Vanity Sleeps

Friday Song Highlight #14: I Can Dig My Own Grave

Sometimes inspiration sparks in the most random places. I was walking around the Art Institute of Chicago, marvelling at a sarcophagus in the Egyptian exhibit, and I started wondering: What if the person inside comes back to life and breaks out? What if it’s not a coffin, but a cocoon?

I’d had the line "I can dig my own grave" sitting in a notebook for years. When it finally married up with that mummy imagery, the song clicked. The idea hiding throughout here is telling an enemy that you can’t actually hurt me, because I can hurt myself well enough. It's about taking the shovel out of someone else's hands because you've already done the digging.

https://open.spotify.com/track/22RXbrIrPUpIMGUreHHLKq?si=03aae7cab5f04a10

You wear your shame out like a badge upon your vest
Sippin' Dom Perignon from a brown paper sack
And you're look at me thinkin' I should be impressed
As you’re cradling the knife you plan to bury deep inside of my chest
I didn't lose my faith; my faith lost me
If every scar's a story, you wrote my whole anthology

We'll bury the hatchet in the sarcophagus in which I'll lay
I don’t need your help; I can dig my own grave

You point your crooked finger, so you can cast the blame
You keep snuffing candles out, but you still end up in flames
So you can save your prayers for someone needin' saved
If you ain't keepin' score, you already lost the game
I didn't break your heart, your heart broke me
Remember it's the victors who write the history

We'll bury the hatchet in the sarcophagus in which I'll lay
It's more like a chrysalis, I’ll be lying there in wait
I don’t need your help; I can dig my own grave
You can keep your shovel, man, I can dig my own damn grave

I Can Dig My Own Grave Vanity Sleeps · Through the Keyhole · Song · 2026

Friday song highlight #9: Teach Us to Number Our Days

This is the oldest song on the album. I wrote it about 10 or 11 years ago for a church. The text is adapted from Psalm 90. I probably should have given Moses credit as a co-writer.

I think it fits perfectly as the penultimate track, giving us pause to consider the ephemeral nature of life before hitting the final resolution.

When I first wrote this, it had a saxophone solo. But for this recording, I felt the organ already covered those frequencies, so I went with a banjo instead. It felt more apropos for the "Vanity Sleeps" sound.

https://open.spotify.com/track/2uz1iJmSnKMh8RXR7ThMzF?si=8257c69cf3204d47

You've been our home,
dwelling place,
ere the mountains formed
ere the world made
You turn us to dust,
whence we came.
As a dream when we wake,
we're swept away, swept away, swept away

Teach us to number our days.
Our fast, fleeting lives
Teach us to number our days.
May we be wise.

We try to hide
our wicked ways
under your light
we have no shade.
Our days shall pass
Our years shall fade
As a whisper in the wind,
we'll fly away, fly away, fly away

Teach Us to Number Our Days Vanity Sleeps · Vanity Sleeps · Song · 2026

Friday #8: Undelivered Flowers

This is a true story, unfortunately. 🤦‍♂️

I’m a huge Elliott Smith fan (hence recording this whole project on cassette) and he’s influenced me maybe more than any other artist (props to Iron & Wine, too). This is probably my most overtly Elliott-inspired song, from the picking intro through to the minor iv chords. If "Angeles" and "Somebody That I Used to Know" are sister songs, this is their illegitimate sister from another mister.

In contrast to "I'm Convinced," this one pairs sad, unfortunate lyrics with upbeat, happy music. Thank goodness I can laugh at myself!

https://open.spotify.com/track/1BB6ea2hYUy82aCAG0X6jL?si=b5b34c2cc76047cc

I meant to see you when you got done with your show
Thought enough time had elapsed
But then my old wounds, they opened up again
I couldn't even say "hello"
Stood by the stage door, looking at my feet
Now there's undelivered flowers in my passenger seat

You called me Tuesday, and I thought we were okay
You told me we would meet again
Just long lost lovers who'd gone their separate ways
Still hoping to be friends
You said you loved me, but you'd had too much to drink
Now there's undelivered flowers in my passenger seat

What do you think you're doing?
Spinning those wishful tales
Who do you think you're fooling?
That ship's already sailed

Without a word, you walked back in to change your clothes,
I knew my chance had passed
So all alone, I sauntered back toward my car
disappointed in myself
I’ll write a new song, and try to stay upbeat
But there’s undelivered flowers in my passenger seat

Undelivered Flowers Vanity Sleeps · Vanity Sleeps · Song · 2026