One Kiss from You
July 6, 2008 11:29 AM
A maudlin love song from an old man to a young woman. Written in 2001. Part of my Old Songs project.
Obviously written in a mood that was a bit saccharine. There is no story to this song, except that I forgot how to play it and retaught myself this morning, and was a little disappointed at how simple it is. I think this is one of those instances where I had a melody in my head, worked it out on the ukulele, and realized that what seemed like a very sophisticated piece of songwriting when I hummed it to myself was based on the same chord structure as "Louie, Louie."
I think I wrote this song in a jealous fit over "September Song," which is melancholy and bleak and lovely, and I sometimes write things because I wish I had written something else.
"ONE KISS FROM YOU" LYRICS:
My eyes grow dim as I grow old
My hearing fails me and my skin it grows cold
I'm easily wearied if I stay up past 10
But one kiss from you
I'd be a young man again
Those boys who love you, what do they know
I see them trailing behind you wherever you go
It's the affections of children not the passion of men
And one kiss from you
I'd be a young man again
My hand they tremble -- that's what they do
My knees grow weak -- but still I love you
I'm frail and silly and I've got pains in my heart
And I fear if you won't love me it will all fall apart
My nurses tell me that I'm an old fool
Flirting and fussing like I'm back in high school
If it's a fool who loves you, well, I'm a fool then
But one kiss from you
I'd be a young man again.
Obviously written in a mood that was a bit saccharine. There is no story to this song, except that I forgot how to play it and retaught myself this morning, and was a little disappointed at how simple it is. I think this is one of those instances where I had a melody in my head, worked it out on the ukulele, and realized that what seemed like a very sophisticated piece of songwriting when I hummed it to myself was based on the same chord structure as "Louie, Louie."
I think I wrote this song in a jealous fit over "September Song," which is melancholy and bleak and lovely, and I sometimes write things because I wish I had written something else.
"ONE KISS FROM YOU" LYRICS:
My eyes grow dim as I grow old
My hearing fails me and my skin it grows cold
I'm easily wearied if I stay up past 10
But one kiss from you
I'd be a young man again
Those boys who love you, what do they know
I see them trailing behind you wherever you go
It's the affections of children not the passion of men
And one kiss from you
I'd be a young man again
My hand they tremble -- that's what they do
My knees grow weak -- but still I love you
I'm frail and silly and I've got pains in my heart
And I fear if you won't love me it will all fall apart
My nurses tell me that I'm an old fool
Flirting and fussing like I'm back in high school
If it's a fool who loves you, well, I'm a fool then
But one kiss from you
I'd be a young man again.
posted by Astro Zombie (2 comments total)
Hey, nothing wrong with I-IV-V-in' it! You write good melodies like this to go with simple chords, and no one'll complain.
Since I seem to imagine more complex arrangements for these things, I think there could be some light scatting in between lines, a la Louie Armstrong. Actually, Louie could probably do a number on this one. Scratchy vocals and a trumpet chorus!
posted by danb at 7:43 PM on July 6, 2008
Since I seem to imagine more complex arrangements for these things, I think there could be some light scatting in between lines, a la Louie Armstrong. Actually, Louie could probably do a number on this one. Scratchy vocals and a trumpet chorus!
posted by danb at 7:43 PM on July 6, 2008
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posted by dobie at 3:04 PM on July 6, 2008