We who live beyond our time

1 week ago by @timfatchenMod · @billwhite51

Liner Notes

TIM SEZ: Bill White sent me a difficult, serious lyric reflecting the almost-right-now end of our world at-large and of our personal end. I saw it as two songs which should be done in a theatrical intertwining, with the two sharing some stanzas: one outward looking and strongly and at times bitterly & angrily stated (though not too bombastic), the other quiet intimate and melancholy. There was no _specific_ music in my mind as Bill and I corresponded on the concept and finalised a lyric flow. Without change other than order and repeats to the initial lyric.

I said it would take me quite some time. But I sat down with the lyrics to noodle and improvise and tryout along the lines I was thinking and this onetake continuous improvised backing + improvised voice came out, with only a couple of glitches.

What I would normally do is work through and get the singing melody standardized (I have difficulty remembering exactly what I improvised 5 minutes before, as it were) and do a better sing run-through where the voice _wasn't_ indecisive about where the next melody note was about to be. I'm particularly irritated by the too-diffident initial start to the voice but what the hey.

But overall this came out way better than I ever expected and the feel is exactly what I was trying for. For the duration of FAWM I'm satisfied to leave it in its present state especially as I'm not going to be able to work on it further for quite a while.

#music-theater #improvisation #guy-with-piano #long #end-times #old-age #lost-generations #theatrical #melancholy #change

Lyrics

WE WHO LIVE BEYOND OUR TIME
Words Copyright © 2025 Bill White Music Copyright © 2025 TJ Fatchen All Rights Reserved APRA-AMCOS
Steinway sample courtesy Garritan Personal Orchestra

The world is out of focus
and I've lost my sense of depth
The fish tastes like petroleum
and the factory smells of death

A fog is rolling in...
This patch over my eye
wont stop the rain from rising
to the sky

[If I look at you too long ]
[I lose interest in everyone else ]
[If I look at the stars to long ]
[I lose interest in myself .]
[The world is out of focus ]
[and I've lost my sense of depth ]
[The fish tastes like petroleum ]
[and the factory smells of death]

A fog is rolling in...
This patch over my eye
wont stop the rain from rising
to the sky
The ink had drifted left to right
with every line I wrote.
To navigate this stormy sea
I need a gyroscope

[She did everything for me ]
[I did what I could for her ]
[Not a day went by when I wasn't beside her ]
[Now I'll never see another day with her ]

The world is out of focus
and I've lost my sense of depth
The fish tastes like petroleum
and the factory smells of death

A fog is rolling in...
This patch over my eye
wont stop the rain from rising
to the sky

[A fog is rolling in...]
[This patch over my eye ]
[wont stop the rain from rising ]
[to the sky]
[The ink had drifted left to right ]
[with every line I wrote. ]
[To navigate this stormy sea ]
[I need a gyroscope]

The world is out of focus
and I've lost my sense of depth
The fish tastes like petroleum
and the factory smells of death

The balances have shifted
The tornado cloud has lifted
The children who were gifted
now shine the shoes of goons

[She did everything for me ]
[I did what I could for her ]
[Not a day went by when I wasn't beside her ]
[Now I'll never see another day with her ]

The balances have shifted
The tornado cloud has lifted
The children who were gifted
now shine the shoes of goons

And those who have not lived so long
Stumble through confusing songs
While we yet give our voice to rhyme
Although we live beyond our time

We live beyond our time

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