There are many a song that describe my life. This one, however, hits my cranium, heart, and third eye in such a way that internal tremors are the understatement of the reaction. I have been infatuated with Peter Sinfield's lyrics for quite some duration, as well as Greg Lake's vocals. I thought I would give this one a go.

Rewritten: Various Covers from 2015-2017

I Talk To The Wind (King Crimson MIDI Cover)

I Talk To The Wind (King Crimson a cappella cover)

:-) This is, without a doubt, one of my absolute favorites of Yusuf/Cat Stevens pieces. :-)

The Wind (Cat Stevens a cappella cover)

Keeping up with the [slight] tradition of uploading material chronologically, this was an early piece. My poems-turned-songs and lyrics went through a Beatles transition in the sense that they were simpler in the beginning. However, this particular composition contains indirect influence from Marc Bolan's early work in the psychedelic folk duo 'Tyrannosaurus Rex'. I cannot believe this song is eleven years old.

Love for the Stones
Published in FreeMyVerse

These stones are loved
in the calm jewel night.
These stones are loved
when they glow oh so bright.

These stones are loved
by the rich and the poor.
These stones are loved
when you hear them ask for more.

These stones are loved
as time goes by.
These stones are loved
as the corpses cry. 

These stones are gone
until the last decade’s dawn.

November 16, 2010

Copyright © Z.M. Wise 2010

A Cappella Originals

Love For The Stones (a cappella)

I Am the Poem: Original Pieces

Love For The Stones (alternate version with Dustin Pickering on Guitar)

Love For The Stones

This was another one of my early compositions. It is difficult to believe that this piece is eleven years old. It was also one of my first experiments in the non-traditional blues standard. Who knows? Perhaps it does not even BELONG in the blues genre. Maybe it is more 'blues-y'. As always, your ears and minds contain more power than my output. I am merely a man with a pen, a notebook, a microphone, and a voice...and at times, instruments.

Xydes
Published in The Curbstone Collective

Xydes hangs around the tide.
A beautiful Ferrari he rides.
This is the path he has chosen:
To stand still and remain frozen.

Xydes swims with the tide.
The clashing waves make him glide.
This is the world he has broken
for every false word he has spoken.

Xydes takes his girl for a ride.
Another car, unfortunately, did collide.
The nurse called and summoned
so this miserable soul could see his woman.

Xydes has nothing left but his pride.
Loudly to God he screamed, “I lied!”
He then puts a gun to his head.
It is not him but the world that is dead.

June 12, 2010 

Copyright © Z.M. Wise 2010

Xydes (alternative)

Xydes

This is, without a doubt, one of my favorite underrated Pink Floyd tracks. I could not resist. :P

If (Pink Floyd Cover)

Robert Johnson's alternate take of 'Love in Vain' is, undoubtedly, my favorite composition of his. I was playing off of that as opposed to the final master. Here's hoping I did not butcher the piece TOO much!!

Love In Vain (Robert Johnson Cover)

Jade

Jade (a cappella)

I mean...why not? :D I realize there is no way I can compare myself to Jim, so I shall just show my appreciation through a simple homage to him. :D

Indian Summer (The Doors Cover)

This was a love poem-turned-song I wrote in late 2016. 'Nuff said. :)

Earth in Your Eyes
Published in The Unrest

Can’t imagine rings without their shine,
garnet birthstones emanating on their own.
Can’t imagine materialism turning crystalline,
obsession with possessions leaves a common tone.
And I can’t imagine a life without the feline,
Egyptian goddess resurrected in the home.

Follow the cat’s smile.
Follow the cat’s smile.
Crescent moon,
laughing trick.
Follow the cat’s smile.
Follow the cat’s smile…home.

Ebon dress absorbs the Sun,
violet hair in its rightful place.
As the sunset closes its red eye for the night,
we speak with silent hush tone thoughts.
Should I be the one to confess?
Breathe deeply, stay taciturn, never overwrought.

Silhouettes tease the Anxious Ones.
Shadows seize the opportunity.
Under the sunlit guardian,
may the wind guide them towards unity.
Think we’ll just stick with the anonymous community.

You hold the world inside your mind.
No other possible way to be tantalized.
From one glimpse to a hypnosis gaze,
could have sworn I’ve seen the Earth in your eyes.

Blue-green tinted fusion,
blue-green aura vision…
what are you doing for yourself?

Walking like the woman of liberation,
stand like a Greek statue…
essence of your being,
seeing all that was seen.

A glistening shower of glitter,
making its home in the comforting strands of your hair.
Spirit of the lioness,
overlooking the animal kingdom in a game of heated stares.

You’re the elemental lady,
blazing the trail of her own path.
Never mind the interrupters of progression,
for they will surely taste your wrath.

Let us drink to the faith of sincerity!
Raise your goblet in an all time high!
Toast us twice for clarity,
with wings of flamingos attempting to fly.

Torn to pieces and reassembled,
puzzles of your mystery make sense.
I have seen the beauty, I have seen the power.
Light and darkness: the mirror shades of night.

You hold the universe in your palm.
Haunting images, made to be internalized.
Shut them all out with two blinks and a wink.
Could have sworn I’ve seen the Earth in your eyes.

June 27, 2016

Copyright © Z.M. Wise 2016

Earth In Your Eyes (a cappella)

I thought I would bring back another old Tyrannosaurus Rex piece. Mind you, this is one of four more tracks that are being uploaded until new (and improved) material emerges. :-)

Apologies for my prolonged absence! I love you all ever so much!!

Salamanda Palaganda (Tyrannosaurus Rex Cover)

This is a multi-layered a cappella attempt at one of my favorite pieces on Earth.

Just A Song Before I Go (CSN Cover)

Tracks recorded on various dates in 2018 & 2019

Track 1: Guest vocals with Clan Ceili on St. Patrick's Day 2018
Annette Mules: Vocals and Percussion
Geoff Mules: Vocals and Guitar
Kathy Mules: Vocals
Z.M. Wise: Guest Vocals

Tracks 2 & 4: Karaoke (October 26, 2019)

Track 3: Open mic performance on November 19, 2019

I thought the title would be suitable, considering a great many people deem it blasphemy when one compares singing with a group/solo to singing a backing track to karaoke. I agree...for the most part. It is almost sacrilegious to compare the two. However, one cannot deny that karaoke is a stellar way to give oneself a free vocal lesson. You truly get the opportunity to hear how you actually sound. As displayed, the two karaoke performances are auditory proof that my voice is CLEARLY meant for softer songs.

converto.io

'City of Chicago' (with guest vocals from Z.M. Wise)

Rodriguez has become a favorite artist of mine over the past couple of years, so I thought it would be appropriate to pay tribute to the humble 'Sugar Man'. This is one of his lesser known compositions. It speaks to me on a number of levels. Hopefully, I did not butcher the piece TOO much.

I'll Slip Away (Rodriguez a cappella cover)

You know how certain pieces do not require vocals? I believe the same to an extent. I also believe that certain pieces do not require instrumentation. With that being said, most of my tracks are a cappella, for vocal performance is my main goal. I tinker with instruments here and there, so I apologize in advance if they sound a tad screwy. I realize I have a long way to go with my voice, but practice makes almost perfect! :-) Other than that, my bio in a nutshell is below.

Publisher/Poet. Singer/Songwriter/Lyricist. Tinkerer of Instruments. Co-Editor of @TZPress1. Essayist. Legal Writer. Voice Actor. Bibliophile. Animal/Music Lover. Intersectional Feminist. Illinois Native. Old Soul

Z.M. Wise

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