Stop Drop & Roll [the prudent manoeuvre]

Sometimes I marvel at how stubborn I am. Slowly, with age it seems, I am beginning to divest myself of some of those donkey antics… I shall elaborate:

I so clearly remember a line from Spike Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues. Bleek Gilliam (Denzel Washington) is playing greasy jazz in a smokey, dimly lit room. He sings, “What the world needs now,” and embellishes the thought with a cool lick, then in smug voice, continues, “is not another love song!” I laughed long at that, and it seems that the notion stuck in my brain. For years. For 20 years, or so!

Well it seems that after nearly 11 years of marriage to the best girl in the universe I have let go of my secret desire to be as cool as Bleek Gilliam. I had written songs in the past that allude to love, and being in love—but they all had subtle or not so subtle anterior motives and meanings (rather than love for love’s sake, it scored the relationship between the seeker and the Beloved aka God). Rather than relishing the fruits of this earth (read: beautiful, sexy, gorgeous, wonderful woman) I tried to pack them with something else (usually spiritual) to give it some deeper meaning…

Well not today. No! Today, it is all about my wife. She is beautiful, gorgeous, sexy, all the things that have inspired so many songs, across all genres, since men started banging on things that make sound. The second most amazing thing in the world is that she is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. The ‘first’ most amazing thing in the world is that it took me so long—years of being the luckiest man on the planet, married to her—to put it in a song of my own!

So this one’s for Prudence. I Love you babe.

I am not by any means a guitar player. In fact 9 days ago, I didn’t know a single chord. We have a little acoustic guitar, and, nine days ago I realized that it served a greater purpose than to sit and collect dust. I picked it up and forced my fingers to form a chord I learned online. D Major. I strummed and I liked the way it sounded. I strummed some more. I wondered what would happen if I moved all but one of my fingers… so I moved them and strummed again. Lo! And Behold, I loved the way that sounded. I thought again, “what would happen if I slid this shape down the neck…

After several hours of wonderment, I decided I had better record this sound or I would forget it for sure. I set up 3 microphones, fired up REAPER, banged out some drums and began to play and record this old guitar and my 3 new chords!

I often joke about being a washed-up-rapper. Partly because I hate the direction the genre seems to be headed in, and partly because I have been experiencing writer’s block—lyrics, these past few years, have come slooooooooowly. Not so with this song. Any moment I felt a block, I fired up Picassa and looked at some photos of my baby-doll. Just looking at her was enough to make my pen fly. It may be a little sappy, or corny, or what ever, but WHATEVER! When you are in love none of that matters.

So, here it is, StopDrop& Roll [the prudent manoeuvre]

**Edit / Update!!
Fresh off the press… the acoustic-mix
This version loses the synth bass and exchanges the heavier drums for a jazzier, brushed drums sound… I’d love to know what you think of this version!

Stop Drop & Roll [the prudent manoeuvre]
Lyrics:

She got me feelin’ like anything is possible
Like I could weather storms and a plethora of hostile foes!
She down with the real – ain’t no need to stop and pose
When she around it feels like time just stop and froze!
Won’t see a frown. She cool as Popsicles, hot from top to toes
Melt through my facades and my armor like, “Off with those!”
Stack’em in the corner with the head game them gots ta go
& any other obstacles. Love, don’t block the flow!
The moment she crossed my sights I was like, “lock and load!”
She walk and float at the same time – I thought that was impossible.
But is it plausible that fate would mate hard rocks and gold
Or that I could pen her beauty in my rhymes – not probable.
But I’ma keep tryin’ ’cause she fly like unstoppable
High, full throttle, where she at I gots ta go!
Lovesick feelin’ like I might need a hospital
I said she was hot but she’s fire – stop drop and roll!

Now it wouldn’t be prudent for me
to not write a song to laud your beauty
and so I write girl…
…I’m up all night girl

She’s got me feelin’ like God He really cares for me!
It’s probably heresy but from the top of the hair to feet
…she so fine, I know god gotta be there for me
So I’m up late writin’ rhymes my pen is just blazin’ through
page after page for you my girl is crazy cute!
amazing too. You are the best
You my inspiration, muse, plus you daisy fresh
Maybe you magical – you make me feel complete & when
I’m feelin’ down you place me back upon my feet again
like “woot!” this world is mine & I’m ready to compete & it
Don’t matter if the competition is Olympian
I’m takin’ it! Probably facin’ it with a stoopid grin
You make me feel godly and oddly more human when
We laughin’ or cryin’ I’m flyin’ with my truest friend
You & me we can do anything yes. YES!
& I would marry you again anyday yes. Yes!

Now it wouldn’t be prudent for me
to not write a song to laud your beauty
and so I write girl…
…I’m up all night girl

You got me feelin’ like there’s hope for the universe &
if there’s a mate for every soul I know that you the person!
Sometimes Prayers are answered subtly in subtle ways
and other times as if God is yellin’ atcha like, “What I Say?!”
I reminisce about the time we met “Oh WHat a day”
like there was spring in my step & I had pep suddenly!
It’s like an angel reached down and cleared the mud away
Wiped all the crud away and placed you right in front my face
you didn’t run away though i droolin’ gawkin
you looked so beautiful just movin’ and walkin’
& then started talkin’ & blew my mind
You cram intelligence & relavance in a package that fine?!?
You were well grounded despite ya good looks!
you smelled nice well versed like good books
sugar and spice and God is a good cook!
If you let me for life I’ll be on the hook

I ain’t no singer!
…But she makes me feel like singing
out loud baby yeah!
I ain’t no Klingon…
but she makes me feel like clinging
I’m hangin’ on for dear life baby
I ain’t no Zinger, no…
But she makes me feel like zingin’
whatever zingin’ feels like babe I feel it.

current mix version posted: Full length album version!
Mastered By: Zee Wavesurfer - www.DeegeeTall.com

Rendered may 11 2010 2:45am