Recording and Mixing Dates: Recorded May 7 and May 8, 2016. Mixed May 8, 2016.

 

Genesis: This song dates back to 1979. I was in graduate school and was making music with John Plomondon, a fellow American Studies student and a multi-talented musician. I came up with the descending chord progression that opens the song and the rest of the music quickly followed. I can’t recall where I came up with the title/chorus line.

I recorded a guitar demo and in 1980 John played piano on another demo version. I never returned to make a final version until this week. The earlier versions were taken at a slow tempo. This version is much more upbeat.

 Production: Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitars, Electric Baritone Guitar, B3 Organ, Drums

 Lyrics

Shifts of a Curious Heart

Twisting and turning and burning for you

Day after day

Juggling my life trying to keep myself sane

Why do I stay

I never thought that you’d ever hurt

A man as true as me

You’ve had your fun

Now look what you’ve done

You say it’s only curiosity

Chorus:

Hard to follow

The Shifts of a Curious Heart

Hard to follow

The Shifts of a Curious Heart

 

You promise you’ll change and you always do

So who are you now

You live in a world where no one gets hurt

They never learned how

Remember that night in the candlelight

When you turned away from me

You went to that man with the sandpaper tan

Just to test my jealousy

Chorus

 Twisting and turning and burning for you

I’m crazy I know

You make it so hard for me to hold on

I’m not letting go

You’re never sure what you’re looking for

So you try everything you see

You’re not made of flesh and blood

But of flesh and mercury

Chorus

Copyright 2016 Fred Grittner All Rights Reserved