Strings from Twenty Three by Keith Jolie

I picked Strings to start this album for a couple of reasons. It's a play on the idea of making the strings of my guitars characters in the songs they've played, and so is a song about songs (including some on this album) . It was the last song that I wrote for this album, and in fact the only song that I wrote specifically for this album (the others just met together here like friends at a pub). Finally, the last stanza of this song is a tribute to Leonard Cohen. At the time of his death I thought about releasing She as a single as a tribute to him and the impact he's had on my writing but She wasn't finished to my satisfaction then, so I held off. Together Strings and She I think act as perfect book ends to this album.

Tracklist

1.	Strings	3:54

Lyrics

Bm G
I’m on my last set of strings
G Bm
Pulled them straight, wound them up and let them sing
C G Bm
They lie like lovers vibrating never touching
G
Song after song they get weakened
Bm Bm
Until they’re pulled too far, pushed too long
Am C G
And they break, under the weight of their final song

Am C
On the floor over there all wound in bronze
G Bm
played a love removed that still stayed strong
Am G
After too many nights cold and alone
Bm C
It broke on the bridge of the lonesome song

Am C
After time and time and time again
G Bm
The second string got tired of trying
Am G
After pleading for a man that was left behind
Bm C
It broke a hole in the chord of his desperate crying

Refrain

Am C
An anthem with the highest refrain
G Bm
passion of youth forever remain
Am G
And shrill was the sound of that thunderous chord
Bm C
snapped in the sweat of the crowd wanting more

Am C
A love song drifts on the quiet of night
G Bm
While lovers bask in the softening light
Am G
As they wind themselves like so many refrains
Bm C
Unbroken silence is all that remains

Am C
In a quiet chord
G Bm
A choir sang that would please the lord
Am G
But before their songs could rise together
Bm C
The lowest string was silenced forever

Credits

from Twenty Three, released December 15, 2017

License