Singing to Sea (Sailing to Shore)


I used BIAB to sketch out this song. In this mix, I've kept the bass (but used ToonTracks EZBass to convert the realtrack bass to midi), autoharp, drums (but used ToonTracks superior drums to add extra drums), guitar 1, and guitar 2. I've recorded 2 more guitar tracks using my acoustic guitar.

Here is the BIAB realtracks info:

Bass - 1121 Bass, Acoustic, CountryWaltz 085
AutoHarp - 2709 Autoharp, Rhythm OldTimeSlowWaltz 085
Drums - RealDrums=GypsyJazzWaltzSW
Guitar1: 3176:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm CampfireSlowWaltz Sw085
Guitar2: 2053:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking CountryWaltzBrent Sw085

I exported the audio and then imported into Studio One 4. I added various plugins and occasionally manually manipulated some of the audio tracks.

The lyrics were born out of the translitic process, which begins with a foreign language poem. Here is a bit of info about this process if you are unfamiliar with it: What is a translitic?

I wrote 4 drafts, and this is my current set of lyrics:

I looked for you in the fields and the orchards
Museums and graveyards, through long halls of stone
Like the dead I fought hard and fast for forgiveness
Longed for the living, for laughter and song

All the beautiful words I fed to the west wind
Hands full of ash--nibbled and gone
But the bones of the dark sky were gentled by starlight
Broken ships, broken voices, all washed ashore

Hear the moon how she's calling; she's on her elbows at midnight
She croons soft to the sea, to her salt-water love
And I in my boat, I am drunk on my longing
I'm singing to sea but sailing to shore
And I in my boat, I am drunk on my longing
I'm singing to sea but I'm sailing to shore

Honey hands on the wheel and these rivers of morning
Green days of summer and long hauls of blue
Though I'd salted my youth with hard ligands of longing
This wingless bird of my heart is still wrapped in ribbons of you

Hear the moon how she's calling; she's on her elbows at midnight
She croons soft to the sea, to her salt-water love
And I in my boat, I am drunk on my longing
I'm singing to sea but I'm sailing to shore

Hear the moon how she's calling; she's on her elbows at midnight
She croons soft to the sea, to her salt-water love
And I in my boat, I am drunk on my longing
I'm singing to sea but I'm sailing to shore
And I in my boat, I am drunk on my longing
I'm singing to sea but I'm sailing to shore

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