coffee shop

hello world, dis be my song.
have fun with coffee puns!

lyrics down below.

-

Verse 1:
Tables up, worries down
Lights be gleamin' 'round the town
Late at night, shine so bright
From errand A, to paper B
Inside the coffee shop I see
See myself, tryna do what is due

Bridge:
But then the greenest dot appears beside your name
I've been the referee, but I've never played the game

Chorus:
What should I do? What should I say?
How can I make your day okay?
We are tired, we're depressed
But my heart I can't suppress
3 AM, here I am
Sipping coffee as your name begins to fade
Java cup, to chat you up
Frappuccino to let you know
That I can't Espresso my feelings for you

Verse 2:
Slam the door, cruise the floor
Never been this cray before
I’m outta my mind, leavin’ work behind
But yeah, I’m at Seattle’s Best
Acting like Manila’s Worst
Hear me out, even though I’ve got nothing to say

Bridge:
And whenever the greenest dot appears beside your name
I wanna lose myself, 'cause there ain’t no one there to blame

(Chorus x2)  

Coffee Shop

Written as a project for Math 5.1B, "Plane to Manila" is a synthesis of some lessons from the first quarter. Can you find all the math concepts?

Written and performed by Gerald Diola
Album art by Samantha Gaw

------------------------------------------------------
Lyrics and chords:
Capo on 3

(Intro: AM7 - F#m - Bm7 - Esus - E7) x2

[VERSE 1]
AM7
If a passport lets you slide
F#m
Then the world is truly wide
Bm7..................................................Esus.....................E7
For I'm confident that someday we will meet again
AM7
See the earth out from the inside
F#m
Making sure our paths collide
Bm7.............................................Esus..................E7
In directions rendezvousing, matter of a when

[PRE-CHORUS]
AM7
I'm absolutely positive toward your good initiative
F#m
Particularly perpendicular to the vernacularly
Bm7
Calling of the earth which is the ground all around
Esus...................................E7
But it's sad you're not around

[CHORUS]
..............................Bm7
So get me on a plane to Manila
...............Esus.................E7
Leavin' negatives behind
................AM7
And I'm sure to rest while you get tired
......................F#m
Of running circles 'round my mind
.........................Bm7
Yeah, we are nappe to nappe, see me eye to eye
....................Esus..............................E7....................C#7
You're the cone to my cone, ay ay ay ay
............................................F#m
I'm reflecting in the air
......................Bm7................Esus
Because a "Wait for me"
...........E7...........................AM7
Translates to "I'll be there"

(Transition: AM7)

[VERSE 2]
AM7
How I miss the interaction
F#m
Mental points all fun in action
Bm7.................................................Esus..................E7
Memories that fit between the linings of my heart
AM7
Relative unease, inaction
F#m
I require you to function
Bm7...................................................Esus...............E7
But for us to function well we'd have to be apart

(RRPEAT PRE-CHORUS)
(REPEAT CHORUS)

(Transition: AM7 - F#m - Bm7 - Esus)

......E7.....................Asus
Oh baby, I'll be there

Plane to Manila: A Math Project

Plane to Manila

The original of the AM7 trio, "Seventeen" is a song I wrote around a month after "Coffee Shop". There's a long story as to why this had not been released until today, but it ends with me being somewhat comfortable uploading it now.

If you're unsure, the AM7 trio is made up of "Seventeen", "Gravity Aside", and "Plane to Manila" -- named after their central chord (just in different capo positions).

These were the times when I had to borrow Macbooks for Garageband (gotta love them built-in mics). Nowadays, though, I use my phone to record, then transfer those files to PC to be edited with Audacity. Time to look for more professional methods. 😂

Seventeen

if we di(e)d

Polaris, originally from A Week's Worth EP (2016).
Remade 2017.

LYRICS:

Here I lie in the middle of the ocean, staring at the sky and I
See you as I try to sleep, it’s a hundred feet, but I take a leap
A leap of faith, splashed below, I sail away
A leap of faith, splashed below, I sail away 

And I can’t sleep or think or overthink
The weight placed on my chest has caused ships to sink
I’m lost at sea but soon you’ll be
Polaris pointing home
But I won’t be coming home to you

I’m never coming back
The tides will stay on track
If your shoulders turn, don’t expect me to return
When the iceberg’s clear as ice 

Sailing south, crossing border by border, staring at the sky and I 
Take out all the water getting in, but my patience is wearing thin
Wearing thin, cold within, thin as ice
Wearing thin, cold within, thin as ice

And I can’t sleep or think or overthink
The weight placed on my chest has caused ships to sink
I’m lost at sea but soon you’ll be
Polaris pointing home
But I won’t be coming home to you

I’m never coming back
The tides will stay on track
If your shoulders turn, don’t expect me to return
When the iceberg’s clear as ice 

Polaris, you’re my only northern star
My guiding light is what you are
But not to follow you back home
To see you back with me
But to know, oh, where my home should be

Polaris (demo)

Halina't simulan na natin
Makinig kayo sa aking sasabihin

Naranasan mo na bang masikatan na ng araw
Alas kwatro nasa kwarto at
Nandito ako maghapon
Kahapon pa'y sinabi raw nagpupuyat ako
Sa kalalaro't pagkakamot ng ulo sa pagyayamot,
Nagdadamot ng oras sa'king kumot, Nagsasayang ng oras sa pagsasaya
Kahit hindi naman 'to masaya
At sabi raw nila na ang simple lang bumangon
Sa'king kama kung kasama ang dasal at tamang asal

Pero
Sabi raw nila'y kinaya ko namang
Magawa ang di kinaya ng kasama kong mag-aaral
Na balak nang mag-aral ng agham at hay-a-nayan
Nagagawa ko raw ito kasi nakasanayan nang manalo
Ay, sana nga'y manalo pa ako sa bawat labang
nilalaban ko sa araw at gabi
Katabi ko ang ligaya
Sa kabila ang dalamhati
Kung kaya lang, sarili ko na sana ay nahati.

Nakakapagod nang tumawa't ngumiti
At walang umuunawa na kanina pa ako nagpipigil
Ng luha. Kanina pang umaga. Harap pa sa hilaga, nakabunganga, nang nilaga ko'y masira at mapanis
Estado ko ay wangis pa sa batang dugyutin, iyakin,
O baka di naman sanhi na ng problema ang sakit
Kundi tao na nananakit, ugali ko ay di kaakit-akit

Tamaan na ako ng maliwanag na sinag, kilabot
Pagkabangon, maliwanag nang sinat inabot
Marahil ay lumipas na ang ating oras at wala akong nagawa, sino'ng salot? Ako.
Wala nang nagawa, at walang magagawa,
Yan ang sabi ko sa taong nagtaka kung merong lunas o wala.
Ngunit sino ang mali?
Ngunit sino ang mali?
Ngunit sino ang mali?

Sino ang mali?

Sino ba'ng kailangan nang mamulat sa katotohanan?
Sino ba'ng kailangan ng magulang sa tahanan?
Sino'ng may diablo sa kaliwa't anghel sa kanan?
Sino, sino, sino?
Sino o ano'ng makikinig sa bulong sa hangin?
Sino o ano'ng magpapatiwasay sa akin?
Sino o ano'ng tatapos sa mga gawain?
Sipag, talino, sino, paano?

Sinasabi ko ngayon at kahapon at bukas
Na akin nang nalamon ang lunas
pangunang-lunas, aking luha pinunas pa
Noong Lunes, nang aking mahugas ang aking letsugas na mukha, kalagayang dukha
Punong-puno na ng dugo, mga sugat
Handa na ang mga sulat
Magpapamamulat sa inyo
Ng aking sukat ng galit
Subalit sa inyong pangungulit
Sa oratoriko ang story ko
maririnig na paulit

Nakakita na ako ng manggagamot
Nakainom na ng gamot
Ngunit pag-papagaling ay hindi abot-abot, ganun lang
Di nahihiling sa langit o sa lupa
O kaya ay hintayin na bilangin ang mga tupa
Mayroong inaatupag ang mga hindi na makatulog
Siyang hiling nila'y mahulog
O malason o kaya'y masagasaan
Ito'y mga isipan na napag-isip-isipan ko na rin.

Ngunit di magtatapos ang aking kwento
Sa ganito na kalagayang pagkagapos
Namalayan ko na di makararaos
Ang taong halos arte lang nagagawa niya pagkatapos ng hindi ninais na pangyayari
Mangyari lamang na kumapit sa malapit sa pusong malapit
Sumabit sa pag-asang nasa langit
Maniwala na ang buhay ay hindi lang kapaitan
Ito ay may dala na tunay na kabutihan.

Ang kapurihan ng loob
Kapangyarihan ng niloloob
Malakas ang pusong kayang magwakas ng dalamhati
Kung kaya lang, sarili ko na sana ay nahati
Tig-isa ang dilim at ang liwanag
Ang aking paliwanag sa magulang ay hindi sila'ng nagkulang ngunit
Sa'kin nang responsibilidad na pasanin at pansinin ang pansarili kong pagsubok

Ngunit sino ang gising?
At sino ang mulat?
Ngunit sino ang gising?
At sino ang mulat?

Sino ba'ng kailangan nang mamulat sa katotohanan?
Sino ba'ng kailangan ng magulang sa tahanan?
Sino'ng may diablo sa kaliwa't anghel sa kanan?
Sino, sino, sino?

Sino o ano'ng makikinig sa bulong sa hangin?
Sino o ano'ng magpapatiwasay sa akin?
Sino o ano'ng tatapos sa mga gawain?
Sipag, talino, sino, paano?

Sino ba'ng kailangan nang mamulat sa katotohanan?
Sino ba'ng kailangan ng magulang sa tahanan?
Sino'ng may diablo sa kaliwa't anghel sa kanan?
Sino, sino, sino?

Sino o ano'ng makikinig sa bulong sa hangin?
Sino o ano'ng magpapatiwasay sa akin?
Sino o ano'ng tatapos sa mga gawain?
Sipag, talino, sino, paano?

Sino nga ba?
Totoo pa ba to o simpleng panaginip?
Minsan, hindi ko na rin alam.

Gising, Bumangon 

Gising, Bumangon (early release)

[INTRO - SPOKEN]

These days I find myself often in a trance
And my flow is hampered
I beat myself up for all my fears and
A lot of them aren't actually real anymore
Still, I try to use these fears
To fuel my own drive to improve myself
But I could really reach more heights
If I just stopped clipping my own wings

[VERSE 1]

Creativity takin’ the back door
It’s been killin’ me, I never asked for
This insanity, lastin’ the past four
A whole vanity case, my fame is the blame

My main malady sets me to no score
The main melody, none’s written on the score
No activity, my head is mega sore
So no amity here, my brain be ashamed

I get flashes, the past’s got the limelight
I got ashes amassed, God, we burned bright
The love passes or whatever the hell it was
If dehumanization was the name of the game

Yeah, I give lashes, I whiplash my arm, right
I get gashes and scars from my own fight
The wing crashes if I continue clippin’ ‘em
And that realization gets my name to the frame, yeah

[CHORUS]

Take a chill pill, take a chill pill
Take a chill pill, take a chill pill

I’ve got one more try to be a better guy
But I’mma wonder why as I try to get by

I gotta take a chill pill, take a chill pill
Take a chill pill, take a chill pill

I got a lot to learn and I gotta learn to yearn
Not burn the self out and trust that I’ll be gettin’ out

[VERSE 2]

Livin' it past the limited past
I am unlimited, see that I'm givin' it everything that I got
It's often a lot to dream for my people and family

Family tellin' me that my anatomy
Need to get out in the sun, get it outta me

Look it, my phone’s in my pocket and
Every chance that I get I’m unlockin’ it

Hopin’ you see that I’m facin’ reality
Messagin’ people and lookin’ for sanity
But it's the way I connect with calamity
Tryna make disconnect with my agony

Is it enough for the people I wanna deliver the love to?
Maybe I gotta be present and
Maybe I gotta give more than a "love you"

Doesn't it matter to me? Maybe it matters not
Not when I’m watchin’ the WWE
www.facebook.com video time, it's in your time
That the people are gonna be seein' what matters to you
Whatever would you consider considerate things, consider it!

I am illiterate when I'm deliberate
Can't ever think of it, I can deliver it
These are the troubles and worries that doubles and hurries
The magical nervousest memories

Life has configured it
But I'm a bigger hit

Sooner or later in life’s elevator now
I'll see you later, I'll be a creator now

(Repeat CHORUS)

[BRIDGE]

Writin’ songs, rightin’ wrongs
Should be gettin’ ready to be bangin’ the gongs
I’m singin’ along to the same old songs
When will I retire from the bringing me down?
When will the desire to be better be crowned? Yeah
(Repeat)

[VERSE 3]

I’m like, look at me, I’m tryna be free
From the demons and my reasons to be sadder than thee
I’m badder than thee, I believe I’m selfishest in history
But what’s the history remarkin’ bout my marks on it?

I’m an arsonist
I burn the bridges from the ridges that make me, me
I’ve thrown darts on it, but people see that I’m strong
And not a big baby
I wish that I could see that for myself, maybe

But the dark does not compare to the light
The heart is covered by the things that I have wanted to fight
I’m building y’all an ark with wood support so light
Though all the sharks are swimming down below
The green is in sight, and I

Gotta relax cause it attracts
Several acts of rubbin' your backs
I gotta ax the panic attacks
I gotta be better me to the max

I’m gonna be the bedazzling hearty edition
A way better person, don’t need no audition

Cause people be telling me
I’ve got the heart, and the part is my mission now

(Repeat CHORUS x2)

[OUTRO - SPOKEN]

For my sake and for everyone’s sake
I have to hold on to what keeps me strong
At the same time I should let go of all the self blame
I have to trust myself that I'm learning from my mistakes
And once I learn
I’ll become a better person for myself,
For love, and for the world

Introspection

Originally performed at SIC 18: Natatangi Ka: A Benefit Concert

Geráld Diola

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