| "Morei Sky" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Song by Grey Daze | |
| from the album Wake Me | |
| Recorded: | 1994 |
| Released: | 1994 |
| Length: | 4:49 |
| Writer: | Chester Bennington, Sean Dowdell |
| Producer: | David Knauer |
| Wake Me tracklist | |
"Morei Sky" is the third track on the album Wake Me.
Background
Talking about the song, Sean Dowdell said, "There's a song on the album called Morei Sky. Chester and I wrote it on a beach in Mexico. There was a really cool sunset that was happening. I used to be a silk screener and the weird kind of purplish pattern that was happening in the sky reminded me of the silk screen pattern and I go 'oh, this looks like a Moiré pattern' and Chester said 'oh, it's a Moiré sky.' We literally sat in the back of his truck watching the sunset and shouted out the lyrics to that song."[1]
The first known studio version of "Morei Sky" was recorded sometime in June 1994 as part of a 6-track demo done at Teething Studios, Scott Crowley’s apartment studio. He was from a band called “Nihil”. Jonathan Krause said, "He had a digital recording studio. I thought the drums sounded cheesy they were way to electronic. But it was free so who's complaining?" Sean Dowdell adds, "It wasn't a studio. It was his apartment and he and I recorded it on a very small recording program on a computer. Home recording though, not studio."[2]
On October 6, 1994, the very first day of working on Wake Me, the album's producer David Knauer recorded Grey Daze playing live in his studio to see what they had in store for their debut album. He recorded their performance straight to DAT tape and had Chester say the name of every song so it was documented on tape as well.[3] "Morei Sky" was among the songs that made the album.
Under a new lineup consisting of Chester Bennington, Bobby Benish, Mace Beyers and Sean Dowdell, the band had their first pre-production sessions for their second studio album in February 1996 with David Knauer. There, they recorded a new version of "Morei Sky". The album, however, was shelved due to lack of funds to finish the studio time.[4]
Another version of the song was recorded by Michael Jones during their pre-production session for ...No Sun Today in December,[4] but it didn't make the album.
Amends Version (2020)
Grey Daze included "Sickness" on their 2020 album Amends, with re-recorded instrumentals and using older takes of Chester's vocals. The song features guests Jean Yves D’Angelo and Heidi Gadd. It was produced by Esjay Jones and Lucas D'Angelo.
In the Amends track-by-track with Apple Music, Sean said, "The chorus of this song says, 'If I had a second chance I'd make amends, only to find myself losing in the end.' As we were trying to find an album title, Cristin suggested Amends because of this lyric. Right when he said it, I knew that was it. There's so much duality to that term with the events that transpired in losing Chester that it really just fits. A lot of people ask, 'Is it you guys trying to make amends with Chester?' No, it's Chester making amends with the listener, because I really believe he regretted the decision to take his life the moment he did it. I think if he would've woken up the next day, he would've called me and said, 'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that.'"[5]
Hidden Track
On Grey Daze's first album, Wake Me, the song "Shouting Out" features a version of "Morei Sky" as a hidden track. Producer David Knauer explained, "Yes, that was headphone bleed. During the tracking of Wake Me, as we were recording basic tracks, Chester was sitting on the couch in the back of the studio and sang along so the band could hear him in the headphones. That track you hear is what was recorded on his handheld mike which included the music in the control room, the click track for tempo, him singing, and him talking to his girlfriend who was sitting with him."[4] The girlfriend was Elka Brand.[6]
Versions
Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.
| Title | Album | Length | Recorded | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morei Sky | Wake Me | 4:49 | 1994 | 1994 | |
| Shouting Out | Wake Me | 10:12 | 1994 | 1994 |
|
| Morei Sky | Scott Crowley Sessions | 4:35 | June 1994 |
| |
| Morei Sky | "Wake Me" Pre-Production Live Session | 5:16 | October 06, 1994 |
| |
| Morei Sky | Album Pre-Production Live Session | February 18, 1996 |
| ||
| Morei Sky | "No Sun Today" Pre-Production Live Session | December 03, 1996 |
| ||
| Morei Sky | Amends | 3:52 | 2017-2020 | June 26, 2020 |
|
Live
A version of "Morei Sky" with an early guitar solo was debuted live in 1994. The album version was performed around the recording of Wake Me until at least 1995. After that, Jason Barnes and Jonathan Krause were replaced respectively by Bobby Benish and Mace Beyers with whom the band created yet another version of the song that would be performed live throughout 1996 and dropped from the setlist once ...No Sun Today was recorded.
Personnel
Grey Daze
- Jason Barnes - Guitar
- Chester Bennington - Vocals
- Sean Dowdell - Drums
- Jonathan Krause - Bass
Production
- Recorded and Mixed by: David Knauer
- Produced by: David Knauer and Grey Daze
- Mixed at Anthem Recording
- Assisted by: Billy Spoon and Dan Manriquez
- Mastered at - SAE by Roger Siedel
Lyrics
I've lived through things I cannot say
Back then we dreamt of yesterday
It seemed as if the only way
And now we look for hope and pray
If I had a second chance
I'd make amends
Only to find myself
Losing in the end
If I had a second chance
I'd make amends
Only to find myself
Losing, losing...
It came up from the deepest sea
God gave it life and reason to be
His shadow rose above the highest tree
And still his face we could not see
If I had a second chance
I'd make amends
Only to find myself
Losing in the end
If I had a second chance
I'd make amends
Only to find myself
Losing, losing...
I've lived through things I cannot say
Back then we dreamt of yesterday
It seemed as if the only way
And now we look for hope and pray
Yeah...
I've lived through things I cannot say
Back then we dreamt of yesterday
It seemed as if the only way
And now we look for hope and pray
If I had a second chance
I'd make amends
Only to find myself
Losing in the end
If I had a second chance
I'd make amends
Only to find myself
Losing, losing...
It came up from the deepest sea
God gave it life and reason to be
His shadow rose above the highest tree
And still his face we could not see
If I had a second chance
I'd make amends
Only to find myself
Losing in the end
If I had a second chance
I'd make amends
Only to find myself
Losing, losing...
Gallery
-
Wake Me
-
Wake Me pre-production DAT tape
-
Real Records album pre-production DAT tape
-
...No Sun Today pre-production DAT tape
-
Wake Me and Scott Crowley Sessions
-
Handwritten lyrics by Chester Bennington and Sean Dowdell. Scan by BlackChester.
-
Handwritten lyrics by Chester Bennington and Sean Dowdell. Photo by Malaika Juliet Stewartr.
External Links
Stream
Live
- Morei Sky (Rally Kaps 94): Jonathan Krause
References
- ↑ Grey Daze @ 101 WRIF Instagram Live (2020.04.13) - YouTube, April 13, 2020
- ↑ Exclusive: Grey Daze Demos, "Scott Crowley Sessions" - Newswire - Linkin Park Live, June 14, 2015
- ↑ Exclusive: "Wake Me" Pre-Production Live Session - Newswire - Linkin Park Live, October 31, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 LPLive Wiki - Grey Daze Story, October 06, 2015
- ↑ Apple Music: Grey Daze - Amends, June 26, 2020
- ↑ Elka Brand on Twitter: "Fun fact... If you have an original Grey Daze cd.. the hidden track has someone laughing. It is me.." / Twitter, May 03, 2020