Had the privilege of making it out to open mic tonight. While listening to the many hopeful and talented singer/musicians I was taken by one in particular, Chet O'Keefe and the song Game Bird.
Find Chet O'Keefe here:
http://chetokeefe.bandcamp.com/album/game-bird
Immediately, upon listening I felt this song was going to be a topical surface song only. Game bird starts with the visionary story of shooting an animal. After listening for a short while, I realized I was mistaken and all of the great depth that awaited to be heard.
The vivid description of a lost family almost brought tears to my eyes. With lyrics, "use to be I never slept alone and had me a wife and a happy home and a daughter she should have been grown", the symbolism kicks in of the little gunned down game bird. The innocent black eyed bird starring back lifeless now. Is the singer this lack luster bird now or is this meant to represent the lives that have been taken away from him? Through all of his pain, Chet O'Keefe, appears to find some sense of solace in a "quiet place to sing."
He had a happy home, according to the lyrics but it is all gone in the wind; appearing painful to remember and painful to forget. Chet O'Keefe, in Game Bird, takes us in a sneak peak look at his musical creative world constructed by pain. He wraps up the story with a circle back to the opening reminding us that he did shoot a little game bird with familiar black eyes.
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