Collaborations/Permutations/Charlatan

Last summer Sweet Soubrette released an EP called What's My Desire?. The title track was originally a Bushwick Book Club assignment based on Anais Nin's book Henry and June. 

We shot a music video for What's My Desire? in collaboration with photographer Emily Raw.

Emily sent a still image from the video shoot to Manuel Gonzales, a writer with whom she collaborates on a story project: every week she sends him a photograph she's taken and he writes a 1,000-word story based on the image. 

Manuel wrote this story, "Written."

Then Emily suggested we go around again.  So I wrote a new song based on Manuel's story.  It's called Charlatan.  Lyrics are below.  A live performance video is linked here, and we're getting ready to record it for the next album.

Emily shot a new photograph based on the song.  Now it's Manuel's turn again.  We could go on like this forever.

Read more about this collaboration here.

Charlatan

Here is how it works

Her brother brings them in

She doesn’t know where it comes from

She doesn’t care if it is true

She doesn’t know where it comes from

She doesn’t care
If it is true

Pale was too pale when she put the powder on

The marks suspected

People think she traffics in banalities
She keeps collected
Is the kid who’s selling Coca-Cola
In her spiderweb
Or is she blowing smoke
Are her predictions just a joke

Before they even step inside

She starts to write
She doesn’t know what it all means
She reads it to them anyway
She doesn’t know what it all means
She reads it to
Them anyway

She knows who they long to hear from

What they long for her to tell
Is she getting secret signals
Are they suckers for the sell
All her tales of fame and fortune
Of tragedy and pain
How does how does she do it
It’s a fascinating game

They think it’s a scam

But she’s no charlatan
She writes until there’s nothing left
She cannot stop till she is done
She writes until there’s nothing left
She cannot stop
Till she is done
She cannot stop
Till she is done