Gathering Millstones

I wrote this song in August. I tried to create an underlying discomfort in the music. I progressively added piano, viola, and pedal steel to offset the repetition and to add texture and weight. Still learning the ropes in this weekend hobby.

Real Tracks:
RT1677 Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking CountryBrent
RT896 Guitar, 12-String Acoustic, Rhythm FolkRock
RT2456 Cello, Background PopSwing
RT2870 Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm CelticAirDave
RT2455 Viola, Background PopSwing
RT2667 Pedal Steel, Background DreamySingleNote

Don’t take the children (3x)
They’re gathering millstones

Someone is breaking the bond
Of mother and child
The wolves are running wild
Can’t feel the wind blow

Don’t take the children (3x)
They’re gathering millstones

Millions of silent cries
Who heard their voice
Who gave them a choice
Can’t feel the wind blow

Don’t take the children (3x)
They’re gathering millstones

Didn’t mean to leave them alone
Just needed a buffer
Who must suffer
Can’t feel the wind blow

Don’t take the children (3x)
They’re gathering millstones

Nobody did anything wrong
Didn’t have a part to play
Of leading them astray
Can’t feel the wind blow.

Don’t take the children (3x)
They’re gathering millstones

I like the mystery in the lyrics- enhanced by the repetition.
Good arrangement and a very clear vocal (good doubled vocal btw- sits beautifully in the mix).
Good song!

Robert

Hi Ezekiel, Fantastic work! The different elements really glue well together and the instruments are layered nicely. The guitar has a great tone and enjoyed the strings, they harmonize with the lyrics nicely. Well done!

A nice mysterious piece - really interesting instrument choices,dark lyrics and nice vocals.
Very evocative and different.

Peter

Hi!

The mystery in the music and the catchy lyric so nicely sung blend so smoothly with the backing tracks in a dissonant manner. The layering is a real nice touch - every verse is refreshed with the new addition. Unusual and quite enjoyable.

Alan

I like Peter's word, "evocative."

"Someone is breaking the bond
Of mother and child
The wolves are running wild
Can’t feel the wind blow"

Love the way that established the feel for the lyric right from the get go.

Well done!

J&B

Great work! I think you did a wonderful job with the repetitive nature of the arrangement. When I’m working on something that has repetitious phrases, I often have a hard time visualizing where I’m at in the arrangement and I find that it can be quite complicated to get it all right. I think you did a wonderful job in this regard.

I’d love to know the backstory behind the lyric… A great hallmark of a song Is that it causes the listener to want to know more about the underlying message… So let us in on the story!

Very interesting piece, mysterious lyrics, nice chording and some Beatles flavors. Good vocals mixed well. Effective use of the string instruments.

Janne

very pretty arrangement and clear strong vocals

enjoyed the listen,

Kenny

Very cool vocal and lyric. Well done

A very unique work. The lyrics fit the melody and production in that they are somewhat mysterious. It is up to the individual listener to determine the meaning. Definitely a Beatles influence. That is a good thing and somewhat unusual on this forum. I enjoyed the experience, Tom

Very interesting music and lyrics!! You've really captured a mood with the combination of instruments......strings are beautifully weaved into this. Nice vocals and production. All of it works for me!! Take care. Greg

I got the idea for the song from the news stories about the government taking children away from their immigrant parents. That is where the idea started and where the first verse starts, but the subsequent verses deal with other harms done to children. The song is not meant to be a political one, just a humanitarian one. (There are verses that would irritate both the left and right sides of the spectrum.) The line "They're gathering millstones" is a biblical allusion to Luke 17:2 "It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble." I also alluded to Bob Dylan with the line "Can't feel the wind blow" because the answer to these problems are not "blowing in the wind." I hope I shed some light on the song. I wasn't trying to be enigmatic. I should have listened to my wife when she said she had no idea what I was singing about when I wrote this song.

Yes, the Beatles are definitely my biggest influence (as I am sure they might be for some others too); consequently, there seems to be a piece of them in almost every song I write.

Thanks for taking the time to listen to and comment on my song. It's encouraging to hear when sometimes I feel like I'm just putzing around with my guitar, piano, and BIAB.

Wow - what a unique and entrancing tune I'm getting a late 60's kind of vibe on this one. I can hear some Beatles influence for sure. Your harmonies are gorgeous, and I love the haunting backing track. You really creating a distinct mood on this one, and I loved it.

Great work and thanks for sharing!

I really like this! Definitely has a late 60s vibe, which is ok in my book.

Love the production, the doubled vocal works really well, and everything sits in the mix perfectly.

Good song, enjoyed the listen!

A cool sound. Somewhat Beatlesque, yet quite original. The instrumentation is really nicely done.

The vocals are extraordinary. The constant harmony works extremely well.

The mix is really good. It sounds good at low volumes, but more importantly, it sounds really good when turned up loud. Superb.

I thoroughly enjoyed the listen.

Struck hard by that progression. "Unsettling" achieved there, and in the vocal harmonies that those chords supported/suggested/demanded. That, and the constant evolution of the band kept interest throughout. I like this a lot.

Ezekiel's Storm,

This is the ultimate tribute to this year's 50th annivrsary of the Beatles' White Album .

What more can I say: I bow my head in respect to this extraordinary work.

Stefan

When the introduction started playing, the words that sprang into my mind were "mysterious", "moody", "haunting". What I was hearing reminded me of the bold brushstrokes of Vincent van Gogh. Somehow, and impressively, you managed to create a really indelible mood through the use of instrumentation, chord progression, and consonance and dissonance. Doing this, you set the scene for what was to follow with purpose and intent. I was hooked.

As others have noted, the mix sits very comfortably and your vocals sound great. I sincerely appreciated the adventurous journey of sound that you took me on!

Regards,
Noel