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Smiling

by James Waterman

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1.
Sorry 02:40
Sorry for things I said to you Sorry that I acted like I knew Sorry that I feel so out of touch Sorry that i always say too much Sorry that I made you my best friend Sorry that I just could not pretend Sorry that I said that I’d be back Sorry that our opposites attract Sorry for the way I cut my hair Sorry that just can’t hide my stares Sorry that I drift so far from you Every time you ask me if I'm Sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry Said I’m sorry For being me Sorry that I never call or write Sorry that I keep you up at night Sorry that I’m turning milky grey Sorry that I just forgot to say Sorry for the days I can’t be wrong Sorry for not singing you this song Sorry that I feel so close to you Every time I tell you that I’m Sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry For being me All the while We smile Like when you knew the better half of me And I you When we Could hear each other breathe All night You tried To pretend everything’s fine So I Reply I'm sorry I'm sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry For being me
2.
There's your picture, hanging on the wall And my heart cries out to know that you're gone Does it have to be there, still hanging Hanging on the wall? As I watch you walk through the door And I wave goodbye to you But my heart cries out to know that you're gone Does it have to be there, still hanging Hanging on the wall? Does it have to be there, still hanging Hanging on the wall? People said I'm a fool to say goodbye to you But believe me, your picture's still hanging on the wall Does it have to be there, still hanging Hanging on the wall? Yeah Does it have to be there, still hanging Hanging on the wall? People said I'm a fool to say goodbye to you But believe me, your picture's still hanging on the wall Does it have to be there, still hanging Hanging on the wall? Does it have to be there, still hanging Hanging on the wall? Yeah
3.
Moses 03:43
(Moses, are you up?) Moses was a nerdy young lad New to the public school Not a single friend did he have No one really thought him to be cool cause He just loved his clarinet Always had the case in his hands But no one ever heard him play it yet He chickened out the middle school school band A poster for the middle school dance One day sent home from his teacher Kept it folded in the pocket of his pants Hoping that his parents wouldn’t read it But his parents got the email news School dance at local roller rink Daddy said, "Moses what do you choose?" Yeah "But I think you should go, whatcha think?" He said, "I don’t want to go Cause I already know That soon as I do show They all will turn their nose And the people will start to stare And wonder why I’m there And though it don’t seem fair Don’t nobody really care about Young Moses No one loves Moses No one likes Moses Or care about Moses" Well his mama wasn’t having none of that Said "you’re going, and I know that you’ll thank me." So he packed up his clarinet Planned to bring it as security blanky And he clipped on his best bow tie With an oversized suit his daddy lent him Got to to the roller rink that night Hand stamped and he was ready for the reckoning But no one stared or turned their nose 'Stead it seemed that they barely even noticed 'Cept the teachers who waved hello Said, "hey nice to see ya, Mr. Moses" And he hung out in the corner all alone Watching everybody dancing and smiling When suddenly the power went down Lights off and the band went silent And the teachers said "Oh no! Did the circuit breaker blow?" And the singer said, "‘fraid so. Looks like there’s no more show, Since we’re an electric band. 'Less somebody has a plan" Then Moses walked to the stand With a clarinet in his hands And the kids said, "watch him go! How’d nobody really know That Moses could really blow And put on rocking show?" And the people started to dance A stomp and clap their hands And while he kept up the jam Heard the kids all begin to chant "We love you Moses We love you Moses Yes you go Moses We love you Moses"
4.
Tommy 02:46
'Neath the northern sky Was where you blessed My sister’s life Your faithful father by her side Waited for you All day and night And I was tethered to my phone Til I heard word You made it home Into those Arms and hearts so grand That only one day Will you understand 'Cause today is your day So we wait Patiently All for our chance to see Tommy And in the days That stretch from now Keep your heart wide And your head sound And you’ll find answers that I never found In far less years Than I have now And as you trek From land to land Hear those in need And lend your hand But listen not to those Who'll say, “just be a man.” No, you just be, And love, who you can 'Cause today is your day And I can’t wait Til I can see Who you turn out to be Tommy
5.
Smiling 05:23
I dreamt a woodland flow You walked the bankside road I manned the riverboat A map in each of our hands A list of our demands As ghosts of memories passed I labored in my trawl Still pained from ancient fall Our skyward tree line crawl You walked among those trees Below their canopy Far from my watery reach So I gazed Across The spring But dared Not say A thing That was when the two of us locked eyes And in my mind I think you were smiling You turned back to the wood Called loudly as you could To where great falcon stood He heard your hopeful plea And dropped from his retreat And landed at your feet You cried As he did sing You held Onto His wing Before the tears could dry from both your eyes You realized You were flying And as I watched you both take to the skies To my surprise I started smiling Smiling My scars Had lost Their hurt From where We fell To earth The murky Depths I searched Would one day Prove their worth Cause I I dreamt a world where there’s no wasted time Cause while we climbed At least we were smiling And just because we fell from way up high Oh don’t you cry Can’t you see I’m smiling? One morning when we both open our eyes Yes when we rise We’ll both be smiling Smiling

about

"Smiling" is throwback to the styles of music that first influenced me growing up: classic rock, pop, punk, soul, and dance music. This summer of 2020 I headed toward turning 30 in the midst of a planetary existential moment. As I approached this milestone I found myself reflecting on some of my core influences that have shaped me through the years. I wanted to recapture some of that energy on this record (and make the 13 year-old rocker in me proud) while also painting kind of a current self portrait of me today. I'm here now still breathing and still Smiling.

I really hope you enjoy these little snapshots of me now and from way back when.

credits

released September 1, 2020

Tracked and mixed at The Blue Bungalow with additional mixing and mastering at WEEFolk Studios.

Mixed by James Waterman, with assistance from Joel Mankey. Mastered by Joel Mankey, with assistance from James Waterman.

Acknowledgements:

Massive, endless thank yous to Joel Mankey who tirelessly helped me complete these mixes and masterfully mastered these tracks to perfection.

A HUGE thank you to the amazing Matt Orenstein for his incredible guitar, bass, and synth work throughout the album.

Constant appreciations to Andrew Studenski, the real life Moses.

Thanks to Neel Agrawal for the support, feedback, and friendship.

So many thanks to my parents for their support, and especially to Dad for his perfect cameo on track 3. (Happy Birthday Dad)

Thank you to my sister and brother-in-law Megan and Eamonn for all their help and guidance and CONGRATULATIONS to them on their new baby (my nephew) TOMMY! (See track 4).

And thank you to everyone for checking this out, it means so much to me.

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James Waterman Los Angeles, California

Multifaceted musician, percussionist, and composer based in Los Angeles

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