Sunday, August 15, 2010

Best That I Can Do

Hey, remember that song I was writing a few months ago? The one I was trying to find a rhyme for? The one where I couldn't decide whether there should be a bridge?

I finished "Best That I Can Do" back in June. Ron the Drummer and I recorded it in his living room a few weeks ago. And I figured out how to post songs on the blog today. Yip!

For anyone who was remotely curious as to how "Best That I Can Do" turned out, here it is. It doubles as an apology for my pathetically low posting output of late and goes out to anyone who's been feeling a little overextended. Lyrics are below.

Again, this is a low-res home recording, so if you're listening on dinky computer speakers, you may have to turn the volume all the way up to hear anything.




BEST THAT I CAN DO

Lyrics by Susan Wenger
Music by Susan Wenger & Ron Amistadi


Clock alarm declares a brand new morning
Hazy plans are forming
How shall I use the day
I'm staring down the frontiers yet uncharted
Projects barely started
The dues I have to pay

Make a list of what I must accomplish
Lacking any knowledge
Of how to get it done
All the tiny pieces of the mission
Are fighting for position
Then merging into one

Well it's built to last
And it's piling on so fast
I cannot slow it down

Have to cut some corners
More than just a few
Some days that's the best that I can do


Crossed off half the tasks on my to-do list
But I'm not getting through this
The day is almost gone
I keep thinking just a little longer
But it keeps coming stronger
On and on and on

Still I hear your plea
Everything depends on me
I cannot let you down

Making up the answers
When I haven't got a clue
Some days that's the best that I can do


Lock the bathroom door
Turn on the faucet
Nothing's gonna cross it
This barrier I made
Flowing drowns out every sound around me
Washes out the memory
Of dues I haven't paid

Well, the water's fine
Though I cannot spare the time
To wind this body down

Something got neglected
And I think that it was you
Some days that's the best that I can do

© 2010 Cinder Bridge. All rights reserved.

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Got feedback? Glowing praise? Constructive criticism? Destructive criticism? Comments are thataway!

4 comments:

john Wenger said...

I love the song and the lyrics. The funny thing is that when I read the lyrics without the song, it somehow didn't get to me, but the music, and the rhythm of the music, changes everything. And it speaks to me.

Jeff Shattuck said...

You really evolved your original lyric, nice. It's a cool song.

Also, I truly relate to the song, as I am trying so hard to finish my album and some days, most really, the best that I can do still doesn't feel like enough

Jeff

Laurel said...

Well done!! It's really cool to see how a song comes to fruition -- from an idea, to the evolution of the lyrics, to the addition of music and then the final product. Very impressive. Song writers/musicians have always impressed me. Maybe in part b/c I took piano lessons for so many years as a kid and sucked. :) It makes me realize how complicated it is, and how much talent is required.

cinderkeys said...

Glad you like it!

Dad: I almost never get into lyrics if they're separate from the music. Lyrics make lousy poetry.

Jeff: I think that in writing this, I wanted to forgive myself for my best never being enough.

Laurel: I worked on the music and lyrics in tandem, but it was an awfully slow evolution. As for sucking at piano lessons, that doesn't mean you have no musical talent. Piano may just not have been your instrument. I took up oboe in junior high and part of high school and absolutely sucked. :)