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(New) Smoke & Mirrors


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Description
Here is the Smoke & Mirrors "stripped" version. It is Thetiler on guitars (with a beautiful new section toward the end), and me on vocals and harmonies. We thought we would post this version for those who prefered to hear it as more of an accoustic song. The photography is once again by Eric Bragg.
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Lyrics
She walks alone every morning down the same old street
and yearns for something, anything to make her life complete
like in a movie where the hero comes to sweep her off her feet
They'd run away

But when you look behind the scene
there's a projector and a screen
that's flashing images of lies
There's nothing there believe your eyes

(Watch out...It's smoke and mirrors)

Day after day waiting tables, small town girl cliche
She serves the same old faces hoping that she'll make it out someday
Her feet are tired, but strong enough to carry her away

Friend of a friend has some room; live's in NYC
She's never been there but convinced there's no place she would rather be
She'll live the city life, the one she's only seen on her TV
She'll get away

But when you look beyond the stage
there's a director and the pages
tell them what to do and say
It's just a story, just a play

(Wactch out...It's smoke and mirrors)

Who could do it?
See right through it

She's lived her life taking orders both at work and home
She plays the role of someone confident enough to be alone
but she's smoke and mirrors and when someone starts to break through the unknown
she runs away

Watch out... It's smoke and mirrors
Song Stats
Hits: 3476
Comments: 41
Fans: 18
Plays: 886
Downloads: 162
Votes: 34
Uploaded: Mar 24, 2005 - 03:25:48 PM
Last Updated: Mar 24, 2005 - 01:40:26 PM Last Played: Nov 10, 2009 - 07:16:20 PM
Song License
Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Creative Commons

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Comments
rovert10 said 1704 days ago (March 24th, 2005)
Lovely track.
You have something of a Joan Baez lilt to your voice. Very
nice piece,
Check out my latest song called Gears
Emily Rohm said 1703 days ago (March 24th, 2005)
Lovely track.
Oh, thank you! Joan Baez is one of my heroes!
Check out my latest song called Monica's Waltz
Peter Greenstone said 1703 days ago (March 24th, 2005)
very nice
I like this version more. It really presents both your lovely
singing and Tiler's guitar playing better. Excellent piece.
Check out my latest song called From Nothing
aclarke said 1703 days ago (March 24th, 2005)
Pure
I also prefer this song over the first posting.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate the beautiful
simplicity of this version. You make it sound easy! Well
done, both of you.
Check out my latest song called Ballad of The Little Tiki
Stun Nutz said 1703 days ago (March 25th, 2005)
MUCH BETTER!!! MUCH BETTER!
All of us music geeks are happy now, yes.
Wow. This is one of those tunes that "gives you the
shivers"...it is truly beautiful. Great singing, great
playing. I downloaded it pretty quickly.
Check out my latest song called Gossamer dissected
said 1703 days ago (March 25th, 2005)
I'm very glad...
you submitted this version. Your voice reminds me a little
of the Wilson sisters(Heart). Tiler's acoustic guitar playing
has raised the bar at MacJams. Thank you both for sharing
this with us.
thetiler said 1702 days ago (March 26th, 2005)
I'm very glad...
Thanks skipper, always appreciate your comments.


---
The Tiler
Check out my latest song called The Bluebird Cafe (with two other guest)
said 1702 days ago (March 26th, 2005)
More excellent
Yes! This is what we're talking about! Beautiful. I think the
synths on the last version (which had some timing issues)
got in the way of the freedom of expression in both guitar
and voice. The fidelity of the guitar is especially improved
by thinning out the soundscape (that degradation in
quality with multiple tracks is an unfortunate
characteristic of entry-level GarageBand).

I only have a few minor nits with varying sound levels. The
reverb levels appear to be down a bit which is good. The
lead voice is still a bit muffled and nasally, as if Emily has
a cold, and seems to drift in and out as if I'm listening to
an AM radio station at night in my car on a lonely stretch
of highway. Your voice needs to match or exceed the
clarity and presence of the supporting guitar. Not sure
what to do about that. Either re-record or apply some
equalization magic to the vox tracks. Bringing the vocals
forward will reveal some of the expressiveness and
breathiness which is slightly masked now.

Tiler, dude! That is a magnificent new guitar passage.

10-9-10-10
thetiler said 1702 days ago (March 26th, 2005)
More excellent
Thanks Richard so much for the analyses.

I'll have to go over it more.

---
The Tiler
Check out my latest song called The Bluebird Cafe (with two other guest)
said 1701 days ago (March 26th, 2005)
More excellent
Sorry about that, Bill. I hate to make more work for you. Just relaying my
impressions. It's very good already and maybe my nits are miniscule.

---
Aspiration requires perspiration.
http://www.schletty.com/indwellings
said 1698 days ago (March 30th, 2005)
Just Absolutely... hmm hmm...

So beautiful. Your voice and tiler's guitar just reach to
a special place in this song. Copyright this baby.
And get it out there for more to listen to it.

Emily, you do have a folk/pop singer in you! This harkins
back in my mind to songs like "Who Knows Where the
Time Goes" by Judy Collins and "Catus Tree" by Joni
Mitchell. I think it is that good.

Superb song writing as well... Tiler, call up your old buddy
Gregg A. and ask for a favor!
: )

Jack
Tom Atwood said 1698 days ago (March 30th, 2005)
Just Absolutely... hmm hmm...
Jack is revealing once again how he is stuck eternally in the 60's. But I have to
agree with him (being somewhat lodged there myself) that this tune, and your
voice, have a wonderful folk quality from that era. More Judy Collins/Joan
Baez than Joni Mitchell. Others have commented on the technical issues, but
this is a beautiful piece, a beautiful voice. And Bill's not bad, either. (But he's
a better guitarist than engineer.)
Check out my latest song called Keep Looking for Jesus (MJRF)
said 1698 days ago (March 30th, 2005)
Just Absolutely... hmm hmm...
Agreed, more Judy Collins/Joan Baez than Joni Mitchell. But I was
thinking of only that one song of hers, "Cactus Tree" and the feeling
that song evokes.

Am I that stuck in the sixties? Well, if I must be stuck somewhere....

Jack

---
Making melody with your heart...
Emily Rohm said 1698 days ago (March 30th, 2005)
Just Absolutely... hmm hmm...
Thanks so much, both of you! Like I said earlier, Joan Baez is one of my
heros. I grew up listening to her records, and that is a great compliment for
me. Thanks!! I appreciate all of your comments and suggestions.
Check out my latest song called Monica's Waltz
daphna said 1694 days ago (April 2nd, 2005)
wonderful
I feel terrible that I hadn't yet commented on this version
- it really is beautiful (as was the first one). Great
collaboration you two! and great job Emily on writing the
lyrics for this piece - not an easy task.
Check out my latest song called I Love My Mac mjrf
Dead End said 1690 days ago (April 6th, 2005)
Great voice
Great work. The vocals and guitar are perfect, so sweet
and sweeping.
Check out my latest song called July 3rd
stevel said 1688 days ago (April 8th, 2005)
lovely song
Great vocals and very nice acoustic guitar work...the whole
song comes across very well and is not overproduced
S
Check out my latest song called Electricity
snowdragon said 1684 days ago (April 12th, 2005)
sounds like emily
Don't think this sounds like Joni, Judy, Joan or Justin
Timberlake for that matter. I think it sounds like Emily and
this is quickly becoming a very good thing.
An even though tiler missed including one of the 90 notes
on a standard acoustic neck, it's still some damned fine
pickin'.
Good words too. 9s across.
Check out my latest song called The Wolf 7
twonicus said 1672 days ago (April 24th, 2005)
you still sound great
i'd forgotten how great your voice is. like a breath of
freash air.
Check out my latest song called Say It Loud (MJRF)
Magritte said 1672 days ago (April 25th, 2005)
So when's the next collaboration?
The vocals and guitar are such a gorgeous combo. This is just beautiful all around.
Check out my latest song called Tango Macabre
Joanna said 1663 days ago (May 3rd, 2005)
Wow
This fantastic! I didn't hear the other version, but I
absolutely adore the combination of voice and acoustic
guitar. Emily - fantastic harmonies, wonderful vocals on
this rather tricky song. Tiler - great as always. You are a
master.

Superlative job, both of you!
Check out my latest song called Nellie G.
yasushi66 said 1644 days ago (May 23rd, 2005)
special heart beat.
i think a very special of your voice.
it's a brilliant singer and artist.
i wish you good luck!
Check out my latest song called Nite20
Antony said 1644 days ago (May 23rd, 2005)
Beautful song
Fantastic performance - not to mention the songwriting -
which is some of the best I`ve found here. I love the way
the restlessness of the girl in the story is effected by ever
stepping guitar and voice, which are always urgently
heading towards the next line, as if that is where
satisfaction lies.
And of course, the whole is tremendously satisfying.

9-9-9-9
Check out my latest song called Twice
Drew Kopr said 1602 days ago (July 3rd, 2005)
Great guitar and vocals!
Nice job and very good production. So clear! I really enjoyed this work!
Check out my latest song called WinterSong
Poor Atlas said 1572 days ago (August 3rd, 2005)
Love this
This is wonderful - beautiful voice, the harmonies work very
well and really complement the guitar. I like the central
image very much, as well as the 'reflecting' Watch Outs in the
chorus!

Like others, I thought of Joni Mitchell's Song To A Seagull
album... which hopefully is a good thing!
Check out my latest song called Giving Up
cutundertherest said 1571 days ago (August 4th, 2005)
brrrr!!
you sent shivers up my spine.. a beautiful collaboration. sadly, the lyrics hit a little close to home, so i won't be playing it everyday, as brilliant as it is.
thetiler said 1571 days ago (August 4th, 2005)
What a treat it is to work with Emily
Great gal!

She can do sassy, she can do sweet. The sky is the limit with
Emily :)
Check out my latest song called The Bluebird Cafe (with two other guest)
nisper said 1570 days ago (August 5th, 2005)
Brilliant!
Lyrics create a nice story that's easy to get into and Tiler's
outstanding guitar work with Emily's beautiful voice make
this just an amazing piece of music. Agree with some of the
previous comments that volume seemed to pan in and out,
but I would deal with that to hear this song over and over
again!
Check out my latest song called Loose Anna By You III (w/ Epileptic Gibbon)
elfdaughter said 1532 days ago (September 12th, 2005)
Beautiful!
Another beautiful piece! You're the first person I've added to my user faves!
Check out my latest song called Carol of the Bells 2009
Emily Rohm said 1531 days ago (September 12th, 2005)
Beautiful!
Thanks!! I look forward to hearing more of your tunes, too!
Check out my latest song called Monica's Waltz
Patman said 1505 days ago (October 9th, 2005)
Gorgeous
This gave me the chills. Bill is one of my favorites and your voice is the
perfect completion to his guitar. May I consider myself a fan? I hope to
hear more. Please do some classical.
Check out my latest song called I've Had Better Days
Heidi_E said 1401 days ago (January 20th, 2006)
nice job
Really like your harmonies
Check out my latest song called 'More than Enough'
Scott Carmichael said 1330 days ago (April 2nd, 2006)
your voice!!!
Did you mix this yourself.... your voice is so good I want to hear it
more intimently... It is a common mistake we've all made early in our
journey... too much reverb!! I don't like my voice, so I've always had to
resist the temptation of (too wet)... with this acoustic treatment your
voice should be present and close... even the bk vox are distant... once
again everything is so well performed that I'm putting my 2 cents in... I
don't usually critique, but a producer would frame this performance in
a much more intiment environment... there are a few tricks I use to get
a wet vocal and retain presence... If you respond I'll post them... if you
don't, I'll take that as a shut up...

did you write this??? it's brilliant

thanx; peace

Check out my latest song called Good Morning
Emily Rohm said 1320 days ago (April 12th, 2006)
your voice!!!
Thanks! I know about the mixing problems. This was my first attempt with
GB. I was trying to use a mic plugged directly into my laptop, not knowing I
needed a mixer with phantom power... I've learned a lot since then! But I'd
still love to hear your advice! Thanks.

---
I don't have a clever signature.
Check out my latest song called Monica's Waltz
j2morrow said 1142 days ago (October 6th, 2006)
Great song
Ah, yes, the old dichotomy of our fantasies and reality. Nice lyrics and
beautiful singing.
Check out my latest song called CAPTURE THE RAPTURE
onesweetworld said 1139 days ago (October 10th, 2006)
nice
I'm a big fan of your voice! Wonderful color to your voice.

Thetiler- lovely guitar work. I like how it can stand on it own but is able
to support her voice properly.
Check out my latest song called Primal Woman
pinkamy said 939 days ago (April 27th, 2007)
Wonderful
I'm new here and this is my first comment. I thought the song was dreamy. I found this song through the song you sang when you were 15 and I love the way you grew into your voice and your own sound.
Emily Rohm said 935 days ago (May 2nd, 2007)
Thanks!
Thanks so much! I'm honored to be the recipient of your first comment. :)

---
I don't have a clever signature.
Check out my latest song called Monica's Waltz
Doug Somers said 789 days ago (September 25th, 2007)
Love
the lyrics, vocals, harmonies and guitar work. A great contemporary folk style executed with real heart. Thanks!!
Doug
Check out my latest song called Desiree (MJ Space Race 2009)
david.sfinzi said 731 days ago (November 22nd, 2007)
Smoke and Mirrors:
Beautiful work.
Your voice is excellent in both classical and folk/pop styles.
Many cannot make this transition effectively.


Check out my latest song called Baroque Concertino in F
FlatRock2 said 530 days ago (June 10th, 2008)
stunning voice
Wow, you have a beautiful, angelic voice! I am certainly going to be clicking through the rest of your work!!

Fantastic talent!
Check out my latest song called Better Weather
Artist Info
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Name: Emily Rohm Gilmore
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Hi! I'm a singer/actress/costume designer trying to make it in the theatre biz. I am a member of the Actor's Equity Association and living Chicagoland. Went to school to sing opera & music theatre but I have a pop singer in me that needs to come out ... [see more]

Check out some of my other songs:

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