All songs and videos on this site © Jonathan Ochshorn
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I recorded this song in 2007 and shot and edited the video in June 2008; it consists mostly of my feet shown walking around Ithaca and the Cornell campus. If you're curious about the meaning of the lines, "streams have been buried with no memory or trace/ mute walls of granite rise up in their place," I was thinking of the original geography of New York City, covered with all sorts of streams that have subsequently been buried and replaced with buildings; this NY Times article discusses the Viele Map from 1874 in which many of these water features are shown.
Shadows Burn
Words and music © 2007 J. Ochshorn
1. She says to me what can we do
This isn't working for me or for you
My thoughts are racing but words won't come out
Silence like a shroud of darkness and doubt
Leaves me stranded nursing my desire
Reprimanded like the ash in a smoldering fire
Shadows burn
2. Searching for treasure looking for heat
I can't find the sun in this cavernous street
Streams have been buried with no memory or trace
Mute walls of granite rise up in their place
Hard living panning for this gold
Unforgiven even here out in the cold
Shadows burn
[Bridge] Nothing makes any sense now
What I'm doing where I'm going
Got no brilliant defense like a leaf in the wind
I'm just blowing and blowing
[Instrumental verse]
3. Walking alone street lights like moons
Bracket my thoughts like so many cocoons
Laughter and music as couples caress
Accent this feeling of hopelessness
Sun rising as the traffic starts to flow
Unsurprising even under its pale yellow glow
Shadows burn [repeat and fade]
Production notes:
Song was arranged, produced, and recorded on Garageband software by J. Ochshorn. All instruments and vocals by J. Ochshorn. Instruments include some software instruments (e.g., drums and bass) played live on a midi keyboard by J. Ochshorn.
Recorded at home in Ithaca, NY, November 2007; re-mixed in 2018 with a new harmonica solo replacing the original (and inappropriate) "trumpet."
First posted 1 September 2014. Last updated: August 28, 2019