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Brick by Brick (New Mix) by jgurner [Email]

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SONG STATS:
Hits: 1051
Comments: 19
Votes: 10
Plays: 129
Last Played: Aug 20, 2008 - 12:20:00 PM
Downloads: 24
Fans: 8
Uploaded: Sep 17, 2006 - 09:38:43 AM
Last Updated: Sep 17, 2006 - 09:38:43 AM
Fan List
Keywords:
History (16), Preservation (1), Heritage (3), Bricks (1), Buildings (1)
Description:
This is a remake of a song I submitted earlier as a basic accousitc number. It was originall written and recorded in just a couple of hours. I decided I really wanted to do more with the tune, so I went back and gave it the full treatment.

I re-recorded everything from scratch. Sped the tempo up a bit. Added percussion, which are the only loops used, guitar, bass, some keyboard. more elaborate vocals and, for the first time, I play the accordion.

The story behind the song, in a broad sense, is about small towns losing their history when people stop caring. What spurred it was the announcement last week that one of our historic buildings, the TWL building in the left hand side of the photo above, had been sold and was going to be torn down and the bricks used to build houses in a near-by city for people with way more money than sense. This is one of the oldest buildings in our small town and has a rich, long history, but very few people, especially the younger generations (like myself) seem to care.

This song is dedicated to my friends Cinnamon and Chris, both who share the same feelings about this issue and about preserving history. They've also been good enough to preview this and other songs for me.

Lyrics:
Brick by Brick

Just an empty lot
On the corner by the park
it’s all gone
but the memories

There was laughter here
There were times of pain and joy
But now they’ve gone
and taken it away

Brick by brick
the past slowly fades away
Brick by Brick
until only memories remain
Brick by Brick
we tear our future down

and we lose ourselves slowly
brick by brick

Faded photographs
In a yellowed family album
Show us these four walls
all those years ago

Try to remember when
We tried to teach the meaning
Of those things we kept
from all our yesterdays

Brick by brick //C
the past slowly fades away //C//Am
Brick by Brick //C
until only memories remain //C//Am
Brick by Brick //C
we tear our future down

and we lose ourselves slowly
brick by brick

And when the time has come
where people don’t remember
and history is a coversation piece

We’ll wonder what was lost
to hand down to our children
but we sold our past slowly
Brick by Brick



Brick by brick
the past slowly fades away
Brick by Brick
until only memories remain
Brick by Brick
we tear our future down

and we lose ourselves slowly
brick by brick

Just an empty lot
On the corner by the park
Is all that’s left, save the memory

Hardware:
MacBook, Carlo Robelli Accoustic/Electric guitar, Peavey electric bass, M-Audio Keystation, Baile Accordion, M-Audio Mobile Pre, MXL990 Mic.

Software:
GB
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one less brick in the wall &mdash 09/17/06 - 12:00:33 PM
you made the accordian hip again! great song, production, vocals, i did
not hear your original but this definately caught my ears.

Vic

[ Reply to This ]
You mean accordions aren't hip...... &mdash 09/20/06 - 01:08:21 PM
Thanks for stopping by and commenting Vic. Glad you liked the tune. It's much
appreciated.

---
Genius might be the ability to say a profound thing in a simple way.



[ Reply to This ]
good move &mdash 09/17/06 - 09:28:17 PM
better than ever, still like the message

[ Reply to This ]
'preciate it &mdash 09/20/06 - 01:09:56 PM
Glad you liked the new and improved version. Thanks for dropping in.

---
Genius might be the ability to say a profound thing in a simple way.



[ Reply to This ]
Hi &mdash 09/17/06 - 11:08:27 PM
Long time no SEE (or Listen?)
Nice mlody sad song....
You have good memory like this melody ,I think.
Wish you Happy!





[ Reply to This ]
It's been a while &mdash 09/20/06 - 01:11:46 PM
Glad to see you around too with some new music. Thanks for listening and
commenting. Glad you liked the tune.

---
Genius might be the ability to say a profound thing in a simple way.



[ Reply to This ]
Full Blooded &mdash 09/18/06 - 07:43:43 PM
Strong, Strong showing.

2nd Vocals are super (AND the Accordian!)

Hope there is, at least, the conversations left in the days down the line.
At very least, there is this Song.

Really Fine Listen.

Best,
Cooper

[ Reply to This ]
Thanks Coop! &mdash 09/20/06 - 01:15:17 PM
I know you heard the previous version before I redid the vocals and the bass line
(once again) and added some space in the different parts. I think I was able to
really get a good balance and sound on everything on this pass.

And I'm planning to work in some more accordion at some point.

Thanks for the comments. They are appreciated.

---
Genius might be the ability to say a profound thing in a simple way.



[ Reply to This ]
Accordions rock! &mdash 09/19/06 - 06:36:09 PM
Joseph, I listened to the earlier version, liked it and thought I'd
commented, but it's not there. I like this - the accordion sounds
perfect. Your voice is getting stronger and truer, and your harmonies
are working really well on this. This has shades of the mid-seventies
to me - UK music mainly. There's a certain fragility about your voice
which works very nicely with emotional lyrics like these.
Like it!
Neil

[ Reply to This ]
Thanks mate! &mdash 09/20/06 - 01:21:04 PM
This one fleshed out a lot more nicely than I had hoped. And I think the
accordion has a lot to do with it. I really like the sound of it and I really want to
learn to play it a little better (just starting really).

Thanks for the comment about the vocals. That's alwasy the area I have the most
concern about and am least at ease with. But the last few tunes I've worked on
(including one that's still in progress) I've felt a lot more passionate about and
have been working to make them as good as I can get them. Kinda backing off
on the "one take and I'm done" approach. :)

Thanks for dropping by and thanks again for your comments.

---
Genius might be the ability to say a profound thing in a simple way.



[ Reply to This ]
One takers &mdash 09/20/06 - 04:25:55 PM
Joseph, I can really relate to your comment about the "one take approach".
That's been the way for me since I started until I took a long bit of leave this
year (and I mean LONG). Even though I have much more time, I tend to be
much slower in uploading (this week has been an exception). I still
sometimes use first takes (just did a harmony track to "Take All Night" and
nailed it first take), but I'm taking much more time in the production stage so
that it makes it worth putting more of an effort into the individual tracks.
Oh, and the other thing (which you appear to also be experiencing) is that if
enough people tell you that you can sing OK, then magically your voice gets
better. It's all about confidence I expect.
Keep on singing - and learning the accordion (I love the sound).
Neil

---
<a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/24411"> Take All Night</a> & <a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/24275"> Headful Of Smiles w SIL-VER</a>

[ Reply to This ]
Awesome... &mdash 09/19/06 - 07:57:30 PM
I haven't listened to your or any others songs for quite some time... I am
so impressed and proud of your accomplishment with this song... The
accordion adds just the right feeling to it, and the vocals are just getting
better and better... This is by far one of your best ones, and I wish I had
the power to rewind myself and do a second take... You should feel proud
of yorself, this is truly an awesome song with great lyrics and a great
message...

M

[ Reply to This ]
Great to hear from you again! &mdash 09/20/06 - 01:24:45 PM
It's great to see you around MJ again and hear from you. Thanks for the
comments. I know you've been listening to my stuff since back in the early days
and I know what an excellent ear you have, so your comments make me feel
pretty good.

Hope you get ready to post some new tunes soon. You've been missed around
here.

---
Genius might be the ability to say a profound thing in a simple way.



[ Reply to This ]
Big Feeler &mdash 09/20/06 - 01:36:12 PM
You know, some people just care about the world, the things that
happen and what happens to other people and you are definitely one
of those people (with a mean touch on the accordion, too)

Your lyrics are so wonderful, could be about the decay of so many
things, a relationship, a sense of history and connection with the past,
the building itself. They work on so may levels and your emotional
vocal just really brings it home for me, Joe.

[ Reply to This ]
Thank you.... &mdash 09/20/06 - 04:28:26 PM
...for your very kind words. Some times life gives you a brand new perspective
on everything and I find recent changes in life have been a real inspiration. I
didn't realize until after I had written it that it was really about so much more, at
least to me, than a building.

And, BTW, the latest rumor around town is that the building may not be torn
down afterall. My fingers are crossed.

Thanks, Lisa, not only for you comments but lending an ear and making
suggestions as this song evolved. It made it into a much better piece.

---
Genius might be the ability to say a profound thing in a simple way.



[ Reply to This ]
love it &mdash 09/27/06 - 03:57:37 PM
First track I've heard from you, and I love this (I'm a sucker for
accordians). Reminds me a little of Neil Young/Flamng Lips, but at the
same time there is something really original in the wonderful sound you
have created here.

Great lyrics, simple, straightforward and heartfelt.

Steve

[ Reply to This ]
Nothing like a little accordion &mdash 09/28/06 - 11:08:28 AM
I'm just learning to play the accordion, so I hope to be able to use it more in the
future. I appreciate you stopping by and listening. Glad you liked the tune.

---
Genius might be the ability to say a profound thing in a simple way.



[ Reply to This ]
wow. &mdash 10/07/06 - 01:56:12 PM
have to show some respect here man. this is a great track. the total orchestration and emotion..... captivating. -shawn

[ Reply to This ]
thoughts from the bull... &mdash 01/18/07 - 11:50:34 PM
i discovered this piece in the 2006 MacJams Retrospective collection and i can understand why it was chosen. what a wonderful, sensitive piece. it's got a charming innocence that is hard not to relate to. musically, it's deceptively simple and clean, while the vocal work is honest and pure. love that.

a fabulous song and glad i got to check this one out! thank you!

[ Reply to This ]
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