Listen Now:

Released:

30th December 2023 (Jeff Lynne's birthday)

Began Writing:

13th February 2009

Recorded:

6th June 2023 - 2nd December 2023*

*Recordings produced from sessions dated between 24th February 2021 - 8th October 2021 did occur as part of the original acoustic project in efforts for this release, however the project was eventually abandoned. None of these earlier recordings feature in this release.

Studio:

Length:

5:27

Label:

Joel Dobbins Music

Credits:

This Channel Joel Dobbins You Know Who You Are

Back Story:

"This song is written from the perspective of being in the uncomfortable situation where you're in a relationship that you've started to realise isn't healthy or with much of a future. It's at the point where you're having to figure out how to most gently relay this observation to them and how to most appropriately cut the ties whilst doing the very best you can do for both yourself and them,"
- Joel Dobbins

Lyrics:

You love me for whatever I do
Your smile never turns away
But there’s nothing I can do for you
No words of love to say
Though we could never be together
You’re convinced it’s the only option
I know the truth of this too well
But I don’t quite know how to tell you

This channel, this channel
There’s something I must tell you

This channel, this channel
There’s something that concerns you

How must I cut this channel
Without causing you pain
This channel goes nowhere
Destined for torrential rain

How must I cut this channel
Without causing you pain
This channel goes nowhere
Destined for torrential rain

She lives in another world
A world far away from mine
But I could never tell her that
Her heart is set on me
You cannot command a heart to love
Nor can you prevent it from loving
You have little control
Quite simply I could never love her

This channel, this channel
There’s something I must tell her

This channel, this channel
There’s something that concerns her

How must I cut this channel
Without causing her pain
This channel goes nowhere
Destined for torrential rain

How must I cut this channel
Without causing her pain
This channel goes nowhere
Destined for torrential rain

“I don’t love you” are very harsh words
Though I need to say them to you
But how can I phrase it less painfully
I don’t want to see you cry
It's never quite where I'd hoped we'd be
I hate the thought of wasting your time
The river is flowing in the wrong direction
Very soon there'll be nothing but dry land

This channel, this channel
There’s something I must tell you

This channel, this channel
There’s something that concerns you

How must I cut this channel
Without causing you pain
This channel goes nowhere
Destined for torrential rain

How must I cut this channel
Without causing you pain
This channel goes nowhere
Destined for torrential rain