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Description
Taking Jim Bouchard's suggestion, I renamed the song, which was my original intended title; sorry for any future confusion (the mp3 will still be named When I Sing). I wrote this while on the road, after listening to too much Dylan (is that possible?), Jackson Browne and CSNY, while looking out a window, considering the lyrics of other songs I was trying to complete. Elliot Friedman on guitar. I had wanted to also add a bassline, anyone interested? The photo is of my dining room table top, the crumbled papers are the actual notes I used to improvise all the lyrics from my 2005 series of songs, Pilgrim Village, with the first draft of the lyrics to this song still intact on the note pad. The last bit is my favorite. It was fun layering all the sets of electric piano and organ passes, 5 each, altho it ended up diluting some rather fine guitar playing. Funny how a song evolves.
Posted originally as "...When I Sing," I switched the title back to what I had been using as a draft title, "House of Cards" (based on a lyric I ended up not using).
Posted originally as "...When I Sing," I switched the title back to what I had been using as a draft title, "House of Cards" (based on a lyric I ended up not using).
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Lyrics
HOUSE OF CARDS
Why do I lie when I sing?
What is it that music brings?
Hidden in rhyme, all the the things,
The jagged lines that still sting...
Polished a clean
All the bright melodies.
Why do I lie to myself?
Why won't I try to simply tell it?
It's not that I don't believe.
It's that I don't seem to need to anymore.
It's not that I want to be free of it.
It's just that I can't....
Can't recall what the truth is.
Can't recall, so I sing.
It's not that I won't believe.
Sometimes it's caught on the tip of my tongue.
It's not that I need to be free of it.
It's just that I can't....
Don't remind me. Don't remind me.
Don't remind me of all I've done wrong.
I have not forgotten that.
No, I have not forgotten that...
Standing here at the mirror
Like a ghost at the door.
I used to question. I used to ask.
I used to bother. I used to look between the masks.
It's not that I don't believe.
It's that I don't seem to need to anymore.
It's not that I want to be free of it.
It's just that I can't....
I've tried to capture it all on paper.
I've crumpled all of it up and it away.
The trash man comes tomorrow anyway;
He haul it away.
It's not that I don't believe.
It's that I don't seem to need to anymore.
It's not that I want to be free of it,
Except when I sing....
Why do I lie when I sing?
What is it that music brings?
Hidden in rhyme, all the the things,
The jagged lines that still sting...
Polished a clean
All the bright melodies.
Why do I lie to myself?
Why won't I try to simply tell it?
It's not that I don't believe.
It's that I don't seem to need to anymore.
It's not that I want to be free of it.
It's just that I can't....
Can't recall what the truth is.
Can't recall, so I sing.
It's not that I won't believe.
Sometimes it's caught on the tip of my tongue.
It's not that I need to be free of it.
It's just that I can't....
Don't remind me. Don't remind me.
Don't remind me of all I've done wrong.
I have not forgotten that.
No, I have not forgotten that...
Standing here at the mirror
Like a ghost at the door.
I used to question. I used to ask.
I used to bother. I used to look between the masks.
It's not that I don't believe.
It's that I don't seem to need to anymore.
It's not that I want to be free of it.
It's just that I can't....
I've tried to capture it all on paper.
I've crumpled all of it up and it away.
The trash man comes tomorrow anyway;
He haul it away.
It's not that I don't believe.
It's that I don't seem to need to anymore.
It's not that I want to be free of it,
Except when I sing....













































Tom Atwood
Truth. Faith. Reality. Music. Art. Creation.
These words came to mind while listening to this excellent piece. Good
to hear from you again, Tobin. This is a wonderful song. An unsual key
change in the "don't remind me" verses, but a nice suprise. A subtle
groove from those rhythm samples, and excellent guitar work from
Elliot Friedman. I see you are still enjoying your B3?
Loved the 'trashy' harmonies too. Thanks for posting this, setting a
standard.
10-10-10-10