Smart Bomb (1993)

Genre: Reggae-ish (some might say merengue)

Even though research on precision guided munitions started in the 1960s, it wasn’t until the Persian Gulf War that I recall hearing the expression “smart bomb” for the first time.

With the disturbing video imagery of laser-guided weapons going through picture windows, I decided I would compose a song that melded the new technology with ancient stories of Greek mythology.

How accurate could Cupid’s arrow have been anyway? What if he had had a smart bomb? I wouldn’t call this a serious treatise on the subject. It is, after all, another love song of sorts.

When I decided that each verse should represent one of the human senses, the lyrics came together easily. I penned the song in 1993 and finessed it over the years.

When Apple first introduced GarageBand, I took an after-school course at the local community college on how to use the new software. It was my first real experience with a digital audio workstation (DAW).

We were asked to complete two major projects for that class. I recorded a version of “Smart Bomb” as one of the two, combining drum loops with my own vocals and electric guitar.

When I decided to revive it in 2022, Band-in-a-Box ® allowed me to realize my original reggae-like vision for the song.

Pairs well with Spotify, Apple Music Playlist “Lazy, Hazy, Crazy”