FAWM: "Turn"

Turn

2 weeks ago by @carleybaer · @stephenwordsmith

Turn

carleybaer +1

00:00

Liner Notes

#acoustic-one-take #girl-with-guitar #fingerpicking

I read this and heard a super-stripped-down 6/8 thing and decided to give it a go.

Lyrics

You came in from the rain-kissed alley
By the market wet, your hair
Was ashen grey and smelled of rising smoke
You wore a ruined coat
And an expression of surprise and fear,
Like some long-slumbered evil had awoke

I was lost in indecision
Trapped in time and line alike until
You burst my thoughts with language raw and rough
You screamed in words I'd never learned
Of how I'd bring a turning world
Unto a halt, until I cried 'enough'

CHORUS
But I would have turned and listened
Turned upon my heel, turned tail
And turned away if I knew then what I know now

You wouldn't take my protest
For an answer, as you pushed through
Frightened faces, reaching out to turn the cart
But faced with their resistance
I could only stand and watch you flee
With turn of stomach, quickening of heart

CHORUS

You wrestled with your angels
As you curled a shaking finger
Round the trigger from the window where you hid
And the scales would dip and waver
As your answers turned to questions
Would you live with what I'd do - or what you did?

CHORUS x 2

Comments

@jgale 3d

This is just sublime! But also that juxtaposition with what you're singing about. The anxiety is visceral--for me, anyhow. And that final chorus, neatly showing the difference in character between you. Beautifully turned.

@dhiatt 5d

Love how this just flows. I don't know that I could have heard the same rhythms from the lyrics, but you made it come alive so beautifully. The fingerpicking gives is such a wonderful continuity. The bridge has a haunting delicate quality to it.

@dr_griff 1w

Such a simple arrangement; such a powerful piece. Your voice and music combined with @stephenwordsmith's lyrics have created something really special here. Great collab.

@ally_nicole 1w

This is so pretty! Your voice reminds me of a combo of Sadie LaFlamme Snow and @robinleaf haha, you and Robin should do a duet together someday! But yeah I love the chill vibes here. Also @stephenwordsmith shoutout for those awesome lyrics! Nice job! :)

@nadine 1w

I love how rhythmic the lyrics are! And Carley's voice make you sink in. Also like the big contrast between the "sweet" song and the heavy lyrics.

@mandolinda 1w

Listening without breathing, waiting for the solution. Then I reread the lyric. Well phrasing is everything here.

@stephenwordsmith 1w

The dissonance between the sweet delivery and the frenetic lyrics is captivating. Your scansion shows tremendous skill, respecting the rhythm and rhyme while allowing some natural variance in each line - gives the piece a spontaneous, stream-of-consciousness feel which suits the subject perfectly.

The contrast only heightens the mystery. What's it all about, Carley? Why is the narrator so calm as they acknowledge that this wild interloper (who tried to shoot her, no less) had, in retrospect, a point? It suggests a maturity and wisdom, and an overcoming of something great off-camera. Nobody will ever know.

@mtmelodie 2w

Interesting to hear your take on the same lyrics, seems we shared similar instinct that the lyrics were best served in a stripped down version and in 6/4 time, also like how you made the last verse feel like a bridge, and nice chorus, your approach feels more carefully optimistic than mine

@beacon 2w

Calming and beautiful and so touching. *chef's kiss*

@stevenwesleyguiles 2w

Beautiful vocal delivery and melody, and always these beautiful words from Stephen. What a great combo this is!

@erbaer 2w

Great story and a beautiful song. Wonderful images throughout delivered with delicate understanding adding depth to the picture.

@kc_ 2w

Wow!! Love the whole thing! Truly… Incredible performance and production. Love your capture of the acoustic… Something I’m always chasing :-) would love to know your recording set up for that… your voice is like silk but with a wonderful depth and confidence so emotive… And the 6/8 feel brings the killer lyrics to a whole new level!

Crushed it, knocked this way out of the park! Love it! Write on, write on!!