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Description:
A rerecording of a song I recorded in London in 1998 with the original lyrics put back.
Lyrics:
Her eyes are the colour of this city I love
As I walk down Church Street, the sun' coming up
One more morning, I crawl in my bed
She's not beside me but she's in my head
First thing on waking I remember her kiss
Not cold but I'm shaking, I ball up my fists
Roll over and freeze in the place where she lay
And the light through the window says it's another grey day
She salts my wounds
She holds me down
She blurs my tunes
She shuts my mouth
London smiles on me
She gives me things I think I need
London smiles for me
Another day, another dream
Dreaming of her
From too little sleep I finally wake up
My flat mate makes coffee and he uses my cup
Hot black and bitter like the sting of the night
A cheap cigareete and everything is all right
Her skin is the colour of the warm moon at night
Her touch is too tender to ever be right
Her voice is like raindrops that melt on my skin
Where does this end? Where'd the hell it begin?
She floods my eyes
She burns my soul
She breaks my lies
She weights my stone
Hardware:
iMac G5, Beyerdynamic mic, Edirol PC-30a
Software:
GB2
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I'm surprised... &mdash 07/11/05 - 10:33:26 AM
...that this song seems to be getting overlooked, it's really well done and the "London smiles at me" portion of the chorus has been bopping around in my head all weekend.
I'd love to sing on something else of yours some time, but I take back what I said about the harmonies in my comments on the earlier version. This is finished, IMHO and adding a female voice singing harmony would conflict with the lyrics, I think. Plus, I can hear your "background singers" more clearly in this version.
There are lots of really nice touches in the background instrumention of this song, guitars moving in and out, bits of piano sprinkled here and there. I also love the bass line.
I do like this version of the lyrics, better overall. I really liked the way you sounded in the original on the phrase "semi-closed fist," but I can't see where you could work it back in here.
Very, very cool Ross. [ Reply to This ]
I'm surprised... &mdash 07/11/05 - 08:31:33 PM
Thanx Lisa. I ended up doing this in one day. I was going to add guitar parts, but I plugged in my acoustic only to find the electrics are broken. :-(
I don't think it needs it however as I'm quite happy how it turned out. The original was recorded with two friends who were just learning to use their equipment and it took 8 hours to do 6 tracks. Because it was their setup, I didn't have much of a say in the engineering so my creative input was limited. This one is more like I imagined it - an upfront 80's-style beat and bass with nice pop sensibilites. I think it was good idea to put the original lyrics back in as well. Glad you like it!
I'd love to collaborate sometime! I actually have a song I wrote with a female singer in mind - I'll have to dig it out and finish it off.
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You said, "Well, never mind. We may be ugly, but we have the music" [ Reply to This ]
I'm baaaack &mdash 07/15/05 - 01:15:02 AM
I just wanted to let you know how much I have listened to this song this week. It has really stuck with me and received a major iPod workout.
Yes! Dust off that song. If you blow the dust in the direction of the sort of key of A, A#, B ish, I'll bring out my feather duster and help you. [ Reply to This ]
Powerful &mdash 07/11/05 - 01:40:10 PM
I was totally pulled into your song. All the instruments provided a perfect bed to launch the lyrics. Very nicely worded. Mesmerizing.
'Her skin is the colour of the warm moon at night
Her touch is too tender to ever be right'
I really like that second line. The words keep coming back to me. Great job [ Reply to This ]
Powerful &mdash 07/11/05 - 11:09:14 PM
Cheers! I've always been uncertain about that line. It perfectly encapsulates what I was feeling at the time, but it's difficult to explain exactly what it means. Have a listen to the original to see how it changed.
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You said, "Well, never mind. We may be ugly, but we have the music" [ Reply to This ]
Great lyrics &mdash 07/12/05 - 07:06:26 AM
Like Billy Joel's song about New York, this tune has a
wonderful intimacy, great lyrics. Excellent song writing. The
arrangement is a little thin, altho it could also be viewed as
delicate, yet all very competent and enjoyable. Very nice tune
honestly performed. I really liked it. Fantastic lyrics. [ Reply to This ]
Great lyrics &mdash 07/12/05 - 10:15:20 PM
Thanx Tobin! I did try adding more parts - some strings and a synth pad, but they ended up distracting my ear from the vocals so I trashed them. Glad you liked the lyrics - have a look at the other version of this song here for an explanation about them. Cheers.
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You said, "Well, never mind. We may be ugly, but we have the music" [ Reply to This ]
This is lovely... &mdash 07/12/05 - 06:06:28 PM
Ledebutant pointed me in this direction, for which I thank
her. It's a really heartfelt song. Your voice is beautiful and
lovelorn... "From too little sleep I finally wake up
My flat mate makes coffee and he uses my cup" A really
nice line too... I'm not sure I quite get the little plinky
guitar line on that verse "Her skin is the colour..." it's just
too far away for me to hear, but that's a minor point. [ Reply to This ]
This is lovely... &mdash 07/12/05 - 10:27:55 PM
Thanx! I originally had that guitar part running right through all the verses but found it distracting. I think I may have to bring the levels up a bit for it in the final verse.
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You said, "Well, never mind. We may be ugly, but we have the music" [ Reply to This ]
Something about London songs! &mdash 08/09/05 - 05:24:39 AM
Like ledebutant (or la debutante as I like to think of Lisa!),
I'm surprised this hasn't been more noticed. This is really
a nice tune, and the production is good. This is a much
better mix than the earlier version. The whole thing is
much tighter and more enjoyable - like these lyrics better
also. Did you do the bass on the Edirol? Good sound.
Why is it that songs about London always seem to be so
attractive?
Cheers,
Neil [ Reply to This ]
Something about London songs! &mdash 08/09/05 - 08:16:24 PM
Thanx Neil. Yup - the bass is just done on the Edirol. I think it's the agressive one with a fair bit of compression. I like the 80s sound that came out.
I think I wrote 3 or 4 songs about London while I was living there. For all it's greyness and hustle and bustle, it's an inspiring place. Love and heartbreaks help as well. :-)
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You said, "Well, never mind. We may be ugly, but we have the music" [ Reply to This ]
Great song! &mdash 08/26/05 - 10:16:36 AM
This tune sounds like ready for radio! Really professional!
And you're a smashing good singer! (Was surprized to find
such a mature music under the dancing cucumber ... have
seen it lots of times, but not clicked it untill now finally). [ Reply to This ]
Great song! &mdash 08/29/05 - 05:10:56 AM
Thanx Cori. I did have a mature photo up before, but nobody was checking out my stuff, so I went with a dancing pickle.
Glad you like the song. Have a listen to the previous version to hear the difference.
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You said, "Well, never mind. We may be ugly, but we have the music" [ Reply to This ]
swell song &mdash 08/31/05 - 08:40:00 PM
A very engaging song, executed with clarity, passionately.
Keep up the good work. I only heard a few flat syllables.
Try to land on those high ascents--don't slide up. Your
voice has a nice timbre. "London smiles on me" is a great
hook. [ Reply to This ]
swell song &mdash 08/31/05 - 10:25:03 PM
Thanx Richard! Yeah - I do tend to slide up to notes. It's a bad habit. :-(
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You said, "Well, never mind. We may be ugly, but we have the music" [ Reply to This ]
pop! &mdash 09/22/05 - 01:52:43 AM
i actually thought i wasn't going to like this - then you
started singing! got totally caught up in it once you did.
i especially love the third verse "from too little sleep..." or is
it second? whichever.
great pop song for sure. [ Reply to This ]
pop! &mdash 09/26/05 - 11:40:09 PM
Thanx! Appreciate the feedback. Glad you stuck it out and enjoyed!!
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You said, "Well, never mind. We may be ugly, but we have the music" [ Reply to This ]
cool &mdash 03/24/06 - 01:31:16 PM
Enjoyed the song, tho im not too intersested in London being Scottish but heywhats a few hundred years of being downtrodden, anyway I diverse. Nice Structure to song and some nice lines. keep up good work mate, Cheery [ Reply to This ]
just love it &mdash 11/16/06 - 07:14:24 PM
great track and great voice. this is a shure hit!! I dig it and fav it!! :) [ Reply to This ]
Yep.... &mdash 02/26/07 - 09:57:12 PM
yep, I understand why you would think so, your fav.... How do you do sing UP there anyway???? a fav here,.... too . - Harold [ Reply to This ]
Has a bit of an 80s style &mdash 02/26/07 - 10:10:41 PM
Reminds me of a lot of music coming out on MTV during that era. I like the way the lyrics are written... London as your lady, nice touch. Your vocals are spot on. The mix is tasteful. [ Reply to This ]
Influences &mdash 03/05/07 - 04:36:14 PM
This sound like something Feargal Sharkey could have recorded to avoid being a one-hit wonder!
Loved it!
[ Reply to This ]
yes &mdash 07/18/07 - 04:06:46 PM
a great tune
I can feel that this is one of your favs
something bout the lyric
dreaming of her
dreaming
dream
peace
tim
[ Reply to This ]
Thanx Tim &mdash 07/20/07 - 03:32:35 AM
Yes, I was very much in love with the girl and the city at the time. The rerecording brought back fond memories. Thanx for the comment.
---
Listen to "Feeling Good" <a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/31123">here</a>. [ Reply to This ]
nice &mdash 11/15/07 - 04:43:03 AM
This is a nice tune...I feel younger already. Lovely lyrics.
When the chorus kicks in it's wonderful. The piano really finishes it off.
Reminds me of "altogether now".
Cool journey back to my youth, thanks.
Amanda [ Reply to This ]
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I'd love to sing on something else of yours some time, but I take back what I said about the harmonies in my comments on the earlier version. This is finished, IMHO and adding a female voice singing harmony would conflict with the lyrics, I think. Plus, I can hear your "background singers" more clearly in this version.
There are lots of really nice touches in the background instrumention of this song, guitars moving in and out, bits of piano sprinkled here and there. I also love the bass line.
I do like this version of the lyrics, better overall. I really liked the way you sounded in the original on the phrase "semi-closed fist," but I can't see where you could work it back in here.
Very, very cool Ross.
[ Reply to This ]