Any way... For the time being I thought I'd look back and pick 2 or 3 and include them here, based around the date today - 19th June - see what I was thinking when I wrote lyrics in the past around this date. So let's have a look -
The
Catastrophe
by
Rod Maughan (aged 17)
15th June 1989
1 I don't think we should act the way we
do
The only ones left to decide will be
me and you
I can see it, I can hear it - why is
it only me?
The biggest human sacrifice ever, we
will be!
2 There are so many puzzles left unsolved
We can't go now - it's taken us
aeons to evolve!
The possibilities the years to come
could bring...
All you've achieved - nothing means
a thing!
Br Can't stop it! Can't control it!
It will end in all our deaths!
Too late now! Too far now!
But never ever too soon!
Ch You could never really see
This catastrophic situation
And now your soul has been set free
To wander on and on...
3 Know of all the other creatures on
this Earth
That you're gonna take with you to
death
God, have some mercy... But God
isn't real...
Man is the only god and the wounds
will never heal!
4 So damn involved with keeping your
life secure
You never even doubted - you were so
sure
Now it's almost over and your wish
will come true...
Death is so secure and there's
nothing you can do!
Br
Ch
Instru
5 You were so determined never to grow
old
Because of your naivety this planet
was sold
Everybody knew that the world would
end
But they all said 'never mind -
leave it to them!'
Br
Chx2
Oh well, yeah, I know, the last verse is rather a cop out! Couldn't decide how to end it I guess. A bit of a grim song I wrote at the tender age of 17, I was already at that age a vegetarian (that happened when I was 15) and highly motivated and concerned about the environment. I'd also spent much time with my nose in philosophy books and was already intrigued with ideas which would eventually turn me towards a pagan path spiritually.
The music to the song was fast and punchy - it was written at a time I had been self teaching myself keyboards for a year or so and was getting better, and was learning the bass guitar - I was just at the beginning of the electric guitar, so this song was written on the keyboards only, though was very much in a heavy metal style. I did indeed play my old keyboard rather like a thrash metal rhythm guitar back in the late '80s! When I eventually re-recorded this as an exceedingly rough demo around 1997-ish (I think) I re-worked the song to incorporate more guitar parts and also slowed the temp slightly (as it was all rather manic in it's original version!) - the keyboards still drive the song though.
Now here's this one:
The
Truth
by
Rod Maughan (aged 18)
17th June 1990
1 What lies on the other side?
What lies beyond the grave?
Is this the path to self destruction
-
That we pave?
SBr Why are there no answers?
Are we not supposed to know?
This lack of information will cause
us to go...
Br We must go
For we must know
We will journey
For we must see
Ch (The truth)
Are you real or am I dreaming?
But aren't dreams reality too?
Only you can stop me screaming!
Do you know what you must do?
2 Will I see you in the after life?
Or will we both just fade away?
Hours pass contemplating...
But still no-one can say
SBr
Br
Ch
Instru
This was very inspired by thrash metal musically - the verses and bridges are kind of mid-paced, plodding, but the choruses were really fast, and the instrumental is also very fast and comes to a bit of a manic climax eventually being longer than the rest of the song; such was my style around '90- '92 before my songs got shorter. I had made great strides learning bass and rhythm guitar by mid 1990 and many of my songs were quite complex, though looking back, rather unwieldy! This came to light when I tried to re-record some of the early '90s songs using my limited drumming options on my old keyboard. Many time changes, slow and fast bits, proved that i need a better drum machine. Or possibly a drummer!
Lyrically... Yeah, I was obsessed with life after death, this is reflected in quite a lot of my lyrics of earlier times. But reading between the lines you can also see my desperation to make a connection with someone, preferably a girlfriend, kindred spirit, soul mate, ie, "Only you can stop me screaming!" Only another like-souled person can come and ease my pain, quiet my troubled brain. Well, within 10 months I had started dating Mandy, and she's done quite a good job over the last 25 years, though my mind is a hard thing to quiet...
Finally (for now, ha ha...):
New
Age
by
Rod Maughan (aged 25)
18th June 1997
1 We need you - don't go
We need you - you're all we know
The worry - you'll cause us
The worry - fear of the unknown
2 It's the future that's at stake, don't
want you to make
Any more mistakes - try to learn
from them
The time when you were blind is the
past that is behind
I hope that you will find that your
vision is clearer now
Ch Don't deny it - a brand new age is here
Don't deny it - there is nothing
left to fear
Don't deny it - a brand new age is
here
Don't deny it - don't deny it
3 I want you - come here
I want you - I want everyone to hear
The ignorant - are slow
The ignorant - they will never know
4 It will be so wonderful - that's what
they're saying
We should start praying that they
have got it right
Because if they have not then things
could turn bad
And it will be so sad - I guess it's
up to everyone of us
Ch
Instru
Chx2
Simple lyrics, and a song which musically reflected the mixed up stuff I listened to. I suppose you'd call this alternative metal, written around a main riff that sounds heavily borrowed from something off Metallica's Load album, the verses are sang kind of Megadeth "Sweating Bullets", and it has a Smashing Pumpkins meets Faith No More type of chorus... Strange days... By '97 I was writing much less complex songs, usually finding cool riffs and expanding them into songs. It was the vibe and attitude of the song that was important, rather than the musical complexity.
Not my greatest lyrics of the time, but as I said, trying to include songs based on the date. On the surface I think this is a song that is talking to the general population of humanity - buck your ideas up. But when I look deeper, it may well be about my kids and parenthood and how I want the best possible future for them and that I've got to buck my ideas up and face responsibilities! I was heavily into my psychology degree at the time, about a year left to go, and that was taking up a lot of my time. Yes, the more I look at those lyrics, the more I feel like they're a message to me. Well... how well did(n't) I do, that will be discussed some other time I am sure..!
So, there you go. Might do this again some other time with 3 more of my songs. Lucky you!
Bis Später!
No comments:
Post a Comment