Story Behind The Song

"Indignities" came from another song I was working on with a similar theme. During a period of writer's block with that one I was musing on the way we all endured indignities each day, small and large, and how they could be committed knowingly or unknowingly. With that in mind I filled out the chorus, and mulled ideas for how to handle the verses. Since I was speaking about everyday events it seemed each verse should be some type of ordinary vignette to which most people could relate. A rush of creativity took me during a flight from overseas and I hammered out the rest of the song then and there. The bridge lyrics actually drove a lot of the music for that section since they didn't fit the pattern for the rest of the tune, but I think that break is one of the most memorable and distinctive parts. The bass line was rather self-indulgent and became pretty tricky when coordinating the keys (on pedals) and lyrics all together, but it keeps me on my toes (literally) and is fun to play. The downside is if I lose my place and miss notes it can become a train wreck pretty quickly. This was another song where developing the transitions took almost as long as coming up with everything else!

Song Description

The insults we inflict on each other create a vicious cycle of passing the pain.

Lyrics

He was up all night
Big project due
Promotion on the line
Performance review
Boss takes a look
Tosses it aside
Says "I'm not impressed
With what you provide"

She cooked and cleaned
Turned house into a home
Awaited his return
Spent all day alone
Barely gives a nod
As he grabs himself a beer
It's like he hasn't noticed her
In all their married years

It's just one of those little indignities we bear
Building up on the inside, but the outside only stares
In commission or carelessness we chip away at pride
Hammering at the weak point saving face, for now, denied
Hand-me-down resentment makes monsters of us all
Spewing clouds of bitterness beyond an angry wall

Steadfastly denied
Impropriety
They said this man of God
Was one you could believe
Community aghast
Papers revealed
Swindling the church
While the faithful kneeled

CHORUS

It's not that people need a medal all the time
Recognition of their efforts usually does fine
Tempered words and actions seen through another's eyes
Always proves the adage that the honey draws more flies





We share what we should keep
Harming when we speak
Inflict disdain without a care
Dish out such raw contempt
What law can prevent
The un-civility we bare

CHORUS