Skin - New Song

I was at the church today, between mentoring and teaching voice, resting a bit since I felt very tired (as it turns out, free pancake day at IHOP for mardi gras + no wednesday workout = a very tired Melody Joy).

As I rested, my thoughts turned to a "song" I had started jotting down the other day. Just words, I really had no rhythm in mind when I wrote it...I pulled it out of my purse and it happened. Suddenly I'm humming and then singing...the tune played itself across my mind before I could even begin to fully conceive of it. Then, I finished the words and started plunking the notes out on the keyboard (to give me a head start for writing it on staff paper later, I plunked out the melody while writing the letter notes on the notebook sheet, right next to the lyrics). I thought this was a great plan, because I have very little focus for getting songs written out on staff paper, and I think that removing one step (the plunking) from that process will make it more efficient. So I am splitting the work up in such a way that I will not forget the tune by the time I write it down, but neither will I wear myself out trying to write it down.

I had a little extra time, anyway, since by the time I was about halfway through my voice student's mother called to tell me they had to cancel. The poor girl had a nosebleed! Those used to really scare me when I was younger. And frankly, all the vibrating that occurs in the sinuses during a voice lesson is probably not a great post-bleed stimuli. Relapses are less than pleasant.

Anyway, without further ado, here is the song. Just in case it matters to anyone: Key of D, 6/8 time, starts on the third beat. Since it is being read and not heard, I wanted to set it up to be "heard" as well as possible.

Skin
by Melody Joy

I want to flow freely
From all that is in me
But a barrier remains
Fighting the passion in these veins
And it is all over

All over me
More than reigning me in
It stifles
It strangles, it
Chokes with fear
It strands me here

Standing next to You
Trapped in my skin
I can't make it feel right
And I can't make it look right
And it is not right

It's all over me
More than reigning me in
It stifles
It strangles, it
Chokes with fear
It strands me here

And I strive to draw
Closer to You
And I don't know how
But I'll let you through
As I let You
Help me stop trying
This anxiousness
Is steadily dying
And I
Am strangely at home
With you in my skin

And Your peace is all over
It's all over me
More than soothing my soul
It strengthens
Emboldens, it
Drives all fear
Away from here.

© Melody Joy Music, February 25, 2009