My Dumb Angel // March 2007

I was talking with a friend a while back. She is a poet and asked me about my creative output.  I was nervous about sharing my words and music with her but after I sent her some she gave me a lot of encouraging feedback. Most of all, she encouraged me to share it instead of letting it just sit on hard drives, cassettes, etc.  Since that time, I've been thinking about how and when to do this.  So as time permits, my intention is to go through my old home recordings, pick something I feel excited to share, write a few notes about the music and maybe something about what I remember about that time in my life.  I also hope to elicit comments from friends and collaborators here for posterity's sake. 

There is no particular reason why I picked MY DUMB ANGEL for the first post other than some of the words resonate with me as I get older and think about how to use my privilege etc to effect positive change in a time that feels pretty bleak at times. I wrote this song in March of 2007 just before Casey and I embarked on our second volunteer trip to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.  I remember listening to a mix of it while I was there.

Sound:  This song was my very obvious tribute to Brian Wilson.  I had some of the bootlegged "Smile" recordings before they were released in 2011 and listened to them on repeat for a while.  It's my favorite output by Brian who had initially had a working title of "Dumb Angel" before deciding to call it the more cheery "Smile" title. Seemed too good to waste. 

Instrument note: The song was written on the Rheem Mark VII Organ that belonged to Sarah Biddle and lived at my house for years. My favorite sounding organ to this day.

Lyrics:  

What have you done to try to get closer to it?  

Don't get me wrong.  It hasn't been easy for me.  

What will you do when it's you who gets stung?  

What will you say when it's time you moved on?

I'm leaving today (Dumb angel leaves by my side)

I'm leaving today (Dumb angel reads my mind)

I'm leaving today (Dumb angel won't break my stride)

I'm leaving today (Dumb angel won't fly)

Life is so good when I'm with her

Maybe sometimes more than I deserve from her

If only somehow I found the words

and every time I hold her in my arms I tell myself we'll always be happy but then I stop to wonder if she even knows I'm gone (or even knows I'm wrong)

Dumb angel leaves by my side....