All the "Home Sessions (Raw Singles)" series of recordings follow the parameters of making live music. Each song is performed and recorded live, in one take. Sometimes other musicians join in on the song, sometimes Daniel plays and sings alone. Either way, there is only a single track, no doubling up, no layering.
As I type this it's my last day of being in Erzurum, Turkey, which is where this recording comes from, and where I had the good fortune of adding three fine Turkish musicians to this track. When we originally met, we spent an evening together sharing Turkish and American music, and I asked if they'd be interested in recording my next song with me. A few days later we found some free time around midnight to record, but we got kicked out of my hotel room, and found an empty hallway in an empty building not too far away. They learned the song, and we did around 3 takes, and by 1:30 in the morning we had this track.
"Singapore" was inspired by the story of Van Tuong Nguyen, an Australian citizen who was hanged in Singapore in 2005 after being caught with drugs in the airport.
lyrics
When we first met my heart was pounding I could barely speak your name
And you asked where I was going we didn't think it'd end in fame
When I set off across the ocean you always took me at my word
And now I wonder if you're crying at all the news you've heard
Oh to be sailing in the harbor
To be soaking in the sun
Oh to be dreaming of tomorrow
But tomorrow I'll be gone
When they stopped me my heart was pounding I could barely speak my name
And I told them I was sorry and I hung my head in shame
All is needed was some money and I never meant to die
If I'd known that they'd kill me then I never would have tried
Oh to be sailing in the harbor
To be soaking in the sun
Oh to be dreaming of tomorrow
But tomorrow I'll be gone
Now tonight my heart is pounding and they've lit candles in my name
It's like the pages of a story except it's me that's gonna hang
When I set off across the ocean you always took me at my word
And now I wonder if you're crying at all the news you've heard
Oh to be sailing in the harbor
To be soaking in the sun
Oh to be dreaming of tomorrow
But tomorrow I'll be gone
credits
from Home Sessions (Raw Singles),
track released May 29, 2015
Daniel Dye-Vocals, Guitar
Nazım Ozan Çelebioğlu-Vocals, Shaker
Onur Çelebioğlu-Vocals, Flute
Furkan Erbay-Guitar
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