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You Drew a Crooked Line

by Mount Pappy

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about

Every so often, near the end of a song’s journey from false starts to final cut, a shaft of light breaks through my self-doubt, revealing a moment in the track or a technical execution in the mix that would not have been possible by me one year — or even six months — before.

The realization hits: “I’m actually getting better at this.”

Of course — and here comes the fog of self-doubt again — “getting better” is relative. However, within the context of a middle-aged father picking up a guitar after almost 20 years of not playing and sitting down to sketch out some songs about parenting, at times like these I feel a brief rush of joy. I know that the work I am putting into the craft of songwriting is slowly paying off.

What I describe here happened recently when I put the finishing touches on a new Mount Pappy track, “You Drew a Crooked Line.”

The song is written from the perspective of my future self and looks back at several moments I have experienced with one of our twin toddlers.

From the musical composition, to the lyrics, to the mixing process, the song represents some of the best work I have ever done. The music flows naturally. The words are precise, used with economy, and convey authenticity. And in the technical mixing of the track, I experimented with several advanced (for me) techniques.

Again, any progress this song represents is relative to my previous work. But it is progress nonetheless.

As you listen to the track, perhaps you will agree.

lyrics

"You Drew a Crooked Line"

Four pounds, fingers curled
You came into the world
Beeping machines and tubes
Fed you inside a cube

Seems it was yesterday
Seems it was yesterday

Balance bike on the deck
Sharp turn then you wrecked
Bloody mess, ER trip
Got you a popsicle stick

Seems it was yesterday
Seems it was yesterday

I’ll tell you something
I’ll tell it true
Some days I barely just
Made it through

I’ll tell you something
I’ll tell it true
Some days I barely just
Made it through

You drew a crooked line
I said it looks just fine
You clapped your hands and smiled
Hindsight - you were a damn good child

credits

released April 15, 2022

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Mount Pappy Vienna, Virginia

A few years ago, I decided to pick up an old acoustic guitar from my college days. So much life had passed since I last wrote a song. I tried out a few barely-remembered chords and felt as if a long-lost pet had suddenly returned to paw at my front door. The music, no matter how ill-played, wanted back into my life. Soon, words shaped by the years began to emerge.

So, now, here I am again. ... more

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