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Description:
Apologies for deleting the first version which was only up for a few hours. I restored my original harp break which Johnny likes much better that that synthy eye-stabber I posted.
For that first version, Lengold wrote: "Really like this - great lyrics with some very interesting rhymes. Musically very good and I especially like the 'break'. I love songwriters - 'my car has been crushed' - 'I know - lets write a song about it'. Brilliant. Cheers, Len"
This is a collaboration of RSchletty and Katchoolik. Special thanks to Shimky for getting the ball rolling. The story of the song is here:
After the Fall
"Crushing News. Images from the Acts of God, Chapter 2007. My precious 1989 Chrysler New Yorker Landau (with soft cobalt blue Mark Cross leather seats) went under the weight of the old maple tree. In the bottom photo, that is my house on the left and my brother Joe's house on the right. It was his boulevard tree. My other brother Chris bolted the tree together about 20 years ago when it started splitting. He did a good job. Can't blame anyone -- just the windy storm. The City of St. Paul calls it an "Act of God" and will not cover damages, and the car was uninsured. No joy in this loss...."
Lyrics:
Ultraoverdrive
lyrics by Richard Schletty
music by Johnny Katchoolik
God took away my Chrysler
with a cold breath He iced her
A big tree fell and smashed
my Landau now is trash
But His random act of might
in the frightful storm that night
kept me safe from a dreadful fate
in a future time and state
(bridge)
Gonna make the best of it
Gonna make some sense of it
In a magic smoky mirror
an accident appeared
It was I and my loved ones
crashing into eighty tons
(refrain)
I was saved by the wind
when an act of God pinned
my white New Yorker's hood
under the weight of the wood
It would have been all over
if that day I drove her
to a place not right for me
on the edge of destiny
Now I see how I was spared
by the grace of God who cared
All that I dearly hold
could have died out on the road
Though she now is laying low
I remember the sweet flow
of her ultra-overdrive
She made me feel alive!
(bridge)
Ride that storm
Gonna make the best of it
Ride that storm
Gonna make some sense of it
Ride that storm
Ride that storm on the edge of destiny
(refrain)
I was saved by the wind
when an act of God pinned
my white New Yorker's hood
under the weight of the wood
It would have been all over
if that day I drove her
to a place not right for me
on the edge of destiny
(break)
Where is my Chrysler
my starship on wheels?
God took my comfort,
my feeling of ease
With bright lights shining
I used to ride the road
for miles and miles,
not going anywhere
It's a beautiful day
in nowhereville
If you just arrived,
it's time to leave
There's plenty of nothing
for those who want it all
Nothing is real
Nothing is real
What love is this
that cradles hope and fear?
What happiness lies
beyond this domain?
Our breaths in pain
Don't you know I'm looking for
that ultraoverdrive
What can I do
to make make me feel alive?
Ride that storm
in the lightning and the rain
Ride that storm
through the emptiness and pain
(refrain)
I was saved by the wind
when an act of God pinned
my white New Yorker's hood
under the weight of the wood
It would have been all over
if that day I drove her
to a place not right for me
on the edge of destiny
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now that's &mdash 10/09/07 - 09:46:05 AM
what I'm talking about...
Great job with the vocals and lyrics (very deep, very high level) .Ultrainteresting harmonica parts,
gives the tune a whole new dimension.
Just another beautiful day in Nowhereville...
[ Reply to This ]
Nowhere Man &mdash 10/09/07 - 09:56:28 AM
Choppy coolness &mdash 10/09/07 - 10:25:20 AM
This is totally cool. Great idea, nice choppy lines, cool music bed, excellent mix clarity and vocal delivery. I have some questions: Is the fate you were saved from the crashing of the bridge in MN? Why do you say "Landua" (isn't that a Nash?) Were there 2 cars? Sorry for my inane confusion, but I couldn't put together what the tree on the New Yorker saved you from... [ Reply to This ]
Ascribe meaning to entropy? &mdash 10/09/07 - 11:00:12 AM
I usually don't ascribe much meaning to an accident -- or an "act of God", as the City of Saint Paul called the high wind which blew over my brother's tree, crushing my 1989 Chrysler New Yorker Landau. But Shimky suggested a storyline and I ran with it (read the Forum thread...the link is above). The lyrics are not as well developed as they could be. But suffice it to say that the Chrysler could be a metaphor for self indulgence which should be snatched away from the overindulgent. It could be a metaphor for obsessive dreams and aspirations which might "injure" those closest to you as well as yourself. The Chrysler could also be a metaphor for our comfortable sense of communion with God which can suddenly be snatched away, leaving one in the dark, in a terrible, dark, empty storm of unknowing. I was thinking of the recently published letters of Mother Teresa who endured 50 years of "dark night of the soul" (a la St. John of the Cross). She continued to ride a spiritual storm on the raw edge of her beautiful faith.
Landau refers to the trim package for that 89 Chrysler which was in mint condition (except for a faulty tranny). [ Reply to This ]
God as "uninsured" &mdash 10/09/07 - 12:40:32 PM
...that Acts of God result in no monetary insurance compensation has to be on the metaphor list, as well. Yes, I got most of those things from the nice set of metaphors you create in your lyrics; it was the actual flesh and blood story line I was trying to piece together correctly. Maybe if you are more precise about the story line "fate" you are saved from, the other things on your list might become even stronger, in contrast/congruency?
[ Reply to This ]
song is done &mdash 10/09/07 - 01:18:26 PM
Tobin:
I'm beginning to think that for most listeners, it doesn't natter if the lyrics make any sense. They just have to sound good. And the word phrases must be able to come off my tongue like rapid, syncopated pellets. More-so in this song because of its tempo and staccato feeling. I enjoy shaping consonants and vowels. If the lyrics mesh and flow, all the better. I didn't used to be this way. Previously, I paid a lot of attention to rhyme and reasons. Maybe I'm getting lazy. I'm just trying to get emotion and hooks delivered with some nice resonance and harmonics. Call me Pops.
My cousin Tony had the same crit of the lyrics. They didn't all make sense to him.
The song is done. No going back now.
[ Reply to This ]
Mental fatigue messes the Muse &mdash 10/10/07 - 08:09:28 AM
Tobin: Thanks for the note you sent me via Mailbox. I will reconsider. In my reply to you, I apologized for saying the song is done. It's not done. I can do better with the story line. I appreciate your vote of confidence. A bit of mind fatigue and cynicism crept into my Muse yesterday. I will chase that away. [ Reply to This ]
The story line &mdash 10/10/07 - 08:27:09 AM
"We were out in a date in my daddy's car. We hadn't driven very far..." [ Reply to This ]
eighty tons &mdash 10/09/07 - 11:15:18 AM
No, I wasn't thinking of the 35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Shimky suggested "a car crash somewhere between St. Paul and New York". For me, "eighty tons" suggests crashing into a moving train at a rural train crossing. That's my "magic, smoky mirror" imagery -- God gave me a peek into His crystal ball. [ Reply to This ]
ramalamadingdong &mdash 10/09/07 - 12:21:14 PM
Hmmm... &mdash 10/09/07 - 01:33:18 PM
secret code &mdash 10/09/07 - 02:56:08 PM
Yep... &mdash 10/09/07 - 10:53:42 PM
Meaning &mdash 10/10/07 - 02:09:07 PM
This is... &mdash 10/09/07 - 06:04:00 PM
katchoolschletty!! Great song.
katch... outstanding electronic sound bed of cool music.
Schletts... you are in a zone. Creativity of vocalization is overflowing in this one.
Great song. [ Reply to This ]
Nowhereville..... &mdash 10/09/07 - 10:42:44 PM
...now...where, exactly is that, anyway?
I love the movement into the refrain.
Harmonica's a great touch.
Like this tune... [ Reply to This ]
Now-Here-ville? &mdash 10/10/07 - 07:15:32 AM
Well, think about it... Is it Nowhere-ville or Now-Here-ville?
I have been told by a certain person at Folk Alley that Nowhereville is actually Chagrin Falls, OH. [ Reply to This ]
no &mdash 10/10/07 - 08:11:04 AM
its actually in the parts unknown area of elsewhere.........my silver throated one...... [ Reply to This ]
nether ball &mdash 10/10/07 - 08:25:05 AM
Are you sure it's not in the nether region of your somnolent subdural nexus, just above the arachnoid membrane of your meninges? [ Reply to This ]
i failed &mdash 10/10/07 - 09:05:50 AM
Long live the king of mirth &mdash 10/10/07 - 09:17:14 AM
I meant that Nowhereville is a figment of the imagination. Everything has a place and time in the Vast Sweep.
More importantly, Elvis is Everywhere. [ Reply to This ]
uh... &mdash 10/10/07 - 11:38:01 AM
...what?
hehehe...
Knew you'd write a piece about your car the minute you posted in the Forum...get it out of your system?
What did you get to replace that beauty, anyway?
[ Reply to This ]
plush crush &mdash 10/10/07 - 04:06:56 PM
We have six other cars, so there is no need to replace it. I wish the tree had fallen on my son's crusty Grand Marquis or my ugly, ailing Grand Voyager van. Chance chose the wrong vehicle. My wife loved that ride! Plush Mark Cross leather seats. [ Reply to This ]
or,,,, &mdash 10/10/07 - 07:29:07 PM
Chagrin Falls &mdash 10/10/07 - 10:30:30 AM
Chagrin Falls is actually a lovely little exurban town, about a half-hour drive from Cleveland. Quiet, quaint and somewhat exclusive, it is a popular residence for both business and artistic people.
Perhaps your Folk Alley friend caught it on a bad night. ;) [ Reply to This ]
With some chagrin &mdash 10/10/07 - 02:06:56 PM
Yes, that person lives there on bad nights and bad days. But things are looking up.
Like being up a creek w/o a paddle, Nowhereville is a state of mind. [ Reply to This ]
Quirky Travelogue... &mdash 10/10/07 - 10:14:51 AM
on the road of Life, exploring the unconsidered dark side of Joyce Kilmer's musings... while maintaining a positive and philosophical spin on the loss of your beloved wheels.
While the lyrics and subsequent phrasings are at times awkward, the overall effect is successful... and entertaining.
I think Kat's quirky electronic bed led you down an interesting road in this piece and your vocals, like an uneasy hitchhiker, made the best of it.
If nothing else, it led to a unique and entertaining song. And I agree, the simple harmonica part in the break works very well. ;)
--- Joe [ Reply to This ]
Happystance &mdash 10/10/07 - 10:58:05 AM
You should all listen to my first two explorations of the song, one with mandolin, and the other with guitar.
http://www.schletty.com/music/Saved-by-the-Wind-test.mp3
http://www.schletty.com/music/Saved-by-the-Wind-test2.mp3
Now, decide whether I did the right thing by marrying my words to Katch's tune. I'm happy if you're happy.
We're all happy.
Happy happenstance [ Reply to This ]
When life gives you lemons... &mdash 10/10/07 - 10:59:44 AM
...there's always the Lemon Law%u2122
And then there's this: lemonade of the best kind :)
I like the quirky 'might-have-been' lyrics, the creativity, the vibe of this song.
What a great way to deal with misfortune, though a great collaboration.
Kudos! :) [ Reply to This ]
Clutch the moment &mdash 10/10/07 - 11:04:18 AM
We occasionally are Mystified by random bad luck and good luck.
Who knows what tomorrow holds? Clutch the moment, friends. Tell it now. [ Reply to This ]
love this one! &mdash 10/13/07 - 11:19:05 AM
Super job! Tons of talent shines! Love the lyrics - Great vocals - Great music throughout. Inspiring and true! Thanks for sharing! [ Reply to This ]
Gail force comment &mdash 10/14/07 - 04:04:52 PM
Wondering? &mdash 10/14/07 - 09:55:17 PM
Wondering? &mdash 10/14/07 - 09:55:30 PM
gale force, not gail force &mdash 10/14/07 - 11:48:56 PM
It was just a play on words, a joke. During storms at sea, they speak of gale force winds. Sorry if I offended or confused you. I was trying to be funny. [ Reply to This ]
Great combo of talents! &mdash 10/13/07 - 03:48:50 PM
Real next gen sounds, love how this is based on a true event! good job guys [ Reply to This ]
yessir &mdash 10/15/07 - 03:16:12 PM
Ultraoverdrive &mdash 10/14/07 - 11:42:25 AM
very cool song .and singin..ye the harp was something
among all the lines .good job my friends lovely colab! [ Reply to This ]
Proffessional &mdash 10/16/07 - 12:24:12 AM
I just had a bit of a katchoolik awakening and bought bruce lee on itunes then came here to check out this collab.Love the changes in texture - interesting chords and above all what an original creation.Excellent all round.
Great stuff Cheers - RG [ Reply to This ]
this is great!!! &mdash 12/07/07 - 05:55:59 PM
i was expecting some killer katchoolik guitar, though.
but, still did not disappoint!
this sounds like it was written for Rich!
super job guys! [ Reply to This ]
.. &mdash 05/20/08 - 03:59:02 AM
this is an amazing composition WOW !(!) seems both complicated & simply smooth cause of the great musicians work ...Great singing & lyrics ! Very high scores on this ( :
I'd love to have You put what U use in the description so many sounds... Wow...
i no You had very bad luck back then w Your car sorry about it : ( it was lucky nobody was in it but I c U miss it..I would too .
TX for this amazingly great song. I'm sorry to see Katchoolik is not here anylonger..!?
ThankYou for this : ) [ Reply to This ]
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Great job with the vocals and lyrics (very deep, very high level) .Ultrainteresting harmonica parts,
gives the tune a whole new dimension.
Just another beautiful day in Nowhereville...
[ Reply to This ]