"Showers Without Warning" is a tune I originally wrote for our Friday the 13th-Themed group, The Happy Campers in 3D. Then, as the batch of songs that are making up our new album came together, we realized this tune could fit just as snuggly into the Hi Ho Silver Oh family.
Alice Hardy is the heroine of the first Friday the 13th movie. She survives a big twist, and *SPOILER ALERT* cuts off Jason Voorhees' mom's head. That was supposed to be the end of that story, but since the low-budget movie did so well, the studio decided to keep it going and going. For some reason, the second movie starts with Alice living by herself in a scarily drafty apartment. She talks to her (rightfully) worried mom on the phone, and let's her know she's doing fine. Why, after watching all your exciting new summer friends get murdered with farming equipment, would you move out of your parents' house into your own place? The song supposes it was because Alice was ready to die.
Sprinkled onto every song are my own worries about life and death. Horror movies are a nice place to see those worries played out. In fact, I'm at the perfect age for a horror-movie scenario to strike me and my fun group of friends down on any given camping trip, so I guess I've got a fresh sympathy for Alice and her buds.
lyrics
I am not so innocent, you realized, when I cut your head off your body. I knew how to flirt before you came around. I only ran off hoping you'd catch up.
I won't live my life feeling weak and tired. Mom, I gotta deal with this vulnerable feeling the only way I can, so I will keep my back to all the open windows and ghosts that might come through them.
Take my showers without warning. Water wash the blood down quickly. Death is startling even when you invite him in. Feel my throat blood in the kitchen. Feel my throat blood, I am ready.
I am ready.
credits
from Showers Without Warning 7-inch record,
track released January 18, 2011
Words and music by Hi Ho Silver Oh (Casey Trela, Jon Mackey, Phil Eastman, and Wil Donegan). Group vocals by Katie McNeill, Madeline Walter, Roxy Radulescu, Jess Cowley.
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