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The Sound

by Color Theory

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    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Disappear, Thoughts Can't Hurt You, Underneath These Dying Stars, Underneath These Dying Stars Remixes, Ghosts Again, Death of You, Just an Echo, Outside the Lines, Vol. 3, and 28 more. , and , .

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1.
I sing a timeless story The song about a girl A tale of tragic glory To captivate the world I don’t want to award you any undue fame So the star of this lyric doesn’t have a name I want to laugh it off but This isn’t a game I want to write a song and Sing it in your name but Who cares? I’ll recover I want to rip my heart out Throw it on the ground I want to scream your name out Just to hear the sound but Who needs another Song named after a girl The plot line is a classic Been done a million times But never so sarcastic With such ironic rhymes So I hope I get bonus points for novelty When you calculate all the time you wasted on me.
2.
They don’t know what they believe So we stare and nod as they think out loud Trying our best to fit in As we fight for breath in this stifling crowd And the time races by when you’re having some fun But it’s plodding along now at quarter to one As the night tries our patience we’re hitting a wall I slip off to the side like I’m taking a call to observe Extroverts at play Egos run amuck I’d like them well enough If they would just shut up But we will persevere By sheer force of will We’ll stoically endure This social overkill Tomorrow we’ll take the whole day To recuperate in a private place Sleeping or reading a book Our resilience now is our saving grace So just try to imagine, it’s not such a stretch I’m the life of the party and it is the death of me Here in my eyes you’re the belle of the ball With the hint of a smile you enchant more than all of the… Maybe someday this will Come to us more naturally but Until then we’ll have to pretend We’ll hone our acting skills Fake it ’til we make it baby Until then we’ll have to pretend.
3.
Too Close 04:41
We don’t dream about each other anymore Spilled our souls and now we’re too close Close your eyes, accept a simple kiss goodnight From the one who loves you the most Distant lovers and fictional heroes All our fantasies, longings, and hopes Fill our dreams as we lie here together Too close, too close I broke out in laughter when you told me that Being with me is like being alone But I knew you meant it as a compliment This is what it means to be home Don’t allow yourself a single guilty thought Novelty has infinite charms You’ll exchange illusion for reality When you wake up here in my arms I see you when I look in the mirror But in sleep we see through telescopes Looking out over light years not inches Too close, too close.
4.
You emerge Your face drawn in black and white Your corset laced up just right A vampire in fishnets “So,” I laugh “What are you supposed to be?” You smile but won’t answer me Is this a trick or treat? Master of the cheap disguise Sometimes I can’t believe my eyes, I tell you (You/I/We) sure know how to make a scene It must be Halloween Half asleep We race home to beat the dawn I cut through a corner lawn And slice my head on a branch “Hang on – I just need to catch my breath” You say that I look like death And toss back your head to laugh in revenge.
5.
I recall the first time you caught me dining alone At a restaurant on the third floor You sat down across from me with a bottle of wine Shook my hand and started to pour Then opened the window to the music below A theater under the stars We shared our life stories and a view of the stage Falling in love from afar Though it feels like they’ve played out The same act a million times A routine struggling just to keep From falling asleep reciting their lines You say this is the way we’re meant To enjoy the opera At a safe distance We’ve met at this table now ten years in a row To see the same opera performed Recreating the scene down to the slightest detail The night our tradition was born Attendance is low but still the show must go on The participants gossip offstage The waiter assures us that the wine is the same I guess it gets bitter with age Though it feels like we’ve played out The same act a million times A routine struggling just to keep From falling asleep reciting our lines Still it makes me happy I love you at a safe distance I’ll always love you at a safe distance.
6.
I've fixed my dwelling for the night Lights in pairs come passing by Where I hide I need some time now on my own Leave my loneliness alone To lick my wounds Night has found me just in time To help me close my eyes one more time Living a boy's adventure tale In so many ways For so many days Can't escape if I wanted to I may be dreaming but I feel awake I've been lost in so many places Seeked love in so many faces A change of weather, the rain pours down My head in hands, pressed to the ground And where am I supposed to go now A voice I hear Singing a lullaby for me Because of you Oh you know it's true I love you, I love you So many ways.
7.
Backseat 04:37
I hear you think about me now and then To fantasize about what might have been I’ve always been the one who got away The careless bullet tends to ricochet There’s virtue in the straight and narrow path And though you can’t afford the aftermath The rear-view mirror tends to draw the eye So sneak a peek now baby, don’t be shy But you say you’re happy So maybe it’s for the better But you say you’re happy To chauffeur these doubts forever Keep me in the backseat of your mind You’re driving under my influence Drunk on the thrill and deaf to consequence You know that I could make your life a mess And yet you chose to wear your tightest dress.
8.
You could torture me to tears And not leave a mark So it’s not easy for me To let down my guard When the natural thing to do Is protect myself From an overwhelming touch Crossing into pain If you’re delicate enough You can have your way But I need a safety net So you’d better not forget The rule of tickles is You’ve got to stop when I say when If you take this game too far I’ll never play with you again So watch for subtle cues ‘Cause I like you a lot Can I trust you, or not? When your fingertips explore All you feel is touch As sensations in my skin Cause my blood to rush It’s like falling deep in love With a platonic friend I can’t do it to myself It’s impossible ‘Cause I’m only sensitive When I’m vulnerable The successful hand relies On the element of surprise Laughter doesn’t always mean That I’m having fun I may laugh reflexively Before you’ve begun But you have my full consent If you’re willing to relent I’m easy to amuse ‘Cause I like you a lot Can I trust you, or not?
9.
Game Over 04:26
You’re so kind, you’re so sweet I’m inclined to sweep you right off your feet You may blush, but it’s true You deserve the best and I deserve to give it to you To that end I’ve the means Born of years perfecting intricate schemes If it works out this once We’ll be sipping margaritas in a matter of months Is it risky, maybe Is it legal, maybe not When your middle name is danger There’s no room for second thoughts If they catch me it’s game over If they don’t then we’re home free Is it theft? Well not quite Just financial sleight of hand when done right Take a look in the garage It’s equipped for simple hacking up to espionage I’m discreet, I’m covert And I promise that no one will get hurt I’ve said all that I dare To protect us both from jeopardy I’d better stop there It’s too late to turn back now And high time to disappear Our troubles will soon be past So think of me fondly dear If by some unlikely chance I don’t live to see this through Remember me with a smile I did all of it for you.
10.
Two 07:53
What have we here? It’s not what you think I’ve had time to consider my words And nothing to drink Caught in the act With sweat on my brow I knew sooner or later you’d find out So how about now? Don’t cry for your mother Don’t curse your discovery I don’t think any less of you There’s room in my heart for two Don’t call me your lover Don’t grudge me another one You shouldn’t let it bother you There’s room in my heart for two Don’t look surprised You had to suspect I’ve got way too much time on my hands What did you expect? To let me go Would be such a waste There are plenty of other girls happy To be in your place We’re all adults There’s no need to shout We can talk later on if you want I’m busy right now So run along Now be a dear Could you turn off the lights on your way out? I’m not finished here.

about

Here you'll find my favorite Color Theory track: “Too Close.”

It started as one of 30 short snippets I uploaded to SoundCloud and embedded on my website. Fans picked their favorites and I developed them into full songs.

Each one has a story behind it and/or an artist that inspired it, like The Postal Service, Sam Sparro, La Roux, and of course a-ha.

“A Safe Distance” is a retelling of a dream I had. “Two” was the result of a failed collaboration, clocking in at nearly 8 minutes! “Extroverts at Play” became a bit of an introvert anthem, and “The Rule of Tickles” ... we don't talk about. 🤐

The two tracks that didn't make the album are included on a follow-up EP called The Silence, along with 9 remixes and a collaboration with Odd Year.

credits

released August 4, 2010

Color Theory is Brian Hazard

All songs written, performed, and produced
by Brian Hazard (ASCAP) © 2010 except:

Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale
Written by Pal Waaktaar and Morten Harket © 1985

Cover image by himitsuhana
Design by Disc Makers www.discmakers.com
Mastered by Resonance Mastering www.resonancemastering.com

Special thanks: Thomas & Judith, Keith, Rain, David, Ali, Ken, Jens

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Color Theory Huntington Beach, California

Somehow I never outgrew the 80s.

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