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This old shirt
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Sometimes an inanimate object takes on more importance than its face value would suggest. Even an old, threadbare T shirt might have bitter-sweet indispensible memories for its owner...
singer songwriter musician uk acoustic guitar cubase reason sheffield bass guitar doncaster al stravinsky voxengo brian delaney
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Touching, funny, serious, award-winning songs about life and love; all penned, played, arranged, sung, recorded and mixed by Al.
So he never existed... not really, as a real person. He made himself up one day in 1969 and lived a dual existence: half of him surviving on dead-end jobs, the other half believing that one day he would write at least one song that the world would remember. Now half of him is dead, and, as with all conjoined twins (without major surgery) that sentences both of them. It would be sad if it wasn't so pathetic. Fairy-tales always end this way... well not always, rarely... and this was rarely a fairy-tale; so there the similarities end: the ending was neither sad nor happy - it just... was. The enigmatic and tragic Jackson C Frank was a hero of his... now he emulates that frail and failed soul. Maybe in 40 years people will still say 'Al who?', much as they do today. That would be both a great epitaph, and a fitting legacy. Below is the page as he inexplicably and hurriedly left it: hot meal still on the table; knife and fork still in place and at the ready; the drink untouched in the bone china cup... ************************************************************* I now have an album: 'The sentence that I serve' available from CD baby. Click on this mini album cover to take you there: INVALID -- CDBABY INVALID INVALID INVALID INVALID for AL STRAVINSKY: The sentence that I serve -- It's on iTunes too, where the whole album or individual tracks can be downloaded in mp3 format: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=216015067 Thanks. I've been a professional musician for 24 years, and over 3000 gigs (I've stopped counting); always working, travelling, trying to make ends meet...nearly...if you could just hold these a minute please...er...thanks: my hands are now free so I can get on with actually (ironically) playing some music at last. I sing and play bass guitar and I play some acoustic/electric guitars also.
Song Info
Genre
Pop Indie Pop
Charts
#1,383 in subgenre Peak #13
Charts
Peak #273
Author
Al Stravinsky
Uploaded
December 28, 2006
Track Files
MP3
MP3 4.3 MB 128 kbps 4:40
Story behind the song
Sometimes an inanimate object takes on more importance than its face value would suggest. Even an old, threadbare T shirt might have bitter-sweet, indispensible memories for its owner. Over several 'Chameleon' drum loops I added bass, violins and cellos, Wurlitzer piano, synthy choirs and oboe. The inimitable Gilly Slinn (http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pageartist.cfm?bandID=546749) emailed me some fine guitar parts that I hope (though doubt) I have done justice to in the mix.
Lyrics
Verse 1 I take it from the machine - The best that can be said is it's clean; The colour is faded, the logo is crazy. I hold it up to the light, I can see right through it; Can she see through me? Chorus This old shirt has a tale to tell; Though not Hamlet or Macbeth It has ghosts and broken promises. Verse 2 I pull it on again It's like having you next to my skin again: Here you rested your head, I kissed your hair; And the tears you shed - There are traces of you there Tangled with each and every thread... Chorus This old shirt has a tale to tell; Though not Hamlet or Macbeth It has ghosts and broken promises. This old shirt has had its day, But I could no more throw it away Than forget that night we met, Or proclaim our secret. Middle 8 I remember waiting, shaking, In that leafy, shady place, And your white dress blowing, Flowing behind you, Floating like an angel - The bitter-sweet time we said farewell. Verse 3 I'm years late but early again - When will you arrive? And what do you drive? I see you, you smile as you see my clothes; You step from the car and your white dress blows, Flowing behind you - Still like an angel... Chorus This old shirt has a tale to tell; Though not Hamlet or Macbeth It has ghosts and broken promises. This old shirt has had its day, But I could no more throw it away Than forget we ever met, Or proclaim our secret...
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