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Dandelion clockwork faded

by Steve North

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1.
You weren't afraid to be born (so why are you afraid to die)? 04:33
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As you sit and contemplate your life and you're wondering how come it all means so little Why did no one ever tell you that life isn't a run-through and that it could all slip by so quickly? But you know, the honest truth is that while you are the centre of your own universe, self-awareness is just a quirk of evolution that tricks our brains into thinking we matter Existence will continue without you, even as your own existence drains away and fades to black That's right! There is no "living on", no heaven we just stop and return to the same blackness "from whence we came" It is up to you whether you find that comforting, or if it terrifies you. Other animals don't know that they can stop living and so they only respond to an instinct to avoid pain and suffering For other animals, there is no existential angst that sits at the back of their minds... You weren't afraid to be born (so why are you afraid to die)? You weren't afraid to be born (so why are you afraid to die)? ...occasionally popping up to remind them that their days are numbered We always pretend that our own deaths are a distant event "Not yet!" we cry and "Too soon" when events transpire to force us face to face with our own fragility We fool ourselves that "life expectancy" is a promise We think that when we are 45, we are halfway through our lives, before dropping dead at 52 This is the reality and if it wasn't for our serotonin-addled thinking boxes, we would have to face the truth on a daily basis You see, we are hard-wired with a positivity bias... We always think that we will be in the percentage that wins "This [insert fatal illness, car crash, murder] can't happen to me" we think This is what EVERYone facing death has always thought "The odds will be on my side"... It is a delusion based on our inability to imagine reality without our presence "How can it go on without me"... This is the curse of self-awareness and a positivity bias It is the depressed (those unable to gorge on serotonin and the myriad other brain chemicals) that see it as it is When they say "What is the point?", or "I just can't keep doing the same thing day after day", they are expressing a truism that the rest of us are unable to acknowledge... we spend our whole lives learning, growing, working, only for it to end.... permanently Just like every other human that has gone before The vast ranks, stacked on each other's shoulders and pressing against the ceiling that separates our realm from a non-existent heaven But death is OK... nothing to be feared... like a switch turning off That doesn't mean we should crave it or end our lives on a whim just because it's a rainy day Every year is precious, every month is precious, every minute is precious, and every second is precious You weren't afraid to be born (so why are you afraid to die)? You weren't afraid to be born (so why are you afraid to die)? Just try to face the reality of your eventual non-existence. I don't want to live on through my work, I want to live on in my apartment So, when you want to imagine a world without you, think of it before you were born Where were you then? The truth is that you were nowhere and you will go back to nowhere, once again Embrace this truth and make it your own It is your shield and your armour It is your comforter at 5 a.m. on the darkest night Hope is what holds you back. Hope of eternal life, hope of continuance You do your best and then end of story You weren't afraid to be born (so why are you afraid to die)? You weren't afraid to be born (so why are you afraid to die)? Why are you afraid to die?
2.
Worst family Christmas ever with Uncle Aamon 00:04
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3.
Dandelion clockwork faded 04:37
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What is that flower called? Can Daisy come for tea? Why do birds fly away? Can I keep that bee? Sunbeams and parasols Rain drops to magnify Failing light and damaged dolls No one left to pacify Are you somewhere nearby? Don't stray away Your sister must be waiting And your father hates to stay Sunbeams and parasols Rain drops to magnify Failing light and damaged dolls No one left to pacify Why were we abandoned? Along a wooded way Hear these tiny children Asking us to stay Sunbeams and parasols Rain drops to magnify Failing light and damaged dolls No one left to pacify Sunbeams and parasols Rain drops to magnify Failing light and damaged dolls No one left to pacify
4.
A Victorian lullaby 00:29
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It's not time for bed, yet It's not fair Will you come up with me And brush my hair Will you watch me sleeping As I start to tire Will you stay and watch As the curtains catch afire Spin down, spin down We all turn around We're off to sea with Alice's John The man who put the stocking on Spin down, spin down We all turn around Mother, I am dead and gone Please don't keep the mourning on It's not time for bed, yet It's not fair Will you come up with me And brush my hair Will you try to wake me As the flicker becomes fire...
5.
A banshee awakes in Kensal Green Cemetery 04:09
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6.
Can we go wild swimming? 03:52
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Can we go wild swimming like we used to? You love the water That much we share as true Water colours blend and mix An aqua palette fix Sunlight glitters and bursts as you glide away At least this much still joins us Little else remains unchanged Can we go wild swimming just the same? Can we go wild swimming just the same? Can we go wild swimming just the same? Can we go wild swimming where long grass parts the way? You love the water I've no more words to say I've no more words to say I've no more words to say I've no more words to say I've no more words...
7.
A wasp picnic reimagined 03:14
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We will take your gardens, we will defile your motorway service station Give us your sandwiches Give us your wooden slatted rubbish bins Surrender your 99 flakes... ... and no one gets hurt, oh except you, of course, we're wasps We just want your sugar honey, give us your sugar This aint remotely funny, hipster, give us your sugar We just want your sugar honey, give us your sugar This ain't remotely funny, hipster, give us your sugar We just want your sugar honey, give us your sugar This ain't remotely funny, hipster, give us your sugar This is life and death, man Queen has ordered our last breath, man You think we want to act like this? We were cool all summer and now I have to put you on my list We just want your sugar honey, give us your sugar This aint remotely funny, hipster, give us your sugar We just want your sugar honey, give us your sugar This aint remotely funny, hipster, give us your sugar We will find your essential sweetness We will survive We will replace your civilation Watch our culture thrive We will take your houses and wear your clothes We will dance on TikTok and punch your nose My brother has been promised Turkey teeth My sister wants all your shoes Watch out Gordon Sumner - you've culturally appropriated our name Hunger makes us mad, bad and difficult to tame Crawling up your trouser leg, sliding down again Crawling up your trouser leg, sliding down again Crawling up your trouser leg, sliding down again We're ninjas with stripey faces and we'll always be the same We're just doing it, yellow-jacket style We're just doing it, yellow-jacket style We're just doing it, yellow-jacket style We're heading for the ice-lolly held by your child We will go to Love Island and sting your entitled arses We will go to Love Island and sting your entitled arses We will go to Love Island and sting your entitled arses We will go to Love Island and sting your entitled arses We will go to Love Island and sting your entitled arses Wasps! Wasps! Wasps! Wasps!
8.
Activate playground hybrid machine 00:03
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9.
Tsuzumi Gate 03:44
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Steve North - guitars, looper, found sounds, ambience, drum programming, engineering and production.
10.
Considerably more scary than I remember 00:03
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11.
Four times log in the extreme 03:47
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There is the truth that I want you to see There is the truth that I want you to know There is the truth that I want you to see Where are you? One, two, three Shall I take you in? All of the things that you wanted to say All of the things that you wanted to know All of the things that you want me to be I can't be any of them Four times log in the extreme Cannot be sent back to a point where it cannot be calculated This is the rule This is law
12.
I'm still waiting for a good explanation 00:04
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13.
Submarine sonar wins best in bloom 00:46
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14.
Reggie and I are having a marvelous time 00:04
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15.
Druantia's missing person report 05:57
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A brake, a coombe, a copse, a covert, a dingle, a spinney, a stand, a thicket A brake, a coombe, a copse, a covert, a dingle, a spinney, a stand, a thicket Moss and tree shall carry The subtlest signs to surely point your way (if you want to) The sun and moon locate you Listen to them and they'll surely point your way (if you want to) The solitary hart - she'll show you Just follow her lead and she'll gladly point your way (if you want to) Last, there's me to find you Wait by a tree and together we'll both stay (forever and ever) A brake, a coombe, a copse, a covert, a dingle, a spinney, a stand, a thicket A brake, a coombe, a copse, a covert, a dingle, a spinney, a stand, a thicket

about

"This is what happens when you have a new cancer diagnosis, four months of recuperation and a looper pedal. I started out by making free improvisations but, on this occasion, some of them demanded to be songs!" Steve North Nov 2023

Pre-release reviews of the track "You weren't afraid to be born (so why are you afraid to die)?" from "Dandelion clockwork faded"...

Tome to the Weather Machine blog (experimental music) wrote: "Nice work on this, love the noisier bits and guitar".

Jon Magnusson's review blog: "This is a really creative and unusual tune for sure!".

Destroy//Exist blog (underground music, emphasizing on the dark side of alternative) wrote: "Very interesting thematically, and we appreciate the song's existential character and its experimental sonic profile".

Heavywave review blog wrote: "I liked the song's energy - very notable".

Ingrown Radio says: "This is seriously fantastic work, truly great stuff!"

License: This work is © Steve North and distributed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license. This means you are free to share, remix, and rework this work as long as you credit Steve North and share your reworkings under the same terms. You may not sell the original material or your own reworked versions.
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en

credits

released December 1, 2023

Steve North - voice, guitars, looper, sampled Mellotron, found sounds, ambience, drum programming, engineering, production and cover design

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Steve North image

Steve North UK

Sound artist. Former singer and guitarist from 80s avant funk / dark wave / noise band Lethal Poor.
His music populates a sweeping territory that encompasses: avant-rock, noise rock, free improvisation and alt psych. Often characterised by his anti guitar playing and barritone vocals. His teenage, psych-folk-rock album can be found here: steveandjuice.bandcamp.com ... more

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