"I’ve Let You Down"

I’m a decent pianist, but not a great one. I’ve often been awed by those players who can sight read the most difficult pieces perfectly, can hear a song once and not only recreate  it but also transpose it to any key, or can improvise fluidly over the most difficult changes. I’m not one of them. I was once called upon to fill in as the main pianist for a musical production during its rehearsal period, and I did not do a good job. This song grew out of my frustration with that experience. It ended up being a tune Plastic Mikey performed regularly.

“I’ve Let You Down” rough demo on MelodyFusion

I’ve Let You Down

© 1996 Brian Hutzell

I said I didn’t want this job, but I got it anyway

And found myself stuck in a role I never wanted to play

Don’t know what you wanted me to do, but I wish I'd done it better

Now everybody’s screaming at me; I wanna run away

I’ve let you down

I’ve let you down

I’ve let you down

I’ve let you down

I told you you were asking too much in too little time

You wanted me to give you things that were not mine

The last thing I need right now is a little more pressure

I can’t fill the position; I wanna resign

I’ve let you down

I’ve let you down

I’ve let you down

I’ve let you down

I used to see other people down and flat

Somehow I always thought I was better than that

Now I can see that between them and me there’s no difference

When I look at the sky as I lie with my back to the mat

I’ve let you down

I’ve let you down

I’ve let you down

I’ve let you down

“December Blues 7”

Brian Hutzell

from December Blues

Part 12 of MMXIII Variations

" Marble Idol"

This is one of only four songs from the Ashley Standing period to be recorded. I’m not very happy with the way it came out, in spite of the fact that the recording cost me a lot of money. Side note: the “brave and the bold” line in verse 2 is an homage to a Bicentennial play in which I participated in grade school. Woodlawn Elementary. It was a short musical called The Brave and the Bold, about Christopher Columbus. I had a few lines, and also had to run offstage from time to time to play something on either piano or trombone. It was one of my first theatrical experiences, and as bad as I’m sure it was, I enjoyed it immensely.

“Marble Idol” onMelodyFusion

Marble Idol

© 1994 Brian Hutzell

With skillful blows of the chisel, I carve you

With well-aimed blows of the chisel, I carve you

Release the figure in the stone, like Venus rising from the foam

Lovely to look at, delightful to hold

Never to be broken, never controlled

You’re my golden calf, my marble idol

Beautiful, hard and cold

You’re my work of art, my marble idol

Michelangelo’s finest mold

On a lofty pedestal I display you

On a revealing pedestal, I display you

More than a statue in the park – a living sculpture with a heart

Lovely to look at, delightful to hold

An icon for the brave and the bold

You’re my golden calf, my marble idol

Beautiful, hard and cold

You’re my work of art, my marble idol

Michelangelo’s finest mold

What big hands you have

The better to touch you with, my dear

What big hands you have

The better to crush you with, my dear

What big hands you have

The better to slay the giant

All I want is your love and devotion

Love and emotion, love and protection

Protect me from the others like me

Lovely to look at, delightful to hold

Embodiment of my soul

You’re my golden calf, my marble idol

Beautiful, hard and cold

You’re my work of art, my marble idol

Michelangelo’s finest mold

“Sky Lapse”

Brian Hutzell

from Art Music

"Oceans Apart"

Here’s another Plastic Mikey song with only two chords. It became a quest for us to see how much we could do with how little. Other two-chord songs include “The Temptress,” “A-Bomb” and “Driving Home.” But we didn’t stop there! We also had one-chord songs like “Asteroid,” “Storm,” and “Acid Rain.” “Dance of the Clay People” actually started out as a one note song: E.

“Oceans Apart” rough demo on MelodyFusion

Oceans Apart

© 1994 Kevin Dempsey and Brian Hutzell

I listen to your stories

Your friends are more familiar to me than my own

I've lived a longer life but I have less to show

Still, I'm so very thankful we can talk

Even if we only talk of nothing

You're my friend and you stand by me

But I know, deep in my heart, we're oceans apart

I can depend on your empathy

But I know, deep in my heart, we're oceans apart

You ease my worries

It's comforting to know I'm special to someone

And that the cards I've sent won't soon be forgotten

Our lives are facing different directions

It's a miracle we ever met at all

You're my friend and you stand by me

But I know, deep in my heart, we're oceans apart

I can depend on your empathy

But I know, deep in my heart, we're oceans apart

We do not belong together

We'd fail any compatibility test

But you're there in the foulest of weather

So I'd be a fool to protest

Your lifestyle makes me wince

Your opinions don't convince

I disagree with you on nearly every point but since...

You're my friend, you can count on me

Though I know, deep in my heart, we're oceans apart

You can depend on my empathy

Though I know, deep in my heart, we're oceans apart