Stranger In Town

Vic Holman

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Description

On a Saturday night I was tinkering around on the guitar with a capo. And this song came about in a matter of 15 or 20 minutes. So I recorded the whole music bed the next morning before I forgot it. Finally got around to adding the vocals last night.

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Lyrics

Stranger In Town

I stop the car I look around
trying to figure out this town
see the policeman fast a sleep
everyones staging one act pays

chorus:
I hide my face
as the stranger in town
rumors get around
I'm the stranger in town

it's that guy with the long blonde hair
what the hell is he doing here
bartender asks "new around here"
sure woke up this sleepy little town

chorus:
I hide my face
as the stranger in town
rumors get around
I'm the stranger in town

walk along the street of dreams
do i care what everyone thinks
so I laugh at the paranoia here
after all I'm the stranger in town

chorus:
I hide my face
as the stranger in town
rumors get around
I'm the stranger in town

I'm the stranger in town
I'm the stranger in town

Song Stats

Hits: 1173
Comments: 65
Fans: 26
Plays: 130
Downloads: 64
Votes:
Uploaded: Jan 19, 2008 - 01:11:20 PM
Last Updated: Jan 19, 2008 - 01:11:20 PM Last Played: Jun 25, 2009 - 08:10:19 PM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Song Actions

Hardware:

iMac, Ibanez EW acoustic, Ibanez bass, m-audio oxygen keyboard and interface, condenser mike

Software:

Logic Pro 8

Comments

	said 659 days ago (January 19th, 2008)
	Fine song I like the swaying melodies, the urgent vocal delivery and the guitar breaks bridge the verse and chorus nicely. The lyrical theme fits the music bed well, and that mandolin 'like' guitar adds a really nice layer...Alienation is a common feeling amongst us all at somepoint in time and here you present it neutrally without overburdening emotions, Really fine song, bravo Vic!!!

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 659 days ago (January 20th, 2008)
	Thanks Tom this is one of those type of songs that came about so rapidly. I think I was just hanging on by the edge of the fretboard. When I did the vocals it was kind of cold turkey. I ran through a few practice takes then a few record runs. my voice was shot by the time I got this final version. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 659 days ago (January 20th, 2008)
	Thanks Tom I think I was hanging by the edge of the fretboard on this one. It came about very fast. Wish I had more days like that when turning around a song Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

Feter	Feter said 659 days ago (January 19th, 2008)
	Stranger In Town Excellent sound bed and songs ..I dunno with what this song reminds me its a deep classic with the mix of the acoustic guitar with drums and bass power to the theme .your singing is groovey as ever ..man this is just cool ,thnx for sharin it ! Check out my latest song called A Night With Feter feat'(Roxylee sloparts crissew johnwhitehead and Yamin AL Yamani )

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 659 days ago (January 20th, 2008)
	Thanks Feter This is more stripped back then what I usually do. But I wanted to give a sense of emergency. Like the records recorded back in the '60's. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

jfaaz	jfaaz said 659 days ago (January 19th, 2008)
	Cool! Well Done!!! Check out my latest song called The Marionettes Attend the Carnival (5.1)

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 659 days ago (January 20th, 2008)
	i think it... .. was a moment of inspiration that created this. who would think something like a simple capo could energize the mind. Thanks for dropping in! Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

echoroom	echoroom said 659 days ago (January 19th, 2008)
	Live Vic - this has a real live(ly) feel to it. Great guitar and a lovely poppy feel to this. reminds me lyrically of Strange Town by the Jam. This flows really well, and feels like springtime coming. You know, you've such a distinctive voice, i really wonder what you look like! Strange. maybe ... steve Check out my latest song called Deeper (w/t Racerat)

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 659 days ago (January 20th, 2008)
	spring time, I wish! to much snow & too cold. True I wanted to give a live sound. So a bit stripped back. Of course I guess you could say this is a shorter story take against Paul Wellers tune. A great song writer. Don't worry I don't look strange, I only act strange. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

Alannah	Alannah said 653 days ago (January 25th, 2008)
	I wonder .. what MOST Macjammers look like .... (all these icons and cartoon images ... myself included) .... Check out my latest song called I'm Drownin' - Smokey VW (feat Alannah) + Outtaorbit

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 634 days ago (February 13th, 2008)
	but, thats what i really look like.lol Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

jiguma	jiguma said 659 days ago (January 19th, 2008)
	Nice one Vic! Love the little turnarounds (or in some cases "big turnarounds") you use here. Does sound live in some ways - another VC classic. Neil Check out my latest song called Under My Skin

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 659 days ago (January 20th, 2008)
	Thanks Neil This came about as you have "a end of the couch type of song." It came immediately and I recorded the music bed the next morning to keep the spotanaity of it in check. maybe that gives it a live feel to it. How come that doesn't come all the time I'll never know. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

Peter Bauckham	Peter Bauckham said 659 days ago (January 19th, 2008)
	Those quick turnaround songs always seem to come out so fresh sounding. Fab guitar work and vocals. Sounds like you spent an age on the production (but I suspect you didn't) - you've obviously mastered that Logic Pro 8 (I'm still trying to get to grips with Garageband 4)! Peter Check out my latest song called All The Same (CBGB) (Last Chance Challenge)

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 658 days ago (January 20th, 2008)
	Thanks Peter and happy birthday! This went rather smoothly. once I did one guitar track i would just go to the next, alter the eq on the guitars onboard preamp and let it fly. So I was pretty much hearing on the spot how it was sounding in its own space. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 658 days ago (January 20th, 2008)
	Thanks Peter and happy birthday! This went rather smoothly. once I did one guitar track i would just go to the next, alter the eq on the guitars onboard preamp and let it fly. So I was pretty much hearing on the spot how it was sounding in its own space. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

	said 659 days ago (January 19th, 2008)
	Paranoid-ville USA! Wow! Nice work Vic. Really enjoyed your capo'd acoustic bro. Nice vocal work as well...Still branching out and sounding great. Very pro! Be well!

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 658 days ago (January 20th, 2008)
	Hey Mike the story is inspired from a old Andy Griffith Show episode and from a long time ago, while on a road trip stoping off at a bar in some crossroad bar. when i walked in everyone went silent and just stared. kinda funny really Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

	said 658 days ago (January 20th, 2008)
	I know what you mean.... Back in the days when I had my hair and used to hitch-hike around the U.S.A., I would carry a short-hair WIG. Whenever thumbing through a redneck town I would put my hair in a ponytail, flip it up over my head, and put on my wig. That way I looked like Joe normal and no one would bother me! Still had a few close calls though...

Ed Hannifin

Ed Hannifin said 659 days ago (January 19th, 2008)

Sounds really good...
I love hearing a more prominent acoustic guitar in there...acoustic guitars, really...and all those Harrison/Clapton descending hook licks...

And I really love the hooky chorus...

I'm very much enjoying what I'm hearing as a pop melodic sensibility, and maybe a stretch to have the melody break a little wider than usual... sounds that way, anyway...

Only tiny crit is one I struggle with myself, which is getting that crisp acoustic sound without getting that piezo bite when the pick bites down...

I really like this one...

Ed

Check out my latest song called After Loving Anne (w/jiguma, SISTERS, Komrade K and Scott Carmichael)

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 658 days ago (January 20th, 2008)
	Thanks Ed I know what you mean about the piezo attack. I haven't figured out how to get around that by recording direct. I thought about miking it but the furnace keeps coming on and it's way to cold to shut that off. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

Ed Hannifin

Ed Hannifin said 658 days ago (January 20th, 2008)

Right with you on that, Vic...
I've got this lovely SILENT space heater here where I play and record...very well chosen, I thought...but when it kicks in the lights dim and I THINK this is the source of my recent power supply problems on the iMac...Sort of 'instant brown out'...

I'm messing with a direct out into a Yamaha MagicStomp Acoustic...

Sometimes one just can't wait until the house is quiet...

Ed

Check out my latest song called After Loving Anne (w/jiguma, SISTERS, Komrade K and Scott Carmichael)

buckhorn

buckhorn said 659 days ago (January 20th, 2008)

Legatto
Staccato, picasso, enough beer and its all tremolo. I once had a cat named arpeggio (true)
Your at the height of your powers here, no fluff and all go. Its funny how a little thing like a capo can get the creative juices flowing. I bought this little digital recorder so I wouldn't lose any songs. unfortunately I accidentally deleted the next stairway to heaven. Im glad you were able to capture this gem before it escaped to the ether.I enjoyed the several listens.

Check out my latest song called another fool

Vic Holman

Vic Holman said 658 days ago (January 20th, 2008)

capos and alternate tunings....
can make you hear the guitar differently. i guess it's those little things that help.

dang, to bad about losing your monster rock classic. just think of all the beginning guitarist at all the guitar shops who would of had been playing your song and ultimately driving the employees crazy! i should probably write the chords and notes down the old fashion way. but wheres a pen when you need one.

Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

Vic Holman

Vic Holman said 658 days ago (January 20th, 2008)

Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

Vic Holman

Vic Holman said 658 days ago (January 20th, 2008)

capos, who knew they...
can make you hear the guitar differently. i guess it's those little things that help.

dang, to bad about losing your monster rock classic. just think of all the beginning guitarist at all the guitar shops who would of had been playing your song and ultimately driving the employees crazy! i should probably write the chords and notes down the old fashion way. but wheres a pen when you need one.

Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

Vic Holman

Vic Holman said 657 days ago (January 21st, 2008)

stuck in staccato
yeah capos can make you hear the guitar differently. i guess it's those little things that help.

dang, to bad about losing your monster rock classic. just think of all the beginning guitarist at all the guitar shops who would of had been playing your song and ultimately driving the employees crazy! i should probably write the chords and notes down the old fashion way. but wheres a pen when you need one.

Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

DWL	DWL said 658 days ago (January 20th, 2008)
	Quite a sound you get Vic Love the use of the acoustic guitars and the fact you still managed to get that wonderful full Holman sound without lots of effects. Lyrics are excellent once again and the music reflects the uneasy position of the stranger. Nice one. Cheers Dick Check out my latest song called Superstar Shangri-La

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 657 days ago (January 21st, 2008)
	Thanks Dick I think the real effects are in my hands. there's a plug in for a 9 volt battery. As usual and here as well I double track every guitar. I would play one track do a slight EQ on the guitar preamp, set it opposite in panning and play and repeat. thats a big part of the overall sound Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

lengold	lengold said 658 days ago (January 20th, 2008)
	Wonderful sounds Vic to accompany a great song. Cheers Len Check out my latest song called Dodgy Doughnut

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 657 days ago (January 21st, 2008)
	Thanks Len the whole process of this song went down pretty fast. sure would be nice to get more of those to flow so easily. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

davisamerica	davisamerica said 658 days ago (January 20th, 2008)
	right then vic nice rocker here.. love the free flow feel and u sound great on vox... very nice from the tires up!! Check out my latest song called No Son(egobandit band)

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 657 days ago (January 21st, 2008)
	you know... ... i suprised myself near the end of recording how well the flow and bounce went. and here it is cold with snow. maybe I'm wishing for spring already Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

ajnorth	ajnorth said 657 days ago (January 21st, 2008)
	love this song, it sounds great! the guitar work is really nice. Some of the best songs happen this fast. This is one of my favourites on here! Adam Check out my latest song called All your games (v2)

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 657 days ago (January 21st, 2008)
	Thanks much Adam I remember reading that The Beatles use to write some of their earlier tunes at night and record them the next day. Could be something to it. Maybe the energy level and while it's still fresh helps. who knows. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

dolby	dolby said 657 days ago (January 21st, 2008)
	I think this.... ....might just be your best yet. Exactly how many albums worth of material do you intend to upload this year????? Check out my latest song called You Can't Win Them All

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 657 days ago (January 21st, 2008)
	ha ha! i don't know, maybe a double album set. or just an E.P.'s worth of tunes. I think it depends how motivated I feel this year. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

rtcooper	rtcooper said 657 days ago (January 21st, 2008)
	BRIGHT SOUND Top Production Values. Fine Vocal Capture and Placement. Really clear and immediate Soundstage. Delivers an electric Energy - Vocal/Guitar/Snare appreciation and regards, Coop Check out my latest song called Intimate Anyway

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 657 days ago (January 21st, 2008)
	thanks Coop Hopefully I suceeded in getting a bit of a live sound out of this. Most tracks were played straight through including vocals after 4 or 5 trail runs. my voice was shot after this vocal take. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

bud	bud said 657 days ago (January 21st, 2008)
	Nice tune Vic - great hearing the acoustic sounds like a twelve string. In the end of the break I hear a little hint of Classical Gas - remember that one? The drums on this baby are pretty impressive too - your production has really hit a new level. Check out my latest song called Expanding Toys (Halloween Remix)

Vic Holman

Vic Holman said 657 days ago (January 21st, 2008)

thanks Bud
i double all the guitars and seperate there pan fields opposite of each other. that gives it a twelve string effect and fills it out a bit better. when i do the solo parts thats where i have to hold my breath and make sure i don't hit wrong notes. now that you mention the end it has a bit of a remenisent bit of classic gas or a extended fill ala "here comes the sun"

Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

bud	bud said 656 days ago (January 22nd, 2008)
	Here Comes the Sun yeah that's in there some too. Thanks for the tech notes. Check out my latest song called Expanding Toys (Halloween Remix)

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 656 days ago (January 22nd, 2008)
	the cool thing about doubling parts is that they may at times be millseconds off getting a twelve string or a slight chorusing effect. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

Rebsie	Rebsie said 656 days ago (January 22nd, 2008)
	! You come up with stuff like this in 15 to 20 minutes? I'm lucky if I can come up with a new song in 15 to 20 weeks. You really have mastered those crisp guitar sounds, which have become your trademark. As usual they all stand out individually and blend together perfectly at the same time. The vocals are fab! Check out my latest song called Amongst The Colours (w/ Luna Trick)

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 656 days ago (January 22nd, 2008)
	Thanks Rebsie sometimes songs come in spurts, right now i have around 3 in the works or i need to start on, other times there is a struggle to come up with something. most of the time I fiddle around and don't think to hard about it. that is until I start adding the different guitar parts to it. then I have to start paying attention. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

lavalamp	lavalamp said 656 days ago (January 22nd, 2008)
	Victory! Byrd-ish, totally. Not you typical rock song. Has some unusual changes. Have to say, Vic, your are truly one of the best and most consistent on the site. Prolific. Never disappoint. Dave Check out my latest song called Googolplex Times Zero

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 656 days ago (January 22nd, 2008)
	thanks Dave i resisted very hard not to go beyond just the acoustics on this. even though there are 6 or seven of them. Thanks Dave, looking forward to your next one! Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

thetiler	thetiler said 656 days ago (January 22nd, 2008)
	like the chords and how they a picked and all the synced terrific musical works. Nice singing as well,. Check out my latest song called The Bluebird Cafe (with two other guest)

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 656 days ago (January 22nd, 2008)
	thanks Bill well I'm not as great at fingerpicking as you "the master" are. I have to rely on hybrid picking. the chords and riffs pretty much came instantly. I like it when that happens. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

michael2	michael2 said 656 days ago (January 22nd, 2008)
	loving this i just got back into town (thus the delayed response). this is great Vic, I love the simplicity of it. i love your more layered stuff, but this just cuts to the bone. that capo'd guitar is really nice and bright sounding. this could be a lost Love song. great job. Check out my latest song called Stars and Dust (space challenge)

Vic Holman

Vic Holman said 656 days ago (January 22nd, 2008)

hey Michael
i was kicking back and started diddling around and this came like that. i thought that was fast. Then i got to thinking how the song "help" was written in one night and John came in with it the next morning and the band recorded it that day. I thought it would be something to try that approach. but I didn't have to add vocals til several days later.

Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 656 days ago (January 22nd, 2008)
	i have a cat named MIDI (really, MIDI. short for Midnight...) lots of great things happening here. i really really like that arpeggiated thing (like at the closing) you really captured that "live" feel. thanks Check out my latest song called Settle

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 655 days ago (January 23rd, 2008)
	Thanks Bill I have a cat named rico, it's short for "I'll shred anything and everything" dialing in different levels of reverb helped for some livelyness and just keeping it to acoustics probably didn't hurt either. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

	said 655 days ago (January 23rd, 2008)
	Holie What the Outstanding first off! The best Vic ever there I said it, or until the next one. Some of the changes are very complex. Your singing is perfect in this! 10 thumbs up!

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 654 days ago (January 24th, 2008)
	sure is... ....a 180 from our collab, huh? thought I'ld throw different things out now and then. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

guitapick	guitapick said 654 days ago (January 24th, 2008)
	Cool... ...amazing how such wonderful music can just come out like that. Like it's just been waiting... Love your picking on this one (and many others, for that matter)... :) Check out my latest song called Outside the Corral

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 654 days ago (January 24th, 2008)
	Thanks Bob the other night i started playing around with a alternate tuning. and once again something came out of it. but, I won't be able to record that for a week or two. Sometimes little things motivate the synapses. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

Joe Brady

Joe Brady said 651 days ago (January 27th, 2008)

Vic
Sometimes the most spontaneous efforts yield the best results. This is great imagery Vic. The vocals are really accessible; I mean the levels are just right to understand the words easily and they still have a nearly perfect balance with the other instruments. In other words, they sound really good. Great guitar playing BTW.

Respect,
Joe

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

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 647 days ago (January 31st, 2008)
	thanks Joe I was "in the moment " and set aside a different song or two, in order for this to feel fresh and live. Thanks again for the listen! Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

	said 634 days ago (February 13th, 2008)
	Hey Petty.... Caught your half time performance @ the Super Bowl - You were awesome dude!!! : ) [and that's all I caught of the Superbowl - too busy watching "The Last Waltz" (The Band) w/ John David.] Yep, CJ's head over heels in love. : ) Stranger in town...hmmm... looks a bit familiar - maybe a bit like Kenny Wayne : )

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 634 days ago (February 13th, 2008)
	darn You mean I missed myself? Hey, I'm super-glad for you, that alls going good! Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

	said 615 days ago (March 3rd, 2008)
	Great! One of your very best songs Mr. Vic, this is truly amazing. It's kinda of the short piece you ever post 2:50 min. but what a great 2 minutes ... great piece by all means Mr. Vic ... Downloaded! Take Care - Yeman A. Al-Rawi

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 610 days ago (March 8th, 2008)
	thanks Yeman true, sometimes songs have to be short in some cases. Or I was to lazy to extend it. lol I'm glad you appreciateed it. Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

stacey	stacey said 611 days ago (March 8th, 2008)
	I feel like that I feel like the stranger in my own town every day of my life, so this song really resonates with me. Good one! Thanks for sharing! Stacey Check out my latest song called tick tock

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 610 days ago (March 8th, 2008)
	thanks Stacey I'm sure everyone at times, feels out of place. If I'm in that situation I always think how uncomfortable I make everyone else feel with my presence. It levels the playing field. :-) Check out my latest song called One Step Over The Line

Fan List

DWL

bud

Artist Info

Name: Vic Holman

I work as a creative/art director for a advertising agency in Spokane, Washington. I've been at this site for 5 years now. It's been one heck of a ride. I've also been fortunate to collaborate with Bud Streets of Dehli Everyday And... [see more]

Check out some of my other songs:

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More songs in Acoustic Rock:

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