AMERICAN OIL
Written 15 minutes ago

I started out wanting to write a nice, easy going acoustic song (having given up on the metal album, I've started striving for the more realistic homemade acoustic album idea). Anyway, I was thinking of making it some sort of love song, when suddenly I found myself thinking about the ongoing saga in Iraq. After a while, I imagined what it would be like for two lovers to be torn apart by war. THEN, I imagined what it would be like for those lovers as civilians, torn apart by a random American attack, the male figure in the story losing his wife to some stray shrapnel, or what have you. Finally, I imagined what it would be like to suddenly lose Carrie, and it kind of wrote itself from there. So, what originally was to be a love song for Carrie turned into a sociopolitical, anti-war love song (indirectly) for Carrie. How the hell does my mind work, anyway?

(As a footnote, the first draft had a third verse, rather than the closing refrain you see below. In the verse, the male vows to avenge his loss. However, after writing it, I decided that posting it may bring me dangerously close to being assassinated by the secret service. Besides, I prefer it left as a touching eulogy, rather than a scathing tirade.)

Our borders blurred into sandstorm lines
And scattered with one breath
It’s best to stay here for a while
Since here is all that’s left
Memories will take you far away
But in the end you still don’t move
A gust from the west brought a hail of fire
But the cinders seemed to soothe

And when I put my arm around you
I think you must have perceived my dread
And when I asked if we could get out of here
I can’t say I was surprised
When “no” was all you said…

I caught a whiff of American oil
Just before the salvo began
So I crossed my heart and hoped to live
Then I was driven into the sand
Coming up for air, I saw you kneeling there
Waving your burning flag
I felt our hearts entwine on that front line
Just before your limbs started to sag

And when I put my arms around you
You gazed at me like you were already dead
And when I told you that we would find a way together
I saw those tears in your eyes
When “no” was all you said…

As the day gives way to eternal night
May you find peace on the other side…