Tuesday, December 7, 2010

A song emerging...

I am writing my first ever song with the guitar.  I've written the odd song before, but always the words and voice/melody were paramount, with any accompaniment being just a vague idea in the background. But this is a completely new way of working for me...twiddling around finding an interesting chord progression (very simple stuff still, I've only been doing this for 6 months), then playing around with different picking rhythms, letting a melody line evolve that seems to compliment it, and only then allowing words to float in that fit in around that.  It resulted in something that is less of a clear narrative than what I've written in the past, with words that sometimes fell into place because of their sounds as much, if not more, than their meaning.  But I'm rather liking it so far.  It is currently only a two chord song...with a couple of surprise C chords thrown in, but I think I like it enough to hang onto it.  So perhaps in another year or two, it might evolve further, as my skill with the guitar evolves.  These are the words at present, but all are subject to change without notice! ;-)


Through the window she came
Too long to wait for the moon to change
Out to the trees where the owls sing
Who are you, who are you, who
She says....
Gotta get me some wings
To fly away.
And the old man on the hill says
Wrong time of year to run away
Winter is coming and the frost is cruel
Don't be a fool.....
And stay.

She got a red rose blooming at her throat
An old donkey skin for a winter coat
Her feet hit the ground running
And she will not stop
Till she's far away...
Lickety-split go her tiny little toes
Lickety-split she's following her nose
Who knows where she'll go....
Got a pebble in her pocket and a piece of string
Tied in a knot for remembering
Who she was
And still could be...

And the road is paved with white stones
They'll cut her poor feet to the bone
And a trail of blood leads away
To a house by the sea
Made of fish bones and coral and old sailors' tales
And the old man on the hill says
Go on and be a mermaid
Wash your white feet in the brine
Watch them disappear into fin and scales
Lickety-split go her tiny little toes
Lickety-split she's following her nose
Who knows where she'll go....
Got a pebble in her pocket and a piece of string
Tied in a knot for remembering
Who she was
And will be again...


Christina Cairns © 2010

3 comments:

WOL said...

Happy birthday, little song!

Windsongs and Wordhoards said...

I think these are fantastic lyrics!
I sometimes help my hubby out with lyric writing when he needs a few extra words thrown into the mix, but its just so differnet to the way I'm used to writing... over time I've learned to hold back and let the music lead.
My usual way of writing is heavily descriptive and often deeply convoluted, so its actually a useful excersise for me in the less is more kind of thing...
But anyway, I love the story in these words and wish I could hear it too... Fantastic!

Anonymous said...

lovely lyrics! Have you heard any of Carolyn Hillyer's songs? They are very poetic too, all about magick, women and the land, I think you would love them :) www.seventhwavemusic.co.uk

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