You Seem Sad (w Scofugate)

“You Seem Sad” is the first new song John Carlin and I have written in over fifteen years. It’s from scratch, not an old lyric sheet that I reworked or anything. In fact it’s actually the second new song, but the first hasn’t made it to completion yet so here we are! No small amount of trepidation to see if we could still “do it” after all these years… After John and I finished the words to the other song, a while later he emailed me with some lyrics saying maybe there was another song there, maybe it was a poem. The first line absolutely sold it to me. From there on in, there was a bit of work making each verse the same length of lines, the right amount of syllables to scan and that kinda thing and as we worked on that, the tune kind of popped into my head as these things do. Then after an initial false start at writing the music on guitar in my living room while my wife complained about dying in some computer game she was playing (not an ideal creative situation by the way!) I moved on to the MacBook and wrote it on the piano there, not something I’ve ever done before as my piano skills could charitably be described as childlike. But with a little Logic magic, I got there and built the song up layer by layer.

I tried to program some drum loops and do a bit of midi drumming to fill the gaps but was never really satisfied with what I had so got in touch with Scott Fugate who drummed on “Laughing on both sides of your face” to see if he fancied doing this and he very kindly said yes. Scott’s drumming speaks for itself, so it just remains to say what a pleasure he was to work with again; really positive, very accommodating and full of great advice on the mix as well as those fantastic drums and percussion. The backing vocals in the chorus are all me and I think I ended up with eight tracks worth, which was fun mixing for a novice such as myself. We never had a title for it, so when I sent a revised lyric sheet to John one day and Microsoft Word saved the file as the first sentence, that just stuck.

As I understand it, the lyrics are essentially an older self going back in time to their teenage equivalent to offer some advice and encouragement, but have a listen and read it as you will. Essentially it’s a song of hope for those with none, best characterised in another of my favourite lines; “Let hope carry you round the corner before too long”. Amen.

My thanks to Andrew (Alackbass) and Dani (Ravens), both of whom offered a lot of advice on the mix and recording process. Dani in particular went to great lengths to give me tips on both how to sing better and get better results from what was recorded. Just as well, as I need all the help I can get! =)

Stephen – Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keys, Mix and Mastering
John Carlin - Lyrics
Scott Fugate (Scofugate) – Drums, Percussion, Mix and Mastering
Andrew Lack (Alackbass) – Listening, role model and all round good egg
Dani (Ravens) – Listening, singing coach and mother superior

You seem sad
Like a lover who never had the chance to shine. Don’t ask me if it turns out right. I shouldn’t even be here.

Things seem right
When you see them from a different point of view. But you don’t realise it do you?
Well do you?
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Fight back the pain and your tears. Listen to yourself, not your fears
Keep your head held high and carry on. Let hope carry you round the corner before too long
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Take a breath
I’d be glad to only have these things on my mind. I’m not saying you don’t suffer but is it really that bad?

Now take care
And make the choices that you want to make for yourself. Because they don’t belong to no one else
and you’ll get what you want.
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Fight back the pain and your tears. Listen to yourself, not your fears
Keep your head held high and carry on. Let hope carry you round the corner before too long
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Don’t worry so much. Keep your head up, you can work it out.
And when it works out then enjoy it without the guilt.
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Don’t forget
When you’re down there’s always something to bring you back. Keep hope close by and smile. Keep keeping on.

I don’t know all the answers
so I can’t pass them on to you. Maybe you should loosen up more.
Maybe I don’t know.
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Fight back the pain and your tears. Listen to yourself, not your fears
Keep your head held high and carry on. Let hope carry you round the corner before too long
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Uploaded: Jun 01, 2011 - 07:47:42 AM
Last Updated: Oct 31, 2011 - 08:04:22 AM Last Played: Apr 08, 2013 - 08:00:55 AM

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