I’m doing things a little out of order – this is the eighth song I’ve written, but the 5th one I’m putting out into the FAWMosphere.
The lyric came from a book I recently read by Katherine May called “Wintering.” It’s a memoir sort of book that talks about the importance of embracing one’s personal winters. In it, she wrote the line “sometimes, everything breaks.” I couldn’t pass that one up.
As far as production, I did a weird thing. I recorded guitar and vocals on my iPhone, imported it into my DAW, and added some lap steel because it needed that weeping in the background. I tried a trick I learned from @evinwolverton where you overdub the lead vocals to make up for the fact that the guitar was too hot in your original one-mic recording. It sort of worked for me... I’d love the recording to be more polished for this one, but I’m going to tell my inner critic to take a hike and record it again another day!
V1
Mugs and cars and legs and arms and toys
Little lovers break the hearts of other little girls and boys
Windows, plates, and dainty cups for tea
Sometimes it’s you that breaks and other times it’s me
Chorus:
Sometimes everything breaks
The bottom drops out, the parts get harder to replace
Pieces held together with glue and tape
Everyone knows
Everything breaks
V2
Clothes we’ve rent and jokes that went too far
The rusty set of strings I strummed too hard on this guitar
Broken bottles, the crust of bread, and the wine I pour
The body of our saviors, the bodies of the poor
(Chorus)
V3
The bough that holds the baby ‘til it falls
My throbbing head, I break a sweat each loving time you call
Breaking eggs for breakfast, break a piece of chocolate bar
Morning by the sun to outshine all the other stars
(Chorus)
@bethdesombre Feb 2022
Oooh! This is glorious! That verse verse. The progression of the broken things leading to its last line. The chorus is great too -- I love the "glue and tape" (and what you do rhythmically on "parts get harder to replace" and the repeated "Every" in everyone knows/everything breaks." (same thing in the last line of V2) I need to catch up on the rest of your songs for this month!
@cubizm Feb 2022
Lovely guitar tone. Love the melody of the chorus and the textured lead guitar. The lyrics are wonderful. No better way to show emotions than to bring in specific objects.
@chroes Feb 2022
A beautiful song you created, it's so full of sweet sadness. I especially enjoyed the countermelody by the airy electric guitar.
Reading your liner notes, that book seems to be an awesome source for inspiration. Very well done.
@whispermouse Feb 2022
Yeah! Great guitar picking, and the lap steel adds a great texture (of course). I think the recording is just fine, the guitar isn't obviously too roomy or anything.
Nice lyrics overall, and the chorus is particularly solid!
@leah0k Feb 2022
I'm a sucker for a melancholy song with lap steel. Your tune is super solid too, with lyrics that convey the message with hearty support in the mental image department, right down to that Kit Kat bar. ;-)
@robheron1 Feb 2022
Great song. Not to be a capitalist shill, but you should sell this for a bag of money. Thx!
@margoinmadison Feb 2022
Nicely done. I found myself singing along. Perhaps re-work the last verse for more clarity. Nice guitar as well.
@sheilerk Feb 2022
You really made great use of your title/hook. A lot of great examples that support the analogy. Really nicely done. That replaced string on your guitar is sounding really nice! Just kidding. But your playing and vocals really carried your well written lyrics nicely. I really enjoyed it!