Arcade Animal
A song about belonging and fulfillment
Song: Arcade Animal
Series: Inside My Mind (And Other Strange Adventures)
Here’s song número dos for IMM(AOSA). Arcade Animal was initially inspired by my daughter winning multiple animals in a claw arcade game on a trip to Turkeyville USA a couple years ago (never seen anything like it). For a moment I simply wondered what it would be like to be an animal in a broken or rarely used claw machine—and the feelings of loneliness, uselessness, unwantedness were, for whatever reason 😉, easily accessible—the longing inside me (maybe in all of us?) to be seen, wanted—maybe activated is another word—spilled into this song. There’s a desperation sometimes to do anything to get out of our current situation—whether a bad habit or a bad habit disguised as a good one. Will I give up freedom to hold on to comfort? The song leaves off at the longing—but I want to learn to rest even in forgottenness…do I really believe right now and right here is enough?
Musically, this is a fun one—I tuned the guitar to an open D5 tuning (DADAAD) and only play two strings for the verse chord changes. It allows for a drone feel through the verses—the chorus has full bar chords and a soaring vocal line. For the musical bridge I have a dream of building a multi-layered guitar/synth/bell harmonic thing with whispers of Christmas and an alt. rock jam swell vibe…but I just use my voice to hint at the idea—because these are all one-take iPhone recordings, of course!
Lyrics:
I am arcade animal Stuck down here below The claw won’t come for me Won’t comfort me Calypso and the zoo A quarter down the flue Squeezed so tenderly Nothing can set me free I’m an attic mannequin Hollow rubber skin For years I’ve been for sale Beneath the bullet hail Piano plays the roll The first god that I stole And squeezed so tenderly Nothing can set me free Oh, I need a cigarette Oh, stare down the barrelette Will I shrug my shoulders will I take the deal? Will I pray so hard till I make it real? Oh, can I feel it Feel it Feel it Feel it? I’m an arcade animal Blue stuffed flammable Always singing flat you know right where I’m at An empty carousel A worn out Christmas bell Rung so tenderly Nothing can set me free Oh, I need a cigarette Oh, stare down the barrelette Will I shrug my shoulders will I take the deal? Will I pray so hard till I make it real? I wanna feel it Feel it Feel it Feel it? Oh, I need a cigarette Oh, stare down the barrelette Will I shrug my shoulders will I take the deal? Will I pray so hard till I make it real? Oh, can I feel it Feel it Feel it Feel it?