Feb 2022 fang-nashville country vampire ccwelcome
Story-wise, it's time to jump back in time and see how our antihero became this way, so back to her youth. Don't ask me why she ages- it's odd for vampires, but that's an interesting bit from the original text I decided to hold with.
This one took a few extra days... I really didn't want to write country songs, or to present a variety of styles with this concept album, it seems that's what's happening- and after a few awful attempts at other approaches for this, I finally gave in and gave the song what it wanted to be, and went in whole hog.
I usually go for old time country and bluegrass in this realm, but I thought I'd take a stab at a kind of old-school Nashville sound. No pedal steel unfortunately, and my fiddle skills are not up to snuff, so you get a kind of shimmery, slightly psychedelic palette here.
I also went back and fine tuned the lyrics to be a bit more archaic, Deadwood/Milch element. Not entirely Shakespearean, but I'm pleased with how well they fit.
Actually, this song began as a fingerpicked instrumental, the only semblance of which remains is that tiny intro. I thought I ought to give it that much- it was a nice composition- but it just didn't fit.
A cookie for the one who can pick out the Biblical thread here that carries through to the best album ever made by the best band in the whole damn land.
Texas is the Reason.
The garden lies in wait like a charnel house,
bounded by the roses mother planted
before the light in her eyes went out
and the sun bore her away,
and the thorny bushes flourished
as to fill her place.
And the girl that walks the beaten track
shrouded in dark,
catches hold of little creatures in the night
so she won't starve.
She crouches, and howls,
and springs upon her prey.
The little rabbits of the wood
have no guardian today.
Deep within the house is the one who grounds her in this world.
To others he is Nosferatu, but he's just Daddy to his little girl.
She wants to hold the bunnies to herself
and to keep them safe and sound,
only to be admonished of just what will happen when the hunger comes.
And the girl that walks the beaten track
cloaked in the dark,
takes as little as she can,
and though it hurts her heart-
She crouches, and howls
and springs upon her prey,
cause there's no good fairy here
to give those little ones instruction.
Then one day the Carpathian comes to town,
catches daddy unawares
and takes him down-
down to the cross roads
and with a mallet and a stake,
though daddy bellows his defiance,
the priest does him away.
And the little girl who walks this world in the dark
Left with no one and no path,
for the first time lies out the tarot cards.
Now she slouches, and scowls,
her wish to leave it all behind,
but there is nothing to do or say,
and only the cards
to guard and guide.
@jeff9 Feb 2022
I read these lyrics before listening and was completely knocked out. Then I was struck by the incongruity of them being done in this musical style when I assumed it would be some spooky minor key dirge maybe. But weirdly, it works tons better than I expected at first blush. It’s like The Old ‘97s meet Richard Buckner in Romania or something. Incredible originality.
@nagavaeoe Feb 2022
Man, you are in another world. A weird and slightly spooky world where really great music seems to come out. Such character in the playing and singing. This style really works for you. Loved it.
@arthurrossi Feb 2022
Wow! What a fantastic country-tune this is! I LOVE the rhythm and the melody. Beautiful dark lyrics with some awesome imagery. Your vocal delivery is simply mesmerizing! Amazing song here!
@rayboneor Feb 2022
You've got quite a vocal range. I like the way you work this lower, growlier register. This has a delightful bounce. I wouldn't have expected such a poignant song about vampires. The lines about daddy and bunnies and whatnot really hit home. And that ending is perfect and perfectly sad. I can't remember what you do in real life, but it always strikes me that you should be running your own musical theater group, writing and directing an ensemble that stages these song cycles you come up with