Monday, October 19, 2009



Behind The Lyrics of my track with Damien.S called, "Love Letters":

An Idea is Born:

I had the idea for "Love Letters" when I read about a devastating forest fire that started when a woman burned a love letter in a small fire pit. I didn't know more details about the story, and I wondered why the woman would have burned that letter.

I figured maybe it was a letter from an ex lover, and if so, she probably just intended it to vanish into the flames, so she could symbolize that she had moved on from her heartache. But then the fire rapidly moved through an entire forest and became international news.

I imagined that the smoke in the fire was a sign of the intensity of that love she was trying to burn away; like a smoke signal she was sending out to the world.

There's much power in the written word, and people put so much emotion into letters and emails. We're always trying to figure out ways to communicate with each other, and figure out what our own hearts are telling us. In this particular case, the forest fire was an extremely unfortunate, but fantastical symbol of a love that burns out of control, consuming everything in its path.

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Time and Place:

I wrote "Love Letters" on a trip to Athens Greece. I was visiting in January, which isn't peak tourist season, and the streets were pretty empty. Without a lot of people around me wearing modern clothes to place me in modern times, I could let my imagination run away, and feel as if I might possibly be walking around in ancient Greece.

I imagine that people have always had the same longings, fears, and needs for attachment over the eons. I bet, for example, that even in Ancient Greece, women found themselves wanting someone that they knew they shouldn't, and suffering the consequences for it.

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Line by Line:

The lyrics in "Love Letters" feel quite dense to me. Every line is full of layers of feeling, and I'm sure the song speaks differently to each listener. I don't want to break it down line by line because I want to leave the song to the listener's imagination, but I will speak a bit about a few of the lines.

"Sleeping alone in separate rooms, praying for courage to crawl back to you"

Who hasn't had a fight with their lover where both people decide to sleep separately, and then lay awake wishing they could mend the damage caused by the argument?

"Lost in the fog of the oracles breath, a whispered prediction of time I have left"

I like to imagine my future being prophesized in the foggy breath of an oracle. Is that prediction valid or is it as flimsy as a whisp of smoke that goes where the wind blows it? Or is it strong enough of a breath to blow out a fire?

"Starved for attention, a lover's affection, just a passing glance"

I think everyone is hungry for love and acceptance, and we fill our need for that in many ways. Sometimes we do crazy things for attention.

Lastly, I'll give you the definition of 'Effigy':
1. a representation or image, esp. sculptured, as on a monument.
2. a crude representation of someone disliked, used for purposes of ridicule.


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Damien.S feat Marcie Joy- Love Letters
(Infrasonic Recordings):

The crystal balls spinning in the card house tonight
Love letters burn smoke signals take flight
We’re sleeping alone in separate rooms
I’m praying for courage to crawl back to you

I’m lost in the fog of the oracle’s breath
A whispered prediction of time I have left
Our egos are dancing around the flame
Wild eyed effigies passing the blame

We’re speaking in code and we’re walking the line
And we are forever falling behind
Starved for attention, a lovers affection
Just a passing glance

Your honesty’s too much, to digest in all one night
So please excuse me while I wash it down with a glass of cheap wine
See, I’m in love with shadows, cast upon a void
And I’m indebted to a wanted man who set out to destroy

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Thank you!

Marcie

4 comments:

  1. Perhaps I should set fire to some rain forest, burning up my emails... :-O But that's definately a nice story in this song. Love it when it has deep feeling. Also reminds me of "Remember Me" (Interstate feat. Colleen Kelly). ;) Bah... life is harsh sometimes! She owes me one! Best lyrics come from deep inside... or those lines that reaches you deep inside! :(

    Great song!

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  2. thank you guys! I'm still a bit new to the blog thing...if i reply here, do you get my reply?

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  3. Yes Miss Joy!

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