rock'n'rill

Do You Remember Bobby Fischer?

I recently saw an immensely moving portrait of chess genius Bobby Fischer, his ascend to the world championship in the 1972 match with Boris Spassky and the decline of his mental health in the years after. It was so moving, I immediately wanted to write a song about this fascinating man and his journey.
I sat down and out came those four lines that are now the first verse of the song below.
Somehow, though, it seemed those four lines wanted to belong to a different kind of song than the one I had envisioned. Maybe I have written enough biography-type songs in the last few years (Sarah Stein, Natascha, Kid From Tupelo, Girl Of Many Secrets and a brand new one about Townes van Zandt).
So I followed the direction these words pointed me to. I wrote a few more verses than ended up in the song. Some characters, it turned out, didn’t belong into the song once it revealed what it wanted to be about.
It’s often a fine line between being too obscure in your song and being too obvious. I think the first time you listen to this song, it seems like little more than a list of names of famous people and kind of a trite middle part/bridge.
However, if I listen to it a few times in a row (and, yes, I’m embarrassed to admit I do that with my own songs), it seems to be just right. Very simple, surely, but just right.

I do have one hangup, though. I’m not sure I can keep the van Gogh verse. I think he really only became famous posthumously. Which means he doesn’t entirely fit the bill. Must research.

I hope you enjoy the song.

Do you remember Bobby Fischer?
He was the champion of the world
Do you remember Bobby Fischer?
a brilliant mind once upon a time

Do you remember Vincent van Gogh?
Sunflowers on the easel
Do you remember Vincent van Gogh?
one of a kind once upon a time

Do you still recall Bill Haley?
the first king of rock’n’roll
Do you still recall Bill Haley?
a comet so bright once upon a time

Fame and wealth they don’t mean nothing
I guess they only fade away
Me, I keep doing what I’m doing
and take it day by day, day after day

Do you remember Ernest Hemingway?
He was a man amongst men
Do you remember Ernest Hemingway?
so strong and alive once upon a time

Fame and wealth they don’t mean nothing
can’t take ‘em with you when you go
can’t all of us be lucky
I know, I know

Do you remember Bobby Fischer?
A brilliant mind once upon a time

The usual disclaimer: It’s just a home demo with the guitar & me. No fancy arrangement tricks, just the bare bones skeleton of a song.

Looking forward to hearing your feedback and thoughts on this.
Thanks for listening,
Markus

21 December 2011 ·

• Tags
• demo
• folk
• song
• acoustic
• Americana
• Bobby Fischer
• Ernest Hemingway
• Bill Haley
• van Gogh

Storm approaching - an unearthed gem

Hi guys,

I’ve been sick in bed the last couple days so I spent some time going through old demos I still had on my laptop. When I came across a song called “Storm Approaching”, the title didn’t ring a bell. Listening to it was a very pleasant surprise.
Seems to me it’s a real good solid song with some nice lines. It could’ve been a contender :-) So here it is:

Everybody’s afraid of the storm approaching
I’m trying to hitch a ride
but there’s no one out on this lonely road tonight

They’re all sleeping safe & sound
nestled in their babies’ arms
me, I’m ready for the coming of the storm

Let it come and blow all my sins & sorrows away
or let it blow them right up in my face
Everybody’s afraid of the storm approaching
staying out of the way of harm
I’m ready for the coming of the storm

It’s cold here by the highwayside
I can see the neon lure
but I pray that it won’t break my will no more

I recall the friends I failed
and the girl that I done wrong
and I hope that memory, too, shall fade before too long

Let the wind come and blow all my sins and sorrows away
or let it blow them right up in my face
Everybody’s afraid of the storm approaching
and the changes it might bring
I’m hoping it’s gonna wipe my slate clean

You may call it false bravado
call it anything you want

Everybody’s afraid of the storm approaching
staying out of the way of harm
I’m ready for the reckoning to come

This was recorded in October 2007 so this song was in the running for the Things That Count album. Why did it not make it onto that album?
I think after Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami I didn’t feel so good about recording a song that attributed cleansing power to a storm. There’s also a line in there about a “girl I done wrong” and I’m pretty sure I felt I had written more than enough about that particular topic at the time.
Hearing the song now, none of these issues strike me as taking away from the song.

This was one of the last demos I recorded at my good friend Ben Wagner’s before I got my own little home demo setup.
How do you like it?

Looking forward to hearing from you,
Markus

30 November 2011 ·

• Tags
• demo
• acoustic
• folk
• country
• songwriter
• Americana
• alt.country