xmas toys

[commanda]

Currently doing a short songwriting course at the local community college, and this was the result of last weeks homework. I'll record it in the near future.

Xmas Toys

by Amanda Wynne
Copyright 2010

[verse 1]
E
Pre dawn air was chilly
A
childish thoughts were silly
E B7
waiting for the fire brigade to come

[verse 2]
E
nothing much I could do
A
wait until the flames were through
E B7
scratching through the ashes for my toys

[chorus 1]
A
the house burnt down on new years day
E
we got out but nothing was saved
A
thankful for I know not what
E
nothing left was all we got
B7 E
fire took my xmas toys away

[verse 3]
E
Life goes on as it must
A
Childhood passes into dust
E B7
xmas toys have long since gone away

[verse 4]
E
memory never fades away
A
but life goes on I heard you say
E B7
the past becomes a foggy memory

[chorus 2]
A
the house burnt down on new years day
E
we got out but nothing was saved
A
thankful for that life goes on
E
maybe I'll put this in a song
B7 E
and this will be the lesson learnt today


Darn. Forum software strips whitespace. Lines with 2 chords, the second chord is at the end of the line.

 

[Whatmysay]

To me this is the song you write before you write the song where you put down those first thoughts and feelings into your lyrics.
The first 2 verse are recount, sequenced chronologically, but with out symbolic undertones – it not that you have to it is just that your missing an opportunity.
The heart of the song is the strong image of ‘searching for toys in the ashes’ – I think however your not exploiting to the full – it is so vivid and could be a metaphor or a way onto so many other ideas; other than ‘resilience’.
Narrative theory suggests starting late in the ‘plot’ – sure your waiting for the firemen, sure the fire burns everything down – but that is a story on the news – For something more poetic/lyrical, the launch point for me is the toys in the fire: finding them, touching them, feeling their potential unrealised and then where ever the metaphor goes after that, you are closer to the ‘realisation/epiphany’ which of course becomes your hook in the Ch.
‘Toys in the fire’ beautiful metaphor