FAWM: "Cheap Talk"

Cheap Talk

Liner Notes

My first song of FAWM is always a maybe-too-on-the-nose acoustic number.

This one reflects some of the rawness I've been feeling over the last year and a half - watching UN resolutions gutted by leaders who purport to represent me, seeing brave kids arrested and defamed, and worrying daily that friends and family in Palestine will be harmed while the USA signs the check. Is it maudlin? Maybe. You tell me.

Recorded on a Tascam DR40x in one take. Playing my lovely little Yamaha APX6 nylon.

The performance and recording leave a little to be desired (especially that boxy room sound). I'll probably record it again sooner rather than later.

**EDIT** Yeah, I re-recorded it. I know - cardinal sin of FAWM. Still a single take, but in a nicer sounding room.

#acousticonetake #singersongwriter #political #whatisstructureanyway #nochorus

Lyrics

We've seen this all before
Your quiet smile and words all picked out to build rapport
A hollow speech made to a hall of empty stores of courage
And no one there to speak

So link your arms together dears
Stand your ground against the blunt batons that draw too near
The rush of blood - it's pounding in your ears and it's on your tongue from when you
Declined to be so meek.

So while you're warm inside your beds
And they lay with broken stones we've gathered and placed beneath their heads
You'd rupture too if you'd found your prospects dead so many times
And the world just watched you weep.

If they'd wear their silence like a crown
Then bring the whole thing crashing down and cry good riddance
Marble hallways don't mean this ain't a shantytown; In truth it is
Cause the bedrock here is weak

What is it that scares you so?
Growing hurts and learning truths can deal you burning blows
Better to be burned than to burn and never know

Can't build a shelter
'neath half measures or soothing tones
But we know that talk is cheap

Comments

@nwakeman 1d

These lyrics hold so much. Beautiful and powerful.

@catetaylor 6d

This is superb Casey. Sad and true, infuriatingly so! Your writing is really excellent. I listened and read the lyrics together, then I just read the lyrics and it reads like a poem as well as a song. Beautiful language and metaphor.

@majordanby 1w

Again, superb vocals. This reminds me of James Taylor in his prime.
The lyrics are clever and aren’t obviously about what you’ve explained in your liner notes it is about. They are my favourite kinds of lyrics. Such a great song and beautifully performed.

@fearlessflight2014 1w

Your lyrics are so incisive and right! I’m so glad my friendship with Tanya brought me here. “ Can't build a shelter
'neath half measures or soothing tones
But we know that talk is cheap” ouch!!
And then your guitar playing is masterful and your voice lovely. Just incredible.

@richaaaay 1w

Not sure I can add much to all the nice compliments below...Love your guitar playing and vocals. Such a tender and poetic song. Very powerful...Wonderful art you've created...

@tan482 2w

These lyrics are poetic as hell! Your guitar playing and vocals are absolutely gorgeous. What a song!

@nicooolegrace 2w

hey man, beautiful playing and singing—and really impressive, poetic, lyricism :-) looking forward to following your work this month <3

@jinx 2w

Man, I love this. Tears in my eyes. I can't even pick a favorite line, the whole thing is just exquisite. And what a lovely voice and lovely guitar playing, too. This is going to be one of my favorites from this year, I know.

@jennakole 2w

This is a really powerful performance of a super solid song. It feels raw and complete. A bit of a jason isbell feel. So well done.

@lcad 2w

Gorgeous vocals and guitar. Clear and evocative, love the tone on your guitar and the smoothness in your voice. Some amazing lines in this--marble hallways, better to be burned. Really excellent write!

@owl 2w

Beautiful guitar work and vocals! Thank you for the emotion in this tune—part weariness, part strength, it’s heartening to feel solidarity with other people who are deeply disturbed by the world right now.

@gregwere 2w

Beautiful guitar playing, beautiful song. It's an art to write about social justice without getting too preachy - you've got it in this song. Lovely piece.

@philnorman 2w

Beautifully written and performed. Some lovely lines, "better to be burned than to burn and never know" feels very true to me while it's so easy for so many to pretend it's not happening, like anything that happens around the world isn't exactly what could happen to you.

I stopped by to listen to you after your kind comment on my song, and I'm glad I did. It's so easy to feel isolated and disheartened, yet so comforting and encouraging to be reminded there's good people everywhere in this together.

@bijou 2w

Very beautiful. I appreciate all the peaceful political songs that have been unearthing.

@jonathanfuller 2w

Talk about word and melodysmithing, my goodness. This song made my heart stand still for the first time in many, many weeks now. "Growing hurts and learning truths can deal you burning blows" is one of those lines that I don't know if I like more visually or aurally, and I'm glad I don't have to choose. What a piece of music.

@jorh 2w

Stunningly beautiful! I vote for keeping the boxy room sound - I think the acoustic one take perfectly captured the rawness of the lyric, and made me feel like I was listening in on your inner thoughts / worries. Also amazing lyric - the second stanza especially was an absolute standout… oh, and your vocals were pretty damn good too

@abudabard12514 2w

Come on now!

Massive song, man. Well spoken the state of the moment of it all. Very righteous

@berni1954 2w

This illustrates, for me, why the highest form of songwriting is the “singer-songwriter”. One person, one instrument and a multitude of things to say along with an induvidual way to say it…. THAT is the essence!

I had tears running down my cheeks towards the end and I can’t decide if it was because of the lyrics, the vocal delivery or the sense of atmosphere that acoustic guitar builds. This is magic!

@grayland 2w

i love your style. Great acoustic playing and really excellent vocals So much talent here. Really enjoyed your performance... impressed with the lyrics, so many wonderful metaphors. So true to the times.

@racheleve 2w

Wow this is gut wrenchingly beautiful. Had to listen twice. Your words definitely resonate. And the guitar and vocals are lovely.

@bethdesombre 2w

Woo hoo!!! So glad to get to hear songs from you again. This is gorgeous, and powerful. My favorite stanza is the "if they'd wear their silence like a crown" one -- was about to pick out specific lines, but the whole thing is perfect. And another favorite is "better to be burned than to burn and never know." So much great songwriting craft here. You use varying line lengths effectively, the melody is lovely, and this is the kind of song I'm going to want to listen to repeatedly to get all of its depth.

@bigmood 2w

My god the lyrics are incredible here. I appreciate you writing about this, I think it's a far better alternative than going numb

@johnstaples 2w

Well, this is positively beautiful! This is one of those songs that quiets a busy pub as they sip their drinks and defer their conversations until you have finished because they know something special is happening! That Yamaha sounds amazing and your vocals are a lovely cross between Cat Stevens and my teacher at Old Town School of Folk Music! I love this!