That happens a lot with my lyrics - and it's happened ever since I started writing songs and poems about fifteen years ago. I'll have this "random" thought or string of lyrics that goes down on paper, and for some reason I connect to it. Sometimes I may even complete the song and not realize it's impact until much later. Sometimes I relate to how Bono describes many of U2's songs as "overheard conversations". I think that's more what "Ricochet Graveyard" is turning out to be.
A couple of weeks ago in rehearsal, we stumbled across the beginnings of a song while improvising. The crazy thing is, the inspiration musically came from a little intro vignette that I've used for our song "Caught Up In The Sound" since before there was even a Northside's Sweet Revenge. So, in that sense this song has been rolling around in some form or fashion for about 3 years now. I'm not gonna get into that side in this post, but as a songwriter or even an artist, that is a perfect example of the mystery that fuels the creative mind. Anyway, we start jamming on this simple chord structure, and right away we know it's special. Then a melody begins to form on top of that and we pretty much hammer out the basic song structure in about 15 minutes!
Then tonight, we decided to pick it up again and see where it goes. Jimmy wasn't at the last practice, so he hadn't heard it yet. About a minute into playing it, I glanced over at him and he had this look on his face of realization. He knew it was one of those great moments that we hope happens while writing as a band. He was like nodding and smiling like "yep this is a keeper...damn this a keeper!"
At the last practice when the song first came up, I had a little inkling of lyrics and I thought that it may be the right structure for the "ricochet graveyard" idea. I wasn't sure though because I had tried it out with a few other song structure and even lyrical ideas. I wasn't and still am not totally sure what that phrase even means completely. Anyway, this music was right and during rehearsal I pretty much got the first verse and the chorus mapped out. Then after everyone left, I went to work to finish the lyrics. I'm sure they will be slightly altered as we refine the song and perform it live, but I'll include the first draft here tonight.
"Ricochet graveyard", as a phrase, created this image in my mind of all these bullets/harsh words that had bounced off of someone or something and had found a resting place in this cemetery that no one wants to go to or be around. This also worked into a lot of the theme that I have been working with lately in songs like "Coming Up For Air", "The Recent Future", "Blame" and "All Bets Are Off". I've definitely been influenced by Thom Yorke, David Byrne and Ben Gibbard as of late, and for a long time Jeremy Enigk. For the discerning writer and musician, I think there's a residue of those guys in there and maybe a little Kurt Cobain too. I'm not trying to be emo or grunge, but this is just what came out and I believe it's honest. You can tell me if I'm "right or am I wrong". So here it is in it's newly breathing form...
ricochet graveyard
a whisper, a fractured windowpane
a blister, and things that never change
dial my number, feed my meter, am i running low?
cross your fingers, craft your fiction of letting go
in the sound of a ricochet
bouncing off the walls of gray matter
singing with a voice that’s so tattered (and worn)
in the eyes of a hurricane
fears that take and shake you so violently
words that pierce the heart are buried (so deep)
a tattoo, the smell of acid rain
a quick screw, a job that’s so mundane
invade my nation, hack my data, am i out of sync?
throw your stones and twist your story in crimson ink
in the sound of a ricochet
bouncing off the walls of gray matter
singing with a voice that’s so tattered (and worn)
in the eyes of a hurricane
fears that take and shake you so violently
words that pierce the heart are buried (so deep)
a graveyard, a chance to clean the slate...
© northside's sweet revenge, july 2008
- Sam
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