Every Time You Undress Me
I’m exploring my theory that some of the songs in Thirteen Near-Death Experiences are sung to a lover who also happens to be a doctor. Perhaps the singer has recently “come out” to his lover/doctor as a hypochondriac.
That’s part of this song, but I’m also thinking about these really awful experiences I’ve had in which I briefly perceive someone I love as inhuman.* They’re not brought on by anger or frustration; they seem to just happen at random. One minute I’m full of empathy, and the next minute I have this strange combination of suspicion and detachment. This makes me feel like a bad person.
The instruments in this song are flute, two deliberately obnoxious drums (right now I’m using bass and snare on drum set, but I want to find a truly obnoxious alternative), piano, and violin.
Every Time You Undress Me
Audio has been removed.
Download Score (PDF)
Someone must have abducted you
Your body only does what it’s instructed to
What it’s instructed to
Who are you who’s possessing
The only man I’ve ever trusted
Every time you undress me
I’m second-guessing
Are you entranced or just disgusted
You swiftly revoke as juvenile
The jokes that once provoked at least a smile
At least a smile
Who are you who’s possessing
The only man I’ve ever trusted
Every time you undress me
I’m second-guessing
Are you entranced or just disgusted
Are you ashamed you baby doll you
Ashamed of all the names I used to call you
The names I used to call you
Who are you who’s possessing
The only man I’ve ever trusted
Every time you undress me
I’m second-guessing
Are you entranced or just disgusted
*These experiences remind me of Capgras Syndrome — the belief that a loved one has been replaced by an impostor. Some scientists believe the syndrome results from damage to a part of the brain — the part that allows us to see a “whole picture” instead of merely individual components. It may be that people with Capgras are no longer able to put eyes, ears, nose, etc., together to create a face, so they no longer recognize faces of their loved ones. There’s a related syndrome that causes people to believe they are dead, even though they continue to walk around, eat, drink, etc. Perhaps it is because they look in the mirror and don’t recognize their own face.
Great song, Corey! Again, I love the texture. What sort of obnoxious drum effect are you looking for? Just irritating or plain ridiculous?
Corey replies: Ridiculous, definitely! Why be irritating when you can be ridiculous?
I really like this one. Very nice melody and elegant words.
It seemed to end, not abruptly per se, but before I was expecting it to. I think I was unconsciously expecting a final repeat of the chorus. Just a comment on pop music conditioning!
I noticed that the flute and violin motives are displaced freely around the measure, but the piano’s A-E-D fifths (the harmonic progression) are always on the half-note beats. (”What Will It Be For Me?” is somewhat similar.) Is that deliberate? Again, not saying you should change it here, but it might be a variable you could consciously play with (displacing the “chord progression” chords from the harmonic movement/rhythm) in another song, if you want.
Corey replies: Thanks, David. I’m glad you like this one. There are similarities (deliberately) between this song and “What Will It Be for Me?” I like your idea about displacing the chords in the piano part. I might try that and see what happens.
Lovely as always, Corey. Listening, I really wanted the tempo to pick up at the second chorus, and for the drums to come in really strong and consistently at that point. I realize that would significantly change the song, so take it as you will.
Also, I particularly love the violin in this piece.
Corey replies: Thanks, Keely. I think the drum part needs to be more fleshed out. Right now it’s just a skeleton of what I imagine the drum part will eventually become. Maybe a tempo change would be a good idea, but since the song is divided into three parts, that might make for too lopsided a structure. But it’s worth a try…
Corey amends his reply: My dunderheaded response about lopsidedness totally missed that you wanted the tempo to pick up exactly halfway through the song! Oops.