I was sitting in a Wal-Mart parking lot at Three in the morning, waiting for my sister to buy whatever it was she needed. I saw a women come out with her young kids. They all looked so wretched and miserable. I got the idea to write this song - "In Sorrow's Embrace" - for a fake band I wanted to create on Monkey Barn called Vicious Beauty. At the time all the other contributors to Monkey Barn (save one) were women, and I thought an all girl-band would rock. They could go on tour, release songs, etc. I still think it's a good idea.
Anyway, I heard the tune in my head almost instantly. Surprisingly, over two years later I can still hear it. I recorded it a few minutes ago on an online virtual keyboard, but I can't get the audio to upload. grrrr. (If you have trouble converting the notes below, email me and I will send you the audio file.)
The song was supposed to be sad, and at first I heard it all, but once I started writing it down I wasn't very happy with it. Below are the original lyrics I came up with, as well as the musical notes. (If you see an underscore that means to hold the note a beat longer. I've lost the notes for the chorus.)
Music Notes for "In Sorrow's Embrace"
D-D-D-A-G_ E-F-F-D-E-C
G-A-A-F-G-E E-F-F-G-G_
D-D-D-A-G_ E-F-F-D-E-C
G-A-A-F-G-E F-E-D-C-D
LYRICS
I saw you alone, head buried and crying
I wished I could wipe the tears from your face
I felt like a vouyer, watching and prying
(alt. lyric: But I did not approach, there was no use trying)
How could I wrap you in Sorrow's Embrace?
Your pain paints the sky, there's no denying (alt lyric: echoes and flying)
I wish I could swallow every last trace
The loss that you've seen, suffering, dying
I wish I could wrap you in Sorrow's Embrace
In Sorrow's (sorrow's)....Sorrow's Embrace
In Sorrow's (sorrow's)....Sorrow's Embrace
Little black girl, she sits in the school yard
Her papers are scattered all over the place
She looks in my eyes; "Is life always this hard?"
Oh I wish I could wrap her in Sorrow's Embrace
I never got further than that, although I had plans for all these verses. Cut to a year and something later. Something happened - a very serious life-and-death situation with someone I know. It was fast, messy, just awful to go through. Afterward I pulled out my pad of paper. I hadn't seen the lyrics above in months, but the tune was still in my head, and from memory I wrote the poem below (which I've previously published). It was a totally different situation but the feeling was the same. The second version works much better than the incomplete fragment above, which, at that stage, were little more than just jotted ideas, but I always kinda wished I would have kept working on that version to make a full song. Oh, well. I like the poem, too.
If you want to play along, you can sound out the notes here - http://goo.gl/nfMk
Or, there is a cool keyboard that lets you play by typing. - http://www.virtualpiano.net/
I transcribed the notes into their nomenclature:
y-y-y-p-o_ u-i-i-y-u-t
o-p-p-i-o-u u-i-i-o-o_
y-y-y-p-o_ u-i-i-y-u-t
o-p-p-i-o-u i-u-y-t-y
IN SORROW'S EMBRACE
Unbidden tears, refusing to hide,
Slowly they crawl down over my face;
Stinging my eyes, my skin and my pride,
Welcoming me to Sorrow's Embrace.
Tilting my head and blinking back hard,
Willing it gone without any trace;
A call in the night, completely off guard,
Pulling me into Sorrow's Embrace.
The pain in her voice, a desperate sound,
Begging for reasons to stay in the race;
The sadness and hurt of letting her down,
Giving her up to Sorrow's Embrace.
I can't be a Savior again and again,
Throwing myself all over the place;
Some cuts run deep, refusing to mend,
We heal in the end, with Sorrow's Embrace.
My words do not soothe, her pain does not cease,
I stay at a distance, without any grace;
Alone in the night, now, searching for peace,
The comforting wrap of Sorrow's Embrace.
Pain in the darkness, sadness and strife,
The Storm of it can be too much to face;
Hope can be taken, Soul snuffed of life,
We shiver and wait, in Sorrow's Embrace.
Return to Literary Hype Home Page
Go to Hyperion Empire Home Page
No comments:
Post a Comment