Dan Swift

Parallels

About the Album

Unlike previous albums, Parallels was spun up fairly quickly during the fall of 2023. Separating it from the storytelling or lore found in previous albums, the songs of Parallels are deeper and reflect the mirror images that tie components of our lives together. Similar in style to A Front Row Seat to a 2^nd Life, the songs in this mixed-genre album have something relatable to any listener. Song concepts bundled together in this album include:

• A piano ballad recognizing the difficulties of being away from someone for an extended period of time, only for the vast distance to be finally eliminated.
• With all of the hype surrounding artificial intelligence, what happens when robots know everything. Do they become sentient or is it all part of their programming?
• Struggles to stay on the right track and move forward. It's scary and can foster complacency. When you encounter a yellow light, do you drive through or hit the brakes?
• When zooming out, it can be easy to see the parallels between our lives and the lives of others even though we are somewhere completely different physically and conceptially.

Parallels is a four song EP. This is the second album written that crosses genres while still woven together. Inspiration for this album is derived from personal experiences, stories, and a wild imagination. There is no collector's edition for Parallels.

Tracks

1. Penny Never Spent (lyrics)

   You turn up everywhere I want you to be.
   On the road, in my head, in my dreams.
   You look at me with your brown eyes and smile.
   Thank God, it's been such a long while.
   To lose you I'd be far from content.
   You're my penny, never spent.

   A penny for your thoughts,
   hair back, and up.
   So many little things about you.
   Not a single piercing or inked with tattoos.
   Such a perfect, happy face.
   You're never gone without a trace.

   I saw you drive away in your blue car.
   One thousand miles of focus is way too far.
   Long distance calls and very long weeks.
   You finally came back to me.
   You're my good luck penny.

   <chorus>

   I couldn't get you out of my mind.
   I can't believe that I left you behind.
   Your birthday card has a ten and a nine.
   Who'd have thought you'd always be mine?
   Good luck penny you're here to stay.
   You're my penny not far away.

   <chorus>

2. Robot Man (lyrics)

   I've got a glass eye.
   Can't even cry.
   I'm mission critical.
   Nothing's that impossible.
   I've got three arms and rocket boots,
   and absolutely nothing to lose.
   I gotta lot of tools I can use, use, use.

   I'm just a robot man.
   I've got a drill in place of my hand.
   I can do anything.
   I can say anything.
   I know, I know everything.

   Don't have a beating heart.
   Can't tear me apart.
   I don't know right from wrong.
   I'm just following protocol.
   I got a brain and x-ray eyes.
   I always have to say my good-byes.
   I'm the one with infinite lives, lives, lives.

   <chorus>
   <instrumental bridge>

   Don't have dirty hair.
   Not a worry or a care.
   No reason to do anything.
   I'm a ruler, I'm a king.
   Oil for blood and land to seize.
   I really want to be put to ease.
   You gotta let me outta here please, please, please.

   <chorus>
   

3. Yellow Light Life (lyrics)

   Oh no, not again.
   We are just friends.
   I can pretend.
   Oh no, can't you see.
   What we could be, that I foresee.

   I have a yellow light life, like I'm driving a car.
   A yellow light life, not going very far.
   I'm stuck in park and spinning my wheels,
   rarely more forward, it's not a big deal.
   Such a big deal.

   Lost my confidence.
   I am anonymous.
   My life's a mess.
   Where do I go from here?
   I am all fear, jammed in first gear.

   <chorus>
   <instrumental bridge>

   Hold my head up high.
   I am that guy,
   I cannot lie.
   There's no obstacle that's not impossible.
   Go full throttle.

   <chorus>

4. Parallels (lyrics)

   Left myself at home.
   Left without my keys, ID, or phone.
   Where I was going, I didn't need them for me.
   Oddly enough, I didn't need anything.

   I thought I'd take the time to wander 'round.
   Go into places where I wasn't allowed.
   Even see some friends that I can't seem to find.
   I went the wrong way on a one way street.
   Every path seems the same on repeat.
   Like a neverending loop.
   By myself out of my groove.

   Found a friend of mine,
   a fella in white, with shiny, brand new eyes,
   stylin' in some threads I've never seen before.
   He took me by my hand and walked me through the door.

   <chorus>

   I'm having a time, I have to go back.
   Follow the lights and get me right back on track.
   I'm moving ahead,
   I'm ready to go on.

   Flying high in the sky.
   Nothin' by my side, nothin' nearby.
   I can't go on without these memories.
   Keepin' my pace, I don't wanna leave this space.

   <chorus>

Credits