Song043_Smooth is Fast

The lyrics for this song were written this morning while thinking about some experiences I had during EMT/Paramedic training.

LYRICS: "When you're hurt you find a phone. You call my number because I'm always home. We'll drop you off somewhere that cares. They sell burgers in the lobby. Lap-band surgeons are just upstairs. You might wake up and can't quite tell if you've gone to the 'ER' or a casino. Each has one way in and one way out, no outside view, and people that need help. But slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. This box on wheels can move, but it's up to us. The tone rings, come what may, let's check some pulses. Don't forget your mask, your gloves, your glasses."

JPS Hospital in Ft. Worth actually has a McDonald's in the lobby of the Emergency Room. That shows how much they care for their patients, right? Maybe it's just job security. ER's do give me the same feeling as casinos, but at least at the ER I can be productive. "Slow is smooth and smooth is fast" is a phrase that a firefighter taught me when I was learning how to Intubate. That's the process of inserting a tube into the trachea to gain complete control of respirations. This is done when the airway is compromised, level-of-conciousness is decreased, or on such planned occasions as surgery. This is an advanced invasive skill, and there is a limited amount of time to perform the skill without hurting the patient. But, it can't just be done quickly...it has to be done right. During this 20-30 seconds the patient is not breathing. Relaxing actually helps you move quicker.

The music to this song started with a drum loop, and then I added an electric guitar part (written earlier today). The guitar progression is simple (G, C, Em, D, C...then D, G repeated), but the contrast of the only two guitar parts (one picking and one strumming) makes it full. Analog bass was next, and then I added a series of keyboard and piano tracks (mostly soft noises). This song mixed well considering the spectrum of noise. I always test each song on a different system after the first mix, but I've only re-mixed about 10% of the songs since I've started...even though it seems like every mix could always be improved upon.

-Matthew