My Funny Valentine Idea w Voc-01

A quick song for a songwriting game I participate in.

Redeem by Miles Zuniga

Down In A Pinch
from the EP - "Playing The Cards" by Nakia


Monday morning and the sun is up - I'm still snoozin' in bed.
I stayed out a little late last night and the party still feels like it's in my head.
Oh shit, I'm late again as I'm stumbling to the door.
Boss man calls me on the phone says "You don't work here no more."

Yeah he gets me down in a pinch - He won't budge, not even an inch
And you know that grip is tight - I'm hanging on on for all my might.
And I can't seem to get my way no matter what I do or say.
I get down in a pinch

Two cigarettes and a cup of coffee but I'm still stoned as hell.
A pill for this, and a pill for that, but I'm never really feeling well.
I never will forget the day that you finally changed your mind.
You left me standing on the side of the road in the rain without a cell phone or a dime.

Yeah, you left me down in a pinch. You wouldn't budge, not even an inch.
And I know that grip was tight - You held on with all of your might.
But I never gave you your way - I guess that why you couldn't stay
You got down in a pinch with me.

Cuz when you get down in a pinch even the skies keep you feeling blue
You can't get down on yourself and cry all day
Cuz life is cheap and easy if that's how you play it through
But you don't  wanna get high in the sky and fly away

Yeah, I get down in a pinch - you won't budge not even an inch
And I know that grip gets tight - I keep holding on with all my might
Because if I never seem to get my way - I  get down in a pinch

Down In A Pinch

Give It All To Me

Susie Scissors
Dave Madden

Ch1
Run, run, run or Susie Scissors will find you
Run, run, run for Susie Scissors knows what you’ve done
You wicked little children, evil little trolls!
Your nightmare’s just begun!
So run! Run! Run!

Vs1
There once was a good little girl named Susie 
Her father was the tailor of a town
Her mother sewed clothing of finest beauty
They said, “We’ll teach little Susie”

Vs2
Susie made beautiful gowns and dresses
She wore a different color every day
The other little children grew mean and jealous 
They said, “We’ll teach little Susie”

Br1
“I’ll be the eyes
I’ll watch and spy
to make sure we go undiscovered”
“I’ll be the ears
If light disappears, no matter:
we’ll make Susie suffer”
“I’ll be the tongue
I’ll fill my lungs
and shout, ‘Set her dresses aflame!’
“I’ll be the fingers
holding the torch
Tonight, Susie burns in a blaze!"

V3
Their eyes and ears and tongue and fingers
Helped the evil plan to succeed
Her father and mother were turned to embers
But not little Susie…

V4
A monster rose from the burning ashes
And clutched in her blackened grip
A pair of shining sewing scissors...
Going snip… snip… snip…

Ch2
Run, run, run or Susie Scissors will find you
Run, run, run for Susie Scissors knows what you’ve done
You wicked children, evil little trolls!
Your nightmare’s just begun!
So run! Run! Run!

Vs5
One by one she preyed upon them
Seeking her terrible revenge
Late at night she stood above them
Sweet little Susie

Vs6
Bubbling skin and scissors shining
A dress so colorful and bright
And in a whisper terrifying
Spoke little Susie:

Br2
“You were the eyes
So now be blind
My scissors take your vision!”
“You were the ears
Oh save your tears
And let me make my incision.”
“You were the tongue
I’ll cut it out 
Your voice will now be silenced.”
“You were the fingers
Now you have none
A fair repayment of violence!”

Vs7
“Now go and teach the other children!
Teach them to behave.”
She whispered this and the children answered,
“We’ll teach, little Susie!”

Vs8
They taught every child of Susie Scissors:
“Beware you wicked little ones!
When you see a monster in gowns and dresses,
Run! Run! Run!”

Ch3
Run, run, run or Susie Scissors will find you
Run, run, run for Susie Scissors knows what you’ve done
You wicked children, evil little trolls!
Your nightmare’s just begun!
So run! Run! Run!

Dave Madden - Susie Scissors

Oh the games that we play
Til our dying day
We seek and we hide
The truth that’s inside

Don’t cry it’s just the end
Sometimes we die, sometimes we win
Don’t fear what you can’t see
Life is cage
Death sets us free

Don’t run we’ve still got time
Dying in style 
Isn’t a crime
Don’t cry, wipe off those tears
Just let me whisper
These words in your ear

I’ve got a secret
Dead men tell no tales
I’ve got a secret
Til my heartbeat fails

Don’t dream of what could have been
Let’s just forgive ourselves of all these sins
Don’t dread the darkness that grows
Deep in the shadows another world knows

That I’ve got a secret
Dead men tell no tales
I’ve got a secret 
Til my heartbeat fails

I’ve got a secret 
And you know it’s true
I’ve got a secret 
I’m in love with…

I've Got A Secret

Here's a song I wrote and played.

All of my heros bleed when they're shot
Some of them curse, others curse quite a lot
But each to a letter would give what they got
To help out a friend that's in need

When they asked Jesus, "Lord what would you say
To boil it all down to a big takeaway?"
"Love your God, love your neighbor, love yourself."
Hey, don't that sound just like Jesus to me

Why do we make it so damn complicated
Trying to figure out what a man's worth
Money ain't real, the love that you feel
Is all that you're taking away from this earth
It's all that you're taking away from this earth

When we were younger we'd beg and we'd steal
For Cracker Jack prizes and big ferris wheels
The secret decoder ring never revealed
Those whispers to no one but you

Now that we older and wiser they say
It seems so much harder to tell day from day
And sweet little secrets we had then 
Now they just don't have them a place to call home

Why do we make it so damn complicated
Trying to figure out what a man's worth
Money ain't real, the love that you feel
Is all that you're taking away from this earth
It's all that you're taking away from this earth
It's all that you're taking away from this earth

All That You're Taking Away

Accordion version of a classic track from a classic film about a Detroit cop in a fancy town. Bass, guitar, percussion, accordion, keys, programming by myself. Reason 8 and Logic 8 DAW.

This was an old track I forgot I had made.
Enjoy

Bogota Hills Cop

Another long forgotten track inspired by a classic song about Vikings coming to the new world written by some British guys.
Melodica, guitar, baritone guitar, bass, percussion, programming by yours truly
Protools 11

For all the immigrants of the world #FuckWalls #FakeBorders

Cancion Imigrante

I made an Eastern flavored trap beat 
Follow and comment if you like.
HMU if you want to talk beats

Trap Bait

On season one of NBC's “The Voice,” Nakia quickly became a fan favorite, using his big grizzly voice to transform pop songs into his own unique style. While producers focused on his relationship with his husband and his struggle to make ends meet as a blues singer, what they didn't show you on TV was just how much Nakia accomplished on his own prior to the show. Long before Nakia was a semifinalist on CeeLo Green's team, he was a beloved member of the Austin music community, fronting bands, performing solo, and working with some music's biggest names. 

After the whirlwind of reality television died down, Nakia placed his focus on writing songs for his six-song EP, "Drown In The Crimson Tide," and the tour that followed. Four years later he recorded and released his acclaimed album, “Blues Grifter.” Nakia has recently been composing for film (Wasted On The Young) and TV (Skeleton Crew, Demon Doctor). Prior to the pandemic, Nakia had just begun writing new original songs and performing solo shows, and putting together a new band. When live events were canceled due to COVID-19, Nakia put more of his efforts into artist advocacy and led his nonprofit, Austin Texas Musicians, to advocate for the creation of emergency relief funding to musicians and music venues in Austin. Matthew McConaughey recently surprised Nakia with a private Zoom call where McConaughey named Nakia one of four, “Local Legends” as recognition of his volunteer work for the Austin music community during the pandemic. 

Nakia has been an active member of the Austin music community for over 17 years, and is an outspoken advocate for organizations such as HAAM and The SIMS Foundation. He has also served as the Chair of the Austin Music Commission and as a Board Governor for the Texas Chapter of the Recording Academy. Nakia is a two-time Black Fret artist grant recipient and currently lives in Austin, Texas with his husband Robert and their Bouvier des Flandres, Baker.

For more information on Nakia visit nakia.net

Down In A Pinch

Nakia

Related tracks