Nonsensical Babble

Smoking Gun

It can be difficult to admit you wrote something, even when you are proud of a piece of work. There is fear that others will disapprove or find it silly. It is even more difficult to share a piece of work you know is bad. This is the case with this song and I truly hate the idea of showing how bad this song was, but I also think it is important to show that songs take time and effort and… editing. I am even skeptical to say it is good now, but I think it is FAR more coherent than the original.

Love, come hide
intertwine
in my safe embrace
find peace of mind
in my unchanging heart

or it's all for nothing
you'll stay for no one
if you keep waiting
then that's your smokin' gun

if you can't answer
my only question
and keep me guessin'
then I'm already done

slippin out the other side
trying best to make things right
and ease this unending fight

we cant change if we're lying
we can't give up when faith is dying

 or it's all for nothing
you'll stay for no one
if you keep waiting
then that's your smokin' gun

if you can't answer
my only question
and keep me guessin'
then I'm already done 

Why waste a moment to safe us
the house is burning and we're still inside
just whisper what's on your mind love
if you don't stop them the flames will keep climbin'

This song was written for an intimate concert at Barnes and Noble. I only needed a few songs and tended to pick rather than strum. I wanted to stretch that muscle and write a song using a different style.

I must acknowledge I had no business performing this song when I did. I don’t even remember writing it which, for me, is a sure sign I simply threw it together with very little effort or thought. If my memory was not enough to convince me, all it takes is a scan through the lyrics to see that it is a slew of babble. It would be too generous to call the lyrics inconsistent. More accurately, the song has two opposite messages.

The first verse speaks of a safe, healthy love. A paramour calling to her love asking him to accept her unconditional support while the chorus (core message of the song) seems to be waving a white flag saying “I give up on this relationship” or even “I am not what you are looking for.”

Even in the chorus, I notice inconsistencies. I can hear myself in my performance using the word “and” before “it’s all for nothing.”

Below is a photo of my little Venn Diagram where I separated the lyrics which supported the message “Fight for the Relationship” and the lyrics which supported “Give Up the Relationship.” I then decided which message I ultimately wanted and chose “Give Up.” This meant I had to rewrite any lyrics that did not support that message.

Some former lyrics were difficult to part with such as the line

 Slippin out the other side
Trying best to make things right
And ease this unending fight 

I was really thrilled when I was able to keep most of these lines with minimal changes.

Below is the new version:

 Bide
Your time
Walk a line
Between stay and stray
You’ll find
I’ll be fine
When I show you the door

Cause I’m all or nothing
You stay for the fun
If you keep waiting
Then I am not the one
If you can’t answer
My only question
And keep me guessing
Then that’s your
Smoking gun

Slipping out the other side
Take me for another ride
And tease this unending fight
We can’t change if we’re lying
We can’t keep up the faith that’s dying

Cause I’m all or nothing
You stay for the fun
If you keep waiting
Then I am not the one
If you can’t answer
My only question
And keep me guessing
Then that’s your
Smoking gun

Why waste a moment
to save us
The house it burning
and we’re still inside
Just whisper what’s on
your mind now
If you don’t stop them
the flames will keep climbing

Cause I’m all or nothing
You stay for the fun
If you keep waiting
Then I am not the one
If you can’t answer
My only question
And keep me guessing
Then that’s your
Smoking gun 

Photo by Karyme França from Pexels