"for Kate"

This week’s song brings me back to a very happy time in my life.  Here we have another love song.  I remember creating the melody and harmonic progression well before I wrote the lyrics, but once it was done, I was pretty pleased with the final combination of words and music.  I dedicate this song to Kate, the coolest, the awesomest, the love of my life.

Music and lyrics written by Victoria Malawey © 2013 All Rights Reserved

Title: "for Kate”

Written April 2004

Lyrics:

Move with me, let me close my eyes

I want to feel myself melt into you

I’ve never felt so alive

Like a fantasy come true

Can’t wipe this smile off my face

I’d been looking o’er the place

To find someone like you

Like a fantasy come true

Move with me, let me close my eyes

I want to feel myself melt into you

I’ve never felt so alive

Like a fantasy come true

Moved by desire

Or adrenaline

Then I open my eyes

And look into yours

Move with me, let me close my eyes

I want to feel myself melt into you

I’ve never felt so alive

Like a fantasy come true

Have I gone mad?

Could this be untrue?

But no, you’re here

And so am I

"Creatively Filling the Void"

This week's song is one of my darkest, which I wrote a little over 11 years ago.  I wanted to portray a life in the day of someone who was simply becoming resigned to be unhappy--how depressing!  I was living in Chicago at the time, and I was struck by the sadness and isolation of the city, as well as how people struggle to fill their lives with meaning and the mishaps that happen when they fail to fill the void.  Of course, I suppose all songwriters draw upon their own life experiences in their songs, but this is one where I took some creative license and painted a much more depressing and exaggerated picture of anything I had ever felt or perhaps could only imagine feeling or experiencing.

At any rate, I decided to share this song with you because I really like how I structured the chord progression.  It's super chromatic--which means that I play a lot of chords that have notes outside the normal key--and I like how the chromatic harmonies work in sequence and with the melody I sing.  Speaking of which, this song is difficult for me to sing, and I think I would sing it better if I would record the piano and voice parts separately, but that is outside the scope of what I am trying to do right now.  (Remember, Challenge No. 1 is all about recording each of my favorite songs in one take, no editing.)  At any rate, here goes:

Music and lyrics written by Victoria Malawey © 2013 All Rights Reserved

Title: "Creatively Filling the Void"

Written November 2001

Lyrics:

Creatively filling the void

Why must it always have consequences?

Fighting so hard and then giving in

Booze, drugs, and all the men

Creatively filling the void

It’s dark outside when she awakes

In that groggy state where she feels fine

But then reality invites her misery

And all she knew is gone

Creatively filling the void . . .

She moves through her day, puts on a happy face

But inside she knows she’s lost this race

Hopefulness in conflict with hopelessness

Creatively filling the void . . .

And the sun comes down, night sets in

The streets are sad and lonely tonight

All that’s left is time for bed

And so she rests

We believe we should be happy

But everything comes at a price

Really it’s not about happiness

Rather it’s about sacrifice

Creatively filling the void . . .

"Fly Away"

This week's song came out of my most prolific year to date, but it's a bit of a downer (surprise, surprise).  At the time I wrote it, I was really pleased with it.  It was probably a little more sophisticated than most of the other songs I wrote at the time so that's why I wanted to include it as part of Challenge no. 1.

I originally wrote this song in the key of E-flat major, but for whatever reason, I've been singing it in D-flat for the past few years.  That makes the bridge a little low for my voice, but I think it better suits the higher range in the chorus section ("fly away my dear . . .").

And just for the record, I did figure out "what I could be" without the person who I was addressing in the song.  Ha!

Music and lyrics written by Victoria Malawey © 2013 All Rights Reserved

Title: "Fly Away"

Written February 2000

Lyrics:

Love is a sunset on a warm summer day

Just when the sky turns from blue to grey

And then I think of you and there’s nothing I want more

But I know I must let you fly away

Love is a bird who sings sweet melodies

Enjoys the counterpoint of clouds

But like a bird, you only stay awhile

And I know I must let you fly away

Fly away my dear

Please don’t be sad anymore

I hope someday you find a love like I found in you

Fly away my dear

For we don’t know what’s in store

Fly away, sing a new song as you go away

Love is a song we once danced to

Laden with memories of you

But we can’t sing nor dance forever

And I know I must let you fly away

I don’t know if I can let you go

I can’t see what I can be without you

Fly away my dear

Please don’t be sad anymore

I hope someday you find a love like I found in you

Fly away my dear

For we don’t know what’s in store

Fly away, sing a new song as you go away

"Beauty"

This week's song is a song of goodbyes.  I was going for something uplifting when I wrote it.  The lyrics are a little cheesy, but I am proud of the song's musical content--particularly the bridge (please note the use of the Neapolitan sixth chord on the words "but we still have each").  For whatever reason, t's been a tougher one for me to sing and play all the way through compared to the other songs I have recorded this year so far.  I'll admit this wasn't my first take, and it still isn't perfect, but I feel okay putting it out into the universe for now.

Music and lyrics written by Victoria Malawey © 2013 All Rights Reserved

Title: "Beauty"

Written May 2001

Lyrics:

Don’t be sad

Please be calm and close your eyes

Know it’s alright

Take one step back

Look all around you

What do you see?

Beauty

I’m so glad we shared this time

And I think back so fondly

Of our many memories

Yet it saddens me to think we have no more time

Don’t be sad

Please be calm and close your eyes

Know it’s alright

Take one step back

Look all around you

What do you see?

Beauty

All the meals we shared as one

And the songs we’ve sung together

Going out and staying in

You have meant so much to me

I can’t express it at all

Don’t be sad

Please be calm and close your eyes

Know it’s alright

Take one step back

Look all around you

What do you see?

Beauty

Now we’ve come so far along

And it’s time that I sing this song

Please let me be strong

But really I don’t know if I can go on

Don’t be sad

Please be calm and close your eyes

Know it’s alright

Take one step back

Look all around you

What do you see?

Beauty

Here we are

But it’s too soon

We must go our separate ways now

But we still have each other

Always

"for Jennifer"

This is an old song I wrote for a longtime friend after her mother passed away.  I regret not sharing it with her right after I wrote it (seems sad and ironic because I was trying to express the idea that I would be there for her).  At any rate, I guess it reflects where I was musically when I was 20 years old.  This project ("Challenge no. 1") has been fun for me because I am revisiting all of these songs I wrote a long time ago, many of which I haven't played in quite awhile.  I am glad I remember them.

Music and lyrics written by Victoria Malawey © 2013 All Rights Reserved

Title: "for Jennifer"

Written December 1997

Lyrics:

What can I say?

What should I say to her?

Take comfort in knowing she’s in a better place?

To treasure the memories and not to torture yourself?

What should I say?

Oh there’s nothing to say at all

What should I say?

What should I say to her?

Take comfort in knowing she suffers no more?

To trust in God if you believe?

Now you know you must be strong

Now you know what courage is

But if you lose your faith at all

Please know I’m here

I’m here for you

For you