Spaces

written by Dino Fernandez, on 5/29/2021

(Verse1)
There was a time back then,
I didn't know any better.
I only did the things I wanted,
While everyone did the same.
You kept it all inside you.
I always asked how you were.

(Verse2)
We ended up taking each other for granted.
We tried, that's the way it went.
I thought we walked on the same side,
Looked at life eye to eye.
You kept it all inside you,
& I didn't know what to do.

(Bridge)
You didn't tell me, you couldn't say.
I swear I asked you, I know I did.
I thought about you, but you just said nothing.
I thought I knew you,
But there's always something you kept from me.

(Chorus)
You & I flew out to the skyline,
Crashed it to the swollen ground.
You & I pierced the winded cloud
& placed it on our make believe.

(Verse3)
Remember when we were younger,
Tomorrows were filled w hope.
You cherished & accepted all the flaws I had,
No matter its shape or weight.
I couldn't face what was going on,
You wouldn't have done what you did.
It's hard to take in what became of you.

(Bridge2)
You didn't tell me, I couldn't show.
I swear I asked you, I know I did.
I thought I knew you, I should've known better,
I thought I loved you, I should've loved better;
You needed me.

(Chorus2)
You & I brushed the farewell skies
& stole the evening's darkness.
You & I dove into the ocean
& drowned in the sky!

(Ending fade put... end)

You And I

Demos with Protis

Friday Night (co-write with Protis)

Sending Some Sunshine 
  
Copyright 2022 by Kennan Zishka 
 
Music by Protis 
Vocals by Teodora
Lyrics by Kennan Zishka and Leanor Johnston
  
The sun sometimes 
Hides behind the clouds 
Or at least sometimes 
It seems that way 
The wind seems colder 
Across my shoulders 
Across my shoulders 
  
Thanks for thinking of me today 
Thanks for sending some sunshine my way 
  
The day sometimes 
Takes a turn to grey 
Or at least sometimes 
It seems that way 
The sky seems darker 
Far from the harbor 
Far from the harbor 
  
Thanks for thinking of me today 
Thanks for sending some sunshine my way 
  
I’m looking to the horizon 
Wonder where the time has gone 
Leaving scars 
Leaving scars 
I sometimes need a reminder 
To find a sky that’s kinder 
To my heart 
To my heart 
  
Thanks for thinking of me today 
Thanks for sending some sunshine my way 
  
My sails sometimes 
Need to catch the wind 
Or at least some time 
For breathing in 
A fresh gust that knows 
Warm as the sun glows 
Warm as the sun glows 

Thanks for thinking of me today 
Thanks for sending some sunshine my way

Zishka - Sending Some Sunshine featuring Protis and Teodora

Spaces (feat. Michael Scriha)

Felons Barrel Hall | 14.10.22

I wrote a song about one of my music friends, Nathan Eggins, in a previous term for I Heart Songwriting Club.  It was called "Conspiracy Of One", because that's the name he chose for himself as an artist.  It's also his favourite album by The Offpsring, but his music could not be more different to that of the American punk outfit!  I performed "Conspiracy Of One" for Nathan at an open mic event earlier this year, and he was both flattered and honoured all in one!  We had agreed to co-write a song late last year, but the hardest part was finding the time to do so.  He was busy touring to launch his latest album at the time, and unfortunately I missed out on going to of those gigs.  Eventually Nathan and I decided on a date and time that we would follow up on down the track.  He also said that he wanted more experience co-writing online than in person.  So we started out on Zoom, but we had all sorts of issues with the audio and not being able to hear each other.  In the end, we switched over to Facebook Messenger which worked so much better for us!

Our co-written song took us two online sessions to complete this demo.  I suggested that we write it in a reggae style, which is a genre that he had never tackled before.  I had written a few reggae songs before, so it was a really good challenge to take on a more stripped-back approach to this type of music.  We both collaborated on the lyrics, while he played acoustic guitars and sang.  I think I also offered assistance on the chord progression as well, and it all came together really nicely.  As for the song's lyrical content, it was one of those extremely hot summer days when we wrote this.  As such, I suggested we write to the theme Heat.  The first verse is about being a child in a playground, while the second verse is about being stuck in a day job.  There's a metaphor about life being a playground, and you could say the whole song is a coming of age story about growing up and realising the responsibilities of life.  You don't stay young forever, even if life may seem like a playground at times!  Nathan and I are both so proud of how this song turned out, and it would be nice to write with him again in future.


VERSE 1
It was a hot hot day
What a day to be in the shade
But there I was in the sun baking like a souffle

I should’ve stayed inside
But I had to go on the slide
When I reached the bottom I found that my bottom was fried
(Ow!)


PRE-CHORUS
If life’s a playground, then why was I stung?
If life's a playground, why can’t I stay young?


CHORUS 1
Roundabouts and swings
Ups and downs to everything
It was all fun and games, 
No such thing as shame

And when I heard the school bell ring 
I should have known what life would bring
Instead I chose to do my own thing


VERSE 2
Now I’m a drone in a hive
With too many files on my drive 
I’m doing what I can just trying to survive

Will I be in this job forever
Me and my colleagues together
We feel like we’re at the end of our tether


PRE-CHORUS
If life’s a playground, then why am I stuck?
If life's a playground, why am I in a rut?


CHORUS 2
Roundabouts and swings
Ups and downs to everything
It’s not all fun and games
I often feel the shame

As I work hard for the king
I’m still waiting for that bell to ring
For the next part of my life to begin


SOLO


CHORUS 3
Roundabouts and swings
Ups and downs to everything
I’ve had some fun and games
And grown out of shame

And when the church bell rings
The nice box they’ve laid me in
Will be a place to contemplate everything

Roundabouts & Swings (co-written with Nathan Eggins)

Back in 2008 gas prices were way high, and Lisa came to me with this idea. Lisa is the lead singer, I sing backup, and Mr Mystic does a short Deejay near the end.  SusieCool

Pain at the Pump                                      
© 2008 Susan Foster-Trewick/Lisa Firestone
e-mail: susiecool2001@yahoo.com  lisa@lisafirestone.com

Pain in the butt, Pain in the neck
pain in the knee, what the heck
a hundred pains that make me grump
But nothing great as the pain at the pump

I had a headache past time to go
I slammed the car door on my toe
a four letter word just slipped out
the little one laughed, and screamed it out
my head is throbbing to the beat
My toe’s a mess, starts to bleed
I’m 10 minutes late where I should be
And the gas is smack on “E”
I held back from crying till I saw that sign

Pain in the neck Pain in the rump
Pain in the back Pain at the pump (repeat)

Mobile, Exxon, Chevron, Shell
Three, four dollars plus…what the hell?
As if they need more of my dough,
a car wash too? The answer,  NO!
The numbers keep on rolling 
Seventy, eighty, ninety nine
The jackpot’s high, but my bank account 
is at the bottom line
suddenly that hummer, not so cool, mm mm bummer
		CHORUS

Scrolling, numbers keep on like slot machines
only problem is all I got is 
A couple quarters left in my jeans  
Oh those guys are grinning, winning 
They think they’re going to get me
But the numbers keep on spinning
Forget this SUV I’m buying a hybrid

Pain in the neck Pain in the rump
Pain in the back Pain at the pump (Repeat and fade)

Pain at the Pump

This grungy song was written by Ryan Downing, and was recorded at two studios. The instrumental track was laid down at Twelvepitch Studio in Dadeville, Alabama, and the vocals were laid down at the Shout House in Childersburg, Alabama. The track was mixed and mastered at the Shout House. We hope you enjoy it! Copyright 2020 Twelvepitch Records.
Personnel:
Drake Jennings: vocals
Michael Polland: bass and backing vocals
Isaac Hayes: drums
Michael Richardson: distorted rhythm guitar
Brett Moseley: lead guitar
Ryan Downing: rhythm guitar.

Candy Cane

This song was written by our bassist and vocalist Michael Polland. It was recorded at the band's Twelvepitch Studio from July-September 2020 across 4 recording sessions. The track features Michael Polland on an Epiphone SJ200 acoustic guitar, Rickenbacker electric bass, and double tracked/harmony vocals, Ryan Downing on a modified 1955 US Strad parlor guitar with a rubberized floating bridge, Drake Jennings on a Rhodes 73 Suitcase electric piano, and Isaac Hayes on a '70s Slingerland drum kit. Copyright 2020 Michael Polland and Twelvepitch Records.

Old Times (Like Those)

Love is Illogical 

V1.
The synapses in my brain
Run around like mice in mazes
It is driving me insane
I am slowly going crazy
I was OK till I met you

Ch.
Love is illogical
It makes you scream and shout
Love is impossible 
To understand what it’s about 
Love is pathological 
It can be cruel and mean
One day you are a slave 
The next day you’re a queen 
Illogical!

V2.
Tell me why do angry bees
Sting away at my emotions 
You have brought me to my knees
I can’t stop the motion 
Can’t escape your honey voodoo

Ch.

End.

Love is Illogical

Protis has been writing music since 1998, when he was still in high school. The name Protis came about from watching the TV show Pokemon; his original name was Piggy, and just how Pikachu evolves into Raichu, well he decided that Piggy would evolve into Protis. The name has stuck ever since then.

Protis is a big fan of computer-based music.  The first computer program he used for music purposes was Cubase Lite on good ol' Windows 3.1 operating system.  Over the years he moved on to Cubast VST, where he further developed his skills as a songwriter.  Most of his early recordings were instrumental works, as at the time he was unable to compose decent lyrics.

After a while, Protis decided to leave the realm of General MIDI and progress into the world of loops and samples.  He accomplished this by using the ACID range of products.  Countless hours were spent with this brilliant piece of software, coming up with lots of cool beats.

Protis has also dabbled in the FruityLoops software, now called FL Studio.  He utilised FL Studio to write songs which contained his first self-penned lyrics.  He was surprised at just how well his lyrics came across in each song, fitting in well with the music.  And all this from someone who could never write words to his songs!

Roundabouts & Swings (co-written with Nathan Eggins)

Protis

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