DC demos

Same Mistake Twice

This night the city’s overwhelming,
My body tries to tell me I shouldn’t be alone.
I walk in any old direction,
I light a cigarette and wish I had a place to go.

Headphones drown out the city sounds,
and each time I turn around 
the street looks like a video.
I think the world’s like a screen,
but this isn’t MTV and I’ve still got no place to go.

Right now the seasons feel the same,
I think it’s early May or maybe is it January?
I’ve walked this way before I think,
The same shoes and tired feet 
or at least the same confusing feeling.

I swore last time 
I’d never make 
another time 
the same mistake.

~ 1999/2000

Perfectionism

First thing I saw: mascara then her eyes
Next thought in my mind: I’m not her type of guy
But then she flashed that Gina Gershon smile
I thought, why not, I’ll stick around a while

A perfect little grin
With perfect hints of sin
A perfect way to reel me in 
and get my head to spin…

Next thing I knew my mind was playing tricks
My eyes were on her Angelina lips
But when she turned those vacant eyes toward me
I thought I’d died and gone to purgatory

A perfect pouting pose
The perfect color chose
A perfect face in every way, 
at least below the nose…

Last thing I did was try so hard not to stare
It didn’t help, her Christina Ricci hair.
And then I tried to introduce myself
But I knew right then I couldn’t handle it

A perfect girl, you know
Is perfect head to toe
And this poor mismatched girl she lacked 
the eyes of Katie Holmes…

~ 2000

Changes By Numbers

I could give you two good reasons,
Softly in your ear,
Why you and I should not be breathing
so close we can hear
our bodies shift, our eyelids blinking,
our knuckles crack, the pillows sinking.
But I just end up thinking and not saying anything.

Cuz I can’t think of one good reason
for me to ever share
the hundred thousand doubts I’m feeling
everytime that you’re near
Cuz these are things that I can’t open
And anyhow can we love the moment
If we could just stop thinking we could save anything

Maybe changes come in phases
Maybe changes start like this

Now there must be a hundred reasons
That slowly brought us here
It must be more than sheer convenience, 
and I guess you’ve been more than fair.
And anyway what’s wrong with silence?
This is the time when we could try
And we can just stop thinking we can change anything

Maybe changes come in phases
Maybe changes start like this

So now I’m done with counting reasons
After so long I barely care
It’s harder to let go of feelings 
which you’ve never shared
But these are things I can’t help trying,
And silence is the same as lying,
but that’s enough of thinking I’d explain anything

Maybe changes come in phases
Maybe changes start like this

~ 1999/2000

4-Leaf Clover

I want to run away with you
Cuz I’ve got nothing better to do
We’ll steal your mother’s car and prove
That you and I got nothing to lose

We’ll be heading west, revving the motor,
searching for our 4-leaf clover,
Highways, rest stops, exit ramps over and over,
Got no other choice we’ve got to go for

I think that you should come with me
Cuz it’s the only way we’ll be free
Tonight around midnight we’ll leave and
Never stop or take the time to think

We’ll be heading west, into the sunset,
searching for a brand new country
Highways, rest stops, exit ramps, the motor runnin’
Got no other choice it’s what we wanted

Oh won’t you come with me, 
We can be runaways
Come run away with me and be my little runaway

We’ll be heading west, out of the vale,
Searching for our holy grail
Highways rest stops exit ramps, cops on our tail
Got no other choice and we can’t fail

~ 1998

Pretend These Are Records #01

This is not an album or anything, just a collection of some four-track experiments from 2001. But since I’m not likely to go back to these anytime soon, they are listed here as kind of a compilation.

A few of these were recorded in Silver Spring, Maryland, at my friend Mike’s place, where he did some keyboard and bass parts to a few songs. Otherwise, recorded in Washington, DC, on four-track cassette at various times in 2001. Some of them might have benefited from a bit more work, but whatever.

Song notes:

1. Same Mistake Twice is one I still like, though I haven’t really figured out how it should go (hence the lame fade-out ending). This busy version has 2 guitars plus Mike playing a keyboard part which he hastily composed.
2. I can’t believe I’m including Perfectionism. The lyrics are so goofy I can’t help laughing. Well, they are painful but at least they have a narrative. Mike is playing bass here to go with my one guitar.
3. Thought Bubble shows that I was listening to too much Mogwai back then. 2 guitars.
4. Changes By Numbers is a conglomeration of a few things. I fear that the whole is not as great as the sum of its parts, but maybe it’ll grow on me. Mike is playing bass and some keyboard parts that are mostly lost in the mix. The guitar is me.
5. So Much More is something I wrote and recorded on May 19, 2001, the day after my 24th birthday. (Thus the name, from Neil Young’s “twenty-four and there’s so much more.”) It’s just one guitar, no singing. It seems kind of boring at first but I like the build-up towards the end.
6. Sometimes I don’t understand where these things come from. 4-Leaf Clover is an odd one that might be my bid to get played on Q94. Maybe it’s the Tom Petty fan in me coming out. There is even a lyrical homage to Bon Jovi. I guess this is one I could play for my dad. 2 guitars.
7. If This Is Victory Send Me Back to the Gulag is slow and has 2 guitars.