The Misfit Commentary - Extra Songs
By: Erick Nelson
Last Updated: May 19, 2002
All of these songs are demos, none are commercial recordings.
Merrick's Song (Waited All My Life)
I read the book The Elephant Man (Joseph Merrick), and I was blown away. Later, I saw the black-and-white movie. Merrick had been treated like an animal: shut away in cages, shown off at the circus as a freak. He had waited all his life for someone to come rescue him. I wrote this song from his point of view, in maybe 1980. Naturally, I think this is everybody's point of view (just like the Misfit) regarding God: needing a supernatural break-through, a rescue.
I recorded piano and vocal in 1992, and several years later Jim Abdo (of Aslan) was kind enough to supplement with instruments and background vocals. He did a really nice job.
Walk Away
My brother David suffered from an unnamed degenerative disease until he died at age 26 in 1979. His decline was slow, agonizing for my parents, inexorable. His story certainly deserves a whole book. What he did get was a chapter in one of Dr. Robert Schuller's books. He and Dr. Schuller had become friends, and they made a tremendous impact on each other. More than twenty years later, I saw Dr. Schuller give a sermon on TV about attitude, and he named David Nelson as the person who had the best attitude of all the thousands he has met. Quite a tribute.
David was down below 50 lbs, and was finally hospitalized, where he went into a coma. I did have the chance to say what I needed to say to him before he died. Later in 1979, I wrote this song about him.
I recorded piano and vocal in 1992. I had a hard time singing the song without crying, and what we wound up doing was to record the last part first, and then work backwards, piece by piece. In May of 2002 David Diggs added some synthesizer orchestration for me. Great work. Wish I could have re-done the piano and vocals! I have always thought this would be a great movie song.
Susan
I wrote this in about 1982, when I was courting my wife Susan; I re-wrote the last verse for our wedding. I recorded this in 1983 in a small studio at the Crystal Cathedral. My very good friends Bob Bennett and Phil Kristianson played on this with me, and Bob sang background vocals, too.
In the occasional opportunities I've gotten to play since I wrote this, "the Susan Song" has often been peoples' favorite.
Jericho
I wrote this in about 1981. Actually, Susan is the main inspiration for this song, too. I felt that I had become kind of closed off, unable to express my feelings very well. I certainly wouldn't ever say "I love you" unless I was prepared to back it up to an incredible degree. And saying "I'm sorry" - hey, forget about it. Knowing Susan had the effect of knocking down lots of walls - like the walls of Jericho. She has always had such a disarming way about her that people just open up. Quite a gift. And timely for me.
I recorded this in 1992 as part of my demo. I asked Susan and her friend Jeri to please sing some backup parts as a favor. They sound so young and innocent, that people naturally think these are a small children's chorus! We did this song in the Buddy Band, which featured three keyboards. It really kind of cooked. I can't do it justice without the band, but it's still a nice song.
I Will Carry You (the Eagle Song)
I wrote this in 2000, I think. I have always wanted to do a song with the Lord as the speaker, sort of a prophetic song, but nothing has ever come to me. But I had some chord ideas, and these words just came out of the blue. It's the most encouraging song I've ever written. I was wondering how I could keep going, I was just so tired all the time. The Lord spoke to my heart and said that he'd carry me, and make me strong.
This is a faster song, and the only one of my songs that my 5-yr old son, Christopher, actually likes. He calls it the Eagle Song. It is a total thrill to hear him singing it in the shower, even doing some soulful licks.
I recorded it, in a hurry, for this collection. Aaron Tungseth was kind enough to get the piano and vocal track set down in time for distribution, and mix it.