Original Song: The Glamorous But Impossible Lives Of Musicians

And so we enter year six of the original-song-a-month project! For month 61 it’s a song called The Glamorous But Impossible Lives Of Musicians, written – as is often the case – on a flight between Sydney and Adelaide. I recorded the basic vocal track against a midi keyboard melody/chord pattern in the hotel that night. A couple of weeks later Will and I fleshed out the track and I got to use the Bass IV I’d recently built. A few days later and Will had added a bunch more and some cool backing vocals. As always, by the time it lands on a Compañeros album it will no doubt have been polished some more (especially the outro where Will just chopped up bits of the chorus vocal rather than me re-singing it properly), but you’ll have to buy the album to hear that version!

THE GLAMOROUS BUT IMPOSSIBLE LIVES OF MUSICIANS
© 2016 Chuck Smeeton/Will Berryman

C                                                              G
You’ve made your bed now lie in it, with its satin sheet
D
And darker motives that exist in everyone you meet
C                                                     G
It’s light years from that stage in your local club
D
But now you are a rock star, and therein lies the rub

(Chorus)
A                                                 G
This is the life and times of a rock star musician
A                                                           G
Be careful what you wish for, it’s a soul destroying mission
A                                                      G
And think about it deeply, you’ll live with your decision
A                                                   A7        D
This is the life and times of a rock star musician

Those that have invested now feel like they own you
A life that’s so impossible you never know what’s true
A cult that follows all your moves with no stone unturned
And an endless trail behind you with all of those you’ve burned

Holes is your psychology only adoration fills
Programmed to perform, fueled by countless pills
Getting there was tough enough, maintaining it is tougher
And you are now the fool that those around you suffer

(Chorus)
This is the life and times of a rock star musician
Be careful what you wish for, it’s a soul destroying mission
And think about it deeply, you’ll live with your decision
This is the life and times of a rock star musician

A party is both made and wrecked by your own attendance
And adherence to a schedule is not your sole dependence
An artificial biosphere for the chosen few
You’ve been into space and decompression is an issue

What kind of narcissist does this lifestyle breed
Where every whim is catered for, but not every need
Can you ever readjust when the spotlight shifts
And the fame and fortune has begun its steady drift

(Chorus)
This is the life and times of a rock star musician
Be careful what you wish for, it’s a soul destroying mission
And think about it deeply, you’ll live with your decision
This is the life and times of a rock star musician

About the original songs
In January 2012 I commenced a goal of trying to write and record at least one song from scratch each month – sometimes it comes easily, sometimes it’s a real challenge, but I love the discipline it creates. I managed to complete the year, but it was so much fun that I’ve decided to keep it rolling for as long as I can.

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