Nicely done, Paula! I appreciate how open and vulnerable you're willing to be with your lyrics, both in general and also specifically within the last few songs you've written. Really digging into that introspection can really yield some powerful songs, it seems. :)

Thanks for the really interesting backstory to the song. Really enjoyed listening to the lyrics

Think you've proper nailed how we're all feeling at the moment. Perfect lyric, vocals and guitar. Nice tune!

It's so interesting to hear about your experiences in Argentina, Paula. Great song -- really captures the sensations going through many people's minds.

I love this. Writing about the pandemic while it's still happening feels especially brave to me.

Yes. We need these songs helping us all navigate the shared experience of these days. Loved listening today and agreeing with you!! 🙌🏼👏🏼❤️

Your songs and lyrics are always so rich with imagery and personal meaning, there's so much thought, honesty, and heft in each song. It's great.

The seventh song from Deconstructed

Solo para ti

Cada que me besa
con esa destreza
sabe cuanto me gusta
su mirada traviesa
Cuando ella me mira
pierdo la cabeza
Baby soy de ti
sólo para ti

You're what I want for me
and I can't go on así
so baby just let me be your man

Ay, you’re the one for me
sabe cuanto me gusta
su mirada traviesa
Ay, tú eres para mí
Baby soy de ti
sólo para ti

You're what I want for me
and I can't go on así
so baby just let me be your man

Deconstructed

Solo Para Ti

"IMAOKFUR" (#390, 200901)

RUOK
IMOK

FUROK
NIMOK

U84NUD
8S242C

L41N14L
SMT2CDN

RSNF4S2B
IMAOKFUR

Week 36b - IMAOKFUR (#390, 200901)

You say
I am f ine
But you’re not
I say I m doing well
thanks a lot
Behind it all were far from what we long for  and  ache
We are not AOK

You say
Things look good in the dark
I say great but its cold in my heart
Behind it all there lies a veil to cover  up mistakes
We are not AOK

This is the truth
We are wanting to know
All will be well
All that is broken made whole

Behind it all were far from what we long for  and  ache
We are not AOK

You say  I am here for the haul
I say YES  LETS wait on the dawn
A sacrifice our  paradise
A friend FOEVER stayS
Makes us A OK

A sacrifice our  paradise
A friend forever stay
Makes me feel  A OK

This is the truth
We are wanting to know
All will be well
All that is broken made whole

A sacrifice our  paradise
A friend forever stay
Makes us A OK

AOK SAW 36

"Give My Best" (#393, 200906)

Some lovers find you like a penny
Others leave you with a scar
Make a mark before they shut the door
A tattoo on your heart

Some lovers hold you like a midnight
Close their eyes and drink you in
Others lift you up and watch you float away
Like a feather in the wind

Give my best to New York City
She's always on my mind
The way she kissed my winter cheeks
Her breathe in the summertime

Autumn rain doesn't look the same
Outside my new address
I'm moving on but never really gone
Give my best

Some lovers break you like a mirror
Little pieces everywhere
Until the next one tapes you back together
To show how much they care

Give my best to New York City
She's always on my mind
The way she kissed my winter cheeks
Her breathe in the summertime

Autumn rain doesn't the look the same
Outside my new address
I'm moving on but never really gone
Give my best

She misses me I know it she's just too sad to show it
If you see her take a moment and give my best

Week 37b - Give My Best (200906)

I got electricity that's shooting out my fingertips 
feel it when I walk into the room
I got sexuality that's bending all of space and time 
Find the world revolves around me too

The elixir of life - the elixir of life
I got the the goddam font of youth with me tonight
The elixir of life - the elixir of life
it's coursing through my veins
I'm set to set the world alight

I been every hole you ever sold your soul to leave behind
I been broken down and left to die
I tried every way to shake the naked devil off your back
Can you see the twinkle in my eye

The elixir of life - the elixir of life
I got the the goddam font of youth in me tonight
The elixir of life - the elixir of life
I feel it's coursing through my veins
I'm setting everything alight

I got on top and
Ain’t gonna stop
Ain’t gonna stop now - no
I crashed out
I’m back now
Bringing something to the light

The elixir of life - the elixir of life
I got the the goddam font of youth in me tonight
The elixir of life - the elixir of life
I feel it's coursing through my veins
I'm set to set the world alight

Elixir Of Life

At the time of writing this song, Argentina has been on quarantine (or mandatory preventive social isolation) for 180 days. This song represent almost every thought I had through it, since the beginning when we celebrated birthdays through videocalls with our family and friends and we said "this will be a cool memory to tell our kids" until the most recent ones where rich people are leaving the country because they can afford it and because it feels like it's all going down here, and media covers it like it's the most important thing in the world and most of us just DON'T CARE anymore.
Until a few weeks ago, I hadn't even taken the train this year. The first time I took it, there were officers everywhere making sure you were actually allowed to take it. 
It's not the easiest time for everyone. Our country is split between the ones who support this isolation, and the ones who doesn't. Many political, economical and ideological reasons are in discussion, often forgetting that we're here because there's a virus out there, and some places can't even handle it anymore. It's scary, because you can feel the riot in the air which is the last thing we'd need right now.

Milligrams is the song I've been wanting to write for a long time. An honest song about what it's like to face your feelings in times of uncertainty. Sometimes you just wish you could numb all of them, like when you take a pill for the headache or something. A lot of feelings are several years old, but you know what they say, quarantine is a great time for introspection. I keep remembering my life before this and thinking "will I ever get even a small piece of that back?" Hopefully, I will. In the meantime... take care.

Lyrics:

They got the money, so they can runaway.
I don't get what they think I'd even care.
My planet Earth has been reduced to these walls,
haven't seen the city since long ago.
And we spent our birthdays through videocalls,
it felt cool for a memory to tell your child,
until I took the train feeling exiled
craving the freedom of a hunter running wild.

And it's a weird time, yes, they say it all the time,
like it would make a mend for the trouble in our minds.
And drop bombs on this already lost battlefield,
with the excuse to keep our eyes peeled.
Now I move by inertia almost all the time,
measuring my comfort in milligrams.
A little bit of this, a little bit of that
and our happy smile turns dark mad.

My moral has a double side,
don't look at me like this, yours is just like that.
And I've been screaming at you silently for so many years,
I thought my vocal cords would disappear.
So go ahead and tell me I just need a job,
like it would surgically remove these intruder thoughts.
Cause maybe I've wasted seven years of my life,
but I'm terrified of giving them up.

I believe they're all liars, including me
and that's why I'll never know what I need.
I think they're onto something against us tonight,
but we're hypnotized by this permanent blue light.
And I'm scared of every citizen,
cause when they raise our flag, I know what it represents.
I'm a red button away from calmness...
(Cover my mouth with blissful ignorance)

Now I move by inertia almost all the time,
measuring my comfort in milligrams.
A little bit of this, a littl bit of that,
and our bright smile turns dark mad.

Now I move by inertia almost all the time.

Milligrams

A new idea!  Incomplete, needs work, but I’m excited about this idea.  This is about climate change and how it will (or to be more accurate, how it already is) prompting migration of people.  It’s inspired by this New York Times Magazine article: How Climate Migration Will Reshape America.  https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/P6rcx8h4Ww8L6-7D-QqMJg~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhQyJSP4QZAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm55dGltZXMuY29tL2ludGVyYWN0aXZlLzIwMjAvMDkvMTUvbWFnYXppbmUvY2xpbWF0ZS1jcmlzaXMtbWlncmF0aW9uLWFtZXJpY2EuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD05JmVtYz1lZGl0X25uXzIwMjAwOTE1Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTIyMTk5Jm5sPXRoZS1tb3JuaW5nJnJlZ2lfaWQ9MTMyMDM3Mjk1JnNlY3Rpb25faW5kZXg9MSZzZWN0aW9uX25hbWU9YmlnX3N0b3J5JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MzgwOTAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWRiNTZmMmM2NWIwMzQ0M2RhZTAzOTczMGVhYTQ4NjAzVwNueXRCCgBDUp1gXxpHHKFSFmFic3RyYWN0X3dhdGVyQG1hYy5jb21YBAAAAAA~

I like this melody, but it sounds very familiar, too familiar.  If you happen to recognize it, let me know.

Follow

Now let’s be honest
Who wants to leave all they know?
The blood and sweat and tears
Dollars spent helping loved ones grow

But let’s be honest
Where do you think you will go?
The floods and storms and fire
Creep up to the doorstep you own

If there’s one thing I’ve learned
Don’t wait for your voice to be heard

Follow

Move where the crops grow
Move where the river flows
Look out the window
Gotta go where the coins go

Follow

Follow where the land will grow

Follow - 9:18:20, 6.51 PM

The words of the poet Robert Frost made into a song at the Shetland Songwriting Festival

The Aim Was Song

Before man came to blow it right
     The wind once blew itself untaught,
And did its loudest day and night
     In any rough place where it caught.
 
Man came to tell it what was wrong:
     It hadn’t found the place to blow;
It blew too hard—the aim was song.
     And listen—how it ought to go!
 
He took a little in his mouth,
     And held it long enough for north
To be converted into south,
     And then by measure blew it forth.
 
By measure. It was word and note,
     The wind the wind had meant to be—
A little through the lips and throat.
     The aim was song—the wind could see.

The Aim Was Song

"Nobody Ever Knew" (#397, 200920)

I was once right where I was supposed to be
One by one my doubts got the best of me

Eyes like a sunset lips like a copperhead
Wrapped around my chest
So sharp my heart bleeds so heavy I can't breathe
About as naked as it gets

Nobody ever nobody ever nobody ever knew
I I could never I I could never could never let you

See these dreams pure saline
Through the steam like nicotine
Not a clue I wanted you
Fooled me too nobody ever knew

Can't go back to the way you looked at me
If I could I would fall at your feet

You're like a diamond bright as a full moon risin'
Out beyond the mist
Wish I could go there I'd hand my heart right over
Empty as it is

Nobody ever nobody ever nobody ever knew
I I could never I I could never could never let you

See these dreams pure saline
Through the steam like nicotine
Not a clue I wanted you
Fooled me too nobody ever knew

Week 39a - Nobody Ever Knew (200920)

Did you know that all attraction is governed by the ancient brain?
When you feel it, it shuts down the newer parts
So when that person passes by you
and you feel like you're a clutz
It's not you, it's nearly every one of us

Cause we are animals
In the best possible way
We are animals & baby it's ok
If you wanna growl at your lover
Sniff one another
Sleep in a soft warm heap
Cause we are animals - right to this day

Did you know that it's cortisol that wakes you up each day?
It's the hormone that prepares for fight and flight 
If you wake up in the morning with anxiety again
Doesn't mean there's a danger in your life

It’s just we’re animals
In the best possible way
We are animals & baby it's ok
If you wanna growl at your lover
Sniff one another
Sleep in a soft warm heap
Cause we are animals - that's how we're made

[Interlude / your lyrics here ;) ]

Cause we are animals
In the best possible way
Yeah we are animals & baby it's ok
If you wanna growl at your lover
Sniff one another
Sleep in a soft warm heap
Cause we are animals - that's how we're made

Animals

key C

based on a poem by RUMI and a visit to Van Gogh Live September 24 2020

In this earth 
In this earth  
We shall not plant any seeds 
Sow compassion 
And Rows of love 
In this perfect precious field 
We shall not plant any seeds 
Sow compassion 
And Rows of love 

Love for all  
Is the art of life
Love will save us all
thru these tears we till
the soil we will reap in joy

in this earth

26. the girl with bad karma.
My first EP "the demos" is out now! https://open.spotify.com/album/5HW6gAvQ3LcAqM16ynT1yx?si=EwKDGTw6TQmxxmFxjCrqcQ

(This Silence Is So) Loud:
https://open.spotify.com/track/2dZMZ9pWzo1bmAosxO5WWa?si=mCZc_-GhSJaC8VkQ8jeURA

Like a Kid: https://open.spotify.com/track/3P9DWi9yh66lLQKUoOZgD8?si=HqxH3FICRZuGbyGu6_ijUw

Shaped Like You feat @lossketches :
https://open.spotify.com/track/5ypE55qUIeLFh1ZYX7AbE9?si=TGMWJpTrQmWOF_ppLXF_lQ

Currently writing a song every week on www.songaweek.org

Milligrams

Paula Varela

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