Original Song: Shutters Down

42 months now in the “original song a month” project, and this one came together pretty easily. I was listening to an Ocean Colour Scene song and liked the chord pattern – so I grabbed it, made a few changes and 30 minutes later I had a track (you’d never recognize it from the original given all the changes I made!). What’s weird about this is that I can’t remember the last time I wrote a song where the music came first. What I often do to start the writing process is go to a notebook I keep where I’ll jot down ideas and single lines. Generally something will spark a thought and away I go – and that’s what happened this time, except that it was again very quick. An hour later and I had a song about getting an anesthetic! The final bit I’m quite pleased about is the fact that guitar is prominent. I’ve struggled recently to find a guitar sound and style I’ve been happy with, but this one just fell into place. So enough self-congratulatory rambling, time for the song!

Shutters Down
© 2015 Chuck Smeeton

Cm        Bb          Ab          G7
It’s the waiting that’s the hardest
Cm        Bb          Ab          G7
Before you drift off unaware
Cm        Bb          Ab          G7
How fragile is existence
Cm        Bb          Ab          G7
Life in another’s hands

The deepest sleep of all
The peaceful shutters drawn
Comfortably numb
Senses winding down

(Chorus)

F                  G7
Floating in the spaces
F                  G7
Rising on the tide
F                  G7
Drifting on the currents
F                  G7                  Cm
An otherworldly ride

Invasion of the body
Ignorance is bliss
You cannot know what you can’t feel
Beneath the foggy haze

(Bridge)
Eb                G7
The soporific cloud
Cm                F
That envelopes the return
Eb                G7
A realisation you’re still here
Cm                F
Has time moved on at all?

(Chorus)

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.