Lyrics: 
Down, oh now, oh won't you take my word
What I didn't say
Oh now, hold back, hold back, don't smack, 
You don't get to smack me in the face
When those pyres burn high
Your lips full of fire
You'll want to burn it to the sound of those 
blasting bolts hitting round; You won't 
Make a sound/sounds like you said I would
If you somehow said you really think I would now

Back hold back, you've got to use some self control
Use, oh, now and then
Back hold back your tears
I love you my dear, I love you my dear
You wanted, you wanted to share
Your heart inside this year
But the choice isn't inside this year
The choice isn't about this year

Back hold back, don't shout, 
Don't scream at me like that
Back hold back, I can't take that


Lips Full

Westmount Station

lyrics:
a killer's ode to bone 
you can't take it too hard
it won't make getting old

when we came to the old years' old
i was addicted, not on the wall
the wool, the white alfalfa
make you see the jade in me
the colours and tight chin dreams

safe wars in the winter time it's sublime
winter's white and winter's warm when you get down, kneel and cry,
"you shepherd my lucky dream, 
come see, come lady, you walk and tree
all ways soil, all ways lack
you ship my heart back
to the half.

A Killer's Ode to Bone

Colborne Street Demolition Sing-along

Not All The Time

Bricks Piled High

To Dhaka With Love (False Heroics)

This is part of my "Automatic Songs" series, an evolving collection of songs written without pre-thought or planning. I simply sit down, press “record” on a simple audio program on my laptop, and begin to play. Lyrics, music, instrumentation are all written and recorded on the spot — no second takes. Additional background tracks can then be added, but the central vocal/instrumental track is 100% live and un-cut. This track features finger-on-desk percussion, tenor guitar electronically downtuned to bass guitar range, faux-horns via humming through a broken bugle, etc.

Family X-Rays

Recorded for Badgerland "Saskatchewan" compilation: http://badgerland.ca/?p=113

Dead Things Shake

I just recorded this as the result of a little songwriting challenge I’ve given myself.

The rules: Don’t think, don’t plan. Just start recording, pick up the instrument, start playing and singing, and whatever comes out, that’s the song. No edits allowed.

Afterward I go back and try to decipher lyrics from it. It’s like “autowriting”. (I guess “autosongwriting” might be the best descriptor.)

Lyrics:



Light up my eyes

While walking back to the motel that night

Light, oh your hair

It was a halo

Down those layers



Oh, the wind waltzed through your skirtlength

And all the gardens I would plow only to have thee there

All the goodness



I was shaking, I was sore afraid

The light in the skies

And all around me

And all the whistling’s rushing through my veins

You arch your back, proclaim peace, proclaim peace.



Recorded using the internal mic on my MBP and the mighty svelte TapeDeck for the main vocal/guitar track, and then tracking the back-ground vocals in Garageband. Hifi, I know.



Sore Afraid

Two IQ marks short of a philosopher king. Canadian designer and social enterpriser, former Green parliamentary candidate, and urban contemplative.

Sabbatical

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