Track 23: Variants

On occasion you're so close with a song, you like the concept, the sound or lyrics in sections, but as a whole it's not... quite... there. "April's Fool" (a version of it can be found on Last Songs) was the most troublesome example of this. A year's long battle, which resulted in several lyrical re-writes and numerous musical and melodic variations. This blog entry will put the spotlight on several variants for 3 numbers.

I Hate Valentine's Day
There are 3 versions of this number that I designated, "Original", "Extra Crispy" and "1.5 (Short Version)". I was wrestling with the original, when, to relax and try and break the block, I wrote 1.5 (short version) - a wee sliver lasting 45 seconds and done for a laugh. After that, I finished and recorded a demo for the original, but still wasn't pleased with the chorus. In February I came back to it, rewrote and recorded a new chorus, which I titled "extra crispy" (a humorous spin on the KFC variants), it was with this version I finally came to place where I was satisfied with tune. 



I Hate Valentine's Day (Original)
Written on January 21, 2010

What's it about? During the holidays I'd feel lonely and miss her, and wonder how that could be when she was ultimately bad for me? The answer was that we both gave each other shelter from the storm; bad times or not, we found some peace and happiness, however briefly, with each other.

Chorus - Alternate Lyrics
I hate Valentine's Day, she's gone, gone missing
I hate Valentine's Day, there's someone new, she's kissing



I Hate Valentine's Day (Extra Crispy)
Written on February 14, 2010

Lyrics

She was a liar and a thief, a ball breaker without relief

They'd say she's bad for me, and it's true I couldn't see

Past the heat she'd generate

And I had murder in my eye, when she kissed the blistered sky

But I had no one else to blame, I went along with that game

I was amped up on the charge she'd create

But you see...

When the rest of the world would sleep and there was only her and I

In this moment we'd get through, all the hurt we'd gone through

But she's left, and now...

I hate Valentine's Day; I hate feeling this way

I hate Valentine's Day, she left me, but I never left her

She showed me something new and obscene, I made her innocent and clean

Ah, we thought we'd found the answer, salvation from the cancer

But we were too broken to hold to that illusion

Pre-chorus and chorus

It couldn't last and I knew

Yeah, it might have been a lie, but it was real for me

Chorus



I Hate Valentine's Day (1.5 - short version)
Written on January 31, 2010

Trivia? The "olé" in this tune came from MST3K, it was included in the song "He Tried to Kill Me with a Forklift", from "Fugitive Alien".

Lyrics
Little chalky hearts - stamped with lovey doveys
People holding hands making kissy faces
And it reminds me I'm alone, and it makes me wanna cry
And it makes me wanna puke, and punch them in the eye
I hate Valentine's Day, olé
I hate Valentine's Day, okay
I hate Valentine's Day

 

Emily's Laughing
An amalgam of several women, most specifically a clinically depressed young lady I worked with. I can relate to feeling displaced, looking at a life that became less than planned. I liked the imagery of looking at the stars, its vast emptiness, and the desire to explore and escape into that unknown.

The lyrics were grand, it was the musical that gave me trouble, it's close to wonderful, but I could never get it to click. I had it as a folk ballad for the "Delirium" session, but that version was too long and lost energy at the end. I then tried a different tempo and drumbeat, and made it piano based. I'm not sure it works any better. Less draggy, yes, though not as mournful (plus, I was losing my voice by the end).





Emily's Laughing
Written on January 17, 2007

Lyrics
Emily's laughing at some stupid story, the boys at the bar just shared

And she's looking so good at playing the game, I was almost convinced that she cared

This wasn't the life she dreamt about, when she'd lay on the roof and stare at the stars

Now she wonders if she would feel more real, living alone on the face of Mars

Emily wants a world where she's new

Where she's unknown and flying true 

Emily's laughing, though she's not being funny, when she tells me she wants to feel clean

She'd like to disappear, go crystal clear and walk through a crowd unseen

When I ask her what she's looking for, as she gazes through her telescope

She puts on a cryptic little smile and tells me, she's searching for a glimmer of hope

Chorus

And Emily don't fade away, your stronger than you know

Don't hit the switch and kill the light, Emily don't go

Emily's laughing, lyrically happy, I've never known such a beautiful sound

It echoes distinctly, I can hear it quite clearly

Though she is nowhere to be found

Chorus


Penny's From Another Planet
Here's the original version of "Penny's from Another Planet" (see the Delirium page for the second). The night before I went into the studio, I changed it, added a verse and made it a harder rock number. This first version was sweeter, more Beatle-esque and melodic. I remixed it 3 times trying to strike a better balance, but the handclaps are still too hot, and the backing vocals not loud enough.



Penny's First Draft
Written in October 2006

Lyrics

Penny comes from somewhere out of this world

She's stepping in time to the sound of a snare

When I have the cash I plan to visit her planet

Wish I could stay but I can't breathe the air

Penny’s a drummer girl in skin-tight spandex

Wears a jet pack, lasers sparkle from her eyes

And any man who dares to drink too deeply

Loses his heart as his will slowly dies

Ahh, she sets my head in a spin, neon lights and theremin, my resolve is paper-thin

And my brains burning in a flash, and my eyes are weeping ash

Penny's from another planet, Penny's from out of this world

Penny's from another planet, Penny's way out of this world

Penny lets me look but she's too dangerous to touch

She's got a pretty face and she’s got a pretty mind

I'm firmly beguiled by the juxtaposition of warm flesh and cool metal combined

Chorus