One of the things I wanted to accomplish with the new CD, "birth, love, hate, death" was to have songs that were "true." I do not mean "true" in the sense in they are accurate historically or biographical, but instead, true to life. I also wanted them to be that rarity in music, and in all of art; works in which the characters (in the song in this case) poured their hearts out in truthful and articulate ways, in ways that would move the audience and be edifying at the same time. It did not have to be Shakespeare (and it isn't), but I wanted it to be understandable and honest. Romanticizing the subject matter was not on the agenda. Understanding and reaching deep down was. I hope I was able to at least approach these daunting goals.
To do so required considering not only things that have happened to me but also to others that have moved me. I took events that I know that have really occurred and modified them to fit the story. I must admit that contemplating events and memories that involved heartbreak and tragedy and then writing a story and the songs to move that story along took an emotional toll on the writer; you start to have concern for the characters you have created. You cannot help but identify with your creations.
The second song on the CD begins the story-line and is totally non-biographical but a young girl being the victim of incest leading to guilt and pregnancy is certainly a true to life situation. In this song the young victim sings about her feelings of pain and guilt her and why she will never tell the child the truth about the circumstances of his birth. She sings "it's better that you hate me than hate yourself" as the child sleeps. The tragedy becomes that the son grows up with resentment and his own self-doubt as he wonders who he really is. Sadly, this avoidance of the truth by the young mother intended to spare her child ends up helping no one. This song is called "I Wish I Could Tell You This"
Listen:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1UukXz6ZJ4Ht6x0XAKkZ9d