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From The City Of Light To The Town Of The Smile

By John Buckley McQuaid

“The brain is the most outstanding organ. It works 24/7, “How can I ever forget you
365 from birth until you fall in love.” Sophie Monroe, After our stars have been crossed?
Afflicted Paris, the moment I met you
Nothing will ever be lost.”
VALENTINE’S DAYS is a love story, based on actual (SNOWBALLS IN HELL)
events, set in Paris, Madrid, Berlin and Aarhus, told
through 29 original songs/chapters and 29 videos. It “The days go by, we drift away
comprises 5 e-books, one for each city and one So little that we have survives
containing all the songs. Tomorrow will be yesterday
We cannot live each other’s lives”
It’s a poignant story of love, loss and longing, which (EACH OTHER’S LIVES)
begins in The City of Light (“May I paint you in Paris,
‘twould be so romantic…..”) and ends in The Town of The All lyrics © John Buckley McQuaid – All rights reserved.
Smile (“It’s Valentine’s Day and your heart is in Hell…..”).
Everything inspires me. My modus operandi is to find a
The songs alternate between spoken and sung lyrics and café and write what I observe – within and without.
are followed by videos, shot on location, mixed with my
illustrations, photographs and paintings. The key to creativity is - not to think. The minute one
starts thinking, the first thought one has is: “Can I do
There are more singles today than ever before. How many this?” And, of course, one can’t - one is too busy
of them spend Valentine’s Day alone? Most of the songs thinking, to create.
on VALENTINE’S DAYS, were written on guitar, tuned
to an open D, the way I tuned my first guitar, which gives Absence of ego, allows for the absolute. We are all here to
the guitar a rich harmonic sound. The song “HOW DO I learn.
KNOW?” is the first song I ever wrote where I wrote the
melody first and worked out the chords afterwards. Social Media has reduced people’s empathy and ability to
focus by 25%. I recall reading somewhere about parallel
I wrote the rest of the lyrics first and then set them to universes, which we tune in to, when we create. Social
music, using either guitar, piano or keyboard. I play Media has replaced access to these with a desert of
most of the instruments on the album. My friend, Peter instant gratification.
Svenné Schmidt, plays bass, some additional guitar and
sings harmonies. I recorded and mixed the album at my I did my first paid gig in Dublin, 1969, and turned
home studio. professional musician in 1979, when I joined the Danish
Musicians Union, DMF, which provides me with legal
Sample lyrics: advice/representation, inexpensive instrument insurance,
access to an large apartment in Berlin and moral
“Tell me the tale of the Man in the Moon support. I am also a member of KODA, the primary
It doesn’t have to be true Danish Composers’ Rights Licensing Agency. I am a
I want to fly in a silver balloon member of The Danish Jazz, Rock and Folk Composers’
Sailing off into the blue” Association, DJBFA, who have, through the years, given
(TRAVELLERS) me work and travel grants and access to apartments in
Paris, Berlin and New York.
“I see your face in window panes
It’s midnight on the moon” Through the years, I’ve co-written with composers from
(MIDNIGHT ON THE MOON) Ireland, Great Britain, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and
the USA. Someone asked me once, why I’m still doing
“Only for the dead, the war is over this. My answer, I’m just beginning to get the hang of it.
Even if it lasts a thousand years”
(SCARECROWS BORN TO DANCE) Wishing you all the best
John Buckley McQuaid

40 www.writeawaymagazine.co.uk