Another cheat, but I will write another one just to join in on the fun.
Meanwhile, this is a song I did last year called Cold Times. I was inspired after listening to Neil Young's, "Cortez the Killer" and Pink Floyd's "Echoes". It is my perspective of the Cold War as a middle-schooler, which is 2-3 years in the States starting at aged 12 or so.
I have a soundscape in the beginning, so the music doesn't get going until well after a minute.
I also do some fairly hard edged Rock, by my standards, a little later in the song.
The Link:
https://soundcloud.com/patriotsbiker/cold-times
*Note the song's picture. This is an honest to goodness picture taken with film and a red lens filter. No digital. Times have changed. I could done better digitally.
The Lyrics
[VERSE]
They showed us films in grade school.
oh, how we_ made Japan_ burn.
Were they saying that, 'nukes are bad',
or that next time, was our turn?
Paralyzed by fear created,
by the men who were well-dressed.
The ones that we elected,
scared us better than did the rest.
[CHORUS 1]
The war had gotten colder
The stakes got way too hot
Both sides wanted spoils
from a war that could not be fought.
[VERSE]
They told us of many horrors.
Atrocities_ of man.
No liberties, no freedoms.
No pretty wives on hand.
[CHORUS 2]
The war had gotten colder
The stakes got way too hot.
Both sides wanted the spoils
from a war that could not be fought.
The war had gotten colder.
The war had gotten colder.
[VERSE]
Roaches, rats and barn cats!
The chosen ones would live.
They never went to meetings,
they were never asked to give.
Both sides knew fear was stronger,
than hopes and dreams!
One push of the button,
They say we're all gonna fry____.
[CHORUS 3]
The war had gotten colder
One push of a button,
We're gonna fry us alive.
[VERSE]
Both sides knew fear was stronger,
than hopes and dreams!
One push of the button,
They say we're all gonna fry____.
[CHORUS 4]
The war had gotten colder.
The war had gotten colder.
The war had gotten colder.
The war had gotten colder.
[OUTRO]
The world had gotten colder.
The world had gotten colder.
The world had gotten colder.
The world had gotten colder.
The world had gotten colder.
The war had gotten colder.
The world had gotten colder.
(the) World had gotten colder.
(This verse didn't make it into the song, but I thought it was neat. I just couldn't sing it properly.)
We stood in long lines for tickets.
They did the same for bread.
We were diverted by baseball and TV,
they sought toilet-paper, instead!
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
Wonderfully moody piece, Roy. Definitely get both the Pink Floyd and the "Cortez" inspiration and very nice guitar work (and vocals) to establish the feeling.
Since this is already such a finished product, not sure if you want any thoughts or not, but a few of the lines in the verses seem a little awkward in terms of delivery, such as the second line in the second stanza:
Paralyzed by fear created,
by the men who were well-dressed.
The ones that we elected,
scared us better than did the rest.
The last half of this is wonderfully done but the "who were well-dressed" seems like it's there just for the rhyme. Likewise with the "No pretty wives on hand" line that doesn't truly connect with anything.
For what it's worth, I like the verse you didn't put in a lot. You could even use it to replace the "Chorus 4" since that's essentially going to be the outro.
Nice work. Looking forward to more.
Peace
Thanks David. That was one of the ones I re-sang after "finding" my singing voice last November. It was a fun song to write and to do. All of the guitar layers might have been harsh, but such fun to play.
Paralyzed by fear created,
by the men who were well-dressed.
The ones that we elected,
scared us better than did the rest.
The last half of this is wonderfully done but the "who were well-dressed" seems like it's there just for the rhyme. Likewise with the "No pretty wives on hand" line that doesn't truly connect with anything.
Thanks, David. This was one of earliest songs that I wrote, but I felt rather proud of a few lines. The first part of the line you mentioned was not one of them. I could not figure it out and still cannot.
The original, IIRC, was:
Paralyzed by fear created,
by men well-dressed.
It says what I want it to, but it's far too obscure a reference on top of saying something in a manner that nobody at all speaks or thinks.
The reference is to the New England Town Hall meeting as depicted by Norman Rockwell. Everyone goes to the meeting donning their work-a-day attire while the politicians and/or other people trying to sell something show up in three piece suits stood in front of us telling us what we "needed" to know. More specific to the song, it was the men in the fancy suits who scaring us with their message.
The fact that it took me an entire paragraph to explain that line itself has always told me that it's too obscure and even perhaps too awkward. "For the rhyme" is dead on accurate. It says what I want it to say, but it has always been a rough line.
Regarding the line I omitted because I could not sing it, I think I would be able to sing it now. I'm certainly not above doing some of the song over again. The lead/main guitar could be more captivating, for example. Maybe a few eerie synth or guitar swells in the BG here and there during the song could add some texture and interest. Things like that.
Thanks again for all the comments. I agree with much of what you say. Someday I'll figure it out. :)
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
Nice concept and good music to match the mood. :D
