the unwanted

So the record launch event is over. Has been for a couple of weeks now. I feel both estactic that the show went over as it did and somewhat perplexed as to what to do next. Of course this is where the real work starts as I attempt to 'sell' the record. Shove it down the throats of the record buying masses. Unfortunately there really isn't a mass of people buying records...uh..sorry, cds anymore. The band played incredible that night and would love to do more shows where I can afford to bring them along. One thing I'm sure of, 'Sideshow Unattraction' is a really good record that deserves to be heard. If you know me, then you know that I don't often say things like that about my work. I would even say that getting dumped was worth it. It's that good.

So the record ended up being 12 tracks long. There were 14 songs that were mixed and mastered for 'Sideshow Unattraction' but in the end I decided to leave 2 of them off. I won't go into the reasons why here, I'll just give you the background on them and provide the lyrics so that you can sing along. Too bad you don't know the melodies. But fret not, I do plan on releasing them at some point. Maybe the gift set after I'm dead. I dunno. Anyhooo...let's start with 'Box Of You' shall we?

This song went through many different identities. I have several versions of this song. The first attempt was a straight 4/4 'rawker'. Yeah, kinda boring. The next attempt was the same bed track that was used as it went through its metamorphisis. This one had spurts of harmonica where Vince Yue's beautiful guitar ended up going in the mastered version. That is the most heartbreaking reason why I wish I had used this on the record. Vince's guitar is just as I said, beautiful. It could make any crusty old deceased grandfather weep. I was never really happy with the lyrics though. I went in to the studio on many occasions and would redo a line here or a line there. At the final moment I still wasn't happy with them. There were a few that made me slightly uncomfortable. But in hindsight that's probably a sure sign that people would have dug it. We played it at the cd release gig and I heard lots of positive words about it. So here's the lyrics. The ones that I like and the ones that make me so uncomfortable. Ugh!

BOX OF YOU

What do I do with this box of you?
“Cause although we’re through, I never threw out that box of you.
What do I do with this box of you?
Though you say we’re through, I never threw out that box of you.

Here we are last summer in Des Moines, Iowa.
On our way to Redding, California.
With your Fluevog shoes and my paranoia,
I adored ya, now I wonder what for ya!

What do I do with this box of you?
“Cause although we’re through, I never threw out that box of you.

There you sit with baby at your breast.
Dad’s Nikon capturing your tenderness.
I keep thinking here’s one for the photo contest,
So I can phone ya, don’t want to talk to your lawyer!

Christmas cards I can’t discard I’ve tried but I’m weak.
But was it really so hard for you to part with your box of me?!
Behind my face other traces of you.

I don’t recall where this particular one was taken.
And here’s my ticket from the CTA station.
Just like romance, the colours are fading.
It’s melancholia! I want to call ya!

What do I do with this box of you?
“Cause although we’re through, I never threw out that box of you.
What do I do with this box of you?
Though you say we’re through, I never threw out that box of you.
I never threw out that box of you.
I can’t throw away this box of you!

(c) James Clark 2008

The second song that didn't make the cut is a song called 'Splinter In The Soul'. This one has an interesting background, or so I think. I was chatting with my psychiatrist during one particular session. We were talking about, what else?, the breakup of my relationship which I just couldn't recover from. This was probably a year or so after the fact. He was mentioning how it is very common for the rejected to obsess over their broken relationship. When he used the term 'rejection becomes obsession' I immediately thought 'I gotta get out of here and write a song with that title!' So I went home and wrote it. Then I changed the name of it. It came really quickly. Lyrically, I mention the four records that I listened to a lot during this period. The records from artists that had all been dumped prior to making these recordings. It's pretty much a Beatles song with less positive lyrics. My drummer Gord Fynes says that it could have been on side four of The White Album. I think it's more 'Rubber Soul' but whatever, it didn't make it onto either of those records and it didn't make it onto mine either. Again, this one will probably surface at some point somewhere. Until then, here are the lyrics. You'll be all ready to join in when the song is finally released. And a one and a two and a....

Splinter in the Soul

When rejection becomes obsession your whole world is consumed,
With photographs and evil laughs and her face painted on the moon.
When rejection becomes obsession you waste away the afternoon,
Listening to Beck’s ‘Sea Change’ and stepping on balloons.

When rejection becomes obsession you’re awake in the wee small hours.
Like Sinatra in ’55, over your own Ava Gardiner.
When rejection becomes obsession your disposition turns so sour.
You lose all will to live like her fading favourite flower.

Like a splinter in the soul,
The likeness is unbearable,
You only need one good pull to be free.

Like a splinter in the soul,
The likeness is unbearable,
You only need one good pull to be free

When rejection becomes obsession your blood is on the tracks,
And the walls and the bridges and anything by Bacharach.
When rejection’s your only connection to a checkered past,
You become the forgotten forgetting nothing ever lasts.

Like a splinter in the soul,
The likeness is unbearable,
Like a splinter in the soul, like a splinter in the soul.

TV’s a drug that makes you dumb but if it helps me forget you then give me some.
TV’s a drug that makes you dumb but if it helps me forget you then give me some.

(c) James Clark 2008

Well, that's it for lyrics. What the !@#$ will I go on about now?! I'm scared.

See ya soon.

Yer pal,

james