Hello my friends, where ever you are in this world we live in. Let me start of by saying a word of thanks to everyone that has given feedback on the lyrics that I have submitted. I am grateful for all of your comments. And, a thanks to all of you that have taken the time out of your busy lives to simply read what I have written.
Now for this weeks lesson. I hope that you find this submission better than the previous week. Last week was rushed because of work scheduling. This week I took advantage of a little slow time at work yesterday and knocked this one out. I have had the idea for a little while and during my 16 hour work day it came together. Should have a Country feel, somthing of an alternating baseline and a medium tempo.
Enjoy!
The salt of the earth
The salt of the earth
You know me average Joe a regular guy
Doing my thing while the years roll by
As the day starts it's always the same
Up with the sun I'm off to the game
I do a thousand jobs risk my life every day
Sweating and bleeding to bring home my pay
With calloused hands and weathered skin
I'm in pretty good shape for the shape I'm in
Keeping peace or changing tires
Saving lives or fighting fires
Grooming dogs or tilling soil
Cutting logs or drilling oil
Assembly line or deep coal mine
Fishing trawler or long line hauler
Salt of the earth with a blue collar
My baby well I say she's got a blue collar too
Not paid near enough for the work that she do
Raising our children and doing it right
If you say she don't work we're gonna fight
Now all you people that have something to say
If you won't walk in my shoes then just go away
Don't try to tell me the way I should live
If your taking more than you'll ever give
I'm the working stiff
doing the best that I can
The salt of the earth
A blue collar man
So I'll say it again
For all it is worth
I'm a blue collar man
I'm the salt of the earth
So let me tell you what matters to me
It's God it's country and it's my family
They are the reasons for the things that I do
And when I get down they carry me through
Keeping peace or changing tires
Saving lives or fighting fires
Grooming dogs or tilling soil
Cutting logs or drilling oil
Assembly line or deep coal mine
Fishing trawler or long line hauler
I am Salt of the earth with a blue collar
Once again any comments, good bad or indifferent, that will help me and others to grow in this area, are requested. FWIW I am already working on an edit of this piece.
Hey!! Who moved my cheese???
They say that only 1 song in 100 is good!?! I think I need a lot more scratch paper!!!
You're definitely right to give those lyrics a country feel. It don't get much more country than that. I think somehow you've captured that rugged rural mentality (even if it is a bit of wish fulfilment :wink: ).
The only thing I got stuck on was the line:
If you say she don't work we're gonna fight
I think it would be more 'country' to use the phrase "take this outside" or "step outside" instead of fight. It might not fit your melody, and it would mean you have to rewrite the line above it, but I think it'd be worth it.
Loved the ending:
Fishing trawler or long line hauler
I am Salt of the earth with a blue collar
Ending with the hook, by tying it into a bridge... very country!
Ice cream is a dish best served cold.
Hey Redrider,
yeh definitely a country song. My first thought was that this song was taking too long to get to the point. Now after reading it a couple of times I'm not so sure, given that our main man here is an uncomplicated kinda guy he'd probably take his time. Maybe a bit too much rhyme in there for my liking but that's just me.
Keep em coming.
Redrider,
For this weeks assignment I thought about doing a counrty song about a working class man and calling it Salt of the Earth.
Oh Well on to Plan B. :lol:
Besides you did a better job than I would have.
I like SlowPlay's suggestion maybe it could go something like this:
Raising our children and teaching them pride
If you say she don't work we can take this outside
Good Job
Celt
