2. Lust And Cigarettes (feat Scott Amrstrong) (4:16)



Katie’s Comments

The second track on my album is called “Lust and Cigarettes”, and it’s a bit more up to date, in terms of following the story theme than the first song was. The song documents my struggle to break into the industry as a professional musician, and focuses specifically on what was a very hard part of my development.

The title refers to the attitude and physical conditions I had to endure whilst I tried to get myself a reputation.

From the time I turned 18 in early 2010, I decided that I had to get myself noticed, and so I started playing a lot of open mic nights or just acoustic evenings all around London to get my name out there. Sometimes it was great, especially when I got to play in coffee houses and wine bars in the West End, and in those places I felt really appreciated, and warm. However, most of the nights I’m talking about were held in working men’s clubs, or just these seedy little bars, and that’s what the song focuses on.

It’s quite a poppy tune, still folk based, but a lot faster, and more upbeat than the first track on the album. There are feminist overtones here in abundance as well. Go girls! The reason for that is simple. The environments I always found myself in in those days meant that I was always finding myself being ogled at by all these middle aged, fat guys. I mean, they weren’t used to having a young blonde in their bars, so they always looked at me with these horrible, old man stares. Yuck! No one there gave two hoots about my music you know? And that’s what this song is chiefly about. The first verse, for example, is about when I used to drive up in my old battered VW, and all the men gathered outside smoking would be looking, and even just walking into the pub with my guitar was a nightmare, I had to try and get past whilst ignoring all the lewd comments.

I really like the line “Look at what’s in, and not on my chest” because it is so true. All they’d see on the stage was a singing set of boobs, whilst I wanted them to see my feelings, and see what I had written in my heart. It really hits home to me whenever I hear that line.

I also have to thank Scott Armstrong. He was a dream to work with on this track, he really was. He played both guitar parts, and he knew exactly what I wanted to do with it, so it was just so easy to get along with him.

Track description

This track is a hell of a lot more upbeat than the previous one, so it begins with a foot tapping, catchy guitar chord riff. Quite upbeat, and accompanied by drums, which are being played with brushes, mostly cymbal work. The intro finishes with one deliberate guitar chord, and a crash cymbal is hit with a stick rather than a brush.

Verse (1) is sung with a very confident, and very much more aggressive voice from Katie, there is no haunting melody here like in the previous track. Each line begins at the same time as a sharp, short single chord, as the first word is sung, and then the remainder of the line is vocals only. The verse is sung very quickly, and the shorter lines (2 and 3/5 and 6) flow into each other as if they were only one (although the guitar chord still comes in at the beginning of each).

Before (.c) begins there is a guitar chord, repeated eight times, and accompanied by a bass drum playing eight beats, to build up to the chorus, where the acoustic guitar plays a very pop/rock style riff . Despite the nature of the song, it is very upbeat, and very happy, and is accompanied by a full drum section for the first time in a song by Katie. All of the shorter lines are sung in a sort of choppy fashion, whilst the longer ones are sung smoother, and a lot less angrily. The drums stop at the word “words” so that only Katie and the acoustic can be heard on “are not why you came”.

Verse (2) is different from (1). The same chords are used as in (1) but they are played for the whole verse this time, rather than just at the start of each line.

(.c) as above

Verse (3) harks back to (1), but not before there is a short bridge of finger picking from a second guitar, which sounds a bit distant, and lost behind the drums and chords as if to signify Katie being lost behind the wall of cigarette smoke and lustful eyes at this period of her life.

(.c) as above)

Verse (4) uses the same chord progression as the chorus, and flows straight from the chorus, right up until the second last line, where all the music stops and Katie’s voice resonates loud and clear “sad runner up to fags and beer”, without anything getting between her message and its target.

(.c) as above

Bridge (.b) comes after another period with some finger picking, but this time the picking is solo, as there is no chords or drums in the way. The bridge is sung very very quickly, and all the lines flow together as if they are one, without pause. Each line has a guitar chord, short and sharp at the beginning and end, as if to signal where the line breaks should be.

(.c) comes in after a increasing volume of guitar and bass drum builds up, and then as above.

(.c) Sung without musical accompaniment, and in a more haunting voice. The agression and attitude has gone, and Katie’s tone is beautiful and meaningful, right to the last line, where she sings very slowly.

A short piano outro, very slow and deliberate, and moody, ends the song.

Lyrics

(1)Pulling into the car park
It’s another dark hole
For another bright spark
The doorway’s but a smoky haze
A lustful twisting
wolf whistling maze

(.c)Lust and cigarettes
I’m on the stage to give my best
But all they see is me
Look at what’s in, and not on my chest
Expressions all in vain
And I try to not be the same
No bimbo in a chain
Though my words are not why you came

(2)Never changes every night
At the end of the tunnel
There fades a light
I had a dream for me one day
I’d top the world
When I paid my way

(.c)Lust and cigarettes
I’m on the stage to give my best
But all they see is me
Look at what’s in, and not on my chest
Expressions all in vain
And I try to not be the same
No bimbo in a chain
Though my words are not why you came

(3)But it all seems a hopeless wish
Viewed through a glass
Just like a fish
Feels like I’m always on show
Like a prized cow
And I can’t say no

(.c)Lust and cigarettes
I’m on the stage to give my best
But all they see is me
Look at what’s in, and not on my chest
Expressions all in vain
And I try to not be the same
No bimbo in a chain
Though my words are not why you came

(4)Punters look and they see meat
I view them like
They’re dogs on heat
I’m not appreciated here
Sad runner up
To fags and beer

(.c)Lust and cigarettes
I’m on the stage to give my best
But all they see is me
Look at what’s in, not on my chest
Expressions all in vain
And I try to not be the same
No bimbo in a chain
Though my words are not why you came

(.b)And when I think about my nights
In pubs and clubs I feel alright
I gritted my teeth and I waited
It took a while but I graduated
Now I can look back and laugh
At where I honed and toned my craft
I look up at the bright night stars
It all once seemed a stretch too far

(.c)Lust and cigarettes
I’m on the stage to give my best
But all they see is me
Look at what’s in, and not on my chest
Expressions all in vain
And I try to not be the same
No bimbo in a chain
Though my words are not why you came

(.c)Lust and cigarettes
I’m on the stage to give my best
But all they see is me
Look at what’s in, and not on my chest
Expressions all in vain
And I try to not be the same
No bimbo in a chain
Though my words are not why you came

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(OOC: I only wrote these lyrics today, so I’d love some feedback on them)