From the recording Sitting on the Top of the World

Lyrics

Sitting on the Top of the World Again

c1998 by Wishnefsky

COMMENTS
In 1998, after Jabberwock broke up, I wanted to stay the increasingly melodic course upon which my writing had veered and simultaneously do something that avoided sounding too much like Jabberwock. So I conceived the idea of a band in which my primary instrument would be my first love, the piano. As such, Veneer came into existence.

In 1998, I recorded some demos on the Akai 12 track, which had been moved from Jabberwock's studio in Dev's garage to my home studio. This was the last recording I ever did on the old analog stalwart. Though the sound and approach were new, I was joined by some of my old Jabberwock colleagues. Michael James, the Jabberwock producer/mixer, helped with some of the engineering and production, and mixed the tracks. Dave played drums; Archie Frugoni played bass on four songs; and Stephen Bock played guitar and sang back vocals on a few tracks. My old friend Keith Wechsler, an incredible engineer who played in a band with Dave and me back in the day (The Earthlings), came in and quickly got a drum sound for us. In recent times, Keith has been part of the Emerson, Lake & Palmer team.

Sandbag tackles the subject of religion. It would have been the next Jabberwock album. It was quite controversial privately in the band. Todd and Dave are religious and regularly attend church and temple, respectively. I, on the other hand, while a spiritual person, avoid organized religion and its pompous rituals like Donald Trump avoids modesty. Within the band, Sandbag inspired a number of temperamental tiffs and shouting matches. Out of respect and love for my fellow band mates, I agreed to modify some lyrics, especially after Todd come up with some lines vastly superior to my original efforts.

I wrote the chorus and music to Sitting during a creative spurt shortly after the birth of the my first daughter in 1995. I struggled for ages to complete the song. Finally, towards the end of Jabberwock in 1997, the words for the verse came to me and they fit perfectly in the Sandbag concept.

A few years ago, I recorded a completely different version of Sitting with no piano at all for my Wishnefsky solo record, Use Your Words. (While I strongly support the protection of copyrights and intellectual property interest, I observe no limits with respect to stealing from myself. They're my songs and I'll do what I please with them, thank you very much.)

I plan to record final versions of the Sandbag songs after I finish On That Note. I will likely toss out a few songs and add some new ones. I'm very excited about finally doing Sandbag properly and in all its glory.

Wishnefsky