ABOUT THE ARTIST
Jude Heath, studio composition
Jude Heath is a senior studio composition major at West Chester University He has played and cowritten in several bands on multiple instruments, including the West Chester-based indie/funk group Papyrus on bass guitar and, currently, the alternative rock band Ephemera on electric guitar, keys, and vocals His current songwriting style is a blend of 1990s-2000s alternative and indie rock, with subtle touches of classical-inspired arrangements and singer-songwriter-esque lyricism and melodies.
FRAME OF MIND
Dreaming lucidly with no control
And nowhere to go
All night the words I say I can’t write I’m petrified
Static buzz in my ears is all I hear
Nothing is clear
Scarlet light in my eyes is all I see
It’s too much for me
Sometimes I can’t help but wonder If I’m just washed up before I even start
But I know I can’t go on like this, so I’ll
Just wait for a change in my frame of mind
This is my final stand, my final will
So, I’m sitting still
Verses, chords and revelations of mine
And this one last line
I’m slamming my head into the wall
This isn’t poetry
So, I’ll close my eyes and let go
Sometimes I can’t help but wonder If I’m just washed up before I even start
But I know I can’t go on like this, so I’ll
Just wait for a change in my frame of mind
WHAT HAS A BOTTOM AT THE TOP?
As the lights flicker in my room
I stare at the silhouette of my door
Try as I might, there’s no one there
Helping me past this anymore
Lights consume me from hollow screens
I hope and pray there’s a point to my waiting
For time cruel time to move on
While silently thinking, “save me”
I’ve heard this line before
“You haven’t been yourself”
But when the hours go on and on and on
What will I do?
Watch the candle burn from both ends
I smell the dripping wax on the wooden floor
Change the scenery, change my mind
Burning pages of empty scores
As the lights flicker in my room
I stare at the silhouette of my door
Try as I might, there’s no one there
Helping me past this anymore
I’ve heard this line before “You haven’t been yourself”
But when the hours go on and on and on
What will I do?
SETTING SUN
On the phone inebriated
Regretting one more decision
Looking for a meaning
Can you hear me droning on?
Judgmental pills watch me laughing
The cackles are sycophantic
Maybe I’m just romantic
The pressure’s building now
Sometimes I wonder If life is more than this Silent saunters through the night
Tripping when I speak
Hearing what you wish to be
Is this who you are?
Chasing a setting sun
I think we should go to sleep
Carving one happy moment
Abandon all emotion
Mindlessness and commotion
Just living another hour
Sipping from a broken glass
While chewing on crooked teeth
I’d rewind time just to see
If there’s no other way out
Sometimes I wonder
If life is more than this
Silent saunters through the night
Tripping when I speak
Hearing what you wish to be
Is this who you are?
Chasing a setting sun
I think we should go to sleep
Love once known, love once gone
I know just how you feel
Nearing tears on the line
Quiet, holding on
Chasing a setting sun
I think we should go to sleep
Hearing what you wish to be
Is this who you are?
Silent saunters through the night
Tripping when I speak
Sometimes I wonder
If life is more than this
DID I HEAR A SOUND?
Tiles and carpets on the floor
Dog laying down, legs against the door
Hours down, with a few hours more to pass
Empty minds, with cars running out of gas
Oh, did I hear a sound?
Oh, I miss when you’d howl
Don’t pull hard, you’re breaking down your spine
On and off eating, deteriorating mind I need you boy to stay
As I feel your footing slip away I know you’ll have to go
But always know I’ll stay
Oh, did I hear a sound?
Oh, I miss when you’d howl
It’s hard to see
Every night
Your eyes’ light
Waning
Fading
I WROTE A SONG L
I wrote a song last night
Before you called and I told you
How much I want to die
To tell the truth, I felt ashamed
In being blunt, I’ll hold you back
Over something that will always remain
So, drown me out Don’t pull me in I’m still the same
And I’m scared I always will
I want to change I want to better
But I know it’s a bumpy road
Being who I should know I am
I wrote a song last night
It wasn’t long, just a couple lines
Of everything that’s on mind
With a few words I’d never say I fear that when you truly know What’s in my head, you’ll never stay
I want to change I want to better
But I know it’s a bumpy road
Being who I should know I am
But that doesn’t change
My resolve
But it’s hard to carry on
When I don’t know who I am
Baby, I love you
I just don’t know what to say When time moves along Will every gift I gave stay?
WARMER
It’s finally getting warmer outside
But my heart’s still frozen cold
Just began to forgive my younger self
But I can’t seem to come to terms with getting old
Who am I kidding?
I’ve lost the plot
My world is spinning
Don’t know where to go
But I’m getting a little warmer
Because as you lean on my shoulder
I start to feel
Like this could be real
It’s getting a little warmer I wish I could tell her
How I feel
Like this could be real
Can’t use the weather anymore
As an excuse
The sun’s shining bright
But I don’t feel alright
Who am I kidding
I’m doing just fine
The world will keep spinning
So, I’ve got to try
To get a little warmer
Because as you lean on my shoulder
I know I feel
That this is real
Thing’s getting a little warmer
I finally went and told her
How I feel
Like I know it’s real
OPEN SEA
Ask me tomorrow
Just what you’re doing here
Watch it sway, your golden hair
I swear I notice you
Pictures are all I have
It’s like you never left
But you say it’s just the same
And I shouldn’t doubt you anymore
Cars swim in an open sea
As vast as I can be
Don’t fear to lose your place
Just please remember my face
Driving down these empty roads, I know we’ve been here before
But you take me to the water’s edge
And I don’t know how to feel again
Cars swim in an open sea
As vast as I can be
Don’t fear to lose your place
Just please remember my face
I’m sorry I let it show
This cancer eating at my bones
You tell me “I love you”
With a strange way of showing
But time has a funny way
Of punching back at me
My indifference is just to save face
Though this could be my mistake
Because baby, I love you
And I know that you see it,
But it’s hard to say
When you leave me behind every time
ST. JOSEPH (ETC.)
Help me sleep or turn me off
I can’t dream at all
Air grows thing as walls close in
Hold me as I fall
As I feel you fade away, fade away
Stay because you know it’s never enough, never enough
I want more
I want more
Wake up dead or close to it
You seem far away
As the sun still burns my bloodshot eyes, It singes off my name
As I feel you fade away, fade away
Stay because you know it’s never enough, never enough
I want more
I want more
SNOWED UNDER
Feel the rain fall
Down on my face
Drip all over me
Drench the ground
Dousing windowsill
Sick and molding
All over me
Lost and found
It’s all the same
Anyway
It’s all the same
Anyway
It’s all the same
Anyway
It’s all the same
Anyway
Fall in love
Face in flush
Esoteric lines
In my mind
This is wrong
I shouldn’t be here
Anymore
I’m snowed under
Dialed radio
White noise
Consuming
All my heart
Open windows
Feel the rain
Enter inside
All my heart
It’s all the same
Anyway
It’s all the same
Anyway
It’s all the same
Anyway
It’s all the same
Anyway
GOODBYE IS ALWAYS THE HARDEST PART
Riding the midnight train home
Eyes follow all the yellow lights Reflect on all you’ve given me But you’ve taken more than I’ve seen
Yesterday I couldn’t live Without you always by my side But that’s the worst part of love It disappears without goodbye
Nostalgia has a strange magic That binds and blinds you with its gaze But taking time to unwind alone These ideas are nothing but a haze
Something’s got to give And it can’t be me anymore So, all that I can say to you Is goodbye
Hold on my love
Is this what I want Memory is spent From looping scenes of us
Why don’t you go carry on? And I’ll do what’s best for me I can’t push you any further Without rubberbanding your way So just go off and rot And I’ll accept you who’ve become I have nothing left To say to you
Hold on my love Is this what I want Memory is spent From looping scenes of us
FrameofMind
The riff on the rhythm guitar was written on a quiet midnight in my room during winter break. Simultaneously inspired by The Bends-era Radiohead and the Irish band The Frames, the structure and the instrumental blend were both plotted out that night. The lyrics chronicle the struggle to fight through writer’s block and the racing thoughts and distractions that attempt to pull attention away from the current task at hand (with hints of indecision thrown in for good measure).
WhatHasaBottomattheTop?
After a long musical drought with little songwriting progress, this track was written and fully recorded in two weeks at the end of the fall semester. It was heavily influenced by the growing number of emo songs my friends and my sister were playing for me, along with bands like The Strokes, which were re-entering my rotation for the first time in years. Because of my continual delays in my senior project’s productivity at the time, writing and recording this song was easily one of the most satisfying mini-projects I have finished in my time at college.
SettingSun
Version one of this song was originally written for the ILLUSTRIOUS Dr. Maggio in his songwriting class. The original exercise used only two chords and was intended to focus on wordplay and funky word combinations to draw the listener in. Months later, I returned to the song to add more harmonic movement, expand the lyrics, and refine some of the nonsense lyricism I had originally written. The result is a piece that touches on themes of alcohol addiction as a means of avoidance of personal responsibility and emotional self-confrontation
DidIHearaSound?
I came up with the opening guitar riff for this in early 2024, along with the rest of the structure and most of the vocal melodies. The lyrics went through several renditions, most of which were about my continuing struggles with insomnia. Recently, though, I was inspired to write about my family’s dog, Remy, whose health struggles have been severe and have affected everyone in the house (especially mom and dad). My biggest inspiration for this song was Drive by R.E.M., with the middle 8 coming from playing around with Radiohead’s Electioneering on my own time.
IWroteaSongLastNight
This song was written when I was facing a time of depression and deep insecurity about my abilities and contributions to people as a friend, partner, and musician. I felt this song was a great opportunity to play my primary instrument, which sparked my love for performing, while also pushing me to be honest about the headspace my depressive episodes put me in. My playing was heavily influenced by Billy Joel and Elton John, while the lyrical content and melodies were influenced by Father John Misty and early 2000s Coldplay.
Warmer,JoshDubois
“Warmer is a song exploring themes of existential dread, while also acknowledging how genuine love can pull oneself out of their own head. I wrote this song at a time when my life was starting to turn around, and dread was transforming into hope, and I wanted to translate that feeling into music. This is one of the first songs I ever composed with my band (Ephemera), and it will always hold a special place in my heart.” – Josh Dubois (2026)
OpenSea
The confusion felt when trying to find your place in someone’s life is the heart of this song. The opening line was lifted directly from the album Ask Me Tomorrow by the band Mojave 3 (great album, by the way), with the rest of the lyrics flowing smoothly after. I knew I wanted a dramatic shift in the second half of the song, but the idea to make it 6/8 started from me struggling to strum in 4/4 one fateful 2 AM writing session. I then realized I loved the happy accident that occurred and decided to keep it. Also, here’s a fun Jude fact: this song was performed last fall semester by the Studio Music Ensemble here at West Chester University!
St.Joseph(etc.)
Another fun Jude fact: this is the oldest song being performed in this recital! The basic structure and most of the riffs were conceptualized and organized in one night in early 2024 by both me and one Garrett Frock (on drums with us this evening) at his house in Rising Sun, Maryland. Trying to quickly figure out lyrics that would go along with the instrumental we made, Good Guy Dylan (on bass with us this evening) and I got to work in his house in Rising Sun, Maryland, to quickly write something based on our shared experience with insomnia at the time. Finally, the lead guitar part was finished by Chuckie (on guitar with us this evening) at his house in Rising Sun, Maryland, a few days later, and, especially for this recital, I added the bridge and the final, fullest chorus.
SnowedUnder
Something in 5/8!! I had a blast writing something more progressive rock-based and getting additional writing help for the drums by Garrett Frock (again, on drums this evening). I wanted to write something that combined an offkilter groove with distortion to make for an entrancing listening and playing experience. I was most heavily inspired by American Football, Porcupine Tree, and 2000s Radiohead for this one, son.
GoodbyeisAlwaystheHardestPart
The opening of this song and the vocal melody came to me while I was writing lyrics for Frame of Mind back in December of last year. As the song formed and its own lyrics progressed, it felt right to me to put this song at the very end of the program. It also felt satisfying to me to use this and Frame of Mind as the bookends to this show since they were written so close together, and they share themes of indecision regarding important personal choices, albeit in different categories.