Check out this song and follow along with the story via the lyrics at my new SOLO Bandcamp page
My dad and I shared many of the same tastes in music, and both of us played and recorded music, so it was always a damn shame that we hadn't released any collaborations together. We have done plenty of little demos and jam outs, but nothing releasable. It is one of the many reasons his departure at the young age of 67 feels so unfair. So much unfinished business.
After he died, I had the pleasure of going through all of his recording devices and checking out all the brainstorms and sketches he left behind. One of these was a song that had all the parts in place (verse, chorus, etc) with some great ad-lib vocal phrasings and a trippy/dark vibe. It seemed like a good place to start finishing some of these songs for him.
Just a couple of problems, though:
1) He only ad-libbed vowel sounds and phonetics, but no real words except the droney chorus' "You're Dreeeeaming", and
2) He recorded it with some heavy effects, input signal way too high, and lots of bleed over from the organ and click track. So his voice sounds distorted, is buried in effects, and almost drowned out by the other instruments.
3) The entire song was full mellotron and organ all the way through over a loud click-track. No stops, breaks, drums, bass, dynamics, or melody. It WAS just sketch of an idea he threw down, after all.
Sooo, I needed to write lyrics for this song. Kind of a heavy task when he is no longer here to consult with. Like I'm putting words into his mouth. Not only that, but I wanted to preserve his original idea as much as possible, so I had to write real words that rhymed with his ad-lib vowel sounds. This way I thought maybe I could sprinkle in his original vocal track, albeit distorted, and have his and my voice comp together as one,
Since the chorus DID already have the real words "You're Dreaming", I started there. Ultimately, I came up with a story that begins with Me talking to my dad somehow, and asking him "What if you can come back?" to which he replies "You can only come back once in a while." I realize I'm dreaming, but we still talk, and he tells me that we don't need to go to any special location or need any magical powers to converse with lost loved ones. They are always inside of us, and not in some intangible "I'm-just-saying-that-to-make-you-feel-better" kind of way. No, every time you make a decision based on "what they would have done", donate to a charity they loved, or reach out to the ones THEY loved with support or comfort, they are speaking through you and you re connected with them.
What's more, if you are ready to move past the heartbreak and have dealt with your emotions, you can absolutely connect with them in a place of inner focus. This is where some people have said that "Angels" have bestowed wisdom upon them. To those of mal-intent, these "inner voices" are really their own ego's helping them justify some unpopular decision by using "angels" or their "divine message" as an excuse, but to the pure hearted, those messages are typically profound, beautiful nuggets of wisdom.
Maybe it came from your own higher self, but if your intention to connect is strong enough, after some practice, you can still get those nuggets of life advice, wisdom, even a joke now and then, from your dear old Dad (or Mom, sibling, friend).
That's what his message in the last verse ultimately tells me. Here I am (in the song) thinking I need to drive to Florida and stand at our special place to connect with him, but he tells me he is always right inside and available to me when I need him.
I hope his friends and relatives like what I've done with this song, and I hope it can also inspire some comfort and attempts to connect for others who have lost someone very near and dear.
I love you Dad! We finally did a song together!!!!
Check out this song and follow along with the story via the lyrics at my new SOLO Bandcamp page
