From the recording Checkmate
This song was originally about a political figure, because I wanted to write a hard-hitting text. Debbie said: “you can’t play that in public. Half the people will love it and half the people will hate it.” So, I went back upstairs to work on it. I had recently been watching my middle son play in some chess tournaments and decided to write a song about chess, using vocabulary that many chess players will recognize. The title didn’t need to change, because I had already titled it Checkmate.
Leon Olguin worked his wizardry, as usual, and inserted one of my guitar lead lines at various points of the song, giving the backup guitar a nice feel. Robby Galke added his Djembe drum to give the song a nice percussive element. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for listening.
Lyrics
I am not believing, you can restrain the flood
Or stop the tide from rising nor the shedding of blood
Your counterplay was timely, yet you failed to see
The attack was building from your silent enemy
-chorus-
You’re checked by every movement how could you have been so blind?
You wasted your advantage and now you’re out of time
Now you’re seeking refuge, your pieces in full flight
But there is no salvation from this darkened plight
The presence of his center has blocked your every move
You overlooked his weakness now there’s nothing left to prove
Chords:
Capo 2nd fret (everything is working off of the Em7 chord (actually F#m7)
Chorus – Cmaj7 D Em7