Remember when you wanted to be a rock and roll star? Remember when all you had was that tape recorder with the red “record” button… when you popped in the blank tape, making sure to put masking tape over the record tab if it was broken… and you would wail into the tiny microphone with everything you had, all the background noises, no filters, no effects, just you and your song… Well, this week we present you with a song inspired by youth and necessitated into archaic recording practice.

Song

 Just to light this one: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Discussion

STEVE: I have been again thwarted by technology, but this week decided not to let the quality of the recording stand in the way of a release: I straight up recorded a one take, off the floor, through a computer mic into my laptop song. (My newly upgraded Windows 7 OS appears not to be jiving with Protools).

Though still being a little affected by last week’s song, I took on this week with a wee bit of verve. You see, I am in the education scene, and it is back to school time. While many students and teachers might cringe at the thought, I am so far unjaded and welcome September with a lot of enthusiasm and optimism. The campus I teach at is quiet when no one is around, and as the students trickle in, there is new life. I get a lot of energy from this.

Today, the 2012 graduating class had a ceremony that involved spreading a flame from candle to candle, alluding to the spreading of wisdom. I was instantly transported back to my graduating year: I was quite underenthused, underentertained and underwhelmed. Today I realised suddenly that many of the grads surrounding me were probably feeling the same: just another year, just more school, blah blah blah. All I wanted to do was transfer what I have since gone through to them; encourage them to savour this; push them to soak it all in; time goes too fast.

“I wish I knew then what I know now”… a common theme and the older I get, the more in pops up. And so, though my lyrics seem to be more and more abstract and perceivably different to themes I have in my head while writing them, this song is a subtle pulse of a message in the hopes that the youth can begin to realise their potential, make steps in the right direction, and elicit some much needed change in this world.

Lyrics

I have lived all my lives
Just to get here now
Let all my flames burn out
Just to light this one

I will push through this
I won’t follow you
River flows

I have trod all my steps
Just to change the world
Let my flame spread around
Just to warm you

I will push through this
I won’t follow you
River flows

Credits

Words and music: Steve Salt
Chris Tindal: Seriously, we need to hang out soon, man.
Steve Salt: Vocals and acoustic guitar… AT THE SAME TIME
Claire Salloum: Illustration