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CROSSFIRE - I was raised between a wolf and a lamb
This song is another oldie turned goodie in the end. Originally titled
"Loneliness" and performed by Magic, the song was another one with no real
meaning in the lyrics, but it was an honest attempt to deal with the subject
of loneliness by someone who hadn't actually experienced the real thing yet,
but would someday, and probably had a premonition of the horror to come.
When the real thing came, it was worse than imagined. It opened the flood
gates of creativity closed by tendonitis and failure, and gave birth to this
song and many others. This song is autobiographical to the max. For Peter
Cross, the concept of being caught in a crossfire of good and evil (creativity
and destruction) perfectly describes the pain inside a human being driven
obsessively by the creative force while at the same time being frustrated in
the expression of that force. Everybody wants to be creative, to be "great",
but how many are willing to pay the price if there has to be one? Does there
have to be one? Peter Cross has paid dearly for his admission, plus admission
for a few million others if they want a free, painless ride. Listen to the
song. That's the free ride.
CROSSFIRE - At least I know who I am
I'm afflicted by the muse
I'm addicted to that fuse
I'm an overamped wire in a flesh and blood shell
CROSSFIRE - burn me well!
CROSSFIRE - Broken under creativity
CROSSFIRE - Torn asunder by the forces that be
There's a howling wind in my brain
There's a drum beat that drives me insane
There's a distant song that drives me along
CROSSFIRE - burning strong!
CROSSFIRE - Crossfire Conspiracy
CROSSFIRE - You don't want to be me
Nobody knows what I say
Nobody cares what I play
I'm a tree that falls in a forest unknown
CROSSFIRE - I burn alone!
Credits:
Guitars: Philip Gnarly
Bass: Eric Morton
Drums: Dean Butterworth
Vocals: Peter Cross and the Crossants
Engineering in LA: Philip Gnarley, Jimbo Head
Engineering in SF: Lance Thomason and Jay Bowman
Final Mix: Mark Needham
Multimedia Production: Glistening Flicks
Original Film Crew: Gail & Peter
2nd Grip: Sidd
Commentary:
At the Tiki Hut in Hollyweird, recording "The Crossfire Conspiracy" was very
magical because Philip, Eric, and Dean got the song right away and cut it on
the first take. Then Philip overdubbed rhythm and lead guitars, outrageous
as usual. The lead guitar work was done while Peter Cross was oversleeping
at Eric's in Laguna Beach. Philip's work was just what Peter wanted, and he
didn't even have to be there in the studio to get it. Now that kind of
irresponsibility doesn't often get rewarded so brilliantly. But Philip is
that kind of guy.