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The Blue​-​Eyed King of Manhattan

from Beneath a Balcony by Marc M Cogman

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about

I was first inspired to write this song about a friend’s break-up right after it happened...way back in 2003, while I was still living in Boston. For one reason or another, I could not get all the pieces together. I assumed it would go on the second Neon Calm record as one of the more rootsy, lyric-driven songs like “Love Circle” or “Six Bullets”. When I didn’t finish it on time for that record, I assumed it would make my first solo record. When that came and went as well, I finally completed the lyrics, just in time for tracking on Beneath a Balcony in the fall of 2008, though I had begun to jam on the music with Brian Moskin and Giulio Carmassi at Dangerland as early as the fall of 2007.

Not to spoil it for anyone, but I have to admit this is probably my least favorite song that I’ve released as a solo artist. The musical performances are awesome, particularly Giulio’s virtuosity in the solo section as he blasts away at the piano and then B3 organ, but the lyrics have never been as close to my heart as other tunes. This is, perhaps, understandable, as this is one of the first romantic songs I wrote about somebody else’s romance. For those of you interested in a bit of trivia – the two characters in the song were inspired by the relationship between my friend Shawn (of the NYC-based band Serial Obsession) and his then-girlfriend, model Elettra Rossellini.

lyrics

Before it all started to happen, I felt like the blue-eyed king of Manhattan. I had the whole damn world at my feet.

Then you flew across the sea for your fashion - flash-bulbs flashing and men with accents - but you couldn't do it all on your own, no no. So you pulled a little trick that was classic: walked high-heeled out into traffic, and the half that didn't crash were wrapping themselves around you, so... To say that you kicked me around is a little misleading. It's more like you kicked me when I was down.

Dream big, love hard, fly high, fall far, there ain't no way around it. When the place that you live ain't a place that forgives, stand up and be counted with the other broken bricks.

Meanwhile back in the city of sadness, banished to Brooklyn with an old guitar and a mattress, I'm the greyest street corner around, wondering how: with the rattle and hum still seeping in my skin, can I wash it out and start over again, with your 40-foot billboard frowning down upon me, now...To say that I'm feeling low is a little misleading. How much longer can I go?

Dream big, love hard, fly high, fall far, there ain't no way around it. When the place that you live ain't a place that forgives, stand up and be counted. Stand up and be counted with the other broken bricks.

I was with an old friend in a Park Slope cafe, debating whether God = Love when a thought occurred to me: if you were The One, we would survived those petty fight and long nights so I should feel better about the whole damn thing.

Dream big, love hard, fly high, fall far, there ain't no way around it. When the place that you live ain't a place that forgives, stand up and be counted. Stand up and be counted. Stand up and be counted.

credits

from Beneath a Balcony, released August 4, 2009
Marc M Cogman - acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals & percussion
Frogs - electric bass
Giulio Carmassi - B3 Hammond organ, piano
Justin Siegel - drums

Produced by Justin Siegel and Marc M Cogman

Recorded at Radar! (Los Angeles, CA) by Justin Siegel and Eddie Jackson and Black Truffle Studio (Los Angeles, CA) by Giulio Carmassi

Mixed at Radar! (Los Angeles, CA) by Eddie Jackson

Mastered at Archon (Sherman Oaks, CA) by Aris Archontis

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