FAWM: "Heaven is a Mess"

Heaven is a Mess

2 weeks ago by @debs

Skirmish: Heaven (@atornberg)

Heaven is a Mess

debs

00:00

Liner Notes

Yikes, this was a little bit rough.

I spent 42 minutes trying to force another idea that didn't work (first mistake). I was super frustrated and about to walk away when the first two lines of this one came out of nowhere. My total time spent on this song was exactly an hour - I'm glad I pushed through.

Edit: Should clarify! This second song took ~18 minutes to write (recording took longer).

#skirmish #girlwithguitar #acousticonetake

Lyrics

Heaven is a place on earth I thought that we could get to but we couldn’t seem to find our way
If you knew that you and me would end up the way we did, I think I know what you would say

But I would have done it all again
I would have made the mess we made

Heaven was prescribed to me, I look at heaven differently now, I turn around and walk away
If I knew before we got here, I would have laughed in its face - an angel’s wings aren’t worth the ache

And I would have done it all again
I would have made the mess we made

Comments

@dudachris 9h

Oooh this is such a soft and bittersweet song. I have one from not too long ago with a really similar vibe. Glad I came to find your stuff, hadn't heard any yet this year and wanted to hear your voice 🙂

@wylddandelyon 19h

I really like this one. I'd be happy to hear another verse too. It sounds like there was an adventure in there that is only alluded to!

@tcelliott 2d

The perfect opening lines. And your melody is beautiful. The perfect chorus. This is one I wish I could download and listen to at my own leisure. It's perfect just the way it is.

@jinx 1w

Oh, these lines hit me right in the heart:

But I would have done it all again
I would have made the mess we made

Just beautiful. Everything here fits, it's simply perfect.

@mahtowin 1w

Very beautiful!
Love your vocals!

@ballyhoot 1w

Your voice is beautiful. The song is well-structured and well-written. And I love that refrain, "I would have done it all again, I would have made the mess we made." The wording, the delivery, and the meaning. Very very good. Enjoyed this song immensely.

@janeg 1w

There is a lot to think about in that short song! Had to read again after listening because your lovely voice distracted me. So glad you persevered.

@ohljazz 2w

Sometimes the best songs take the least time! It's a beautiful, lyrical, powerful song, and all in less than 90 seconds! Love this lyric "an angel’s wings aren’t worth the ache"

@knobbyneggins815 2w

Don't feel frustrated when this is the result! It's simple but elegant and beautiful. "Heaven was prescribed to me, I look at heaven differently now" is such a wonderful lyric. Great work!

@suziek 2w

Beautiful vocals - well spent 42 minutes !!!
Vocals, melody and lyrics all “gel”
I would have made the mess we made - fresh line for a universal concept! Well done

@mikeymason 2w

This is wistful and lovely, and I love songs like this that make me ache in just the right way.

@haim 2w

thanks for sharing the process of writing it. It's great that you didn't give up, I enjoy listening, I like how you go up with your voice, and your voice is beautiful. your song is very calming and your voice soothes me. congrats on another song.

@sheslin 2w

Your angelic sounding vocals fit so well with your lyrics. What a beautiful melody also. I really like your take on the prompt. I think @subjectzero summed it up perfectly as a "beautiful, quiet heartbreak". Fabulous skirmish work and a beautiful acoustic one-take recording. Wow written in 18 minutes! So glad you didn't give up and pushed through. Skirmishes can be magical and this one was for you. Great skirmish!

@subjectzero 2w

Oh, I love this! What a beautiful, quiet heartbreak.

@overflow 2w

Beautiful!

@negasi 2w

This is beautiful. Short, sweet, sentimental. Your voice is as lovely as ever! Always look forward to your songs! :)

@atornberg 2w

Beautiful song! You are a great performer and really sold this song. I was also quite impressed with the line "Heaven was prescribed to me..." That is a great connection. Nice job!

@dutchwind 2w

Love it! Wonderful performance and a great song. That phrase will stick with me “I would have done it all again / I would have made the mess we made” — so true!

@ambroise 2w

I love the rythme in your voice, it makes the message sound natural.
And what a deep message amor fati and the beauty of living with no regret...
killer line : an angel’s wings aren’t worth the ache

@bitshred 2w

I love the melody and pauses. Nice emotion in this.

@jennakole 2w

The way your voice just melts on the last “made” is so perfect. This is so sweet without being cloying. And you brought Jewel up to me, she’s def present here!

yes, ofc I know jewel, she basically taught me how to play guitar when I started (‘97 a a ripe 13) between open tunings and visual patterns… and the fame that allowed her tab book to be sold at my local sam goody… and finding out she had only been playing guitar for like a year and a half or something ludicrous. All the fuel a kid with determination and a youth card needed. I’ve found that I’ve spent a couple of decades trying to distance myself from my early influences only to come right back round.

@johnnyjustice 2w

What a lovely, lovely voice! It’s a wonderful little tune to lift me out of rush hour commute right now haha

@jeffdesantis 2w

"I would have made the mess we made" gave me chills. Great work.

@sapient 2w

Oh, sweet simplicity. How do you do it? I just spent 2 days hacking away at a song that uses actual chords with an actual melody on top, and you crank this out in under 20mins...
Chapeau! 🤩

@jackketch 2w

Blimey if this is rough I don’t know what my stuff is. This sounded perfectly formed to me, loved all of it - the melody, your voice, the words - also it’s short which is often a bonus in my book (any more than 2 minutes and I feel like I’m into prog rock territory..) :)

@alphagal 2w

Oh my this is so good. That 7th chord is so unexpected and perfect. And what great lyrics - so evocative and relatable. I'm glad you pushed thru too.

@ragbag 2w

If you wrote this in 18 minutes that's amazing! - have to say I struggle to achieve any results in less than a couple of hours - this is lovely and your voice is really great. :-)

@willow1 2w

This is beautifully sung, played and written.

@mixedbydan 2w

I love that you had to go through that other idea to mine this gem. It's like the saying, "Sometimes you have to go through hell to get to heaven". This feels personal and confessional, something I'd love to achieve in my own songwriting. Love the melodies and the metaphors. Well done!