Writing Tunes

CURRENT MUSIC CAN BE FOUND HERE: https://soundcloud.com/theycallmenobody

Songs from the ladder
Wood, Soul, & Steel

This page is dedicated to the changing music projects I take on. At some point, I’m going to release my debut record. For now, my latest will be here. 
 
 

Many of these songs were written while participating in an online music project called http://www.fawm.org.

FAWM stands for February Album Writing Month. This site challenges musicians and song writers to make 14 songs in 29 days. I took the challenge twice and completed 6 or 7 out of the 14. Maybe one year I’ll complete all of it. I think I always grow as a musician in that month.

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One Long Day   Passing The Time   Her Majesty   

Spinning Words   Queen   Xianzhi’s Song

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One Long Day:

This is a song about a last plea to Mom and Dad to stay outside and play as the summer is at an end. This puts me back to around 1987. I remember those days where I wish it’d never end and I hated going back between mom and dad for permission.



This song was a blast to write because I had my drummer buddy Steve Rodriguez on board for this. It’s Too bad we only had one take to record this though. Forgive the mix…I’m definitely going to rework this in the studio shortly!!

Lyrics
© 2008 Jacob Morales



10 Minutes to go before I have to go inside

Mother said I couldn’t play outside all night

Oh it’s not fair, it’s only one day

My father said, you know son your mother’s right



Can I have one long day of play

I’ve got my whole life to make a grown up out of me

I’ve got my whole life



My summer has passed and all I’ve got is 2 or 3 more days

I’ll clean my room, I’ll sweep the floor, If you’ll let me play

All my friends are waiting for me outside

Why do I have to ask my dad all over again



Can I have one long day of play

I’ve got my whole life to make a grown up out of me

Can I have one long day

I’ve got my whole life to make a grown up out of me



I’ve got my whole life / I’ve got my whole life

I’ve got my whole life / I’ve got my whole life

I’ve got my whole life / I’ve got my whole life

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Passing The Time:

This was a pain to record as it’s difficult to play this style of music. It was a fun song to kick off FAWM even though my fingers are hurting now!!



This is a simple song about losing time to my computer. As much of my time is spent on computers for work, I end up filling some of my time in the wasteland of entertainment. Basically, a computer is no substitute for real human contact.

Lyrics
© 2008 Jacob Morales



What day is it, what time is it, Now?

What time did I leave off, leaving all of you behind?



- – CHORUS – –

Passing the time,

Downloading lies

Reaching new lows while,

Searching for highs



How much of my time has passed

Feeling so connected to machines that don’t give back



- – CHORUS – –

Passing the time,

Downloading lies

Reaching new lows while,

Searching for highs



I need something else,

Give me something more

I need something else, yeah



Passing the time

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Her Majesty (Beatles Cover):

This is a cover of the Beatles song “Her Majesty.” It’s the first cover I’ve ever recorded. I drew inspiration from my last trip to London. If I could move anywhere out of the US, it’d be there ; )



Because the original is short, I wanted to make this version long and dreamy. The only instrument I used beside the drum loops was my Fender Strat. The bass track was also played on my guitar and I shifted the pitch in Soundtrack Pro. The 1st set of verses need a little more added but I need to move on to my next songs. I’ll record a studio version in a week or 2.



PS. The track ends abruptly and this is intentional. On Abbey Road, they ended the track the same way without completing the last measure; so this is my own little nod to the Paul’s version; )

Lyrics



Her Majesty’s a pretty nice girl,

But she doesn’t have a lot to say

Her Majesty’s a pretty nice girl

But she changes from day to day



I want to tell her that I love her a lot

But I gotta get a bellyful of wine

Her Majesty’s a pretty nice girl

Someday I’m going to make her mine, oh yeh,

Someday I’m going to make her mine.

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Spinning Words:

This was a duet I wrote about the back and forth nature of arguments between couples. I also wanted there to be a sense of this couple getting it right as well. Most desolate songs stay that way and I wanted some resolve so hopefully we pulled that off.



My friend Ella Carillo (Pictured left) lent her lovely voice to this track to offset the vocals of this song singing brute. Any ideas to add to or change this song? Any input is appreciated.

 
 
 
 
 

Lyrics © 2008 Jacob Morales



Twenty minutes too late fifty words have already left your gate

I’m still sweeping up the pieces of yesterdays fight—and I’m tired today,
Baby I’m so tired today



Don’t you know that you spin your words before shooting them off at me

I need love like the air I breathe—and right now, you take my breathe away

Baby, you take my breathe away



Chorus: And you say that you don’t know what got into you

And I’ll say, you’re not the same as five years ago, oh no, oh no

Don’t you say that, you know that I’ve come a long way

yeah but you say I’m not the same girl anymore oh no, oh no



Now I see what you mean, sometimes words tend to get the best of me

But can you meet me half way and I’ll walk the other half with you

Baby, I’ll walk the rest with you


Yeah, I think that’ll work for me seeing how I took a wrong turn tonight

it’s not about being wrong or right, it’s about amending this fight

Baby, amending this fight



Chorus: And today, we both know what got into us

And we’ll say that , we’re both not the same as five years ago, oh no, oh no

Let us say now we know that we’ve come a long way

even though we’re not the same as yesterday oh no, oh no

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Queen:

This little number was written for Desiree, my love. This was an idea of a song I’ve had for over 5 years so I’m glad I’ve finally got around to it. I hope to make more of it and give it some more structure as well but the basic idea is here =)


I hope you like it baby girl!!

Lyrics © 2008 Jacob Morales



Alive, Inside, connected to me and I’d give anything

to keep you right here I pray you never walk away



I give you my life, before the sun, the moon, and the sky

and you act surprised, that I’d stand by your side



You are my queen,

Source of love in the age of machines,

I’m so overjoyed to finally know what this means



Pack your bags love, I’ll start the car, we’ll drive a thousand

miles from here and cross the Golden Gate and it doesn’t stop there,

we’ll fly over Paris, and breathe the Tuscan air



Please give me your life, before this changing world of mine

and I’ll act surprised, that you’ll stand by my side



You are my queen,

Source of love in the age of machines,

I’m so overjoyed to finally know what this means

Source of love in the age of machines,

I’m so overjoyed to finally know what this means

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Xianzhi’s Song (Under These Prison Lights)

This song was inspired by a friend named Xianzhi (Pronounced Shiansee), we call her Sarah. She spent some years in prison in China for her faith in God and has an amazing story to tell. The lyrics detail the 1st night she spent in prison as she was interrogated and brutally tortured. In a short film that was made about this night, there were scenes of her walking in the trails of her own blood. She wrestled with denying God to be free from her captives but never gave in.



There’s something to say about the state of religious affairs in China so I’m using this song as a platform to detail Sarah’s story which is the plight of many more people in China.



I got this track out pretty quickly but intend to flesh it out a whole lot more in terms of lyrical content and structure. The build up at the end should go on for another minute or so. The tapping you hear was me tapping my foot to keep a beat and the the 2nd guitar was reverse delay (I’m a sucker for this effect) This is definitely a track I want to make better and bigger.

Lyrics © 2008 Jacob Morales



Chain my hands, my feet;

My heart can reach beyond these bars

God help me



Trails of my own blood

Not sure if I can move anymore

God help me



Will there be any grace

If I deny my God tonight



Under these prison lights

Help me to weigh the cost of doing right

Help me to move my love beyond their hate

Help me to move their hearts, God show your face
Show your face

Under these prison lights…

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