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St Ives State Of Mind

from Homecooked: Songs From FAWM 2013 by TA Walker

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Before FAWM 2013 began, I was already trying to make up a "bucket list" - of musical genres, instruments to try, etc. - in case I ran out of inspiration at some point. One concept I had on the list, was to try something like a "calypso" or "hula"-type song, or at least my somewhat-stereotypical impression of one, with my guitalele (and, you'll be glad to hear, no silly cod-Caribbean or Hawaiian accent, or at least not much of one!).

So, when the first FAWM song challenge of this year (write about a city/town) landed, I just "knew" where to write about for song no. 2: one of my favourite places in the whole world... the delightful seaside town of St Ives (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Ives,_Cornwall), in Cornwall in the far south-west of the UK. I just love the place - it's part-picture-postcard small seaside town (with an almost continental European vibe about it), part-bohemian/hippy artists' haunt - and it's quite unlike anywhere else in England that I know of. I hope the song conveys something of how I feel when I go there (and, for that matter, when I can't!).

BTW: I know in the first verse of the demo, I sang "VW split-screen camper van", but I think I prefer "vintage" instead of "VW" - the former scans a bit more comfortably, and if I don't mention the trade-name of a company, maybe the BBC will play it one day ;-)

Techie/demo notes: recorded entirely in Multitrack DAW on an iPod Touch, via the TASCAM iU2 audio/MIDI interface with an Oktava MK219 condenser mike (aside from the bass guitar - via a Behringer BDI21 bass pre-amp). I think the guitaleles came out quite pleasant-sounding here... the lot was mixed in Logic Pro on a Mac.

lyrics

Five hours’ drive from a Monday morning
Leaving with the tide
A vintage split-screen camper van
The only wheels to ride, to...

(St Ives) A haven by the sea
(St Ives) A hundred galleries
(St Ives) It waits for you and me
In my St Ives state of mind

Ambling through the tiny streets
Past gift-shops, artists’ nests
The seagulls’ song reminds us of
The town we love the best

(St Ives) Sea-breeze on my face
(St Ives) Far from the rat-race
(St Ives) Trawlers catching plaice
In my St Ives state of mind

[bridge]
Fishing-boats in harbour
Look out on passing ships
The seagulls divebomb people’s lunch
‘Cos they love that fish-and-chips!

[instrumental]

From the azure waves of Carbis Bay
To the Hayle estuary
The clearest light in England fair
Guess where I love to be

(St Ives) The artists’ balconies
(St Ives) Face the ocean breeze
(St Ives) Picture my memories
In my St Ives state of mind

credits

from Homecooked: Songs From FAWM 2013, released March 4, 2013
TA Walker - guitaleles, vocals, bass guitar, shaker

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TA Walker UK

Guitarist/multi-instrumentalist, composer and songwriter, often with "electronica", "lo-fi" and "prog" inclinations.

Um... will that do?

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