Caleb Orion

This is a song I wrote with a friend of mine, Nick Perry (he recorded both guitar lines). It’s based on a couple chords from a song I wrote, but it’s pretty much his composition from my standpoint, the guitar line is the centerpiece and everything else sorrounds it.

The drum kit is handmade using boxes and something I found to simulate the noise of a ride cymbal. I don’t have $300 for a cheap kit, certainly not $500 for a decent kit, but I do have a few bucks here and there for this. For the snare sound, I filled a pizza box with rice, and hit that. The bass drum, I had to tape and rubberband a sock around the end of my drum stick, and hit it against a syrup box from those soda fountain machines.

There’s no lyrics, but it’d make a good intro to some other song. It’s sort of 50s. You can download a copy here.

You’re like a “wind in the willows” kind of person
And by that I mean
Windy, breezy, easy,
(like easy-going)
but not sleazy(ZZYY)
And with willows you kind of like to just
Hang out
And maybe you’re often found near a river … — …
Where moles ride by in boats, making friends,
With toads. (But not in moats, this ain’t no rhyme time)
Do you make friends with toads?

Here’s the second half of the poem:
You’ve got it made, like really made
Washing-machine-swisher-made, like
Koolaid-cool like Dennis Quaid
Get the switch? It’s a bait for your mind,
So don’t forget, yeah yeah yeah!
And here’s a kicker,
I won’t drop oil in your river,
So sopping soaked seals, struggling to breathe,
They’ll be safe, you’re safe, safe like
Milk
Unless someone’s allergic, then it’s not safe.
So, that’s probably a bad
Simile.

Ok, here’s the third half:
Just kidding, the poem ends
Here.
^ The poem ended up there.

‘Twas written long ago in ancient tongues,
That buried deep, ten thousand ladder rungs,
There sits the dusty widow’s single tear,

Guarded from all trespassers who near,
By a beast with eyes the deepest black,
If you cherish life you’d best turn back,

But forward someone soon will charge,
And past the beast a room so large,
Covered in diamonds of each hue,

Enter slowly, for if you,
Handle any diamond there,
With your fingers laying bare,

You will set the gas on,
So keep walking along,
Through the diamond room and,

Into some ruined,
Hall where you will climb,
To a door by vine,

In some small space,
Webs catch your face,
At the exit,

You’ll see it,
On a stand,
With your hand,

Take hold,
Be bold,
Then go,

Low,
Run!
Run!

A song I finished a couple weeks ago, it was something I’d been sitting on for a while, the first few seconds at least. I didn’t know where to go with it, but then I magically knew what to do, and so I made that super abrasive bit in the middle, which really stands out, I think. It’s purposefully a very dirty song, from a decently dirty mind. No lyrics, just music. Dirty, grungy, meaty, electronic music.

Inspired in part by ZZT’s Lower State Of Consciousness (the original Munich version) and also by Aphex Twin’s Windowlicker EP (a disc that, of late, has made every day I’ve ever had into a dancy, bouncy, fun-filled day), I tried to make something that was reasonably enjoyable to listen to, but also unbearable. My next electronic song will probably follow a similar pattern, but I’m looking into more use of my voice, but not through singing.

Also: Download here.

Do you remember
What we said that day
That cold cold
Day
of Hot Hot
summer
When the sand crept
Beneath our toes
and the Children laughed
and I frowned and
Tried not to cry
but there was
A huge Pain
in my stomach that felt like
Train Wrecks
and I couldn’t hold my food
Down
Do you Remember
What we said that day
What we said about
us
I do
I remember the
Fried Dough
I remember the
Park
the
rocks I hit
my Head on
and wishing I were dead
Every second of that day
Wanting to let go
Of all that clam chowder
I tried to eat
The clam chowder sometimes
Spits back up at me
Even though it’s
Long digested
Its reminder
Is still
Physically
There
Waiting to
Come back
Up
When I will let it.

This is my latest. I wrote the guitar line for a video I had to make for school. After writing it and recording it for that, I came up with some lyrics that I appreciated. I sound a little stuffed up in this, that’s because I am. You can get it here.

If you shake
Your shifting sands to me
I will climb up and be
If you waste
Your ways on someone else
I will die free

And the cold winds
Blow through my hair
Taking fragments of our
Photos everywhere
Building weapons
From dust and melody
Will you live for me?

If you tame
Your hair to send my way
I will give you my day
If you left
Your wishes on my knee
I will be true and stay

Will the King of hearts
Play his dirge for me
Blowing ashes far out
To the wide sea
Building western towns
From dust and melody
Will you live for me?

This is my first real song of 2008! I wrote it this morning, and I felt inspired to record it. I hope it’s liked, because it’s my happiest song on the site so far! Download the mp3 here.

She’s right here
She’s right here
And I’m with her

She’s dancing
She’s twisting
Through my mind and arms

And I’m burning up like I’m standing in the sun
And I’m hoping just to stay here with this one

She is beautiful
She is beautiful
And I’m holding her

She’ll twinkle
I won’t blink a little
Until she’s out of sight

And I’m burning up like I’m standing in the sun
And I’m hoping just to stay here with this one

I’ll stay true
I’ll stay true
For you

With all the love
With all the joy
Of a babe in full bloom

And I’m holding tight to the dawning light of you
And I’m keeping strong to the work of something new

She’s right here
She’s right here
And I’m with her

This one has been sitting on my desktop un-recorded for a couple weeks now. Download it here.
I’d like to do a little more with the song, as far as instrumentation goes, but I hadn’t thought anything through with it yet so I’m just posting this as is. If you like my music, consider helping me out by checking out my sponsors.

You were my bad news girl
You had big pockets
You kept them all filled up
Right to the brim
So simple I felt when I touched you
That you could reach me
You were the last ditch song
I had to shout

You were a neverending segment
In an old variety play
You were a masterpiece of quilt
I will never see complete
You wished for what I could mend
But you turned me down in the end
You were a classic silent movie
And I was your moment of peace

You held my hand to the end
Then you swept me under the door
I kept my grip on the air
Right through to you
If else was in the In crowd
Then I would be the one
You were the last tried method
I would try

You were my holy moment
You held thick punches
You were a large dossier
Of possible fights
I couldn’t end up with a glass
So you glassed me up tight
With a hole in the lid
I’m coming up
For light

New song! Yeahhhhh! Download it here.
I’ll have an older song I haven’t posted yet up soon as well. Keep an eye out for it.

You didn’t call me
Like you said you would
I’m holding on
To whats left for us
Check the dresser for love
You kept your secrets there sometimes
I don’t find anything useful
Nothing you would want me to find
Maybe you left me behind
Maybe you left

You were changing
Before I could change too
Out of these clothes
You were losing
Touch
I was making it true
I gave too much
Turn the other way
Turn around
Maybe
You left

This is an oldie but a goodie. It’s instrumental, so no words.

Grab it here.