and in the end...

This next AND last song (whew...finally!) from the new record is one that was recorded specifically with a whistling solo in the middle. I laid down the acoustic guitar track first as I always do. Then I put on a vocal track always hoping to nail it in the first attempt. Then when it came to recording the whistle track, I realized that hey!....I can't whistle! Never could! What was I thinking?! So on the day that my friend Dave was in laying down his harmony track on 'Monstrous', I asked him if he could whistle. Thankfully he could and he did. Thankyou 'Whistlin' Dave'. You made me......

....Nonetheless Happy

It’s the end of September, it’s the end of an error.
We put the game pieces away.
Attempts have all failed to get myself out of jail.
You took the money and away…

…you went tired and spent but nonetheless happy.

It seems you have a new opponent, one I have never met.
I’m not the competitive kind.
No strategy is the word; it’s why I’m always in third,
Almost every single time…

I play, a sore loser but hey you’re nonetheless happy.

While I’m nonetheless empty, nonetheless destitute.
Nonetheless bereft of anything remotely cute.
Nonetheless broken and I’m nonetheless blue,
And I’m nonetheless in love with you.

It’s August 12th, I’m back on the shelf.
Popamatic trouble indeed!
I’m off the board and your winning score
Has brought me more trouble than I need…

…today but I guess I’ll find a way to be nonetheless happy.
Nonetheless happy.

Meanwhile I’m nonetheless empty, nonetheless destitute.
Nonetheless bereft of anything remotely cute.
Nonetheless disheveled and I’m nonetheless blue,
And I’m nonetheless in love with you.
Nonetheless in love with you.

I wrestled with the 'nonetheless in love with you' line forever. I wasn't comfortable using what I felt was such a common line for a song. I tried changing it but could never find anything to replace it with. Also everyone I talked to about it said that it was perfect. No need to change it. A thankyou to my friend Ann who gave me the line 'back on the shelf'.' My line sucked! Thankfully I've forgotten what it was.

Next time we'll visit a couple of songs that didn't make it onto the final cut of the 'Sideshow Unattraction' record. Bye for now.

Yer pal,

james

the fatal mallet

Here's another lyric that was written before the 'dumping.' About a year before to be exact. I remember the day after the cd release gig for 'Home is Where the Heart Attack is' I woke up with a sore throat. It soon developed into some kind of weird virus that held on to my body and wouldn't let go for about 2 months! During the time when I was the sickest, I had become so frustrated with the situation of not doing anything but lying in bed or moping around that I decided to pick up my guitar and actually write a song. It took me 3 or 4 days to finish it but I felt that I had writen a good one. In fact people who heard it said that I should get sick more often. It was one of the first songs that I recorded for the new record. During the mixing sessions the song almost didn't make the final cut. But I put it on the record because I certainly had my relationship in mind when I was writing it. The relationship was failing at this point and I suppose I was trying to say that I needed to be rescued. So I felt that there was a spot for this song on the record afterall.

GIRL HEROINE

While flipping through the pages of “The Films Of Charlie Chaplin”,
That he acquired in 1973.
He casts his mind way back but he’s not sure how it happened,
How he came to being me.
It’s a sad and sordid script, border lining on slap stick.
It was a real pie in the face to see it turn out like it did.

I need a girl heroine.
Someone to keep the plot moving.
Someone who’ll save me in the end,
A girl Heroine. I need a girl Heroine.

While sifting through the FBI files on Charlie Chaplin,
He uncovered some lies of his own.
All in the name of keeping them laughing,
He buried his heart like a stone.
But the key required most in comedy is pathos.
He did a real double take when life became quite a joke.

I need a girl heroine.
Someone to keep the plot moving.
Someone who’ll save me in the end.
A girl Heroine. I need a girl heroine.

This must be the dream sequence because she’s dressed like angel.
If I could speak in my defense before the mallet fatal
Comes crashing down cracking on my head
Like Mabel said…..

“….He needs a girl heroine.
Someone to keep the plot moving.
Someone who’ll save him in the end.
He needs a girl heroine. A girl heroine.”

I need a girl heroine.
Someone to keep the plot moving.
Someone who’ll save me in the end.
A girl heroine. I need a girl heroine.

The original title for the record long before I decided on 'Sideshow Unattraction' was 'The Fatal Mallet' which derived from this song. That's also why I included a mallet into my sideshow banner that I painted for the cd artwork. And speaking of the cd...

The cd launch is in three days. Only one more lyric from the cd to be delivered. But I also want to present to you a couple of songs that did not make it onto the record as well. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Next time we visit the song that closes the album. And speaking of closing.....

So long.
Yer pal,
james

Who doesn't love a monkey?

Hey Gang!

As promised here's a lyric that dates back to 1997. Back then it was entitled 'Dexterity'. I wrote it and then proceeded to do nothing with it. I remember my friend Dave liking it but I was never really sure about....except for the part about the monkey. Anyhooooo....several years later when working on the 'heart attack' record I reworked 'Dexterity' until it no longer resembled the song whatsoever. it showed up on that record as 'Crawl And Creep'. A much improved song I thought. So when the writing for 'Sideshow Unattraction' began I found an old demo of 'Dexterity' and thought that maybe it was a pretty good song after all. But I did make some lyric changes again (except for the part about the monkey) and retitled it 'Pretty Dexterity'. So I laid down a bed track for it. Soon after I shelved it again. Still not happy with it. Months later I remember lying awake in the wee small hours of the morning (thankyou Francis) and rewriting the entire song except for the part about the monkey. So I rerecorded it, putting on 4 acoustic guitar tracks and one close mic'd vocal track. It was now entitled 'Popularity Contest'. I really liked it ....but not for long. I shelved it once again. It wasn't until Garry and myself were doing some rough mixes for the record that we came across the track and both agreed that it was a strong performance. But it wasn't until we were doing final mixes that the song actually made the final selection. Even now as I await the call from the manufacturer telling me to come and pick up my cds I question whether or not I made the right decision in including 'Popularity Contest' on the record. But then again who doesn't like songs about monkeys? Here ya go.....

POPULARITY CONTEST

She’s so curt with her words she cuts me down to size.
Despite her laconic ways her popularity rises higher, higher.

She’s so dark with her heart, it puts mine to shame.
Though she tears me apart, I keep falling just like rain.
Falling from higher, higher.

I only wish that I could be a little more popular
Like her train driving monkey, like her train driving monkey.

She’s so approachable though I can never get near.
To what she’s all about now that I’m no longer needed here by her, by her.

I only wish that I could be a little more popular
Like her train driving monkey, like her train driving monkey.
Like her drum banging monkey, like her drum banging monkey.

Mister postman please don’t bring me no more of these.
I don’t want to read about her popularity.
Mister postman please don’t bring me no more of these.
I don’t need to read about her popularity.

He wins, he’s the best in her popularity contest.


The Postman tag was added on to this song because at the time I was so frustrated with receiving mail from a certain textile museum in Toronto informing me, first that my ex was having an upcoming show that just shouldn't be missed and then secondly that my ex had won the 'show of the year' award from this same certain textile museum. So while my ex would have nothing to do with me anymore, I was being reminded of her every couple of weeks. I eventually got them back by secretly replacing all of their Hmong tribal textiles with ponchos I bought at Sears. That'll fix 'em

Yer Pal,
james

Otis and me

In August of 2001 I flew to Madison, Wisconsin to spend a week with my lady friend who had recently accepted a job oppourtunity too good to pass up and had moved there in June. One of the first things I did upon arriving was read up on all of the things that made Madison 'famous'. The one item that stood out for me was the piece on Lake Monona, which was just blocks away from where she was living. Lake Monona is the lake where Otis Redding's plane had crashed enroute to a gig in Madison on December 10, 1967. At that time I was listening to a lot of Otis' music and so I was very intrigued with this bit of music history I had just enquired. We rented bikes that week and rode past Lake Monona several times. There's even a plaque located on a terrace that was placed there in rememberance of Otis. We rode past that many times as well. I knew then that at some point I would write a song containing my new knowledge.

On the eve of my flight back to Toronto, my lady friend decided that we should end our relationship that night. Given the fact that she was now living in Wisconsin and me still in Toronto it made sense. I was very saddened but understood it was for the best. Hmmmm...now I had material for another song!

Upon returning home I began writing those 2 songs. For some reason not long after, I decided to blend both songs into one (writing 2 songs was just too much work) and after several weeks I had finished 'Lake Monona Last Night'. Well actually, I had the lyrics written but I do recall working for a while longer on the music. When I did feel I had nailed it, I played it for a few friends and probably got the best response I had ever received for a song of mine. I began recording this for the 'Home is Where the Heart Attack is' record in 2004. It just didn't get finished in time for the October release date. I knew that I would probably save it for the next record. BUT I did not know that the next record would be filled entirely with songs about being dumped by my lady friend. Oh by the way, that was the first time I was dumped by her. A few months later, post 9/11, she, feeling entirely alone in Madison, decided that maybe we should get back together again. I being the complete idiot went along with it. But it was never the same again. It was really hard being in a relationship and seeing your partner 3 times a year. But at the same I could never get her out of my head. It would always stop me from pursuing other relationships successfully. At the same time I could never totally commit to her because of the distance involved. Then May 2005 arrived. I flew down to Madison for another week. I remember feeling very lacklustre about it when departing. I thought that we were both wasting our time. But upon arriving there it all became crystal clear to me. I loved being there! I wanted to be there! Seeing her again after not seeing her for a few months felt wonderful. We had an incredible week together. We even talked about me moving to Madison. It would be the last time we were 'together'. I wonder what Otis would have done.

Here's........

Lake Monona Last Night

Something crashed in Lake Monona last night.
A twin engine Beachcraft in Lake Monona last night.
December waters are cold, Lord have mercy on the king of soul’s soul.
Something crashed in Lake Monona last night.

My heart sank in Lake Monona last night.
She made me walk the plank on Lake Monona last night.
She said to quote the song; she’d been loving me too long.
Something crashed in Lake Monona last night.

Down down down like a song in the charts.
You know his crown was found by some record sharks.

My heart drowned in Lake Monona last night.
Not to be found in Lake Monona last night.
Submerged, it succumbed, like the silencing of Mr. Jackson’s drums.

Down down down like a song in the charts.
You know his crown was found by some record sharks.

Something crashed in Lake Monona last night.
Something crashed in Lake Monona last night.
December waters are cold, Lord have mercy on the king of soul’s soul.

Something crashed, something crashed.
Something crashed, something crashed.
Something crashed, something crashed.
Something crashed, something crashed.


© James Clark 2005

I think last time I promised another song from '98. Ooops....sorry. Next time fer sure....I promise.

Yer pal,
james

Thailand...hot! Refridgerator...cold!

Well hello there. Thanks for dropping by. Just in time for another fantastic story behind another fantastic song on the new fantastic forthcoming record! By the way I'm not sure if I've mentioned this yet, but the new record, 'Sideshow Unattraction' will be officially released on May 23rd with a celebration that evening at C'est What in downtown Toronto. I'll have an incredible backing band with me and my friend Jennifer Foster will be opening up the night. My other friend (yes I have 2) Ann who dj's at Songplanet.com will be flying in from Victoria to MC the evening. I'm giggling right now with anticipation.

Oh yeah, the song! This song is one of two on the record that originate back to 1998. The lady in question in this song (and every other song on the record) was away in Thailand for six months that year. Our relationship was still very new when she decided she needed to go there and work on her art. She left an open invitation for me to join her. That created a huge dilemma in my tiny mind. So regrettably I never made it there. Just as well I suppose for I would have been there when my brother passed away. But needless to say I missed her terribly and wrote a few songs about her during that time. I recall having the verses and bridge to this one but I was struggling for a catchy lyrical chorus. At one point during a writing session I walked into the kitchen, opened the refridgerator door and my eye caught a photo that I had pinned there. This lady had previously given me baseball card-type photos of 50's pin up queen Bettie Page in various ridiculous poses. There was one where she was posing with zebras. In another she was tied to a tree and seemed to be being tickled by a witch doctor. Then there was the one that caught my eye. The one where she was riding a donkey. I'm not sure what I found in that photo that inspired me (besides the obvious) but the song was finished in no time after that. I was never really sure if it was a good song or just a throw away piece of poo. I do recall playing it for my lady friend upon her return and not getting much response from her. That's probably the main reason I hadn't recorded it up until now. Even up to the mixing stages of this record I wasn't sure if it would make the final cut. But people seem to like it and it's really grown on me. Of course the guys playing on it really helped to make it special. Thank you Greg and Vince and Mike. Garry had some great ideas too. It's a really solid tune. I hope you get to hear it. If so, now with the lyrics you'll be able to sing a long with.....

Bettie Page Rides a Donkey

She’s off in Thailand now living in Changmai,
Banishing herself to the other side.
She’s eating corn and lychee; I have a new dilemma,
Do I cash the cheque or wait for September?
It feels like forever.

While Bettie Page rides a donkey, she’s a million miles away.
She says “act your age” but I’m feeling funky today.

I’m living vicariously through her cards and letters
Sometimes I even think I have it all together.
She’s heading down to Changrai then on to Noah’s village,
While I’m at home learning there’s no rest for the wicked.
Should I be more specific? Not feeling too terrific.

While Bettie Page rides her donkey, I’m a million miles away oh yeah.
She says “act your age”, but I’m feeling funky today.

While I’m contemplating she’s so tired of waiting.
She’s so tired of waiting for me.

While Bettie Page rides her donkey, she’s a million miles away oh yeah.
She says “act your age” but I’m feeling funky today.
Funky today, I’m funky today.

(c) james clark 2008. SOCAN

So we're running out of time. Two weeks before the release and I really want to have all of the lyrics posted here before then. I'd better get my hairy little bum in gear! Next time we'll visit another song from 1998 as well. Until then mark Friday May 23rd on your calendar.

Yer pal,

james