Song #7 – Berlin
Good day to you all! This is an exciting week for me. This song, Berlin, is one of my best compositions and has a very interesting story. The story is available to all subscribers “downloader” and beyond via mp3 download or streaming. To upgrade your subscription level go HERE.
During the 4 months of almost daily writing I did last year to come up with the #100songs, I went through multiple songwriting techniques. This one was by far the most comprehensive and involved process. I got up early in the morning and started walking with a pad of paper in my hands. I was setting out to write a song about Berlin. I wrote down every memory I could think of in that town I love so dearly. Some of these memories involved friends, others involved touring events. One memory, in particular, stuck out to me; it was the show we played at the House of World Cultures aka Haus der Kulturen der Welt. At that show, we made a new friend who invited us to play another show at the end of our tour at a church in Berlin called “theaterkapelle” Toward the end of the show, police came and shut us down, but we did an amazing thing and got the audience to go up on the stage and perform the Dufus song “Fire”. So I took all these ideas from the page and started writing poetry from the concepts as I wandered. After I had a good solid set of words to write my song, I took my phone and recorded myself singing these words. From that song, I went home, pulled out my guitar and put some chords behind the words. It was a very drawn out writing process, but I think you’ll be able to feel it from the composition, it is not your run of the mill “song”. It flows and bounces and twists and turns unpredictably, but it still feels cohesive! It’s one of my favorites.
In the song I also mention Down By the River because of the amazing time I had playing there. Every time I’ve performed in Berlin I have gotten to see awesome places, squats, great graffiti, and I’ve met some of the most beautiful people of my life there. My favorite squat venue is Schokoladen.
BERLIN
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BERLIN – © ⓟ 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Backwards we walk like the ticking of a clock
Dmin
Into the past
Bb Dmin
To a city in my dreams
C
To Berlin
Dmin C
A hundred memories of Berlin
F
Not sure how I got there
Amin
With a guitar in my hand
Dmin C Amin Dmin
Suddenly greeted by new and friendly hands
F Dmin C
Smiling faces, helpful hands
Gmin
Made me feel at home
Dmin F
In the memory of Berlin
Bb F
In my memory of Berlin
F Dmin
They flew me to the river
Amin Dmin
With my band with my band
Amin Dmin
To the Spree to the Spree
Amin Dmin
Them and me them and me
F Dmin
Had us at the House of World Cultures
Amin Dmin
Our merry band, gave us food
Amin Dmin
Fed us well, gave us food
Dmin Amin Dmin
And at the house where culture showed its face to us that night
Amin Dmin Amin Dmin
A delight, a new friend and a show at the end
Amin Dmin Amin Dmin
In a church had a show, they were smoking in the church
Amin Dmin
they were smoking in the church
Amin Dmin
We were burning when the cops came
C-B-A-G-A
Burning when they came
Dmin F
They tried to shut, shut us down
Dmin F
Said we couldn’t make a sound
Amin Dmin
Or they’d steal ours, steal hours away
Dmin Bb7 Dmin Bb7
All we were, sharing joy
F-E-D-C-D F-E-Dmin
So we put it in the hands of our friendly hosts
Amin Dmin C Dmin
Let them sing let them boom
F-E-D-C- Dmin F
As we backed out of the room
Amin Dmin
To applause filled with smoke
Amin Dmin
As the rafters start to choke
Amin D-E-F-E-Dmin
It’s no joke, we were loco then!
Amin Dmin
Sharing sound, sharing laughter
Amin Dmin
Sharing drink, sharing night time
Bb7 F-E-D-C
Down By the River, where everyone lives on the top floor
F-E-D-C-E-D
Little tiny thrift stores
F-E-D-C-A F-E-C-A
Squats and graffiti making beauty
Dmin Gmin
Green faces, green spaces
Dmin C Dmin
Berlin, Berlin, Berlin!
Dufus on tour in 2007 (the tour mentioned in the song)
Photo from Down By the River Festival
Song #7 – spoken story of Berlin
This is a special “extra” for all the “downloaders”, “hangerouters” and various “boomer” subscription levels. Thank you!
BERLIN STORY
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#100songs Promotional Video
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Song #6 – House Show
Great pleasure! This song took a ton of hours to complete. It’s the first of the 23 Psaegz songs that I’ve done as part of this song of the week project. It was written during the #100songs series, so it counts. I wrote “House Show” the morning after a sweet show in September with Diane Cluck and some other awesome artists including Ken’s Last Ever Radio Extravaganza and Cammy Enaharo. I’ve been running shows here at Whenland and also at Meddlesome Lab in Rochester for almost 7 years now. It’s almost always an inspirational and joyous time, so I decided to dedicate a song to the concept so that perhaps other people might experience its joys. Special thanks to all my bandmates from 23 Psaegz for their work on this one.
G
C
seemed like everyone was there
G
music was awesome, all the artists rocked
C
then all the people disappeared in thin airG
house show, house show
C
this is the place where I live
G
house show, house show
C
there isn’t a cover and the people are loving
C
they all put a few bucks into the hat and that is that
C
the touring band gets a hand to the next show
C
and everyone walks home with a warm warm glow
been doing this for many years
C
inviting bands into my home
G
made new friends, seen old ones
C
all of these people who roamG
house show, house show
C
this is the place that i live
G
house show, house show
C
people from new york, italy and chicago
C
california, wisconsin, florida, new orleans
C
berlin, philadelphia, virginia, england and japan
C
baltimore, arizona, boston and paris
C
playing in my living room
C
sitting on my couch
C
eating at my table
C
in a living fableG C
G Bmin
this is so cool, house showG
what do you mean there’s no rules in this place?
C
what do you mean that i don’t have to pay?
G
what do you mean this is off of the grid?
C
what do you mean this sick band flipped my lid?
G
what do you mean that it’s perfectly free?
C
what do you mean that these people like me?
G
what do you mean that musicians can roam?
C
what do you mean that I’m finally home?
G
I’m at a house show, house show
C
In my little home town
G
House show, house show
C
I think I’m gonna put on one of my own
G
house show house show
C
I cannot believe this exists
G
house show house show
C (STOP!)
that’s it, I’m putting my name on the list
Song #5 – Work to Believe – February *FREE TRACK*
Soon after I wrote this song, I knew it would quickly become one of my long time favorites. Something happens when I write a song that really resonates with me… It bounces and bounces around in my head for days, whenever I pick up my guitar to sing it’s that song which comes to my fingers and throat. “Work to Believe” is a vote of encouragement to both myself and to the struggling people in this world, the ones who have hope and really try to do well by others but also for those of us who wish to achieve great things in this world. It is quite different in this recorded version from it’s original acoustic incarnation. On a technical side, it was a very challenging production for me because I’ve never recorded or mixed live drums before. (I read something this morning that said something like “jump off a cliff and build your wings on the way down”. Seemed suiting.) Devon Tramell played the kit on this one. In addition to Devon drumming, Rick Snell played mandolin, Shaun Jones played electric guitar and Laura Lee Jones did some vocals. Thanks all! Feel free to give it a listen and comment on what you think!
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WORK TO BELIEVE – SETH FAERGOLZIA © ⓟ 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Taking myself back again
So hard. It takes work to maintain who I am
In this world where humans consume everything
I overeat, I take the drugs, I live the same as anyone
I watch TV, I fantasize, I let my eyes glaze over and over
over and over
It takes work to believe in yourself, I believe in me
It takes work to believe in yourself, I believe in you
It takes work to hold onto the spirit inside
It takes work, just hold on and you will arrive
Turning back into myself
Turning back into myself again
Turning back into myself again despite what the world would want me to do
I’m dreaming out loud from my heart
I’m dreaming out loud what my heart would want
I’m dreaming and making what my heart would want me to do.
It takes work to believe in yourself, I believe in me
It takes work to believe in yourself, I believe in you
It takes work to hold onto the spirit inside
It takes work, just hold on and you will arrive
I’m working to save my own life
I’m working to save my own life
I’m working to brighten the lives all around me
I’m working to waste not
Don’t want not don’t waste it, it’s life.
Song #4 – Wiggle While You Walk
My oh my! This has been an awesome first month! I’m beaming from the amount of support I’ve gotten from you subscribers and the incredible work I’ve been able to do in my studio because of this support. This week’s song, Wiggle While You Walk, is by far my favorite of the month. It is the third installment from the 3 song series. I’m thinking of taking the three songs and doing a bit of a mash up with them at some point in the future too! Give it a listen, and don’t forget to download it too!! Thanks everyone!
Download Right-click and select “Save as…”WIGGLE WHILE YOU WALK – SETH FAERGOLZIA © ⓟ 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
People are doing things
People who are people, people are doing things
Wiggle while you walk
Even when you talk make a little wiggle
Wiggle when you walk, you wiggle when you walk
You make a little wiggle, you make a wiggle when you walk
Tickled in the middle, tickled in the middle
I run the gamut of love
Wiggle while you walk
Even when you talk make a little wiggle
Wiggle when you walk, you wiggle when you walk
You make a little wiggle, you make a wiggle when you walk
People who are people, people are doing things
Make your voice ring wailing through the mountains
Giggle in the middle, a little silly
A silly Billy or silly Jilly
Let it thrill you, when you shrill dig the feeling of your shouting
People who are people, people are doing things, people are doing
People who are people
Wiggle while you walk
Even when you talk make a little wiggle
Wiggle when you walk, you wiggle when you walk
You make a little wiggle, you make a wiggle when you walk
People who are people, people are doing things
Wiggle while you walk
Even when you talk make a little wiggle
Wiggle when you walk, you wiggle when you walk
You make a little wiggle, you make a wiggle when you walk
Song #3 – Marimba Project
So, I had a crazy week, flew down to NYC for a few days visiting friends, playing a show with Jeffrey Lewis and the Jrams and friends Toby Goodshank and Deenah Vollmer and their band LA Boobs. So I didn’t get to produce and mix part 3 of the 3 songs series I’m putting out this month. Luckily, I’ve got some stuff already completed from the months #100songs last year. This one is an unnamed project written for a potential TV commercial, haha. They asked for a marimba song. Not sure if I got the commercial or not, but at least I had fun writing this and wrote something quite unlike anything I’ve done in the past.
Marimba Project – SETH FAERGOLZIA © ⓟ 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Download Right-click and select “Save as…”Songs #2, #3 and #4!!
Songs 2-4 of the #100songs subscription project:
#2 WAIT FOR THE BEEP
#3 MARIMBA PROJECT
#4 WIGGLE WHILE YOU WALK
These songs are complete and available by clicking HERE!
Song #2 of Subscription Song Series #100Songs
I’m happy to say I’ve completed the second chapter in my 3 song series for the month of January. This one is called “Wait for the Beep.” I’m awfully proud of this one. I wrote three songs in series using the same looped background sound, to me like a visual artist might use the same canvas or back ground and depict different images on top of it. I had a tough time with this one and had to re-write some sections, but the parts which were the most challenging turned out to be the most moving pieces of the song. Thanks for subscribing, please spread the word to your friends and family and help make this a big thing, these new songs are some of my best, and I’d really like the world to hear! Next week, since I’m traveling to NYC for a performance with Jeffrey Lewis, I will be releasing a song which is not in this series of three. The final and best chapter of the series will be in the last week of January. So much fun! Without further ado…
Download Right-click and select “Save as…”WAIT FOR THE BEEP
Wait, wait for it, wait for the beep, I hear it coming
It, it’s on, it’s on it’s way, don’t you deny it
I need, I need… I go and buy it
I need, I need… I need supplies
I need, I need it, I need money to survive, need money to survive
Or be, be out on the, out on the streets, out on the streets again
I need, I need… I go and buy it
I need, I need… I need supplies
Walking down the street in this poor city
I’m making ends meet, but just, and for how long? What if something happens?
I got no backup, no pension, I’ve got a kid to feed. What if I can’t?
I’m working hard just to make it, make it onto dry land
I tread water then make a swim for it
A mad dash in an ocean made of need.
I need, I need… I go and buy it
I need, I need… I need supplies
Wait, wait for it, wait for the beep, I feel it coming
It, it’s on, it’s on the street, out on the street again
We need, we need… but we can’t buy it
We need, we need… need to survive
We need a leader, someone to help us, someone who’s agenda is not controlled by money
A super hero, someone who cares, who’ll get us onto dry land
We’re in an ocean, treading water, getting tired, our lungs are filling
Gonna make a mad dash in an ocean made of need.
I need, I need… need to survive.
Song #1 of Seth’s Song-a-Week project is here!
Yep, that’s right, it has begun. I have completed my first track for the Song-a-Week project for 2015. This one is called “Stars On the Pavement.”
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This one is part of a series. I started writing some three-song-songs in which I made a long background on which to put my lyrics and melodies, then wrote three separate songs over the background. This could be likened to making a giant collage, cutting it into pieces and using the collage as a backdrop for three separate paintings. I’m very happy with how this one turned out. It just gets better and better as it goes. This month I will release the full series in three pieces. At the end of the musical series, I will do a remix of all the best pieces of the three and present a brand new track from the three. I will also be sending subscribers the full length version along with the short ones. This first track is a gift to everyone! The rest can be accessed by subscribers only. Click here to Subscribe.
Stars On the Pavement
Where are you going to, my god? When are we going to align?
I make a forest for you, path lined with wild flowers, took a million hours and a quadrillion dollars
I sing a chorus for you in the forest that I made. I use the birds to sing, the wind and everything, oh
I see you ride across the night sky, hand in a bottle, a message to everyone that you won’t let us down, no.
It’s not the end of the world, maybe the end of our humanity, but to be is neverending temporary
Maybe just a habit to be, maybe this is nothing to me . . .
I played my part, I made a forest on your land. I nurtured it, covered seeds in soil with my own hands
and when it’s time to go, and then I’m planted in the ground, the leaves and dust will play, and I will lay without a sound
There aren’t many, not many left of us 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1
I see you ride across the night sky, hand in a bottle, a message to everyone that you won’t let us down.
Stars on the pavement, I’m pacing the waves of it traveling the speed of life which is faster than light.
The speed of life is faster than light.