macs music nz
The home of the music of Ian McCormick
SOUVENIRS
SOUVENIRS
The second album contains a collection of tracks that are all about past experiences, hence the title of Souvenirs. Continuing the same overall sound canvas, based on guitars and piano, with the odd sprinkling of flugelhorn and saxophone, strings and lots of harmonies, the album has a more pop and lighter feel than the first album.
01. Trying Never Seemed To Be Enough
There are times that you cannot control your feelings. Once, on the rebound, somebody helped me over a really bad heartbreak, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't love her they way that she wanted me to. Which was a shame, as she deserved better. A serious regret in my life that I hurt her the way I did.
02. Could You Ever Be Satisfied
A good friend wrote me some lyrics, based on their perception on how I was living my life and how they felt I was not looking at what was important. Having my eyes opened by my friend, I adjusted the original words to better define what the message was.
03. Lonely Man
One of my really good friends, I have known for most of my life, I feel, is slightly agoraphobic. He doesn't mix well with strangers and struggles to socialise. I'm sure he just needs to meet somebody to change that.
04. Memory Lane
My friend Albert already had most of this song done and needed some lyrics. I find it quite difficult to write lyrics to an existing piece of music because of the constraints that are already in place regarding the melody structure, but I went with the memories and souvenirs theme and it worked out ok.
05. Souvenirs
The title track. A strange song as it doesn't fit the normal conventions. There aren't verses and choruses that follow a pattern, and there are number of key changes. But when I was writing it, it just seemed to work out that way.
06. Fell In Love Too Soon
Originally written for someone I knew that was very young and had fallen in love with an older woman. As time went by, the relationship worked out and the song was not so relevant, so I changed the lyrics to be a retrospective view.
07. (Today's May Not Be) Tomorrow's Words
A tongue in cheek look at relationships. When you're young and not looking for a serious relationship, there's always this tendency to be "playing the field".
08. Mister One Hundred Percent
Another tongue in cheek look at relationships. There is always that question about giving everything, your heart and your soul. I don't think you can, you have to save a piece of yourself, for yourself.
09. Guess I'll Always Be In Love
Some people are lucky and never have to go through endless failed relationships, but others can spend a lot of their life moving for one to another, in a search for the right one.
10. Never Have To Say Goodbye Again
I had spent a long time overseas and was really looking forward to getting home to my partner. Think I decided that I would not do the working overseas again without taking them with me.
11. Sweet Angel
Another long term friendship that was a result of not being able to commit. She moved on, got married and had children, but after more than 40 years we're still friends.
12. Time's Not Waiting For Me
One of those "I'm growing old" moments. There are times in your life, and I don't think I am unique, when you look around and suddenly, 20 years have gone by and you wonder where did it all go. All your friends have grown up and moved on and all you have are memories and souvenirs.