CAndyland
When I wrote Candyland, I wanted to write a song about unhealthy coping mechanisms: about leaning into despair, terror, and isolation because they are familiar. Still, some community members of mine read entirely different stories in the lyrics, which is kind of amazing to me. My colleague called it “a perfect depiction of what it’s like being a person of color, a houseless person, or someone with a stigmatized mental illness in a world that is not set up for you”. One friend of mine assumed it was about drugs. A couple of folks have asked if it was about the board game. I’m excited to hear what this song is about to you.
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i am lost in sweet shadows
i am lost in the molasses dark
i am lost in a world of my creation
i am lost in peppermint barki am on an island on the ocean in my head
i am traveling with the monster under my bed
the mountains are made of sugar and i think so is the sand
i think that i am lost in candylandcandyland candyland
i don’t wanna go home
cause in candyland candyland
i am on my owni wander through the streets at night
i wonder why there is no light
there are gingerbread houses full of gingerbread men
they have no faces to smile at me but i smile to themcandyland candyland
everything here moves slow
i am scared in candyland
but i don’t want to goi find a chocolate castle that overlooks the wood
the doors lock behind me as i knew they would
call it a prison or call it a fantasy
there’s plenty here to eat and it’s all for me
candyland candyland
there’s no one real around
in candyland candyland
so should i eat my crowncandyland candyland
i languish on my throne
i am here in candyland
and i am all alone -
Mirabai Kukathas - lyrics, melody, vocals, electric guitar, coproduction
Matt "Sabyu" Sablan - acoustic guitar, bass, production
candyland in my hallway 2020
candyland in my room 2023