Mystery Car from The Code by Sundogs
Mystery Car
by Jed Moffitt
Out back behind my office window...there really was a car. I looked at it one morning, about ready to start another day at the desk of my regular office 9 to 5...and I thought: “What if I had no ties and I just went out there and hopped in that abandoned car and took it on a one-way joyride out of town? Destination: adventures unknown! It is amazing the small events in real life that can inspire a song. Stan and I have learned: Bass lines are important! And “Mystery Car” illustrates this again, setting up a toe-tapping groove that never relents. During production, Stan frequently refers to “The Machine” -- meaning the intricate interweaving of distinctive interesting parts. “Mystery Car” is a prime example of the Sundogs machine, as the interplay between the piano, electric piano, guitar, drums and steady bass line all give a sense of a finely tuned machine. Note in particular the percussive rhythm guitar figures in your left headphone which has become a Sundogs signature guitar device that we call “Spider-Crawl”. Shout-outs go to our wonderful tenor sax player and horn arranger, Eric Patterson, for the perfect Steely Dan style horn arrangement, and again to Javier Gonzalez, on trumpets, for flawless execution.
Tracklist
| 2. | Mystery Car | 4:48 |
Lyrics
Covered with leaves
Stranded in the parking lot
Out back behind my office window, rejected and abandoned
Afflicted by wanderlust
And fatigue with the 9 to 5
Temptation is killing me
To steal you for a joyride
You are a practical sedan
For a practical man
You are the ideal wheels for an executive on the lam
You have your Sundogs sun-roof
And your overhead cam
The space in the cab is trivial to me
There is room for my woman and the key
Mystery car, your fenders and bumpers are clean
Your Oyster-Blue finish mesmerizes me
Like a sophomore haunted by some Kerouac dream
My days are lived like I am walking on knives
Full of specious agendas and curated lies
I am waiting for the day when my courage arrives
And I can chase my wandering star
In my mystery car
I got an email
You’re on the radar of the groundskeeping crew
They were out back smoking a cigarette
Wasting a morning and ruining the view
One of them called a tow-truck
It is well on the way
We have to strike while the iron is hot
And make our getaway
Mystery car, you’ve stolen the rest of the scene
Your Oyster-Blue finish mesmerizes me
Like a sophomore haunted by some Kerouac dream
My days are lived like I am walking on knives
Full of specious agendas and curated lies
I am waiting for the day when my courage arrives
And I can chase my wandering star
To Colombia, or China, or Myanmar
I won’t be trapped like a bug in a jar
In my mystery car
Credits
Jed Moffitt: songwriter, co-producer, vocals, keyboards
Stan Snow: producer, backing vocals, guitars, bass
Mike Stone: drums
Jazmin Candia: backing vocals
Eric Patterson: tenor sax and horn arrangements
Javier Gonzalez: trumpets
Don Gunn: engineering, mixing, mastering
Copyright 2020 Jed Moffitt, BMI, All rights reserved.
License
All rights reserved.
The Sundogs are a Seattle based band formed by Stan Snow and Jed Moffitt. Their original music is Indie Rock, Prog, Jazz, Jam Band, Blues / Roots Rock, and is written to satisfy the music fan within.
Some people compare their musical styles to Tom Petty, Steely Dan, the Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, etc...with strong songwriting, musicianship, production, vintage guitar and keyboard solos.