This Is Not The End

My name is DJ Drowsy Drawers
You shall sleep forever more
Your eyes are getting droopy
You are feeling quite poopy

And all you want to do now
Is sit under the covers
Wiping your eyebrows

Because you're getting very sleepy
By DJ Drowsy Drawers
My beats will make you drowsy
And my hits will make you snore
You're getting very sleepy
By DJ Drowsy Drawers
My beats will make you drowsy
And my hits will make you snore

You are feeling quite poopy... poopy...

Because you’re getting very sleepy
By DJ Drowsy Drawers
My beats will make you drowsy
And my hits will make you snore

All you can do now is lie under the covers
Waiting for your beddie byes
And now you’re closing your eyes
Remember now, you shall have a nightmare
All that will be left is a little bit of despair

Because you’re getting very sleepy
By DJ Drowsy Drawers
My beats will make you drowsy
And my hits will make you snore
You’re getting very sleepy
By DJ Drowsy Drawers
My beats will make you drowsy
And my hits will make you snore

You're Gettin Very Sleepy (feat. DJ Drowsy Drawers)

Here's my latest single 'Judy', an indie pop song about life, dreams & spreadsheets. All the important stuff, basically.

Check it out on:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4WnwbUC9pkhF5oJo2s5IcV
Bandcamp: https://davidtaro.bandcamp.com/album/judy
Youtube: https://youtu.be/BllYMQOmOS4

[UPDATE] Reviews are coming in for Judy!

“From start to finish this song packs a beautiful punch and encourages the listener to ultimately get out there and live their life to the fullest.” - Gifted Balance Records, The Study Lounge Blog
https://www.giftedbalancerecords.com/thestudylounge/davidtarojudy

“A beautiful and pretty sounding song with a stinger ending and a great, radio friendly length, Judy has all the elements needed for a huge hit that already sounds absolutely timeless. One of our favourites in a long time.” - Send Me Your Ears
https://sendmeyourears.com/david-taro-judy/

“Representing the London music scene, David Taro is a singer, songwriter, and multi-talented performer who’s put his signature essence on his latest, ’Judy’. Keeping things genuine in the song’s prowess to tell a compelling story through imagery-filled lyricism, there’s definitely an optimism that comes through by the final notes.” - We Write About Music
https://www.wewriteaboutmusic.com/reviews/david-taro-judy


Thank you for listening

LYRICS:

Judy wakes up
Sips from a cup of coffee
Runs for the bus
Same way she has forever
And if you don’t get too excited
Well, you won’t be sorry

Judy is bored
Largely ignored by colleagues
Chews on a pen
Turns back again to the spreadsheet
And if you don’t have dreams to start with
Well, they can’t get broken
And ah, they can’t get broken

Judy has friends
Katie and Ben and Emily
Known them for years
Drank cheap wine and beer in their company
But she don’t see much of them these days
They’ve all got families
And ah, they’ve all got families

Judy, if wanna live the way you wanna
Who am I to judge you
You don’t have to be like you get told to be like
Don’t need someone to love you

Judy comes home
Has dinner alone in her bedroom
Washes her plate
Stays up til late with the TV
And when she turns the lights off
Well, she won't be sorry
Ah, she won't be sorry
Ah, she won't be sorry

Judy

My 50/90 offering for today... I don't know if this is cheating. I started writing this song when I was 14, but I think I only ever had the first two verses and the chorus bit (not even sure I had proper words for that). Anyway, for some reason it's been in my head this week, so I thought I'd do 14 year-old me a favour and finish it off, then record it.

For context, 14 year-old me was pretty obsessed with John Lennon. I think this was likely an attempt to channel 'Love', so I went with a pretty similar arrangement and added that little fade in when I was mastering. Hoping that makes it a tribute rather than a rip off 😬

LYRICS

Hanging my head
Wish I’d stayed in bed
I tell you that I feel down

Feet on the floor
Always wanting more
I tell you that I feel down

It makes me sorry
It makes me sad
It makes me worry
That I can’t tell good from bad

Standing in line
Am I wasting time
I tell you that I feel down

Electricity hums
But my fingers are numb
I tell you that I feel down

It makes me sorry
It makes me sad
It makes me worry
That I can’t tell good from bad

Nothing I do
Ever matters to you
I tell you that I feel down

You offer a hand
But you don’t understand
When I tell you that I feel down

Down

It's nearly the end of the 50/90 songwriting challenge, so I thought I'd try and coax out one more tune....

LYRICS:

At the end of the day
When the soft light is fading
You hold out your hand
Just anticipating
And I'll follow you down
Til we come to the sound
Of a river running through
Oh a river running through

At the end of the day
We'll sit by the water
Take off our shoes
Give in to the laughter
And you rest your head
On my shoulder and then
We look up at the stars
We look up at the stars

Ooooh....
At the end of the day
Girl, won't you stay
With me, only me

At the end of the day
A stately procession
Of airplanes and satellites
Fly through the heavens
And we watch them go
Like we're watchin' a show
Put on just for us
Yeah put on just for us

Ooooh....
At the end of the day
Girl, won't you stay
With me, only me

At the end of the day
We're just sparks in the darkness
All we can aim for
Is a moment of kindness
So hold me and tell me
You won't ever leave me
And I'll do the same for you
Yeah let me do the same for you

End Of The Day

I've been noodling with this riff most of January, so it seemed a good starting point to build a song around today. It's kind of an open letter to myself aged 16. Back then I had a pretty catastrophic falling out with my friends (entirely my own fault I should add). It ended up being quite a sliding doors moment - I went to a different sixth form, joined a band which I'm still part of today, met my wife-to-be. Anyway, I distinctly remember feeling like the world had ended. And I wanted to sort of reach back and tell my younger self that, while it may be rubbish at that particular moment, you'll learn from the experience and... it will get better!

(Special thank you to my erstwhile friend and lead guitar maestro Fareed Sahloul for the screaming guitar solo on this one!).

LYRICS:

I know you feel bitter
I know you feel ashamed
I know you feel broken
I know you feel blamed
I know you feel compromised
I know you feel stoic
I know you feel sorry
But you’re too proud to show it

But boy this is not the end
This is only the beginning

I know you feel empty
I know you feel proud
I know you feel worthless
I know you feel cowed
I know you feel an aching
Deep down in your heart
I know you feel everything 
Is slowly falling apart

But boy this is not the end
This is only the beginning

I know you feel haunted
I know you feel mad
I know you feel reckless
I know you feel damned
I know you feel insecure
I know you feel branded
I know you feel something
But you can't understand it

But boy this is not the end
This is only the beginning

(Let me tell you 'bout the future...)
Some dreams they happen
Some dreams they don't
Some days you'll be happy
Some days you won't
You're gonna have family
They're gonna fill you with you love
Not gonna get everything
But you're gonna get enough

And boy this is not the end
This is only the beginning

Everybody falls
Everybody falls
Everybody falls
It's how you come back

This started life with me messing about with a capo on a high fret of my nylon string guitar. My first attempt at words was genuinely awful. "You make the dinner and I'll pour some wine...." sort-of-thing... BLEURGH. As with many slow numbers, I found that going darker with the lyrics unlocked the song. Disclaimer: I don't think anyone would actually be like this in real life, I just rather enjoyed the metaphor (and the title, I like the title).

LYRICS

You strike a match
And I'll toss it in
We'll watch together
As the fire begins
It's a kind of addiction
We both know is a sin
But who cares

Stand in the moonlight
Watching the flames
The innocent victims
With unmemorable names
And sooner or later
We'll do it again
So who cares

There goes our love again
There goes our love again

Your friends think I'm crazy
I'm poison for you
I'm weak and I'm lazy
Hell, most of it's true
But deep down they know
That you're built like that too
So who cares

When we're together
The flames never cease
We’re both like a jigsaw
With one missing piece
I guess maybe someone
Should call the police
But who cares

There goes our love again
There goes our love again

Oh, I know it’s crazy
But I love to watch it burn
So let’s burn it down again

There goes our love again
There goes our love again
There goes our love again

The Arsonists

This song is basically a glorified riff. I wanted it to sound a bit like an outtake from The Big Pink or The Basement Tapes (hence the rather silly 'Take one' bit at the start). Although it goes a bit Blues Brothers in the middle and, arguably, a bit erm... Muppets with the vocal breakdowns. Anyway, I hope the end result sounds vaguely like a band jamming, because that was the intention.

LYRICS

We're cutting it loose
We're cutting it loose
We're cutting it loose tonight

Nothing to lose
Nothing to lose
Nothing to lose alright

I couldn't hold a candle to you
When you danced me off the floor
Didn't want a scandal, darlin’
But,  oh, let's dance some more

We're singin’ the blues
We're singin’ the blues
We're singin’ the blues tonight

Shake your caboose
Shake your caboose
Shake your caboose alright

I didn’t want to kiss you
Until the moment felt right
I didn't want to miss you, darlin’
But, oh, let’s dance tonight

We got Big Man Kelly on the lead guitar
Fingers faster than a racing car
Holly Go Brightly on the piano keys
Holly won't you play a little blues for me
Sam on the drums, Sally on bass
Tighter than a miser in a one horse race
Pam on the organ playing lines so clean
Me, I'm just shaking this ol' tambourine

I couldn't hold a candle to you
When you danced me off the floor
Didn't want a scandal, darlin’
But oh, let's dance some more

We're cutting it loose
We're cutting it loose
We're cutting it loose tonight

Nothing to lose
Nothing to lose
Nothing to lose alright

Cutting It Loose

I woke up one morning last week with the first line of this song in my head. I'm not sure why, but the image of a 'puddle of moonbeams' seeping in through a crack in the window tickled me, and the rest of the lyrics are basically me squeezing the remaining juice out of that initial idea.

Big thanks to @gm7 for bringing the Steve Cropper/BB King vibes on the lead guitar - it really adds an extra layer of gloss on the final track!

(PS. Couldn't resist the little nod to 'Oh! Darling' in the chorus turnarounds.)

LYRICS

There’s a puddle of moonbeams in the corner
Under the cracked window pane
I’ve been trying to get used to living without you
Just me and my troubles again

There’s a scatter of takeaway boxes
A great drift of mail by the door
The weather’s been strange since you left
It's been me and my troubles once more

Just me and my troubles
Holed up in this room
Me and my troubles
Dreaming, oh yeah we're dreaming 
Dreaming of you

There's a sprinkling of dust on the carpet
A newspaper over my knee
Last night it hailed whiskey bottles
That sure was something to see

Just me and my troubles
Holed up in this room
Me and my troubles
Dreaming, oh yeah we're dreaming 
Dreaming of you

Me And My Troubles

For my sister, and the many other strong women that we all know. Backing vocals and co-write courtesy of the inestimable @sonya-heller.

LYRICS:

There are times
When I forget myself
And all the trouble in this world
Then I feel guilty
For feeling happy
I know it sounds absurd

But when I think of you
Things you’ve been going through
All I really want to say is

Sister, oh my sister
You are strong
Stronger than I'll ever know

You’ve been dealt
Your share of hardship
Oh, but in the face of yours
You walked for miles
Across the desert
Now you're running many more

So when I think of you 
And every sister too
All I really want to say is

Sister, oh my sister
You are strong
Stronger than I'll ever know
Sister, oh my sister
You are strong
Stronger than I'll ever know

Oh sister
If the truth be told
I don't know what the future holds
But, it's like we've learned to say
Don't do tomorrow
What can be done today

Sister, oh my sister
You are strong
Stronger than I'll ever know
Sister, oh my sister
You are strong
Stronger than I'll ever know

Stronger, stronger
(Stronger than you'll ever know)

Sister

Here's the first of two older tracks that I've re-recorded to go onto a potential album later this year. Hope you enjoy!

LYRICS

Daniel, you could get away with anything
Cos the world seems so much brighter when you’re smiling
Daniel, when did you get so big?
You're running round the garden with those older kids

And you’ll always be my baby
But it’s crazy how you grow
Daniel we were young
But now we’re getting old

Daniel, seems like no time at all
Since I held you to my body in the hospital 
Daniel, I never want to let you go
But I know I'm going to have to, it's inevitable  

And I'm watching all the changes
They're amazing to behold
Daniel we were young
But now we’re getting old

I took a picture, put it in a book
Maybe in fifteen years you're gonna take a look
And then in fifteen more you’re gonna look again
Remember just how much I loved you, my friend

Daniel, you could get away with anything
Cos the world seems so much brighter when you’re smiling
Daniel, I never want to let you go
But I know I'm going to have to, it's inevitable

And you’ll always be my baby
But it’s crazy how you grow
Daniel we were young
But now we’re getting old
Daniel we were young
But now we’re getting old
Daniel we were young
But now we’re getting old

Daniel

A very quick write and record this afternoon, when I probably should have been doing genuine paid work. Ah well. My apologies for the odd duff note and on-the-nose lyrics.

LYRICS

I saw a field full of stars
You were standing there
We had a house on a hill
Flowers everywhere

Life was simple, life was sweet
We had no worries, we felt complete

But oh, it was just a dream I had
When I was green and young
Oh, it was never more than that
And now I’m growing up

I saw a world lit by hope
Brighter than the one I knew
We learned from the past and understood
Where we were heading to

Instead of violence we had love
No suspicion, only trust

But oh, it was just a dream I had
When I was green and young
Oh, it was never more than that
And now I’m growing up
Now I’m growing up
Now I’m growing up

Just A Dream

For the Soundcloud peeps, apologies, after a long hiatus I'm going to start spamming you with songs as I'm once again embarking on FAWM (February Album Writing Month). I can't recommend it highly enough if you're a songwriter, it's simply the best part of my year!


LYRICS

There is no good news anymore
Only horror piled on endless horror
I can’t lift my eyes up off the floor
To take in this hellscape by Goya
My brain shuts down
I can’t hear the sound
Of the stoney-faced woman on my TV

And I want to believe that there’s love in this world
I want to believe that there’s good in my soul
But looking at what’s going on
I ask myself can someone good be so numb?

I make my round of charitable donations
But it never really feels enough to me
Marching past the young charity workers
Pretend I’ve got an urgent place I gotta be
‘Cause my heart can’t cope
In this vacuum of hope
I just stare into the middle distance

And I want to believe that there’s love in this world
I want to believe that there’s good in my soul
But looking at what’s going on
I ask myself can someone good be so numb?

And my brain shuts down
I can’t hear the sound
Of the stoney-faced woman on my TV

And I want to believe that there’s love in this world
I want to believe that there’s good in my soul
But looking at what’s going on
I ask myself can someone good be so numb?

Can someone good be so numb?
Can someone good be so numb?

Numb

FAWM no. 13... a cheery song about a dystopian, apocalyptic future that may or may not be based on recent climate summits 😬. Wanted to go full orchestral on this, a bit like if Randy Newman had done a song with ELO...

LYRICS

Out here in the desert
We’re turning off the lights
We had a good time, baby
Now the pipes are running dry
Back in 2023, we said it would all be fine
I guess that we were wrong
And you were right

Towers in the distance
Tremble in the heat
We built our Babylon
Out of oil and concrete
Now join us on the hundredth floor
As the waters rise
Watch the little people tryin’ to survive

And it looks like the end of the world
And everyone knows it’s
The way we all chose it
And if it’s the end of the world
It can’t be denied
We all had the time of our lives

These days you will struggle
To find somewhere that’s free
From fire, flood or famine
And human misery
London’s underwater, L.A.’s smoke and dust
Seven billion vehicles slowly rust

But don’t you worry, baby
Baby, don’t despair
You didn’t think this story
Really ended there
For the lucky few (and hey that’s you!)
There’s a colony on Mars
I hear the shuttle’s waiting to depart

And it looks like the end of the world
Everyone knows it’s
The way we all chose it
And if it’s the end of the world
It can’t be denied
We all had the time of our lives

It’s been quite a ride
Now kiss it goodbye….

The End Of The World

50/90 2024 Track No. 6

Lyrics by Bill White (https://billwhite.bandcamp.com/)

When We Lived By The Sea

50/90 2024 Track No. 7

A sentimental one, in the jazz/blues styleeey...

Lyrics by Graham/Daniel

https://soundcloud.com/mctownmusicnew
https://soundcloud.com/vaughanraydaniel

She Becomes A Woman In My Arms

50/90 2024. Track No. 11. Collab with the mighty @nahlejmusic (https://nahlej.bandcamp.com/)

Music: @nahlejmusic
Vocals & lyrics: @david_taro

LYRICS

I built a home in my head
Where you said I was safe
Turns out it’s made of glass
Only takes one thing to shatter
Now nothing else matters
The future is in the past

It’s crazy how it falls apart
Don't take for granted
This beating heart

Now that you’re back in the game
Nothing’s the same
The pieces ain’t where you left them
Never quite sure what to think
You’re all out of sync
Something’s up with the system

Oh, it all falls apart
Don't take for granted
This beating heart

It’s kind of the same only different
It’s kind of the same only different
Only different

Just take me back to a time
Where everyone’s fine
And everything’s simple
Don’t make me grow up and learn
The kaleidoscope turns
We’re all complicated people

And it all falls apart
Don't take for granted
This beating heart

kind of the same only different

50/90 2024. Track 18.

Vocals, guitar: @hypnotist
Vocals, bass: @david_taro

So What You Waiting For? (feat. Hypnotist)

Vienna (Billy Joel cover)

This one came out whilst I was at university, and was played non-stop in the student clubs. It's cheesy, full of non-stop clichés and yet utterly delightful. I don’t know why I’ve reimagined it as a piano ballad. Sometimes these things just happen…

Reach (S Club 7 cover)

FAWM track #2. This one was sparked by my son, Daniel, berating me for having too many silly nicknames for him (it’s true, I do). I’ve written quite a few ‘isn’t it sad that you’ve got to grow up’ songs in the past, and initially this was another. But it’s kind of morphed into a more general meditation on, well, I suppose death. So a very cheerful number.

It’s not quite the song I had in my head when I was writing it. And it’s a little too earnest for my liking, in retrospect. But I’ve given up tweaking for now and am offering it up to the Internet Gods. Do your worst…

LYRICS

Dandelion, look at you grow
Dandelion, wouldn’t you know
So strong and proud in the summer meadow

Dandelion, yellow as the sun in the August sky
I’m happy and I’m sad, I don’t know why
Oh dandelion

Dandelion, when do we learn
Dandelion, seasons will turn
Like time-lapse memories, we flicker

Dandelion, mellow as the light of a dying star
This spirit in our lungs only goes so far
Oh dandelion

Dandelion, look at you now
Dandelion, you made it somehow
Still strong and proud in the fading echoes

Dandelion, scatter your seeds on a passing wind
One story ends and a new one begins
Oh dandelion


Dandelion

FAWM 2025. Track 9.

A collaboration with the wonderful Liz Frencham, who you should immediately go and check out (https://lizfrencham.bandcamp.com/album/love-and-other-crimes)

David Taro: Vocals, guitars, organ
Liz Frencham: Vocals, bass

Good Morning Blues (feat. Liz Frencham)

FAWM 2025. Track 12.

A collaboration based on lyrics by @pattylakamp


LYRICS Patty Lakamp © Copyright 2025

V1
His name was Theodore
Never went by Ted
A nickname is disrespectful
Said the voices in his head

V2
I’d see him on the stairs
He would barely nod
I didn’t know much about him
Just that Theodore was odd

V3 
No visitors came by
He lived up there alone
I think that’s the way he liked it
No one bothering him at home

Ch
Everyone knows a Theodore
The kid who don’t belong
Won’t look you in the eye, he’s too withdrawn
The one the other kids love to pick on
Theodore, I coldly wrote you off
For far too long

V4
Then my father died 
I was on my own
My flat filled up with flowers
But my heart had turned to stone

V5
I stayed inside for days
Never felt so bad
I stared into space for hours
Plotting how to join my Dad

V6
Heard rustling at the door
Found a bouquet there
Then Theodore’s quiet footsteps 
Scurrying up the stairs

Ch
Everyone knows a Theodore
The kid who don’t belong
Won’t look you in the eye, he’s too withdrawn
The one the other kids love to pick on
Theodore, I coldly wrote you off
For far too long

Br 
The moment left me speechless
The gift of life he gave me
This kindness from an awkward man
Was the very thing that saved me

Ch
Everyone knows a Theodore
The kid who don’t belong
Won’t look you in the eye, he’s too withdrawn
The one the other kids love to pick on
Theodore, I coldly wrote you off
Far too long

Theodore

FAWM 2025. Track 13.

Really pleased with how this one turned out! Some bluesy 60s-inspired rock with the super talented Phil Norman.

Lyrics and music © Phil Norman / David Taro

I got a fog on my brain
I’m always hazy
When every day is the same
It drives you crazy
The big report that you need
You’re saying right now?
I wanna do as I please
But I don’t know how 

Man, I’m spread pretty thin these days
Oh, you’d be amazed

Thank you for thinking of me
I’m at ca-ca-ca-ca-ca-capacity
Thank you for thinking of me
I’m at ca-ca-ca-ca-ca-capacity
Ca-ca-ca-ca-ca-capacity
Ca-ca-ca-ca-ca-capacity

News is moving so fast
Makes me nervous
Place of safety is passed
Nobody heard us
Now I’m falling to bits
The bosses own me
I got my targets to hit
They go up monthly

Yeah, round here you work ‘til you die
So let me testify

Chorus

Everything blurs when you feel this tired
You sit there feeling helpless and uninspired
Worry about your kids, your wife
And every other thing in your goddamn life 

Chorus

Capacity (feat. Phil Norman)

FAWM 2025. Track 16. 

A friend recently posited the theory that Elon Musk's end game was to amass all the world's wealth and then hop off to Mars. While I don't necessarily agree (I'm on the fence), it struck me as a decent angle for a song.

LYRICS © David Taro

I’m on a mission to Mars
Gonna see me some stars
If this planet’s gonna snuff it
I’m better hopping off it
But the money is tight
You see, it’s not just the flight
I’ll need a colony too
In a style that I’m accustomed to
And that ain’t cheap, bro
But I really wanna go

Ain’t disingenuous
To call me a genius
You think it’s easy making friends
Try being in the 0.001 percent
It’s always bugged me
That no one’s ever really loved me
But, hey, I love myself
And take some comfort in enormous wealth
Because Mars ain’t cheap, bro
And I really wanna go

So I made me some green
With a business or sixteen
Each one makes you corrupter
It’s cool to be the great disruptor
You can always stand tall
When you own the townhall
Just modify the algorithm
’Til suddenly you are the system
Because Mars ain’t cheap, bro
If you really must know

{Kazoo solo performed by Mark Zuckerberg}

Oh, trying to keep this smile from off my face
‘Cause when the Lamestream News gets hold of it
They’re guaranteed to lose their…

Now there’s a plan in place
I’ve got my rockets in space
Found a pretty dumb mark
Have you heard the thing about the sharks?
I’m just a parasite
Hiding in plain sight
Preaching efficiency
When really it’s just cash for me
Because Mars ain’t cheap, bro
And pretty soon I gotta go

So goodbye


Mission To Mars

FAWM 2025. Track 19.

Last one for this February :)

coda (instrumental)

This is my entry for Round 1 of the "Spintunes" contest! The prompt/challenge was to write and record a song that is directly or obliquely about any sort of game. I used ALL the games. Wish me luck...

LYRICS

I played tennis with a champion
On the grass at Wimbledon
Knocked him over, two sets to one
Yeah, I barely broke a sweat

Had a go at archery
It didn’t seem that hard to me
I hit the bullseye, three out of three
And I still haven’t missed it yet

But ever since you cannonballed into my life
You have turned it upside down
Like no other game I’ve found

I’ve done nearly everything a man can do
But I’ve never got my head around you
I’ve played board games, parlour games, games with a ball
But love is the hardest game of them all

I played Twister with an acrobat
She was bendy as a Siamese cat
We did battle on the plastic mat
And, man, she could not compete

I’m a wizard at Monopoly
All that money seems to flow to me
I beat a businessman so handily
He fell right off his seat

But ever since I rolled the dice and fell for you
You have spun me round and round
Like no other game I’ve found

I’ve done nearly everything a man can do
But I’ve never got my head around you
I’ve played board games, parlour games, games with a ball
But love is the hardest game of them all
Said, love is the hardest game of them all

‘Cause when you smile at me that way (you know you do)
Do you realise what you put me through

I beat an actor when we played charades
I beat a racer in a Jaguar
I even beat the dealer at a game of cards
But I can’t get the better of you

I’ve done nearly everything a man can do
But I’ll never get my head around you
I’ve played board games, parlour games, games with a ball
But love is the hardest game of them all
Said, love is the hardest game of them all
Yeah, love… is the hardest…. game of them all

The Hardest Game

This is my entry for Round 2 of the "Spintunes" contest! The prompt/challenge was to write and record a song that makes prominent and creative use of rhythmic contrast between long and short note values.

LYRICS

The headline in the news today
Says they plan to find a way
To make a dog’s life last a little longer
And Bryan Johnson has a dream
A hundred pills and LEDs
To help his body age a little slower
 
But take it from someone who’s done
The thing you seek to do
The practice is not new

There’s no glory in longevity
There’s no glory in longevity

My name is John, the great magician
Alchemist and mathematician
Spoke to angels in obsidian mirrors
I could plot the stars to glean
The tangled fates of English queens
Cracked the code and learnt to live forever

And though our methods change
The craft remains the same
As I can explain

There’s no magic in longevity
There’s no magic in longevity

Imagine watching everything you love cease to be
While you count the hours in eternity

There’s no comfort in longevity
There’s no comfort in longevity

There is no difference between you and I
Only the knowledge that time can provide

Longevity

[EDIT: Slightly updated mix based on Spintunes judges' feedback.]

This is my entry for Round 3 of the "Spintunes" contest! The prompt/challenge was to "write and record a song that makes prominent and creative use of motivic development - a technique for creating extended melodies through repetition and variation of a short, memorable melodic fragment called a motive".

LYRICS

Waking up in purgatory
Isn’t where I thought I’d be
Aftertaste of argument
No that isn’t what I meant

And you do this every time
Just for a reaction
Yeah, you do this every time
Is it part of the attraction

Maybe you’ll go to prove that I need you
Maybe you’ll stay when I don’t believe you
Maybe you’re sweet, maybe you’re scary
Push me away only to tell me
Oh, don’t you want me anymore

What’s my motivation here
On a scale of one to fear
Weighing up the evidence
Isn’t making any sense

And it kills me every time
My heart on the pavement
Yeah it kills me every time
How you claim it’s an accident

Maybe you’ll go to prove that I need you
Maybe you’ll stay when I don’t believe you
Maybe you’re sweet, maybe you’re scary
Push me away only to tell me
Oh, don’t you want me anymore
Oh, don’t you want me anymore

I love it when you change
I love it when you change your
I love it when you change
I love it when you change your mind

Another day in purgatory
I guess that’s how it’s going to be
Our record’s playing on repeat
It’s never sounded so sweet

Maybe you’ll go to prove that I need you
Maybe you’ll stay when I don’t believe you
Maybe you’re sweet, maybe you’re scary
Push me away only to tell me
Oh, don’t you want me anymore
Oh, don’t you want me anymore

Don't You Want Me Anymore

This is my entry for Round 4 of the "Spintunes" contest (spoiler: sadly I didn't win 😭) The prompt/challenge was to "write and record a song inspired by the painting, Water Fox by the artist Madeline Owen".

In Japanese folklore, Kitsune are mischievous fox spirits known particularly for their ability to shapeshift. Handily, there is a river variety, which is what came to mind when I was saw Madeline’s painting.

(Cover image: Water Fox © Madeline Owen - https://collierwest.com/collections/madeline-owen / https://www.instagram.com/looselyassembled/)

LYRICS

Once there was a woodcutter’s son
Living alone, deep in the forest
Barely spared a word for anyone
In ten long years (or so it was said)
And every day
He would pray
Down by the river

The river ran fast and deep
Its banks were steep and slick with mud
The woodcutter’s son once had a wife
Carried away by those treacherous currents
And every day
He sang the name
Of the river spirit

Kitsune, why d’ya take my baby
Why d’ya take my baby away
Kitsune, why d’ya take my baby
Why d’ya take my baby away

One day he came back to his home
And there stood his wife, in the lengthening shadows
She said, “I can return every night
But when I depart, you must swear not to follow”
Then down he fell
Beneath her spell
And sang to the river

Kitsune, now you brought my baby
Now you brought my baby back
Kitsune, now you brought my baby
Now you brought my baby back

I lost my lover at the water’s edge
I’m never gonna lose her
Never gonna lose her again

The lure of curiosity grew
The woodcutter’s son could bear it no longer
Silently he traced her steps
To the muddy bank, where he lost her forever
In the pale blue dawn
She took the form
Of the river spirit

Kitsune, why d’ya take my baby
Why d’ya take my baby away
Kitsune, why d’ya take my baby
Why d’ya take my baby away

Kitsune, Kitsune, Kitsune
Kitsune, Kitsune, Kitsune
Kitsune, why d’ya take my baby
Why d’ya take my baby away
From me

Kitsune

A rare track in a prolonged period of musical hibernation. I couldn't resist the call of Mr Bill White's excellent lyrics. He knows the way.

If you like the tune, go check out Bill's music video, which features footage that inspired the lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZUnoBRqtPw

The Horse Knows The Way

Back on the Spintunes train... The round one prompt ('A day in the life') landed in my inbox whilst I was travelling around Italy. Not sure if that comes through in the lyrics at all? We stayed in an apartment in Genoa where the AirBnB host told us about her grandmother, Rosettina, who had lived there years before. Some of the details come direct from that, some are inspired by our travels in general. Ultimately it's a fictional portrait, but kind of dedicated to the real Rosettina, who sounded like a champion.

LYRICS

Daybreak on Via Luccoli
In this ancient town by the sea
Rosettina traces the lines in her face
She’s as old as a woman can be

On days the sun runs like honey
A memory is all she needs
Papa pressing the case for the convent
Rosettina saying, “No nuns for me”

[chorus]
Rosettina, Rosettina
Rosettina, would you say
It’s a day in your life
Or your life in a day
When everything changes
And only your memories remain

After breakfast, she takes down the photos
Dog-eared and monochrome
Left in a will by a photographer friend
Who died many decades ago

They show a young girl in Portofino
Who used to hitch down country roads
To hang out in bars with the Hollywood stars
She met Bogart, Bacall and Bardot

[chorus]

At noon, Rosettina takes coffee
Under the stripy facade
Of the old cathedral of San Lorenzo
In the bustle of tourists and cars

She sees how her city keeps changing
While the names on the streets stay the same
Buildings built on the bones of buildings
Then they do it all over again

[chorus]

Her family comes in the evening
Four generations are there
Aged twenty-one she met a pharmacist’s son
It was a Genovese love affair

And when they go, Rosettina relaxes
Soap operas and the nine o’clock news
Imagines a time when she will leave them behind
‘Cause we’re all just passing through

[chorus]

Rosettina

My entry for Round 2 of the latest 'Spintunes' competition. The prompt here was to 'write and record a song that makes prominent and creative use of secondary dominant chords'. Well, obviously I had to first look up what secondary dominant chords are... and then realised that I use them quite often as they're also used by a lot of the artists I love. This one therefore sounds extremely Randy Newman-esque, but I feel like I was pushed there by the challenge so am making no apologies...

LYRICS

There’s something about her
I don’t know what it is
If I had to give an answer
It might go a bit like this
She’s a diamond in a hand of clubs
A chord not in the tonic key
There’s something about her
That just seems good to me

My friends think I’m crazy
To love her like I do
They can’t see what I see
All that misfit beauty shining through
A spoon of sugar in a world of salt
The secret in a mystery
There’s something about her
That just seems good to me

When everybody says you’re wrong
That’s when you know you’re right
So what else matters
She’s a place where I belong
Where everything feels alright
And nothing else matters

There’s something about her
I don’t know what it is
I’ve tried to live without her
But keep on coming back to this
She’s a diamond in a hand of clubs
A chord not in the tonic key
There’s something about her
That just seems good to me

There’s something about her
That just seems good to me

Something About Her

My latest collaboration with the force of nature that is Bill White. Bill sent me these amazing lyrics earlier in the summer, but it took me a long time to get the musical treatment the way I wanted.

Alongside the lyrics, Bill sent me a note that really helped guide the musical composition, and which I think is useful context when listening: "They [pelicans] are a symbol of maternal self-sacrifice, as the mother, to keep her children from starving, has been known to pierce her breast with her beak, and feed the blood to her children, after which she dies. In Christian iconography, the pelican has been pictured as a Christ symbol."

If you enjoy this track, please check out a full album of our collaborations: https://billwhite.bandcamp.com/album/pelicanos

LYRICS © BILL WHITE

'Twas the final port of call
On my journey after death
I was warned not to stray
Into town
But to remain close to shore
Where the pelicanos
Make their rounds

Time fails
Minutes end
Shores we never
Touch again
Pelicanos open
Their red, wet breasts
To the young entombed
In a feathered crest

I have sailed from a place
Where musicians still play guitars
Sailed to a place
Where lovers still wish on yesterday's stars
Where pelicanos mate
And their fallen young
Are revived by maternal blood

Now I return to the sea
No more shall I wander on shore
No islands
Where the wages of her love
Are redeemed
And the fallen young are freed
From the cold grip of death
Near the sea

Time fails
Minutes end
Shores we never
Touch again
Pelicanos open
The red, wet breast
To the young entombed
In a feathered crest

Pelicanos

This track is my submission for the latest round (3) of the 'Spintunes' songwriting competition. The challenge was to write and record a song about or prominently mentioning a song (or other piece of music). In this instance my song within the song is the ‘one hit’ of the title. Essentially, the “Oh my, oh my love” refrain. Does that fulfil the brief? No idea.

LYRICS

You were a one hit wonder
In the summer, 1985
Your voice on the radio
All the TV shows, it felt like you’d arrived

Oh when the crowd sung, “Oh my, oh my”
Oh when the crowd sung, “Oh my, oh my love”
But you can’t go back
No, you can’t go back again

You were unstoppable
Untouchable, or so the label said
Then when the album tanked
Your fortunes sank and man, they cut you dead

Oh how the crowd sung, “Oh my, oh my”
Oh how the crowd sung, “Oh my, oh my love”
But you can’t go back
No, you can’t go back again

Some days, in the bathroom mirror
You catch your reflection
And wonder was that really me
But every now and then
You still get asked the question
Hey, did you sing that song
The one from long ago
It went “Oh my, oh my love”

You were a one hit wonder
Until the summer, 2025
The kids started playing your song
Dancing along, ‘cause it made them feel alive

Oh now the crowd sings, “Oh my, oh my”
Oh now the crowd sings, “Oh my, oh my love”
And it takes you back
Yeah, it takes you back again

“Oh my, oh my love”


FM RADIO SWEEP.wav by jordanielmills -- https://freesound.org/s/167191/ -- License: Creative Commons 0


One Hit Wonder

Half-British, half-Japanese, South London-based singer-songwriter and producer. Indie pop, rock and blues. Thank you for listening!

david taro

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