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I Used To Sweep The Coliseum
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A song based on a memory of working at Long Island's Nassau Coliseum in the early 1970s.
singer songwriter acoustic beatles music florida new york love songs writer college performer larry whitler robin macblane
Artist picture
I am a solo singer/songwriter. My music is mostly soft although my songs could easily be performed in mostly any style.
For me, it's all about the song. That mysteriously magical thing that happens when a lyric is married to a melody. The writing process is invigorating and exciting while simultaneously being exasperating and difficult. It is that moment when music is being composed and a lyric is being written when I am truly the "artist at his easel." The creative process continues when the song is brought into the studio to be recorded because, as in writing, the production and arrangement processes also have their own sets of challenges. Those challenges are always dictated by the song itself and the task at hand at that moment is to be true to the song and carefully craft a recording that reflects what the song is about. Part three, for me, is to then take that song and perform it. It is the purest form of displaying this work of art called a song and is the only place where the magic of the creation is reflected back to me from a room full of interested listeners. And at that moment it is only as magical as the audience makes me believe it is. My CDs are all available on CDBaby.com.
Song Info
Genre
Pop Indie Pop
Author
words and music by Larry Whitler
Rights
1975 Larry Whitler
Uploaded
March 23, 2006
Track Files
MP3
MP3 3.0 MB 192 kbps 2:11
Story behind the song
I used to work in the maintenance department at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island in New York. The job was simply a janitor's position (they had LOTS of us!). This song is from a moment when I was assigned to sweep the stage the morning after a concert from a group (I can't remember who) that was returning the next night. The amps and drums and piano were still on stage, though no guitars were left there. I stood there with the broom wondering what it must be like to actually be the performer. At the time it was not unusual for me to sleep in my car as I mostly stayed with friends (hey, I was a kid!).
Lyrics
I used to sweep the Coliseum. And when I swept the empty stage. There were no crowds but I could see 'em. Imagining applause turned into rage. And when I swept the Coliseum I met a lot of superstars. But no one really could believe then, This guy among the stars sleeps in his car.
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