Nat Kendall

The vocals in this track were completely impromptu and pulled from the heart. Paige and I had been coming up with somewhat of a chorus to some guitar chords and I remember the night I laid down the vocals vividly. I made the dirty and slow bit-crunched beat, set up a mic and hit record. As simple as that.

I can still see the way the warm glow of a 30 watt bulb climbed the brick walls in my studio, I can see the blue lights on the Technics and the flash of reds and greens from the Korg Electribe as they pulsed in beat. I remember the taste in my mouth and the feeling that I had given everything. No one was around and I just put it all in to the mic. It was a memorable moment and I’m grateful it was captured.

Enjoy.

CHORUS
You gave your heart… that’s all that you got,
At least you’ve got something, when others have not.

I got, I got got… and no I’m not, not trying to tie no knots
Maybe I’m just lying, my face to the floor
This place no more could do the same
Forgot my name, forgot the pain
Pushed on ’cause it’s all just the same

Break your wings in half and beat faster
They’ll never heal without bandage and plaster
Now they’re too weighted, it’s a perfect disaster

I got, I got, I’m not, I’m not… not trying to tie no knots
Maybe I’m just lying, my face to the floor
This place no more could do the same

I gave, I gave… maybe too much
Maybe not enough in the end
Been back and forth again and I’m still wondering

CHORUS
You gave your heart… that’s all that you got,
At least you’ve got something, when others have not.

When others they got not, well I got, got… got
No I’m really trying not, not, not… trying to tie no knots
Maybe I’m lying now with my face to the floor
Been in this place before but not empty like this
Now I’m just thinking about her… kiss

Tastes like these brick walls will just contain me with red
Strain me instead, training back… tryin’ to sleep in that bed
But I just roll over and face nothing

I guess it’s time for these troubles to be on their way
Way out the door, hold on we got some more in store
And I gave, I gave, I gave… gave all I got
Maybe not enough, but I gave what I could…

Gave what I got…

So I’ll keep going till you’re gone.

Download and listen to All I Got

I’m building a boat made of lonely roof tops
Sails made of shadows that are cast on the lawns
I took the curtains, piano and sheets
Fashioned an anchor to bear the rough seas…

And I’ve been working on it while you were gone
When your days stretched to evenings and dawn
You didn’t know, but I already sailed
There will be no reasons, don’t wait for the mail…

And while I’m gone I hope you learn how to dance
I hope you feel the bricks, walk alone, spend money in France
I hope you cut yourself deeper than I could have done
I hope you know the bullet, know the gun and know who’s the one
I hope you dance…

I’m building a boat made of lonely roof tops
Sails made of shadows that are cast on the lawns
The power lines blast a lonely song
To all the ships that are beached upon…

Born to land only some can see
A city of lights…

City of lights dancing in my eyes
A city of lights…

Many goodbyes in a life like mine
A fire stirs in this old bloodline
City of lights don’t you hold my shine,
I was bound to run, bound to love and bound to die…

And while I’m gone I hope you learn how to dance
I hope you feel the bricks, walk alone, run through Japan
I hope you cut yourself deeper than I could have done
I hope you know the bullet, know the gun and know who’s the one
I hope you dance…

Outro

And I’ll go down with this ship
Burn the planks, give some thanks, find your saints, oh!
Nothing sacred now {repeat}

You surely know how to weave
the silver threads that connect me
heart and mind to the belly

Tie it all together
pulley, gear and feather
and wait just long enough to see…

The foreign tongue you spoke with
left a weight on my lips
heavy words that cut my teeth

I called the kids to see if
they knew much of the madness
but all they said was let it free…

Lyrics from an upcoming track titled “Madness”