Collaborations with Dave McKeown

www.continental-collision.com
Available on Bandcamp - https://continentalcollision.bandcamp.com/track/boring-town. 
Now on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/album/5wf5isry5VTiOJo93dU38E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD_ThUpLBk8&list=OLAK5uy_lzXT1QxPKHH__ERx2AeZbUlK8tnKV7IIo

The second song to be released under the name ‘Continental Collision’ but this time with special guest and good friend Dave McKeown. Rodolfo first let me hear the original basis for ‘Boring Town’ back in June, yet somehow he didn’t sound excited about it. However from the first I knew it could be great. I was looking for the story in those two words as well as in the mood of the music and fortunately it came quite quickly and fitted like a glove. Singing this was a challenge for me, like everything we do, but it was exhilarating. I had introduced Rodolfo to Dave’s cloud and it felt right that we should ask Dave to help us complete the song. I hope we will have the opportunity to work with him again soon. 

Composition, instrumentation, arrangement and production: @rplanes
Lyrics and vocals: @markjbennett
Saxophone: Dave McKeown: @https://soundcloud.com/dave-mckeown
Photograph: Harlem NYC by Douglas Corrance

When I look around I see the light’s gone out this town,
Realising just a bit too late.
Streets have all gone quiet and feels like all the wires are down.
Tell me why I’m feeling in this state?
Not so long ago we felt that we’d be happy here,
Not just for now, but for always.
That’s all turned around now at least that much it is clear,
Not the old days, instead separate ways.
Like the loser on a game show.
Can you tell me where did all the fun go?
Darling without you,
It’s such a boring town,
Only coz you’re not around.

The bar, where we first met, is still there, though I never go,
Realised it’s lost its old appeal.
Crossing the park, where we might meet and stop to say hello,
Couldn’t deal with how it made me feel.
All the places we once loved I feel I must avoid
Not just for now, but for always.
I no longer know what I want, I feel I’m paranoid,
Not the old days, instead separate ways.
Like the loser on a game show.
Can you tell me where did all the fun go?
Darling without you, where did the love go?
Such a boring town,
Only coz you’re not around.

Boring Town - Continental Collision (with Dave McKeown) - Now on Spotify/Bandcamp

Rodolfo https://soundcloud.com/rplanes first shared this beautiful piece with me 2 years ago, which has had a gradual development since I first wrote the lyrics back then. More recently Ce Mastro https://soundcloud.com/cemastro added some exciting backing vocals which transformed the chorus and then even more recently we invited Dave McKeown https://soundcloud.com/dave-mckeown to contribute some lovely sax that we believed was just what the song needed. Rodolfo's song has such a feeling of romantic innocence yet with a wonderful rhythmic flow, that I hoped the words might feel from a simpler time. We hope you all enjoy our song of innocence (and inexperience) which thankfully is a work of fiction. Thanks again to Rodolfo for sharing this magical piece and his great skills as well as Ce and Dave's unique gifts to make this one happen. 
We thank you all for taking the time to listen.

Rodolfo Planes - Music composition, instrumentation, arrangement, production and mix.
Ce Mastro - Backing vocals
Me - Lead vocals and lyrics
Dave McKeown - Sax solo and fills

https://continentalcollision.bandcamp.com/track/almost-lovers

Almost Lovers (by Rodolfo Planes / Mark Bennett)

Once we were almost lovers, without a care.
We weren’t like all the others, somehow we just didn’t dare.
We never faced the fact,
What we had wasn’t real,
Didn’t have to deal,
With the truth while we were putting on an act
We’d have to pay,
And quite how that would feel.

The moment when I discovered, not wanting to share,
You with any of the others, that I just couldn’t bear.
But when my back was turned,
You made out with a guy,
I thought was my friend.
Then I knew that my world had been overturned,
Put out to dry,
And what a way to end.

It’s not the way that I’d hoped this scene would play out,
Leaving the stage in the first act. 
It was cruel but at least I was left in no doubt.
C’est la vie, as a matter of fact.

Were never really lovers, just make believe.
Like sister and brother, with only ourselves to deceive.
I should have known right then,
I’d be out on my ear 
Instead of in love.
Waiting for the finale, not knowing when,
I’d disappear,
When the push comes to shove.

It’s not the way that I’d hoped this scene would play out,
Leaving the stage in the first act. 
It was cruel but at least I was left in no doubt.
C’est la vie, as a matter of fact.

Almost Lovers - Continental Collision (featuring Ce Mastro & Dave McKeown) Now Available on Bandcamp

Don’t Give Up The Day Jobs - based on the original collaboration invitation https://soundcloud.com/dave-mckeown/dont-give-up-the-day-job
Music by Dave McKeown https://soundcloud.com/dave-mckeown
Lyrics and vocals Mark J Bennett 
Some vocal melodies and a line or two I owe to my dear friend, the late NiggyQ https://soundcloud.com/sanigar

Just when you thought,
It couldn’t get much worse.
Zero hours contracts,
Universal Credit curse.
Without Gran there’d be no childcare,
Without the food-bank, the cupboard’s bare.
Don’t give up the day jobs,
Work nights as well.

I’ve always been a grafter,
Never one to shirk,
Early morning papers, 
And weekend laundry work.
No time left for more education,
No energy left, nor motivation.
Don’t give up the day jobs,
Work nights as well.

Why does it have to be this way?
Why don’t debts ever go away?
Still we’ve lived to fight another day.
I fear it’s the way, that it’s going to stay.
Accept the lot you’ve got, the life you live from day to day. 
Day to day, day to day.

Just when you thought,
It couldn’t get much worse.
I made an insurance claim, 
But they wouldn’t reimburse.
Is it worth it just to keep standing still? 
We can’t afford to ever get ill.
Don’t give up the day jobs,
Work nights as well.

Don't Give Up The Day Jobs (Dave McKeown/Mark J Bennett)

Dear listener, Feel free to leave comments and I'll try to reply.

I've been making music for around 16 years now but because of the wonderfully generous community that is SC, I have learned so much in a short time. I look forward to learning even more by collaborating. 
I suppose my strengths are in lyric-writing and singing. I feel fortunate to have been able to work with some stunning compositions by some very talented SCers.

My very best to you, Mark

Some links to recent Continental Collision streaming sites, etc are available below: