Hi all,
This is a wonderfully timely assignment from Bob.
I've been meaning to post here for months, but I never get a song finished in the week. And I don't want to post half done stuff that isn't really a song, so I always chicken out. I have been hanging around GN on and off for a couple of years now, and I've alway had a special admiration for those who have the nerve to record and post their songs. I left it ridiculously late to start trying to learn guitar - at age 58 - so I have all the excuses ready about failing capabilities, but after two or three years (now 60) I should be able to play something! I've certainly spent enough time on the forums mouthing off about what beginnerss like me should do.... so it's finally time to put up or shut up. :oops:
I have tried to write songs before (including posting a couple of half done efforts here about a year ago) but this is my first attempt at writing, playing and recording a whole song. It's very rough, and it's absolutely a 'one shot, no edit' attempt with lots of mistakes and nothing patched up. But that's the beauty of this assignment - it gives me the perfect excuse for it being like that. :D
Last week I wrote two songs. The first one was aiming to be a deep and meaningful soulful ballad type of thing, with lots of fancy minor key finger stuff. I had some reasonably words and some good minor chords going nicely for a while, but the whole thing got far too clever for its own good and eventually disappeared up its own fundamental orifice and got scrapped.
The second song was more in the Country Corn vein. I wrote all the verses and worked out the music. I managed to get the rhythms and cadences of the words and music matching. But I'm a shy and inexperienced singer and I usually get an acute case of Record Button Throat which results in nothing but nervous whiny croaking as soon as the recorder is turned on. So that didn't make it all the way either. :(
So this week it's keep it simple time. Back to three chords and the sort of blues that you can talk and walk your way through if you can't get your voice going above a trot. And this time I practised singing it through a few times before hitting the fateful record button. I'm still having a lot of trouble getting it all together at the same time - singing, playing, reading lyrics, remembering where I got to etc, but - hey - it got done!! :D
Here's a link to an MP3 at Soundclick. The theme is that "I'm not good enough" feeling. Please be forgiving.
And here's the words:
THE PERFECTIONIST BEGINNER BLUES
Listen to my blues and hear what I say
It ain't that good - it was better yesterday
You shoulda been here when I was runnin' hot
It was much better then – but today it's not…
Got the blues, I got the blues
I got the Aging Beginner Perfe-e-ectionist Blues.
I wanna sound hot and I wanna sound cool
But I'm too scared to sing in case I sound like a fool
Only got one fan - she's my dear old mother
‘Cos I play in one key while I sing in another
Got the blues, I got the blues
I got the Aging Beginner Perfectionist Can't Sing Blues.
(need to work out when to breathe too….)
Can't do good lyrics, just clichéd pap
My rhythm is rubbish and my tone's all crap
I can't play in tune, I can't play in time
I oughta put a CD on and learn how to mime
Got the blues, I got the blues
(changed in the wrong spot there too…)
I got the Aging Beginner, Perfectionist, Can't Sing, Rhythmically Challenged Blues.
Don't wanna sound like Elvis, Fats or Jerry Lee,
Or Eric or Jimi, I just wanna be me
I don't want much, just to stand up tall
All I really wanna be is better than them all
Got the blues, I got the blues
I got the Aging Beginner, Perfectionist, Can't Sing, Rhythmically Challenged, Overambitious Blues.
I ain't got no talent an' I got no chops
Don't know when to start and I don't know when to stop
My chord change sense is a sad bad farce
‘Cos I can't keep the beat, and I can't count the bars
Got the blues, I got the blues
I got the Aging Beginner, Perfectionist, Can't Sing, Rhythmically Challenged, Overambitious, No Hope Blues.
(Hey, look at that pinky go though. Couldn't do that last year. Just look at that… E major, E6 and E7. Unless it's something else. My theory's not yet that good either, maybe its an H9, who knows… who really cares though…)
Relax and keep it simple just have fun
Forget about the ladder all the way to number one
The world's got enough angst and misery
Should be one happy man – so it may as well be me!
It may as well be me...
Oh I think I lost the blues. I lost the blues. I lost the Aging Beginner, Perfectionist, Can't Sing, Rhythmically Challenged, Overambitious, No Hope Blues.
THE END
Copyright Chris C - I always fancied being able to write that one day. :)
Thanks for reading.
Cheers,
Chris
Well - where to start......
Honestly, I've got a big grin on my face after listening to this - it's your (guitar) life story set to music!
Lot of plus points - you've obviously worked the lyrics over and over, where most of us tend to post a first draft and wait for suggestions/comments. Can't pick fault with them....I especially like the way the "got the perfectionist blues" tag-line builds and gains momentum through the song.
The music fits nicely - talkin' blues is perfect for this. You've resisted the temptation to try and sing in a forced style, and gone with your natural voice - although I don't care where you're from, if you're doing a talking blues, a bit of Dylan or Woody's going to creep in there somewhere, even if it's just the phrasing. Thought I detected a touch of Frank Ifield in there too - giving your age away a bit there! :wink:
Like the little asides too - "hey, look at that pinky go!" - hilarious mate.
I think you've shaken off those beginners blues nicely - glad to see you finally made it in here! Hope to see you in here more often, Chris!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
The music fits nicely - talkin' blues is perfect for this. You've resisted the temptation to try and sing in a forced style, and gone with your natural voice - although I don't care where you're from, if you're doing a talking blues, a bit of Dylan or Woody's going to creep in there somewhere, even if it's just the phrasing. Thought I detected a touch of Frank Ifield in there too - giving your age away a bit there! :wink:
:D :D :D
Vic
Thanks for the kind comments Vic - much appreciated. :)
Talking blues is certainly a nice forgiving style to try first up as it seems to give a lot of freedom.
Frank bloomin' Ifield - of course! I knew it sounded familiar, but I couldn't decide if it was just a sort of general country yodel thing, or cribbed off someone in particular. But now you've pointed it out is HAS to be him - "I remember you-ooo-ooo"! :lol:
What era was that? Boer war was it?? :P
Cheers,
Chris
Hey Chris,
First of all: agreed with Vic on the smile! It's really nice to listen too!
I like how you extend this sentence, and what you do with the word "blues" in it:
I got the Aging Beginner Perfectionist Can't Sing Blues.
And yeah, the lyrics make sense and have a point, seems worked out well!
Well done I'd say, and even though I'm a newbie myself, surely hope you'll stick around and keep the courage for it!
Corlenya
Chris ol mate
How the devil are you ?
Long time no see ol fella
Strewth mate if I can record my hopeless attempts at singing I am sure your singing won't damage anything :lol: :lol:
I really like this :
Don't wanna sound like Elvis, Fats or Jerry Lee,
Or Eric or Jimi, I just wanna be me
And so you should :) I actually started to giggle sorry but I could not help it after some these lines mate ..
Only got one fan - she's my dear old mother <----------- My mother in law is my fan :(
‘Cos I play in one key while I sing in another <------------ Thats me mate :)
Well done Chris well bloody done
Trev....
Here is to you as good as you are
And here is to me as bad as I am
As good as you are and as bad as I am
I'm as good as you are as bad as I am
I just found the link to your music man
You have improved out of site mate
Here is to you as good as you are
And here is to me as bad as I am
As good as you are and as bad as I am
I'm as good as you are as bad as I am
Chris,
As far as I'm concerned, you just wrote the GN anthem! I absolutely love this song. You drive right to the heart of the spirit of every post I read here on GN. I think this song should be mandatory listening for each new member. "If you want into GN, you HAVE to listen to this tune. It's our mantra"
Love this verse (as well as the rest)
"I wanna sound hot and I wanna sound cool
But I'm too scared to sing in case I sound like a fool
Only got one fan - she's my dear old mother
‘Cos I play in one key while I sing in another"
Great job!
Matt
Teamwork- A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction.
Chris -
Wonderful song!
As vic said... just reading the lyrics, I thought of Dylan.
I'm not familiar with Frank the yodeller....
I did enjoy your yodelling parts though.
Loved the guitar playing.
Beautiful rhythm and strumming.
Well done! :D
I have to say, that after two consecutive listens....
And with a smile in my heart,
I had an incredible urge to go and play my acoustic - and did!
Hope you take that as the compliment it's intended to be.
(The last time that happened was after listening to Freddie King - I had to go play some blues leads on my Strat. AT 2 AM!)
Looking forward to your next Song :D
Ken
"The man who has begun to live more seriously within
begins to live more simply without"
-Ernest Hemingway
"A genuine individual is an outright nuisance in a factory"
-Orson Welles
Record Button Throat is a previously unnamed but instantly recognised condition :)
As I said in my reply to you on another thread - if you can find a way to record vocals separately to the guitar it helps as you can concentrate on just one and do retakes on each. The other thing is to make lots of goes at it until you can relax. That said - I should take my own advice :?
Cris
Welcome to the dark side!
Great song and lots of fun to listen to.
This songwriting thing can be addictive so be careful.
Some people have mentioned Dylan but it reminds me more of his hero Woody Guthrie.
John
I certainly can't add anything Chris, but your song :D brought a smile to us all! I look forward to seeing future posts!
(you must be feeling pretty good right now, aren't you???
Falling in love is like learning to play the guitar; first you learn to follow the rules, then you learn to play with your heart.
Wow, thanks you all so much for the positive and encouraging comments. It's early morning here in West Australia, so that was a real treat to get up and read such kind remarks.
I feel like I'm standing here clutching a little statuette preparing to thank all my relations, and everybody I ever met on GN, but this much is true – Guitarnoise has been a wonderful source of inspiration and information and everybody here deserves to be thanked.
Now, how much was it that I promised as a bribe for each favourable review??? I think I'll need to make a trip to the bank today….
Please feel free to savage my next song, if I ever summon up the nerve to try and complete a second one that is…
Cheers,
Chris
Vic, Frank Ifield was a good call, although you do give a lot away by letting on you know his music so well
Frank Ifield? He was, er, umm, he was, ahh, oh yes, he was a favourite of my mother's - yes, that's it! Actually, he had quite a few hits over here in the early '60's, including about 3 or 4 #1's, and if my memory's working correctly, he even toured the UK with The Beatles as his supporting act!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Frank Ifield? He was, er, umm, he was, ahh, oh yes, he was a favourite of my mother's - yes, that's it! Actually, he had quite a few hits over here in the early '60's, including about 3 or 4 #1's :D :D :D
Vic
He was my Mum's favourite as well along with Jim Reeves. A dashingly good looking man with a mile-wide smile and a yodel. I Remember You was a great pop song with a harmonica on it.
I feel his overall success in representing Antipodean music was shaded by the great Rolf Harris (or Uncle Rolf as we like to call him) and his wobble board, which eventually was used to great effect on the best ever cover of Stairway To Heaven :wink:
This song allowed me to go to college in the early morning today with a smile on my face, instead of the usual 'I'll bite your head off if you talk to me' expression I usually wear. Love the lyrics and the music is more then adequate. Thanks for sharing and hope there's more to come! 8)
