FAWM: "Facing West"

Facing West

Liner Notes

I locked up my acoustic, bought a new amp and picked up my electric guitar back in September. Initially I studied some online tutorials to teach myself some new tricks, but eventually I started coming up with some new song ideas, enjoying the freedom of moving around the guitar neck easier. This was the first one I got excited about. It was first labeled "Sunshiny Pop Record/Play Faster" in my Voice Memos app, and it was a lot of fun to play the initial idea/progression. It's evolved significantly since then but when I tried to record it the way I always envisioned it as a faster/rock song I could maybe play with a band, it didn't sound right to me. So after several tries I ditched the drums and slowed it down. Pretty happy with the unexpected way it turned out.

Near the same time that I first started playing around with this idea I was trying to edit a book draft I completed about a year ago. I had a hard time getting back into it and came up with the idea of exploring the themes and characters through songwriting as a next step instead. So this is part of that. Don't worry, I'm not writing a concept album here.

Lyrics

Facing west, sea side, thoughts are my own Painted sky streams of gold and orange, you’re all I know As I tell myself it’ll be alright how many miles I have come Wound in my back baby don’t look back, no more match, checksum

Going down the path, our time is over at last But baby you’re all that I know, facing west in the cold

Every mile I passed the speedometer pressed as the world put on a show I never thought of a tear in the past or a life blow by blow You invented a part and I was not in the cast, an extra at best Fiction it seems gave the real life a squeeze and put it to the test

Going down the path, our time is over at last But baby you’re all that I know, facing west in the cold

Tell me straight tell me you’re all I know. You and I can be just let it go A slow fade and moving out of view How we thought, I don’t even know I don’t even know

It’s a scene or a kind of disease It’s a mind control it’s a vanity And I can’t control what I don’t even need I can save myself and I wanna be free And you tell me this and you tell me that And I don’t know what to say

Baby you’re all that I know, facing west in the cold

Comments

@musicsongwriter 31m

Beautiful song, singing and playing. Creates a very interesting scene to follow. Catchy melody floats beautifully.

@ericdistadMod 3h

This is a great lyric! The images and lines are really strong.

The electric works really well and your voice sounds great on this!

Excellent start to FAWM 26! Well done, man!

@joefahey 14h

Really good lyrics, it’s so cool for you to integrate some of your fiction writing into a song, it opens up so many new possibilities. It’s also nice to hear you play electric guitar, and it’s interesting to hear that you tried a more sunshine pop, band with drums approach but decided to dial it back. It’s good to try various styles before finding the spot that feels right for the song. I love the sound of those nice chords as played on a electric, sounds chimey and rich. The melodies on the verses and choruses are catchy and memorable and I always love hearing a bridge. Great start to FAWM 2026 Todd!

@tspoon 1d

Todd, this is a great kickoff to 26. Interesting that we both sort of wrote break-up songs to start the year. Although both about fictional characters, at least I hope? I love the guitar sound, from that new amp. Vocals sound super clear and strong. very strong refrain. Baby Your all that I know.... Well done my friend!

@toddnorem 1d

Pure fiction. Maybe being in a long-term secure relationship and newly engaged(!) actually helped with the writing of this song. Thanks for the comment.