From the recording Glass Break Dementia
<p>12th Sept 2009, 8:30am (music for the verse arrived in a dream); 13th Sept 2009, 6:06pm; 14th Sept 2009, 7:05pm</p>
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<p>"Break" is another in a long line of cases where a lyric gimmick tricks me into revealing my state of mind. I'm grateful that I'm still this subconsciously gullible after 23 years of writing songs -- many of my favorites have come out of this kind of origin.</p>
<p>In this case, it's simply that that the word 'break' is a sharp percussive call all on its own as well as being part of a variety of common expressions, leading me to try shoehorning as many of them in one song as possible. </p>
<p>In the end, it turned into a rather forceful pep talk to myself, a mirror held up with reminders of breaks past (both interpersonal and psychotic).</p>
<p>The verse riff and melody appeared in a dream on 12 September 2009. Two days later, I premiered the song as an acoustic number at the Flossmoor Station Brewing Company.</p>
Lyrics
<p>One day I found that I'd wasted all<br /> the terrible things in my mind<br /> So I looked around and replaced it all<br /> with whatever else I could find<br /> I started trying to taste it all,<br /> the love and the food and the drink<br /> But nothing could nourish the place that all<br /> the guilt filled right up to the brink<br /> <br /> But it felt like enough<br /> I began to feel tough<br /> Until the break<br /> <br /> Free to no longer be chaste at all<br /> I tried to run all amok<br /> Shocked that I didn't get maced at all<br /> I only managed a fa-fa-fafa-fa...<br /> I thought I'd only debase it all<br /> -- like cold eyes had lectured me once,<br /> as if I had used no toothpaste at all --<br /> at hedonism, I'm a dunce.<br /> <br /> Why can't it be enough<br /> to fall headlong in love<br /> and take a break?<br /> <br /> break out<br /> break in<br /> break glass<br /> break wind<br /> break fast<br /> break up<br /> break down<br /> break<br /> <br /> Pointlessly pumped up the pace, did all<br /> the things that they told me to do,<br /> And still I could never have braced it all<br /> enough that it wouldn't fall through<br /> As much as I thought I'd erased it all,<br /> the pencil smudge won't disappear<br /> So I guess it's time that I faced it all<br /> to lose my illusion of fear<br /> <br /> Self-hate's long past its shelf<br /> date, so I'll give myself<br /> a fucking break.<br /> <br /> -- Dolph L. Chaney</p>