Highlighter Pens

[WarpCanada]

This one has been in the pipeline of writing and demo-recording for a week or so, and I finally feel good about this one. Vocals are raw and not pitch corrected and I'm starting to get over the desire to not sound like me.

One take recording of vocals combined with nylon string guitar, and a second track with the synth pad, also a one take.  Done in Cubase with a pair of microphones. My beloved Raum reverb all over it.  Vintage compression.

Highlighter Pens


You were 19 I think.
I was about 20.
I was white and you were Chinese Canadian.
I thought you were very pretty.
You were sending me signals that you wanted to be my friend, or more.
I was about as big a nerd as you could find.
With my bible and my pocket protector.

She said my
Parents want me to marry a chinese
boy.
But I don't want to.
Did she that with words?
Did she say hey ask me out?
Her eyes were speaking volumes.
I was too blind to hear.

We went on a date
I guess that's what you'd call it.
I was too awkward to even smile
Or look into her eyes

It's Thirty years later
I'm happily married Now
And I have some kids
The oldest one is older now
Than I was then.

I wonder who that guy was
Who had one date with Snoopy
He hadn't got a clue
About what was shining in her eyes
He wasn't much good at listening,
I think you made a good decision
If you decided you should let him go.

I hope you're happy Snoopy
I hope you found someone
I hope you've known the love
That you were looking for

It's funny we thought that we
Had all the answers
Believers often think they do
Have the truth and nothing but the truth

But I couldn't even see
What was right there in front of me
You were really something
Your light was so bright

We wrote in our Bibles
With colored highlighter pens
We always spoke so earnestly
About following the Lord

It's been thirty years since
That summer at Bible Camp
You were a pretty lifeguard
and I was a nerdy boy who couldn't swim
I remember that you sent me
a birthday card
With a picture of Snoopy

[StephenM]

Warren, this is so beautiful and from the heart...big time points for me here.... You sing here about a longing that humans have and our incredible awkwardnes... I had similar problems with girls but at a bit younger age... I wasn't a nerd but I was scared to death of girls ( I could talk to anyone but going beyond that was hard)... I would guess almost everyone could have someone from the past that we could look back on and wonder about. 
I also think it's cool you tell all the details (even the idea of a bit of racism on the parents part)..... good stuff... I just listened twice...really like the cool synth up in the back too....

[Greeny]

Personally, I like the realness and rawness of the vocal. I don't like pitch-correction. I'd rather have Leonard Cohen.

The story is beautiful. And if it's not real, you're one hell of a storyteller / writer. That line 'I remember that you sent me
a birthday card with a picture of Snoopy' is such a lovely, vivid little detail.

And musically, I like the subtle gentleness of it all.

Nice work!

[WarpCanada]

this one is autobiographical except that my memories are so soft focus 30 years later.
The details that remain vivid are what throws the question in the song into relief. I remember so little of 20 year old me. What the song doesn't say is that I kept a diary of that summer camp. So I can read things that young idealistic nerd wrote.

This song feels "confessional" somehow. Somehow my life feels rather Ship of Theseus like.
I am the same person, but so much changed that I barely remember that early self.

[Hilary]

Oh this is adorable, such fabulous storytelling. It feels like something Dolly Parton would write to me.

[WarpCanada]

Ooh I love that comparison. I love Dolly Parton and am very pleased to hear the allusion to her, she's such a great songwriter!

[Hilary]

Yes - it's got a coat of many colours type feel - she's a legend.

[Bluesberry]

Fantastic songwriting....interesting and I am glued to the story all the way.....a bit of a lulaby feeling......I get a Daniel Johnston vibe from the lyrics...so raw and confessional in nature....simply stunning songcrafting

[Ferryman_1957]

This is really delicate and haunting Warren. I love the way the synth pad weaves around the acoustic, is a really ethereal effect and it works brilliantly. Great storytelling and some wonderful lyrics, and I thought your vocal style really suited this kind of song. Almost Leonard Cohen in places....

Well done, this is a lovely track.

[Johnny McAleer]

I'm in harmonious agreement with everyone on this. A lovely, gentle track and an equally lovely story to impart. The raw vocals work so well. Very nicely done.