5090 by FAWM: "Adrift"

Adrift

7 weeks ago by @berni1954

Challenge: Get Lost

Adrift

berni1954

00:00

Liner Notes

In the last few months I have gotten to know a guy who lives on the streets in the town where I live. Initially we talked in Spanish, but then he said something in English and I realised he was actually a Brit. In fact, he was from my birthplace, Liverpool. His "educated" Scouse accent clued me in to the fact that he was probably originally from a Middle-Class family and now he was sleeping in the streets in all weathers.

So that was the inspiration for this song - surely you cannot be more lost in life than when you have no home to go to and no income other than the generosity of passers by.

Recorded using a Kala Tenor Ukulele and a patch from the PIGMENTS Synth. This is the first time I have ever used that synth in a song on FAWM (or anywhere else)...

#fuc #ukulele #synth #pigments

PS do you find the constant warbling synth aids the song or distracts?

Lyrics

(C) I thought I was a winner, but everything I gained I have lost
I'm left (F) here an empty vessel, to the dogs I've been tossed
All I (Am) saved was a guitar to busk on the street
But (G) somebody stole it while I was asleep
I (C) thought I was a winner, but (G) everything I gained I have (C)lost

My (C) life has no direction, I'm living through Groundhog Day
(F) Begging on the streets just to keep the hunger away
Most (Am) people are indifferent to my present plight
But (G) some leave food and coins by my bedroll at night
My (C) life has no direction, I'm (G) living through Groundhog (C) Day

(Dm) Everything I lived for now has gone
(C) Aimlessly I wander from sun to sun
Or (Dm) sit contemplating everything I've done
I (G) can't find a reason why I carry on

(C) Once I was blessed, but now I feel I am cursed
(F) Once I never suffered true hunger or thirst
(Am) Once I thought I knew the meaning of life
But I (G) lost my job, my home and my wife
(C) Once I was blessed, (G) but now I feel I am (C) cursed

As I (C) sit here in the street few look me in the eye
I (F) wish them a good day, but not many reply
I can (Am) see in their faces my presence they condemn
They (G) don't recognize it could happen to them
As I (C) sit here in the street (G) few look me in the (C) eye

BRIDGE

Carry on! Carry on!

Dedicated to Jonathan X

Comments

@br0th3rh00d 6w

Oo, nice. Or I suppose, not really. But nicely explained and evoked.

@coolparadisoMod 6w

we have been talking about this a bit recently, tough if not by choice. love the music, it works for me.

@janeg 6w

I have been told how much it hurts street people when no one will even look at them - avert their eyes as they walk past. You capture that pain so very well. You aren’t one of those people; you got to know the guy and really listen to his story. You are a good person - and you got an excellent song from those conversations so he gave back to you. That turns him from a beggar to someone with something of worth to trade. Thank you.

@musicsongwriter 6w

Very original song. Interesting story and existing delivery. Love your vocals and instrumentation, Berni.

@nancycunning 7w

That image of the stolen guitar is so hard to take. The doubling - harmonizing has a feeling of looking at this life from the outside. Good to hear your voice.

@billwhite51 7w

i have been in his place on occassion and can definitely relate to his plight. i think the hardest part is finding things to do to get through the day. in seattle, the public libraries are filled with homeless people. it really is the most interesting place to spend otherwise empty days. your writing here is sexcellent as usual, every line a vivid addition to the portrait you have created of this unfortunate soul.

@hmstreetteam 7w

Good strong down-and-out lyric. The music is sunny by comparison, but not so much so that it clashes. All put together, a very nice effect. The value of this kind of synthesizer program becomes more evident when you layer in drums, and you find that the synthesizer doesn’t completely disappear behind the snare echo and cymbals.

@sbs 7w

My favorite part is the warbling synth. Don’t even recognize the uke. What’s the story? Not an expert - but curious.

Command Center

Adrift

Liner Notes

Lyrics

Comments

New to FAWM?

Who To Follow

Recent Discussions