14 - Wendy James - The Moon Is Dead In The River

WENDY JAMES. PREVIEW TRACK. LITTLE MELVIN

from QUEEN HIGH STRAIGHT 
20 Track Deluxe Album

OUT ON MAY 1

BUY: thewendyjames.com/store

TRACK TITLES AND RUNNING ORDER

1. Queen High Straight (4.31)
2. Perilous Beauty (4.08)
3. Free Man Walk (3.39)
4. Stomp Down, Snuck Up (4.14)
5. Little Melvin (4.52)
6. Marlene et Fleur (4.00)
7. A Heart Breaking Liar’s Promise (5.11)
8. Here Comes The Beautiful One (3.45)
9. Chicken Street (4.13)
10. Testimonial (4.18)
11. Bar Room Brawl & Benzedrine Blues (4.07)
12. Ratfucking (2.35)
13. She Likes To Be (Underneath Somebody) (3.21)
14. Bliss Hotel (4.00)
15. Freak In (3.05)
16. The Impression Of Normalcy (3.36)
17. I’ll Be Here When The Morning Comes (4.15)
18. Cancel It… I’ll See Him On Monday (3.37)
19. Sugar Boy (4.00)
20. Kill Some Time Blues (4.18)

THE MUSICIANS
vocals, rhythm guitar, keys, melodica
WENDY JAMES
rhythm guitar, lead guitar
JAMES SEDWARDS
bass guitar
HARRY BOHAY
drums, percussion
JAMES SCLAVUNOS
alto sax
ALEX J. WARD
trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn, tenor & baritone sax
TERRY EDWARDS
accordion
LOUIS VAUSE

THE ENGINEERS
recording engineers
IAN DOWLING, JOE SAGE, AL LAWSON
assistant engineer
PIETER RIEKERK
mix engineer
TIM MORRIS
mastering engineer
FRED KEVORKIAN
recorded, mixed and mastered on location in uk and ny

THE DESIGN
photography
DAVID LEIGH DODD
graphic layout
STUART PRESTON

All songs written, produced and mixed by Wendy James
Ⓟ and © Wendy James 2018. All rights reserved. Unauthorized Duplication is a violation of all applicable laws.

All songs written, produced and mixed by Wendy James
Ⓟ and © Wendy James 2018. All rights reserved. Unauthorized Duplication is a violation of all applicable laws.

Released by:
The Wendy James Label
Release date:
1 May 2020

Queen High Straight

Little Melvin

5. Little Melvin

Reading the lyrics now, I see they can easily be about what a lot of us may endure these holidays even though I wrote it a year ago... If we can’t be together... let’s make sure to reach out as best we can... it’s been a difficult time all around... but this time of year can pour an especially strong cocktail of regret and loneliness amidst the carols... lots of love to you all out there... let’s try to remind ourselves and others what inhabits our hearts.... 

But this is how it was written... 

In Oct. of last year I was on a visit with Jus and the meatballs to our great friend Alice’s place... they live by a wonderful expanse of greenery and we were taking their dog (and ourselves) for a walk... 
Alice’s partner Nicolas was asking about music and what was happening... chit chatting... and all of a sudden got cheeky and said, “You are a good songwriter Rich... but... I bet you couldn’t just write a Christmas song if I asked you!” 

“Is that a dare?” I replied... my mind already spinning images and words... 
Then about 2 min later I had the line... “And though life does it’s best to keep us apart... I’ll always have you and December in my heart...” 
I repeated the words to him out loud and he started laughing... “OH! You’re serious! That’s great!” 

I was on a roll... so as soon as we got back to their place I asked one of their wonderful daughters if I could use her 3/4 scale classical guitar. I ran straight to the nearest bathroom (hahahaha... I can’t help it... they are my creative hubs now hahahahahaha THAT REVERB) and finished the song as they were having a wine in the dining room... 

I excitedly came ambling down the stairs all clown shoe and banging off the walls.. “I GOT IT!” 

I sang what I had and they (the kids especially) really reacted positively... 
When we got back to ours (the song bouncing off the cavernous and mostly empty expanse in my head during the drive) I got back into the comfort of my own guitar and loo... key change here... a few lyric fixes there... voila... 

I recorded it on my phone and sent it to Gaff for the verdict! 
“Good one!” Hahahahahaha 

The rest of the band were soon on board... 🙂 

I really tried to get something with just enough universality and something very real and personal... the juxtaposition of uplifting or glammy energetic music with nostalgia and heartfelt melancholy... 

I channeled all the Christmases that I missed with my parents while in New York ... 4 years in all... and the desperate feeling of wanting people in my family to make amends... walking through the Lower East Side... a little drunk... a thousand miles away... but still universal and open... anyways... here’s my attempt

14 - Wendy James - The Moon Is Dead In The River

Nik Capper

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