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Post by Mighty Jack on May 6, 2010 4:01:31 GMT -5
Uncle Craig was my mentor. A warm and funny guy -and a wandering spirit who never seemed to settle into one place for very long - he was a great artist, primarily in woodwork, he built beautiful cabinets and furniture… and he also played the guitar. Taught me how to play House of the Rising Sun. Craig loved country music and would play pieces he called “Cryin’ & Dying’ songs”. You know the ones – woman done me wrong now I’m stuck here crying in my beer! After I watched the film Crazy Heart, I got to thinking of my Uncle Craig and soon I had the notion to try and write my own cryin’ & dying’ song. Thinking about the film and could relate to the idea of a woman who changed everything. And why It hurt to lose that? Because for once in my life when I woke up in the morning the first thought that entered my head wasn’t, "Damn, why am I still alive'" or "damn, I don’t wanna go to that f’n job" it was, “Hot damn I’m gonna see her tonight”It was nice to have something to look forward too and no matter how bad the day got, how many idiots I had to face at work, I was okay. "Go ahead, crap on my head, see if I care, you can’t hurt me because I’m going home to her."I originally wanted to write a story-song, but I had no ending. So I made it a (what I call) 'moment in time' number. There is no ending, it’s just this feeling, right here and now. I improvised the bridge, thinking to change it later. But I thought, “No, that plaintive cry suits it” – I needed you, I needed you, I needed you – it sound desperate and pleading. I originally had beer in the words, but thought the whole section was corny and trite so I went with the image of empty bottle. Same clichéd idea but a little more artistic a rendering. The mix has some rough patches, lead vocals are little hot at times and my timing was off, leading into the bridge. Maybe it’s a bit too long, over 5 minutes. Time will tell if I feel the need to do a re-write and re-recording. For now here it is. Dedicated to my Uncle Craig, my cryin’ & dying’ song. Click on title to listen… When I Knew I Had You Shawn David, April 2010I haven’t smiled in weeks; I haven’t seen the sun in ages I keep turning pages, though I haven’t read a word Without you it all seems random and absurd I haven’t sung a single note, all my lyrics dry up in my throat This old guitar is out of tune, crying like a cat at the moon It disappeared all too soon Life aint been easy on me, it keeps piling on the misery But I could take anything it could dish out, I could take it all… When I knew I had you, had you to come home to When I knew I had you, had you to come home to And all that I knew, was that I needed you, I needed you, I needed you Ah, take me home Please understand my dreams had all faded, and I got old and jaded But none of that mattered, the day I met you all the hurt shattered I thought I’d finally found the answer Now empty bottles clutter the nightstand, there’s a photograph clutched in my hand Tossing and turning I can’t sleep tonight, remember a time when it all right Repeat chorus
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Post by Mighty Jack on May 19, 2010 4:03:38 GMT -5
I like to use a bit a humor in my lyrics. Even with the ‘cryin and dying song’ I use exaggerations - that are not meant to be “Ha Ha” funny, but are meant to take a little of edge off the melodrama (I didn't literarly not see the sun in ages). If I go too far the other way and break the goofy meter- then I get a novelty song on my hands. Which brings me to “Rock and Roll Chick” – which isn’t a novelty song (I hope) but was intended to be a playful, fun rock song. R&RC is really one of my more sloppy mixes. My home demos aren’t perfectly polished, but this one is messier than most. I really need to re-do it, add a drum roll at the stop (plus it sounds like I was losing my voice)… But what the hell, I’ll go ahead and share. The shouted “HEYS!” were done as an afterthought. They work nicely if I might be so boastful, and I’ll make them pack more punch if I ever tackle the song again. Click on title to listen - Rock and Roll ChickBy Shawn David 2009 Hey rock and roll chick, lay down that rock and roll lick And I’ll fall in love tonight, I’ll fall in love tonight, alright, alright, alright ‘Cause their’s nothing in this place, that can make my poor heart race More than a drummer girl and a beatnik with a bass Hey rock and roll chick, I’m feeling a little sick Nothing makes me fall so quick as seeing you on that stage Hey rock and roll chick, when you kissed your guitar pick You called it an I.O.U for a rainy day, okay, okay, okay ‘Cause their’s nothing in this place, that can make my poor heart race More than a drummer girl and a beatnik with a bass Chorus Hey rock and roll chick, I can be a little thick But I have a feeling that you’re feeling the same way too
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Post by Mighty Jack on Jun 15, 2010 0:23:11 GMT -5
Yes, I did write a song titled the Pleasure Mouth this weekend, but after listening to it I found it too ridiculous, and changed it to "Your Pretty Mouth" I know, coward! But I mean look at it, could you ever listen to a song about it and keep a straight face? This was one of my experimental songs, where I lay down the drum track first and wrap the chords around it and then come up with a melody and lyrics, kind of backwards from how I traditionally do it. I blindly pressed a random letter when the recorder asked for a title, I hit the letter “P” and then tried to come up with a title, I smiled when I thought of this. I’d joked for years that it would make a great name for a band. So I chuckled and thought to myself, “Go ahead smart ass, lets see your write a song around that!” I made several unsuccessful stabs with the music, erased several chord progressions before I hit on one I felt I could work with. Lyrically I tried not to make it too dirty or get too childish with the innuendo (I purposely avoided the word “head”) and thought of all the wonderful things a mouth could do, sweet talk (or bitch), kiss, and yes, that other thing of which the mind thinks of when hearing the title. I wanted it to sound a bit psychedelic and garage band – the guitars/bass were distorted, the voice was put through a heavy reverb and filtered through “Radio 1” FX. I then triple tracked the vocals, and on the 3rd track I removed the reverb to try and facilitate clarity. The song originally ran twice as long, but I’d run out of steam and was just noodling and going off on chord tangents, so I cut it in half at that point and did the fade out, with some tapping on muffled bass strings to close it. Click title to hear the tune (and change Pretty to Pleasure in your mind if you want, but truly, it was too silly. It was like I was singing a song to a sex doll!) Your Pretty MouthJune 12th 2010 by Shawn David This is only a test –had this been an actual emergency- And your words give me pleasure, and your words give me pain And your words drive like a nail, to the very heart of my brain It’s on the tip o’ your tongue; it’s at the tip of the iceberg It’s at the top of my mind, it’s gonna make me blind Your pretty mouth, Ahhh your pretty mouth Your lips taste like lightning; your lips are the undertow Your lips taste like absinthe; your lips are the after glow Your psychobabble, is like a breath of fresh air I listen to every word, as if we really care Ahhh your pretty mouth, ahhh your pretty mouth It takes me out – out – out - out Break me, forsake me, and tell me things I want to hear It’s at the top of my mind, it’s gonna strike me blind Ahhh your pretty mouth, ahhh your pretty mouth It blows my mind
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Post by Mighty Jack on Jun 24, 2010 5:26:09 GMT -5
I moved not so long ago and unpacked boxes that haven’t been unpacked in ages. Among the trash and treasures I found was a pile of old cassette tapes. When I saw them my heart fluttered, my pulse raced, my brow suddenly became infested with beads of sweat… “Oh what wondrous and awe inspiring music these tapes must hold!” I proclaimed. I got to thinking, you know if I was John Lennon this would be quite a special event, but alas, I’m not even on par with John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt. Once the initial flush of joy passed, came the daunting task of going through these tapes. Some of it wasn’t pretty. There are bits where the band and I just riff through improvisational noodling that was ear piercingly painful. Soon I was feeling like Chekov… not the Russian playwright, but that space guy – specifically in that moment when Kahn put creatures in his ear. Aside from that there were little germs of idea, played around with and abandoned There were the old familiar tunes that became a part of the set list for years. And there were long forgotten jewels, pretty baubles that might not have held any great weight but offered something sweet in their naiveté. One such song came from 1979. I can barely remember writing it, but it had a nice melody to go along with those corny lyrics I was penning around that time in my life. Another was called “I Only Want To Be With You” – which seems a familiar title? There wasn’t much to the song, a catchy hook and me singing, “La, la, Hmmm, Hmm, I only wanna be with you and then we could Hmmm, la da, de da. When I look in your eyes I Hmm, do do do....” Well you get the point. I liked the simple chord arrangement and what lyrics I did write, reflected a long gone romantic innocence in me. What surprised the heck out me is that I was able to get past my current cynicism and tap into that vibe and finish the song as something sweet and pleasant and filled with dewy optimism. Of all the tunes I discovered, this one was the one that made me the happiest. Well that, and the “Marry Me Song”. Written in 1985. “The Marry Me Song” wasn’t the title, it didn’t have one. That’s just what my girlfriend called it. It too was very pretty. I was doing that 2 string plucking thing McCartney does in “Blackbird” (does that style have an official name). I proposed to my gal in a song… and she said no. But she liked the tune so she asked me to record it. I’m glad she did because it’s the only record of it. There is no date (I’m guessing at 1985), no lyric scribbled on paper survives. The tape is thin, worn, difficult to hear and I didn’t have the guitar in tune, which made figuring out the chords a bitch and a half. Thankfully I was joking with her and instead of playing the Marry Me song at the start, I played the Log Cabin Syrup theme, which made her laugh. In fact, after this I did this joke in my show in introducing a tender ballads (it always got a laugh) so I knew it was played in C. Once I had the chord, I could find the tuning. (I had the 6th string E, tuned back to a low D) and once I did that, I could figure out the lost song, record it and save it on disc. The memories of all these numbers were sometimes bittersweet, sometimes frustrating (there are long forgotten tunes here that I’d just stop playing half way through?). My voice was so much better then too, cleaner, prettier in a way. And while I didn’t find any classics M.I.A. and now rediscovered, I was able to pull out 12 decent numbers and preserve them on disc. And yeah, if I was only John Lennon or even someone around that level, this might actually mean something to somebody. As it is, the world shrugs and goes on its merry way.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Jul 7, 2010 2:09:05 GMT -5
Magic ThingsYeah, y’all know where I got that title. Strangely MST references have wormed their way into a few of my tunes. This is one of my all time favorite songs. I put a lot of work into the arrangment and the production of the piece. While I had been using a lot of distorted electrics in recent numbers, I wanted this to have a smooth bass and acoustic guitar sound and ditched the fuzz lead I had in their originally. I filtered one of the vocals through a radio effect; the other I recorded straight and went back and forth with each as the lead voice. That clicking sound heard in the first verse was done by hitting two plastic pens together (second verse I used Claves) Lyrically it’s about my “quirky ways” as an old friend put it. I believe in muses, I believe when Hendrix played he was tapping into something elemental and pure. It also speaks about my thoughts on love (The ‘single bullet theory’ comes from a paragraph in a Michael Connelly mystery novel and concerns that one great love we all have. The fallen angel mentioned in the bridge is my ‘single bullet’). Click on title to listen Magic ThingsShawn David 2009 Sisyphus Rocks I believe in magic things, that theirs an elemental life infused in Jimi’s strings You might think me addled or confused but I truly believe this gift comes from the muse And while you’ll likely find this odd, I believe Johnny touched the face of God Every time I show my true face, they look at me like I’m lost in space But I’m not the one hearing static when I turn that dial I believe in magic things, in the single bullet theory and the love it brings I believe thought it might all fall to ash, there’s nothing more beautiful before the crash Though I’ve been told it’s crazy or wrong, I believe you can live forever in a song Every time I show my true face, they look at me like I’m lost in space But I’m not the one hearing static when I turn that dial And I believe it’s so, a fallen Angel can save your soul And make it all right even when it’s all wrong I believe in magic things, blood in music can be comforting I stare at my hand, see miracles etched on that skin The landscapes, the brushstrokes, the sinner and his sin
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Post by Mighty Jack on Jul 8, 2010 0:24:33 GMT -5
^BTW, as much as I like the song, there is one structural flaw lyrically that shows a lack of discipline and kind of bugs me today.
In the first verse I'm talking about music, in the second verse I talk about the single bullet theory. But the last line in that verse I go back to music, then return to the single bullet ** in the bridge?
Now, the only explanation is that the single bullet was the one who used to think I was nuts for thinking you could live forever in a song... so it relates to the person, but thematically it still comes off like I'm bouncing back and forth between 2 subjects.
I can't remember whether I caught the mistake when I wrote it and let it pass because I liked the lyric or if I never thought of it until after I had it all finished.
And ever since, I think, "How should I have corrected it?" Obliterate the line -or maybe a simple alteration, like -"Though she tells me I'm crazy and wrong, I believe we can live forever in a song"
Damn, yeah, if only I'd caught it earlier.
** Note: The single bullet theory shows up in several of Michael Connelly's mysteries...
From Lost Light - "I'm a believer in the single-bullet theory. You can fall in love and make love many times but there is only one bullet with your name etched on the side. And if you are lucky enough to be shot with that bullet then the wound never heals.
Roy Lindell might have had Martha Gessler's name on a bullet. What I do know is that Eleanor Wish had been my bullet. She had pierced me through and through. There were other women before and other women since but the wound she left would not heal right. I was still bleeding and I knew I would always bleed for her. That was just the way it had to be. There is no end of things in the heart."
And from his book Scarecrow - "Everybody's got one person out there. One bullet. And if you're lucky in life, you get to meet that person. And once you do, once you're shot through the heart, then there's nobody else. No matter what happens -- death, divorce, infidelity, whatever -- nobody else can ever come close."
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Post by Mighty Jack on Jul 9, 2010 1:48:30 GMT -5
Whenever I think I'm done recording and cataloging all my (decent) old numbers, a stray song will pop up out of the blue. I believe it will never end. There was a song called "Love is Only Suicide" - and old tune, never written down, always played from memory. I think I can remember enough of it to record it. I hate that since then, stupid Bon Jovi wrote a song with a "love is suicide" lyric. Cripes, I never want to be associated with him. I once wrote a tune about the Nashville music scene called "Welcome to the Machine", that someone later told me was the title of something Pink Floyd did... I might not be a big Floyd fan but I can handle being called a copy cat when it comes to them (plus, my lyrics were much, much better) Right now I'm rebuilding a song from 2001 called "Scream". Despite the title it's a rather mellow - mid tempo tune. I've added a horn section (well, a keyboard/synthy sounding horn section that I programmed). I've never had horns on a song I wrote before, so it was a nice new flavor. The track is a little flat though. So I'm working on ideas for harmonies and other do-dads that might bring the production to life. I added a bridge and new lyrics, a chant really... Once I'm done gluing all the pieces together I'll sit back and see if it works.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Jul 10, 2010 5:57:12 GMT -5
In addition to music, I used to do comic book art and have quite a collection of rejection slips from Marvel, DC, Dark Horse as well as many companies I'm not sure are even around any more, like Valiant? Anyway, point is, I love art, so I was not only into writing songs but very much into the look of the band and I designed our posters for gigs as well. So Album, or now, CD art, is important to me. I haven't come up with covers for everything but here's a few that I drew or designed. CD Title: GraceI don't talk about my Christian songs or that era of songwriting... I find the lyrics a little cringe worthy (they are too damn sanctimonious). But this acoustic CD I did with my brother sports one of my drawings so I'll share it. I pretty much did everything on this booklet. The art, typography, design etc. But I got the bleed wrong, so the cross is cut off at the bottom. CD Title: Not A Viable Commercial ProductThis is an EP I recorded in Nashville, the title was a jab at the local music scene, A&R men were always calling our songs "the product". I hated that, so this was a little joke. The cover was cut paper I glued together and then drew the eyes etc on the white face. I didn't do the typography on this one (the studio did) - I wanted the title to look like a rubber stamped rejection. CD Title: Writhe!This was an unfinished full length CD, the follow up to Not A Viable... I got my guitars and vocals down but ran out of money before completion. Too bad too, this would have been a good one. I didn't draw this one, but used a picture from The Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, and added the typography. I liked this cover a lot. CD Title: Angel Was the CatalystI don't know who did the brain artwork (it came from an article with no artist credit). I liked it so I used it for the cover of this, the psychedelic "My Pretty Mind" side project. This was a home made CD. The title came from a lyric in my song "Baby is the Bullet" - I like to use unique titles for my album collections, rather than use a song title (as many artists do), though I will sometimes take a line from a song (ala XTC) CD Title: Wednesday's ChildAhh, creepy girl! Mmmm, I like her. Funny thing is, this is one of my scraps collections. It's a hap hazard bunch of songs I found and threw on a CD. Many of them came from my Christian era - there are also a few remixes and a cover of "Sounds of Silence"... so the CD cover doesn't really fit. The title came from a lyric in the song "Scream" (not a Christian song BTW - lol) so I guess it fits that song and about 3 others. The picture was an altered image of a goth girl. CD Title: DeliriumAnd now the best - one I didn't design. Mr. Atari did this for my last ill fated studio CD. It's a long story, but money troubles prevented me from finishing it. But I have 14 half done songs ("Beginning of the End" came from this CD). Anyway, it's a great piece. Mr. A is da man! BTW - yes, most of the Ophelia's Kiss covers have women on them, except one... CD Title: Every Man For Himself and God Against AllThe image in the middle was the work of Fabu at Deviant Art. I wanted this cover to be very stark - to go from light to dark on the background blue. I'll probably never publish this CD -a concept album- since it wound up a real painful listen (it was a raw, unvarnished look at loving and living with a drug addict - so yeah, not a lot of sweetness and light here) but that artwork really fit.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Jul 21, 2010 2:55:25 GMT -5
Folk singers: Oft teased and belittled - Subject of a hilariously spot on mocumentary (A Mighty Wind) and yet, I have a soft spot for the folksters. For one, what they often lack in great voice they make up for as great lyricists. I don't know that I have a singular "style" - I play in any style depending on what I want a song to say. But I have penned my share of folk tunes so here's one I'll upload called "Katarina" And yes it is warbly, and yes I'm not too happy with my voice - but damn, these might be some of the finest words I've ever written. Course, you can disagree, and at any moment phantom could pop in and say, "Bob is not impressed". What's it all about? Because I’m a songwriter I like to know all the ins and outs of a song. How and why a person wrote what they did… but in doing all that digging, you kill the mystery. So I’ll leave this one to speak for itself. Click on title to listen, or here if that fails... www.reverbnation.com/artist/artist_songs/648462 (it's the last song on the listKatarina (sparse mix)By S. David Once upon a time, whilst I was fully grown I was compelled to break the law, for I’d tired of being alone And I’d heard that she could smooth the furrows from your brow She could smooth the furrows from your brow It was deep into autumn upon this Sabbath day When by spurious notions, I found her led astray She said, “Stranger, you look in desperate need of a friend” Stranger, you look in desperate need of a friend ChorusSo come, I’ll take your troubles and we’ll tamper In God domain Conduct our mad experiments, both sacred and profane We’ll live in sin and say “To hell with reality” We’ll pretend, and for the first time in our lives, see with crystal clarity She had a dragon tattoo that snaked around her arm And fiery red hair that contrasted her easy charm And her body felt like midnight in summer rain Her body felt like midnight in summer rain ChorusShe said you can call me Kat, I said that’s a pretty name She said it’s not the one I was born with, but the old one was habitually tame She said tell me something eternal, but all I had was more of the same So she fell back into the shadows and was cloaked in their shame We parted ways with promises we knew were gentle lies We parted then as strangers, known only in disguise And I knew her as a melody that once caught me by surprise I remember her as a melody that caught me by surprise, I remembered her as a melody that once caught me by surprise
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Post by Mighty Jack on Jul 22, 2010 0:09:53 GMT -5
Today I received an email from Derrick Sivers from Cdbaby – the usual stuff about selling yourself and making money and whatnot. At the end through he spoke about remembering what it is that makes you happy, why we do this music thing in the first place.
It’s about love and passion for the muse.
I’m at a point in my life where I write and make music for myself. I’m not handing out press kits, not trying to get it on the radio or find a paying gig or trying to create that perfect commercial mixture that’ll make a bunch of listeners go ga ga.
I do it for myself. Because it makes me happy, (and maybe because it’s my way of monologing – people like me need to talk)
I think it’s good to share and get the music out about in the world. But I don’t know if anyone has checked in for a listen, I don’t know if anyone reads this blog, and it doesn’t really matter. It gives me a little light in my life.
Some people come home after a hard day at work and pop open a beer… me, I pop open a guitar case.
That’s what I call serenity.
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Post by mummifiedstalin on Jul 22, 2010 0:34:43 GMT -5
Ever listen to Will Oldham? His attitude toward production is polar opposite of yours. Still, in terms of songwriting...
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Post by Mighty Jack on Jul 22, 2010 0:46:16 GMT -5
I've heard a few songs, but I'm not real familair with him or his work. I'll go check him out, thanks.
Edit
Just went through 7 to 8 songs. Very interesting, I enjoyed it.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Jul 24, 2010 5:18:18 GMT -5
Bad night at work, I’ve been getting pushed into the field, more than the office, and it’s tough – human beings are a hateful, vile race. I try to remember that there are plenty of good people - that it’s only my misfortune to work amongst the walking dung heaps. But it’s difficult to remember that when some belligerent punk is threatening you and spitting in your face. This part of the job is wearing me out – so I need to make my escape the only way I know how. I couldn’t fit my cover of Sounds of Silence on my CD, which meant that I had 3 + minutes to fill on the disc. I didn’t feel like digging for another old number, so I wrote this on the quick - in 3 hours I had it written and recorded. The lyrics came first and it surprises me how the music I wrote after, fit like a glove - there were no rewrites. I’ve overused the opening chord structure and tried to change it, but that was the sound in my head, so I finally gave in and stuck with it (the muse, she can be persistent when she wants something done a particular way). I was listening to Will Oldham the night before; perhaps he had an influence on this in some way. I’m a sponge – I quote from MST, I’ve used things said here on the board and once even wrote a song around a sign I passed while driving. As I told my gal pal, “Be careful, anything you say and do can and will become part of a song” If I did draw inspiration from him it was in the simplicity of his production and that it didn’t matter how crappy his voice is, he sings it, he tells the story. I’ve been bothered by the fact that I can’t sing the way I did in my 20s. But I’ve come to learn it’s not about hitting the high notes, it’s about the expression in your voice. If I can no longer be a rocker, then I need to adjust, do the folk tunes, tell the story and sing it with emotion and truth. The last warbling folk song I uploaded was about illusion (which is why I didn’t want to explain it. If I provided the nuts and bolts then I break the spell) – This one is about reality. The line about fearing death was a real conversation. From someone who didn’t believe in God… “But what if he is real… “ Originally titled “Terrified”, I shifted to the idea of wicked things instead and that took over (and became the title) Click on the title to listen The Wicked Things (Terrified)July 22 2010 Shawn David– Capo 5th fret I’ve seen you terrified, I’ve seen you locked up inside I’ve seen the way your shoulders bend, over a heartache that’ll never mend I’ve seen you terrified, over the thought of goodbye I’ve heard that heavy sigh, When you thought about what waited for you when you die You tell me, I’m so afraid; afraid I’ll be judged, Because you don’t know the wicked things I’ve done I’ve seen you terrified; I’ve seen you worried sick I’ve seen the little girl, so easily cut to the quick I’ve heard the uncertainty, when you had your cover blown And unlike me you take no comfort in being alone But I’m your friend and I love you with a love that’ll never end Despite the wicked things you’ve done This nest of regret, this tangled burden, none of us walk through these woods unmarked But I’ll kiss your scars, and I’ll cool your brow, and I’ll be your friend in the here and now I tell you, don’t be afraid to live, afraid to forgive Despite the wicked things we’ve done, despite the wicked things we’ve done
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Post by Mighty Jack on Jul 27, 2010 1:48:58 GMT -5
The Greatest Power Popping, Finger Snapping, Hook Laden Rock Songs: Part 1
Mr. Atari’s look at the 100 greats from the 80s reminded me of a project I’ve long considered but was too overwhelmed to actually put into production. I mean, Look at all the pre-planning and info gathering and contemplation Mr. A has put into his list.
Still, for years I’ve thought about making a thread about my favorite hook filled pop songs. Because that’s where I first fell in love with music, that’s where I found my calling, spinning in the grooves a single titled “Please, Please Me”
I’ll not dare a list as concise and well thought out as Mr. A’s, but he did give me the push to at least address the subject – so once a week I’ll take a look at my favorite power poppin’ rocks songs. Oh and I wont be calling it "Stealing From Atari", probably a simple title, "The Song of the Week"?
And for the first edition I’ll start off with 2 songs of the week.
My Sharona, The Knack I liked punk but it was tough to find back in the late 70s (before MTV, before the internet). It seemed all there was, was disco, disco, disco on the radio. And dear God all mighty I HATED disco. When this song hit the airwaves I about sunk into my knees and kissed the ground. “Free at last!” – Berton Averre's catchy guitar riff (and great, long lead) drove in to me like a jackhammer, the hook had me salivating. Power pop was back, my kind of music; so reminiscent of Beatlemania was BACK. I know many tired of it, I never did. I was like a kid saying, “Do it again” over and over and over. Even today when I’m in the mood for “Get The Knack” - when this song comes on, this song stays on for a good hour.
The revival didn’t last long (Punk morphed into my beloved New Wave so I found something to listen to). But for a time I was in Heaven, the Knack returned to me something I cherished and missed with all my heart.
The Knack was the first band I ever saw in concert, I had the time of my life. RIP Gary and Doug.
Dizzy, Tommy Roe Before the Beatles there was Georgia born Tommy Roe. My mother had one of his albums and Dizzy (1969) was a constant in our house. Roe was kind of a Buddy Holly knock-off, but he was good. I liked his voice and he was in fine form with this tune. I also enjoy the strings, the grooviness of the number and I like how it goes up in octave at the end. I remember how all of us kids would join mom in singing along to the record… “and it’s you girl making it spin, your making me dizzy!” Good times, good memories.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Jul 28, 2010 1:28:30 GMT -5
Lyrics Matter Most
It’s funny to go on songwriter forums and see time after time, writers talking about how they struggle with lyrics. Because at first, lyrics didn’t matter to them. It was about the melody, the music. It wasn’t until later that they came to realize that they had to work on the words as well.
For me it was the complete opposite, the music was just a nice comfy bed to hold the thing that really mattered – lyrics in my world were king.
When I was growing up it was obvious that I was different… I don’t mean that in an angsty, whiny -I don’t fit in- kind of way. I truly struggled in social situations. I couldn’t communicate clearly; I couldn’t understand people or read them the way others did. And when I did talk I always seemed to ramble and make a fool of myself. I responded to this by withdrawing. I held my tongue and saved myself the embarrassment that came in social situations.
I’ve said it often, when I found the Beatles a door opened up for me. Hearing John Lennon write about his life was a revelation. I can’t overestimate the importance of that; and I’m not using mere hyperbole when I say that it was as if I had permission to use my voice again.
“I could do this; I could have a platform to communicate what I felt, as John did.”
Words didn’t become my whole world; I managed to focus on the music as well. I worked to make it pleasant to the ear and become something I’d enjoy. No one enjoys a hook as much as I do. And I derive a lot of happiness in the production and arrangement in the studio. But the lyrics were what inspired me the most.
My early work was baby steps, standard “I love you, eyes of blue” material. Quickly though, I developed a hunger to go beyond these romantic sentiments. The first serious song I wrote was about a rape victim I’d read about. The song was heavy handed - subtlety isn’t my strong suit and I was too young to give it the depth and layers it required. But it was a first step and through hard work, I’ve improved on my shading over the years.
Beyond this I’d go on to write about alienation, about insomnia, about mental illness. I tried a few protest songs, but found I was a clumsy protest writer. My best work came when I drew from within.
Aside from that though, I loved playing and experimenting with language. I adored the collision of contradiction. I loved colorful illustration. I loved the rhythm in words, I love twisting and bending and turning them back around on one another. I loved how they could make me laugh, how they could impart wisdom, how they could create a sigh or leave me with a lump in my throat. I love how they can be art on one hand, and in the other become blunt and straightforward.
Of course I’m not completely alone in this. There are poets who are also songwriters, and for them words will always be important. Dylan was about the word; the Beatles worked to make lyrics as important as the music. And Folk music is very much a lyric based genre.
In regards to music, it’s not like it is without merit in my universe. As stated, I dig a hook; a driving, catchy melody. And listening to a great voice can leave me breathless. Still, for me the lyrics are where the power and glory is found, and is where I collect my greatest treasures.
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