Time for my February update, which comes about one year to the day after my first-ever musical submission. I'll try not to write as much as I usually do, which shouldn't be too hard because the song doesn't have a particularly interesting background.

"Is That A Threat?" (recorded in July and October of 1992) is a song about anger (which is why the thumbnail image has a faint "wr" before the words "A Threat"... it's supposed to suggest the word 'wrath'-- ain't I clever? lol). Anger used to be a pretty dominant force in my life. I guess in a lot of ways, it still is, but a lot of it has given way to despair lol. You've got to have some fight left in you to get angry... and now, when things go wrong in my life (as they do a little bit too often for my liking), a lot of the time I'm simply too tired to fight. I give up easier than I used to. In a way, maybe that's not such a bad thing, because then anger doesn't take you over as easily... but it can lead to feelings of hopelessness, which is never a good thing, because if you don't have hope, then you don't have anything. But I digress.

Almost all of the music for this song was recorded in a store that sold electronics, on one of their display keyboards lol. I used to sneak a tape recorder in and pretend to be 'testing' the keyboards, while I'd really be recording the backing track for a song. "Winter" and "If I Could", among other songs of mine, were recorded in the same way. Later on, at home, I'd add the vocals and maybe another layer of keyboards (like the 'bells' sound in this song).

This is what I refer to as the "single edit" of the song. There is a longer "album version", which ends with me counting from 1 to 10 alongside sound effects of a chainsaw and a woman screaming. I made the edited version because I don't want the song (or me) to be misconstrued as misogynistic. I love women lol... it's just that the sound effects tape that I had had a much better-sounding female scream on it than a male one. This song wasn't written with anyone particular in mind, male or female. In fact, I don't even consider it as being sung from my point of view, because even when I do get angry, I don't tend to get physically violent. And under no circumstances is a chainsaw ever wielded lol.

There is a speed anomaly in this song. It's not noticable when you listen to it from start to finish (unless your ears are very well-trained), but if you jump straight from the beginning to about 3/4 through, you can hear that the key changes slightly. This, I assume, is a problem with the recording source, which is an old cassette. If I can track down the 'master' recording, I may re-upload this at a later date.


"Is That A Threat?" (4:29)
Music written and recorded July 28, 1992
Lyrics written July 31 - October 1992, vocals recorded October 1992


I better close my eyes and count to 10
'Cause you've got me at the end of my rope again
I know my fuse is far from long
My resistance is weak, and my temper is strong
You tell me not to get upset
But when you give me a good reason, that's just what I'll get

You say, "Is that a threat?"

I better breathe deep and calm myself down
'Cause I'm not sure I'm safe to be around
I know I get made easily
But it doesn't help when you say what you say to me
Don't say anything that you might regret
Because you don't want to get me too upset

You say, "Is that a threat?"

I don't want to hurt no one else
But it's so damn hard to control myself
When you're always on my back
I can feel my blood start to burn
When you push me to the point of no return
Then prepare yourself for an attack

You better get while the getting is good
'Cause I don't think I'm thinking like I should
And I'm not sure what I might do
So I'd watch myself if I were you
You say, "Is that a threat?"
Well, I guess that's up to you
But however you take it, just believe that it's true
Just believe that it's true

I better close my eyes and count to 10...