SAC Songwriters Challenge Week# 5
The challenge this week, to write a song that could be used in a series about a 19th century anti-hero, was very interesting, especially given the current place holder “To Be Alone” by Hozier.
As I considered what to write, I kept returning to a song I’ve been working on for my upcoming album. I examined the lyrical content of “To Be Alone” and found I could re-write the lyric of my song “Let Your Music Play” to better align with the place holder.
I noticed the reference to heroin and the dark lyrical content. My original song lyric would not match up so I began the process of reworking the lyric in that direction. I decided to weave drug references through the storyline without explicitly mentioning heroin or any other drug.
Let Your Music Play By Don Sawchuk
Sounds of the morning sneak into your dream Posing as part of the scene You wake to find music roaming your room Notes on a warm autumn breeze Surreal, serene
You turn up your music, let it fill your veins Ear on the track, hear the train That drives out the insults, brutal disapproval Blocks out your doubt and your pain
Let your music play x2
You hide in your music from the raw ridicule From bullies ruling your world Callous and cold steel rails in the snow Where the line ends you won’t be their fool
Let your music play x3
Sing a note, play a chord, give your gift to the world Your melody, your harmony, let music set you free Just let your music play, let your music play, let your music play
Train whistle melodies wafting in the wind At last your season begins Melting ice in your veins open damns of time Rushing hot music, reason and rhyme
Oh, Let your music play Let it pave the way, your music will save you Let your music play Yeah, you’re gonna’ be okay Let your music play Let it play, play, every day now Let your music play, let your music play
In my new lyric, the train references become the drug metaphor: “Tracks”, like needle tracks on your arm “Where the line ends” - the place where your next fix will be “Callous and cold steel rails in the snow” - needles piercing white flesh
It’s the drugs that create the music. “Turn up your music, let it fill your veins.” “Train whistle melodies” - the music created by the drugs. It is through the drugs “your music” comes alive and its music that will be your saviour if you “Let Your Music Play.”
The seasons evolve in my lyric to show the passing of time from Autumn breezes to Winter’s cold snow then the melting ice of Spring. The drugs are what keeps you alive through it all.
The “ice in your veins” represents the hardening of your veins through the abuse of drugs. The drugs themselves are the anti-hero, if you will, that lead you to something righteous - “your music!”
The vocal track was roughly recorded at home and mixed with the music which is an ongoing work in progress from my recording session at Canterbury Studios in Toronto with a stellar group of session players. The music itself has the haunting quality that is so appropriate for the lyric.
Have a listen.
Cheers, Donny.
Don sawchuk Building community one song at a time.