Well, this is it. We have reached the end of our epic journey and the Songs on Sunday Summer Session 2016 has reached its conclusion. It has been fantastic. We are so fortunate to have had talented artists from all over the world come together every week to create such incredible music and has been a pleasure to listen to, and be a part of, this wonderfully creative process.
However, nothing gives me more pleasure than to introduce our final song. It is only fitting that we should go out the way we came in, at the start. The very start
Songs on Sunday started as the crazy challenge of one songwriter who needed an outlet for his creativity. Jordan Woods-Robinson set himself the challenge of writing, recording and producing, a new song every week and succeed. Fast forward several years, dozens of collaborators and a multitude of fantastic songs and here we are.
This track just ‘fits’ as the close to our session. It is a moving response to a tragic event. Nothing can follow. I am not going to try and sum it up. Listen.
Thank you for listening to our songs.
Dan Carter
At first, the Pulse nightclub shooting didn’t feel real. I live in Orlando but I was away that Saturday night at a wedding in Miami, so there was a level of disconnect I was afforded. But as I started to process the events over the next 24 hours and see other members in my community affected by the events, my grieving process took me through fear, anger, confusion, compassion, and disparity.
Unfortunately, the idea that a person may choose to kill another person in order to gain control of something or to raise awareness of an agenda has always been a part of being human. In humanity, war is a definite. But with the age of constant news coverage, immediate social media sharing, and individuals addicted to their devices, there is a new side effect that allows any would-be shooter the ability to be immediately plastered all over TVs and phones. The story of “Pawn” is a game in which people don’t need to know WHO they’re killing or even have a strong reason, just as long as they hear their name on TV and get to be King for a day.
The lyrics that start the song say “There is a pattern; it’s starting over again.” I wanted everything to be very familiar and allow the listener to enter into a trance-like state where they could feel safe to really listen and reflect. To tell this story, all instruments and vocals except for the main vocals are a series of 16-bar loops that build on one another to create the song. The amazing efforts of Colin Robinson (mixer) and David Traver, Julie Woods-Robinson, and Mike Maegalhaes really brought this song to life.
Lyrics:
There is a pattern
it’s starting over again
and once you see it,
that means you’ve come to the end.
Flip the board, I don’t want to play no more.
Flip the board, I don’t want to play
Another moment.
Another casualty.
Another heartbreak.
Another broken strategy.
Flip the board, I don’t want to play no more.
Flip the board, I don’t want to play no more.
And the worlds the same, it’s the game that’s changed.
For just trading a life, you get an hour of fame.
And you feel so small, but they know your name.
And for that blink of an eye, you can get to be king.
Another picture.
Another moment in time.
Another word that rips your heart out through the back of your spine.
Flip the board I don’t want to play no more.
Flip the board I don’t want to play
And it is glorified, analyzed, shared out to the masses
But mostly to our horror it’s personified by children
Flip the board I don’t want to play no more.
Flip the board I don’t want to play no more.
And the worlds the same, it’s the game that’s changed.
For just trading a life, you get an hour of fame.
And you feel so small, but they say and they say and they say your name.
And for the blink of an eye, you are finally king.
Main Vocals: Jordan Woods-Robinson
Backing Vocals: Jordan Woods-Robinson, Julie Woods-Robinson, Mike Maegalhaes
Acoustic Guitar: Jordan Woods-Robinson
Claps: Jordan Woods-Robinson
Synth: Jordan Woods-Robinson
Electric Guitars: David Traver
Percussion: Colin Robinson
Mixing: Colin Robinson
Songs On Sunday is a collaboration between songwriters, musicians, vocalists, and engineers to write, recording, and produce a new song each week. If you would like to help keep this project alive and well (and keep hearing great music from today’s emerging songwriters), please make a donation. Any amount is appreciated! – SOS
With thanks to Ryan Hoak for his support for this session.