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Imitation Of Life

by Billie Ray Martin

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1.
I look into your eyes it's a shadow on my wall and shadows of your smile will be all I can recall all inventions of my own perfection passing the time every night imitation of life and the days go by (yeah) I gaze into the night it's a feeling that I find the first time that you smiled is the last thing on my mind, oh yes sweet salvation from my weak foundations all of the time so many lies imitation of life and the days go by passing the time every night imitation of life and the dreams go by (oh) I look into your eyes it's a shadow on my wall and shadows of your smile will be all I can recall all inventions from my own perfection passing the time so many lies (yes) all of it mine all of the time imitation of life and the days go by oh I'm passing the time every night, yes imitation of life and the dreams go by passing the time so many lies all of it mine
2.
I look into your eyes it's a shadow on my wall and shadows of your smile will be all I can recall all inventions of my own perfection passing the time every night imitation of life and the days go by (yeah) I gaze into the night it's a feeling that I find the first time that you smiled is the last thing on my mind, oh yes sweet salvation from my weak foundations all of the time so many lies imitation of life and the days go by passing the time every night imitation of life and the dreams go by (oh) I look into your eyes it's a shadow on my wall and shadows of your smile will be all I can recall all inventions from my own perfection passing the time so many lies (yes) all of it mine all of the time imitation of life and the days go by oh I'm passing the time every night, yes imitation of life and the dreams go by passing the time so many lies all of it mine
3.
I look into your eyes it's a shadow on my wall and shadows of your smile will be all I can recall all inventions of my own perfection passing the time every night imitation of life and the days go by (yeah) I gaze into the night it's a feeling that I find the first time that you smiled is the last thing on my mind, oh yes sweet salvation from my weak foundations all of the time so many lies imitation of life and the days go by passing the time every night imitation of life and the dreams go by (oh) I look into your eyes it's a shadow on my wall and shadows of your smile will be all I can recall all inventions from my own perfection passing the time so many lies (yes) all of it mine all of the time imitation of life and the days go by oh I'm passing the time every night, yes imitation of life and the dreams go by passing the time so many lies all of it mine
4.
I look into your eyes it's a shadow on my wall and shadows of your smile will be all I can recall all inventions of my own perfection passing the time every night imitation of life and the days go by (yeah) I gaze into the night it's a feeling that I find the first time that you smiled is the last thing on my mind, oh yes sweet salvation from my weak foundations all of the time so many lies imitation of life and the days go by passing the time every night imitation of life and the dreams go by (oh) I look into your eyes it's a shadow on my wall and shadows of your smile will be all I can recall all inventions from my own perfection passing the time so many lies (yes) all of it mine all of the time imitation of life and the days go by oh I'm passing the time every night, yes imitation of life and the dreams go by passing the time so many lies all of it mine
5.
I look into your eyes it's a shadow on my wall and shadows of your smile will be all I can recall all inventions of my own perfection passing the time every night imitation of life and the days go by (yeah) I gaze into the night it's a feeling that I find the first time that you smiled is the last thing on my mind, oh yes sweet salvation from my weak foundations all of the time so many lies imitation of life and the days go by passing the time every night imitation of life and the dreams go by (oh) I look into your eyes it's a shadow on my wall and shadows of your smile will be all I can recall all inventions from my own perfection passing the time so many lies (yes) all of it mine all of the time imitation of life and the days go by oh I'm passing the time every night, yes imitation of life and the dreams go by passing the time so many lies all of it mine

about

One day i turned on the TV and saw the last 15 minutes or so of the original 'Imitation of Life' film, not the remake with Lana Turner. The dialogues were cutting and profound, in a Hollywood kind of way. I quickly wrote down what i heard. When the film had finished, i looked up what it was, the glow of inspiration on my cheeks. The title stuck and i was sold. A song had to be written with that title! I built in a love story i was going through at the time where one yearns for the loved one, while remembering his smile. And of course, as in most of my songs 'I vont to be alone' and it's all but a dream. It's one of my favourite songs of mine. I have about 6 or 7 favourite songs i've written and 'Imitation' is in the upper region of the list.

credits

released April 25, 2014

written by Billie Ray Martin/Eric Kupper (Touch Tones Music)
lyrics & melodies by Billie Ray Martin
produced by Brian Transeau for 7PM Management
executive producer: Billie Ray Martin
vocal production, vocal arrangements & additional production by Billie Ray Martin
mixed by Brian Transeau for 7PM Management & Billie Ray Martin at Eden
mix engineer: Paul Gomersall
recorded at Eden Studios
recording engineer: Adrian Scarff

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Billie Ray Martin Berlin, Germany

"Billie Ray Martin is one of the living legends in modern music history and one of the best voices on planet earth."
DJ Hell
"Billie Ray Martin is an absolute revelation."
K.Hollings, The Wire
Billie Ray Martin: "I'm a kid from Hamburg’s red-light district, who wanted to be a soul singer, but ended up playing repetitive machine music, while still trying to be a soul singer"
... more

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