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Broken, Forgiven

by G. Mervine

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about

“Broken, Forgiven” is an epistolary song by singer-songwriter g. mervine about atonement, heartbreak, and recovery. The woundedness comes through in irony (“does it make you feel better/to know I’m facing my weather”) and ruminations on lost futures (“reading by the fire/log after log and we grow old”). Musically, Mervine’s experience with West Philadelphia Orchestra is evident in the nine beat rhythm that undergirds the song, which is common in Macedonian and Turkish music. In addition to vocals and songwriting, Mervine plays every instrument on the recording except trumpet, which is played by fellow WPO member Daniel Stern, and his wife Ariadne chimes in on the choruses.

“Broken/Forgiven” is the first single from g. mervine’s upcoming album Visible Seams.

lyrics

Finally wrote you this letter
Does it make you feel better
To know I’m facing the weather?
Got that monkey on tether
Only high from a feather pen
I’ve seen the face of____
Felt his arms around me hold
We know how we end
Blown away and not controlled
How them joys left me cold

Long year in the camper
Kept my hand on the damper
Sleeping sound ‘neath the starlight
See my breath in the moonlight
Rain drops echoing what you said.
Why we always moving
Like we had some place to go
Why we always shouting
As if pain would let ‘em know
How them joys left me cold

When you smile today
light it up, don’t leave no room
When you stand up today
let your power shake the ground
I’m walking with my mistakes
and all the evil in my head
I’m just trying to get free
have what’s broken be forgiven
How them joys done left me cold

I hear the band’s back together
Almost finished the record
I miss the sound of you singing
Was like church bells was ringing
So much joy you had given me

Sometimes in dreams I
Open a door and find you home
Reading by the fire
Log after log and we get old
Why we always moving
Like we had somewhere to go
Why we always shouting
As if pain would let ‘em know
How them joys done left me cold

credits

released January 5, 2023
Trumpet: Daniel Stern
Everything else: Gregg Mervine
Mixed/Mastered: Gregg Mervine

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all rights reserved

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G. Mervine Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

G. Mervine crafts songs that explore the verges of experience, the limits of belief, and the tightropes we dance upon over voids and heartbreak. He is a composer and poet foremost, but also a jazz drummer, a percussionist, and music producer. He founded West Philadelphia Orchestra, has composed for theater and ballet, produced records in Philly and in Brazil, and more... ... more

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