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AUTUMN RECOLLECTIONS AND ALONE INSTRUMENTAL

Clicking on the blue link above, will play the audio for my song. I plan to do a new vocal soon.

When I began recording, I had to transpose all of my original songs. I didn’t even remember the fingerings to most of my songs. After all, it had been thirty years since I had played my guitar.

It turns out that the songs I’ve decided to record last are musically the most unusual and interesting. When I went into George’s studio, I decided to arrange two songs together: “Autumn Recollections” and “Alone.” Both songs are among my earliest compositions; I was seventeen years old when I wrote them. I made very few changes on my recording with George.

I decided to exercise creative freedom by connecting the songs; they are short and similar in style. Each has dissonant chords, as well as three stanzas without a chorus. Three strings of the last chord on ‘”Autumn Recollections” carries over into “Alone,” even though they are in different keys.

Because the finger picking on Autumn Recollections is very fast, I needed intense concentration to record it cleanly. I was aware that Autumn Recollections sounded like the Toto song, “Dust in the Wind.” The beginning chords were very similar.

George had a lot of comments about my chord structure and composition. I told him how I was influenced by the 70’s; John Denver and the Moody Blues had songs like this. He thought the song “Alone” especially reminded him of a Jefferson Airplane song, but I wasn’t that familiar with their music.

As George and I worked on Autumn Recollections, I was mesmerized by the melodies George chose for the strings; I loved their interplay. The flute added even more delicacy to my song.

George suggested some interesting effects for my voice and guitar on “Alone.” He wanted to emphasize the haunting quality.

I find it interesting that I do not feel very motivated to write much background about these songs. That might be one reason I did not record them earlier.

Autumn Recollections was my second “breakup” song; I felt deeply saddened after breaking up with my red-haired boyfriend. I actually went back to my diaries once again, to find some entries about that experience.

Alone was actually written without my having experienced anyone dying at all! However, it was certainly there for me later on.

A page from my diary in 1976 – I was seventeen-years-old. Such insight I have now! How could I think “he was my last hope?”

AUTUMN RECOLLECTIONS

Original Song by Judy Unger, Copyright 2010

September in a chilled, rustling field

A sweet, meadow scent in your hair

Drifting dreams in a cool, wispy sky

Resting in the warmth of your arms

A gentle breeze scattering thoughts

I wish I was unable to care

October on a hillside of oak

Wind whipped leaves swirl about

Their rusty color reminds me of you

And my eyes slowly cloud

A somber, gray sky darkens above

Casting a long and shivering shadow

November on a desolate beach

Alone with my guitar

Hollow chords echo through the mist

Lost in the thundering surf

Only the icy foam crawls forth to listen

Until it must return

ALONE

Original Song by Judy Unger, Copyright 2010

The wind is icy

Whipping through the dense, cold darkness

My eyes are misty

The stars are dim; I am alone

I’m standing numb and frozen

Wishing your arms could hold me now

But they can’t because you’ve gone

Out of my life; I am alone

I don’t understand what’s happened

A deep, dark emptiness is there

Why did you go?

What is left since you died

I don’t know

I am alone

This is an actual page of my lyrics in development from 35 years ago!

© Judy Unger and http://www.myjourneysinsight.com 2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Judy Unger with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.