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Half a Million Miles (Dolby Cover) by Lennon714 [Email]
Genre: Indie Rock

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SONG STATS:
Hits: 505
Comments: 34
Votes: 5
Plays: 76
Last Played: Dec 02, 2008 - 03:24:48 PM
Downloads: 15
Fans: 20
Uploaded: Sep 01, 2008 - 02:36:39 AM
Last Updated: Sep 01, 2008 - 03:10:20 AM
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Keywords:
Dolby Cover (1)
Description:
I was fired up when Phil (Dolby) let me take a crack at this song. I was really drawn to this track because the story reminds me of the Pedro the Lion song "Indian Summer" from their masterpiece "Control". But make no mistake, this is a great Dolby track that really stands out on its own and shines. I really wasn't going for anything in particular with the sound, although I wanted to emulate Topper Headon's drum sound from Sandinista or Combat Rock. For whatever reason, dirty-ing up MIDI drums was just not happening for me.

Dolby's original version can be found here: Half a Million Miles

It's a song from Phil's album "Where Are We Now?". The song on its own is fantastic, but what I really admire about Phil is that he is donating to profits from the sale of this album to a hospital in Cambodia. For more information go to
www.phildolby.co.uk

Lyrics:
Half A Million Miles
(by Phil Dolby ©2007)

Six o’clock and workers are all heading for their cars
For the evening migration home
Staring into tunnel vision, pumping on the gas
Push the air conditioned zone
They have no idea that the time
Is getting ever nearer death
But the engines keep on humming
As the clock just keeps on ticking
To the planets last resentful death

Half a million miles away
His kids are playing truant
So he takes another long haul flight
From the demons in the middle of the night

8.00 a.m. and mothers are all escorting their sons
And daughters in their four-by-fours
To school gates where the teachers just look on in grim despair
And wait for them to take them home
They have no idea that these wheels
Were not designed for city crawl
But the engines keep on running
And the clock just keeps on ticking
As they plough on through the urban sprawl

Half a million miles away
His wife is being nailed
By a salesman with a pack of lies
So he turns his head up to the sky

Another day another place another kind of heaven
For the businessman so far from home
Another hotel lobby for a meeting that could happen
By Internet and mobile phone
They have no idea that the deals
They broker now will make no sense
On a planet still revolving
Where the problem they are solving
Is of mankind in the former tense

Half a million miles away
The place he loves is empty
He never stopped to wonder why
He took another long haul flight


Hardware:
I used a Teisco amp from the 50's for the bass and guitars (not one of the cool, collectable ones). my Tele, Fender Jazz Bass, Yamaha keys, and SM48.

Software:
GB
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great sound Eric &mdash 09/01/08 - 09:26:28 AM
Tom Petty, The Cars, Weezer, The Pixies, and Elvis Costello rolled up in one.

F*ckin' great one, brother.

BTW, Great song, Phil.

Dave

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looks like &mdash 09/01/08 - 11:28:33 AM
somebody's been snooping around my record collection. Thanks David. I'm glad you dug it. Phil does have a great tune here. Great lyrics and a great foundation.

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This is way cool &mdash 09/01/08 - 10:18:16 AM
and I mean WAY cool! Great song, first of all, and what a great performance. Lovely use of guitars, and those drums are crisp and clean and perfect for the song. Vocal is great, nice attitude and expressiveness, and the sound is spot on. I can't think of a thing I don't love about this. Very cool. Nicely done. Peace.

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Thank you very much. &mdash 09/01/08 - 11:31:52 AM
I very much enjoyed your version of "Caroline Knows". What a fun challenge! It was strange working on someone else's song. I couldn't be as lazy as I normally am :). Thanks for the kind words!

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Great Fun &mdash 09/01/08 - 11:08:32 AM
What dajama said.... Plus, a Petty girl! What else could I ask for?

Cheers,

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Thanks! &mdash 09/01/08 - 08:14:48 PM
It was a lot of fun. Glad you enjoyed it.

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cool &mdash 09/01/08 - 12:05:04 PM
I love the clean sound you put together on this. Your vocals do a nice job of piercing through and sound excellent. My head was bopping and foot tapping through the whole thing.
Nice cover.

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Vocals &mdash 09/01/08 - 08:17:55 PM
I think the vocals are mixed a bit hot, so maybe that's why they're piercing :). Thanks for your kind words.

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million smiles &mdash 09/01/08 - 12:42:11 PM
dave really got it right with the comparisons.

cool guitar work and the vocal delivery is excellent.

a very cool cover. classy new waver.

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New Wave &mdash 09/01/08 - 08:21:07 PM
I got a distinct new wave vibe when doing this, but I didn't feel like it could be classified as such. It's not in your face new wave, but I think I know what you're getting at... I just can't articulate it. Thanks for listening!

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Half a Million Miles &mdash 09/01/08 - 02:02:47 PM
Fantastic ...Rockn roll my friend ...wow ..what a
work you ve done here ..the song grow bigger each
minute pass by ...just amazng vocal work ...
thnx alot for sharin such rockin groove !!!!

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thanks &mdash 09/01/08 - 08:24:05 PM
I think that's one of my staples. I try to make one verse different from the others, usually by adding something here and there. Sometimes it's subtle, sometimes it's not. My older recordings have a lot of the same thing go on so I'm trying to shy away from that.

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right then ... &mdash 09/01/08 - 05:15:22 PM
ahhh ... lavalamp stole my comment ..."F*ckin' great one ..." Well it is!!

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damn that dave &mdash 09/01/08 - 08:27:25 PM
Lavalamp.... comment stealer and all around ne'er-do-well. Pretty good songwriter, too. I'm just glad you came by, listened, and enjoyed it. Thanks!

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Well, I like it too! &mdash 09/02/08 - 09:16:10 AM
Really priveleged that Eric took this on - and absolutely blown away by the result. It's been an interesting experience as this is the first time someone has done an interpretation of one of my songs. I really couldn't hear the song as anything other than a punk thrash (like my original), so when this came back sounding like some hybred of Wire and a million other New Wave influences it made total sense.

I love the stops that Eric has added, and hearing a genuine American voice having a go at this is very interesting! You even stuck to 'mobile' phone and not cellular!!!!!!!

Cheeers again Eric for a brilliant job - respect!


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trust me &mdash 09/02/08 - 04:34:54 PM
the privilege is all mine. Your song is top notch in every aspect. I would go back and compare the two and really start sweating it after yours would start up. From your vocal delivery to that rumbling bassline... a top tune if there ever was one. I especially loved the contrasting musical breaks. Good stuff. Thanks for letting me take a stab at it!

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Singing &mdash 09/02/08 - 10:16:32 AM

I like the song building , the sounds and your singing especialy .

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Singing &mdash 09/02/08 - 04:36:30 PM
is a tough one for me. I love my tracks until I start singing on them. So thanks for the compliment. I'll soon learn to trust myself a bit more.

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holy cow &mdash 09/02/08 - 02:42:59 PM
wow eric this is amazing. I really like what you've done here. I'm off to hear the original after this, but man I love the arrangement and your vocal performance is stellar. I feel like I just listened to an old super rare really good lost demo from a band that made it huge. You know that feeling? Man this is good. I could go on about all the parts and why I like them but I wont. I'll just say I love it all.

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Busted &mdash 09/02/08 - 04:39:36 PM
Ok, so you got me. This is a demo from when I was the 4th Jonas Brother. You'll dig the original. It's a great tune that kind certainly isn't getting the love it deserves. I'm flattered you liked it so much. Your Hamlet Machines cover is off the proverbial hinges.

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I Can't decide, so I won't &mdash 09/03/08 - 07:37:06 PM
on which version I like better. Both have a lot of energy and both deliver the message equally well.

Let's just say I'm impressed with both of them and leave it at that.

Nice track, well done and well mixed with good vocals and backtracks.

Thanks for sharing,

Ed

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sweet &mdash 09/04/08 - 12:33:56 AM
I like that approach. I certainly don't want to try to upstage Dolby's incredible song. I say writing the song makes him the automatic winner. When I first heard it I wished I wrote it. Solid lyrics that drive a point home are so hard to do, but he does it so seamlessly. Thanks for listening!

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:) &mdash 09/04/08 - 04:45:26 AM
Good stuff ... nice harmonies and guitar tones. Enjoyed.

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Thanks Rebsie &mdash 09/04/08 - 12:19:39 PM
I appreciate you stopping by, listening, and commenting.

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wow &mdash 09/04/08 - 11:36:57 PM
Great harmonies. Fun guitar breaks with delicious delay. Poignant lyrics. Rubber band twangy distorto bass and thin as a wire drum sound. Very retro-cool. Congrats.
P

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thanks &mdash 09/04/08 - 11:54:28 PM
The comments make me feel like I know what I'm doing :). Your cover was a ton of fun. Funky as hell with solid pop-rock. Loved it.

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forgot &mdash 09/05/08 - 06:06:38 PM
that i hadn't left a comment under my own name. this is great. super cool power pop. you just kicked some serious butt on this one: XTC, marshall crenshaw, nick lowe, the fabulous poodles: so many touchstones on this one. i really need to say that you're guitar playing on this slays me. and the vocals. it's perfect: pure pop for now people. amazing really.

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Thanks &mdash 09/06/08 - 10:57:54 PM
A lot of the credit really goes to Dolby for coming up with a top track. I'm always flattered by your comparisons, even though a lot of the times I'm like "who?". But that's cool, because it gives me someone new (to me) to check out. Glad you liked. Great idea for a challenge. Hope we do it again.


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You hit &mdash 09/15/08 - 09:31:26 AM
that Topper drum hit perfect. I agree with Lava, let me throw Marshall Crenshaw in there - popalicious.

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Thanks &mdash 09/15/08 - 03:54:14 PM
I'm flattered you stopped by to listen. I still maintain that the chorus to "She's a Writer' is one of the best hooks here at MJ. ...suiting the "bosshook" title well!

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great cover &mdash 09/18/08 - 12:04:47 PM
the guitar work is really good.. This song soundz fresh

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thanks craft &mdash 09/18/08 - 12:20:41 PM
Dolby's original is as good as it gets. Thanks for listening!

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Jumpin! &mdash 10/02/08 - 10:44:46 PM
Excellent cover man!

What lavalamp said...

Be well!

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thanks! &mdash 10/03/08 - 12:30:12 PM
glad you enjoyed.

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