Cover a Steemian: My cover of FLY (written by long time friend Serena Matthews @paintingangels). Also Bands about Bands Challenge.

I rarely do covers unless they are things that are significant to me as a child... my favourite movies, songs I grew up with... Geeky fantasy things. As a songwriter my songs are super personal... and I need to "connect" with what I sing but this was easy... it came naturally... and is kind of an exception, but also a tribute and shout out to my talented friend singer-songwriter Serena Matthews Hive account@paintingangels and our long time friendship. If you do not know her (or her music) let me tell you this... check her because she's not only talented but humble, sweet and full of poetry... a strange magic

Yes, she is indeed a poet
There is something fragile about her... and something wild too... like birds...
Birds should never be caged
They should always be free
Nature is harsh and overwhelming but they belong to the open skies
And such birds and flying are recurrent themes in her songs ever since I know her.
How could you not feel part of that?

My entry for Cover a Steemian Challenge and Bands about Bands. Double Challenge!

This is my version of FLY written by Serena and recorded with her permission for #coverasteemian challenge host by Hive account@pechichemena The challange was born as a way for fellow Steemian musicians to get to know each other. For me it was also a way to connect with songs written by others as I've been doing (with permission) some candid shoutouts on my Hive account@dlive concerts (every Tuesday 20:30 CEST)

I recorded this version as a progressive live take by layers... first I played the piano, then Celtic harp, some Synths and finally my flutes and vocals on the pre-recorded backing track. All arranged mixed and mastered by myself. I kept the song shorter and more like a "lullaby". I layered also a light choir to make it sound melancholic and dreamy.

Thanks Hive account@hedac for helping me to record the video and the extra footage :)

This was Serena's first new song after a while, a fledgling of a song that took flight and won the Hive account@openmic contest with it.

And here a link to the rules of Cover a Steemian challenge

https://steemit.com/coverasteemian/@pechichemena/cover-a-steemian-update-24-06-2018-new-entries-rules-update-d-sound-links-accepted

And it's also a change to write about Serena so it's also an entry for the challenge "Bands about Bands" by Hive account@ftlob
I love this challenge because it encourages artists to talk about other artists:

https://steemit.com/steempress/@ftlob/bandsaboutbandss03e01adsoundcommunityinitiative-011l7tdooe

Fly (Full Lyrics)

My version is shorter than hers, as it's just a tribute, but you can read/listen/watch her original performance here. Besides, our versions are very different, that's also the point of it. Serena has a very unique and distinct voice... Also her version is longer and features the entire poem :). She won the Open Mic contest with this one, and I confess I put a candle the whole week and when Hive account@luzcypher posted the winners I literally cried :) in joy! I was thrilled when I won myself, I cried in happiness when she did. But I was not biased, her song is a beautiful gift.

Words written by Serena Matthews (2018)

I sit and gaze at a bird in a cloud
spinning round and round and round.
How's it do that?
Can I do that?
I don't think that I can ever
do that
My feet are stuck,
anchored down in the ground
for too many miles down.
How'd they do that?
Why'd they do that?
Will I ever find the strength it takes
to crawl out?
I want to rise.
I will chase that little bird,
fly straight out of this damned world.
You .. You were my world
I gave everything to you
Now you're proving that we're through.
Why'd you do that?
Put me through that?
I don't know if I can ever
get over that.
I want to Fly.
You were wrong in what you did.
I'm not ready to forgive
you yet.
I want to rise.
I will chase that little bird...
fly straight out of this damned world
tonight.

How I met Serena Matthews.... a long time ago :)

It was 2001 or 2002.... I can´t recall the exact date...
I was myself starting to share my first demo recordings... Though I have written songs all my life It was very much a hidden thing until then... But I got a computer and internet and those vintage 56k speed dial modems, and there I was, connected with fellow artists all over the globe in a place called Mp3 dot com (don't bother it's not the same site anymore) We were pioneers! I feel it that way. Years before facebook, myspace... we were there, sharing our music, releasing our demo CDs. And pretty much engaging in those vintage message boards the way we do in Steemit now. In that platform met also my actual partner Hive account@hedac and other fellow steemians like Hive account@dinoromanelli

Here a super OLD drawing I made of Serena back in those years she used for her demo CD. I really must draw you a new portrait. My skills got better since (at least painting). But I'm happy you kept it with fondness.

Above: Portrait I made of Serena in 2002.

She still looks the same today... It's incredible... and still a noble fairy.

The place was sold and underwent drastic changes until it fell on disuse... but I think many lasting bonds were created there... bonds among dreamers and some of us are here now still holding on to our dream of creating music.

Years later we would reconnect via facebook and other networks... but somehow these sites failed to really reunite us until I joined Steemit late January... And It was Serena who found me. I had been featured in one music curation post courtesy of (also very talented) @Isaria
Serena had not been very active herself... and I think we found solace in not feeling "alone". It was indeed a case of mutual encouragement.

Then Hive account@meno kidnapped me into Hive account@helpie and I recommended Serena, so found ourselves in a cozy space sharing cookies and cake. She is by the way now a scout of that community

And we are still chasing our dreams... and little birds

Many years passed... I always kept an mp3 "Black Bird" another of her songs in my personal compilation...
I always listened to it with fondness... and never left my mind. I found myself humming it often to this day (especially when watching blackbirds)

Blackbird, fly away
into the hollow sky
Blackbird, take me with you
'cause I can't fly
I'll hold on tightly
(but I can't fly)

Back then in those early years I shared also my own songs "Storm" and "Fly"

Though featherless and hurt
I only try to fly

And I know she knows

And such those threads interwine and become strong ropes, that longing joined our paths one time, and yet again! :)

I want to say that she's also an amazing PHOTOGRAPHER and of course birds are an important theme in her photos too! As if she weren't insanely talented as musician, she is a poet both through words and photography.

Above: Photography by Serena Matthews. Shared with permission of the author.

Let's fly

Birds and the moon... that is what Serena's soul is made of.... Maybe a little bit of stardust
And dreams... sometimes a little bit broken but then she knows how to mend them with something magical... Dreams wearing the scars of many times being dreamt over and over again... Lucidly
Have you ever dreamt you can can fly? That you take a little leap and you float?

And so we learned to fly
It happens!

PD. If you like this cover, feel free to share, resteem... but most importantly pay a visit to Hive account@paintingangels and let her know you do love the song too...

This cover is made with permission of the author and rewards will be split between us both.

Hope you like it.... let us know!

Find us in the dark side of the moon... we'll be probably talking about cute animals, sharing cookies, sharing old movies, dreaming... flying!

Curiously the other day chatting with her we were both talking about an 80s movie called "The Boy who could fly" and we both remembered the soundtrack of course!

So hope you liked my cover of Fly, hope you liked her amazing original, hope you got to know Serena, me, or us better...

Because it's the story of a reunion :)

And I just want to say out loud... You are amazing Serena!