Tag Archives: folk music

Listen, Rewritten Song

Rewritten Song: I’ve seen the sun (version 2)

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I know I don’t have a new song up yet this week. I’m still trying to work one up. It’s first on my list today. Well, first after getting this one up.

So, here’s the re-recorded version of “I’ve seen the sun,” which I originally wrote and recorded this week, last year. Go listen to that version here.

You can see that I basically rewrote the entire song. It wasn’t really working to try and fit the words into new music, so I decided to just condense the whole thing.

Can you pick up on how I did that? Basically just slammed together the first and second verses and added a sort of summarizing last line to make an entire new verse. That seemed to work okay so I kept up with it for the rest of the song. With the exception of one verse that I left out. It was basically a repeat of another verse, and by leaving it out I had a nice even number to work with.

So, anyway, that’s that for today. What do you think?

I like the original, but I also kinda like this. Maybe feels a little rushed and not fleshed out. I think that’s okay for these re-records, though. They’re more to get me thinking about new ways to do songs than about making them really great.

Plus, I’ve really been thinking about how I don’t have a new song yet and it’s already Thursday.

Since it’s Thursday, I’m sure you’re getting ready for the Poor Elvis show this coming Friday, right? Did you know it’s Friday the 13th? Check out the facebook event for info. Hope to see you there.

Listen, Talkin' Headline Blues

The Talkin’ Headline Blues #62

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Listen up! Read all about it! Or…Hear all about it! There’s some important stuff in this song today, I think. I don’t know. I only look at the headlines at CNN.com. So, I’m probably not the most informed person. Probably just ask your neighbor about any of the topics discussed in this song. Go ahead. Lean over and nudge them.

Did you also realize that Poor Elvis has a show this coming Friday? Did you also realize that this coming Friday is Friday the 13th? Since it’s the first Friday the 13th of the New Year, did you know that whatever you do on that day dictates your luck for the rest of the year? Did you know that if you come to our show (see the facebook event for info) then you’ll have good luck all year? If you don’t, well, you probably don’t wanna risk what’ll happen.

Best show up.

Listen, Talkin' Headline Blues

The Talkin’ Headline Blues #61

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So, some people say that the way you spend the first day of the year is how you’ll spend the rest of the year. I don’t know if I buy that. I wonder, though, if it could be the same for headlines. For news. That whatever news is in the headlines now, at the beginning of the year, will be there throughout the rest of the year in some way or another.

I kinda hope not, though, cause based on the headlines I used for this version of the Talkin’ Headline Blues, we’re in for a pretty bleak and confusing year.

Here’s a recap:

Politicians, death, signs of the Apocalypse, elections, Al Qaeda, the moon, fires, videos, shootouts, murder.

That’s just a little summary, though.

I think the funniest part of this song, or, the funniest headlines that were both in the same “Living & Eatocracy” section on CNN.com were:

Why make resolutions? Failure inspires

and

Making realistic New Year’s resolutions

Which am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to just fail? How can I fail without first attempting something new? Am I supposed to fail at what I’m already doing? Or, is CNN saying that I’m already a failure? Should I make a resolution, but make one that I can realistically fail at? Who is inspired by these failures?

Anyone have some clarity on this?

Anyway…that’s the first Talkin’ Headline for this year.

Listen, Rewritten Song

Rewritten Song: If I was a woman and you was a man (version 2)

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Well, here’s the last re-record for 2011 of a song from 2010. I think I’ll definitely keep doing this throughout 2012. Not only is it a good way to revisit old songs that I may have forgotten about, but it helps me figure out news sounds and different directions to take the new songs I’m writing.

So, be on the lookout…

For this re-record, I used 3/4 time and condensed the song a little bit. I think that’s always the problem I had with it…a little too much repetition of the chorus. This version works fairly well. Don’t know if it’s as successful as the original, though. Listen to that here for a comparison.

Also, the song that I wrote back in August called “I guess that’s just the way things go” is sorta a re-write of this song too, I supposed. I used that same cat and dog line, maybe cause I think that’s the most successful of all the lines in this tune. Or, maybe cause it’s the first one that I wrote for it. Or, maybe, for another reason. It’s any of those, really.

Anyway. I’m playing a show tonight at the Cicero Public Library. Come check it out, if you can. Should be an interesting show. Starts at 7pm and goes until 8:30. I plan on being really loud.

Listen, Talkin' Headline Blues

The Talkin’ Headline Blues #60

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Here’s the last Talkin’ Headline of 2011. Did you listen to all 52 this year? How did they make you feel? I really hope this was the only place you got all your news.

I’m planning to keep going with the Talkin’ Headline Blues all throughout 2012. We’ll see if it grows and changes at all, I guess. Or if I get tired of doing them.

I’m still working on the final new song and 2010 re-record, so look for those probably tomorrow, or later this week.