Woody Guthrie once said that folk singers took the old gospel songs, and the old traditional ballads, and they "put their own words to them..." But, people called it stealing, plagiarism and other "bad words." That is, until until "Pete (Seeger) come along and renamed it the 'folk process.'"
I am fascinated by what Pete Seeger dubbed "the folk process," the telling of stories and singing of songs, passing them on from one person to another, and from one generation to another, by word of mouth or personal performance. This is the way that people entertained themselves before the age of television and radio. This is the way we learned songs. Through this process a song is changed a little by each performer, adding to it's depth and refining it's character. By studying the known lyrics of the different variations of a song it's progress can be traced across land and through time.
The folk process has been in danger of being overwhelmed by our commercial media. Due to the high cost involved in recording, media moguls will only produce the music that they believe will make the most money. Fortunately, the internet and digital recording technology has the potential to save us from that.
New technology makes it economical to record and share music that would not have been considered commercially viable in the past. For the past ten years Roger McGuinn, the lead singer of "The Byrds," has maintained a web site called "The Folk Den,"where he records and shares a folk song every month as a "Global Community Service."
Other websites, like "The Mudcat Cafe" offer a place where folkies can exchange lyrics.
John Mayer, the Grammy winning singer/songwriter, has done a really cool thing. In a recent issue of Esquire magazine, and online, he has published a handful of incomplete lyrics that he has had rattling around in his head for a while and has offered them to anybody that is interested in completing them and setting them to music. They can record their creations and send them in to Mayer for him to share with the world.
What a great idea that is! And also, what a generous gift. It is the opportunity for aspiring composers to collaborate with a truly great songwriter, and to receive his feedback. It is also a way for John Mayer to contribute to the folk process in a very new and creative way.
So, here I offer my humble attempt at completing Mr. Mayer's lyrics. (His original lyrics are in red, the rest are mine.)Unfortunately, I am lacking the talent gene which is required to compose and record the music.
If you DO posess that gene...Feel free. You might as well add to the folk process too.
Mirror That's Been Turned Toward the Wall
John Mayer and Dan Mulligan
1. I keep a note that I wrote on a taxi receipt
It says, "Don't listen to nobody other than me"
I hit the big time, for a nominal fee.
You lose a friend in the end for every dream that you see come true.
2. I got scars upon scrapes;
I've got bruises on breaks.
Masochistically committed to see how much of this I'll take.
Three years under water,
I ain't even got the shakes.
I'm going deeper, and deeper, and deeper.
3. I've got dreams to remember.
I've got days to forget.
I've got a call in to God, but he ain't called me back yet.
I've got a call in to God, but he ain't called me back yet.
I've got a call in to God. He ain't called me back yet.
(chorus) I'm so far away
in this lonesome city.
I only hear the sounds in the hall.
Alone in the dark, no one sees me.
Like a mirror that's been turned toward the wall.
(Like a mirror that's been turned toward the wall.)
4. I keep my heart in a jar, on a pantry shelf.
It says it don't beat for nobody but you.
I hit the big time.
(It's not worth the fee.)
You lose a friend in the end for every dream that you see come true.
5. We've left tracks in the sand.
We've got our blood on our hands.
Irresistibly drawn to see the end of this plan.
Climbing the mountain, I still can't see the peak.
It's getting steeper, and steeper, and steeper.
6. I've got an old photo
of the day that we met.
I've got my bags packed, but I'm not leaving yet.
I've got my bags packed, but I'm not leaving yet.
I've got my bags packed. I'm not leaving yet.
(chorus)
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