"The Star Of A Fish"

One thing I love most about FAWM is being inspired by and seeing how my own writing is affected by the songs posted by other writers. This is my appreciative nod to Jonathan Spottiswoode, Emily Shore, Burr Settles, Isaac Quatorze, and Tim Wille this week.

The guitar and vocal were recorded live on one mic. The organ was added after. I suppose no one will get what it's about, but oh well, I'm usually so literal, this feels like a good change of pace.

--
Chords so I remember them later:
Am-Amsus4-F-Dm
F-Dm

Lyrics

I forget conveniently I guess
I seem to forget
I forget each week
What were we talking about?
What I was I saying?
I guess it wasn't important
I guess it's not

Ten percent

Ten percent of what?
I could slice out a pound of flesh
I think it grows back
Like the legs of an octopus
The star of a fish

The star of a fish

It feels like, it feels like
There's nothing left to do on the weekends anymore
Since the Superbowl
No  games 'til September
And the lottery is on Tuesday and Friday
Tuesday.

Oh?
What's that sound?
Did you hear it?
Oh?
Is someone there?


11 Comments

  1.  kermy | 2 days ago

    not sure this is "gospel" but is totally freakin cool. love your voice - so subtle and mellow...great tune! k

  2.  mike skliar | 6 days ago

    All of the comments above i think really apply.. its a beguiling and interesting and haunting song that's really interesting... were you thinking shakespeare's mearchant of venice  with that 'pound of flesh' line btw? nice touch.
    i like the sparseness of the musical backing on parts of it, too,, very effective, with the organ too.  Probably could have used one less vocal repitition of the chorus but that's minor. great job!



  3. Mal | 11-Mar-08

    You know, I could impose all manner of interpretation onto these lyrics, and some of it might even have been intended by you.  The "starfish story" ("It made a difference to this one!") is, of course, an old seminary standard.  And the starfish itself as a symbol carries the meanings of healing, regeneration, etc.  And of course there is the star, and the fish, taken separately, as they are in the title, the double pun.

    It was a much favoured device of the Biblical writers to use what William Barclay called "grim parody," to take well-known symbols and ideas, and to turn them on their heads, and for me that's what you've done here, taken hopeful things and used them to express loss, rather in the tradition of the Preacher crying vanity and vexation of spirit, being emptied and having nothing left to give.

    Maybe it's what you intended.  Maybe I'm hearing myself in the song.  Maybe it doesn't matter.  I only know it stirs memories and feelings that I work very hard to keep hidden from myself, and I'm too shaken at the moment to listen to anything else.

    An excellent and well-executed song.

  4.  Nancy Rost  | 09-Mar-08

    This is a great mood piece.  I like the spare but aggressive feel of the guitar and the drone of the organ.  The vocal works really well in bringing out blues nuances and investing the words with meaning.

  5.  CageyHouse  | 05-Mar-08

    That organ is chilling. And no, I don't get what it's about--but I feel what it's about. Which, of course, is what counts. "Star of a fish" is an amazing phrase.

  6.  Kevin Emmrich | 02-Mar-08

    Nice guitar work and delivery of these interesting lyrics.   I liked the little ambient synth in the far background.  Good stuff.

  7.  Emily Shore  | 27-Feb-08

    how are you playing that intro on guitar? what a catchy riff!

    i want to cover this one - really tranforming and transporting. holy sh*t - i love love love this one! the lyrics, in an abstract sort of way, make perfect sense and i feel like in know exactly what you're saying even though i can't put my finger on it.

  8.  Elaine DiMasi  | 27-Feb-08

    The repetition of "ten percent - ten percent" becomes addictive after not too long!

  9.  Chip Withrow | 26-Feb-08

    I saw your post on the worhip songs thread - I have no idea what this is about, and it doesn't matter to me a bit. Sort of like Michael Stipe's lyrics just making me love REM more. Your song is very folky yet surreal, like John Lee Hooker guitar with beat poetry vocal.

  10. Krista Brindle | 26-Feb-08

    I agree with Emeric--very cool guitar arrangement.

  11. Emeric Viani | 26-Feb-08

    Really unique sound.  I really liked the guitar chords/arrangement you had going under the lyrics.

Song Info

From:  Charlie Cheney

Added: 26-Feb-08