The Process #8 — Faith Healer

Posted on Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 // 0 Responses.

Name: Faith Healer
Date Written: 11/13/08
Date Recorded: 11/18/08
Written for: Carbon Footprint

There are those guys at the open mics that really only have the one song they wrote—probably for their girlfriend—a few years ago. They dutifully play their song about standing under the streetlight in the rain, or whatever, week after week, along with the requisite Oasis and ironic pop/hip-hop covers. It’s a decent song. Some people from the audience probably go up to him afterwards and tell him how much they liked it. A year later, he’s still doing the same songs.

I can’t speak for that guy, but one of the most exciting parts of songwriting to me is taking risks. Not every song you write is going to be “the one,” but you aren’t ever going to write it if you don’t write the weird ones too. I’ve got older songs where my first reaction is either to cringe or laugh when I hear them. As a full song, they’re sometimes abominable, but they’re valuable. They’ve taught me what doesn’t work.

Our song today is “Faith Healer.” I wouldn’t call it a blunder, but it’s a definite b-side. It’s a little weird, a little bit out of my usual style, but there are some worthwhile components. It’s one of the first times that I purposely tried to use certain types of chords to create a feel. It’s also the first time I included a key change in a song. I’ve gone on to incorporate both of those ideas into songs that have ended up or will end up on albums.

Man, that wasn’t all that interesting. Sorry. My back hurts and I’m trying to figure out ways I can incorporate some element of the production of Kendrick Lamar’s Section.80 on Small Talk. Those open mic people are real though. One time an open mic audience started yelling during my set for me to play covers and then when I went there the next year, there was a “no originals” rule. All your favorite songs would totally still exist if you had yelled at Bob Dylan or Lana Del Ray to stick to covers. Church.

Lyrics:

A pill is hard to swallow for a fool
But belief is something solid to hold on to
Bitter taste aside, who is anyone to judge
What helps somebody else survive

I watched a sparrow sing its song
It saw a scarecrow on my lawn
I begged it not to leave, as it ascended through the trees
I said I know what you mean

So come to me, I will hit you where it hurts
And I am cheap, but that’s how it works
Believe in me like an evangelical faith healer
I promise only what I know I can’t deliver
Something bigger

I mostly spend my time complaining
I mostly spend my time confused
But all of that aside, I hang on to my pride
And I am not a fool
I will follow the rules
I will swallow the truth
You are hollow and I am bruised

So come to me, I will hit you where it hurts
And I am cheap, but that’s how it works
Believe in me like an evangelical faith healer
I promise only what I know I can’t deliver
Something bigger