of crazy 
Stand down, running aground, hand me the rope before we drown 
Hopeless, discouraged, I dive with a flourish 
I’m constantly craving misbehaving 
Over the edge we fall 
I love the manic in your kind of crazy 
I’ll hold the line for you slide down the mine with you 
I love the manic in your you’re kind of crazy 
Sit back, step on the crack, get out of your tree and pick up the slack 
I love the manic in your kind of crazy 
I’ll hop the rails with you pick out a cell for two 
I love the manic in your you’re kind of crazy 
Stand down, running aground, hand me the rope before we drown 
Save me one more...time’s not on my side

Mannequin

The most personal song on the album. I wrote the lyrics on the flight home from the UK after my mother's funeral, the song was written to the lyrics. She wasn't the best mother because of her family background & the fact that we had an absent father, but she did "well enough alone". Also, to me the phrase summed up her solitary life bringing up three boys - well, enough, alone. Amazing what a comma can do.


Not ever-present 
Tense with tragedy 
Your part-time care 
Free abandoned you 
Deserted we... 
Leave, well enough, alone 
Your single hand 
Picked down through the sand 
To hold not to save 
You sink to the deep 
And cry well enough alone... 
Leave, well enough, alone 
Sleep walk my child 
With your innocent smile 
At the camera alone 
Hold-out for home 
You did well you did well you did well you did 
Well 
Enough 
Alone 
Leave, well enough alone

Well Enough

A song about politics & our President. I was (and still am to a limited degree) a big supporter of Barack Obama, to the extent of gaining citizenship to vote for him. What I've realized since then is that the American political system is so broken that the only thing that gets you anywhere in Washington is money. There could be a poll stating that 80% of the country is in favor of something (you've seen them) but lobbyists & money will still win the day. I may be in love but he's always going to go for the money.


Laid bare for the big rig 
Drilling hope from the bottom of the slope 
That slips & bobs & backhand jobs 
For this greedy needy seedy kind of love 
Tied down loaded up 
Declaring love as you slide on the glove, pulling out 
Thirty one flavors of whipped up party favors 
For this greedy needy seedy kind of love 
I’m in love 
I’m in love 
With a porn star 
Deep blue & the devil she’s a 
Hot mess in her red party dress 
The mysterious stranger, the thrill & the danger of this 
Greedy needy seedy kind of love 
I’m in love 
I’m in love 
With a porn star 
Raised by friendly fire 
Tag team slot machine 
Climbing the pole & punching the hole 
Come to our senses & hold it against us in this 
Greedy needy seedy kind of love

Porn Star

Initially was written as a theme tune to an animated TV show that my friend and director Marcos Siega was doing. The show never got picked up but I loved the song. I felt it needed an orchestral arrangement (particularly cello) so I contacted Zoe Keating via twitter & the rest is history.


Look what you’ve done 
You’ve blown it all on vanity and sympathy 
See how you run 
A pot of gold and a bleeding heart to go with it 
When all is love and the hurt is gone 
We’ll all reach out to touch someone 
When every mother’s loving every son 
When all is love there’ll be love for everyone 
Look what you’ve lost 
Innocence and faith and save yourself at any cost 
Here’s what you’ll find 
When the bottom drops out 
When all is love and the hurt is gone 
We’ll all reach out to touch someone 
When every mother’s loving every son 
When all is love there’ll be love for everyone 
Close your eyes and it’s gone 
Don’t look down ‘til it’s over 
Hold on tight everyone 
We’re halfway home 
Look what you’ve done

All Is Love

One of the tracks written after my mother died. Having arguments with my brothers about stupid shit & realizing we're family no matter how much they can piss me off.

Grace falls 
Bitter luck 
Next time 
Games we play 
Pride, ascension, murder 
Line, correction, farther away 
My point being all is rust 
All is riot, always was 
My point being words are wasted on us 
His tree 
Her thing 
Cut to the chase and 
Make ends meet 
Pride, ascension, murdered us 
Miss Direction, Father Away 
My point being all is rust 
All is riot, always was 
My point being words are wasted on us 
My point being all is dust 
All is quiet, always was 
My point being words are wasted on us 
My point being words are wasted on us

My Point Being

Done for an Indy movie called Meth Head. A couple dealing with one person's meth addiction. Initially I thought I'd play the addict but Carina did it so much better than I ever could. I'm the voice of reason (there's a first).


Fastball alive is the limit once bitten twice high 
Shaking the coil 
I’m climbing the battlements scaling the walls 
To escape with the jewels as I bow to the fools. 
Is anybody listening? 
Treat me up beat me up 
Lay me down and eat me up 
Leave me alive 
I’m craving I’m raving from drywall to drywall 
I’m running out of fire 
Is anybody listening? 
Hush now baby baby 
You’ve got to hold it together 
You don’t want to wake everybody 
You don’t want to scare anyone 
Hush now baby baby 
You’ve got to hold it together 
You don’t want a raise a fuss 
You don’t want to make a mess of everything 
Hold it together 
I’m sold but this cold is a hard one to shake me 
Awake am I dreaming of genies and snakes 
Pull the covers up hide me lie to me and hold me and hold me and hold me... 
Hush now baby baby 
You’ve got to hold it together 
You don’t want to wake everybody 
You don’t want to scare anyone 
Hush now baby baby 
You’ve got to hold it together 
You don’t want a raise a fuss 
You don’t want to make a mess of everything 
Hold it together, Hold it together 
When the weight of the world 
Is too much to bear 
You’re not alone 
I’ll be there 
We can hold it together

Hold It Together

Temptation.

Don’t ask questions if you don’t want to know 
Don’t ask directions if you know where to go 
Look to the side - look to the side 
Fight or flying we aim to live and learn 
Pulling punches before we crash and burn 
Move to the side - move to the side 
What were you thinking 
If you know what’s good for you 
Suffer the silence and then... 
What were you thinking 
If you know what’s bad for you 
Let the games begin, let the games begin 
Switch positions act for the mice and men 
Mister Christian is on the loose again 
Pushed to decide - pushed to decide 
What were you thinking 
If you know what’s good for you 
Suffer the silence and then... 
What were you thinking 
If you know what’s bad for you 
Let the games begin, let the games begin...

Suffer The Silence

A song about my eldest daughter when she was 10. The most amazing child who unfortunately at that age was going through a period of self doubt. Beautiful Failure was how she saw herself, not how I saw her.


Beautiful failure, sooner or later we’ll say so long 
Unusual stranger, counting the days until the tide runs out 
We’re winding down 
Hey as long as you can smile you’re alive 
Won’t you stay and just breathe for a while 
You’re a mile away 
Beautiful failure, growing in greater than the sum of your parting 
Goodbye familiar alien, huddled with strangers round the fire 
Escaping the cold, don’t cry 
Hey as long as you can smile you’re alive 
Won’t you stay and just breathe for a while 
You’re a mile away 
When the bough breaks the cradle will fall 
And down comes cradle baby and all 
Beautiful failure, bolder and brighter than the sails 
That take you away
credits

Beautiful Failure

Gone Again

Sun King

I Don't Want To Be Around

Snow Hill

Mother England

Reach Out

Jasmine's Taste

Sorry Town

What Are We Fighting For

My Christmas song this year doesn't involve me singing. Santa Baby by Diva & Wilder Smith :) Enjoy

Santa Baby

White Christmas

Baby Please Come Home

Trees (featuring Janice Whaley)

"Perfectly ... Still (featuring Universal Hall Pass)" is the second single in a planned album-length project of collaborations with artists Smith meets via social media. It will be available in digital format from his website, AmazonMP3, iTunes, and other online retailers. It will also be available as a signed, limited edition CD single, sold only at concerts and via Smith's website.

Smith met guest artist Universal Hall Pass (Melissa R. Kaplan) when one of his fans responded to a request for collaborator suggestions by tweeting: "Can I please be a complete slobbering fangirl and recommend the ethereal Melissa Kaplan?" Smith was captivated by Kaplan's music and reached out to her via MySpace. Kaplan didn't believe it was really him at first, but was ultimately convinced of both his identity and interest, and enthusiastically agreed to participate. As with his previous collaboration "All Is Love" with cellist Zoë Keating, Smith sent Kaplan the in-progress tracks, to which she added both vocals and instrumentation. To this day, the two haven't yet met in person.

"Perfectly ... Still" tells the story of a man who has an amazing family and home life, but is tempted to throw it all away for a potential exotic relationship in a different country. The song's title is both cautionary, "because when hormones kick in you have to resist acting on them until your head straightens out," and celebratory, "because you then realize that what you already have in fact works perfectly, still."

Like Smith's previous solo effort, Smith is releasing "Perfectly ... Still" under a Creative Commons license. The license Smith uses allows others to freely share, perform, and remix his work, so long as the uses are non-commercial, Smith is credited, and any derivative works carry the same license.

Perfectly ... Still (featuring Universal Hall Pass)

Curt Smith released “All Is Love (featuring Zoë Keating),” his first new solo material in nearly two years, on January 24. 2010. Smith released “All is Love” via his KOOK Media label as a standalone single, which is available in digital format from his website AmazonMP3, iTunes, CD Baby, thesixtyone and other online retailers. 

Smith met guest artist Zoë Keating online. “I was looking for a cellist to play on the track and heard about Zoë through Twitter. I watched a few of her performances on YouTube and thought she was fantastic and innovative.” He sent her the in-progress tracks, and a month or so later she hand-delivered her cello parts to a Tears For Fears concert outside of San Francisco. 

“All Is Love,” began life as a demo track for a television pilot theme song (the original version, called “Halfway Home,” streams on Smith’s website). While the pilot didn’t get picked up, Smith liked the musical idea he’d begun, and reworked it with longtime collaborator Charlton Pettus. In a departure from his usual lyrical themes of longing and loss, All Is Love’s anthemic chorus (“When every mother’s loving every son / When all is love, there’ll be love for everyone”) looks forward with hope to a time of peace and calm. “I was inspired by the 2008 U.S. presidential election” says Smith “The verses are about the negativity of all the advertising, whilst the chorus invokes the inspiration I felt about positive change.”

Like Smith’s previous solo effort “Halfway, pleased,” he released “All Is Love” under a Creative Commons license. The license Smith uses allows others to freely share, perform, and remix his work, so long as the uses are non-commercial, Smith is credited, and any derivative works carry the same license. “I’m a big fan of Creative Commons,” Smith says. “It’s a no-brainer as far as I’m concerned. It affords you the opportunity to set the ground rules of how people can use your music upfront.”

Background vocalists on “All Is Love” include singer-songwriters Michael Wainwright (who opened for Tears for Fears on its 2009 U.S. tour) and Jason Joseph, as well as Pettus’ daughter Georgica. Charlton Pettus and Smith share writing and production credits.


All Is Love (featuring Zoë Keating)

Track 1 from the album "Halfway, pleased"

Perfect Day

Halfway Pleased

Greatest Divide

Aeroplane

Cover Us

Where Do I Go

Seven of Sundays (Acoustic)

My favorite Christmas song when I was 13 years old. Enjoy :)

Lonely This Christmas

My first original holiday song; it was featured in this season's Holiday episode of the USA Network series PSYCH. 

This Is Christmas

Kevin Pollak asked me to create a song for his webseries "Kevin Pollak's Chat Show." This is the result, which is used as the closing theme for the show.

Kevin Pollak's Chat Show Theme

The producers of PSYCH asked me to record the show's theme song for the episode in which I made a guest appearance ("Shawn 2.0," season 5). Written by the series' creator Steve Franks, recorded and produced at Shabby Road with the Reverend Charlton Pettus.

I Know, You Know (Theme from PSYCH)

I'm a singer-songwriter-musician. (Yeah, I'm also half of Tears For Fears.) Thanks for giving my solo material a listen.

curtsmith

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