Crystal Palace
This was the first official entry into the grand catalogue of musical perfection that is Tastiera. Between this and "Glass Houses", you might start to get the impression that I have a fetish for transparent architecture. To that I can only say, well, no, not architecture. Go Broncos.
come on in and step right up
you may look but you can't touch
all the sights and all the sounds
pain and pleasure all around
from the remotest corners of the earth
this could be a modern rebirth
a renaissance of the human spirit
see it, smell it, taste it, hear it
believe it
well how do you like my house
the crystal palace
it's kind of like life, larger than life
kind of comes alive itself at night
so many people with their own desires
their own minds, hearts, tiny empires
kingdoms of flesh and fantasy
hopes and distant memories
a collective consciousness of the children of the stars
none of us knowing who we really are
conceive it
how do you like our world
the crystal palace
are you gonna stay in this world
the crystal palace
say you'll stay in this world
the crystal palace
Black Widow
This song was not about any one woman, but rather a blanket condemnation of all the women on the planet for not dating me. Amazingly, it sounds like it really was motivated by an experience with one woman, which just goes to show you how effectively a vague sense of misplaced rage can be channeled into an unprovoked attack on someone that doesn't exist. This is extremely important when one is searching for accomplishments to be proud of.
ooo sweet lady
wrapped in white satin
like cherry candy
the first wish of aladdin
she walks like an angel
heaven lying in the grass
but if you look real closely
can you see a red hourglass
won't you kiss me, she says
step into my parlor, mr. fly
here she comes again
there she goes again
she's a black widow
and she has caught another one
she's a black widow
she'll bite your head off when she's done
ooo what a woman
emerald eyes
your heart'll melt like butter whenever she cries
funny how the lace she wears looks like a spider's web
but you don't notice
you're strength starts to ebb
please don't leave yet, she sings
do you really want me to be alone tonight
here she comes again
there she goes again
she's a black widow
stole your heart away and she don't care
she's a black widow
soon they'll know about her everywhere
she's a black widow
and we can't help but fall in love
with a black widow
who floats like a soft white dove
ooo black widow
why do i look at you
why do you speak to me
what can i do
i'm under her spell
she's so lovely
she's so beautiful
she said she loves me
won't you stay tonight, she whispers
it's okay, i won't bite
here you go again
here i go again
she's a black widow
and now she has captured me
she's a black widow
her tears clouded my eyes till I couldn't see
she's a black widow
the venom shoots into each kiss
and a black widow
will never miss
she's a black widow
look out for the black widow
there's gonna be some poison in your heart
and she'll move on
Media
Any good musician should have a song that criticizes the media. I thought I'd go ahead and try it too. Don't forget to listen to the critically acclaimed sequel, "Multimedia", where I rip on the technology that allowed me to digitize these songs.
welcome to the big time
breathe it all in
your soul is now on display
can we get a big smile
watch the birdie
now tell me, what've you got to say
now you don't mind
if we twist your words
gonna make you out to be someone else
shut your mouth
close your heart
get ahold of yourself
we don't care a whole lot if you're high or low
we lost our perception a long long time ago
we're the media
freedom of the press
you don't have to talk at all, but you can't get away
got a camera and a microphone
and a real high tech way to edit what you say
meet the press
face the nation
we just want a juicy story
do all the work
all the perspiration
and when you're done we'll grab the glory
it'd be in your best interest to have a heart of stone
ours were petrified a long long time ago
we're the media
gonna draw some blood
and inject a little of our opinions
premium prime time
we'll lure more tears than peeled onions
we're the media
freedom of the press
you don't have to talk at all, but you can't get away
got a camera and a microphone
and a real high tech way to edit what you say
we're the media
and you're nobody
no matter what comes out of your mouth, they'll hear our words
and afterwards, they'll subscribe
to whatever point of view they have heard
we're the media
and you just lost your identity
media
Melloyellow
More MIDI technology on this one (see the blurb about "Anesthesia" on "Pink Noise"). Why "Melloyellow"? Well, because I wanted to call the album "The Full Spectrum", and so I decided it would be cool if as many songs as possible had a color in the title, and I hadn't done yellow yet, and, well, that's pretty much it. If you're reading any significant number of these blurbs, it's probably shattering your beliefs about musical inspiration. Sorry about that.
Amethyst
This was the first song I wrote for my first love. It was also the last song I wrote with a minerology theme. Nice experiment, but come on. Anybody that puts the word "alexandrite" in a song is just begging for an noogie with an ice pick. Oh well, at least she liked it. At the time. Or maybe she was crying because she didn't know how much longer she'd have to hear me singing. Kind of the same way a kid starts crying at the grocery store because he just wants to go home. Gee, you get the impression I'm not so crazy about this one?
throughout the years
i've been searching for a diamond in the rough
and there's quartz everywhere
some shines brilliant in the sunlight
some is crystal clear
and i'd love to believe they really cared
there's elegance and charm
overflowing in this crystalline world
gold-plated superficial lies
'cause when their radiance
overpowers my heart
it's all too easy to cry
cry for the broken facets
that expose the cold hard stone
and i have sometimes wondered
if i was destined to be alone
then once upon a time
there you were
dancing in the rain
an angel, different from the rest
eyes of aquamarine and hair of gold
as pretty as the sunset in the west
and oh, your heart beats so real
so full of life
so full of colors
in a world that's black and white
just like the amethyst
you'll find if you look hard enough
and i'm think i'm falling in love
well i don't deserve this much
but i just love to feel your touch
and i think i've found my diamond in the rough
you're the amethyst
that transcends its very substance
and you're glowing like the alexandrite
something inside of me
tells me you're the one for me
when i hold you so tight
and i won't let go
i can't stand to be away from your sparkling eyes
and i swear i can't see anything
to break apart my love for you
until the day i die
Carousel
Another song about love that I wrote when I wasn't dating anybody. Kinda suggests that maybe I've had a tendency to get involved with people for the sake of being in love rather than for truly believing that was the person I wanted to be with, doesn't it? Well, it's getting late, gotta go.
come aboard the merry-go-round of life
get on your high horse and ride
i'm right ahead of you, but you'll never catch me
then again, you're so pretty
i just might climb down and break the rules
maybe they'll throw me off
but i'll take the chance
don't bother getting down, you might get hurt
but when i get there, you'd better do more than flirt
because shallow love just ain't my style
and you just drive me wild
don't turn away from me now
i've given up my place in life for you
and i want to dance
baby you don't know me too well
i've been riding on the carousel
maybe it's love, i just can't tell
how about riding on the carousel
there's something hiding inside of you
eternally trying to break through
my heart skips a beat at the sound of your name
please tell me your heart feels the same
and i'll make you queen of the castle that surrounds my soul
can you hear the ringing of the bells
these are the sounds of the carousel
i think i love you now and i always shall
come on baby, ride the carousel
come on baby, ride the carousel
Red Fire
This is one of a number of songs that I wrote when some of my political views were, oh, let's say about as near to 180 degrees from my current views as is physically possible in a universe subject to quantum mechanical fluctuations. The subject was the threat of communism taking hold in Central America. I've debated back and forth whether this and other songs should be placed on this website, for fear that they might promote the views therein, which I no longer hold. But I've finally come to decide that when I'm dead and this website is transferred to the control of the National Endowment for the Arts, it and my music will be all that's left of me, and so they might as well present the entire evolution of my life, even if some parts are not what I wish they had been. Anyway, I do like the music on this one, for what that's worth.
it's new year's eve, 1999
but nobody's drinking any wine
we're all perched here on the texas borderline
the clouds of war have silenced the sunshine
got a beautiful girl waiting for me
with a bottle of chilled champagne
sorry honey, looks like we're staying here
wish i could be there to wipe away your tears
it's funny, we all saw this coming for years
i felt it in my coldest darkest fears
somebody tell me why nobody could see
see a fire in the backyard
now it's at the back door
we can't breathe anymore
there's a fire in the backyard
where there's smoke, oh baby, couldn't they see
idealist propaganda swept all reason away
peacemongers blinded the american way
and meanwhile they were northward bound
it's not like they didn't make a sound
we didn't listen, and now we may be deaf for good
the sky has turned an eerie shade of red
the sound of liberty leaves my head
replaced by marching soldiers and a domineering voice
says he'll take away freedom of choice
and our hearts and our minds and our very souls
all 'cause nobody could see
see a fire in the backyard
now the house is burning down
the walls hit the ground
fire in the backyard
a fire we had fifty years to put out
and now it's too late
fire in the backyard
well how can anyone be so blind not to see
see a fire in the backyard
baby, send your love to me
before i die for nothing
Indigo Skies
This was the second song I wrote for my first love, after she moved to Steamboat Springs. Good Lord, kid, get a grip. Go play tennis or eat or drink or something. Buy Sam Adams beer.
sitting alone in the silver moonlight
counting the start in the heavens above
as the horizon cruises into midnight
my heart is beating for my angel love
ooo, darkening blue
it's been too long since i felt your embrace
i lie awake at night longing for your kiss
or just a moment to look at your face
i never knew i could feel like this
ooo, merciless blue
blue blue blue eyes
blue blue saltwater in my tears
crying under indigo skies
seems like days are turning into years
i know we'll make it 'cause our love is strong
i know the loneliness will die when you return
but i've been waiting for so long
and the fires of desire just continue to burn
ooo, empty blue
our love will never die
each second you're away, the yearning grows
alone under indigo skies
i want you here more than you could ever know
ooo, these indigo skies
nothing like these indigo skies
who needs these indigo skies
i think i'll go inside
and dream of you
Parallax
When I was in high school, whenever someone pretended to be talking in psychotechnical jargon, they would use the word "parallax" somewhere in the sentence. In an effort to be different, I decided to use the word in every single sentence I uttered. I'd like to follow that up with a punchline like "it took all of ten minutes for people to stop talking to me", but people already weren't talking to me, so this joke is going nowhere, and frankly the punchline wasn't that great anyway, and now I'm extremely upset with myself for not having the foresight to avoid the entire discussion.
black and white and all in between
we're all so sure of what we have seen
positive beyond any reasonable doubt
i can't understand what you're confused about
what comes around goes around, you know i'm wrong
in your mind, the evidence against me is strong
i can't imagine what's come over you
and you just can't fathom why i do what i do
people at peace are people at war
people at war don't know what they're fighting for
people cry out for what they don't understand
never even looking at what's in the palms of their hands
they just know they're right
can't you see the parallax
two different points of view
stop your motor mouth and just relax
i'm tired of arguing with you
gray, so gray, no color at all
right or wrong, you make the call
sometimes a world of difference is there
sometimes i wonder if anyone cares
use your mind and use your heart
don't be afraid to rip your own views apart
but don't give in just to be kind
don't hastily discard anything you find
an open mind is the most decisive of all
stubbornness is like a brick wall
oh see the wall come tumbling down
open your eyes, take a look around
hey, maybe you weren't right
now do you see the parallax
two different points of view
sometimes it's all just syntax
when i disagree with you
you'd better accept the parallax
two different points of view
come to grips with the cold hard facts
if not for me, for you
open your eyes
it all depends on your point of view
your frame of reference is the only difference
between me and you
it's the parallax
between me and you
Your Every Wish
I kinda like a lot of the music from this album, but the lyrics sure got gooshy at times. Sad thing is, this one wasn't the worst offender. No, you're gonna have to find it yourself.
it took five billion years to make this world
i shed ten million tears before i met you, girl
well that's a lot of time and a lot of saltwater
maybe that's why i feel it getting hotter and hotter
baby i know you want a little bit more
you won't say it 'cause you never did before
and you're afraid you'll scare me away
but i'm tellin' you now it'll be a cold day...
...in hell before i'm even a little bit edgy 'bout you
there's no love action i wouldn't do
there's no mushy little love song i wouldn't sing
nothin's too good for my girl, nothing
do you want me down on my hands and knees
do you want me to sail the seven seas
just name your poison and i'll drink it down
i'm your lover undercover as a circus clown
'cause i love you and i need you
and i'd gladly die for you
say you love me
say you need me
release all your desires into me
how can i make you understand
your every wish is my command
so bring that yearnin' heart right over here
i'll make your inhibitions disappear
i'm gonna be everyone that you need
let's find out where your wildest dreams will lead
baby don't worry, this ain't a one way street
just bein' with you sweeps me off my feet
my one concern is to satisfy you
please let me make your dreams come true
'cause i love you and i need you
and i'd do it all for you
say you love me
say you need me
the sky's the limit until we break free
and then there'll be no limit at all
i'm gonna be putty in your hands
your every wish is my command
let the choirs of angels join my band
your every wish is my command
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