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Surprise July single for The Birthday Project!
One of my grad school professors once told me that creative people rarely finish their projects. In 2021, I set out to write and perform 12 original birthday songs and deliver them to friends on or before their DOB.
This track (for Justin) features my talented friend and neighbor, Yohei Shikano, playing bass and significantly supporting my guitar stylings with his own. It was recorded at his place in Mount Washington on July 3rd, just as the birds were singing their evening songs and early fireworks started to pop through the canyon.
On December 4, 2021, I finished The Birthday Project and performed all 12 songs at an intimate gathering for birthday honorees and other close friends.
This project brought me outside of my typical diary style of writing and allowed me to think about another person, who they are, what our relationship is, what it means to have your birthday in April or October or December, how it feels to share a birthday, and the marking of time as the pandemic marches on.
The birthday deadlines also pushed me to learn and improve my skills on different instruments. I had never written anything on guitar or ukulele before I felt the dates looming and needed fresh ideas.
It was a great experiment overall. Happy Birthday, everyone!
lyrics
Magic curtain
Curtain clouds
Clouds drifting
Drifting sound
Clean, handmade
Like a whistle of grass
A trick, a treasure
Disappearing in one hand
Magic curtain
Curtain clouds
Clouds drifting
Drifting sound
Lily Valley
Familiar fire
If you can get there
Get there after 9
Show us the shortcut
Through the field
So much more beautiful
For the scratches that’ll heal
Magic curtain
Curtain clouds
Clouds drifting
Drifting sound
A shaded corner
Diamond coyote
Howling chorus
Voices join in slowly (x3)
credits
released July 4, 2021
Liz Pappademas - guitar, vocals
Yohei Shikano - guitar, bass, vocals
Aaron Kyle - spiritual clavé
license
all rights reserved