"One Thing" is Part One of a trilogy involving a girl I saw numerous times one Labor Day afternoon on Huntington Beach, but failed to meet. I'm not exactly sure why that over the years I have written three different songs about that girl I never met, but the fact that I have makes into an unintended trilogy. OF NOTE: The religious imagery in this song comes from the fact that I initially thought I was using feminine characteristics to describe God, but along the way I realized I wasn't really that spiritual in my intents, and that I was really writing about a real-life human girl who has continued to haunt me over the years. This song, "One Thing," co-written with my pal James Nicholson, features the girl on the beach as she muses to herself. Special thanks to Maura Kennedy (of the award-winning folk-pop group The Kennedys) and to Colleen Anderson (my former singing partner in Cool Blue Halo) for their wonderful vocals on this song.
Try to grasp just one thing
Try to clasp just one thing like I did when I was young –
did when I was younger, maybe
Try to pray just one prayer
Try to hear if my words go into more than air
Hear my words go into air
CHORUS:
Touch my heart and watch it bleed
All this avoidance of life is killing me
I can’t stand on the sand and turn from the sea, oh no
It’s just one thing
Try to find just one grace
Try to see this time the love that’s written on your face
See the love upon your face
(CHORUS)
Leaps of faith, leaps of belief
Stand on the ocean, stand on the sea
It’s just one thing to reach out, to seize
It’s that one thing – Is it there up your sleeve?
credits
from SHIFTINGEARS,
released January 29, 2021
Produced by Richard Horton & James Nicholson
Acoustic & electric guitars, bass: RICH ARITHMETIC
Electric guitar: JAMES NICHOLSON
Drums & percussion: RUPPI BARNICKEL
Lead Vocal: MAURA KENNEDY
Harmony Vocals: COLLEEN ANDERSON
Rich Arithmetic serves up power pop, psych-pop, and folk-meets-surf-and-sand harmonies that "eliminate the gaps between the ‘60s, ‘80s and the 2020's" - Steve Stav, stevestav.com
Terrific jangle pop with an edge, somewhere between Television Personalities and R.E.M. with a bit of Kinks in there, too. Bandcamp New & Notable Nov 2, 2023
supported by 5 fans who also own “One Thing: Ocean Girl Trilogy Pt 1”
Good gracious, I went for Aldora Britain's full discography and will have to digest the lot slowly, piece by piece ;-))
Indie music lovers, watch out! The full discography is offered ridiculously cheap. So cheap, I couldn't take the original offer. Nevertheless,, I still got the whole stuff, well , for a ridiculously cheap price....
Many (over 160) compilations and even more singles or EPs. Fantastic value for money and so much music to discover!!!! Folk, rock, punk, alternative, pop, soul... Carsten Pieper