Since my college days I have kept a sketchbook going. Or several. They are a holy place where I integrate my life parts. My sketch books have been a place to deliberate over grandiose schemes, record the ordinary, spill my coffee, debate stuff, doodle the sketches of art to be, tinker on songs, jot the lists of thigs to do or buy, and record the drawing history of my son. These sketchbooks also serve as a place where I go to mine for gold when I find myself creatively stuck. But sometimes I am the kind of stuck that viewing old sketchbooks only points to how little I have done, how my goals have gotten sidetracked, how grand things used to be or how lost I feel. This melancholy is a dramatic indulgence probably. I mean.... it definitely is.
This song is one of those passionate melancholy songs. It captures those moments in my life that are delightful and poignant in this way that's really not about nostalgia, but how rich it is to have deep feelings and a life full of amazing experiences, so many experiences in fact that it's hard to have to choose only one at a time. The slideshow is excerpts of a few sketchbooks i arbitrarily pulled out.
The song, "purple words" is recorded here live by the Llama Dalis, my awesome band fellows, brother Dave on drums and harmony, Steve Wheelock on electric guitar, and Bob Taylor on bass as well as mixdown-recording-thingy.
Click on the Image to see/ hear the youtube slideshow/song
Purple Words
Purple words written on the page
these are things that I meant to change
Purple words, now they"re fading blue
these are things that I meant to do
I’d like to think there's a perfect moment for everything
but honestly
this moment seems just perfect
for my doubting
There are things I know I miss
part of me knows that I wished for this
I shouldn't stare but I can't resist
like a chocolate resting on my lips