FAWM: "I Used To Want You Dead"

I Used To Want You Dead

2025 by @majordanby

Liner Notes

I’ve totally ripped this song off from another song. However, that song was totally ripped off another song so I feel it’s fair game.

I wanted to write an Americana song and commented (can't find the forum thread now) that my southern English accent made any country not very country. This is a case in point.

I wrote this one so quickly. The words were a stream of consciousness from an old photograph I saw today with two men shaking hands. I then picked four chords, got the instruments down on my lunch break and then just yelled the lyrics over the top. Really pleased with this one.

Lyrics

A photograph, All smiling and shaking of hands, Vaguely familiar, A little like Sinatra, But just round the mouth and the eyes, The other, a large man, Warm and endearing, Almost spilling his drink because he talks with his hands.

I used to want you dead, But now I only want you gone.

We lust with our eyes, Love with our hearts, Cope with our livers, Dream with our minds, Scream with our voices, At the top of our lungs, Get those feet of ours to walking, To walk you back home.

I used to want you dead, But now I only want you gone. Well damn, where you been?

I said that I loved you, You said you loved me too, Who am I to come between these chemicals and you, Close your eyes to fall asleep, Picture skies of blue, Imagine clouds are passing by, Each thought just passing through. Imagine you’re a fallen leaf, Upon a steady stream, Notice how and when you breathe, And burn from brown to green, Then let the raindrops batter down, And sink you like a stone, Settle on the ocean floor, To never be alone.

I used to want you dead, But now I only want you gone. Well damn, where you been?

Comments

@robinleaf 2025

Really enjoyed my listen!

@nancycunning 2025

I like how the lyrics of the verse and the chorus feel so completely different. For me the verses feel like the deeper truth of ongoing maybe inconvenient desire, while the chorus is wishful wanting - the refusing to want what feels so out of reach. That feels like a portrait of ine piece of the human condition.

@metalfoot 2025

Great hook to the chorus for sure. The verse melody is also very 'sticky' in my head.

@johnrupe 2025

Whoa - I love this. I think I'll be singing the chorus at work on Monday. Totally agree with other commenters about what's going on underneath the chorus and the matter of fact vocals. The track and lyrics do feel more indie to me than americana, so your accent fits nicely. I second the comment that I'd love to see this live. #tit4tat

@bradbrubaker 2025

The "with our" verse is so, so good. I like how the bass answers a little melody of it's own in the chorus.

@johnnycashpoint 2025

I really like the phrasing on this one, has something of the 'Colin Newman's about it. Yes, this is perfectly enjoyable. Good work! (Postscript - I really like those harmonies under the chorus as well, the way they're mixed almost as an overthought. So charming!)

@catetaylor 2025

Love the feel to this and interesting inspiration for a song too. Sometimes those songs that just drop out of the sky are the best ones. It sounds like a long-crafted one, rather than a stream of consciousness. Really enjoyed it.

@texmachine_mk2021 2025

Hooky and punchy to the max! Well crafted song. Love the guitar tones and the spoken style of vocal is perfect for this.

@theawkwardsleep 2025

that chorus is killer, ha love it this has a seriously catchy vibe, i'd love to see it live - i'd like a whole album of this such a great tune

@tomslatter 2025

"I’ve totally ripped this song off from another song" <- this is true of all my songs. The trick is to just not mention it :-)

Nice chords in the verse and a cool conversational vocal style. I like that guitar countermelody in the chorus, and 'cope with our livers' is a funny line.

@jacobeverettwallace 2025

This feels so organic, like demo tapes from the early aughts rock bands. Felt like I was in a live space with you. That hook is awesome. I shouted it along with you!

@musicbykatie 2025

i used to want you dead, but now i only want you gone. Sounds like progress to me. love your rock production on this, too! your guitar sound is really yummy.

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I Used To Want You Dead

Liner Notes

Lyrics

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