Square Roots Issa Ibrahim 2004 music CD- Limited Edition, limited quantities collector’s item UPC 888174226583
The first release. Recorded surreptitiously on various overnights in the bathroom on the ward in Creedmoor Psychiatric Center spring and summer 2004.
“THE MONKEY HOUSE”was written from inside Bedlam, looking, and reaching, out. The title was inspired by the Kurt Vonnegut book “Welcome to The Monkey House”. Glad I got to name check and quote Chuck Heston from the seminal sci-fi classic ‘Planet of the Apes’. Thanks also to Blue Swede for the snatched sample of “Hooked on A Feeling”.
“THE QUESTION” was written in 1995 and was among the first batch of songs I created with my first guitar, a gift from a suitor, the ward night nurse. In writing it I was trying to make sense of and come to terms with the senseless and tragic death of my mother and my institutionalization...some questions remain, answers ever elusive.
“NEARER TO ME” is a lullaby and lament to my mom, long lost and eternally loved.
“SHINE” is not the first love song I wrote about my life partner and muse Susan, but it may be the best and certainly a favorite. Conjures many, many days I'd wait between visits and the few hours of sunshine that she always brought with her when she came. I caught a welcome case of the Brian Wilsons on this with a respectful nod to the stylings of Burt Bacharach. Kudos to Ivan Baptiste for elevating and transporting the track with his trumpet skills and putting me in the pocket for a moment with the ghost of my dad on bass and the Holy Spirit keeping the beat.
“THE NEAREST FARAWAY PLACE” shares its title with an old Beach Boys song, and though I pride myself on being relatively original and authentic it was too good not to borrow it. The song was imagined as The Beatles singing “It’s a Small World After All”. Written on a psych ward in 1995 on the onset of a traumatic psychotic break, it calls out for something/anything better than what I was faced with and a happier destination for me and my then new love Susan...I'm pleased to say we've made it. Thanks to Ian Yeager for the mandolin solo, dropped in during a clandestine session in the visitor’s room for the price of a sandwich.
12 songs written, performed and produced by Issa Ibrahim. Limited quantities.
The first release. Recorded surreptitiously on various overnights in the bathroom on the ward in Creedmoor Psychiatric Center spring and summer 2004.
“THE MONKEY HOUSE”was written from inside Bedlam, looking, and reaching, out. The title was inspired by the Kurt Vonnegut book “Welcome to The Monkey House”. Glad I got to name check and quote Chuck Heston from the seminal sci-fi classic ‘Planet of the Apes’. Thanks also to Blue Swede for the snatched sample of “Hooked on A Feeling”.
“THE QUESTION” was written in 1995 and was among the first batch of songs I created with my first guitar, a gift from a suitor, the ward night nurse. In writing it I was trying to make sense of and come to terms with the senseless and tragic death of my mother and my institutionalization...some questions remain, answers ever elusive.
“NEARER TO ME” is a lullaby and lament to my mom, long lost and eternally loved.
“SHINE” is not the first love song I wrote about my life partner and muse Susan, but it may be the best and certainly a favorite. Conjures many, many days I'd wait between visits and the few hours of sunshine that she always brought with her when she came. I caught a welcome case of the Brian Wilsons on this with a respectful nod to the stylings of Burt Bacharach. Kudos to Ivan Baptiste for elevating and transporting the track with his trumpet skills and putting me in the pocket for a moment with the ghost of my dad on bass and the Holy Spirit keeping the beat.
“THE NEAREST FARAWAY PLACE” shares its title with an old Beach Boys song, and though I pride myself on being relatively original and authentic it was too good not to borrow it. The song was imagined as The Beatles singing “It’s a Small World After All”. Written on a psych ward in 1995 on the onset of a traumatic psychotic break, it calls out for something/anything better than what I was faced with and a happier destination for me and my then new love Susan...I'm pleased to say we've made it. Thanks to Ian Yeager for the mandolin solo, dropped in during a clandestine session in the visitor’s room for the price of a sandwich.
12 songs written, performed and produced by Issa Ibrahim. Limited quantities.
The first release. Recorded surreptitiously on various overnights in the bathroom on the ward in Creedmoor Psychiatric Center spring and summer 2004.
“THE MONKEY HOUSE”was written from inside Bedlam, looking, and reaching, out. The title was inspired by the Kurt Vonnegut book “Welcome to The Monkey House”. Glad I got to name check and quote Chuck Heston from the seminal sci-fi classic ‘Planet of the Apes’. Thanks also to Blue Swede for the snatched sample of “Hooked on A Feeling”.
“THE QUESTION” was written in 1995 and was among the first batch of songs I created with my first guitar, a gift from a suitor, the ward night nurse. In writing it I was trying to make sense of and come to terms with the senseless and tragic death of my mother and my institutionalization...some questions remain, answers ever elusive.
“NEARER TO ME” is a lullaby and lament to my mom, long lost and eternally loved.
“SHINE” is not the first love song I wrote about my life partner and muse Susan, but it may be the best and certainly a favorite. Conjures many, many days I'd wait between visits and the few hours of sunshine that she always brought with her when she came. I caught a welcome case of the Brian Wilsons on this with a respectful nod to the stylings of Burt Bacharach. Kudos to Ivan Baptiste for elevating and transporting the track with his trumpet skills and putting me in the pocket for a moment with the ghost of my dad on bass and the Holy Spirit keeping the beat.
“THE NEAREST FARAWAY PLACE” shares its title with an old Beach Boys song, and though I pride myself on being relatively original and authentic it was too good not to borrow it. The song was imagined as The Beatles singing “It’s a Small World After All”. Written on a psych ward in 1995 on the onset of a traumatic psychotic break, it calls out for something/anything better than what I was faced with and a happier destination for me and my then new love Susan...I'm pleased to say we've made it. Thanks to Ian Yeager for the mandolin solo, dropped in during a clandestine session in the visitor’s room for the price of a sandwich.
12 songs written, performed and produced by Issa Ibrahim. Limited quantities.