There's a rumour going round about this song. People will tell you that I only put it on the album so I could write down a credit for playing a Jigsaw Puzzle. I can't pass comment on this type of speculation, but I will say that recording a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle was a lot of fun. At least until the part where I had to pick it up...
If you're wondering why I decided to record a Jigsaw puzzle in the first place, look no further than the first line of the song:
"Threw my Jigsaw on the Kitchen Floor".
I would like to think I am the only person in recording history to ever record the sound of a 1000-piece Jigsaw Puzzle hitting the kitchen floor and use it on an album, but I stand to be corrected!
As is the case with a number of my songs, the title comes in the first line rather than the chorus. Often that's how the song comes to me - first line first. So the verses before the chorus. Don't ask me why that happens, but it seems to work so I don't try to think about it too much. I guess when you do it that way, then you're never quite sure where the song is going to go. Whereas if you write the chorus first, then it's always going to return to that point (unless you only do one chorus.... which you could... .if you wanted to....).
What is the song about? Well nothing to do with Jigsaw's I can assure you. Let's call it a light-hearted love song. Of sorts...
Some other FAQ's about "Jigsaw" answered:
Yes - I put a mic next to the kitchen floor, and hurled all 1000 pieces of the puzzle in that general direction.
Yes - It's a ridiculous thing to do, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.
Yes - I think I probably lost one or two pieces in the process, which will really give someone the shits if they ever try to complete the puzzle.
Yes - My brother finds the sound of a Jigsaw puzzle annoying. As do a number of other people who have listened to this song.
Yes - I was convinced to reduce the number of occurrances of the "Puzzle" sound in the final mix (because it apparently sounded annoying), but on account of the effort that went in to recording it in the first place, I couldn't leave it out completely.
Yes - I also used the sound of the Jigsaw Box hitting the ground as a percussion "instrument" (more like a loop).
Yes - that sounds a bit weird too, as does the strange distorted Viola part....
And finally...
Yes - That is a saxophone you can hear. Even though it doesn't sound like a saxophone probably should... But I had never recorded a saxophone before, so that's the way it came out. And in the end if I had managed to record a perfect saxophone, it wouldn't really have fitted in with the overall feel of the recording. Which is, as this blog suggests, a little bit weird, a little bit wacky, and a little bit experimental.
But I like to think it gives the album a little bit of character.
And let's be honest here, I am a little bit weird and wacky myself.
My thanks to the beautiful Bo Terry, who was able to play the sax for me whilst she was visiting Australia from Amsterdam. Bo is a great songwriter herself too... Why don't you check her out if you get a chance:
www.myspace.com/anotherbo
See you next week with "Exploring".
Cheers,
Renny
PS - Tickets now on sale for the Album Launch - November 8th. Last full band show for a few months...
http://www.moshtix.com.au/event.aspx?id=30239&ref=moshtix
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JIGSAW
.. .. .. .. .. .. ....
Threw my jigsaw on the kitchen floor,
Now I’m staring at the pieces cause I don’t want them any more
Cause in these puzzling times we’re living in,
Oh I can’t begin to understand what everything is for.
But you walk in the room and that all goes away
Nothing matters when you say my name.
I’ll give you all that I can offer and I’ll give it up cause that’s the only way.
....
I can sit and read a book or two,
Or sit and watch the television just shivering at the news
Everybody seems to run around,
And I’m just confounded every day by the silly things they do.
But I can lie with you and dream the world away.
Forget about the fucking ozone rays.
I’ll give you all that I can offer and I’ll give it up cause that’s the only way.
I’ll give you all that I can offer and I hope it is enough to make you stay.
....
Oh I’ll give you everything I can, I wanna be a giving man.
Won’t you take my outstretched hand, and hold it tight, cause girl I’ll make you glad.
....
I wanna walk until the sun goes down, I wanna dance under the moon.
I wanna take you to the edge of town, sit on a hilltop eating shitty Chinese food.
And as that breeze blows, we’ll giggle as we chew.
Knowing that the stars are there to stay.
I’ll give you all that I can offer, and I’ll give it up cause that’s the only way.
....
I’ll give you all that I can offer, please don’t throw it away.
I’ll give you everything I’ve got, be it love or lemonade.
I’ll give you all that I can offer and I’ll give it to you every single day.
Every single day.
Every single day.
....
Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vox, Jigsaw, Percussion – Renny
Drums – Matt Field
Bass – Pat Savina
Saxophone – Bo Terry
Viola – Carl St Jacques
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