I Don't Know How To Say I Love You
©℗2013 Nathan Dickson. All rights reserved worldwide.

I don't know how to say I love you
I fidget with my napkin and my cup and spoon
I'm afraid you won't love back
Or that you will leave too soon

I don't know how to say I love you
I try to speak but my words are caught up inside
I'm afraid my fate is silence
So I stare off to the side

	Words fail to express the way I feel
	Maybe that's just a dodge to
	Maintain my ideal

I don't know how to say I love you
If I can get you laughing at my jokes you'll stay
I'm afraid to be too real
So I find another way

I don't know how to say I love you
I think if we share glances a few times tonight
Maybe then I'll get my nerve
And the moment will be right

	Some guys seem to have all the right words
	They don't have awkward pauses like nerds

I don't know how to say I love you
The look you gave me tells me that you feel it too
Maybe now yes now I'll tell you
That my love for you is true

	Okay I just say it come what may
	I love you please don't turn away
	Why don't you stay with me and
	We'll hold hands today

	Okay I just say it come what may
	I love you please don't go away
	Why don't you say you're free and 
	We'll hold hands today

I Don't Know How To Say I Love You [©℗2013 Nathan Dickson]

I did a remix back in 2020, then abandoned the song because I just needed a break from it. I listened to it again today and realized, "This is actually a decent mix." So, here you go.

Kiss the Girl (2020 mix) [©℗2020 Nathan Dickson]

©℗2016 Nathan Dickson. All rights reserved worldwide.

I recorded this song back in 2009, placing it on a shelf with take 6, meant only for my ears.

First of all, I never really liked the lyrics or title for this song. I need to fix the ending as well. I particularly like the Doors-style guitar solo in the middle. And, yes, I was deliberately going for a "Light My Fire" vibe with this song.

2-17-2016 Update - Take 7 - I rescued the take 6 from hard drive banishment, found the missing vocals from take 4, figured out how to use new Abbey Road Vintage Drums in the place of the old BFD Jazz Brush drums and finally gave the mix a better middle and ending. It's also much tighter than before, since I actually worked to tighten up the timing. Finally, less vocal screech where possible. The original mix was never meant for anyone but me to listen to and think about.

2-18-2016 Update - This is now take 8 with added synthesizer, something I've always meant to do. I added the Haas Precedence effect to the acoustic guitar, electric guitar and the synth to better situate them in space, making them seem less mechanically panned as it were. This is to compensate for the fact that they were recorded in mono with one mic.

2-20-2016 Update - With take 9, I brought the bass back up nearer its take 6 level and tried to EQ away some of the honky notes a bit. I figured out that the Waves Mondo Mod plug-in was borked in that I could never predict where it would start the Tremolo. As a result, many of the electric guitar notes with tremolo were getting chopped in the wrong place, swallowing their "plunk." To solve the issue permanently, I burned the effect into the track with a precise starting time on the effect. I also made a pass at trying to fix some of the wildly-varying signal levels in the electric guitar to make it sound better.

3-14-2016 Update - Take 10 is basically another pass at making the mix more perfect. I notched out a weird, harsh resonance in the acoustic guitar and tamed a few more honky bass notes. The vocal is a touch louder as is the synth. The kick drum has been closed down a bit so it does not ring so long, making it feel tighter, and it's now EQed separately from the rest of the brush kit.

3-17-2016 Update - Take 11 is where it's going to sit for a while, probably. To make a better mix, I need to go back into my treated room, which is now sitting unused and cold in the basement. Brrrr. The vocal from take 10 was a bit too loud and I realized that it was because there was not enough compression being applied. Now it is and the vocal is a bit more tamed. I pumped a little bit more of it into the side-chain for compression on guitars and synth to duck them a bit more. I also added a few more brush hits here and there on the drums.

With the song in better shape, the lyrics are finally starting to grow on me.

Smoke [©℗2016 Nathan Dickson]

It’s come a long way since I first uploaded take 17b to Soundcloud. I’ve removed it and the other takes now that this one is here. This is how the song should sound... just... better.

Just Another Day Till I See You
©2018 Nathan Dickson. All rights reserved worldwide.

Just another day till I see your face
Just another day till I see you, see you

Honey it's been so long
I counted every day and every night
Honey it's been so long
I cannot wait to grab you from your flight

Just another day till I see your eyes
Just another day till I see you, see you

Darling it’s been so long
I cannot wait to feel your warm embrace
Darling it’s been so long
I cannot wait to kiss your lovely face

Just another day till I see you smile
Just another day till I see you, see you

Even though we used our phones
Talking from our different zones
Nothing can replace your cheer
When I hold you hold you near and oh

Just another day till I see your face
Just another day till I see you, see you

Baby it's been so long
I'm gonna love you never let you go
Baby it's been so long
I'm gonna sing this song to let you know

Just another day till I see your eyes
Just another day till I see you, see you

Just another day till I see you smile
Just another day till I see you, see you, see your smile

Just Another Day Till I See You

Just Another Day Till I See You [©℗2018 Nathan Dickson]

Just a swampy-sounding classic rocker that I’ve been working with off and on for a few years.

She Come to Play
©℗2018 Nathan Dickson. All rights reserved worldwide.

She come wearin' MAC and black to the gambling den
She got grade-A gator boots kick your goofy grin
She like a surprise heart attack take it on the chin
She be winnin' every hand hide your cool chagrin
	She drink black and tan and come to play
	She come to play

She a James Bond superfan but she more risque
She be jokin' free to groove knowin' what to say
She got 'er mojo movin' on makin' money may
She like lightnin' lashin' out stay out of her way
	She shoot gin and lime and come to play
	She come to play

	She don't take no orders 'cuz
	She wanna take control
	She be crossin' borders 'cuz
	She wanna see the world
	And come to play
	She come to play

She be coastin' rollin' out 'cuz she know the plan
She jus' juju in her eye karma karma can
She takin' tall tan sailor man off to south Japan
She do double barrel gun got 'er hot hit man
	She hide from law man and come to play
	She come to play

She Come To Play

She Come to Play [©℗2018 Nathan Dickson]

I still need to re-record this, but I like it better at its lower pitch (the previous take had it raised by one whole step), even if my voice gets too breathy in places.

Baby Please Come Home
©℗2017 Nathan Dickson. All rights reserved worldwide.

Babe, I miss your face and golden hair
Why are you so far away out there

Leave your pressures right outside our door
Give you love it’s what you’ve waited for

Baby Please Come Home
Baby Please Come Home

Sometimes I can crowd you in our place
I could back away and give you space

All those tears I’ll help you to erase
Let me know when you want my embrace

Baby Please Come Home
Baby Please Come Home

Next to you no longer blue I lose my frown
Kiss your lips your balance slips we’re lying down

I am here I’ll help you find your way
I will hold you tell you all’s okay

We should share this firey sunset view
Cause our bed is too wide without you

Baby Please Come Home
Baby Please Come Home

Baby Please Come Home
Baby Please Come Home

Baby Please Come Home

Baby Please Come Home [©℗2017 Nathan Dickson]

©℗2018 Nathan Dickson. All rights reserved worldwide.
Early work in progress.

Bye, My Friend, Goodbye

Bye, My Friend, Goodbye (take 5/demo) [©℗2018 Nathan Dickson]

Sing in the Sun
©℗2018 Nathan Dickson. All rights reserved worldwide.

It is sunny and warm
To be happy is my norm
Not a sight of a storm
I am happy to perform
And sing in the sun

With our lovely day
Not a cloud and nothing gray
I am making my way
I will find you and I’ll stay
And sing in the sun

	’Cause you’re the one
	 Sing in the sun, whoah

I am kissing your lips
Up until your balance tips
With my hands on your hips
You will take your dancing dips
And sing in the sun

I am making you grin
When I let you take a spin
We are dancing again
Let your inner diva win
And sing in the sun

	’Cause you’re the one
	 Sing in the sun, whoah
	 I’ll sing in the sun
	’Cause you’re the one
	 Sing in the sun, whoah

Rose in your hair
My angel in the sun
Dance everywhere
And I’ll sing a song that
Hasn’t yet been sung

	’Cause you’re the one
	 Sing in the sun, whoah

To your love I am drawn
I’ve been up since break of dawn
You are turnin’ me on
On my chest you rest upon
And sing in the sun

I am seeing the sign
When our love starts to align
You are sipping your wine
You’ll be happy and be mine
And sing in the sun

     You are the special one
     The one that I adore
     We’re always having fun
     We’re always wanting more
     
     You love to dance and live
     The moment you awake
     You love to play and give
     As good as you can take

Sing in the Sun

Sing in the Sun [©℗2018 Nathan Dickson]

℗2018 Nathan Dickson. All rights reserved worldwide.

This is a remix of the original multitrack from two years ago in preparation to re-record the vocal as they are not great so far... more like “guide” vocals.

However, this particular mix is SO MUCH BETTER than before. It “pops” and sounds fantastic.

You're Gonna Be Fine

You’re Gonna Be Fine (instrumental) [℗2018 Nathan Dickson]

This is the eighth mix of this song, which is basically just a remix of take 5 with the word “time” grafted over just before the chorus from take 6. It’s also a slightly brighter mix. I decided I wanted it simpler, with just one vocal and one guitar and THE STORM, which really makes the song better imho.

All Alone
©2019 Nathan Dickson. All rights reserved.

All alone
Sitting in the dark and I
Remember walking in the park

All alone
Watching figures dance and I see
Shadows of a lost romance
Echoes of a fading glance
Was I unwise or did I lose my chance

All alone
Peaceful in a chair and falling
Rain can fill the silent air

All alone
Quiet in my pause and I
Remember sadly what love does
Mystifies us so because
Was I unwise or did I lose time

Cause we drift apart
Breaking all our hearts
Now we're alone

All alone
Chasing down a feeling and my
Sleepiness has time to steal

All alone
Shut my eyes and leave aboard the
Multicolor make-believe
Sorry figures I conceive
Was I unwise for hopeful soft reprieve
Sleeping as I grieve
This random rainy eve

All Alone

Kiss the Girl
©℗2019 Nathan Dickson. All rights reserved worldwide.

The girl is sweet
You're gonna meet and be friends
You make her laugh
You're more than halfway ascend
You show respect
You two connect and souls blend

Don't be shy
What kind of guy is all doubt
Take her hand
She’ll understand what’s about
Your mind is set
Not gonna let her miss out

Hey, why do you think they say
You should seize the day
Come what may you gotta go for gold
Long before you’re old, so kiss the girl

Move right in
Her head will spin you’re in there
Hold her close
You’ll curl her toes it’s all fair
Lean in to kiss
Your friends see this perfect pair

Kiss the Girl

I wrote this in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic for the possibility that one or more people I care about could be in the ICU and I would not be able to reach them in time to say “I love you” and “goodbye.”

I’m Blue for You
©℗2020 Nathan Dickson. All rights reserved.

It’s true I’m blue for you

Waiting on the call
Could be good or bad new for us all
I guess it’s time to rest against a wall
Leaning in the hall
Ready for a fall
That could be waiting there
Though it’s hardly fair
I will stand tall

Staring at the phone
Something that I could have hardly known
Just yesterday it seemed my fate was sown
Now it’s fully flown
Now I'm left to moan
What I left behind
Back when I was blind
And made of stone

I remember days we used to play
All those thoughts and feelings now betray
Pulling me in ways I can’t relay
So I cannot think of what to say

It’s true I’m blue for you

Riding in the car
Close my eyes and think of where you are
Sing a tune and strum on my guitar
Hum another bar
Feel a bit bizarre
Because they won’t allow
To let me see you now
You’re way too far

It’s true I’m blue for you

I'm Blue for You

I grew up with a love of art, music (especially The Beatles) and the movies.

When I was eight years old my dad took me for a guitar lesson. I didn't like my instructor, so I didn't go back. Instead, I just figured out how to play the guitar on my own. We also had a piano and an organ and I dabbled with those, writing my first song when I was 10. It was... cute.

While growing up, I focused on becoming a better guitar player and finally learned how to write songs. It took me several years of experimentation to get through the awkward phase of writing crappy songs.

Once I felt competent at the craft, I purchased my first 8-track Tascam Portastudio and recorded many demos for a few years. Then came computer-based recording with Cubase and then Pro Tools, which is still my recording software of choice these days.

I have many songs. Some in a complete state and some are in what I like to consider the "larva stage." I will be posting more here in time. I love the songwriting process, including hearing songs in various stages of completion, so I will be uploading various versions of certain songs as well.

nathandickson.com

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