FAWM: "Furniture"

Furniture

5 days ago by @philnorman

Furniture

philnorman

00:00

Liner Notes

I keep a notes file on my phone full of little phrases that catch my ear. While scanning through it this afternoon, I saw "part of the furniture" and this little story fell out. Feels like a good first draft.

#acousticonetake #americana #breakup

Lyrics

Take me, for example,
that you don't have to go it alone
I could squeeze in with the clothes in the backseat
along with everything else that you own

you seem so sure like there's a rule
that says you gotta get out of town
call me fool, but I'm feeling lost
because you don't want what I thought we had found

but your mind's made up
time to divvy up what's yours and mine
guess I've become part of the furniture
that you're leaving behind

I ran into your dad
he said he thinks you're doing alright
at least the last time he heard
you've only called home once or twice

So I got off the couch and went to a show
and I screamed for an encore all night
I got the hint and finally gave up
when the bartender turned on the lights

Because your mind's made up
so it's time to get you out of mine
guess I was just part of the furniture
that you left behind

Oh how the fire went up
and I drank a bottle of rye
I sure hope that you don't want any part of the furniture
that you left behind

Comments

@hanley 2d

What a great story, and how it unfolds in just over two minutes is staggering. I can certainly hear more 'Americana' twang in your vocals on this one, and it works really well for the song. That guitar has such a rich and full tone to it, is that an old Gibson or something? Sounds spectacular whatever it is!

@andrewrusse 3d

Oh yesss. Shivers down the back of the neck. And that ending... "I sure hope that you don't want any part of the furniture
that you left behind"... superb.

My wife will love your songs/voice too.

@sailingmagpie 3d

That's exactly how I write lyrics. Really nice storytelling here and I love the way you use very familiar turn of phrase in a new way. Your performance has a real "resigned" feel to it, which works really well with the subject matter.

@rshakesp 4d

Really wonderful melodic phrases, particularly in the chorus. Beautifully understated, melancholy and on mood with the lyric. There is a sentimental feel to the way you sing this that imbues the words with extra meaning. Great write

@davidtaro 5d

I read the lyrics and then had to come back to the demo a little later. So first off, from a pure storytelling perspective, this is masterfully constructed and achingly sad. The journey from hope to acceptance to regret to rage is sensational. That final, whiskey-soaked f**k you of "I sure hope you don't want any part of the furniture you left behind" hits soooo hard. And the little vignettes of the visit to the dad and the show (is the latter literal or metaphorical?) bring the whole thing to life somehow. As for the music, dude your voice is off the charts, so much nuance and richness of timbre. And I love the kind of cold open of "Take me, for example". Masterclass.