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Y7 Week 37 - Van Halen Is My Friend - Dylan Barrett

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(@dylanbarrett)
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Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 628
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Hi all

Ok, no music with this one... :oops: but it's a real heavy rock vibe - which I couldn't play or do justice to anyways.....

A simple song about revenge....What, me...with my reputation - of course not...how could you think such a thing... :roll:

:wink:

Van Halen Is My Friend

I can't see what you have in common
Your rows next door are driving me insane
The walls don't stop the confrontations
Sanity is slowly spinning down the drain

I've tried to reason
How many times I've asked
Some kinda understanding
And now your chance has passed
The timers' started ticking
Two a.m. it's sweet revenge
I hope the guys don't let me down
Van Halen is my friend

The dog is howlin you don't give a damn
Your kids becoming parent clones
I don't know why your man comes back at night
There's only shouting waitin' when he gets home

I'm giving you Fair Warning
Cos I'm that sort of guy
I'm giving you one hundred watts
Your pictures are gonna fly
The systems fully loaded
Two a.m. it's sweet revenge
I hope the guys don't let me down
Van Halen is my friend

The constant wailing is enough to wake the dead
Your house a place where discord meets
The slammin of your doors drives me up the wall
You share your tv with the street

And in the quiet of the night I lay awake, I have a thought, I have a dream
For all the time I've suffered with the static of your voice, I'll make you suffer, I'll make you scream

I'm wondering if it will make a difference
Think twice before you make a sound
Me? oh yes, I'll be thinking as the clock turns two a.m
Don't bother knocking, cos I'm staying out of town

I'm giving you Fair Warning
Cos I'm that sort of guy
I'm giving you one hundred watts
The dust is gonna fly
The bass is cranked to max
Glorious sweet revenge
I hope the guys don't let me down
Van Halen is my friend
Van Halen is my friend
Van Halen is my friend

Thanks for reading.

Rock on!
D 8)

I'm nowhere near Chicago. I've got six string, 8 fingers, two thumbs, it's dark 'cos I'm wearing sunglasses - Hit it!


   
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(@jamestoffee)
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Posts: 2855
 

Hey Dylan,

Great title! :mrgreen:

Reads well...fight fire with fire....eye for an eye....or sleepless night for sleepless night....REVENGE! :twisted:

James


   
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 KR2
(@kr2)
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Hmmm . . .
I just bought two timers for the lamps to go on . . . while we are out of town.
I never would of thought of putting a timer on the CD player . . . . and set it to go off at 2 A.M.
Maybe because I like my neighbors . . . one even mows the yard while I'm away.

Did you consider a choice of Van Halen song that would be appropriate for your situation?
Fire in the Hole?
Runnin' with the Devil?
Man on a Mission?
Eruption?
So This is Love?

It's the rock that gives the stream its music . . . and the stream that gives the rock its roll.


   
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(@dylanbarrett)
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Joined: 17 years ago
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Maybe because I like my neighbors . . . one even mows the yard while I'm away.
Did you consider a choice of Van Halen song that would be appropriate for your situation?
Fire in the Hole?
Runnin' with the Devil?
Man on a Mission?
Eruption?
So This is Love?

Yeh, like my neighbours too. We bake them cakes, they give us more eggs in return... :roll:

Actually I think they deserved more than just ONE track - I was thinking of the whole LP - Fair Warning :wink:

Rock on!
D 8)

I'm nowhere near Chicago. I've got six string, 8 fingers, two thumbs, it's dark 'cos I'm wearing sunglasses - Hit it!


   
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(@chris-c)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 3454
 

Great song Dylan. I especially liked the idea that you won't be there. :D

A clear and punchy tale that everybody can relate too, some juicy phrases for the singer to get their teeth into, and a nice twist with the timer idea - what's not to like? Definitely one to put respectfully in the vault until your wailing rock playing gets up to speed with the lyrics.

Cheers,

Chris


   
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(@vic-lewis-vl)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 10264
 

I like this too, Dylan. Reminds me of back in the 80's - I'd just got divorced and moved into a flat. My downstairs neighbour had a habit of waking me up early in the morning (around 6.30 - I guess he'd just finished a night shift...) with country and western music, played pretty loud. So one day I put a Nazareth album on loud - Razamanaz - and left the arm of the record player off so's it'd keep playing and playing. Then I went out for the day.....and I never had a problem again!

Like the way you varied the chorus, kept things moving along nicely....IMO, good song, well put together, your writing's coming along nicely. Keep 'em coming, mate!

: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.)


   
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(@straycat)
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Posts: 1282
 

great idea! terrific use of Van Halen :D :D :D

"Van Halen is my friend" :lol:

cheers,
straycat.

"oh, eventually it will break your heart" - anders wendin


   
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 KR2
(@kr2)
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I was messin' around with palm muting with strumming . . . to get a staccato type of sound.
And stumbled on a chord progression that I thought would fit nicely to the chorus of DB's “Van Halen is My Friend”

I've tried to reason
How many times I've asked
Some kinda understanding
And now the time has passed
The timer's started ticking
2 A.M. it's sweet revenge
I know he won't let me down
Van Halen is my friend

Am F Am G
Am F Am G
Am F G Am
Am F G Am

and then I threw in
Am G F Am
somewhere

Messed up on the strumming . . . messed up on the lyrics . . . but getting past that, it might give an idea for a tune.

http://s231.photobucket.com/albums/ee306/kenrogers2/?action=view&current=VanHalenisMyFriend.flv

It's the rock that gives the stream its music . . . and the stream that gives the rock its roll.


   
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(@jamestoffee)
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Ken,

Good go at it. :D I'm not hearing the angst and anger come out but the minor chord in your progression is a start...Have you gotten into power chords yet? They are used more often in hard rock, heavy metal, punk etc. They are actually easier to play than open chords.

Thanks for sharing.

James


   
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 KR2
(@kr2)
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Yeh, no angst or anger . . . just trying to remember the tune, chords, strumming, palm muting, lyrics . . .
I wanted to use
Bm G D A (barre)
because it was more in my vocal range but that was a little too difficult to handle with singing.
I'll make a note to become familiar with power chords.
That might give me more options.
Thanks James.

It's the rock that gives the stream its music . . . and the stream that gives the rock its roll.


   
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(@jamestoffee)
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I'll make a note to become familiar with power chords.
Oh my friend, you are on the verge of one of the great Ahah moments in a guitarist's life :mrgreen:

...It's like someone gives you the cheat sheet :twisted: for any test you will ever take in life....bar exam, medical exam....it won't make you a lawyer or doctor, but you'll be able to play virtually any song in any key...a lot of songs as they actually are played and fake it on a lot of others...

....It's like Neo in Matrix when he says, "I know kung fu" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vMO3XmNXe4&feature=related
....You will say, "I know power chords" and someone will say, "Show me".......and then....you will show them 8) 8) 8)

....it's an exciting time for you! 8)


   
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(@dylanbarrett)
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Joined: 17 years ago
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Topic starter  

I'll make a note to become familiar with power chords.
That might give me more options.

Hi Ken

It's been a long time since i've been 'noodled' with.. :shock: .... and I like it!

It's almost embarassing having someone else put a tune to your song, but quite flattering at the same time - it means that there's something catchy and worthwhile about it.

It's not the kind of thing I had in mind and powerchords are definitely the way to go on this. It sorta follows on from my other song 'Conversational Meltdown' - a foot stomping soft rock power chord 4/4 - much slower than you were playing...

But saying that Ken - thanks for spending the time to post - i feel quite humble....

I've been a bit out of the loop the last few weeks - work, visitors, life etc.... but hopefully things will get back on track in a couple of weeks....

Rock on!
D 8)

I'm nowhere near Chicago. I've got six string, 8 fingers, two thumbs, it's dark 'cos I'm wearing sunglasses - Hit it!


   
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