AL'S COMMENTS: I used to host the Wordplay Songwriter Showcase, in which a handful of songwriters would write and perform a new song each month inspired by a specific theme. One month, the theme was "Sexxx."

At the time I had was beginning to explore Tantra, a spiritual approach running throughout strains of Hinduism, Taoism and Buddhism, in which the body is seen as a receptacle of spiritual experience as much as the soul. Tantra is unique among spiritual approaches because it uses sexuality as a pathway to God, rather than a hindrance, obstacle or source of shame.

"Temple Door" tells the story of a man whose tantric encounter is "life-saving," from a spiritual perspective. Anyone who has gone without for a long time can testify to the healing power of sexuality when it is sourced by love.

Some crazy synchronicity with the musicians on this song: My friend Jinder is a sikh meditation instructor/singer/bellydancer/yogini who happened to gig in Mexico with the sitar player, Paul Livingstone (who played on a recent Alanis Morrissette track). I knew them from separate places. Paul referred me to T.J. Troy, who played tablas, doumbek and Arabic tambourine, and it was discovered that T.J. is the guy who teaches drumming to my producer Scotty's son Evan. When things are right, they just work that way!

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temple door (Click HERE to preview/download the song.)

The hunger felt too deep to satisfy
A desire that I wished sometimes would die
Sinking into sadness
Too painful to deny
My deepest well of hope had just run dry

She took me in my darkest state of need
She laid me down upon her silken sheets
I felt just like a little boy
So unashamed and free
She smiled and she satisfied my greed

CHORUS:
Temple door, Temple door
She opened up to me her temple door
Temple door, temple door
I bless the hand that guided me
Into her temple door

See this cold and concrete place has been my life
Never had the chance to take a girlfrind or a wife
I learned to live without the touch
That helps most men to thrive
So I learned how to die just to survive

BRIDGE:
The curtains gently parted
She guided me inside
Touching, kneeling, breathing, healing
She held me when I cried
She held me when I cried

Musicians:
Al Polito: Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitar, Dijeridoo
Chi Saito: Bass Guitar, Drums
T.J. Troy: Tablas, Tambourine, Doumbek
Paul Livingstone: Sitar
Jinder Kaur: Vocals

Recorded at Rocky Road Ranch Studios
Produced by Scotty Manzo and Al Polito