First Love

{ Lyrics }

The artistic network
Everyone’s best work
Friendly competition
Whispers of suspicion
Stylistic defection
The critics’ rejection
Then after they shame us
They finally make us famous

It started when the light
Was dancing through the pines
It started when the junipers reached their full height
It started when each day
Would take my breath away

Now I can’t paint
Without thinking of those I hate

I think I’ve lost my first love
I lost my first love

The hard decision
The teaching position
Lengthy manifestos
About medieval frescoes
Successful students
All the accoutrements
Then they all start scoffing
When they see what the New School’s offering

I remember when
The ravens and the wrens
Would dance and dive and dart and make my head spin
No brushstroke in the world
Could capture how they swirled

Now all I express
Depicts what I detest

I think I’ve lost my first love
I lost my first love

What good is heaven if you’re not allowed to paint it?
What good is paint if you’ve always gotta fake it?
What good’s a fake when the world’s already moved on?
And why move on when they’ll make you leave heaven behind?

{ Musicians }

Phil Woodward—Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Myron Marston—Lead Guitar
Mark Noguchi—Bass
Bobby Jacky—Keyboard
Chris Kennedy—Drums
Lacey Brown—Backup Vocals

{ Credits }

Words and Music by Phil Woodward

Song Navigation

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Currently Rated 5.0/5 Stars (4 Votes)
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Currently 5.0/5 Stars.

Comments (2)

Mari said:

on Monday, March 31, 2008 at 03:38 AM

Very poignant. I can relate to this on multiple levels...love the imagery of 'how things used to be'---the inspiration, beauty, freedom. Makes a perfect comparison to the stagnant, dead current situation. Kind of like a "good old days" type of song, but done well so it catches hold of much deeper emotions.

Ricky Heisner said:

on Friday, September 26, 2008 at 04:12 AM

I love how the melody and vocal on the primary verses conveys the artist's weariness. I think every artist (who's tried to make a living with their art) has felt the pressure to compromise to the point of selling out. It's amazing how it kills the JOY of creating. I know people who it's happened to.

I also love how the secondary verses, where he remembers the JOY that used to come with inspiration (or was JOY the inspiration?), express that JOY so well. They just seem to come bursting to life (does the music shift from minor to major chords there?) - but then it's back to his lament over what he's lost. Like everything on this album, it's incredibly well done.