A batch of songs written and recorded at home in the last couple of months.  They explore themes ranging from mental health to politics and generally have a narrative style.  I'm not sure if the songs are good enough for public consumption, yet, but they're not doing any good gathering dust on the laptop!  Feedback welcome.  I hope you connect with the lyrics and themes.

Everything, Anything

Believe

How this Country's Cold

"And then you come, higher than holy,
To save a soul that's broken and lonely.
Forgive my faults, forgive my denial;
We've got mountains to climb."

Salvation Song (Mountains to Climb)

Hopefully quite relatable - you don't think you can or should, but your friends tell you that "you should do it, if you really want to!"

Ok then!  Let's go for it!

Do it (if you really want to)

A revised version of an old song which deals with loneliness and isolation; when you feel at your most broken.  Those times when you want help but push people away.

I hope you like the lovely warm harmonies :)

They give the feeling of company and support - a reassuring choral background, as though someone is watching over you.

Broken

Recorded back in 1997 when in the band 'Perfect Circle'.  A song about struggling with social interaction and trying to "follow the trends" but being "trapped in winter".

The lyric "I hate your friends" upset a lot of people at the time; that wasn't aimed at anyone in particular and I realise now that this was mostly about not copying well with social situations.

Having an adult diagnosis of autism has helped by understand why I found all that so tough.

Demo 1997

Breakdown

A track that was written around 1997/1998 and recorded by Tom Bailey.  Just a vocal and acoustic guitar on this one.  The metaphor is about how a fairground ferris wheel gives a new perspective on the town you usually see below from ground level.  It's about the important realisation that your are not needed and that this can bring peace.

Rough Cut

Fairground Ride

A favourite live track of ours from the Perfect Circle days when we were kids.  A big chorus that is best played at full volume.

Always You

Trapped in cycles of mistake-making? 

‘Over and over, I do it again. A cartoon pantomime behind you again.’

The Mess I Made Again

I should have done this twenty years ago; it's never too late to be the person you were meant to be.  Songwriter and lyricist:  Words and Songs.  No contract or publishing deal.

A collection of song ideas in demo form, recorded at home. Please excuse the production quality; enthusiastic amateur.

Words and Songs

Popular tracks