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City Song

from Violins by Brady O'Keefe

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about

Unlike most other songs of mine, "City Song" was written rather quickly, taking roughly a week for me to finalize. I remember walking around Hofstra University's campus on a warm September night in 2016 to write these lyrics after leaving my very noisy house because a party was happening. Earlier that summer, I decided to drop out of school to pursue my music, and I spent almost all of my nights that summer exploring the empty, beautiful campus. The sense of liberation and unbridled freedom I felt after withdrawing was complimented by this expanse of uninhabited campus, a secluded oasis within the crowded and bustling Hempstead Turnpike area. "City Song" made its way into my head at the end of that summer, after I spent two weeks feeling homesick in a strange New York City. During this time I was sporadically jotting down bits of lyrics that I would later flesh out into this song. I was always a bit on the fence about this song, but positive feedback from my friends kept it from being scrapped early on. Because I wrote, recorded, mixed and mastered this whole album, I was under a great deal of stress while working day and night to complete it. City Song was always a reminder of the peace and tranquility I found that first summer, before all of the technicalities and headaches were introduced. I was careful to leave this track slightly rougher around the edges than the others on 'Violins', so as to pay homage to the pure inspiration it was born from.

lyrics

New York's silly city sings
taxi cabs to accompany
But, this jungle is not so green
& the tallest trees I've ever seen

I've got friend's I seldom see
I've got a bed, but I seldom sleep
So, Santa Claus, don't spoil me
if I'm not home by Christmas Eve

Hello, I'm a monkey, I'm a man
I've been told to climb these trees the best I can
Then, a little pig spun me one little story
about something big & bad & headed for me
Now I'm stacking bricks to heed his big, bad warning
If I see the morning, I'll mourn two friends gone before me

First time stealing at sixteen
the day I graced the sky with a B.B.
But, that bird still haunts my dreams
& I curse the hands that took the wings

Someone, save the monkey, shoot the man
The keeper of the zoo; my evil twin
But, "The cage is not a curse, it is a blessing"
Until freedom, in the mind, starts manifesting
So, if first thing is first, I'm stopping second guessing
& when I see the moon, that ring of keys, I'll be collecting

New York's weary city sleeps
Brooklyn cries, Manhattan weeps
But I've given up on counting sheep
No stars above, no home to me

Walking just to lift my feet
No quicker sand than this concrete
No place like home, no better time machine
But, I still don't know;
Am I more man or monkey?

credits

from Violins, released March 19, 2018
Vocal harmony sung by Michael Leon.

All instrumentation performed & produced by Brady O'Keefe

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all rights reserved

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Brady O'Keefe image

Brady O'Keefe Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Producer
• Singer-Songwriter • Mix & Mastering Engineer

Located in Boston, Massachusetts. Available for freelance work in any or all of the areas of expertise listed above.
Feel free to contact me through the button below with any inquiries, work propositions or miscellaneous hate mail. ... more

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