Hello Friends,

It's lyric time once again. Time for the revealing of another lyric from the forthcoming james clark institute record. By the way, the tentative title for the record is simply 'Frown'. There have been 4 or 5 titles that I've considered off and on since the recording began but I could never really decide on one. 'Frown' seems to work for a few different reasons. First off, I had been listening to The Beach Boys 'Smiley Smile' record quite a bit during the final stages of the recording. One day I was talking with my good friend Greg Condie who plays keys on the record and I was telling him of my frustration with the fact that the record was taking so long to complete. He joked that this would be my 'Smile' record. Referring to the Beach Boys record that drove Brian Wilson over the emotional edge. I replied "Yeah, but mine will be called 'Frown'!" As soon as it was out of my mouth and in my ears I knew that this was the title I had been waiting for. Not to mention that the entire record is a collection of songs that were written after my long term relationship went south. So I think it fits.....so far.

Anyhoooo....on to the lyrics. This song was actually written about 2 months before the dumping. The title came to me one day out of the blue. 'Sleeping in My Favourite Shirt.' I thought it was a great name for a song and so I wrote it. It's essentially about a guy who gets dumped and doesn't take it so well. He finds that he spends most of his time sleeping. Sleeping in his favourite shirt. I finished it and was very happy with it. Then as the real life story goes, like the loser in the song I too was dumped. Maaan....I didn't see that coming, I swear! Heed my advice all you budding songwriters out there and be careful of what you write about.

See ya next time.
Yer pal,
james clark


Sleeping In My Favourite Shirt

I can’t remember the last time the drapes were pulled,
Open to reveal the outside world,
And let the sun warm these shattered nerves.

I can’t remember the last time the sheets were washed.
I can’t remember the last time the teeth were flossed.
I can’t forget when and what I lost.

Now I’m sleeping in my favourite shirt.
I keep having dreams where I don’t hurt.
Sleeping in the bed I made,
And I’ll be sleeping for a thousand days,
Sleeping for a thousand days in my favourite shirt.

It’s been a long time since my face last showed up,
Reflected in your best plates and cups.
These days they’re down in the sink with my luck.

Because I’m sleeping and nothing is better.
When I’m sleeping there’s no better place.
If I’m slumbering the reasons are out numbering the creases on my face!

La la la la, la la la la la. La la la la, la la la la la.
Lullabies and good ridence.

‘Cause I’m sleeping in my favourite shirt.
I keep having dreams where I don’t hurt.
Sleeping in a bed I made,
And I’ll be sleeping for a thousand days.
Sleeping for a thousand days in my favourite shirt.

The neighbour’s dog howls outside my window.
Amongst the grass that remains unmowed.
And I’m oblivious to the world I used to know.

‘Cause I’m sleeping in my favourite shirt.
I keep having dreams where I don’t hurt.
Sleeping in a bed I made,
And I’ll be sleeping for a thousand days, sleeping for a thousand days.
Sleeping for a million days, sleeping for a billion days,
Sleeping for a zillion days,
Sleeping in my favourite shirt.

(c) 2005 james clark SOCAN

Yikes! It's February. I hate February. 3 days after another jumbo dumping of snow on Toronto I am pining for summer time. Just think, right now it is summer time in Australia. I hate Australia. Probably more than I hate February. I haven't always held these negative feelings for the continent that gave us Men At Work. It's amazing how one's list of fantasy holiday destinations can alter once they've had a devastating event occur associated with that particular place. 2 1/2 years after being dumped via email from Australia I still have a hard time listening to my Air Supply cds.

Which brings us to another set of lyrics from the forthcoming james clark institute record. This time, as promised is a song entitled 'Kangaroo'. Self explanitory I think. Girl goes to Australia. Girl meets boy. Girl goes to internet cafe. Girl dumps other boy via email. Email Boy weeps. Email Boy writes a gazillion songs to ease the pain. This was song number 2.

KANGAROO

With the seasons changing in reverse,
You found your reasons for leaving me immersed.
And because it’s winter in July,
Your heart wins the ice sculpture prize.

With your totem pinned to the wall,
You left me holding on and pinned to the fall.
The distance between us paralleled,
The damage done to my ventricles.

Kangaroo….Kangaroo…It’s all thanks to you.

Up and away like you’re some kind of super girl.
And I’m your Kryptonite waiting on the other side of the world.
You’ve been checking into ways to leave.
I’ll be checking out just like George Reeves.

Kangaroo….Kangaroo…It’s all thanks to you.


With the seasons changing in reverse.

(c) 2008 james clark SOCAN

Be sure and check back real soon. I'll be posting another lyric before ya know it. Right this moment I'm not sure which one it will be. Hmmmmm......will it be a song about being dumped? Or maybe a song about being dumped. Yup, the suspense is killing me too.

Yer Pal,

james clark