Some form of this lyric goes back to the last 5090. I've been trying to record some version of this all month, with drums, electric guitars, etc. This morning I posted on the "no excuses" forum thread (see below) about how I have a certain sense of hubris even though I never practice. I thought, shit, it's time to stop trying to hide who I am with lame production and just drop the laptop on the coffee table and do my thing. So here is my attempt to recapture my low-skill swagger, unadorned. Google Keith Jarret and the unplayable piano if you want the back story. Originally I was going to try to play this on the piano, but I couldn't do it. The conceit is that KJ made one of the bestselling piano jazz albums of all time on a terrible piano, so I thought it would be funny to make terrible music on a really good piano.
(Here's the forum post, if you care. I deleted it from the forum thread)
I don't make excuses. Indeed, I generally feel a certain sense of hubris when February rolls around. However, I do occasionally offer an explanation, which is always the same, to wit: I don't practice and I've never really learned anything about recording, but I have a nearly insane desire to make music in February. So what you hear is gonna be a million miles from what I would do if, say, I had a band on retainer. I'm always trying to answer the question: How far can you go with eternal beginner's mind and fingers? There are no excuses and there will be no editing or revisiting after fawm, but there will definitely be 14 "songs" every damn year until I'm dead
It's 02/01/2022
Who do I think I am?
Who do I think I am?
Who do I think I am?
I’ve got this Bösendorfer
It's a baby grand
But I couldn’t play it
Even if I had ten hands
I’ve heard Keith Jarret
Could play a slag heap encased in quicksand
But I'm not Keith
And fresh spotless youth's not a band
So don’t forsake me
I’ve been waiting for you
February
I’ve been waiting for you
Now all your secrets are mine
But just for this time
Oh just for this time
I'm writing 14 songs in 28 days
How can I do it wrong?
I could send a hammer crashing down on my keyboard
I could slam the tailgate of my F150 Ford
I get out my phone and I fucking press record
'cause if I'm doing something
I can't do it wrong
@ttg105 Feb 2022
You underestimate yourself! Good ideas are more important than technical skill, and you have plenty of those. This has a really good feel and a nice, angry vocal with just that little bit of profanity at the end. a "Slag heap encased in quicksand" is a great phrase! And I also like "fresh spotless youth's not a band."
@wobbiewobbit Feb 2022
yep good point. i like the mindset of these lyrics and the musing feel of the music and delivery. nice one
@karenin Feb 2022
Amazing song writing skills in effect!!! It’s like it should be called the FAWM anthem
@middlec Feb 2022
Yes! The lines about the piano are a wonderful metaphor for more than music. And the internal conversation feels very familiar, I'm guessing for many of us. This was a great song to wake up to today -- helps me ease off the pressure.
@cowboydick Feb 2022
Poignant and amusing at the same time ... a great tightrope to walk. And the last two lines bring it all home.
@lifewithtomcat Feb 2022
your sound has been absolutely rocking my brain in all the best ways - I am not mad at whatever fi this may be
@coolparadiso Feb 2022
Well thats different. Yup no wrongs here! I hear what you are saying!
@vomvorton Feb 2022
I'm a simple man, I see a "loest-fi" tag and think "I wonder if I could go lo-er?" I'd have to write something first though, ugh. You and your accidental motivation techniques.
Anyway I love your songwriting and this sounds great even with a bit of lo-fi about it. I hadn't heard the story of Keith Jarrett's "bad piano" concert but I just read up about it and that's pretty fascinating!
"I get out my phone and I fucking press record" should be an official FAWM slogan.
@blindkiwi Feb 2022
Well you might not be able to play a slag heap encased in quicksand but you have a way of writing and delivering an interesting lyric be it serious, quirky. or straight out meta like this that is always entertaining. Slam that tailgate man!