Some affection music for having finished the sneaky stealth puzzles.

Did I say “affection?” I meant “fucking.”

Game: Ass Without A Trace 2

Gone Fishing. It’s a game about fishing… right?

Yeah, fishing.

Game: Gone Fishing

The actual boss fight music for Yamatsu.

This is the combat theme but with some extra pizzazz.

Game: Psycho Burst

This is the standard combat theme for Yamatsu.

Game: Psycho Burst

If The Supper Club was a love letter to Song Fight!, this one’s a Dear John.

In 2024, Song Fight! Live finally came back as an in-person event, after several years away due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When I arrived in Denver, though, I felt like I was only there out of obligation, and over the course of the next few days I felt like maybe I was done with Song Fight! for so many reasons. The community was a great way for me to get started as a songwriter, but it was starting to feel like I needed to pull back a bit and not be so emotionally-invested in it.

Over the next few days I had several good conversations with close friends in the community. They didn’t make me feel much better about Song Fight! itself (and in fact helped me to put words to some of the specific things I was feeling particularly bad about), but they did make me feel better about thinking it was time for me to move on.

I so was burned out and so frustrated at this thing that had been so important to me for so long, over half of my life at this point. The other music I’d been doing – small solo performances and scoring for video games and short films – was making me much happier than this ongoing thing, this community that used to bring me such joy.

So for the live fight title of “Valley Highway,” I decided to write a swan song.

But being up on stage, performing with friends, getting the reactions from folks about how much I’ve grown over the years and how much better we’ve all become for having participated in this ridiculous thing for so long? I started to feel a lot better.

I’m still not sure I want to be quite so involved in Song Fight! anymore, but at least I feel good about the time I’ve spent with it, and it’ll probably always be there for me when I need it.

Song Fight! has been so important to me, but it’s okay to move on.

Lyrics: Valley Highway

It is time for me to go Down this newly open road I am grateful for how I have Had some of the best times of my life

Looking to the setting sun Looking out for number one Half a life is better than Having never lived a life at all Stuffed inside a letterbox Regrets and things better left unsaid

Here we are In the valley of my dreams

Time to fly Try to live up to my means

I remain so grateful for some Of the best times of my life

Under stormy desert skies Where my former passion lies Chasing down a memory of Better times and times left yet to come Fix my broken wings right up Because it’s long past time for me to fly

Here we are On the highway to my dreams

Time to fly Try to live up to my means

I remain so grateful for some Of the best times of my life

I remain forever grateful For some of the best times of my life

Lyrics: Five Minutes [Song Fight!, 2004]

Just like in a picture show I know where I want to go This is not the place for me And I’m moving on

There are people that I know In the place I want to go I can be what I wanna be I hope I’m not wrong

I think it’s time for me to get my five minutes of fame When I get there everybody will be so glad that I came And it won’t be so long before everyone knows my name Without a doubt we’ll talk about the Things I never ever thought I’d Find someone to talk to about

Just like in a picture show I know where I’m gonna go It just seems so right for me Like I’m already gone

All the people that I know Tell me where I need to go In a day or two or three Nothing will be wrong

It’s about time to start again with a brand new life Leave behind some of a past that has been filled with strife Start a new family, two kids, a husband, and a wife I sold my car I’m going far to Start again beginning friendship With five minutes left to the end

Just like in a picture show I know where I’m gonna go This is not the place for me Goodbye, and so long

Lyrics: Paper Cuts And Spilling Guts [Song Fight!, 2004]

I got your letter Addressed to me Don’t know why you sent it It’s such a mystery

You said you’re broken Trying to hide Asked me how I’m doing, said you’re Burning up inside

You tell a story A lover in the past You say you think this time will be different That we will last

I don’t need this kind of attention Please don’t show me your affection I don’t want you to always tell me How you think this is meant to be

Another letter You talk of dreams Seeing us together And everything’s serene

You tell a story How everything was wrong Until the day you met me, how I’m Wonderful and strong

I think you should know It’s hard on me The love you think you have is just a Cause of misery

I don’t need this kind of attention Please don’t show me your affection I don’t want you to always tell me How you think this is meant to be

Another letter The paper splattered red By the time I read this you think That you might be dead

You said you love me Why did I lead you on I’m pretty sure I didn’t want your Melancholy song

I call your lover She says you’re doing fine She told me that you said to tell me, “Please stay on the line”

I don’t need this kind of attention Please don’t show me your affection I don’t want you to always tell me How you think this is meant to be

You say you’re sorry For acting such a fool But can we still be friends if it would Not be cold and cruel

I say I’m sorry I never wanted you The image that you had of me was Anything but true

You say you’re sorry You hang your head in shame I’m sorry if you wanted me I just don’t feel the same

Lyrics: Sunny Again [Song Fight!, 2003]

Oh, it’s just another sunny day Why did someone have to chase the clouds away I just don’t want to come outside and play I just want the rain to wash my tears away

Don’t want you coming here, try to change my mind You don’t know just how I feel, I feel I’m feeling fine You don’t know what it’s like, living in my brain It’s not the things you think that keep me in this pain

Today is just another sunny day Why don’t you go and chase some fucking clouds away I don’t want to come outside and play today I just want the rain to wash my tears away

I’m being eaten at from every fucking side They smack me down, want me to drown, and take me for a ride You want to make me think it isn’t them it’s me It will not work you fucking jerk, I know how it should be

Oh it’s just another sunny day I wish the clouds could come and stay, for that I pray Please just leave me alone and go away Don’t want to see you now, just leave me alone today

I know I seem I’m on the edge of something bad You scream and shout I’m “flipping out,” you’re just making me mad I’m the one who’s fine, it’s everyone else who’s insane But people suck, I’m out of luck, I just can’t play this game

Oh, it’s just another sunny day Please let me be, don’t bother me today I’m sick of you trying to chase my clouds away I just want you to go the fuck away

Oh, it’s just another sunny day Why did someone have to chase my clouds away I just don’t want to come outside and play I just want you to stay

Originally for Circle of Titles, 2020

One of the other Song Fight! traditions is Circle of Titles, where we provide titles for each other to write songs for in a one-on-one way. In 2020 I got this lovely title from T.C. Elliott (known better as Pigfarmer Jr. on Song Fight!) and decided to write a song that was inspired by another friend’s manic episode from their untreated bipolar disorder.

I haven’t spoken to them in a while, and I hope they’re doing okay.

(The bipolar friend, I mean. T.C.’s doing fine.)

Lyrics: Wait Right Here

Wait Wait right here There’s something I have to tell you Wait Wait right here It is a thing I think you know too well Wait Wait right here There’s something I have to show you Wait It’s oh so clear I can’t hear the ringing of the bell

Wait Wait right here There’s something I’ve only realized now Wait It’s so clear I think we all need our own real space, oh Wait Wait right here I’m trying to find a proper way, how Wait It’s so dear The world can be a big beautiful place

I can’t hear the image that you’re saying I can’t hear, I wish I knew you well I can’t hear the image that you’re singing to me I can’t hear, I know you wish me well

Wait Wait right here There’s something I have to show you Wait Wait right here It’s time for me to have my show and tell, oh Wait Wait right here Remember the thing that I tried to tell you Wait Wait right here Of all the people I’m wishing you well, so Wait

An alternate soundtrack for Magnolia’s Early Morning Walk.

This was done as a prototype while trying to figure out the right mood for the game, and was not going to be used in the game itself as it didn’t end up fitting the vibe. I still like it, though.

The screeching “synth” sound for the second half (the “walkies” section) is a guitar whose strings are being excited by electromagnetic coupling with an eBow. It’s a great sound and I don’t get to use it in my music very much.

Game: Magnolia’s Early Morning Walk

Used in the game Currying Flavors (https://chinniedraws.itch.io/currying-flavors)

Game: Currying Flavors

This was recorded in posthumous tribute to its composer, Seth Gibbs, who probably did not intend for this song to be about himself.

His old band’s original version is available on Song Fight!.

Lyrics: Space Cadet

Space cadet, what can you bring us To bring us together

Space cadet, what can you bring us To bring us together

Space cadet can you see all of the planets and stars Lifeless and empty but they know who they are He is so alone But we are really alone

Fly away, leave us alone, we don’t want you anyway I hope you’re happy floating free up in space It’s so nice up there But it’s so rotten down here

Space cadet, what can you bring us To bring us together

Space cadet, what can you bring us To bring us together

You watch the universe go You wishing on the last star What do you think of us now How can you live with us now

Hey cadet, where do you think You’re going don’t float away Take us with you, we’ll miss you so

Space cadet, what can you bring us To bring us together

Space cadet, what can you bring us To bring us together

This song was originally written for Song Fight!, as part of the “Live Fight” challenge for Song Fight! Live 2021.

On the blog I have written up a detailed explanation of the lyrics and video.

Lyrics: Behind a Mask

Feeling lost in an elephant’s dream Caught up in the digital stream Cave of shadows, can’t say what I mean A million miles far from home

Best foot forward, take a step back Play defense while on the attack Sowing discord, can’t cut them no slack Everybody so alone

If everyone could see Themselves through some other eyes Innocent, caught up in the machinery An algorithmic disguise

Making everything great again Forget about your family and friends Looking for a means to an end Just don’t want to be alone

Fragile gem, split in two Internal dialogue of them vs. you Find acceptance with nothing to do The voices there are all your own

If everyone could see Themselves through some other eyes Innocent, caught up in the machinery An algorithmic disguise

A deeper body ache, and make a bad mistake A million jumping on Sharing a bad take, Nobody can quite shake The feeling that you’re gone

Feeling lost in an elephant’s dream Getting washed away by the digital stream If it feels better to share another meme Doesn’t make you less alone

If everyone could see Themselves through some other eyes Innocent, caught up in the machinery An algorithmic disguise

If everyone could see Themselves through some other eyes Innocent, caught up in the machinery An algorithmic disguise

Video: Behind A Mask

I needed a new outgoing voicemail message

Lyrics: The Call

[dial tone] [DTMF tones spelling out NOVEMBEAT#]

I can’t take your call right now But I’m not picking up anyhow I will try to get back to you If you leave a message at the beep

I can’t take your call right now But I’m not picking up anyhow I will try to get back to you If you leave a message at the beep

I can’t take your call right now But I’m not picking up anyhow I will try to get back to you If you leave a message at the beep But I’d rather text

more garage than garage