You want more melancholy (no) then you’re in luck! For whatever reason, I’ve been much more inspired to work on songs than fiction right now. I haven’t written a lot of songs that touch on being a writer. This one does somewhat. Note as/if you listen that I’ve written a novel called "God’s Wife."
The period of writing "God’s Wife" and its aftermath was pretty depressing--around age 24-28, the heart of my twenties. The reason I want to get down these morose, morose songs was because at least something came out of it: I wrote some songs. I was alone, I was depressed, I justified it by writing things.
After that stretch was over, I met my wife. She was stripping at the time and we bonded on the fact that I wrote a book about a sex worker who actually ends up working at a place where she stripped, New York Dolls. I’d never been to other strip clubs in New York until I met her--VIP, Flashdancers, Scores. The first time I went to see her--during Halloween week when she was dressed as a cowgirl--I got raging, embarrassingly drunk. It was weird seeing her dance for other men, or at least I was thinking it would be, so I drank, and drank.
It’s sounds corny, but she was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen in my life when I met her. She was dressed in a brown skirt with red trim and high heels. She looked like a forties’ vixen. When she crossed her legs, the trim of her skirt made the shape of a heart. Also corny. She was belligerent, brash--I liked her right off. I had actually been fooling around with a friend of hers at the time. When I heard about S., the redhead, I knew she was going to be something. I met her in a tiny apartment on Orchard St.
So…this song was written before I met her, before my life got some focus. Having the family away has been good for realizing where I am in my life and where I’ve been.
Believe it or not, I wasn't familiar with the Johnny Cash song "Walk the Line" when I wrote this song. It also rips off "Let it Be," though I didn’t realize at the time that I was taking from it. That’s two songs in a row that steal from the Beatles.
"I walk the line between love and life." Get up and dance!
I Walk the Line
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4 comments:
Hi there ... Just checking out your blog via "Godlorica" blog site's Web link. It's pretty cool to come across another writer's blog and see what's shaking in another writer's muse.
I, too, am a writer whose blog may or may not interest you. I share my stuff about life, recovery, spirituality ... yeah, even some political mish-mash (or that could be "Splish-Splash, I was takin' a bath").
I enjoyed reading your blog and hope you'd be willing to take a look at mine anytime and drop a note.
Thanks and keep writing ... even when the blocks come along.
Grace and peace,
Joe
Hi,
I liked both your songs. Pretty short.
Is there a place to look for where un-known writers post work -- sort of for practice?
thanks
mp
Hmmn, there are a lot of writers' forums where people post work and then get feedback. I don't know the names of them but "writers forum" on Google should help.
Thanks for writing, Joe. I'll check out your blog.
Empty Drum, thank you. Please record something.
Henry, Just to let you know I'm diggin' your music and I want to include you in a post @ RetroBabe! Oh & you are back on the Blogroll after my Spring clean !!!
IanB
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