Feb 2022 fuzz drone indie filk capochallenge
Y'all. I'm TIRED. I have a bunch of songs, some of which I really like, but recording ANYTHING lately has been such a pain, between a house full of people (and only TWO others of them, how does anyone have a bigger family than this??), work, and getting frustrated with the limits of my recording setup and production skills. I haven't even been able to record things spare but decent enough to send off to would-be collaborators to rescue me!!!
So I just decided to take the song that I had the fewest ideas for in terms of anything else I might want to add, and just...said "fuck it" and recorded some messy, semi-improvised electric guitar and some bedrooms vocals. TA-DA.
The lyrics are me being back on some more Star Trek bullshit, again referencing a particular Next Generation episode, but the song is more generally about struggling for connection and common understanding between people, something that's been on my mind a lot lately. ANYWAY! It felt good to just get something out, like it released a bit of pressure from the valve, so I can go back to banging my against the wall again on all of these other songs.
Capo 4, so I'm tagging it for the #capochallenge, too
Mine is not a language you can learn in a single book
It takes a look
It takes a gesture
It takes a history and culture
Mine is not a heart you can learn in a single course
But in due course
You might come
To appreciate its rhythm
You can't speak to me
The way you speak to other girls
Their language is colloquial
But mine contains entire worlds
What do I have to do
To get you to understand me?
Reenact a legend for you
And turn it into a tragedy?
So then you'll see
I only meant you well
Some feelings can't be conveyed in plainer terms
A metaphor
An allegory
I am telling you a story
What if this knife I'm holding out to you is an offering?
Not a threat
But a sign of affection
That I'm struggling for connection?
You can't speak to me
The way you speak to other girls
Their language is colloquial
But mine contains entire worlds
What do I have to do
To get you to understand me?
Reenact a legend for you
And turn it into a tragedy?
So then you'll see
I only meant you well
Tell me of your Gilgamesh
Tell me of your Odyssey
I'll tell you of the day we met
And what it meant to me
I'll tell you about Darmok
Though you've never heard of him
God, I'd give my life, if just this once
You'd really listen
There were once
Two heroes
Who started off as strangers
Met on an island
Fought a common foe
And through their shared adversity
Came to understand each other
Came to love each other
Do you see what I'm saying?
Do you see what I'm saying?
Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?
@janeg Feb 2022
Agree with other comments that this is an amazing combination of the challenge of understanding each other with one of my favourite Star Trek episodes. And beautifully done.
@rubberbandage Feb 2022
First, I totally love the expansion you’ve done on this famous episode, it’s so clever how you made it personal. Second, this year I really had to get past my mental block of trying to make properly produced recordings and just get the song out there, even with crappy voice memo quality or my kids shouting in the background. There was no other choice! So I completely sympathize, but I also think this sounds great — raw and noisy sure, but the delivery is wonderful, and between this recording or nothing I’d choose this every time. Bravo to you!
@dzdandcunfsd Feb 2022
I really love the guitar tone you've wrangled up here even if it only arose from limitations... like I'm really, really loving it. I'm a huge sci-fi nerd that never really got into star trek, so don't know this episode, but that wasn't needed to really enjoy this great lyric.
@leka Feb 2022
leka and loveonthemixtape on the ocean
@vomvorton Feb 2022
Love that sad, drony, lo-fi guitar sound! I don't know really much of anything about Star Trek (I don't know why I've never connected with it, I'm a software engineer, surely I'm breaking some law here) but the lyrics are full of striking images and clever writing even without the backstory. Particularly loved this bit:
You can't speak to me
The way you speak to other girls
Their language is colloquial
But mine contains entire worlds
@k8sikora Feb 2022
Ok so now I need to find time to squeeze Star Trek into my already packed schedule Great lyrics and tune. I completely understand the difficulty in producing art when surrounded by family 24/7.. especially little people who require so much. You inspire me to keep plugging away at creating something even if I don’t feel in the mood.
@karlsburg25 Feb 2022
Well apart from the complete lack of star trek knowledge, I am totally feeling you with the lack of connection and common understanding. Its out there but in too few situations. Its hard when you're someone who feels that but your seeing the opposite around you. Really beautiful and i love the spareness of it. Really suits the lyrics
@mattoxic Feb 2022
Awesome song from one of my favourite episodes.
To get you to understand me?
Reenact a legend for you...
That's a great line. What a wonderful metaphor to use Damok.
@dugganensis Feb 2022
Excellent lyrics. I'm tickled by the Darmok (at Tanagra) reference and think it works so well by not being heavy handed, and fitting it so lovingly into a relationship story. I watched the whole series when the pandoozie began. Fondly remembering all the brilliant episodes now! Deep stuff.
@owl Feb 2022
Fantastic vocals, good use of the #capochallenge, this is such a good range for you—especially liked that high run on “colloquial.” Again, I haven’t seen this episode but I think the lyrics definitely work without that backstory!