Makers of the Machine
Channel: Dominic Widdows
Date: 21/06/2020

This is a very rough cut of a song I wrote years ago that I wanted to record while in between jobs, so that nobody can mistakenly think it's about my current job!

It started when Maryl said "you need to stop complaining at home and write a song". Always good advice!

The main thing I like about it is the lyrics trick: the challenge I gave myself was to write verses that scan and rhyme and alliterate - so a lot of the words are part of both a rhyming group and an overlapping but different alliteration group. I haven't heard of this particular decide being tried before, and I'm quite please with the way it turned out - the most appreciated comment on the song was "the lyrics grab your attention with some kind of extra intensity that I can't put my finger on" - that's what I wanted :)

Apologies for the very rough cut and the obvious need of a few electric guitar and vocal lessons. I start my new job tomorrow, so it's right old one-take rush!

***
Yes I’m enraged at this stage as I stare
And I care at this crazy malaise and the haze
As the updates all compete
And the flashing icons bleat

It’s my machine!
I’m at the screen
For some arranged intent
I’ll press keys and invent

Surfing the messages press and provide
Such a wide way to go and you know that what’s next
Is some text that I type, send some hype
Hit return or enter

To my machine
I’m on the scene
Whatever disaster has hit
Whatever pipeline’s full of shit

But am I really working?
For in truth we’re often shirking
Stoking, running political rambles
In an organizational shambles
Writing reviews and occasional spews
To respected directors who can’t change a fuse
And you know this ain’t news,
‘Cos when you’re confused
When your phone doesn’t work
Well there’s prob’ly some jerk
Who screwed up some setting
Without proper vetting
He might have a beard
Or long hair and look weird
Hell, he might just look a lot like me.

Supporting the sort who succeed ‘cause they feed
On a fake way to make much ado of the new
Not a need, but a greed, gotta grab
Another pie piece

Poor sweet machine!
There’s nothing mean
When you flap and flail
It’s not your fault you fail

Hassled by deadlines, it’s said lines of code
Are the road to reward, have a hoard,
Maybe make more than most - what a boast
But do I help anybody?

O my machine!
Thought I’d seen
A way that I could give
Help people learn and live

So am I just a nutter?
I complain, I do not suffer
Got a car, a roof on our heads
A guitar, insurance, warm beds
And a place to love my children
And to know that we are building
But I’ll thrive more if I strive more
And I’ll sing more if I bring more

And I’ll live more if I give more,
Yes, I’ll live more if I give more,
Oh I only want to give more
My lord, my lady, live more

Only want to give more ...