We'll Get To Phoenix Someday Soon

SmokeyVW

Genre: Other

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Description

album: Rising From The Ashes
track 1: 9:08 My Song
track 2: 3:05 MacPherson Strut
track 3: 5:55 They're Nocturnal
track 4: 4:25 I Know You're Here
track 5: 5:59 5 of 12
track 6: 3:40 Lighter Than Air
track 7: 5:07 Stairway
track 8: 5:50 I Want
track 9: 5:04 Voices
track 10: 5:15 Move To Trash
track 11: 4:21 Good To The Next Drop
track 12: 5:48 We'll Get To Phoenix Someday Soon
...more albums...

Song Description

Once again, I'm unsure about the genre. Perhaps it's light rock/ballad?

A song ostensibly about driving a Firebird to Phoenix.

Originally posted as a poem We'll Get To Phoenix Someday Soon. I transformed it pretty much unchanged into this song.

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Lyrics

We'll Get To Phoenix Someday Soon

1.
My buddy and me are driving this beat up Firebird
(Across the desert sands)
My buddy and me are driving this beat up Firebird
(Across the desert sands)

We'll get to Phoenix someday soon
We'll get to Phoenix soon...

2.
My buddy and me are driving this stolen Firebird
(Across the shifting sands)
My buddy and me are driving this stolen Firebird
(Across the shifting sands)

If there's a God in heaven
He'd be driving this car
Chasing the moonlight
On His way to Phoenix

Destination far away
But getting closer every day
We'll get to Phoenix soon...

3.
My lover and me are driving a silver Firebird
(Across the burning sands)
My lover and me are driving a silver Firebird
(Across the burning sands)

I could be happy for the rest of my life
But the war drums beat in Babylon

~ ~ ~

Destination far away
But getting closer every day
We'll get to Phoenix soon...

4.
My soulmate and me are driving our golden Firebird
(Across the endless sands)
My soulmate and me are driving our golden Firebird
(Across the endless sands)

What's it like to live five hundred years?
What's it like to love five hundred years?

Listening to that serious radio
Listening to my cinnamon girl
(Always making old things new)
Listening to that cinnamon girl
On our way to Phoenix

~ ~ ~

5.
My shadow and me are driving that antique Firebird
(I'm driving with no hands)
My shadow and me are driving that antique Firebird
(Look Ma! No hands!)

We know how this movie's ending
But I need another chance
The radio keeps on telling
The same damn lies

We'll get to Phoenix someday soon
We'll get to Phoenix someday soon
We'll get to Phoenix someday soon
We'll get to Phoenix soon...

(c)2005 by Bill Grundmann

Song Stats

Hits: 4731
Comments: 35
Fans: 11
Plays: 245
Downloads: 105
Votes:
Uploaded: Feb 23, 2007 - 10:03:37 PM
Last Updated: Sep 19, 2008 - 11:38:06 AM Last Played: Feb 08, 2010 - 12:38:50 PM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NoDerivs

Song Actions

Comments

bud	bud said 1082 days ago (February 23rd, 2007)
	Bill - another wonderful surprise everything you do is different and original - a true inquiring mind. Great spacey string break - and overall the production and unexpected harmonics are pure Smokey. By the end it sounds a little like you crossed the Tallahatchie Bridge on the way to Phoenix. Check out my latest song called Sailortown w/echoroom (MJRF 2010)

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 1081 days ago (February 24th, 2007)
	. wow, thanks for the kind words. initially i recorded the vocals at 70 BPM, but it turned out to be too slow, so i sped it up. the automatic speed up in Garage Band retains the pitch: it just speeds up the tempo, which is nice, but it also added a funky phasing/chorus sound to the vocals. a nice side effect! thanks Check out my latest song called SkyWind

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 1081 days ago (February 24th, 2007)
	dry also, this mix is completely dry - i turned off the echo and reverb on the master track while mixing and never turned em back on. i kinda like the starkness. but i couldn't stay away from a few effects here and there. Check out my latest song called SkyWind

	said 1082 days ago (February 23rd, 2007)
	Now this All the way thru it haunts your right ear the voice that say yes we will get to phoenix soon only to end up in a car crash and spend 5 months in a hospital. Just kidding but I did work with a guy who moved there and got into a crash.. All in all I was absolutly mesmerized

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 1081 days ago (February 24th, 2007)
	. 5 months in the hospital sounds pretty serious... no crash here, at least not explicitly. but it's not really about driving to Phoenix anyway! thanks for listening Check out my latest song called SkyWind

timothy devine

timothy devine said 1082 days ago (February 23rd, 2007)

I had a smokey VW
'74 &75 very smokey. I hardly remember it. It use to play eight tracks and in the middle of click your favorite jam or click solo well you know.

I remember being stuck on the NY thruway in the snow and i pushed the little bug right over the crest of a hill and down she went, popped the clutch and off she flew...never to land again all the way to the CIA...thats the Culinary Intitute of America.

enough about me... this is a very cool tune.
Nice

Check out my latest song called Inside of You

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 1081 days ago (February 24th, 2007)
	. n o s t a l g i a ! 8-tracks were strange in retrospect, but at the time they were great - you could play tunes in your car, and you could even record your own. the old VW beetles were great too - they could float, although i never tried that. thanks Check out my latest song called SkyWind

timothy devine	timothy devine said 1081 days ago (February 24th, 2007)
	I think My old VW always Floated It was on a floating cloud. Tim --- "Sooner or latter it all gets real...Walk On" Check out my latest song called Inside of You

peacepiano	peacepiano said 1081 days ago (February 24th, 2007)
	Good One Definitely an "Other" :) Clever mix of vocals. Fun listen. Thanks for sharing. Check out my latest song called New Jam (MJRF 2010)

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 1081 days ago (February 24th, 2007)
	. yeah, i had no idea what genre to choose on this one. thanks for dropping by and commenting Check out my latest song called SkyWind

Roxylee

Roxylee said 1081 days ago (February 24th, 2007)

Yeah, this sums it up
Bill, you are such a word artist! You paint each stage of life so succinctly, in a way that is innocent and eerie at the same time. Creative is an understatement- like how you used the driver and car's description to say where the driver is at, in terms of time as well as attitude. This is what I got out of it, forgive me if I'm reading too much into it-ie: beat up- the impetuousness of youth, not enough sleep,drink too much with your buddies etc. Then stolen: You guys get sucked into the vortex of that big, corporate job which gives you luxury items like the fancy car, but robs your soul of peace. Your lover becomes your soul mate, then she's gone, but you're still driving that car inexorably toward the end, which, for all of us, gets closer every day. You want to believe there is a God and you want to love for eternity, but the preachers on the radio are mostly hype. Yeah, you're right- but God is not a liar just 'cause He's horrible misrepresented. We will get to Phoenix, and hopefully God will be driving our cars.
Asusualy, impeccable arranging and mixing- when are you starting classes? I love how you create understated yet fraught with meaning songs.

Check out my latest song called FWIW w Awigze and Dadai2

SmokeyVW

SmokeyVW said 1081 days ago (February 24th, 2007)

.
Roxylee - nice analysis!

since i wrote the lyrics, i'm not qualified to analyze it: "what does he know? he's only the author!"

but seriously, yes, you found several of the elements, although there are more hidden there. i'm not sure there is one "answer" to its meaning, but i like your interpretation.

my wife actually likes this song - she called it allegorical. wow.

thanks

Check out my latest song called SkyWind

	said 1081 days ago (February 24th, 2007)
	Very clean mix I really like this song. It's very good mixed nice and clean fit my ears like a breeze in the air. Best Regards --- Kenta

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 1081 days ago (February 24th, 2007)
	. i guess it might be because i used no reverb or echo on this mix. it seemed rather stark to me - but i wanted that effect i guess. thanks! Check out my latest song called SkyWind

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 1081 days ago (February 24th, 2007)
	a smooth ride a breezy drive through the sands and don't run out of gas, also liked that middle eastern bridge. a trippy tune just keep the hands on the wheel. excellent work! Check out my latest song called Away In Black (MJRF2010)

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 1081 days ago (February 24th, 2007)
	. i'm glad you liked it. but really, it's not about driving at all. i was surprised myself on how that middle eastern thing worked out - it was exactly what i wanted - in retrospect. it's just me and my shadow strolling... thanks!!! Check out my latest song called SkyWind

paddler	paddler said 1080 days ago (February 25th, 2007)
	Cool I like the way youre not qualified to analyze the lyrics but insist its not about driving at all.Paradoxical.For me it would make a great soundtrack to a film like fear & loathing.Love the disonant chords and the starkness of everything.Those violins sweeping in are really majestic.Great overall structure - very cool song! Check out my latest song called Losing The Fever

SmokeyVW

SmokeyVW said 1080 days ago (February 25th, 2007)

.
thanks for listening!

about that paradox...

i like this theory: try to assemble just the right elements in your work so that when people bring their own experiences to it, it clicks for them. then the work takes on larger proportions than the work actually contains. it's sort of like what a magician does: they fool their audience into seeing things that aren't really there... i don't mean that art is an illusion and therefore it's all bogus. far from it. art is all about perception.

i think this applies to all art, music included.

maybe this quote about writing explains it better.

ripped from http://www.deathwalker.co.uk/GCJonShannow2.htm

There was no doubt in my mind about what happened to Jon Shannow when he rode into the mountains, wounded and alone. He was dying. And Jerusalem beckoned.

Yet once the novel was published, reader reaction was immediate. How long to the next Shannow story? The answer was simple: Thank you for your letter, and I'm glad you enjoyed Jon Shannow's tale, but he is dead. There will be no more adventures.

I sent just such a response to a fan in Liverpool. He knew better and wrote back immediately. "No he's not! No way!"

It was a real shock- as if he knew something I didn't. I showed the letter to one of my test readers. Her amused response was, "Hey, maybe he's right. you don't know everything David: You're only the author."

From that moment I started wondering about Shannow. Could there have been some miracle on the mountain?

Check out my latest song called SkyWind

paddler

paddler said 1080 days ago (February 25th, 2007)

Aye!
I think I understand.Some friends of mine asked me if I'd seen the animation Salad Fingers by David Firth - I watched it and really didn't like it at all.When I found out there were subsequent episodes I for some reason found myself watching them all,yet didn't really know why.Its like trying to work out what makes someone tick - e.g the artist.The curiousity of trying to guess is probably more appealing to human nature than simply being told all the facts.Sustain the mystery!

---
You used to call me... 'fluffy pup'

Check out my latest song called Losing The Fever

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 1080 days ago (February 25th, 2007)
	. yes, that's it precisely! Check out my latest song called SkyWind

j2morrow	j2morrow said 1079 days ago (February 26th, 2007)
	Very weird but wonderful. A thought provoking word play on one's trip through life. Terrific marriage of lyric and tune. I really enjoyed taking your trip across the desert. Kudos. Check out my latest song called CAPTURE THE RAPTURE

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 1077 days ago (February 28th, 2007)
	. thanks j2! Check out my latest song called SkyWind

Joe Brady

Joe Brady said 1071 days ago (March 6th, 2007)

I love the lyrics
I must confess, in my minds ear, I hear you reading this at a slam and just taking the whole room on a trip. (That's just me, I like your spoken voice tremendously). The song is great though, it has a sort of B52's feel to the vocal/piano mix; nice hook in the piano playing. I particularly like the way the Babylon line sits out there on its own; like something unwanted in the mirror. When the strings come in, they are quite effective for that line; just nice. Still want to write like you.

Check out my latest song called The Refugee Blues by Feter with Jiguma

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 1070 days ago (March 7th, 2007)
	. LOL - a poetry slam! i never would have pictured doing that, but now you've got me to thinking... that piano hook is a lot of fun to play too. it all just sort of twists around itself. thanks for the detailed comments. Check out my latest song called SkyWind

	said 1016 days ago (April 30th, 2007)
	Good Song. One of the most marketable tunes. It reminds me of the first road trips we took as teenagers on our own, that at a later time turned into nostalgic trips home to show our past to our loves. I'd like to hear the impetus behind the lyrics! There must be some interesting stories behind these lyrics!

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 1013 days ago (May 3rd, 2007)
	. this was actually entirely abstract in nature. i never drove to Phoenix (not yet, anyway, but who knows? sounds like a plan!) but, like i say, it's not about driving to Phoenix anyway. thanks for dropping by Check out my latest song called SkyWind

michael2	michael2 said 631 days ago (May 19th, 2008)
	bill i love this. great lyrics and music, with a super cool arrangement. i would hope that Nillson would be making music like this if he were still putting out music. great track. Check out my latest song called Blow Yer Blues Away

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 538 days ago (August 20th, 2008)
	. wow, thanks. Harry Nilsson wrote some good stuff. Check out my latest song called SkyWind

	said 544 days ago (August 14th, 2008)
	great stuff i might try and re-do this one for the macjam cover song thing if that is ok...but i will have to wait until i get back to Phoenix in a couple of weeks... this would have fitted nicely on the beach boys love you album from 1977 (one of their very best) b

	said 544 days ago (August 14th, 2008)
	Actually On relistening, it is also very reminiscent of John Cale (who himself is a big fan of the beachboys/brian wilson) So...it would also fit in very nicely with some of Cale's later stuff I really like this song

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 538 days ago (August 20th, 2008)
	. i'd love to hear your cover of this song! thanks Check out my latest song called SkyWind

egobandit	egobandit said 269 days ago (May 16th, 2009)
	good fun strangeness Its like they might be giants meet soul coughing get into a car and drive to phoenix. Like the subdues and well placed everything. A thoughful prodution almost delicate in a way. The violin part was supreme! Check out my latest song called like a leaf

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 263 days ago (May 22nd, 2009)
	. i was very pleased with that violin thing too... thanks Check out my latest song called SkyWind

crissew	crissew said 175 days ago (August 18th, 2009)
	Really liked it This song is pretty genreless but I like that. I love road trip songs. Very well done Check out my latest song called Not So Kind

crissew	crissew said 175 days ago (August 18th, 2009)
	BTW fav'd it Check out my latest song called Not So Kind

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 175 days ago (August 18th, 2009)
	. hey thanks! Check out my latest song called SkyWind

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