After yet another friend posted pictures of her bruises I was beyond angry and found myself writing. I wanted to show these women's experiences. The loneliness, the shame and the desperation are common threads to their stories. They made it out, but not all do. Thank you for listening.

Sidewalk pavement after midnight
The only friend left to hear me cry
Black and blue patches show the ugly truth
You were headstone carving when I left you
And your handiwork

(Chorus)
Expertly you pulled the strings
Hide your flaws, then make me bleed
Your sleight of hand looked so grand
But then I saw what comes of your 
Handiwork

Mona Lisa smiled for da Vinci
But you had me cower as you painted me
It’s not safe to be your masterpiece
Draped in your shame that covers me
When I’m your handiwork
I’m a showcase. Take a look

(Chorus)

Train whistle screams on jumpers bridge
“How many times will you fall for it?”
Desperate thoughts pounding in my head
I’d feel more comfort on that river bed
Than be your handiwork

(Chorus)


Church bell calling from across the street
“Child, come and rest. You're set free.”
They say idle hands are the devil’s work
I guess they’ve never seen your
Guess it’s time they see your 
Someone needs to see your
Handiwork

Handiwork

Dead End

I wrote this song back when I was living in a little attic in Sofia, working as an English teacher. It was the middle of the day, and I felt particularly lonely. My girlfriend (now my wife) was in the US for a year, visiting her grandfather, and I remember that heavy feeling of being stuck—going through the motions, but not really there.

“I’m Still Here” came out of that. That strange space where life keeps moving—kids yelling in the schoolyard, checking the mailbox every day... Everything feels normal, but you’re not in it. Part of you is somewhere else.

If you’ve ever felt that kind of quiet longing, this one’s for you.

Thanks for listening.
More music soon.

“I’m Still Here”

Wake up in the morning
Sunlight crawling in my eyes
It's 10am and I've got
no time at all

Dress up, fix my hair
I get downstairs -- there's nothing waiting for me
Sip my coffee while I’m
thinking 'bout you

And I'm still here, here
Looking at the world
And I'm still here, but I know
where I should go

All the kids at the schoolyard
shouting stories through the air
I half-listen, smile, and nod,
but I’m not there

Lunch break, sitting alone
Scrolling through my worn-out phone
And I wonder—
do you miss me too? 

Get in bed, still counting
everything I didn't do
Maybe tomorrow
won’t feel so blue

Bridge:
Maybe I stayed too long in the same old frame
Hoping the silence would call your name
But the world moves fast and the sky won’t wait
So maybe tomorrow, I won’t be late

And I'm still here, here
Looking at the world
And I'm still here, but I know
where I should go

And I'm still here, here
Holding on too tight
And I'm still here, but I know
I'll be alright

-----------------




"I'm Still Here" by The Vlade

Tuesday, August 2, 2011, Marciac, France.
After Paco De Lucia last year and John McLaughlin three days ago, Marciac hosts a new "Guitar Hero" with Al Di Meola, the third musketeer of a group that was successful in the 1980s. The Italian-American has nothing to envy to the other two in terms of instrumental technique. His is simply amazing and virtuosity has little equal. Where a prolific solo career and ease the crossing of cultures. Jazz rock of which he is one of the stars uncontested (he replaced Bill Connors in the group Return To Forever Chick Corea) Di Meola freely mixes of other influences, beginning with those that come from his Italian roots. Thus the merger, which does not exclude the lyricism or the Latin color, including flamenco, makes it a representative of world music. His collaboration with Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba often reaches the top.

Double Concerto LIVE. Marciac, France

This track is from the album The Story of Love and is available for purchase on CD Baby here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thejuke

Venus

That Day

Daydream Woman

An artist who hums... a songwriter who scribbles.

http://www.thevlade.com/

"I'm Still Here" by The Vlade

The Vlade

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