Morei Sky

Template:Song "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	Hidden track on "Shouting Out". Chester's microphone feed as he sang "Morei Sky" in the studio.
Morei Sky	Scott Crowley Sessions	4:35	June 1994		Completely different song structure. Much longer intro. No "Power Chorus". Released on LPLive for free download on June 14, 2015. Both original and fan made remastered versions are available.
Morei Sky	"Wake Me" Pre-Production Live Session	5:16	October 06, 1994		Recorded live at David Knauer's studio. Released on LPLive for free download on October 31, 2015.
Morei Sky	Album Pre-Production Live Session		February 18, 1996		Unreleased. Recorded live at David Knauer's studio.
Morei Sky	"No Sun Today" Pre-Production Live Session		December 03, 1996		Unreleased. Recorded live at the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences.
Morei Sky	Amends	3:52	2017-2020	June 26, 2020	Featuring Jean Yves D’Angelo and Heidi Gadd. Produced by Esjay Jones and Lucas D'Angelo.

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

Album Version

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...

Scott Crowley Demo Version

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.