On Being a New Yorker, or, The Cody Band Returns

I guess that makes me a "real" New Yorker. I've just passed my ten year anniversary of having moved to New York. Isn't it strange that our minds gravitate towards these arbitrary numbers as significant? If we only had four digits per hand and thusly used a base 8 number system, would we mark our 8th and 20th anniversaries as we do our 10 and 25? I've been saying I'm "from New York" for a long time, and I do refer to New York when I refer to "home" these days.

Anyway, before I went home for my high school class' 15 year (another aribitrary period of time to mark), reunion a few weeks ago (more on that event coming), I pulled my journal from back in New Mexico. I was pretty jazzed to find some songs that I'd written when I first started playing guitar. I've been working in the studio to put a few of them down, and we got one done so far. It's the "Bleed" song below. "Small Town Kid", as you might surmise was written when I'd first moved to New York.

We also stripped some of the songs that I'd published already down. At any rate, rock on, eh? (Right click on the song titles to download for free.)


Small Town Kid
I'm just a small town kid
Tryin to make it in the big city.

I say things like fixin' to,
But I never had a pair of cowboy boots,
I hope you think this song is pretty cute,
Cuz lord knows that I surely do.

I'm just a small town kid
Tryin to make it in the big city.

I used to mow lots of lawns,
I like brunettes and blondes,
I wanna sell stocks and bonds,
But don't look for me because brother I'm already gone.

This big city.
It ain't such a big city.


Bleed
And so I come home to myself,
Knowing your silence says so much,
I see your shadows mocking me,
And I remember how we touched,

Peace be with me, time of need,
Love comes for me, watch it bleed,
Lose myself, lost myself,
I can't stand to know myself,
I'm not asking for anybody's help.

What do you do when you think of me?
What do you cry when you feel lonely?
Watch it bleed.

I feel the flames start to rise,
I know the story they will tell,
It's pointless to run, they're everywhere,
I'll just go to burn in hell,

Sovereign pity, all for me,
It's so fun to watch me bleed,
Drink myself, drank myself,
I don't want to be myself,
I now hate everybody else.

What do you do when you think of me?
What do you cry when you feel lonely?
Watch me bleed.

Think it later, plant a seed,
Inhaling you, feel me bleed,
Loved myself, hate myself,
I'd do better to just kill myself,
For I got nothing left to sell.

What do you do when you think of me?
What do you cry when you feel lonely?
Feel me bleed.

Two Cents Worth (Stripped)
What's your two cents worth?
A penny for your thoughts.
What do I see what I look at me?
Do I even want to see?
I turned my life on a dime.
A penny for your thoughts.


Whisper to Me (Stripped)
Wanting to desire wanting only you,
Reaching for the memory of remembering only you,
Visions of the sights of looking down at you,
Our two tongues cross like swords.
Whisper to me.

Suddenly you tremble anew,
And I just know that you knew,
I feel born anew, Yes, I feel born anew,

And I won't come down, I'll bring you home,
No, I don't wanna stop now, don't wanna lose control,
No, I won't stop now, as hard as stone,
As I taste your sweet sweat and touch your soul.

Now I hear your breath, as I feel you plea,
Crystal visions of your essence in front of me,
Devoted emotions, bring out what we feel,
Our two hands grip reality.
Whisper to me.

You can check out my previously released music video for "Whisper to Me", now on YouTube, by clicking on the graphic below.




PS. I don't really know what to say about that FT column. It's really, well, neat. The real kicker is being called a "part-time rock star"!