DPCD SINGS, by DPCD

DPCD SINGS

by DPCD

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Sheet Music + Digital Album
Special edition songbook with hand drawn cover, will look gorgeous on your upright or spinet! The book features piano-and-voice arrangements of seven songs from the record: Lovely Dream, Make Believe, Magic Trick, From The Start, George and Violet, Sleep, The Face In The Mirror, and the piano solo Prose. Guaranteed entertainment!

Includes unlimited streaming of DPCD SINGS via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.	Make Believe 02:26	lyrics	buy track
Make believe you love me madly Make believe you’d take me gladly A sky of starlight That once was our light Make belief a competition Hold to every superstition And when we make believe then I’ll believe in you The recollections soar above you Through the twilight’s dim lit door If you knew how much I love you Maybe I’d stop dreaming of you Make the most of temporary Give what pleasure you can carry And when we make believe then I’ll believe in you
2.	Lovely Dream 03:39	lyrics	buy track
Though I love the moon and its companion They’re only a shadow Only a whisper Only a lovely dream Though I love the changing of the seasons They’re only a shadow Only a whisper Only a lovely dream The moon and the changing of seasons Shadows of streets and parked cars Visitor, tall hat in the driveway Looking and holding the arm When I put my ear up to the door I heard him saying: “It’s only a shadow Only a whisper Only a lovely dream” It’s only a shadow Only a whisper Only a lovely dream
3.	Every Time I Hear This Song I Think Of You 02:54	lyrics	buy track
Hands wrapped around each others' hands Eyes locked onto each others' eyes I'm broken hearted Now that we're through Every time I hear this song I think of you Lives entangled like a web Lies you said you'd never tell One pair of slippers Where there were two Every time I hear this song I think of you Drifting from the old chalet Or blaring at the bar When I forget the melody The radio refreshes me Still I'm dreaming of that night Why do I constantly obsess? I'm through with daydreams They won't come true Every time I hear this song I think of you
4.	Sleep 03:37	lyrics	buy track
Sleep Fill up my eyes with sleep Into my heart Mmm When you’re alone Satisfied and at ease Sleep River of rest and sleep Promise to stay Permissions you keep I’m throwing away And ending each day with sleep
5.	From The Start 03:26	lyrics	buy track
Winter melts away into The promises of Springtime’s bloom Unless we put a stop to all The warnings that the seed forgot to heed Lately you’ve been worrying About the things that never seemed to trouble you I know, it’s troubling me too Why do bluebirds sit Orderly in pairs Knowing later they must fly away? Why do pots and pans Hanging side by side End up in such peculiar places Seen by unfamiliar faces? Why instead of ours Someone made it mine Why is it so hard to mend a broken heart When it wasn’t that way from the start Why is every house Burdened by its roof? How can mortar never love its brick? Why a small hello? Why a long goodbye? If meeting is much more divine, Farewell should take up half the time, Why is “who am I” When there’s only you? How can every good plan fall apart? When it wasn’t that way from the start
6.	Who Cares? 02:52	lyrics	buy track
The moon is low, and I'm alone No ringing phone or socialite affairs Who cares? A dream of you on evening breeze The memories descending from the stairs Who cares? The secondhand, the hourglass They taunt me as they go Why am I still second guessing? Loneliness is evening's blessing Though every night I pray in vain My loneliness remains until The day you will return and care for me
7.	The Face In The Mirror 02:39	lyrics	buy track
I recognize the face in the mirror Less with each passing day A crease on the cheek A little grey hair A softer physique An emptier stare I recognize that I’m getting older It happens to everyone Spring had its day Summer has just begun Back of the mind Three piece suit hangs presentably Spiderweb, my old friend What have you done to me I want to love the face in the mirror Holding it nearer, studying closely ‘Til I can see the eyes I recognize
8.	Magic Trick 04:18	lyrics	buy track
The Hand, the Girl, the Wand The curtain draws its weight up high The balcony, the waiters on the wings Applaud and fix their eyes The scheme, the seventh scene, the dream The Queen of Hearts’ demand The greatest three to ever stand The Wand, the Girl, the Hand
9.	I'm Starting To Do Better 02:54	lyrics	buy track
Another daydream, another ghost Another sweet memory Of all the specters that haunt me the most It's yours that I still dream of endlessly And even so, I think that you'll agree I'm starting to do better Better at the game they call romance I'm starting to do better But when you look me in the eyes that way I stand no chance I'm starting to do better Better at forgetting you were mine But if we were to kiss How could I resist? I'll get to getting better sometime I'm starting to do better Better at forgetting you were mine But if we were to kiss How could I resist? I'll get to getting better Get to getting better I'll get better another time
10.	I'm Starting To Do Better (hell version) 01:34	lyrics	buy track
Ì̶̧'̴̹̆m̸̧̃ ̴͖̓s̸̳͝ẗ̶́͜ă̴̜r̶̳̈́t̶̤̋i̵͔͛n̸͎͐ǵ̶̩ ̷̖̃t̷̛͕o̵̬̾ ̴̭͛d̸͙̊ō̶̲ ̸̢͘b̸̲͝e̷̩͛t̷͎͝ẗ̴̮ė̶̜r̵̲͌ ̵̦͂B̷̭̈e̶̼͝t̵͓̓t̶̖̕ȅ̴̲r̸̳̎ ̷͚̚a̵̞̎t̴̰̽ ̸̝̉t̴͍̚h̴̳̓ë̷ͅ ̵̣̋ğ̶̞a̵͖̋m̸̼̾e̵͎̿ ̸̱̍t̸̜́h̸̺́e̸̦͛y̶̡̔ ̵̉͜c̵̥͛ą̷̄l̴̩̒ĺ̶͕ ̷̤̐r̸̘̉ỏ̸̡ṁ̴̯ä̷̺́n̶͔͝c̷̠͝ḛ̵͛ ̶̗̈́I̷̖͂'̶͊͜m̸̩̓ ̶̠̚s̴̮͘t̷͉̿a̸͍͘r̸̛̟ṱ̶͝ǐ̵̫n̴͇͆g̵̼͛ ̴̨͌t̷̤͗o̵̞̾ ̸͚̒d̸̻̒ö̵̰ ̷̯̏b̴̤̍e̶͖̔ť̵͚t̶̖̒e̵͈̓r̷͚̒ ̶̛̲B̴̦̆u̴͜͝t̴̳̿ ̵̭̚w̸̝̄h̷͈͠e̸̮͛ṋ̵̆ ̷̼̄y̵̬̔o̵̰͠u̴͖̓ ̷̙͒l̷̨̊o̸̩͑o̴̰͒k̵͔̊ ̴͍̒m̶̞͊ë̸͕ ̴͖̕ḭ̷͗n̶͎̾ ̶̥̉t̷͉̎h̴͖̍e̸̩͝ ̷̯͂e̴̛̞y̸̛̩e̴̪͐ś̷̙ ̵͚̈́t̶͊ͅh̸̝͘á̸̮t̶̞̅ ̵̭̋ẃ̶̻ã̴̰ỵ̷̊ ̶͖͠ ̶̳͑Į̶͝ ̴̦̈ŝ̴̯t̸͙̀ä̶̜́n̵̒ͅḑ̷̈́ ̶̛̯ņ̵̊o̸̡̓ ̵̖̄c̴̲͒ḣ̸͈ā̷̤ṉ̷̽c̵͚̀e̶̘͠ ̴̙̐ ̷͇̅İ̶̧'̴̳͊m̷͛͜ ̸̜̕s̴̟̄ṱ̴͂a̴̢̍r̶̪̊t̴͈̽ǐ̸̺ṅ̷̬g̸̦͆ ̷͈̽ẗ̵̢o̵̞̓ ̵͓̉d̴̠̽o̸͔̓ ̷̺̂b̴͉̈́e̷͠ͅṯ̴͛t̷̬̆e̵̛͜r̸̗̾ ̸͍͐B̵̛̗ê̸͕ť̴̞t̸̫͠ė̴̞r̵̞͐ ̷̳̈ä̶̘t̶̖̕ ̸̻̅f̴̧̈́o̶̪͂r̴̭͊g̸̯̅e̴̡̊ť̸̟t̸̛̪i̴̩̅n̷̪̑g̵̩͊ ̴̯͝ÿ̸̫ǫ̴̛u̸͖̾ ̶̖̄ẉ̷̊e̷̹̔r̵̗͠e̸̗͊ ̷͖̆m̴̝̈́ì̶̘n̶̞̅ę̵͛ ̸̥̄B̴̟͠u̸̫͘ṯ̶̕ ̷͇͂ī̷͚f̸̺̑ ̴̈́ͅw̷̧̔e̵͍̓ ̷̺̉w̶̝͘e̷̥̍r̴̞̓ẻ̸̜ ̸̹͆t̶͈̍ŏ̵̗ ̵̺̃k̶̠̇i̸̗̚s̶͇͝s̶̟̽ ̶̟̈́H̸̺̑ö̵̟́ẃ̴̗ ̴̹̍c̵͖̒ô̵̙u̶͔͛l̸̺͂ḍ̷̓ ̸͕̾I̶͇̐ ̷̳̈́ṟ̴̀ė̶͇s̷͎̍i̷̞͂s̶̭͝ṱ̵̉?̷͙͐ ̷͇͛Ĭ̸̞'̴̙̀l̵̛̞l̴̹͠ ̴̪̅g̸͓͋ȇ̵̬t̶̮̓ ̸̥͊t̸̥̕o̶̲͋ ̸̪̅g̴̞͒e̶̻͠t̵͈̓t̵̻̑i̵̡͗n̷̲̄g̶̙̒ ̶̪̈́b̴̙̕e̶̠̾t̶͓̐t̶̩̓e̷͖͋ȑ̷͕ ̴̖̽s̵̪̏ő̶͖m̷̲̾e̶̤̔t̷̜̊i̷͓͠m̸̳͂e̴̢̒ ̷̳̑
11.	For My Forever 01:52	lyrics	buy track
For my forever, I'll always be lighting The lamps on the sidewalk alone I will be steadfast, abandoning never The late summer's mist The will-o-the-wisp Though you are with me, I'll never forgive me It's only a matter of time The numb ones that haunt you Won't want to say never So always, forever, and I
12.	Prose 02:34		buy track
13.	George and Violet 02:45	lyrics	buy track
“Strange things always seem more like warnings to me” Violet said to George in Washington, D.C. Kettle in the kitchen, salesman on the phone Cradle in the other room when you are alone “Strange things always seem more like warnings to me Public transportation, wouldn’t you agree?” Bus routes adding up to multiples of six Mockingbirds will follow me, sparrows play their tricks Songs you used to sing when I was a child Melodies so simple, very sweet and mild
14.	Hand Of Cards 02:03		buy track
15.	Lovely Dream (demonstration) 04:13	lyrics	buy track
Though I love the moon and its companion They’re only a shadow Only a whisper Only a lovely dream Though I love the changing of the seasons They’re only a shadow Only a whisper Only a lovely dream The moon and the changing of seasons Shadows of streets and parked cars Visitor, tall hat in the driveway Looking and holding the arm When I put my ear up to the door I heard him saying: “It’s only a shadow, Only a whisper, Only a lovely dream” It’s only a shadow Only a whisper Only a lovely dream
16.	All Day In The Mind Of Somebody Else 01:30	lyrics	buy track
All day in the mind of somebody else Someone stronger than me Familiar and faint, tracing a shadow Tracing a wall where we used to hang All day in the mind of somebody else

about

Popular American song from the mid 20th century has often been used to evoke the uncanny. Al Bowly’s “Midnight, The Stars and You” was reverb-ed out and immortalized in The Shining, casting a ghostly shadow on the Swing era dance band classic. David Lynch used the songs of Bobby Vinton and Roy Orbison in "Blue Velvet,” translating lyrics about loneliness and heartbreak into something more more mysterious, something downright spooky.

What did Stanley Kubrick hear in “Midnight, The Stars and You?” Why did he connect it to his ghost story? The Great American Songbook has the power of collective nostalgia behind it — and all of the specters, angels, and demons that come along with it. But this strange nostalgia is only highlighting something already present in this music. A close reading of the lyrics of this era reveals an innate eeriness, a fixation on the uncanny: nighttime, (“Midnight and a rendezvous,”) fantasy, (“In dreams you’re mine, all the time, we’re together in dreams,”) desperation, (“I still can see blue velvet through my tears”) and ghostly figures, (“A candy-colored clown they call the Sandman,”) A candy-colored clown, can you believe that?

Nostalgia, Midnight, Dreams, Yearning, Ghosts: these words color so much of the ambiance of mid-century song. But it isn't only its text that contributes to these themes: it is also its musical elements. Twinkling celestes and sweeping muted strings take us to the dream world. Stacked sixth chords create layers of mist. Diminished chords can offer romance, or create dread. Twisting, motivic melodies provide hypnotizing canvases on which lyricists work. Large background choirs oo-ing and ah-ing wordlessly summon up spirits.

The few precious examples home-recorded songs that exist from this era illuminate these songwriting forms in a more domestic, intimate way. Connie Converse invites us into her personal mythology of suitors, men in the sky, wizards, and witches with her guitar and voice, recorded in her kitchen. The few recordings that exist of her piano songs are also completely stunning, dipping their toes into Art Song territory with baffling counterpoint. Another home recording gem is the music of Molly Drake, mother of Nick Drake. Her parlour piano ballads show us a rainy picture of the mid-century song world, with elegant, subdued piano playing and images of sorrow and loss situated the British landscape: “I remember oranges, and you remember dust.”

Out of a deep love for this broad category of song emerges DPCD SINGS. A home recording project of Alec Watson, the album presents us with 16 original songs documenting an obsession with the Great American Songbook, its counterparts, and its living forms. The music contains nods to the great musical theater composers of the mid 20th century, the working Tin Pan Alley songwriter, and the common song. Hazed-out barbershop quartets dovetail with lonely piano ballads, lovingly embracing rhyme scheme and form. The verses linger on surrealist themes: specters swirl through dim hallways, mirrors reflect faces of unrequited lovers, and fading memories flicker under the light of the moon.

So light your lamps, close the blinds, and be enveloped in this dreamy landscape of threatened suburban innocence, with dark tendrils closing in and strange figures looming in the corners.

credits

released November 18, 2021

Music and lyrics by Alec Watson

Recorded at home in Chicago, IL
Samantha Connour sings on tracks 4 and 14

Album photo by Rachel Winslow
Original sheet music arrangements by Evan Allen
Sheet music cover illustration by Nicholas Burrus

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DPCD Chicago, Illinois

extremely medium song from Chicago, IL

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Jun 16

Lonesome Station Old Fort

Old Fort, NC

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