04 - Onion Life

Drill

Where Are You Walking To

Where you gonna sleep tonight- Caitlin-Sarah

I had obtained a guitar, borrowed from a mate who I was playing with in a band at the time.
It had a whammy bar (the thing that makes you able to raise and lower the pitch of all the strings while playing). I used it a bit in the middle 8’s and at the end of the song.

It goes like this...

The Flattering Thing

The Flattering Thing it just won’t let itself known
But we’re all swingers here adults only so I hear
Is this really what you mean to say
Important its not going your way

His teeth may seem strange but we can’t say no for that
His frame may be gaunt but that’s not his fault
His dress may seem strange but we can’t say no for that
His manner may be queer but that’s not important is it dear

Listen listen you might learn
But look look closer closer than this
And all that ends well is a lie
So check out your heart dear Yeah

I have not got any gold to fasten too
My world revolves not on such things
All I needed was you bitch
Without you my heart it stings

©Ciaran McCann 1984

Recorded with Casio home keyboard, Yamaha 'strat' guitar Tascam 244 portastudio.

The Flattering Thing

Here's one I re-did later (about 1998) with better equipment.
Got a Korg X3 workstation (keyboard with 16 track sequencer).

Remember Always

Raindrops kiss my lips
As I walk into the rain
And think of you
Tears stroke my cheeks
And I taste their bitterness
Of love that’s shed
As I remember you

If I close my eyes I may see you
I’ll embrace the wind for you
But my lips are only kissing rain
And I know I’ll never feel your love again

If I could be you wonder what I’d do
I wonder
Anyway Always
You should never say always
If I could be you wonder what I’d do
Anyway

And these rain-tear drops are falling now
Silently for you never to hear
And this love will scream like a horror film
Seen through spectacles of red and blue
Each time I breathe I know you’re gone

© Ciaran McCann 1987

Recorded 1998 on tascam 564 minidisc 4 track portastudio.
Used the Korg for drums, bass, piano,  organ, and strings sounds.
I programmed the Korg with all the parts and then Midi’ed it up in sync with the portastudio to record the guitars and vocal parts.
There is electric and accoustic guitar.

Remember Always

Written Paul McMahon (RIP).
Produced & Arranged Ciaran McCann.

We played this in our band Asgudaas the Cat in mid 90's, that's 1990's!!!
I re-recorded it approx 2007 using Sonar DAW (Digital Audio Workstation on PC) with programmed drums, bass and sax.
I played REAL guitars and sang with my REAL voice!!! (No auto-tune, obviously!)
Some people say the sax is out of tune… I like it that way!!!

State of Mind

You put your hand on the window and it leaves a mark
I wish I could make the same impression on you
Like a paperback novel with a transparent plot
I've read the last page and it's just as I thought

It's all so much like children's games
We're throwing barbs and calling names
We bend the rules and act like fools
I guess it's just our state of mind

It's better to be certain than to reget
It's certainly better to lose nothing at all
In this situation well you've lost nothing
One things for certain where there's pain there's gain

It's all so much like children's games
We're throwing barbs and calling names
We bend the rules and act like fools
I guess it's just our state of mind

It's not supposed to be an unpleasant ordeal
The more you do it the more you feel
The pleasure is often hard to define
The consequences are largely benign

It's all so much like children's games
We're throwing barbs and calling names
We bend the rules and act like fools
I guess it's just our state of mind

©Paul McMahon 1993

State of Mind

At last a song that is mainly guitar.
The Casio was only used for the drums.
I did the bass by recording the normal guitar with its tone control turned right down and the treble and bass on the portastudio adjusted to try and get a bass sound; nearly got it.
I use the whammy bar a lot in this one.

Spoken Low

Take me I’m only real
Don’t know how to say it
Do do you
You’re giving me shit
All all of the time
Yet sometimes I feel like I’m on trial

Feeling kind of low
Remembering
Bars and scars
And times to remember
And she said
You’re in hell couldn’t you tell

Oh I could love
If only only I could love
Again

Talking again the cess pits of my memory
And voices say dead
Scare me to death

Oh I could love
No no no I could love
Again

But why spoken low
Always spoken low
Spoken low

© Ciaran McCann 1984

Spoken Low

The little riff I play on the guitar was originally played on a mandolin but by the time I got ‘round to recording this I no longer had a mandolin, in fact I had no instruments, the guitar and keyboard were borrowed. Where’d all my instruments go??? Oh yeah now I remember!!!!


Could it ever be put across in these mere words
This feelin’
That makes us tear at each other
That makes us swear at emotions
And gives us such strange notions

And always the same
These little games that we play
Could they ever change or make you say
Anything to make me feel your way

But we can’t change anything
Nothing that this love will bring
But pain without cause
Lies without laws

And it’s all to much of a drag
So I’ll have to rearrange the situation
Hang it to dry on a promise
On the promise of a different shag

Why don’t you ask me well how does it feel
I’ll not leave this time it’s you who’s in the lead
Maybe if we where to suck out our brains
Maybe then we could clear out all these drains

© Ciaran McCann 1984

Blue Time

A quick recording for a wee idea for a new song.

Crush

Looking to spark up that connection. My songs are sparks, stories. Some true, some half true, made up, some from the news. What makes us human is that need for a connection, that is ever present in my songs..

Drill

Davidc Murphy