This is a story song. Growing from an idea about the world and the effect it has on a person these days.. used to be so simple to be alive, now there's all sorts of influences everywhere, everyday that steal our souls away with the temptation of this, that or the other..
I feel this essentially for my children who have a bigger, longer task to navigate their way through the world than I did. Guess the good news is that at least they won't know any difference from the beginning except for their old man's tales of yesteryear.
Big thanks to Van Gabriel who mixed the track. As always a pleasure to work with him.
lyrics
Shot Down
All the things that this life teaches
Rules and regulations, tattered, shot to pieces,
Even the good, even the true, even the pure,
Every question, healing answers, even the cure
It lies around the earth I walk,
It inhabits the thoughts that I think, the speech that I talk
It steals the life, the air, even the view,
Everything that I thought I once knew
Turn on the TV, the adverts hit you
Like a shot of sippin' whiskey, 'Hey man, you want one too?'
Every corner, every street, every soul you meet,
Like chocolate, candy, cakes, things oh so sweet
It's under my feet,
It's workin' it's way to my head
It's in the clothes you wear,
In your mind when you lie in your bed
Money, £'s, Euro's, $'s, every currency
So much wealth and affluence, that your eye can see
You look at your neighbour, and you want what he's got
I tell you man, you're better off happy with your own lot
Chase the dream
It will steal your soul
You're better off living
Just to Rock 'n Roll
On another channel there's sex on my TV
I lie and I think of you and what you mean to me
I ought to tell you, I ought to sort it out
But my mind is dressed in rags
And I'm full of self doubt
I pray, I pray, I pray
For you, My God
To drive these blues away
Hey have you heard?
Have you been told?
There's a message that's so full, so full of gold
It's in your breathin', It's in your thinkin'
You don't need drugs, cigarettes, you can even quit drinkin'
Cos this whole world is gonna be taken apart at the seams
There is another way
Wilder than your wildest dreams.
All over this my beloved town
I'm lying here in pieces
I've been shot down
Shot down, gunned down
I'm lying here in pieces on the ground
credits
from Shot Down (single release),
released June 13, 2012
Guitars, hamonicas, vocals and recording - Simon Dwight
Mix, master and engineering - Van Gabriel
Great Linford, Milton Keynes, June 2012
Woodstock, New York June 2012
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