Don’t Try to Talk

Lyrics by Waterman/Lepage

Music by Gilbert Cantin

Lead vocal by Wanda Waterman

Bass, guitar, and backup vocals by Gilbert Cantin

This song began with me proposing that my songwriting partner, Chantal Lepage, write a poem about a married woman who refuses to leave her husband for her lover. Chantal quickly produced a great text, as she so often does, but after reading it a few times I thought, Wait—this theme is rare enough, but what if we were to write a song about a woman who refuses to start an affair in the first place? Has that even been done?

Chantal, in her inimitable way, did an exquisite rewrite, looking at the situation from all angles, seeing all the shades, and imagining all the thoughts and feelings that might arise.

Within a day Gilbert, not knowing about all this, sent me a piece of music he’d created called “Slow Blues.” The serendipity glowed. It was the perfect tune for the song.

I should mention that Chantal writes her texts in French free verse, and I translate them into English and create verses. I move the words around and add anything I think would work. And that’s how Chantal and I write lyrics. So far it’s been a match made in heaven, and we’re having so much fun it’s scary.

Listen to this song and more here.