The Trickle Through Your Fingertips (It's Hard to Start a Fire in the Rain)
by @freshspotlessyouth · @stephenwordsmith
Liner Notes
#acousticonetake #supremelyhalfassedrecording
I recorded this in my living room as I tried to work out an arrangement. I should probably try to record it properly, but this really is an instantiation of the idea I'm singing about. I was here in this moment trying to do this thing, and I will let it fly.
I've taken a small piece of @stephenwordsmith's lyric and tried to make it my own. Hope he doesn't mind. The chorus is mine. The rest of it I ripped from his poem (except for the parenthetical stuff).
Lyrics
It’s only one
It’s not the only one
It’s only only one
So let it go:
The trickle through your fingertips of thoughts that hold too long
The shush of records broken on the promise of a song
(and then the song)
The flicker of a line that leaps and falters just as fast
The sputter of a first light that could never hope to last
It’s only one
It’s not the only one
It’s only only one
So let it shine
(And) once again (yes!) set your soul into the sparks that fly
To burden them with bursts of life, to burn alive and die
It’s only some
They’re not the only ones
They’re only only some
So let ‘em fly
To help us find the fortitude to fall and rise again
For it’s hard to start a fire in the rain
Comments
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I listen carefully and feel the text more than I understand everything... and understanding something doesn't necessarily have anything to do with words!
Sung wonderfully tenderly and carefully. I like how you play with the volume of your voice and the little stops make listening even more interesting!
Stephen's poetry is wonderfully confident and powerful!
Very nicely done!
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It goes to show that no single lyric can perfectly approach or encapsulate a topic, or a feeling, or a certain je ne sais quoi that touches the head, heart, stomach and fists... it's one of infinite combinations of words (or sequencing of these words, or a decision to leave some or all of the words on the cutting rom floor). Your rearrangement is subtle and your own additions are terse, but what a transformation. It's less a nod to adversity and more a love note to inspiration itself and the preciousness of every spark (of inspiration). It took until the old title drop at the end to remind me that, yes, there was source material for this lyric. It worked well but the song was by no means reliant on it.
Your melody, chords and guitarwork are like a warm oasis in light autumn rain, and an absolute treat to listen to. Lowers the blood pressure nicely, thank you. Although that might be the espresso wearing off.