All posts by Carl

Song Lyrics – “New Light” – a song about the last goodbye

Not a song to play everyday. That’s a good thing. Unfortunately enough there’s a reason I’m posting this now: “Hot Rod” Harris past away last weekend. I got to know him as the engaging host at Hot Java Cafe in Carmel Mountain Ranch, where I played my first original written in the USA. And played at my very first real open mic. Ever. He was a gifted musician, a great person and will be missed.

 

New Light

I’m a broken bottle thrown out in the swamp.
Will someone come along today
to fill me up
Or make me whole again ?

A dark dense fog rolls in across the lake
Of salvage speaks a muffled voice, and fate
Frost numbs me down, the noises drift away, and I stray

I’m sinking, I’m sinking away
A New Light is floating your way
I wish I could share those beliefs
but I’ll just feel your hands now and grief

The bedroom lamp is hanging at half mast
A flag outside all disentwined
There’s part of me
spread out in smithereens

Folded hands rise up out of the fog

I’m sinking, I’m sinking away
A New Light is floating your way
I wish I could share those beliefs
but I’ll just feel your hands now and grief

Still sense the void as you are laying here
The breathing stopped, the spirit is still near
But I’ve been crushed and I can’t stop the pain …     while you ooze away…

I’m sinking, I’m sinking away
A New Light is floating your way
I wish I could share those beliefs
But I’ll just hold your hands now,
and feel how they’re fragile,
once more comb your hair now,
… and grief

Did I escape? Am I awake?
Did I escape? Am I awake?

© 2012 Carl Durant

This was 2012… Happy New Year !

HappyNY2013

Time to look back…

In terms of music, there’s a lot of things to be happy about:

  • I got 3 articles published about me and my musical endeavors in the San Diego Reader (still the largest weekly magazine in San Diego with a print of 150k+)
  • Two singles were released: “Secret” debuted on KPRIs Homegrown Hour in March. “(Not Our) Ride Home” was covered by the Reader when I released its photo video on 11/2/12  in honor of the victims of a bus crash that happened in March (with mainly kids on it). Too bad 2012 had another incident where this song applies to, in the US this time, leaving too many families with a lot of questions and a lot more grief to deal with. The song is available in the “Store” tab, and a free download link is available upon request.
  • A short film with my music score went from the 48H Film Project to the San Diego Film Festival, guaranteeing me an entry as “composer” in the IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base). A dance track I wrote and produced was used in another short film and its trailer won “Best Trailer” award at the 48H Film Project 2012 in San Diego.
  • To top it all off, I received an award (and a little bit of cash along with it)! Every year, ASCAP gives out ASCAP+ awards to songwriting members whom have not established  a significant royalty income yet, but have shown promising results in the past year (2011). I guess my entry in IMDB in the “Soundtrack” category with my song “Losing Time” (in a short film screened at the Temecula Valley International Film Festival) was part of the reason I got this award…
  • Most of all, I had a lot of fun playing 28 shows, meeting a lot of great people and hearing a good amount of great music last year. More shows are coming up soon…

A lot of things happened on the personal side. Suffice to say that 2013 can be a better year in many ways than 2012 in that respect. Of course, it can always be worse.

But I’m not planning on that !

So, Happy New Year and thanks for tuning in !

Carl

 

Lyrics for “(Not Our) Ride Home”

(Not our) Ride Home

Mom, where did my sister go?
Dad, does our baby brother know?

Who turned out the light
last night when I fell asleep ?
Who are all those people here
They’re drying their eyes…

… and holding you tight ?

In my dream she was standing here
She smiled then she told me this:

“We thought we were going home
A long week with lots of fun
But I missed my family
why didn’t I see

This was not our ride home?
It was a chariot
to take me away from you
I didn’t want to …”

“Mom, who’ll give you the cuckoo clock
the one that I saved up for?
It’s still in my bag… “

“And who’ll hold my teddy bear ….
the way only I could do,
only I could do? “

(C)2012 – Carl Durant

Video Thursday – Ben Howard covering Call me Maybe

Ben Howard covers Call Me Maybe in the Live Lounge

Ben Howard performs a cover of Carly Rae Jepsen’s track, Call Me Maybe in the Radio 1 Live Lounge.
I hadn’t heard of Ben before stumbling upon this one. A very interesting version and probably a good introduction to the style of this British songwriter.
Oh yeah: has an amazing voice… check it out for yourself. (Bonus points for the bass player for also playing drums. Or the other way around.)