So in a recent post I told you that I have these life fantasies. One of them I already told you about was my fantasy of being able to draw. Another thing I always wanted to do was to write songs, play the guitar and serenade girls. Well, I did that but the fantasy usually involves me being good. And that I haven't been able to do.
Fantasies are nice in that they give you a hope and a possibility that maybe you really do have a special talent. Something that makes people stop on the street and stare, mouth open in awe. I've often wondered whether these fantasies are healthy and hopeful things or impediments to really living - right- this - minute.
OK, so in the spirit of Quixoting, we are supposed to share our work with others (that's you).
Here goes. Right after college (1990 or so), I was living with a couple of my fraternity brothers in Manhattan Beach, CA. We had a place on the main drag heading down to the shore. Good times, right? Well, I was not always the life of the party then as I was trying to figure out life on a few levels. Part of that included a Birkenstocks phase, a poetry phase and a guitar phase (feel free to create your own larger category). I guess you could say I was expressing. Very painful for my buddies to watch, I'm sure.
I had never played the guitar much before but I did take a class at San Diego State. I could strum a mean Puff the Magic Dragon. Anyway, I wrote six songs including lyrics and some very rough strumming chords. I recorded them on a lousy boom box and still have the tape. Someday I will memorialize them digitally. Instead of boring you with the voice or the poor strumming, I'll share the lyrics of a few songs over the coming weeks and months.
But before I do, let me say a few words about my expanding view of Quixoting. I've said that Quixoting is about ideas (new and old) as well as the inspiration to act on them. It is about sharing them or launching them. Well there are many categories of ideas that can feel the shade of this blog's umbrella. Over the coming months, I will look to share a wider variety of my creative output. Some recent and some dating back to my teens. Why, you ask? Simply, to thank myself for coming up with them. After years of disparaging them and leaving them to languish in a dark corner, they will now see the light of day. You just may need to cover your eyes as I cannot promise their ability to stun you with pride. Longer term, I would like to create a platform where others can do the same. Interested?
Here's the song.
In the World
(V1)
i watch the world
that's watchin' me
who's the teacher
teachin' me?
i play the game
with regret
knowin' that
i'll soon forget
someday I'll know
and clearly see
the doors were never
closed to me
explore my eyes
they cast a doubt
what the hell
am I worried about?
i am free
to believe
walk with me
but don't deceive
(V2)
i see the sky
turnin' red
all the clouds
surround my head
when darkness comes
crawlin' down
all my feelin's
tumble round
the pleasing sounds
of ocean walls
don't forgive
my heart that crawls
but in my mind
a quiet voice
tells me that
i've got a choice
i am free
to believe
walk with me
but don't deceive
i watch the world
that's watchin' me
who's the teacher
teachin' me?
Now if the song seems dark, it really isn't (or at least I wasn't feeling that way). But i was questioning a lot at the time.
Of course, all of this is copyrighted work by me (because saying so fulfills part of the fantasy that others may see my work and alert a number of struggling songwriters).
So, there you have it. The official unleashing of a song-writing juggernaut. Let me know if you want the chords so you can hum it during your commute to work this week.
Comments