Call it a feeling of entitlement, but this shit ain’t right. I am used to being able to do what I desire. Shop for a used record, build a robot with friends, go see a live band, have a sit down meal at my favorite restaurant. Right now, I cannot. What is going on?

We all just want circumstances to return to our normal. Now we are being told this may not happen. The perplexing thing is how this virus has caught modern medicine off guard. We had 100 years to learn from the Spanish Flu virus and here we sit. Is this progress? How effective is current medicine?

Anyway, these difficult challenges are exactly why I did not pursue a career in medicine. However, I was confident someone was figuring it out. Regardless, I believe the sentiment here is ‘I wanna live my life’. These circumstances have rattled everyone. The question is whether we will ever return to normal.

Lockdown Session 3

MeanMan of York is feeling the oppression of lockdown. It is a bit liberating to kick out this Ramones tribute to breaking through the boundaries we put upon ourselves. The time and reflection afforded by the lockdown can help us discover who we can be if we just live our lives. This project continues to be driven by our desire to always find a way to do what makes us happy. Right now, it is recording covers of the songs we have carried through life and suddenly provides clearer meaning to us.

I Wanna Live
 
I've been thinking it over
And I know just what to do
I've been thinking it over
And I know I just can't trust myself
I'm a Gypsy prince
Covered with diamonds and jewels
But then my lover exposes me
And I know I'm just a damn fool
 
I give what I've got to give
I give what I need to live
I give what I've got to give
It's important if I wanna live
Well, I wanna live
I want to live my life
I wanna live
Well, I want to live my life
 
As I load my pistol
Of fine German steel
I never thought I'd be so down and out
Having my last meal
But I know I can do it
It just took a few years
As I execute my killers
The morning is near
 
I give what I've got to give
I give what I need to live
I give what I've got to give
It's important if I wanna live
Well, I wanna live
I want to live my life
I wanna live
Well, I want to live my life
I wanna live
Well, I want to live my life
I wanna live
I want to live my life
I wanna live
I want to live my life
I wanna live
I want to live my life

Songwriters: Daniel Rey / Joey Ramone / Johnny Ramone

I Wanna Live lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, BMG Rights Management

Our work is usually conducted in the same room, but with the lockdown we have been deprived this luxury. However, we are playing the hand we have been dealt. Each member is leveraging our personal studio to record our tracks remotely and pass them on to yield these finished recordings of Songs For Lockdown. I hope you enjoy them.

Stay well

Tom

Recording sequence for I Wanna Live:
– AJ recorded drums on an iPhone 8 Plus situated in the rear waste band of athletic shorts using Voice Memos app and texts track to Truk (no thanks, I will call my Mom from a pay phone)
– Truk slams the drum track onto 8-track digital recording console and records his two guitar tracks
– Truk dumps drum and guitar tracks to DAT and deliver said DAT tape
– Tom loads drum and guitar tracks to digital recording console and records his bass track and vocal tracks
– Chase records keyboard track 
– Tom dumps drum, guitar, bass and vocal tracks to DAT and drops tape on Truk’s front porch
– Truk mixes the track

Photo by Karen

Signage for the single designed by the Thee Jim Cook

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