Lake union flood

Lake Union Flood - MP3
Lake Union Flood (new & improved) - MP3

This != Lake Union

Lyrics

i closed my eyes when i jumped in the bay
you led me through muddy flats and i forget
why i was so scared crossing Deception Pass
when i left behind the wires that had held me back

when lake union rose to your window
and my lips touched to your shoulder
with breath abated were you waiting
for an escape or did the flood find you too

we stared into each others eyes of blue
oh my ranier how i forgot you were here

when the storm breaks in your tower
with your hands as cold as ever
do you wish my warming wings would
swing you up and wrap around you, as i do?

when the sound collapses you will know 
that we are the most persistent tone
we are water running out of room
flooding over bridges to resume

when lake union rose to your window pain
and my lips touched to your bare shoulder blade

breath abated were you waiting?
and did the flood find you too?

Music

Guitar

All chords played sans 5ths during the verse.

Verse

f-aminor-bminor-g
f-aminor-bminor-g-f-eminor

Chorus

constant plucking low f in the bass
alternating with high note in chord
fmajor-fsus2-f7-f6-f5-f6-f7-fsus2
am7-cmaj(g in bass)
fmajor-fsus2-fmaj7-f6-f5-f6-fmaj7-fsus2
em7-dminor-c(no 5th)-am7-gmajor

Bridge

I think I'm really into the words of the bridge with the exception of the last line. It'll be easier to tell once I've recorded the music for it. But here are the lines I'm battling with

crossing [under|over] bridges to resume

or

flooding [all the|on the|over] bridges to resume

There are a couple different ideas I feel like I'm trying to get across. The less I actually say it, the more I can feel like I'm getting across these multiple ideas at once. "Resume" is a strange word but for some reason I like it. But I recognize that it feels a little weird. Thoughts?

Author's Notes

Thanks for your suggestions, Sara. I added a little pre-chorus thingy and I haven't decided if I like it or not. Let me know what you think. A couple things need to be fixed on this new recording. For one, during the verse it sounds like there's phasing between the guitar and piano. Either that or my guitar was out of tune (oops!). This new version also has a bridge (with shaker and snaps) that I'm so excited about. The vocals definitely aren't as warm and intimate as on the previous recording, so I'll have to do those over as well. I'd love to hear your comments!

Recorded on a PowerBook G4 using a MOTU 828 mkII w/ 2 microphones: a large diaphragm Studio Projects condenser and an SM57 (thanks ljw!)

Comments

the song is lovely! i really really like the way you sing it. the words and the piano/guitar playing together are great. i like "flooding over bridges" for the bridge.

i love the melody, especially on the chorus. it's pretty grand and a nice dramatic shift from the verse, but i feel like the song is a little too dense, in a way. maybe there could be a break or a brief, building transition into the chorus from the verse? just a suggestion. also, are you singing harmony with yourself in the chorus? turn it up!:)

Sara 11:52, 1 September 2006 (PDT)