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The Story Behind The First OBViOUS Album
by Mr. Christopher (written 1998)
 

"The pen is mightier than the sword
        ...but a guitar is a whole lot louder"
 
 
 
 
 

Hello, I'm Mr. Christopher Morley.

Pleeeeaasseee call me "Mr. Christopher"!!! If you call me "Mr. Morley" I'll think you're talking to my dad.

I'm the singer, songwriter and lead guitarist for the band, The OBVIOUS. I'm also an American music producer and a sound engineer who is becoming involved with the "new" music scene in China.

You may or may not have seen my appearances on Chinese TV, various Chinese music magazines, but you can always find me at The OBViOUS' web page.

http://members.xoom.com/Obvious
or
http://kahn.xj.cninfo.net/obvious
 
 
 
 
 
 

"Every album has a story, but few are told."

There are a lot of stories that went into the writing and recording of this album. Some are more "Chinese associated" and some more Western.

Here's the story of this first OBVIOUS album:

Starting in 1995, I was encouraged to do this musical project by many Chinese (on both sides of the Pacific) who saw what I was trying to do:

To bring together elements of the East and West into a pop rock album.

Some would categorize this album as a token of continued friendship between the two very different cultures, but that could be making it sound bigger than it is.

Hopefully, we have at least succeeded in achieving a 'common ground', in a musical sense, that will be enjoyed by all.

It has been said that while Chinese like "Western pop music," they are also very proud of their own culture. Americans, on the other hand,  like anything that sounds new and exciting. This album tries to take all this into consideration.

I found it very funny that I had to keep reminding my Chinese friends who kept saying "make it more Chinese" that this was in fact written by 'an American' who is merely influenced by the Chinese culture, and not the other way around.

[As I said, we do hope that this album might inspire future projects between Chinese and Western musicians ... showing Westerners more about Chinese music, and Chinese musicians a bit more about Western music.]
 
 

The Chinese influences

To both Chinese and Western listeners, it's the Chinese influences of this album which will stand out the most, as this is new in the context of a true pop rock album.

Most of the material you will hear was written in or around my year in China, from 1994-1995.

"China didn't change my music,
as much as it added to my musical vocabulary."

Each of us in The OBVIOUS has been involved with music for over half our lives. I've always been "musical", getting influenced whenever I heard something new and adding that to my musical "vocabulary".

Also during my time in China, I gained a confidence I didn't quite have before as an artist. How? Well, I found an acceptance, which I hadn't felt in America for a long time. My music seemed to "fit in".

Plus, I had a certain freedom to experiment, knowing most people I would perform in front of would probably never see me again. This allowed me to try certain things and develop in ways I was not comfortable to attempt back in the U.S. (...a lot of this is what developed into The OBVIOUS sound.)
 
 

"The OBViOUS Sound"

As I said before, China didn't change my music, it added to it.

The roots of this group go back as far as the pop writing and vocal style of the Beatles, as well as funk/swing kind of music with "over-the-top" guitar playing. The Chinese influences, on top of this, make this all quite unique.

A note about the Beatles influence: Well, I'll say what many others have said about the Beatles music. Before the Beatles, life was black and white. After the Beatles, every thing was suddenly in living color. Strangely the Beatles haven't yet been discovered by Chinese youth. Perhaps after this album they'll have "opened ears." ...Or maybe we can bring a little "Technicolor" into their lives.

For the most part, The OBVIOUS sound consists of three instruments (guitar, bass, and drums) each playing interesting enough parts to fill in any holes, while not forgetting the one part of music everyone forgets: empty space.

Empty space should be made for the most important part of the song: the singing.

After hearing that The OBVIOUS was only a three piece band, I thought it very funny to hear a few Chinese "booking agents" say that "three people weren't enough to make a big enough sound."

They obviously hadn't seen us live before.

As you will hear, the sound is very full ...and there's no extra weight.
 
 

Humor

I'm not sure how it's going to translate, but there are some very funny moments on this album. Some are spoken but most are musical.

The truth is that we are a very rockin' band that has moments of extreme silliness.

Most people know that music makes you happy or sad, but they seem to forget the humorous side to it all. Just close your eyes next time you watch some old cartoons. The music is a large part of what sets the humor going.

I hope that our humor doesn't lose you, but is a big part of an even larger enjoyable experience you have, as you listen to The OBVIOUS.
 
 

"This is a true "Guitarists" Album"

That's right ... 98% No keyboards! Being the guitarist, I'm rather proud of that!

You will notice right away that there is a lot of guitar playing and of course it's played loudly ...like it should be.

I usually approach writing a guitar solo as if it were a little song in it's self. I have commented on my personal favorites in the individual song listing that follows. I hope you enjoy them too.

You'll notice that Chinese influence in some of my guitar playing on a few songs. This is the result of me sitting down with a tape of an Er Wu in China and learning the whole tape "note for note" to capture traditional Chinese phrasing. The first songs we used this 'phrasing' were "All the Tea In China" followed by "What In the World?" and "Chinese Fire Drill." I hope to further develop this technique on the next CD.
 
 

"What??
...That guitar sounds like a piano!?!"

Another interesting fact is that all 'bass parts' and Chinese sounding instruments were played on a guitar. This 'guitar' being connected to a synthesizer, achieving the desired sound.

It's rather an interesting experience to play piano sounds using a guitar. You will hear this technique on "Life Goes On" and more impressively with the horn parts on "Too Many Thoughts of You" and Chinese 'er wu' on "Now Or Never!" and our Asian ballad "Somewhere" ...It's even more fun live!

So this album is really 50% guitar! (Vocals and drums making up the other half.)

(Note: One exception is one piano lick on "Too Many Thoughts of You" played by the keyboard player from my old high school rock band, who threw it down  for old times sake ...but that's pretty much it ...really!)
 
 

Drumming (Pounding the pig skins!)

The OBVIOUS was fortunate enough to have Tim Miens on drums for most of the songs. He performs very inspired drumming on "Chinese Fire Drill", "Life Goes On", "Now Or Never", and "Gaze In Your Eyes".

When Tim wasn't available for the session, I sat in on drums to complete the remainder of the songs.

Strangely, 'drumming' was another skill I sharpened on those lonely nights in China when I had nothing else to do. I probably would have been a drummer instead of a guitarist earlier on in life, but my parents opted to encourage me to play something with a "volume knob".
 
 

Singing

All the singing was also played on a guitar ...no, just joking!

Nearly all these songs are sung entirely in English (as my Chinese is really that bad) with the exception of "Mei Guanxi Zie Jien".

You'll be happy to know, however, that I've written some notes to help you non-English speakers along the way (and English notes for us Westerners for the few Chinese parts I did manage to get through.)

If you like the singing it was me, if you don't like the voices on this album, then it really was a guitar as well.
 
 

Mixing

By the end of the summer of 1997, this album was completely recorded. All that was left to do was to "mix" the album (the process of balancing all the levels of each instrument's volume).

Then suddenly the release plans fell through for it's release in China. (Another story for another time)

Months went by and I left the songs "unmixed" as I didn't have the heart to work on them anymore after the disappointing news. It was during this 'down time' that I began to produce an album for Tim's other band who are called The OFFERING.

Finally, when the "wheels started turning" again and a new deal was made to release The OBVIOUS in China, we found we had less than a month to mix all the songs!

How long could it possibly take to mix an album?

Well, it's a longer process than you might imagine. It's a process of listening, taking a break and re-listening, changing  what little things you think could be better and then doing the whole process all over again.

My ears are '"taking a break" from mixing the last few songs as I write this now!

I've spent as many as three days mixing some of these songs.

However,  funny thing happened once I finally began to  mix the album. I found myself re-discovering the songs as "songs" and not as technical beings.

After the long recording process and the time away, I guess I had forgotten what the songs meant to me as their writer.

Songs can be like children to the writer. I suddenly "felt" the songs as if I had just written them. This made mixing very enjoyable as I re-experienced the original feelings and meanings I had intended when I had written them. I hope this shows when you listen.

As you see, I met my deadline.

Well That's the story (...at least to this point in time!)

As they said at the end of the famous movie Casablanca:

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!"

So... Enough of this ranting and raving! Put this recording into the player of your choice, and lets have some fun!

Love & Fishes (Oops...I meant 'kisses' obviously.)
oooxxxooo

Zie jein,

Mr. Christopher

PS: Always remember: "Life goes on..."
 
 
 
 
 

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The songs:
 
 
 

EVERY MOMENT
?1994 Christopher Morley

The history:
This was the first song I ever sang in China (I believe the performance is on one of these OBVIOUS bootlegs floating around.)

It was after seeing the reaction of my students to this performance that I thought, "Hmmmm... could I have found my niche??

I had written this song about 6 months earlier in the States.  I was
playing with a band called Milk Shake, and we were in short supply of some easy, exciting, silly, fun songs.

This song pretty much wrote its self ...and in about five minutes...

It's funny how Every Moment and Somewhere both foreshadow me going to Asia, or "exotic lands" as sung in this song.

Title explained: Every moment, every day, is in short: All the Time! (...and probably too much.)

The Story:  This guy thinks about this girl all the time even when he's 1000s of miles away from her.

At first glance it's appears to be a trite little ditty, but there's 'more
here than meets the eye'  (which BTW, is the name of yet another new song currently being recorded for our next CD.

...but first here's Every Moment.

The Lyrics:

Every moment , everyday
every direction, every way Ooo

It wouldn't matter next year or today
You'd be a part of me in much the same way
Time, for some, can fade love from view
Still I think of you

Every moment, every day
Every direction, every way

You're the sunshine when the rains falling down
You keep me company when no one's around
I won't forget you, when we're far apart
You stay in my heart

Every moment, every day
Every direction, every way.... Every Day!

You'd be all I'd ever see, even in exotic lands
I think I'd rather be right here holding your hand
So long as you're in my heart
We're not far apart

Every moment, every day
Every direction, every way.... Every Day!
 
 
 

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ALL THE TEA IN CHINA
?Fall 1995/1996 Christopher Morley

The history: When living in China, I would get lots of traditional Chinese music tapes from students and friends. One day I started listening and decided to learn just what made Chinese music sound the way it does. What it came down to was "phrasing" (the 'way' a note is played). I soon discovered that I could imitate this phrasing on the guitar. "All The Tea In China" was my first pseudo-Chinese Music written after this intensive study.

        The lyrics talk about the difference between the modern Chinese girl and what the Western boy (who is madly in love with her) thought she would be like according to his limited and outdated understanding of Chinese culture.

It's the old and new China mixed together which makes this a funny charming romantic pop song.

Title explained: "All The Tea In China" is an English idiom which is used to express great worth. e.g." I wouldn't do that for all the tea in China" could be used to say : "I wouldn't do that for all the money in the world!"

The Story:  Western Boy meets a modern Chinese girl. He talks about her modern habits, and their courtship (which occasionally goes back to the "old ways"). The song?s chorus says that nothing could take her away from him.

The Lyrics:

She's my lady, my Beijing baby
I fell for her and Oh, she fell for me
She's so clever, an Emperor's treasure,
One in one billion, make that one point three

Chorus:
All the tea in China
Couldn't take me away from you
All the tea in China, baby couldn't hold a candle to you?

Forget the bamboo, and ancient taboo
She's quite content with glass of ice-cold tea
Anticipated: "Decaffeinated"
She learned those Kung Fu moves off the TV

Chorus:
All the tea in China
Couldn't take me away from you
They would have to think of something else that they could do.
All the tea in China, Hong Kong Dollars and the Yen
Couldn't make me trade your love in this Forbidden City again

I'd pay the dowry if she'd allow me
I'd propose in Cantonese and Thai
And now she writes me, her momma likes me.
So it's settled, I'll meet her in Shanghai

Chorus:
All the tea in China
Couldn't take me away from you
They would have to think of something else that they could do.
All the tea in China
Just might bribe a bureaucrat
But you are mine and I am yours, and that's all there is to that.
 

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IT'S MUCH TOO SOON TO SAY
?May 10th, 1995 Christopher Morley

The history: This was written in China and seemed to be the follow-up to everyone's previous favorite: "Gaze In Your Eyes." I wrote this song for the girl who became my fiancee, and later my wife. This song also has one of my favorite guitar solos in it.

Title explained: "It's much too soon to say" really only means that based on what I now know, I don't know anything for sure.

The Story: This guy has made bad decisions in the past and is a little hesitant about jumping into this new relationship (realizing, of course, that he really can't do anything to stop it if he wanted to.)

The Lyrics:

I don't trust my intuition anymore
It's gotten me in so much trouble before
I have a feeling that seems real one day
But I'm so unsure that it might pass away

I want to say I love you
But I don't know, I don't really know

It's much too soon to say
As if it mattered anyway
Love always has it's way

I'm not a man who cannot make up his mind
Precaution proceeds since you're the marrying kind
Although I know my heart will get it's own way
My mind's convinced that I should wait one more day

So I won't say I love you
'Til I know, 'til I really know

It's much too soon to say
As if it mattered anyway
Love always has it's way

It's much too soon to say
As if it mattered anyway
It's much too soon to say
 
 

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WHAT IN THE WORLD?
?Jan 13, 1997 Christopher Morley

The history: The music was written in the anticipation of watching the Beatles Anthology on TV back in September of '95. The Beatles always had that happy pop sound with adventurous music and soul searching lyrics.

I didn't finish writing the lyrics until over a year later when I was going through a very lonely hopeless time. The lyrics are really sad but you'd never know listening to that great music.

I really love the walking bass part. The guitar solo was very challenging for me to record the way I heard it in my head. I finally got it though "...I showed ya."

Title explained: "What in the world?" is an expression of disbelief or wonder. i.e.: "What in the world is that thing crawling on your shoulder?" or "What in the world are you talking about?"
The Story:  A man sees that he is changing and he is afraid that he might not like who he is becoming.

The Lyrics:

I picture a brand new place that I can call my home
I'm in a state of mind
Where I hope to find someplace to be alone.

I used to be the one to open every door
Now I find that I
Try to run and hide from every living soul

What In the world, has happened to me
I'm not the man I was, Oh what's come over me.
What in the world, could possibly,
I be mistaking me for someone who looks just like me
...Oh, what in the world?

Somewhere along-the-line I seemed to loose my way
Something caught my eye
Left me high and dry ...where could I be today?

What In the world, has happened to me
I'm not the man I was, Oh what's come over me.
What in the world, could possibly,
I be mistaking me for someone I just couldn?t be
...Oh, what in the world?
 

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NOW OR NEVER
?Sept 13th, 1996 Christopher Morley

The history: I had this music for a while before I wrote the words. One night I went into the studio half asleep, a little frustrated with life and wrote all the lyrics (except the second verse) in one sitting.

Title explained: "Now or never" is a common expression, usually used as an ultimatum. An example might be if you're trying to take your family to the movies for the last show and everyone is getting ready too slowly then you might say. "Let's go ...it's now or never!"

The Story:  Two ways that I view the story line of this song are that it's about a guy who is either waiting for his girl to call (who he misses so much that he's going to die), or he is calling on a higher power to help him with a problem that he doesn't think he can make it through by himself.

The Lyrics:

I sit and wonder where you are
As I sit here all alone
I sit here by a quiet phone
As I sit here all alone

Waiting, wondering
How long it's going to be
Hoping and praying
You'll soon be here with me
Oh, can't you see I'm waiting?

How can I wait forever
When you know it's now or never?
How can I wait forever
When you know it's now or never?

I 'm afraid to go too far
Afraid to walk out of my door
Surely life holds more in store
More than wondering "what's this for"

Waiting, wondering
How long it's going to be
Hoping and praying
You'll soon be here with me
Oh, can't you see I'm waiting?

How can I wait forever
When you know it's now or never?
How can I wait forever
When you know it's now or never?
 
 

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YOU KNOW  (...LIFE GOES ON)
?1998 Christopher Morley/Tim Meins

A persuasive studio discussion that explores "the obvious", while in a parallel universe the instruments seem to already know the answer.
 

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LIFE GOES ON...
?Fall 1996/Feb 1997 Christopher Morley

The history: I wrote the music for this song in five minutes, in America, after seeing the movie "That Thing You Do!" It's got the happy snappy feeling to it.

Title explained: "Life goes on" is a saying which means no matter what happens, life will continue onward and will never stop. It's kind of looking at life's big picture. Maybe God sees us as a bunch of little ants on his picnic blanket!?!

The Story:  I wrote each verse about three of my friends. It's very straight forward. The first verse is about a guy who's life goes by him because he's too afraid to ask this girl he likes for a date. The next verse is about a girl frustrated with the job seeking process. And the last one is about a boy I used to know who I believed had great potential but would always get in trouble. I still expect great things from him.

The Lyrics:

There's a man who's so afraid
He's a "winning hand" not played
There's a girl he's always known
But he won't pick up the phone

Yet, life goes on

She's a job seeker in town
Passing resumes around
You'd think all the time she took
That phone would ring off the hook

Still ...Life goes on

You know life goes on (you know life goes on)
You know life goes on (you know life goes on)    Life goes on!

A young boy held after school
For breakin' all the rules
I know he's got bigger plans
Than they could understand

And ...Life goes on

You know life goes on (you know life goes on)
You know life goes on (you know life goes on)    Life goes on!
 

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KEEPS ME HANGING ON
?October 13th, 1994 Christopher Morley

The history: One of the best presents I received in China was given to me by someone I didn't know. It was an old beat up acoustic guitar left to me by the former English teacher before me. He?d lived in my flat the year before I did. It was having this guitar in the living room that allowed me the opportunity to noodle about (play around with) in the living room without having to go into my bedroom to plug in my electric guitar. This was the fruit of some of those noodling sessions.

Title explained: "Hanging on" means holding on to something, either physically or mentally. In this case the memory of the girl keeps the boy from losing hope.

The Story: The boy remembers the last time he saw her standing before him as he was leaving. This lasting memory helps him, but it is also painful

The Lyrics:

You, you stood there for so long
I tried to look away, for I'd soon be gone
Although you didn't lead me on
The thought of you still keeps me hanging on

Chorus:
Oh, your memory...
Your memory,
Keeps me hanging on
Still keeps me hanging on.

Why, why must I go through
Continuing to think of only you
If I thought I had a chance
Why would I let you slip in the past

Chorus:
Oh, your memory...
Your memory,
Keeps me hanging on
Still keeps me hanging on.

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FROM LHASA
?1997/98 Christopher Morley/Tim Meins

This is a musical portrait of my trip across China composed of  different "sound bites" from the video I took in January and February 1995.  This musical journey starts in the mystic city of Lhasa and travels westward to many elusive places across the great land of China. (Can you hear yourself in the crowd?) Tim and I are of course still carrying on our conversation about how "Life Goes On", while in the distance we hear a drum solo echoing the ancient rhythms of the past ...of course performed by Tim.
 

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CHINESE FIRE DRILL
?Nov 1996/Feb 1997 Christopher Morley

The history: Some of my best songs write themselves. This one falls into the "it wrote its self in 10 minutes category" along with "Every Moment," and the music to "Life Goes On". Singing this one was another story.

Lyrically this one is more a comment on American society than anything Chinese, kind of a warning against materialism, greed and getting caught up in the ever changing trends.

Sometimes we get so far away from what's important and we try to fill our lives with "things". These will never satisfy us.

Title explained: This one needs explaining, I know. Back in the innocent 1950's in middle-class America, teenagers used to borrow the car from mom and dad and go "cruising" (just driving around doing nothing). One of the favorite silly things that they liked to do was to come to a stop light and see if they could get out and run around the car before the light turned green. For some reason, and I don't know why, this was called a "Chinese Fire Drill."

I used that title in this song to show how we seem to be trying so hard to keep entertained that we don't care if it's good or bad as long as it's fun. It's become such an extreme in America that it's not healthy anymore.

The Story: Jack and Jill (which are children's storybook characters) are searching for something real, but only find one thing replaced by another meaningless thing.

The Lyrics:

So many times in so many places
We see a change of ideas and faces
Some leave a mark and aren't soon forgotten
But most fade away as quick as it's gotten

Life goes round, the circles are a thrill
Each trend is just a Chinese fire drill

So many words, but no one is listening
Too many stars, but none of them glistening
There so much to buy, but should we take out a loan
On pointed brassieres and fixing our nose?

Life goes round, the circles are a thrill
Each trend is just a Chinese fire drill

I've got an earring in all the wrong places
My tennis shoes have platinum laces
I bet my cash on all the horse races
I carry mace to spray in thieves' faces

Life goes round, the circles are a thrill
Each trend is just a Chinese fire drill

We spin around so much, you think we'd get dizzy
Life is like soda we shake to keep fizzy
But after the thrill, Jack fell down the hill
And Jill came tumbling after

We spin around so much, you think we'd get dizzy
Life is like soda we shake to keep fizzy
But after the thrill, Jack fell down the hill
And Jill came tumbling after

Life goes round , the circles are a thrill
Each trend is just a Chinese fire drill
 

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TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE
?October 1994 Christopher Morley

The history: After my first month of teaching in China, I discovered how much my students loved American music. So I decided to write a song using some American idioms to help them in thier studies. I performed this song for a huge party held by the school welcoming the incoming freshmen. It was a hit.

This soon become the first song of mine played on Chinese radio.

It's very silly, and perhaps trite... but it sure is a lot of fun.

The 'story,' while based on reality, was in fact its self too good to be true.

Title explained: "Too good to be true" is an idiom which means that something is so good, that it's very hard to believe that it's really that good.

The Story: This boy thinks that he is in trouble because he sent a letter to this incredible girl telling her that he loves her.

The Lyrics:

Chorus:
Too good to be true
Too true to be good
I'm hoping that you'll say you love me
Like I hoped you would...
You're too good to be true

I'm on the level baby,
but my heart's on the line.
I wrote to tell you
that I hope to make you mine.

I've been all pins and needles
I await your reply.
If you say you want me too,
I think that I'll just die.

Chorus:
(You're) Too good to be true
Too true to be good
I'm hoping that you'll say you love me
Like I hoped you would
You're too good to be true...

R-S-V-P, A-S-A-P
Respond quickly please
Write down on your stationary
Just a "yes" will do...
But that's too good to be true... too good to be true

(Repeat Chorus)

Too good To be True!!
 

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WO XI HUAN MI FAN
(also known as "Mei Guan Xi, Zai Jian")
?August 1996 Christopher Morley

The history: I used to have a friend in another band who wrote a great song for his Spanish class. It sounded very authentic, but it really made no sense when you translated it.

Here's me doing the same thing, with the "pompous orchestral string arrangement introduction" followed by me doing a pseudo Chinese/Latin folk song.

Title explained: The original lyrical idea for the title came from a Chinese piano teacher friend of mine. I was telling him how I liked double meaning in lyrics. We got talking about the phrase "mei-you guanxi" which means "it doesn't matter", but if you break it down "mei-you" means "I don't have any", and guanxi mean a "persons influence of power" so in a double meaning sort of sense "mei guanxi, zie jein" could mean "I've got no influence so good-bye". The joke doesn't translate well into English so Wo Shi Won Mi Fan (I Like Rice) is the alternate title.

The Story:  A song for the common man! ...A guy who likes rice with sweet and sour pork  doesn't have any influence in society so he leaves. The end!

The Lyrics:

Wo xi huan mi fan               (I Like Rice)
Wo xi huan tang cu li ji        (I Like sweet and sour pork)
Ni shi wo feng le               (You make me crazy)
Mei guan xi             (It doesn't matter)
Zai jian                        (Good-bye)
 
 

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SOMEWHERE
?Spring 94 Christopher Morley

The history: While obviously a love song, I had no one particular in mind when I wrote this song back in 1994. I only had the feeling that it would describe the feeling I would have when I would meet the girl who would become my wife.

The music was written on a beautiful acoustic guitar that was given to me. It's one of my first attempts to write something "oriental" sounding. It's one of my personal favorites both lyrically and musically.

Title explained: "Somewhere" is one of those great sounding words that can mean anything. It gives the feeling of a lot of space, mystery and hope.

The Story: A young man looking to a future time and place, reaching out to find his love.

The Lyrics:

Somewhere within reach
Someday I'll see you there
As waves flow to the beach
Where I'll be, you'll be there

Somewhere... somewhere

Sometime you will know
Just how close you are
There will be a light to show
Your way here from afar

Somewhere... somewhere

Somewhere I'll see you, some way I will know
Someday I'll be waiting, but when I don't know
Sometime you'll be looking 'round just wait and see
Someplace you will find yourself looking at me

Somewhere... somewhere

Someday our paths will cross
They're destined to converge
The road we traveled that seemed so lost
Magically will merge

Somewhere... somewhere

Someday I'll just know
The loneliness will end
A look into your eyes will show
I've found my long lost friend

Somewhere I'll see you, some way I will know
Someday I'll be waiting, but when I don't know
Sometime you'll be looking 'round just wait and see
Someplace you will find yourself looking at me

Somewhere... somewhere
Somewhere... somewhere
Somewhere...
 
 

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TOO MANY THOUGHTS OF YOU
?Jan/Feb 1993 Christopher Morley

The history: This was written in the style of old 40 and 50's big band songs. The sounds are all played using a guitar synthesizer which gets those big horn sounds also heard at the end of "Now Or Never." This one is definitely influenced by Frank Sinatra and Harry Connick Jr.

Title explained: "Too many thoughts of you" sounds like an idiom, but it's not. It's kind of a forced idiom. It means that the guy thinks of this girl too much ...which is why he's feeling so funny.

The Story:  The guy talks about a place in his head where he keeps all of his thoughts but all these thoughts of her results in him having trouble sleeping. "Perhaps," he thinks "I just ate something funny..."

The Lyrics:

There's a little room upstairs inside my brain
It's the place where thoughts and dreams remain
Usually there's lots of room in it
But I'm stacked up to the roof in it
I'm confused I don't know what to do
I guess I think too many thoughts of you

Usually in the night I'm fast asleep
Sinking ever further, counting sheep ..two, three, four...
But lately I'm just lying there
Eyes wide open blankly staring,
Could it be I've found somebody new?
Or is it just too many thoughts of you?

You see I caught your glance once or twice
Now when I think of those beautiful eyes
I just go crazy,
Ooo' just a few are too many thoughts of you

Usually in the night I'm fast asleep
Sinking ever further counting sheep ...two, three, four...
But lately I'm just lying there
Eyes wide open blankly staring,
Could it have been something in my stew?
Or is it just too many thoughts of you?

You see I've got to find out real soon
Are these dreams now coming true?
Or baby, is it just too many thoughts of you?
 

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LOVE IS A WORD
?April 11, 1996 Christopher Morley

The history: It took us forever to record this one, and once we started, it drastically changed arrangements 3 or 4 times before we were happy with it. I'm pretty happy with this song?s unconventional guitar solo section.
 

Title explained:  A lot of people think that people write love songs without  really knowing what love is. Do I know? Who really knows ...but I think I do, and that's what this song tries to express.
        ...No matter what they say, I know it's love.

The Story:  Every time this guy looks at his girlfriend/wife he knows that he loves her. He has heard people say that it's only a passing thing and that too many people say they "love someone" ...but don't really mean it. He says he understands what they are saying, but he's sure that this is LOVE.

The Lyrics:

Sometimes I stand back and just look at you
Ooooo Ooo
You're like a window that sunlight's shining through
Ooooo Ooo

You're like a bright horizon
I find the fog is rising off of me

Chorus:
Though love is a word that's used too much
I think it's right for me to say ...I've felt the touch
And feel it more each day
No matter what they say
I know  ... it's love!!!!

One look just tells me all that you have to say
Ooooo Ooo
I know the love you give won't lead me astray
Ooooo Ooo

It's music to a dancer
It's more than just the answer
It's harmony

Chorus:
Though love is a word that's used too much
I think it's right for me to say ...I've felt the touch
And feel it more each day
No matter what they say
I know  ... it's love!!!!

Chorus:
Though love is a word that's used too much
I think it's right for me to say ...I've felt the touch
And feel it more each day ...Yeah
No matter what they say
I know  ... it's love!!!!

I know  ... it's love
 

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A DAY LIKE TODAY
?April 15, 1995 Christopher Morley

The history: Wow, I love this song. I'd just gotten through a very difficult sickness during a winter in Hong Kong and was back at my school in China. I was feeling very good and just as the lyrics say, "the sun is warm, the breeze is cool, something's in the air." Well, it was springtime and I was getting my head cleared of some 'excess baggage' and was feeling very ...well, you know how boys feel in the spring time...

Title explained: "A day like today" means only that I'm so glad to be alive on a beautiful day like today.

The Story: Just as I said above, a guy breathing in the good life, feeling optimistic ...and ready for love.

The Lyrics:

Ah, to be alive on a day like today...

Today, it is a new day
One I won't forget
Although it's now well on the way
It's not over yet

I've got something in my sights
The world is my oyster
Life's not just in black and white
It's in bright colors

Chorus:
Ah, To be alive on a day like today
Ah, to be around to hear the words that you say
Ah, to be alive, to be alive,
On a day like today

I stand on the corner
And let the wind blow back my hair
The sun is warm, the breeze is cool
Something's in the air

I've got someone on my mind
And all I want to do
Is tell her while the sun is out
That my love is true, oh the sky is so blue

(repeat Chorus)

(BRIDGE:)
Shadows fall, on the wall
I start to dream
That loneliness will pass away
That night becomes a brighter day

Time flies, passes by
But that's all-right
Each moment brings you closer here
As the hours disappear

(repeat chorus)
 
 

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GAZE IN YOUR EYES
?1994 Christopher Morley

The (long!) history: This song has the oldest history of any of the songs on this album. This one was originally written in 1991, when the only recognizable part was the chorus. Well, many years later, when I was teaching in China, I re-wrote the song and started recording on my 4 track recorder. After listening to it I felt that it was perfect ...almost. I instantly remembered a video I had shot of a rain storm over the East coast in the city of Qingdao. I was able to connect my video camera to my 4 track recorder and insert the sound of rain for a dramatic effect. The song became very popular among my students in Zibo.
        When re-recording the song, yet again, for the early stages of this album, I figured that I would use a rain storm off of a sound effects CD. When I couldn't find one I liked, I emailed a friend of mine in a neighboring city who had access to a lot of sound effects. He was able to send me a sound "sample" over the internet for me to use in the song. By the time I received it however, I looked out the window to find that we we're experiencing another Florida afternoon rainstorm.
        Months later when we were doing the final mixes for this album, I found that the rain sample my friend had sent me had disappeared off of my computer.  The search for a new storm began. I found one on CD, but it wasn't quite as effective as the Qingdao storm or the one my friend had sent me, but it would have to do. Once again during the mixing session, I looked out to see lightning and thunder. This time I wasn't going to miss the opportunity, so I grabbed an $800 microphone and stuck it out in the storm (under some shelter of course) and recorded the storm that you hear on this CD. It was perfect.
        This song has the most "ambiance" (a French word meaning atmosphere.) It is also the longest song on this album
         I originally sang a different vocal on this recording, but after Mark joined the band he coached me and gave the song that needed touch.
        A dear friend of mine in Zibo used to say that he would turn out all of the lights when this song came on and just absorb it. I hope you absorb it too.

Title explained: To 'gaze' is to look deeply. Looking into a woman's eyes is a wonderful thing (...unless of course she has three eyes!)

The Story:  A man is out doing what he has to do, but he desires to look into the eyes of the girl he's left behind. He imagines doing so and tries to imagine the circumstances of their reunion.

The Lyrics:

Intro:
There's one little thing, that's all I really want, and only from you
I know you'd never guess it, but I feel I must address it, so I will tell you

Chorus:
Oh how I long to gaze in your eyes
There's a gentle rain from the skies
It makes me long to gaze in your eyes
In your eyes

Though miles away from here, I almost see your face
Your subtle lips, your tiny nose and every hair in place
Your hair falls to your shoulders, like a frame surrounds the art
But somethings are so hard to see that are missing in my heart

(REPEAT Chorus)

Days, they seem to fly right by, but nights, they seem so long
It seems its been a thousand years that I have been gone
Yes, I know I'm just the fool that you don't understand
But you would see things differently if you stood where I stand

(REPEAT Chorus)

Someday you'll know what you want, he'll just be a friend
Someday I will be at home, my journey soon will end
You'll wonder what became of me, we'll talk on the phone
And just before you say good-bye, you say (to make it known),

(REPEAT Chorus 2 TIMES)

Tag:
There's one little thing, that's all I really want, that money can't buy
So when the rain is falling, I just might come calling, to gaze in your eyes
 

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BONUS TRACKS:

[The first bonus track is "hidden",  you've got to find it.]
 
 

THE DA CHONGZI JAM
?August 1996 Christopher Morley

The history: At one time "Da Chongzi" was going to be the name of our band. We were looking for something that would sound cool in English and Chinese.
        The story is now famous but I'll tell it again. I was driving my wife to the mall, when all of a sudden I hear these incredible sounding words screamed from her lips as she grabbed something off of her shirt, throwing it to the floor and stomping on what-ever-it-was with her feet. It turned out that some kind of bug was crawling on her (I guess we'll never know what kind it really was, as it was smashed beyond recognition)
        I was so amazed by the words that instead of asking if she was OK, I asked what those great Chinese words were that she had screamed. She explained that 'da chongzi' simply meant "big bug". I immediately started playing around with the words and a few weeks later I sampled my wife and her friend screaming these words over and over. I think I joined them a few of the times. I pitch shifted the recording so that I could make a melody out of it and built the music around it.
        We like to use this as a sing-a-long with our Chinese audiences since it's easy for us to remember and funny for the crowd to do with the band.

Title explained:  For all you English folks out there ,"Da" means 'big' and Chongzi is 'bug'. Put it together and you get "Da Chongzi" ... Big Bug! "....Jam" comes from "jamming" which is what a bunch of musicians do when they are creating music spontaneously.

The Story:  No story, just something fun to sing that makes absolutely no sense.

The Lyrics:

[None really, just "Da Chongzi" over and over.]
 
 

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EVERY MOMENT (Dance Remix)
?Jan/Feb 1993 Christopher Morley

A little humor in the recording studio! It's so much fun to 'make fun' of a whole genre of music and yourself in the process. Self-parody is much more a Western trait than a Eastern trait.
(For lyrics and notes on the original version here.)
 
 

KEEPS ME HANGING ON (Dance Remix)
?October 13th, 1994 Christopher Morley

Ok ok ...a more serious attempt at a dance mix, this time a slow one.
(For lyrics and notes on the original version go here.)
 
 

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Christopher would like to thank you for following along.

Goodnight and pleasant dreams from The OBVIOUS
 
 
 
 
 

Credits:
The OBVIOUS:
Mr. Christopher:        Guitar, guitar-synthesizer, vocals
Tim Miens:             Drums ,vocals
Mark Dawson:            Bass, vocals
 

Written, Produced, Engineered, & Mastered by Mr. Christopher at the Digital Banana Recording Studio Fall 96- Spring 98

Thanks to:
The people of the City of Zibo for their support.
Jonathan and  Michael (of The Sunflower Music Workshop in Zibo)
Lily  Morley for text editing.
Elissa Morley for photos and artistic advice in all aspects.
Rick Anderson ...our Original WWWeb Page master and photographer.
Libo Anderson for her great typing skills.
Dave Beatriz for the video editing and technical advice.
(Xu Lei) Theodore and  )( Kim for the great lyric translations.
Ching for her business translation help.
Rembrandt Chen and the staff at MUSIC HEAVEN MAGIZINE
"Sister" Wang for graphic design
Mrs. Xu   at CRC
Mr. Zang
Mr. "Ou"
Frank and Kalen
Wheat Williams III for his invaluable advice early on.
The Big Man Upstairs...
 

Love to:
All Mr. Christopher's students (for the inspiration for this project), Barbara & Olivia, Kathy & Danella, Lily & Mei-Ling.
 

Have Questions?  Send an email (and your requests to subscribe to) The OBVIOUS FAN CLUB Newsletter at: DigiBanana@aol.com
 
 

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