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For The Diamond by dolby [Email]

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SONG STATS:
Hits: 1038
Comments: 38
Votes: 8
Plays: 132
Last Played: Sep 01, 2008 - 02:00:50 PM
Downloads: 45
Fans: 15
Uploaded: Sep 07, 2007 - 04:53:14 AM
Last Updated: Sep 21, 2007 - 07:45:30 AM
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Keywords:
Australia (9), Diamonds (3), Travel (22), Baseball (5), Dolby (12),  ()
Description:
I've just spent half an hour trying to write down what this song is about - but can't explain it! So, suffice to say that it is inspired by Australia - but isn't about Australia, and is inspired by baseball - but isn't about baseball.

Production wise, this is actually two pieces stuck together - the first 75 seconds started life as a little instrumental that came about as I played around with the Symphony Orchestra Jam Pack when I first got it. Somehow the refrain at the beginning worked its way into the second verse of the song so I left the two together. Maybe I'll work on expanding the instrumental, one day?

I wanted to create a kind of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" opening that built to a crescendo before going into the opening of the song. Not sure how successful I've been, but I'm pretty happy with the results on the whole.

This has also been remixed since I've joined MacJams, and I've listened to people who've encouraged me to push the vox up front. I think the vocals work pretty well on this.

Let me know what you think,
Cheers,
Phil

Lyrics:
For The Diamond
(by Phil Dolby ©2007)

They drove all night
In search of Saturn
With the chair unfolded
And the belt unbuckled
They hopped that night flight
Hith-hiked to venus
With the frame all blown up
And the focus softened
 
They drove only for the diamond
They drove only for the diamond
But they never saw the slider coming
From the only place left in the world
The only place left in the world
The only place left in the world
The only place left in the world
 
They’re a little grayer
But so much wiser
They said they’d meet here
In the warmth of spring time
But they missed that comet
And the cold of winter
So they kept their promise
And they reconsidered
 
They drove only for the diamond
They drove only for the diamond
But they never saw the slider coming
From the only place left in the world
The only place left in the world
The only place left in the world
The only place left in the world
 
What was her name?
What was her name?
Was it in Rome
Or then again...
He wrote her name onto a piece of card
Put it in a box and passed it over the bar
Of the...
 
...only place left in the world
The only place left in the world
(repeat)

Hardware:
Hohner Accoustic Guitar

Software:
GB
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Nice Post ! &mdash 09/07/07 - 07:44:27 AM
This is cool song, the mixing sounds really good, the music composition is great ! the vocal sounds nice here, one of your bests Phil ! Enjoyed

Take Care
==============
Yeman Auf Al-Rawi

[ Reply to This ]
Thanks Yeman &mdash 09/10/07 - 01:05:15 AM
Glad you enjoyed,

Phil

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Very nice &mdash 09/07/07 - 10:25:15 AM

Enjoyed the listen much . Bravo !

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Nice one Phil &mdash 09/07/07 - 12:06:38 PM
At first I wasn't too sure.

This is quite a *departure* from the tracks of yours that I've listen to thus far.

I very much like the changing landscapes that you have crafted. Glad that you've built in MJ feedback and notched up the vox. This worked.

Very listenable and mellow but rocky at the same time.

Good job - well done.

Graham





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Cheers Steck &mdash 09/10/07 - 12:16:43 AM
The best tracks are always those you're not sure about at first (I think!) so that's a good thing:-))

Thanks for your comments as always....

Phil

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Cheers Henri &mdash 09/10/07 - 12:14:28 AM
Glad you found the track & enjoyed.

Thanks,
Phil

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For The Diamond &mdash 09/07/07 - 12:38:46 PM
Art Rock ...surely inspired by the floyds
which you did so well , Great singing your
friends were right . Cool work my friend
Hohner ? wo !!

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This is really &mdash 09/07/07 - 01:09:03 PM
well done.I love the ELP synth in the intro.This is the first of your songs that i have heard.I'm very impressed.

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Thanks Mark &mdash 09/10/07 - 12:22:20 AM
Really nice when someone new finds their way here. Glad you enjoyed the song. ELP hey? I haven't quite started sticking knives into my computer yet, but I must confess I've felt like it a few times:-))

Cheers,
Phil

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Hey Feter &mdash 09/10/07 - 12:19:30 AM
Glad you found your way here and enjoyed my 'Art Rock' Appreciate your comments. Thanks again,
Phil

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Hey Phil.. &mdash 09/07/07 - 01:56:40 PM
... man, you love your 80's synths! Your voice sounds excellent on this - just right in the mix. this is a quality track, thoughtfully structured, with great melodies. I love the lyrics to this ... right up my street.

Top class work ... very far from the 'float!

steve

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Aaaarghh Steve... &mdash 09/10/07 - 12:27:56 AM
...I just knew you were gonna mention the synths!!!!! :-))

Truth is I did a remix before uploading this track and I tried it without the synths (put a guitar on there instead) but it just didn't work. I think it will just have to stay for the time being:-)

Glad you like the vox and lyrics - this is the first song on which I got away from the 'travel' idea, and is a little more ambiguous. I prefer lyrics like this, and now I'm not writing 'road songs' anymore my new stuff is more in this vein - so watch this space:)

Glad you enjoyed. Appreciate your comments (as always)

Phil

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Excellent song &mdash 09/07/07 - 08:47:11 PM
This really doesn't sound like two songs stuck together and I'm definitely picking up some Floydiness. The lyrics are very intriguing and those vocals are particularly well recorded. It's a song that really repays repeated listening and indeed I'm finding it rather catchy!

KK

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Thanks very much KK &mdash 09/10/07 - 12:29:56 AM
Glad you found the track - and enjoyed:)

Cheers,
Phil

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Hey, this is really good! &mdash 09/08/07 - 12:19:40 AM
The lyrics are strong and full of meaning. great guitar and synth, not to mention drums! There is definitely a "sounds like" going on in my head but I just can't put my finger on it. You have an awesome voice dolby and the production is tops! KOKO, (Keep On Keepin On)

Alvin

[ Reply to This ]
Wow! &mdash 09/10/07 - 12:32:02 AM
Thanks for the big-up on the voice Alvin, and glad you found/enjoyed the track

Cheers for the comment,
Phil

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I want to marry your guitars &mdash 09/08/07 - 01:43:22 AM
Sweet!

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I'm not sure... &mdash 09/10/07 - 12:33:45 AM
...that that's strictly legal Robert, but I'll ask them:)

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top class &mdash 09/08/07 - 03:17:59 AM
tight but very smooth at the same time. Very nice vocal harmonies (your voice is very strong and appealing BTW). Nice guitar solo near the end. Top class all the way.
- walt

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Hey Walter &mdash 09/10/07 - 12:36:47 AM
Appreciate the comment - glad you found the song and enjoyed the solo. I try not to indulge in solo's very often, and if I do they're usually one take wonders (like this one) and are straight out of the Neil Young For Dummies book - but occasionally I think they work Ok:)

Thanks for dropping by,
Phil

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Nice track! &mdash 09/08/07 - 04:28:52 AM
I wasn't too sure about the slightly prog opening (not being a prog fan myself hehe) but I really like this song...the chorus is particularly lovely and the vocal harmonies there remind me of Difford and Tibrook in Squeeze. Really nice!
Steve

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Thanks Steve &mdash 09/10/07 - 12:39:26 AM
You've made my day - any comparison to D&T is very much appreciated. A pet project of mine for the last however many years has been to try and re-write "Pulling Muscles From A Shell", but haven't ever got close - but I keep trying!

Thanks for the comment
Phil

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Synth &mdash 09/08/07 - 06:31:11 PM
Love that synth opening. I always like to hear unique synth sounds that do not try to emulate traditional instruments. Love the swell, and the beat when it comes in. Reminds me of Styx.

"Hohner" guitar? I thought they only made harmonicas. Oh well, I used to have a 'Conn' 12-string, and I had thought they only made trumpets and whatnot.

Love the mildly distorted power chords. Well-thought out and executed.

OK, now it reminds me of "Ground Control to Major Tom" by David Bowie. (I think the real title may have been "Space Oddity.")

This whole track is very good quality, and shows real computer production chops, as well as displaying a natural musicianship, and a love for performing. Thanks for posting, Phil.

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Thanks John &mdash 09/10/07 - 12:42:55 AM
That's one heck of a review - thanks for taking the time to listen to the track. Never really thought of Bowie in anything I've done (I'll leave that to Echoroom) but I suppose there's a natural Englishness to my voice - and I'm a minor chord gutar player so that usually does the trick:)

Thanks for the comment,
Phil

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Phil &mdash 09/09/07 - 12:38:08 AM
The vox are great, nice levels. The harmonies are ace. I like how they are fairly loose and you didn't polish them up too much, timing wise. The production is great on the whole. The levels, relatively to each other, are spot on. Tonally, I would suggest maybe brightening the EQ on the acoustic guitar a little, it seems a little muffled. The elec. guitar power chords work, with the middle pumped as you have it. I agree with John, shades of "Major Tom" a high compliment. You and Echroom have much in common in your vocal smooth-osity. Very Tasty.

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Thanks Philip &mdash 09/10/07 - 12:56:35 AM
I know what you mean about the timing of the vocals - it's purely accidental. The track was recorded quickly and i couldn't settle on the lead vox in the chorus so tied singing one line up and one down. It sounded Ok so I left it - I suppose I always intended to tighten it up - but never got around to it. Sometimes lack of tightness can work.

As for the acoustic guitars, again, couldn't agree more - I have incredible trouble recording acoustically (no decent mic, average sounding guitar etc), although I did add some reverb to this, so it is something that I'm aware of - and bugs the hell out of me:)

Glad you enjoyed the track though, and thanks for the constructive comments - although we'll leave the Bowie stuff to Steve I think!

Phil

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Good Gravy Phil &mdash 09/09/07 - 01:27:37 PM
this is such a cool piece that I wish that I had wrote it. Everything is just great. I really dug the bridge section.

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Cheers Vic &mdash 09/10/07 - 12:59:32 AM
I like good gravy!

I wan't too sure about the middle bit - so glad it hit the spot! I got carried away with the symphoy orchestra loops - so there's a kettle drum and all sorts in there - but it works Ok I think?

Fankyouverymuch,
Phil

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I think &mdash 09/09/07 - 03:24:30 PM
this is your best performance to date and it sounds really great. Shades of Bowie for one as others have said, but this sounds like one of the classics pop-wise. You've got great sounds there and the vocal and vocal arrangements are brill. The song is really good and good original lyrics. Very hard to come up with originality lyric-wise but you did it and sung them well. You excelled yourself my son LOL, regards M

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Hey Mo &mdash 09/10/07 - 01:02:00 AM
Thanks for popping round again - always good to hear your thoughts:)

Being up there with the pop classics can't be a bad thing, and I'm pretty chuffed with this - so gald you approve!

Thanks again,
Phil

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This is &mdash 09/11/07 - 01:53:57 AM
my third listen and it is definitely a catchy grower. Anybody mentioned 'Moody Blues'. Great song and superb production. Faultless.
Cheers
Len



[ Reply to This ]
Thanks Len... &mdash 09/11/07 - 02:58:23 AM
Glad you enjoyed.

You seem to be changing 'heads' a lot recently?

Thanks for the comments,
Phil

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nice and compelling &mdash 09/11/07 - 07:54:59 AM
Welcome to Macjams! Very nice music, well composed, played, sung, and mixed. My only suggestion is that the rhythm guitar is a little loud in the mix, and tends to muddy things a bit. I like the minor mode song, the enigmatic lyrics, the symphonic intro is quite nice... the synthy tie-in was a great tie-in-tune, but a little raspy/detuned compared to everything else, though perhaps contrast is what you were looking for. I liked the bass/rhythm playing ideas, simple but satisfying.
ttfn,
Drakonis

[ Reply to This ]
Thanks Drakonis &mdash 09/12/07 - 08:42:08 AM
Thanks for stopping bye. I agree about the rhythm guitar volume - it's on my 'must sort out' list.

Cheers for the comments,
Phil

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Good post Phil &mdash 09/12/07 - 09:21:13 PM
Another cool song - very well done - especially in the production department. A touch of Bowie in there too :)
Neil

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Nice to hear &mdash 09/14/07 - 05:18:00 AM
Started off as a Pink Floyd thing, which I liked. Then came the singing, which I liked even better.
Very good song and lyrics.
Really enjoy your work.
I'll have to listen to more.
Once more, good solid job.
LL

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Great &mdash 11/05/07 - 04:36:40 PM
this song is great... Lovely melodies.. Well done

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For the Diamond &mdash 12/04/07 - 07:50:12 PM
This is an excellent attempt at Pink Floyd - I think it's halfway there but halfway as far as Pink Floyd is concerned isn't bad at all!

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