Turn
by @carleybaer · @stephenwordsmith
Liner Notes
#acoustic-one-take #girl-with-guitar #fingerpicking
I read this and heard a super-stripped-down 6/8 thing and decided to give it a go.
Lyrics
You came in from the rain-kissed alley By the market wet, your hair Was ashen grey and smelled of rising smoke You wore a ruined coat And an expression of surprise and fear, Like some long-slumbered evil had awoke
I was lost in indecision Trapped in time and line alike until You burst my thoughts with language raw and rough You screamed in words I'd never learned Of how I'd bring a turning world Unto a halt, until I cried 'enough'
CHORUS But I would have turned and listened Turned upon my heel, turned tail And turned away if I knew then what I know now
You wouldn't take my protest For an answer, as you pushed through Frightened faces, reaching out to turn the cart But faced with their resistance I could only stand and watch you flee With turn of stomach, quickening of heart
CHORUS
You wrestled with your angels As you curled a shaking finger Round the trigger from the window where you hid And the scales would dip and waver As your answers turned to questions Would you live with what I'd do - or what you did?
CHORUS x 2
Comments
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This is just sublime! But also that juxtaposition with what you're singing about. The anxiety is visceral--for me, anyhow. And that final chorus, neatly showing the difference in character between you. Beautifully turned.
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Love how this just flows. I don't know that I could have heard the same rhythms from the lyrics, but you made it come alive so beautifully. The fingerpicking gives is such a wonderful continuity. The bridge has a haunting delicate quality to it.
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Such a simple arrangement; such a powerful piece. Your voice and music combined with @stephenwordsmith's lyrics have created something really special here. Great collab.
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This is so pretty! Your voice reminds me of a combo of Sadie LaFlamme Snow and @robinleaf haha, you and Robin should do a duet together someday! But yeah I love the chill vibes here. Also @stephenwordsmith shoutout for those awesome lyrics! Nice job! :)
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I love how rhythmic the lyrics are! And Carley's voice make you sink in. Also like the big contrast between the "sweet" song and the heavy lyrics.
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Listening without breathing, waiting for the solution. Then I reread the lyric. Well phrasing is everything here.
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The dissonance between the sweet delivery and the frenetic lyrics is captivating. Your scansion shows tremendous skill, respecting the rhythm and rhyme while allowing some natural variance in each line - gives the piece a spontaneous, stream-of-consciousness feel which suits the subject perfectly.
The contrast only heightens the mystery. What's it all about, Carley? Why is the narrator so calm as they acknowledge that this wild interloper (who tried to shoot her, no less) had, in retrospect, a point? It suggests a maturity and wisdom, and an overcoming of something great off-camera. Nobody will ever know.
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Interesting to hear your take on the same lyrics, seems we shared similar instinct that the lyrics were best served in a stripped down version and in 6/4 time, also like how you made the last verse feel like a bridge, and nice chorus, your approach feels more carefully optimistic than mine
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Calming and beautiful and so touching. chef's kiss
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Beautiful vocal delivery and melody, and always these beautiful words from Stephen. What a great combo this is!
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Great story and a beautiful song. Wonderful images throughout delivered with delicate understanding adding depth to the picture.
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Wow!! Love the whole thing! Truly… Incredible performance and production. Love your capture of the acoustic… Something I’m always chasing :-) would love to know your recording set up for that… your voice is like silk but with a wonderful depth and confidence so emotive… And the 6/8 feel brings the killer lyrics to a whole new level!
Crushed it, knocked this way out of the park! Love it! Write on, write on!!
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Great collab you two! What a treat. One of those songs you can't stop listening to once it's on the turn-table.
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I'm also really taken by the use of 6/8 for this. I didn't spot that meter in the words when I read them, but it all locks together so well. What a smashing tune to start my listening off for the day! Thank you, both!