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Spring-Driven Thing


by

philonnie

 Genre: Acoustic

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Description
Possibly one for the oldies! Having come up with the chord sequence and tune a few weeks back the idea for the lyrics (probably my most ambitious to date) came from a recollection of discovering an old wind-up gramaphone in my gran's house as a kid and spending hours playing the stack of dusty old 78s (anyone remember those?!). More recently I relived the experience over again with my daughter who also delighted in hearing that unique lo-fi sound (yes, we've still got an old wind-up in the attic). If you listen beyond the end of the vocal section (about 4min I'm afraid) I've added a more up-beat kind of instrumental arrangement of the same tune, mostly midi instruments but with my daughter playing real clarinet. Hope you enjoy.
Thanks for listening
cheers, Phil
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Lyrics
Spring-Drive Thing

I’m a spring-driven thing all covered with dust
I’ll sing for you but first you must
Crank my handle round and round
Drop that rusty old needle to hear the sound ...

Of the nineteen forties at seventy eight
I ‘ll take you back there if only you’ll wait
For your ears to adjust to the scratches and shrill
Just forget your new ipod and soon you will ….

Waltz the blue Danube with Fred Astaire
Then get in Glen Miller’s mood as you take to the air
To be whisked of by Duke to the Isle of Capri
Or for a night in Tunisia with Miles, don’t you see …

I’ll play misty after Gene’s sung in the rain
We’ll drop down to honky tonk town with Louis again
Or re-live those golden days so deep in Mario’s heart
Or sing a rainbow with Peggy before it’s time to depart

But if smoke gets in your eyes and you’ve had quite enough
Excuse me for taking your time, and for sounding so rough
You know my coil has unwound and I’m getting so slow
But there’s a little sad fact I would like you to know ….

I haven’t issued a sound for fifty two years
Left in this cold, dark cupboard under your grannies stairs
With a box of black disks, many broken in two
So thanks for the chance to entertain you

I’m a spring-driven thing all covered with dust
I’ll sing for you but first you must
Crank my handle round and round
Drop that rustly old needle to hear my sound.
Song Stats
Hits: 792
Comments: 5
Fans: 1
Plays: 58
Downloads: 43
Votes: 3
Uploaded: May 15, 2006 - 05:26:16 PM
Last Updated: May 15, 2006 - 05:26:16 PM Last Played: May 14, 2009 - 04:38:16 PM
Song License
Creative Commons License:
Attribution-ShareAlike

Creative Commons

Song Actions
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Hardware:
yamaha electro-acoustic
bass guitar
samson usb condenser mic
G4 powerbook
Software:
GB2
DoD
Comments
Electric Lobster said 1288 days ago (May 15th, 2006)
Hey Syd come out of your garden ..)
I like it - sounds like Syd Barret sitting in his garden playing acoustic
guitar.

;-)
Check out my latest song called Rain Rain [vox/ Linda Courtien]
said 1288 days ago (May 15th, 2006)
Pretty smooth
Vocals well done. Great mix for the entire thing. Cool arrangement and
great style. Well done and I really like it.
said 1288 days ago (May 15th, 2006)
Wow!
What a concept! This is amazing Phil. Very well written. Your vox is in top
form and fits the mood of the piece perfectly. The mix sounds like this
was recorded on an old 78. Genius.

Be well!
jpfeiff said 1285 days ago (May 19th, 2006)
McCartney-esque
I like the "dated" setting that you've created. There was a moment partway through where the noodling guitar was kind of buggin me and seemed out of place. Also, I'm not sure if the "postlude" instrumental works for me. I prefer the first section with guitar and vocals. Overall, very creative!
Check out my latest song called The Fog
philonnie said 1276 days ago (May 28th, 2006)
thanks guys!
... really appreciate you stopping by to listen and comment. As a novice singer it is always a mighty relief to get feedback indicating it ain't too bad.
As for being McCartney-esque, well that's a real confidence boost!
cheers, phil
Check out my latest song called Nothing More Nothing Less
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Born and bred in Liverpool and like most kids from that place got my first guitar as a young teenager (in the late 60s). I've been dabbling with a guitar or two ever since and couldn't imagine life without one. I've never had any musical training (pr... [see more]

Check out some of my other songs:

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