A new song. Sort of.

I confess, I’ve sat on this song for awhile. I wrote most of it back in 2009, a year that now seems forever ago. Since then, I’ve become a proud papa of twins and gone back to work full-time, which has pushed songwriting to the sidelines. But new responsibiltites are not all that has caused me to hold back on releasing this tune.

Sometime in the past year I asked a non-musician friend what he thought of my music. I’ve got honest friends so he gave it to me straight and said, to paraphrase, the lyrics were always melancholy and then he asked why didn’t I write more positive songs. He pointed out my babies, my marriage, my recovery from brain trauma, my job. He had a point. In fact, I had been thinking the same thing. Worse, not only were most of my tunes downpressing, but they were also very similar thematically. Sometimes I felt I was writing the same song over and over again, at least from a lyrical standpoint.

After getting his note, I resolved to broaden my lyrical pallet and, so far, I’ve got one song half in the can that is more upbeat but as for finished stuff... well, Old Wounds is all there is and it was written, as I said, way back in 2009.

I remember the evening I wrote the first verse and basic chords. I was in Madison, Wisconsin, where I was getting innovative brain therapy from a former Russian military officer turned scientist, and the air was warm and still under a low sun and sky so I grabbed my guitar and a writing pad and walked down to the shore of the lake and got to work. The idea came fast, words, initial music, even structure. And before long, I was just lying there in the fading light and feeling that glow of knowing I had something pretty good, the hard work was done, I could relax (see pic above).

I finished the song over the next several months and then, while recording the demo, I hit on the idea for the middle 8. Originally, there was just going to be a solo, but at some point I turned around the rhythm in a weird way and I liked it so I kept it.

The details are already fading, but I think I worked with Tim, Sam, Jaime and Andy to record the music and then discovered the key was all wrong for Tim’s wife Eryn, who would be singing the tune. As with every other song I’ve ever worked on, if something wasn’t right, I started over and so it was with Old Wounds. In the end, the song moved from starting in D to starting in F# and Tim layered in a baritone guitar to keep things thick and warm sounding. Eryn sang her track beautifully, Tim redid the bass and added harmonies and, after a few mixing sessions, the song was ready.

I’m very happy with this one, sad lyrics and all. I hope you like it, too. Please comment or email with impressions!

OLD WOUNDS STILL BLEED

Sometimes it's hard to remember
​The things we thought would last
​But only for a moment
​Though years have passed

Then all our yesterdays
​They come back like a dream
​And I know nothing gold can stay
​But old wounds they still bleed

Sometimes I try to forget
​The things I know I've done
​I try to find forgiveness
​Where I know there should be none

And still I hold a candle out
​It burns like a need
​And I know nothing gold can stay
​But old wounds they still bleed

And I’ve tried most everything
​Everything I'm told will cure
​But still I feel the sting
​The sting of guilt I’ve felt for years

And time heals everything
​So I guess time is all I need
​But I have waited for so long
​And these old wounds they still bleed

Vocal - Eryn Young
​Guitars and Bass - Tim Young
​Andy Korn - Drums
​Engineering - Jaimeson Durr
​Recorded at Hyde Street Studio C in San Francisco and Tim’s house in LA