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Description
This song is a bit different from some of my others in several respects. First off, I wrote a version of the lyrics before I had any melody or chords. Usually I work the other way round. Secondly, I wrote it using only the title line as a guide.
I have been listening recently to an iconic Australian singer/songwriter, Paul Kelly, and specific phrases in several of his songs jumped out at me as good ideas for songs of my own. This was such a song.
My previous MJ song, By Still Waters, was conceived and written the same way.
I have been trying to write songs that I can sing solo, acoustically, and I am confident that this will work in that environment, but happily it ended up as a collaboration for the MJ post.
I have been trying to write songs that I can sing solo, acoustically, and I am confident that this will work in that environment, but happily it ended up as a collaboration for the MJ post.
hackneybloke (Julian) made a comment on my last song about singing harmonies along with it as he was listening, so I thought to myself that this was too good an opportunity to pass up. I emailed him and he readily agreed to be involved, sight unseen. I have been a great admirer of his work and, especially, his creative use of harmony and backing vocals. And as you can hear from this, he didn’t disappoint. Thanks, mate.
I wanted the song to have some depth and coherence so I laid down a pseudo bass track of my own and sent it off to Philip18, Julian and Loob (I was already thinking drums…) for comment. Their response was kind but unanimous – get someone with a real bass guitar who knows what they are doing ☺. Philip kindly offered to audition a bass track and his first outing would have done Jaco Pastorius proud – multiple bass lines across the stereo spectrum with harmonics – the works…. I am eternally grateful that he accepted my return comments about the KISS principle with grace and good humour. His second offering was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.
The song was now in a format that needed drums and, as many people do, I turned to Freddy for his expertise. I have had the privilege of working with him on several songs and, like the true mailman, he is, he delivered. Thanks, Freddy.
Julian, Freddy and Philip all had suggestions on how the song might be improved, and I even took some of them on board ☺. Thanks, guys.
Credits:
Julian: harmonies and backing vocals
Freddy: drums
Philip: bass
Me: songwriter, lead and harmony vocals, all guitars, midi organ, mix/master.
Anyway, for better or worse, here it is.
Peter ☺
I have been listening recently to an iconic Australian singer/songwriter, Paul Kelly, and specific phrases in several of his songs jumped out at me as good ideas for songs of my own. This was such a song.
My previous MJ song, By Still Waters, was conceived and written the same way.
I have been trying to write songs that I can sing solo, acoustically, and I am confident that this will work in that environment, but happily it ended up as a collaboration for the MJ post.
I have been trying to write songs that I can sing solo, acoustically, and I am confident that this will work in that environment, but happily it ended up as a collaboration for the MJ post.
hackneybloke (Julian) made a comment on my last song about singing harmonies along with it as he was listening, so I thought to myself that this was too good an opportunity to pass up. I emailed him and he readily agreed to be involved, sight unseen. I have been a great admirer of his work and, especially, his creative use of harmony and backing vocals. And as you can hear from this, he didn’t disappoint. Thanks, mate.
I wanted the song to have some depth and coherence so I laid down a pseudo bass track of my own and sent it off to Philip18, Julian and Loob (I was already thinking drums…) for comment. Their response was kind but unanimous – get someone with a real bass guitar who knows what they are doing ☺. Philip kindly offered to audition a bass track and his first outing would have done Jaco Pastorius proud – multiple bass lines across the stereo spectrum with harmonics – the works…. I am eternally grateful that he accepted my return comments about the KISS principle with grace and good humour. His second offering was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.
The song was now in a format that needed drums and, as many people do, I turned to Freddy for his expertise. I have had the privilege of working with him on several songs and, like the true mailman, he is, he delivered. Thanks, Freddy.
Julian, Freddy and Philip all had suggestions on how the song might be improved, and I even took some of them on board ☺. Thanks, guys.
Credits:
Julian: harmonies and backing vocals
Freddy: drums
Philip: bass
Me: songwriter, lead and harmony vocals, all guitars, midi organ, mix/master.
Anyway, for better or worse, here it is.
Peter ☺
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Lyrics
A Slip of the Tongue – Peter Bowen (2012)
A [G] slip of the tongue
[Bm7] Half said in jest
A [C] casual remark
That I [D] should have repressed
Just me [G] playing the fool
Being a [Bm7] little too smart
[C] I should have known
That you’d [D] take it to heart
A [G] slip of the tongue
Too [Bm7] late to take back
The [C] look on your face
Stopped me [D] dead in my tracks
[G] I never meant to
[Bm7] Cause you such pain
What [C] was I thinking?
How [D] can I explain?
[G] Words can revive and a[D]stound you
Es[C]pecially the kind that [D] come from the heart
[G] Then they can hurt and con[D]found you
When [C] said without thought, they can [D]tear love apart
[Em7] Language can be so cap[D]ricious
When [C] heard at its best it can [G] gladden the soul
If use [Em7] is more injud[D]icious
It can [C] cut to the quick and [D] leave a great toll
Lead over chorus
A [G] slip of the tongue
I [Bm7] shouldn’t have said
A [C] stupid aside
Situ[D]ation misread
A [G] lesson hard learned
I hope to [Bm7] never relive
My [C] lack of discretion
I [D] beg you forgive
[G] Words can revive and a[D]stound you
Es[C]pecially the kind that [D] come from the heart
[G] Then they can hurt and con[D]found you
When [C] said without thought, they can [D] tear love apart
[G] But words can also say [D] sorry
And I [C] want you to know that these [D] come from my heart
[G] Don’t put an end to our [D] story
I’m [C] truly contrite, I [D] love you, let’s make a new [G] start [D] [C] [D]
Let’s make a new [G] start [D] [C] [D]
Let’s make a new [G] start
A [G] slip of the tongue
[Bm7] Half said in jest
A [C] casual remark
That I [D] should have repressed
Just me [G] playing the fool
Being a [Bm7] little too smart
[C] I should have known
That you’d [D] take it to heart
A [G] slip of the tongue
Too [Bm7] late to take back
The [C] look on your face
Stopped me [D] dead in my tracks
[G] I never meant to
[Bm7] Cause you such pain
What [C] was I thinking?
How [D] can I explain?
[G] Words can revive and a[D]stound you
Es[C]pecially the kind that [D] come from the heart
[G] Then they can hurt and con[D]found you
When [C] said without thought, they can [D]tear love apart
[Em7] Language can be so cap[D]ricious
When [C] heard at its best it can [G] gladden the soul
If use [Em7] is more injud[D]icious
It can [C] cut to the quick and [D] leave a great toll
Lead over chorus
A [G] slip of the tongue
I [Bm7] shouldn’t have said
A [C] stupid aside
Situ[D]ation misread
A [G] lesson hard learned
I hope to [Bm7] never relive
My [C] lack of discretion
I [D] beg you forgive
[G] Words can revive and a[D]stound you
Es[C]pecially the kind that [D] come from the heart
[G] Then they can hurt and con[D]found you
When [C] said without thought, they can [D] tear love apart
[G] But words can also say [D] sorry
And I [C] want you to know that these [D] come from my heart
[G] Don’t put an end to our [D] story
I’m [C] truly contrite, I [D] love you, let’s make a new [G] start [D] [C] [D]
Let’s make a new [G] start [D] [C] [D]
Let’s make a new [G] start
alackbass
The lineup alone made this one a must listen! Great song! You and Julian sound great together. Great arrangement and mix. Tipping cap to the entire band!