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Sometimes I feel like
A frown is turning upside down
Other times I feel so-so
A good mope diving underground
Happiness is contagious
A state of mind can make you high
Like a grin inducer
You float around on pie in the sky
Expectation and longing
Can’t start without missing
Happiness is the voice of souls
Hanging hats on the choice of hope
Expectation and longing
Can’t start without missing
Or at least that’s the myth
I’m selling to myself
Hope and love will reflect us
Happiness is contagious
Expectation and longing
Can’t start without missing
Written and recorded by Randal Gordon Prater
Published by Doldrum (BMI)
There are certain times when I consciously try my very best to write a positive, uplifting, and happy song instead of drifting to my default mode of mopey dirges. This was one of those times. Anything with a smile built into the song title has to have some kind of hope attached to it. So, that was my intention this time. Like all of the tunes on this album, it was written in a minor key, so the music has an element of sadness to it. But, lyrically, I was mindful of doing my best to make listeners… well, grin.
For fans of my old work with Creeping Myrtle in the 90s, you might catch the lyrical nod to my song A Good Mope from Ode to the Urchin.
It’s a very keyboard-heavy tune by design, mostly using a Fender Rhodes. The only section with any guitar is on the bridge where I used slide instead of fretting the notes with my left hand (since I’m a right-handed player). I used slide on lots of these ditties since it’s less painful to play that way these days, plus it just sounds spooky cool with Shoegaze effects dripping from the notes.
Vocally, I purposely tried to have the effect sound like The Black Angels, whom I love. They’re not really Shoegaze, but they do use lots of cool effects on the guitars and vocals. For this project, I definitely lean toward Shoegaze. But, most bands that I dig tend to reflect their affinity towards old Pink Floyd and Beatles records. If the music is dreamy, spooky, and cool, then I’m all about it.
Released October 24, 2024
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