In the Key of K

The new album, Out of Time Out of Tune, will be streaming everywhere on April 17th, 2026. However, you can buy an advance copy right now here. Also, you can buy or stream it on Bandcamp.

About two years ago (2024) I remembered this song. I hadn’t thought about it or heard it in decades. I couldn’t remember its name or the verse music. Nothing but the chorus lyrics. For a while I was convinced it was something I heard and not one of my songs but then I did some digging and started to uncover forgotten memories. It was my song and I was excited to reconnect with it!

I think this song inspired the reboot of all the old back catalog of songs, now called Volume 1, 1997, Out of Time Out of Tune (from 1998), and Open the Door (from 1998-2000). This track, from Out of Time Out of Tune was written and recorded between 1997 and 1998 (I think some of these lyrics may have been from as early as 1995 or 1996). Since I wrote and performed all the parts and only sent copies to friends, most of it has been unheard and unavailable for the last 30 years. Volume 1 is already streaming everywhere (CDs in the merch store!) but Open the Door won’t be our for a while.

Anyway, it was true joy to hear the original master cassette tape after so many years. That tasty bass line makes me happy. However it does have a lot of flaws. Mainly the guitar is a bit of a mess–so was K at this time so it stays. In those days I almost always played the track from start to finish–no over dubs and no punch-ins.

This song is about growing up–remembering all the rage and angst we live in our youth and wanting to hold on to it as it starts slipping away. It’s about losing your identity and trying to figure things out. It’s about remembering where you come from while growing into something else–not wanting to erase what you are with what you are becoming. However, to move forward, change is inevitable.

//
Back to the Roots

Feel them break my mind.
Hear them eat my eyes.
See it coming close.
There will be no hope.
Leaving open doors.
Then they ask for more.
Trying to break my will
Is like getting me to sit still.

Chorus
Bring out something to grab from all the smoke.
Make a new space to exist from all that was.
Don’t forget the tree that grew and bore the fruit,
Deep down into the roots.
Bring out a brand new world for me to choke.
Bring back all of the hate and keep it close.
Bring forth all of the life that I forget.
Bring back all of the rage

I couldn’t be my kind
Shove to the front of the line.
Bring the whole world to a boil.
Feasting while asking for more.
Walking another mile.
Moving along is worthwhile.
Reverse or stop too late.
Running toward what we create.

Chorus

//

How do you play it? The verse and the chorus are all open chords. The form is: V |C | V | C |V solo | C | bridge | C | bridge | C no guitar | bridge solo| V solo| C solo |bridge|

Tasty bass for the verses:
———————–
———————–
———–2-3-5——-
-0-2-3-5———-3-5-

Verse (all open major chords!):
|G*C*|A***|

Chorus (All open major chords!):
|D*F*|C*G*|

Bridge:
|D5 D5 | F5 F5 |

I love this song. It’s creative simplicity was one of the strengths in my early writing.