Karen was working with my wife in 2004 and mentioned that she was a singer.
As I had just purchased some recording equipment, I invited Karen to my home, and after many hours of trial and error, and many references to the ‘User Manual’, we got down our first song ‘I Keep Dreaming’. I wrote this especially for her as it reflected her feelings and emotions at that time.
This was the foundation for many more songs and I still get moved when I hear her sing. We haven’t recorded anything for a while, as Karen has opened up a vintage clothes shop in Winchester, ‘Charming Magpie’ and has also got a new baby boy, Ernie.
As soon time permits, we plan do more recording together and I’m currently working on some new numbers for us.
I’ve had lots of people asking me how I start to write a song. This set me thinking and I realised that quite a few songs have been written for people or events. I thought I’d add this note to tell you about some of the songs, on this site, that have had a special orientation. Pete Staples July 2012
Track 5 – Truth
This number was arranged by me, but actually written by Karen-Ana. Really quite sad as it was written for my niece Sahra who had many problems and, at the time, was hoping to go into rehab. She loved this song and it meant so much to her at a very difficult time in her life. She was a lovely lady and I’m happy that this is a lasting memory to her.
Track 6 – ‘I Don’t Know Why’
This song started life as a Christmas carol, intended for a BBC competition. But, in the way of things, it never got finished. I always had an inkling to finish it, and about this time I wanted to write a song for the Iraqi people. Not quite a protest song, but more an acknowledgement of their suffering. The old tune was revived, and adapted, for this number.
Track 10 – ‘A Perfect Love’
I’d been in touch with an organisation called ‘Pink Weddings’ who arranged civil partnerships for gay couples. They had organised a competition with the prize being a ceremony with all the trimmings. I was chosen to write a song for the couple to be played on the day. This is the result. They were two lovely ladies who told me how difficult life had been for them and how hard it had been to be accepted. This song has a lot of symbolism in it and carried special messages for each of them.
Track 14 – ‘I Keep Dreaming’
The first song I wrote especially for Karen-Ana. I really liked her way of singing, the emotion she put into a song and when I started writing this it seemed to sum up completely how she felt about her music. This is a number that was loved by her and her family, it was special, and has been played at family gatherings and ceremonies.
