Discussion

Feb-28-2001: A folk/alt.country type song that needs some fiddle, bass, and drums to make it sound the way I want it to sound, with the prerequisite references to Camelot, the Bible, etc. I was trying for that high lonesome sound with my voice and actually hit it for a few lines here and there, and the reverb helps quite a bit in hitting the sound I want too. My voice still sucks, but at least I don't mumble like Bob Dylan -- you can actually understand what I'm singing most of the time. The good news is that I think I know how to fix some of my voice problems (both by changing my vocal technique and via post-processing), though it is going to take much, much practice on my part to find the right sound for the songs I want to sing.

Not quite finished -- I wrote it in 3 hours tonight, though not all the lyrics were written tonight. About 2/3rds of the lyrics are from a song called "Sellout" that I wrote while I had the flu. However, once I recovered somewhat I discovered that "Sellout" was too damned earnest and accusatory even for me. Think Jewel (the overly earnest little girl who got booed out of every coffee house on the West Coast before finally making it big). Think Jewel OD'ing on Quaaludes, it was that earnest. I hated the song, and you won't see it.

You will find that the lyrics do not quite match what I sing (I've been tiddling them a bit), and that from time to time in the song, I seem to pause or lose my thought. Those are places where I realized, as I was singing it, that the particular stuff I was reading on my page didn't sound right (this is the first time I have sung those particular lyrics all the way through). There's also a few filler lines here and there that need replacing. Hopefully I'll someday return to this song and finish it.

Lyrics

Thirty Silver Coins

Well one day you saw Camelot and walked through its halls
and were a knight in shining armour with justice for all
but then one day you traded it in
for a three piece suit and a bottle of gin
then one day you traded it in
for thirty silver coins

Forgotten your dreams
for thirty silver coins
Forgotten your dreams
for thirty silver coins

well you rented yourself a bulldozer blade
and then you bulldozed camelot away
and now where once the round table stood
is a pay parking lot for your own good
older sisters, older brothers
how I listened when you talked of peace and love
but I guess dreams ain't worth shit
when silver coins are callin' your name

[chorus]

well one day you could have changed the world
an end to hunger, an end to war
but then you forgot what you were dreaming for
and let it all go in drugs and free love
Well you say you're not sorry, you say all is well
that the world is all pleasure and everything's swell
and your pockets are filled with silver and gold
and your pockets are filled with silver and gold

[chorus]

but beneath the facade of the American dream
everything is not as it seems
invisible people struggle to survive
as you prop up your conscience with secrets and lies
and hope that no one pierces your disguise
and then you say that everything is well
when what you mean is you got gold for yourself

Forgotten your dreams for thirty silver coins
Forgotten your dreams for thirty silver coins
Forgotten your dreams for thirty silver coins
Forgotten your dreams for thirty silver coins