Finally! After months of writing, recording and mastering, Doug Allen and I have released the song Six Minutes for distribution.
It is on iTunes here or you can get it here via CDBaby.
We are really proud of it and grateful to so many people who helped us with it… Donna Bonato at Silver Creative for turning one of my garden photos into the stunning cover art, Dennis Hrbek for his sound work, Anthony Radice for piano and some initial recording tracks, and of course our families and friends for their support along the way.
The background of the song as I wrote it for distribution is this:
I’ve been writing on my blog about my life for a few years and more recently about my diagnosis in 2012 with stage 4 breast cancer (6 years after initial surgery and treatment). Many of the posts I make are more poetic than prose lately. One particular one called “No room for that in this (Six Minutes)” seemed ripe for becoming song lyrics. I’ve never written song lyrics before and don’t even sing or play an instrument. But I did think the words had some potential to tell a good story, something I think is lacking in so much of modern music.
I’m a huge fan of Doug’s personally and professionally. He’s been teaching our son Colin to play guitar for a few years now. We’ve become friends and I love Doug’s sound. After hearing his latest album I knew he was someone who would be able to find the right music. I knew that on occasion he would co-write songs. I asked him, on a lark, if he’d consider working with me on turning the post into a song. He agreed.
We sat at my kitchen table and in that first session I turned that original post into the lyrics for “Six Minutes.” Doug almost immediately got the right feel and sound for the music and it just clicked. We both felt that while the original storyline of the song was about me, the song itself needed to be more universal. That’s why I made the chorus something so approachable, something everyone can relate to.
For me, the six minutes were ones of pain that I wanted to go by quickly. But I regretted that I was wishing my life away in these small increments. What Doug and I knew for sure is that we all can relate to the idea of “taking a trip inside your head” where you just check out during the day. That’s what he and I kept coming back to. Daydreaming, zoning out, whatever it is that helps you take a little break. So the chorus is about that, which is important because those are the words you’re likely to be singing to yourself again and again and need to be able to relate to.
The song came together very easily for us. The words really didn’t change after that first meeting. I think we knew we had the right music for it and the story is now there for sharing.
We hope listeners will enjoy it, we hope it will speak to them. This one is a true collaboration and I’m grateful Doug was able to share my words in a new way. After hearing it hundreds of times now I still find myself singing the chorus again and again at moments throughout the day.
You might enjoy seeing that original post and what the lyrics became in the final version…
Six Minutes
The clock says it’s been six minutes now,
I’m glad that they have passed,
Then I realize I’ve wasted them:
Six minutes gone too fast.
I take a trip inside my head,
I don’t know where I go.
Somewhere else,
Anywhere else,
Far from things I know.
I try to forget for a moment now,
Focus on a spot on the wall,
I lose myself in the emptiness,
Such a painfully long way to fall.
So I take a trip inside my head,
I don’t know where I go.
Somewhere else,
Anywhere else,
Far from things I know.
I find myself in silence,
Tuning out the noise,
No room for anything,
But him, my girl and the boys.
And when I’m gone,
Just no way around it,
So many things they will miss
‘Cause when it comes to being fair,
There’s no room for that in this.
Gonna take a trip inside my head,
I don’t know where I’m gonna go,
Somewhere else,
Anywhere else,
Far from things I know…
Link to Twitter
This is awesome Lisa
Truly incredibly beautiful …up there with the best…
Beautifully written. Off to download!
Congratulations!
Lisa, do you have ringing in the ears or other auditory effects?
A lot of cancer drugs are known to be ototoxic. I wonder if you have felt such effects.
Thank you.
Hi Lisa,
When I was diagnosed with cancer last summer, a friend recommended that I read a blog she had found written by someone with the same kind of cancer. I started at her beginning and caught up to real time very quickly. We emailed directly just a few times but I felt like she was a friend. She was on my mind all of the time and I checked her blog daily. I wanted to know how she was doing and learn from her. I didn’t reach out many times because I felt like she was in the thick of it and I didn’t want to bother her. She died six weeks ago. I am still mourning the longer life she should have had. And I am also full of regret that I didn’t get in touch with her more often…just to say hi, let her know that I was thinking about her and to tell her how much she meant to me. My intentions were good in not wanting to bother her but in hindsight, I was so selfish. Realizing this now, I want to tell you that I think about you, keep up with you and and wish you comfortable days, loving times with your family, and TIME. You are helping so many people. You are amazing Lisa.
I am so sorry for the loss of your friend. And I appreciate your words of support — as I am sure she did too. Thank you.
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