While arranging and recording the new songs for Breakfast
we had to draw the line somewhere in the name of economy. Since we didn’t know when we would be releasing another CD, we were inclined to use the format’s full capacity to release 70 minutes of music. I credit the persuasive trial attorney and shamefully low-in-the-mix keyboardist (my fault) Bill Levinson for convincing me to keep it to fourteen songs or noone would listen all the way through. Several casualties of the selection process found their way onto Cutting Edge.

“Eternity Band” is pure Loudon Wainwright III but a little too precious, “Friendly Town” succeeded in its domestic mission but was too wordy. I wrote "Another Lonely Chapter” for an extinguished flame, “Digging for the Sky” for Julie and "Take It Back Marlene" for an imaginary girl next door.

Contrary to the suspicions of the songwriter's first boss, the Honorable Marlene Lynch Ford, J.S.C./J.G. (Judge of Superior Court/Jersey Girl), “Take It Back Marlene” has nothing to do with the Appellate Division’s reversal of her holding in Wanetick v. Gateway Mitsubishi. For what it’s worth, though, we agree with Judge Ford that the ultimate outcome charge is inappropriate in Consumer Fraud Act cases since advising the jury of the defendant’s exposure to treble damages and fee-shifting will have a chilling effect on verdicts returned under a statute that purports to be remedial.

As for the song -- only a day or two after completing the mix and congratulating myself for writing a pretty good pop song I realized I'd ripped off “Kodachrome” by Simon and Garfunkel.