This floral painting of mine was created using black and white watercolors. I am trying to get away from seeing things in black and white, which is my metaphor for extreme thinking. When I expand my mind, I’ve discovered beautiful new shades of tonality.
Click the blue link to hear audio:
MISUNDERSTOOD-8/18/14 Copyright 2014 by Judy Unger
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MISUNDERSTOOD
Copyright 2014 by Judy Unger
You won’t forgive me for that argument
Those words you heard I never meant
Your wounds are raw; too hurt to move on
You say your trust is gone
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I know you’re hurt; I wish you knew
Nothing can change my love for you
You pretend that you’re okay
But this chill won’t go away
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Misunderstood, left with regret
Painful words you can’t forget
I’d take them back, if I only could
‘cause now I’m left misunderstood
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The walls you’ve built protect you now
I want to tear them down somehow
Misunderstood, left with regret
Painful words you can’t forget
I’d take them back, if I only could
Instead I’m left misunderstood
My lyrics in progress are always very revealing. I share my lyric drafts, including areas of words scratched out.
Less than two months ago, I wrote about how I transform my emotions into a song. It is something I do unconsciously and is such a blessing to my life.
I must thank my arranger, George for inspiring me to create my newest song “Misunderstood.” It was his encouragement that truly helped birth this song.
I had come to one of our sessions feeling very depressed. I told George how I had gotten into a horrible fight with my oldest son a few days before. He was sympathetic and told me to express my feelings by writing a song – he even suggested that I name it “Misunderstood.”
I happened to have discovered four beautiful chords on my guitar the day before. I shared them with George and he began to play them on his piano. Instantly, my heart was grabbed with the excitement that every passionate songwriter knows. My glorious new song was emerging!
It took us several sessions to create an arrangement for this song. Even though it didn’t have lyrics, it wasn’t long before I found the words. I tried to “compose” a beautiful melody but it seemed to have a mind of it’s own. Even when I found what might have been a “better” choice, I sang whatever melody came out of my mouth.
Originally I wanted to sound like Barry Manilow with a modulated last chorus. But I lost my connection to the song, so the electric guitar and drums had to go. George erased the solo/last chorus and we created something else.
George also directed me while recording harmony. I love the harmony on this song because it makes the song even more emotional for me.
Singing is such a pure form of expression. I sang the high notes for the last chorus because it felt like what I needed to do in order to release my pain.
Below are more beautiful words from my new friend, Sandra who lives in Denmark. I introduced her on the last post and she wrote this sweet message after I emailed her a recording of “Misunderstood” in progress.
Dear Judy,
It’s late here in Denmark now: 23:43 at night, and it will not be long before I go to bed, and I will rejoice very much to again get a nice letter from you. You must be well and take care of yourself. I think of you so often and send you my light and healing energy from the depth of my heart.
Thanks for emailing me your latest song “Misunderstood.” I really like it; I actually really loved it and have started to sing it a little.
I like to have background music playing while I walk around here and work; it is so nice. Judy, you have to promise me that you will never stop playing or making music; you’re so clever. Your thoughtful lyrics that you sing with your pleasant voice make me cry. Just wait and see – when we suddenly see each other one day, I will cry for hours when you play and sing to me.
You said you wrote the song after an argument with your son, but it can easily be understood as something that happened between a couple in love.
While I listened to the song, suddenly I saw a movie where a woman was driving her car up a mountain road. It was the start of a movie with your song running in the background as film music; it fit perfectly! I certainly believe that your music could be used for film. Your song invokes many feelings and your relaxing voice is like pleasant waves; your music could fit nicely in a love story or a drama.
Thank you, dear Judy, for sharing your life and your art with me. God bless you,
Sandra
My son has no idea that I wrote this song. What emerged from our conflict, were many feelings related to the divorce that had been suppressed. Even though the chill between us has subsided, his wariness and my regret have exhausted me.
Perhaps that is why my song is so comforting. It transforms my painful situation into something exquisitely beautiful. I can express my regret in a different way, instead of bending over backward to prepare his favorite foods.
Below are more scrawled words of my lyrics in progress for this song. My very first page began as a way to express feelings without concerning myself with rhyming. Those lyrics in progress are intimate and revealing.
It seems like sharing here is the antithesis of being misunderstood.
I feel understood now.
© Judy Unger and http://www.myjourneysinsight.com 2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Judy Unger with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
