If I Stay (acoustic demo, 2004) | Vanessa Peters

+ add
stats
×
- See all results
- No matching results
  
  Try a different filter or a new search keyword.
Search all Bandcamp artists, tracks, and albums
cancel

partner
×
- See all results
- No matching results
  
  Try a different filter or a new search keyword.
Search all Bandcamp artists, tracks, and albums
cancel
sign up
log in

We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.

We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

If I Stay (acoustic demo, 2004)

by Vanessa Peters

subscriber exclusive

supported by

larskrl thumbnail

larskrl One of my favorites thanks for sharing ..

ray01brown thumbnail

geopops thumbnail

Chris from Rekkid Talk thumbnail

mrwindupbird240 thumbnail

Douglas Paterson thumbnail

Per Eriksson thumbnail

C.J. Fox thumbnail

Rasheed thumbnail

Peter O'Connell thumbnail

amyf5 thumbnail

Deanna Wood thumbnail

Rachel Gollay thumbnail

Paul Chrisawn thumbnail

Marcy Beasley thumbnail

Jeremy thumbnail

anyse thumbnail

Brian Miller thumbnail

Bill Merrill thumbnail

Steve Allen thumbnail

Allen Lucas thumbnail

Stefano F. thumbnail

mccreazoo thumbnail

Mike Jones thumbnail

Štefan Valica thumbnail

jschunke thumbnail

Dario Bonazza thumbnail

Michael Davis thumbnail

Daniel Tito thumbnail

Vincent Voegeli thumbnail

Kristiann thumbnail

Sergio thumbnail

Leslie Shaw thumbnail

Chelsea Ward thumbnail

Jill Van Sickle thumbnail

Sara C thumbnail

Ashley Pagnotta thumbnail

Filippo thumbnail

Brian Adkins thumbnail

Craig Dupen thumbnail

Jeanie Sliva thumbnail

James Williams thumbnail

Martijn de Koning thumbnail

Ronnie de Champs thumbnail

Sarah Henry thumbnail

Craig Adams thumbnail

Gary Shaw thumbnail

Rip Rowan thumbnail

Shelly Minter thumbnail

Dirk Haun thumbnail

Alex Harden thumbnail

Chris van Gorder thumbnail

Charles Hansen thumbnail

neff conner thumbnail

Simon ... thumbnail

kudti thumbnail

bonash thumbnail

more...

about

This was recorded in the summer of 2004 by Manuel Schicchi as part of the home-recording sessions in his basement studio that turned in Thin Thread. I never taught this song to the band. It never really felt finished to me, and it still doesn't, but 10 years later, I don't think I'm headed back to it any time soon and I've had a number of folks ask for a version of it, so I decided to finally to post this one.

Random side note:
The lyrics to this song live in a folder on my computer called "The Year That I Am Here (abandoned)." That was the working title of the album that eventually became "Thin Thread" (when I wrote that song I instantly wanted it to be the the title track). Seeing that folder buried in the subfolders of unfinished songs led to the line in The Christmas We Hoped For - "This will be the year that we are here." Everything is connected. :)

Thanks to Manuel for recording this. XO

lyrics

should I be surprised to find you on this bend
where the road curves then turns and straightens out again
a place where you and I have never been
did you get here on the wind
and how could I have known you’d follow me this far
where the grass has burned and the sky has filled with tar
and everything’s in flames when I’m not where you are
and I’m stuck with this daredevil heart

and if I stay or if I go
there are a thousand unknowns
and I just gotta get this down
before the next train out of town

I write you letters I don’t intend to send
and I still have a shirt I need to mend
from the time I tried to climb your fence
to wait for you to come back in
and now the time has come for me to make it right
and the only thing to do is to say goodnight
a rope around my chest is pulling too tight
and suddenly everything’s too bright

but if I stay or if I go
there are a thousand unknowns
and I just wanna get this down
before the next train out of town

the rope is pulling too tight
and everything is too bright
I think I'll leave without a sound
and take the next train out of town

credits

released November 1, 2015
Vanessa Peters - acoustic guitar and vocals
The album photo was taken by Matt Magruder in Austin, Texas in 2004.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Vanessa Peters image

Vanessa Peters Austin, Texas

Indie singer/songwriter from Texas. Musician, Italophile, Virgo, coffee nerd, food lover, bossy-pants, big ol' softie.
I've released 10+ albums and played over 1000 shows in 11 countries. I'm not done yet.

contact / help

Contact Vanessa Peters

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Report this track or account

If you like Vanessa Peters, you may also like:

Reunions: Live At Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
by Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires

supported by 7 fans who also own “If I Stay (acoustic demo, 2004)”

This is Master Class of acoustic guitar....This will be studied for years to come... By me. tmthy1977
go to album
Blonde On The Tracks
by Emma Swift

supported by 6 fans who also own “If I Stay (acoustic demo, 2004)”

Gonzo. Passion. The Ming Vase. Haunting and beautiful. Every listen brings a new favorite. Do something like this again, Miss Emma. Please let the answer be yes. Please let the answer be yes! alien9
go to album
Gulf Collide
by Marie/Lepanto

supported by 6 fans who also own “If I Stay (acoustic demo, 2004)”

I'm way behind the curve on this. I thought M/L was to be a one-off project but now there's more? And it's even better than the first? YES!! J. Danner
go to album
Steady Away
by Chris Brain

The latest from the UK’s Chris Brain is a gorgeously wrought album of tender acoustic folk music. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 17, 2023
go to album
The Same Mistakes
by Hot Left Pole

Soft-as-a-whisper folk music, with spiderwebs of guitar and vocal melodies as comforting as a lullaby. Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 26, 2023
go to album
Hard Work
by Hot Left Pole

Whispery indie folk from the UK, “Hard Work” cradles soft and gentle vocal melodies in a nest of acoustic guitars. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 23, 2022
go to album
Shed
by Daniel Markham

supported by 5 fans who also own “If I Stay (acoustic demo, 2004)”
go to album

Bandcamp Daily your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Saxophonist Isaiah Collier chats about his new LP and the influence of Pharoah Sanders.