Song of the Day Redux, Day 26: The Light and the Glass (Original Acoustic Demo)

Light and the Glass - Original Acoustic Demo

Couldn't find this one on Youtube either, so Grooveshark will have to do. If at any time in the future this (or any other song) becomes unavailable, PM me and I'll find it again for you.

The Content: Acoustic versions of Light and the Glass aren't entirely new to us, since the Starland performance. But this one's really pretty. The lyrics are pretty much the same. There's a very old statement from Claudio somewhere that says that he was asked to write a song for the new Spiderman 2 soundtrack based on the trailer back then, and the scene where the car is flung through the glass stuck out to him so he wrote a song named "The Glass." Claudio has a long history with that sort of thing - The Running Free was supposed to be for Transformers, and Road and the Damned was supposed to be for Ghost Rider (couple bullets dodged there.) Anyway, when it didn't pan out, he allegedly scrapped the song but realized it would make for a good addition to another song he had, thus creating "The Light and The Glass." It's a weird story, especially for such an amazing and beautifully crafted emotional song, but it's interesting to think about anyway. If I'm to guess, the lyrics from "The Glass" were long ago discarded, and he probably just took the chord progression from "The Glass" as the outro of this song, starting with "Your father's dead he passed in his sleep."

A side note about lyrics: I think the song is the first introduction to the idea of the Writer, with that first line. Makes for a perfect outro to IKSSE3.

The Music: We've got typical demo doubled-up vocals. At "would it really matter," Claudio does the thing he seems to like doing by distorting his vocal feed. He does it again for the second voice on the chorus, which is actually a little annoying in my opinion. The distorted feed is really pretty in the "liar" part, though. On the last "but you couldn't last a lifetime" his voice goes up, which is a good change of pace. "If you get put to sleep" has a really creepy vocal part on "sleep" that's fantastic. Is the scream before "I've been cautious" better than usual? That scream is fucking amazing. The final refrain without the solo is still powerful, though it's definitely missing something.

The Differences:

• "Carving words that save your arm"
• Final chorus changes lyric to "I measured distance with time"

The Part: The harmony on "I measured distance with time" to the scream right after "if you get put to sleep" and the buildup to the song's climax. r/frisson, anyone?

Slowly the pen touches paper in the guidance of the words that you write.
Memories roll in; of the things you once did
and who you had shared them with is somebody thinking of you.
Did I bother telling you this, with the words that cross teeth and jump lips?
A poor choice of words, in wanting to tell you anything.
But words don't come with ease. They're forever my hurt.
Would it really matter, if you were to count the days left with your hands?
Your focus secure and the loves you left; well
smiles staged in photographs here until...

You, you left the light on.
There's a chance I might have tripped, girl
You were there to hold on.

Ignoring the words of your obnoxious little brother; 
kill or be killed spilled the words from your mother.
I'll lay awake for a while.
I'll leave the light on a while.
But you couldn't last a lifetime. Caught between here and the days of it; 
carving words that stain your arm with every wish. It's hit or miss... her.
I told you so. I measured distance in lines [with time*] discarding the rest of my life.

But you, you, you... you had better things to do [x2]
Liar, liar, liar, liar. [x6]

If you get put to sleep, like an old dog, you're better off. 
If you get put to sleep; 
I've been cautious with the words I extend.
Allow this year before the world starts its end.

Your father's dead. He passed in his sleep, 
and I woke to the sounds of her crying.

Pray for us all.

* Last chorus only

Next up: Faint of Hearts (Original Acoustic Demo)

(Should have been A Favor House Atlantic in the 'proper' track listing but I done goofed)