Death Drive and the Pleasure Principle

 I wrote this song about six years ago. The truth behind it has only grown truer.

 

 

Like. Share. Play loudly. 

 

*Here it is on YouTube and Spotify. Available on other streaming platforms as well. 

 

For the Love of Music

A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled upon a social media post where a local nonprofit organization that helps young families was looking for musicians to volunteer for an event. I responded, thinking it to be some kind of fundraiser. 

 

I soon learned that the event was to be part of an ongoing summer program for kids. Cool, I thought. I can support that. This was pretty far removed from my experiences as a musician, but I agreed to participate, as it seems like a good organization that helps the local community, and I love to share my love for music. They also happen to be about four blocks from where I live. I am nothing if not a good sport.

As a general rule, if someone asks me to play music, unless I have some prior commitment, I will usually say yes. Granted, I may ask to be compensated accordingly and have reasonable time to prepare, but as my own representative in such matters, I determine stuff like that on a case-by-case basis. This was well within the realm of sure, why not?

 

Per the request of the event's organizer, I brought a binder full of singalong tunes with me, as well as a music stand to hold it. I also had some lecture notes in there, the idea being that this could also be an educational opportunity. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect.

 

Upon arriving and unloading my gear to the parking lot, I soon discovered that it was way too windy for any of that. The music stand kept falling over and the binder wouldn't stay open to any particular page for more than a few seconds. So I shifted to plan B, at least until the wind died down. It never did. 

 

In retrospect, it's probably just as well. Even when my own kids were growing up in a house full of music, I didn't subject them to a lot of traditional children's songs. It's just not what I do. In the case of this event, I was willing to make an exception, but it seems that the fates and/or the weather had other ideas. I was fine with that.

 

Plan B entailed using a headset mic and trying to think of anything in my catalog of original music that sounds good on acoustic guitar, was more or less thematically appropriate for the audience, and doesn't contain any swear words. I also tried to incorporate as many teachable moments as I could under the circumstances.

 

I think I played thirteen or fourteen songs in total, including some pretty deep cuts. I may have messed up a lyric or two, but I can say with some certainty that I am the only one who noticed. Rank that among the joys of independent musicianship.

 

The good people who gathered there in the parking lot with me, amidst the evening sun and the relentless wind, all stuck around to the end. I think most of the parents and grandparents, etc. appreciated the rare opportunity to hear some live music. The kids seemed to dig it, too, unless high fives have lost their value altogether in this economy.

 

It was fun. I like to think that everybody got something out of it, even if it wasn't exactly what any of us may have expected. Funny how that works.

Music is meant to be shared. Sometimes my favorite places to do so are those in which a person might be surprised to hear it, like porches, parks, back yards, and parking lots. 

 

Thanks to those who listen, and to all the other musicians out there who share the love.  

Fresh Out of the Oven

 New song:

Thanks for listening. 

Flower Moon

Today is the flower full moon. Spring is in bloom.

 

Perhaps that has something to do with my exceptionally productive day. I read, graded and commented upon over two hundred pages worth of student research papers and essays. After that, I worked on a new song for a while. I had come up with a working chorus for it a couple of days ago, built upon a chord progression and vocal melody that I've been playing around with for a few weeks now. It's really fun to play, and catchy. It's been stuck in my head ever since I started working on it. I usually consider that to be a good sign.

 

The chorus that I landed on the other day seems to have stuck, so I worked on lyrics for three verses that logically lead to the repetition of those lines. After several hours, I have what resembles the first draft of another song. I'll post updates as I continue to work on it.

Speaking of which, Dust Jacket, which I recently posted, is now on its nineteenth version and counting. I keep re-recording the vocals, then re-posting the song. I'm still not completely happy with it, but it is gradually getting better. Once I have a full album worth of new material, I plan to go back and re-record all of these songs anyway, so it might be close enough for now. 

 

I also spent a couple of hours today looking up and practicing a bunch of kids' songs. I'll explain that some other time. 

 

Unabridged

Here is a very early version of the song that I've been working on most recently:

 

As of now, it's still almost six and a half minutes long. I may yet trim it down as I re-record the various tracks. This song is very much a work-in-progress.

 

 

Lyrics:

 

A silver bell above the door
The sense memories of a second-hand bookstore
The smell of paper, mold and dust
Curiosity and wanderlust

See the world through others’ eyes
Imagine how it feels to empathize
Between these covers we are bound
Where the truth in our fiction is found

    My love’s an open book
    It’s the kind of storyline
    You might be inclined to overlook
    The dust jacket
    Is worn and tattered
    Does it matter? Have a look
    My love’s an open book

Place my heart upon the shelf
Search my mind for meaning outside of myself
Trying to find the words to express
This happiness and loneliness that coexist

All that is mine is my perspective
And still I know it’s all subjective
I’ll share my heart with you
All I want to tell you is the truth

    My love’s an open book
    It’s the kind of storyline
    You might be inclined to overlook
    The dust jacket
    Is worn and tattered
    Does it matter how it looks?
    My love’s an open book

The rest of this story is yet unwritten
We don’t even know what we’ve been missing
May our lives be blessed with laughter
Maybe love finally wins forever after

I want to know who you are
To be with you beneath the stars
Make a wish, blow a kiss
Remember this moment of bliss

    My love’s an open book
    It’s the kind of storyline
    You might be inclined to overlook
    The dust jacket
    Is worn and tattered
    Doesn’t matter, take a look
    My love’s an open book
    My love’s an open book
    My love's an open book

 

© 2025 Zach Sands, PhD