The names Bill an Brian are not really that important. In the case of the US you could probably substitute one of the names with Walter (Cronkite) and or some other journalist.
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12278196
My Two Cents
© Copyright 2013 Paul Brady
They were first on the screen and they spoke like the queen
And they told it how it was there was nothing obscene
But you knew it was real if not a little naïve
Still we learnt how to trust we learnt to believe
Next came the brave and they asked all the right things
And the politicians shied as they exposed all their sins
And they talked for more than just a six minute bite
Cos they opened the lid and took a look inside
And now they reading the news with their smiles
They’re a million dollars talking in style
I don’t believe a single word of what’s said
They just want my two cents
Yeah they’re reading the news with their smiles
They’re looking good while they’re telling their lies
And the sponsors won’t spare an expense
While they try for my two cents
And now these talking heads have their opinions to air
With a look of concern but they don’t really care
And the news is all mine the weather as well
Yeah its all packaged up with the intention to sell
And now they reading the news with their smiles
They’re a million dollars talking in style
I don’t believe a single word of what’s said
They just want my two cents
Yeah they’re reading the news with their smiles
They’re looking good while they’re telling their lies
And the sponsors won’t spare an expense
While they try for my two cents
Original
======
At first there was Bill and he spoke like the Queen
And he told how it was there was nothing obscene
But you knew it was real if not a little naïve
Still we learnt how to trust we learnt to believe
Then Brian came next and he asked the right things
The politicians shied as he exposed all their sins
And he talked for more than a six minute bite
As he opened the lid and then looked inside
And now they reading the news with their smiles
They’re a million dollars talking in style
I don’t believe a single part of what’s said
They just want my two cents
They don’t want my two cents
Yeah they’re reading the news with their smiles
They’re looking good while they’re telling their lies
And the sponsors will spare no expense
While they try for my two cents
They don’t want my two cents
And now these talking heads have their opinions to air
With a look of concern but they don’t really care
And the news is all mine the weather as well
Yeah its all packaged up with the intention to sell
And so they’re reading the news with their smiles
They’re a million dollars talking in style
I don’t believe a single part of what’s said
They just want my two cents
They don’t want my two cents
Yeah they’re reading the news with their smiles
They’re looking good while they’re telling their lies
And the sponsors will spare no expense
While they try for my two cents
They don’t want my two cents
No they don’t want my two cents
You lost me on Bill and Brian
The names Bill an Brian are not really that important. In the case of the US you could probably substitute one of the names with Walter (Cronkite) and or some other journalist.
Hi Paul,
I liked your idea of a commentary on the commercialisation of the news. Good strong first verse too. I remember those early newsreaders as being exactly as you've painted them. All terrribly BBC back in the day...
Now, as you say, it seems like just another chunk of data to package and sell. Some of our commercial channels in particular seem to have a "blonde of the month" policy when it comes to picking the presenters.
There's even a word for the way they package up news now - it's Infotainment - which is probably too clumsy to squeeze into a lyric, but sums it up well. I particularly dislike the habit of some online news sites of showing which items have received the most hits - under the heading of Most Popular. There's something rather grisly and callous about seeing the latest murders and child sex abuse scandals listed as "most popular" - as if the readers find it almost as entertaining as today's garbage about some idiot "celebrity's" latest indiscretion.
End of fogey rant..... :roll:
I was intrigued by the use of two cents to represent them both wanting to take your money, but not wanting to hear your opinion. I liked the idea of contrasting the two meanings but I wasn't sure how I could get that subtle switch across when singing. But you seem like a more experienced and controlled singer than I am, so I'll be interested to hear how you do it if/when you record it.
Cheers,
Chris
Thanks Chris,
yes I imagine it was pretty much the same in OZ as it was here. One thing I really dislike with a vengeance is when the presenter says words like
"...and that was your news today" or "... and your weather tomorrow will be...." as if I own the news or the weather :x
As for the 2 x two cents yeah I'm still thinking about that, as you say when its sung it might not work at all.
cheers
Paul
Hi Paul,
I'm an outsider on this one as I haven't experienced the infotainment.
Is this commentary summing up the type of problem you're writing about?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7eAmgfhaPI
Suggestion:
I don't know if this would be any better or clearer, but I'd try saying:
They don’t want my two cents
They just want my money
I look forward to the listen. :D
James
I really enjoyed the playing and singing, Paul. Great job. :D
How do you do the backing? Is it just you playing, or is it augmented in some way? Very well presented anyway. I always struggle with getting a half-way decent sounding musical accompaniment. so I know, all too well, that it's not easy to sound that good.
Nice job. I think taking out Brian and Bill at the beginning was a good move. The news in America is strange. It's all gone to cable news channels that are highly politicized. There is no more separation between news and editorial content. They often feature panels of 6-8 people that are all yelling. Lacking logic they are often trying to trump the others with volume.
I kind of miss the single newsreader format.
I enjoyed your song and recording. I'm just starting to understand the EQ, compression and reverb settings on my DAW. It sounds like you are working with these too. Do you have a favorite setting?
Very nice sound and good singing.
Overall, good lyrics. Somehow the "two cents" lines don't quite work. Maybe something like this:
They want to take my two cents
But they don't want my two cents worth.
Renee
thanks for the feedback.
Chris,
all the backing is done by playing the acoustic guitar, bass and Cajon.
John,
.. It sounds like you are working with these too. Do you have a favorite setting?
no not really, but I do find that less is more. So if you can get a good original recording then typically the only thing I do is a tiny bit of reverb and thats just to replace the flatness of the microphone and make it sound more natural and maybe a little EQ around 2K mark 1 or 2 db for the vocal. And finally I try to place each instrument in a different position the stereo field so they don't compete. And/or spread it across the field to varying degrees by duplicating 1 track and offsetting it by a fraction of a second say 5/1000 then pan 1 left and the offset track pan right. This can create a wonderful intimacy and make the instrument appear to be playing right beside your ears.
Then............ if I have time or inclination I play around with mastering the mix as a whole using plungins like multiband compressors, there is a whole heap of youtube stuff out there on how to do this.
Hobson, thanks yes I've removed the other 2 cents line
cheers
Paul
Thanks for the tips. The company that made my equipment holds occasional workshops, I really must attend one. I get confused waaaay too easy.
Chris,
all the backing is done by playing the acoustic guitar, bass and Cajon.
Thanks for the info. I'm impressed. I had to Google "Cajon" though, and now I have to resist the tempration to buy yet another toy!.... :mrgreen:
Thanks Chris,
don't go buying a cajon cos they're quite expensive, but really cheap (about $NZ50) and easy to make. Here's a youtube video that I made explaining how to make one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpZ5IkdYLmk
This is the cajon that I've used in the last 5 songs I've recorded. To be honest I think that a 3mm tappa (front panel) is too thin but 4mm is too fat so 3.5mm or its imperial equivalent I think would be perfect. Anyway if you have some time then these are really easy to make especially if the hardware shop will cut the pieces to size for you (Bunnings probably will, Mitre10 (are they in OZ?) definitely do). PM me if you want any help.
cheers
Paul
Thanks very much Paul. I thoroughly enjoyed your video. :D
I'm busy with other projects right now, but I'll add one of those to the list. Twenty-five years ago I built my own house and I still have all the tools and equipment that I used. So cutting those panels and pieces to size should be no problem. I still have the combination woodworking machine that I used to make all the doors and windows - the old fashioned way with mortice and tenons, etc.
I built a two roomed shed first and we lived in that for a couple of years while I built the house. When we moved in the shed became the workshop. But for a while what's now part of the lounge-room was the woodworking shop for making windows etc. :) Pictures at the links below.
Chris
