Here are a couple of new recordings I just put up on my YouTube page. These songs were written within a month of each other, and about a month after my ex-wife and I split up.
I always wanted to do a concept album about that 7-year relationship using all of the songs I wrote about her (my most prolific period of songwriting), with these two songs as the bookends. It would have started with Crowded Bed, and then ended with Both Sides, with everything else sort of chronicling our relationship on a timeline.
It would have included “I love you, Baby” songs, “I fucking hate you” songs, and of course, “I fucking hate myself” songs.
Good stuff!
Then, a lot of time passed, and now I cannot remember why I wanted to devote so much energy to such an idea. We get along okay nowadays, but she still tries her damnedest to pretend the 7 years of her life that we were together never happened.
I have since looked at all of the songs that I wrote for her and want to detach her from them all. I mean, they’re good songs; why waste them now?
Some day, I’ll tell you all my concept for the “Me and Whoever” album I have had for some time.
Anyway, these two songs will be interlinked forever, and so I present them as a matching set. I hope you enjoy.
Oh, and one important note: “Crowded Bed” is one of three piano songs I have posted. I am not a real piano player, and I could have played guitar instead, but the song was designed to be played on the piano, and so I wanted to give it a go. You might notice me sticking my tongue out while I’m playing. That’s my “concentrating real hard” face.
Also, Both Sides sounds so much better in my head than what I can do with just an acoustic guitar. I imagine loud, angry guitars screaming in cacophony, sort of like the intro to The Cure’s, “The Kiss.”
Anyhow, There are plenty of videos up on my YouTube page, so please feel free to browse around. All comments are welcome. Thank you!
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Crowded Bed
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Crowded Bed
by: Joel C. Marckx
2001/05/27
Two people get together and they know they’re meant to be
They never mind the weather and the waves out on the sea
They can make it through the day without a scuffle or a fight
They can work it out and not care about who’s wrong or right
They don’t worry about what’s been said
I lie alone in this crowded bed, and I wonder what that’s like
Some couples live their lives and remain honest and true
No quick backdoor affairs, no secrets kept from view
One never has to worry why the other is out all night
They’re true to the end and know that everything is alright
They mean every word that’s said
I lie alone in my crowded bed, and I wonder what that’s like
I wonder why it’s been so hard for me
I wonder why I feel like I’ve been set free
I wonder why I’m not as happy as I should be
I wonder why the day has ended, but the moon still isn’t shining down on me
Two people get together and stay happy year after year
Each day seems to get better, their dreams are still perfectly clear
They got it right the first time
They look forward to each night
They would do it all over again
I lie alone in this crowded bed, and I wonder what that’s like
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Both Sides
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Both Sides
by: Joel C. Marckx
2001/05/05
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Baby, if you call on me I won’t turn you away
But I can’t conceive of living with you every single day
I love you, and you know it’s true, but I can’t possibly stay
All I ever wanted was for you to love me true
I tried to give my all and do what you wanted me to do
Now I’ll try to convince myself it’s better that we’re through
I never wanted to think of you as my ex-anything
But time has passed, and now you are my former everything
I searched around the darkness and I could feel nothing
There’s two sides to a story, and there is no wrong or right
Two people get together and they want to hear both sides
I lie alone in my empty bed and I wonder what that’s like
So, Baby, if you crawl to me, I won’t kick you away
But I can’t conceive of arguing my side another day
What is there to fight for when there’s nothing left to say?
And just knowing what we’re losing hurts me more than any words
It's a Blog About Nothing 