Sharpest Tongue

racerat

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Description

This is a song about an old girlfriend. The lyrics say it all. "The softest hands, the sharpest tongue". The music, lyrics, instruments were all done by me.

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Lyrics

Sharpest Tongue
© 2005 Philip VanDusen

Lost out on the road
With no family
We had one once
It was you and me

Two divided
A song unsung
The softest hands
The sharpest tongue

Moved out to the west coast
Had your chin done
Called from the highway
Called number one yeah

Always laughing
Always the center of attention
I’d have it no other way
You’d have it no other way

You were the prize
Back when I was real
But the years peel the paint
Off of the fastest wheel

Two divided
A song unsung
The softest hands
The sharpest tongue

Song Stats

Hits: 1352
Comments: 30
Fans: 16
Plays: 225
Downloads: 88
Votes: 8
Uploaded: Apr 18, 2007 - 12:46:59 AM
Last Updated: Apr 18, 2007 - 01:07:06 AM Last Played: Aug 08, 2009 - 09:34:12 AM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Song Actions

Hardware:

Crappy Yamaha acoustic with a Sunrise Pickup
Oxygen 8 keyboard
Fender Jazz bass
Shure Sm58 & 59
Boss DR-555 drum machine

Software:

Logic Pro

Comments

Leon

Leon said 953 days ago (April 18th, 2007)

Yeah!
This song is pro-level clear and crisp from the very first note and is immediately engaging with its rhythm. This is definitely at the top of my favorites from among your songs you've posted so far. The vocals are confident, although personally I prefer a single vocal in some areas and multi-layered in some highlighted parts like the chorus. Overall, a very solid performance, and one of your most appealing and best songs , as far as I'm concerned.

Check out my latest song called The Nightingale (music and lyrics by Oceans)

racerat

racerat said 952 days ago (April 18th, 2007)

Leon returns!
Hey, Were ya been? Glad to have you back! I try to mix it up. I try not to get too formulaic with how I track the vocals. I don't have too much confidence in my voice, and have a tendency to want to thicken it up with overdubs. I also am a big fan of Bob Mould of Husker Du who was known to overdub his main vocal 5 times or more--(he also did the same thing to his guitar)

---
-Philip

Check out my latest song called Frank's Song

	said 952 days ago (April 18th, 2007)
	nice job! oooo - i love this groove - very well presented. the big wall of vocal sound gives the song an Anthem quality. "Back when I was real/But the years peel the paint/Off of the fastest wheel" - what a cool line. hats off to you on this one, philip. and a big OW! from me cuz it ended so soon. truly enjoyed this one - greedy little pig, anne

racerat

racerat said 952 days ago (April 18th, 2007)

groove
Thanks Anne,
This is definitely one of my sqeaky clean ones. I grew up listening to a lot of Bread and America (though as well as Hendrix and KISS) and I break out and have to channel them sometimes. Yeah, I know it's short, but sometimes I just have to make the point and get the hell out. I'm a big fan of the 2:30 song. So glad that you came by. I'm a big fan. You have some of the best pipes around. Props to you.

---
-Philip

Check out my latest song called Frank's Song

Ed Hannifin

Ed Hannifin said 952 days ago (April 18th, 2007)

THIS is one that grows on me...
...into my third listen this morning...

I really like the bass playing on this, and the tone of the bass. The tune seems built on the bass, rather than the drums, and it works.

I think I'm inclined towards Leon's viewpoint, that, knowing you've got a strong voice, I'd lean towards moments of either a solo vocal line, or a doubled line in which the second (or third) voices are only present enough to give a slight burr to the main vocal...

This lyric says a lot in remarkably few words, and the melody is more infectious than one might realize as it goes by...until it's later, and it's still in your head...

Ed

Check out my latest song called Next Time Around (w/jiguma)

racerat

racerat said 952 days ago (April 18th, 2007)

lasting
Ed,
Thanks for the multiple listens. That's why I made it so short! No really. I had the same experience. Many times a song I have been working doesn't stick with me through the day, playing over and over in my head. But with this one did. For weeks I couldn't shake it. I don't know what it is about it. It's just a sticky melody....

---
-Philip

Check out my latest song called Frank's Song

	said 952 days ago (April 18th, 2007)
	toe tappin As soon as i start listening I noticed my foot tappin. THis style is different for you. This shows your all around musicianship. The lyrics and singing are great, cool song!

MasonAtom

MasonAtom said 951 days ago (April 19th, 2007)

poppy
The level of production that people on this site are getting to is amazing... So much polished stuff here. I like how the acoustic sits in the mix. Listening to stuff like this is very instructive on how to put a song together. The vocals seem a bit too layered for my tastes, but that's a minor quibble. Definitely seems like you put a lot of work into this one.

Mason

Check out my latest song called Tiny Man Inside (Read Between the Lines)

racerat	racerat said 951 days ago (April 19th, 2007)
	production Thanks Mason for droppin in. Just listened to your song Quantum Cascade. Now THAT'S production. Really great vibe. Sooooo smooth. I like polished, but I also like raw, rough and lo-fi, too. Variety is the spice of life---ya know? Cheers, Philip --- -Philip Check out my latest song called Frank's Song

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 951 days ago (April 19th, 2007)
	this is a great one! funky yet with a country rock mix. i agree with Ed on the vocals, bring the suport vocal tracks down a bit. gotta give yourself a bit more credit on your singing, pretty good to me. Check out my latest song called November

five_extra_arms

five_extra_arms said 951 days ago (April 19th, 2007)

A Song Unsung
Hey Philip. This is a wonderfilled tune. I really love the lyrics and the attitude behind your entire concept. Your voice is nice and it is actually very colorful in this tune. After the third listening, I think I understand what Vic meant by dropping the support vocals a tiny bit. Man, I learn something every day from listening to songs like this.

I think this song is really elegant and well written, well performed. The abrupt ending is the part where suddenly I thought of Bob Mould. Black Sheets of Rain or something like that? Thanks for sharing your influences and your song. MasonAtom is right, there are some amazing productions posted here. This is one that I really liked.

Look forward to hearing more of your work.

Bob

Check out my latest song called Michael Pool

apb	apb said 950 days ago (April 20th, 2007)
	Very smooth great singing, production all round. Only gripes are is the percussive "ka" throughout and the sudden ending. Otherwise a very pleasant listen Phillip. Kudos. Check out my latest song called Misplaced

	said 950 days ago (April 20th, 2007)
	Smooooth Great track! That's pretty groovy organ playing, buddy.... The sound on this is amazing, and the harmonies are very very nice. In general, I agree with Leon about vocals (I prefer a single vocal with 'accents"), but I think this kind of song calls for a softer, more layered sound like you have. Killer lyrics, too.

	said 947 days ago (April 23rd, 2007)
	Great song! nice melodies great sound, fresh summer rock!

michael2

michael2 said 942 days ago (April 28th, 2007)

nice song
i really like this, great groove and the melody and lyrics are awesome. it seems like I am always the lone vice in the crowd yelling: "go ahead and double track them vocals." i can see where people feel that way, but I think that it's the idiosyncrasy's that make songs special (especially in the digital age where it's super easy to lay down a bland layer of perfection). great job.

Check out my latest song called Behind Enemy Lines (w/Bud and Particle Dots)

racerat	racerat said 942 days ago (April 28th, 2007)
	idiosyncratic Thanks for the listen and comment. I agree. I think that you have to have a couple elements of a song that AREN'T perfect or the whole thing becomes bland and elevator-listening, or worse...radio. And this track, with that rhodes, comes very close to schmaltz. --- -Philip Check out my latest song called Frank's Song

bud

bud said 942 days ago (April 28th, 2007)

Don't know what took me so long to get here -
but I'm sure glad I did. Great tune - love the bass and percussion intro witht the finger cymbals - beautiful. Also - it's great hearing your voice for a change - not that Andy and and Matt aren't good too - but I really like your vocals on this. Great beat - writing, plaing and production. Way to go.

Check out my latest song called try not to think

echoroom	echoroom said 930 days ago (May 11th, 2007)
	Nearly missed this! Hells Teeth, I'm late into this,,, sorry Phil! This sounds freakin' great, and is a wonderful summery tune, the most commercial thing i think you've posted. Great length, and great biting lyrics (had your chin done!). Love the chorus harmonies ... a hit! Steve Check out my latest song called Deeper (w/t Racerat)

	said 927 days ago (May 13th, 2007)
	Dig it Hey mate, this is an nice one. I'll be adding this too my iPod specifically for road trippin on the weekends. Like the keyboard in particular.

lavalamp	lavalamp said 902 days ago (June 8th, 2007)
	Great song Glad to hear some of your other stuff. This a very good track. What do you think of the vocals? How many times do you have it tracked? Think you have a good voice and sometimes less is more. Great lyrics great song. LL Check out my latest song called Googolplex Times Zero

racerat

racerat said 901 days ago (June 8th, 2007)

vox
Hey David,
Thanks for coming.
I tracked the vox 3 times. I realize they aren't terribly tight, and it seems to have bugged a few folks (besides you). Maybe I've set up unrealistic expectations with my other stuff? But I'm OK w/ it, otherwise I wouldn't have posted it. I like to think it adds a little off-kilter interest to an otherwise sweet, sappy song.
Philip

---
-Philip

Check out my latest song called Frank's Song

Feter	Feter said 894 days ago (June 15th, 2007)
	Sharpest Tongue cool rockin ... I just dig the words so much ahh the keyboards just fine ..one of the best song I ve heard ...well done my friend !! Check out my latest song called A Night With Feter feat'(Roxylee sloparts crissew johnwhitehead and Yamin AL Yamani )

dolby

dolby said 868 days ago (July 11th, 2007)

Just fine
Philip,

Been spending a bit of time listening through a bunch of your stuff and trying to play catch-up - but it's pretty much impossible. So, hope you don't mind and I'll just leave a few general comments.

Your songs really are great on the whole. I have no idea how you get the clarity of production that you do - but it really makes me realise how much I've got to learn! Your songs all have space in them, real dynamics and you know how to get a great accoustic guitar sound (which I'm really having trouble achieveing, if I'm honest).

You'll probably be the first to admit that you're not the worlds greatest singer (slap me if I'm wrong!), but you make up for this with real feeling, and you're not afraid to keep in the wobbly notes (hell, Dylan did, Neil Young did etc etc).

I'm definitely leaning more towards your accoustic stuff, rather than the hard rockers, although some of the 'arty' tracks are very engaging and take me back to my youth listening to The Swans or Cabaret Voltaire or Sonic Youth.

This track is obviously a firm favourite, and rightly so. As others have mentioned it has a great production - but also a fine melody, that is slightly unexpected in the chorus hook. It's a gem, and my first download from the site. Can't wait to hear your new stuff as and when it come on stream.

Cheers, Phil

Check out my latest song called You Can't Win Them All

racerat

racerat said 861 days ago (July 18th, 2007)

no offense taken
Actually I'd take out every wobbly note I could if I could find them all and I had all day and night, every day and night. But, really, thanks for taking the time for the comments and thoughts. It has taken me 15 years to learn how to record and acoustic, and more importantly MIX one. That's where the secrets lie. But thanks for the props.

Phil

---
-Philip

Check out my latest song called Frank's Song

	said 807 days ago (September 10th, 2007)
	Liked everything about this one... Music - can't stop groovin' to this one :-) , Lyrics - got some good hooks, like Sisters said. Your Vocals are Very Nice!!! :-) The beat gets your attention and holds it. Reminded me a little of tmcfate's music.

racerat	racerat said 805 days ago (September 13th, 2007)
	hey! A deep groovy bass and a Fender Rhodes piano always get me feelin' all....well reminiscent. I appreciate your praise on the vocals. It is hit or miss with me, and this one just squeeked by. --- -Philip Check out my latest song called Frank's Song

dynoMYSTIC	dynoMYSTIC said 794 days ago (September 24th, 2007)
	Capital G for Groovulous, easy on the bean, liked the doubled vox; catchy tune. Check out my latest song called Gravity

racerat	racerat said 792 days ago (September 26th, 2007)
	Groov-ilissimo Thx, Dyno! Glad your bean is soothed. --- -Philip Check out my latest song called Frank's Song

FGarofalo	FGarofalo said 777 days ago (October 10th, 2007)
	Beautiful groove to this. I love the vocals it's like a few guys hangin and jamin. Just a good tune. Good job Philip. Frank. Check out my latest song called Chosen Few

davisamerica	davisamerica said 731 days ago (November 25th, 2007)
	phillip waiting on some new stuff from you so checking previous postings and found this one...excellent my friend...man you are good! Check out my latest song called No Son(egobandit band)

Fan List

apb

bud

Artist Info

Name: Philip VanDusen

I went to school for the fine arts, painting, and taught that for a while, but I am now a graphic design executive by day, and a musician most the rest of the time. I play guitar and bass mostly, do midi synth stuff, use drum machine... [see more]

Check out some of my other songs:

Genre Info

More songs in Pop (Alternative):

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