#2 Competition at Calvary

This is a reworking of a song that I wrote back in 2016 for a series that the great Ben Arthur was doing, in which he placed songwriters with authors and had us write something sparked by a story.  I had the honor of being paired with Joyce Carl Oates, and jumping off from her story, "Deceit," wrote a maudlin thing about martyrdom and family dynamics.  As I mention in the video, I don't think she liked it! But that's ok. I thought it was cool, and now that I've revisited and rewritten it, I think it's cooler! I reworked the lyrics and arrangement, as well as recorded, mixed, and "mastered" it, TODAY, Feb. 8, 2024. Lyrics and downloads below. Thank you for subscribing! Much more to come.

COMPETITION AT CALVARY

There’s a fire in the blood that makes you breathe a little faster

And a fear of the flood, though there’ll be peace beyond disaster

Who caused the loss to go from bad to worst

Who bought the cross and who climbed on it first

And has there always been rot in the studs

Underneath all the plaster

Never leaving a trace, never needing assistance

We talk of giving it space, but it’s breeding a distance

Who’s got the patience, who of us can bear it, since

Alienation’s our only inheritance, and

Who can keep up the pace when you’re meeting resistance

When you were young, you were alone like me

Finding the trains on your own in the city

Drawing a line, saying, “This life is mine”

But back in your room, you’d just lay down and cry

The stewing of spleen and resentment will feed

And you will partake ‘cause no one knows what they need

You’ll hope that they’ll notice that you haven’t been seen

You’ll hide with your pride, but what you really mean is

Find me - come on and find me, find me, find me

Another link in the chain, and we’re not free to defeat it

Another verse and refrain, we receive and repeat it

Whose albatross descended with the curse

Who brought the cross, and when does it reverse it, oh

Another gift with a stain, an aggrieved guaranteeing

Who brought the cross and who climbed on it first