Lines Overheard at a Séance began life as an improvisation for last year’s 50/90 songwriting challenge. I turned on the keyboard, sat down and began to play. The only decision I made beforehand was that I was going to start on a slightly unusual chord: D/C#
Before long I had the rising bassline and out of kilter chords. The lyrics came to me at the same time, exactly as you hear them on the recording – in fact I’ve only ever played and sung this song once: everything you hear from vocals to piano to bass is all one take and semi-improvised.
Lyrically its what the title suggests – I’m not too sure any more explanation is needed.
Here’s the original demo:
There’s a red red room that I can remember
With a clawing branch right outside the window
And I’m not breaking down
On a cold cold night I saw something evil
Turned the red red walls a deep shade of grey
And I’m not breaking down
Won’t you tell me where the last one is?
There are ghosts in my dreams,
But I can’t hear them