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Personal Songs From An Unusual Year

by Zoë Swann

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1.
Fading Star 03:47
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There's something brighter, yeah There's something brighter, yeah There's something brighter down the line There's something brighter, yeah There's something brighter, yeah There's something brighter down the line I've been driving my car Only looking out the rear-view mirror Got me passing by All the things I should have stopped at But I didn't try No I didn't try So I've got to let go Take the lessons learned And move on Can't spend my life Chasing a fading star that isn't mine Cause I know there's something brighter down the line Can't waste my time Thinking of all the ways things could have gone Tragedy is not my life song I've been walking down the street With my eyes over my shoulder It's no way to go That's a fast way to a dead end And it's where I'm heading If I don't turn round So I've got to let go Take the lessons learned And move on Can't spend my life Chasing a fading star that isn't mine Cause I know there's something brighter down the line Can't waste my time Thinking of all the ways things could have gone Tragedy is not my life song I've been standing in one place for so long I've become part of the scenery In a park, I might be a tree A statue in a gallery Well I don't think that's where I want to be So I've got to let go Take the lessons learned And move on And you know that I'll be strong Cause I'm moving on Can't spend my life Chasing a fading star that isn't mine Cause I know there's something brighter down the line Can't waste my time Thinking of all the ways things could have gone Tragedy is not my life song Can't spend my life Chasing a fading star that isn't mine Cause I know there's something brighter down the line Can't waste my time Thinking of all the ways things could have gone Tragedy is not my life song There's something brighter, yeah There's something brighter, yeah There's something brighter down the line There's something brighter, yeah There's something brighter, yeah There's something brighter down the line There's something brighter, yeah There's something brighter, yeah There's something brighter down the line
2.
How Long 03:17
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How many times will I ask, "How long?" How many times can a broken heart cry out? How many times will I ask, "How long?" How many times can a broken heart cry out? I'm not asking for glory I'm not looking for fame All I ask is for a cure To take away her pain How many times will I ask, "How long?" How many times can a broken heart cry out? I'm not asking for glory I'm not looking for fame All I ask is for another To give me his name I'm ready for something to happen I'm ready for something to change I'm ready for something to happen I'm ready for something to change But I'm not gonna worry I'm not gonna fear Cause I know the one With the answers And it's not my place To know them all
3.
Four Plus Four 03:10
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It's always good to hear your voice on a call See your face if I'm lucky What's new with you? What's going on where you are? I'm just checking in to let you know That I'm still here in my Four plus four plus four plus four plus four Add a couple of cupboards and you've got me I've been working kind of ten to three About half the time of my normal speed But what is normal now? Well for me, it looks a little something like Four plus four plus four plus four plus four Add a couple of cupboards and you've got me And a number of houseplants for company Did you do the thing that you've been planning to? Write an album, find an audience on YouTube? As for me, well I'm still working away In my home studio Four plus four plus four plus four plus four Add a couple of cupboards and you've got me And a number of houseplants for company And all of my neighbours around me I've been wondering what to do If I figure it out, I'll tell you Until then I'll just keep, keep on going Right here in my Four plus four plus four plus four plus four Add a couple of cupboards and you've got me And a number of houseplants for company And all of my neighbours around me And a cafetiere full of coffee Four plus four plus four plus four plus four I know there's a measure of safety With these four walls around me Though it might be better with company I know that day awaits me In my four plus four
4.
The End (For Now) 03:37
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I've never been great At saying goodbye I'll take a quiet exit Every time Well you showed me up When you walked out that door Haven't seen a thing like it Since then or before I guess it's the end for now I guess it's the end somehow But I'll leave on that light Should you travel by night Bring an end to the end You know how A scar from the knife in your back Will easily heal But I can't say the same For the way that I feel No final discussion No parting words Just a wall that is abstract A wall that's absurd I guess it's the end for now I guess it's the end somehow But I'll leave on that light Should you travel by night Bring an end to the end You know how Bring an end to the end You know how Bring an end to the end You know how Bring an end to the end You know how Bring an end to the end You know how So I've left on that light Hope you make it alright Bring an end to the end You know how

about

Personal Songs From An Unusual Year is Zoë Swann's debut release.

After sharing her first song at an acoustic night in early 2020 (an in-person event! with real people!), she slowly but surely worked together three more songs across the rest of the year. These are songs about seeing the positives amidst disappointment, longing, boredom and heartbreak.

Due to the pandemic and ongoing lockdowns, the EP was fully recorded in a small flat in Dundee, and remotely mixed by Zoë's brother George.

Song notes:

Fading Star
In a year full of disappointments and "what-ifs", I realised that I had become stuck in ways of thinking that weren't getting me anywhere. This song is about realising that, and letting go of the things that weren't for me.

How Long
This was the first song I wrote way back at the start of 2020! I was very frustrated at the time about things I was desperate to see in my life but just weren't happening. I was reading through the Psalms and Psalm 13 particularly spoke to my situation, so I wove David's "How long O Lord"s in with my own pleas.

Four Plus Four
A conversation with a friend in song form. I found as the first lockdown carried on, similar sort of questions would be asked, so I found myself trying to come up with new answers and ways to go deeper in conversation with my loved ones. The chorus reflects my boredom at being stuck in the house, and the constants of my life at that time (plants, noisy neighbours, lots of coffee)

The End (For Now)
This song is my favourite on this EP, but it might also be the saddest. It's about abruptly losing contact with someone close to you, and the hurt that comes with that. At the same time, it's letting them know you forgive them and that you'll be there when they're ready to come back.

credits

released June 25, 2021

Composition, lyrics, vocals, piano, guitar, cover art - Zoë Swann
Mixing - George Swann

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Zoë Swann Dundee, UK

Zoë Swann is a Scottish writer, filmmaker, illustrator and musician :)

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