Day 2: Healing Hands

 

Day 2: Healing Hands

Part of my song-a-day writing project for January 2024

Lyrics:

I guess you must be thinking
That I'm nothing but trouble
But, babe, I can assure you
That I just want to snuggle

Hold you close
Pull you near
Let me whisper softly
In your ear

I know that you've been hurt before
And you're in distress
Rejuvenation comes
From a gentle caress

Let my arms
Hold you tight
Well, I'm gonna ease
Your pain tonight

Healing hands, healing hands
I'm gonna do the best that I can

A massage is just a message
That you send with your fingers
The feeling in your muscles
Is the meaning that lingers

So let go
Change your plans
Here come the healing hands

My vocabulary underscores
The language of touch
It accentuates that feeling good
Is never too much

Go lay down
Ease your mind
There's no better way
For you to unwind

A massage is just a message
That you send with your fingers
The feeling in your muscles
Is the meaning that lingers

So let go
Change your plans
Here come the healing hands

***

Details: I was writing in my journal just after breakfast this morning, and the neighbor started cranking music really, really loud. His van radio was playing "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye, so that got me into a mood for soul.

I'm more of an Otis Redding guy, so the rhythm of the lyrics is more in line with his stuff. I knew I wanted the song to be about seduction, but as the day went on, it turned more into a song about giving a soothing massage (which is still a great form of seductive). I had some other lyrics more directly about seduction at one point, but I wanted to stick more to the sensual motif.

At one point, I really wanted to get some 5-dollar words in there. Most soul songs use pretty basic words, but I wanted to try to fit some bigger ones in there. The third verse that goes "My vocabulary underscores the language of touch" was going to be in the chorus originally, and the song was going to be called "The Language of Touch" (which is actually a much cooler title than "Healing Hands"), but once I came up with the "Healing Hands" part of the chorus, the rest of the chorus needed to be about touching more than about language.

"Healing Hands" was originally "I'm a man", but I didn't feel like the song was really saying much about being a man, so I ditched that. But back to Otis Redding-- the little bass line riff that I do to lead into "Healing Hands", I imagine that part actually played by horns. In fact, if I ever record this, it'll need a horn section all the way through.

Anytime I do something inspired by classic soul or funk, I get really insecure about my guitar playing. I need to take a crash course in soul/funk guitar chords, because what I'm playing just doesn't sound right. The starts and stops help give a funky feel, but it's not what I hear in my head. If I do anything more with this song, I suspect I'll make some changes to the guitar arrangement. But, hey, if I get that horn section, maybe the guitar doesn't matter.

I liked yesterday's song quite a bit. This one is more of a mixed bag for me. Some cool ideas, but I'm not sure it all comes together.

I'm also noticing that my baritone guitar plays louder than my voice. I may need to start hooking up a microphone for singing, or somehow change the acoustics in the room. We'll see...