Here’s an experimental ode to the deep of night, when the world stops and I can be alone in the luxurious late-night obscurity of the studio to howl into the dark and follow the echoes.
This one gets a little trippy as I play with layers of vocal delay and feedback on the minimalist poetry over vocal Aaaahs. I tried to follow those echoes into an extended late-night feeling. I also try something here that I don’t often do: make the chorus out of an instrumental guitar line. It’s got a good beat, so if you’re inclined, dance along like everyone else is asleep.
I wrote a song last week about some of the big, confusing, often exasperating mysteries of life, personal and global. Am feeling even more so after this week’s exposed vulnerabilities here in Austin where we spent three freezing days without power and are now waiting for safe drinking water to return.
What Do I Know?
Where do we come from and where do we go?
What am I doing here? What do I know?
When will I become who I want to be?
I can’t ignore all the shit I see.
Why cannot humans cooperate?
To kill the cancers of war and hate?
Why do we think ourselves as separate?
We’re killing ourselves with the planet.
What do I know?
No guarantees
What can I say?
It’s a mystery to me
Is it wrong that I touch myself?
Is it wrong that I think of you?
Locked inside a wooden box up in the tower
Over the falls, overwhelmed and overpowered
We come together then we shoot apart
We call it love then we make it art
Every day is just another wave
A shadow on the wall inside the cave
What do I know?
Boredom and ecstasy
What can I say?
It’s a mystery to me
What do I know?
Boredom and ecstasy
What can I say?
It’s a mystery to me
First they appeal to our identity
And make the other a nonentity
Then you ignore their humanity
And get real angry like Sean Hannity
Where do you go if you got no home?
What do you do if you get real sick?
Which of these Christians watches out for you
When you’re a refugee?
What do I know?
Sorry, I disagree
What can I say?
It’s a mystery to me
What do I know?
People not property
What can I say?
It’s a mystery to me
a fuckin mystery
when, at the end of a crazy day
I’ve got the nightmare on replay
god, what did I say?
forgive my sins
I need a gin
and to begin again
when, at the end of a disastrous year
we all see the thing we fear
loud and clear
can I extend a hand?
manage to mend
and begin again
when, at the end of a life cut short
and I’m trying to protect my heart
and then a song come on
reminds me who’s gone
and I cannot comprehend
how to begin again
why’s it so hard to let go? (I’ll never forget)
how can I ever un-know? (what they’ve done to my head)
how can I move past the pain?
I am afraid
to begin again
when, at the end of a life so long
I’ve written my thousand songs
and they put me in the ground
still diggin my sounds
amen
I’m zen
begin again
I supplied the title to the group for this week’s song – Bones – because I had just started teasing Maile singing this line: “My baby is boilin the bones, she’s got them in a pot what she found by the side of the road.” We laughed about it and it got stuck in our heads. She was singing it too, so I took my comedic tribute and made it a funky celebration of Maile’s creative connection to the natural world and its healing powers.
Bones
My baby is boilin the bones
She’s got them in the pot what she found by the side of the road
My baby is boilin the bones
She can see the beauty in the things that nature shows
She’ll bind you up some sage and burn it
She’ll gather up rosemary and urn it
She got aromatherapies for you anxieties
My baby she will bring you earth’s bouquet
She’ll boil linden leaves for dreamin
She’ll steep some oat straw tea for soothin
She’ll brew tranquility, sip some harmony
She knows earth gives her medicines away
My baby is boilin the bones
She’s got them in the pot what she found by the side of the road
My baby is boilin the bones
She can see the beauty in the things that nature sews
She’ll use seed pod as a bead (and repeat it)
She’ll make a tincture with some weeds (and treat it)
She’ll turn salt into a scrub and make it smell like love
My baby she can use what nature gave
She’ll turn a bean pod into earings (can you hear it?)
She’ll make juniper into gin, my friend (can you cheers it?)
She’ll make your heart start seeing things as beings with feelings
My baby she can see what nature say
My baby is boilin the bones
She’s got them in the pot what she found by the side of the road
My baby is boilin the bones
She can see the beauty in the things that nature codes
Is that a snakes spine? I don’t know!
Is that a skunk skull? Who can tell?
She found a turtle shell! How old was it?
She found an owl pellet! Let’s sift through it.
My baby is boilin the bones
She’s gonna paint em, mount em, adorn em and give them to her mom
My baby is boilin the bones
She can see the beauty in the things that nature grows
She can see the beauty in the things that nature throws
She can see the beauty in the things that nature knows
