dark-house.org

This song is rare in that it changed very little form the moment of initial inspiration to the (current) final version. I had created it as a spontaneous whim, including lyrics and melody (which is usually a very dangerous thing!) I wanted something edgy and quick. Mike made only minor changes to this one along the way. The biggest change was the guitar orchestration in the current version. One of the first tunes that used real guitars and bass that actually sound like real guitars and bass.

 - Max

Who am I? Who is this face in the mirror that I see?
Who am I? Who is this face in the mirror, is it me?

d-d-d dark clouds are swirling. reveal my desperation.
d-d-d don't know, the right from wrong. it's lost in the transalation.
i don't know why things aren't what they seem.
life goes on, a haunting sort of dream.

candles burning, heed the warning, darkness falls, the endless mourning, spirits calling, tides are turning, what, what, why...

t-t-t take me into the fire, the dark illumination.
t-t-t touch me. i know desire, your ultimate damnation.
i don't know why or if its even true.
the spirits show, the spirits always knew...

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Original Lyrics:
Who am I? Who is this face in the mirror that I see?
Who am I? Who is this face in the mirror, is it me?

d-d-d dark clouds are swirling. reveal my desperation.
d-d-d don't know, the right from wrong. it gets lost in transalation.
i don't know why, or what to do. There's you and her, or me and you.
I can't believe the future lies. There's live and lose. There's love and die.

candles burning, heed the warning, darkness falls, the endless mourning, spirits calling, tides are turning, what, what, why...

t-t-t take me into the fire, the dark illumination.
t-t-t touch me. i know desire, your ultimate damnation.
i don't know why or what to do. i could be wrong. it could be true.
i can't believe in everything. the spirit show. the spirits knew...

words copyright 2005 M. Larson and M. Malone

Image copyright 2006 M. Larson

The opening needed to be edgier, so it now has an emphasis on the 'spirit voice' sounds, both gliding white noise, and whispers. When the opening chorus comes in, it is sparser tan the original mixes, voice drums, and a little harpsichord (plus whispers). If you listen very carefully you will hear that the outer whispers are actually saying something concrete, but you won't really be able to tell what it is.  For posterity, it is the chant:

"Who m-i-s-s-i-n-g  p-e-r-s-o-n, not a lie, not alive, dig deeper, b-b-buried, not dead."

The latest mix also tries to define the acoustic space of the song better. I think it succeeds there.

Learning to mix with flat EQ in the headphones is still a challenge.

 - Max