https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 20:16:36 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380265 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 04:03:26 +0000 Sunday Songwriters Group jamestoffee https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380265 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380256 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 17:12:27 +0000
If song connects with them then that's great. Even if it's just personal, as long as you know what your purpose for it is and are happy with it, that's all good.....more about enjoying the journey of songwriting than trying to please everyone. It's fun playing in a song circle. I try to bring something different every week. Sometimes it's something I've written and sometimes its a piece from someone else. Yesterday I got the news that Patti Page had died so I did a quick arrangement of and sang "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window" and "Tennessee Waltz". I also did a mashup/medley that I put together of Ain't Misbehavin', Rubber Ducky and At Last.



No one to talk with All by myself
No one to walk with I'm happy on the shelf
Ain't misbehavin' I'm savin' my love for you


Rubber Ducky you’re the one
You make bath time lots of fun!
Rubber Ducky I'm awfully fond of you!


At last, my love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song


Rubber Ducky Joy of joy
When I squeeze you you make noise
Rubber Ducky You're my very best friend its true


I know for certain The one I love
I'm through with flirtin' It's just you I'm thinkin' of
Ain't misbehavin' I'm savin' my love for you

Like Jack Horner In the corner
Don't go nowhere What do I care?
Your kisses are worth waitin' for



Rubber Ducky Your so fine
And im lucky that your mine
Rubber ducky im awfully fond of you


Every Day When I make my way to the tubby
I find a little fella who's Cute and yella And chubby
Rubba dub dubby!


I don't stay out late Don't care to go
I'm home about eight Just me and my radio
Ain't misbehavin' I’m Savin' my love for
Rubber Ducky I’m awfully fond of
Rubber Ducky, I’m savin’ my love for you]]> Sunday Songwriters Group John Sargent https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380256 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380255 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 16:45:54 +0000
If song connects with them then that's great. Even if it's just personal, as long as you know what your purpose for it is and are happy with it, that's all good.....more about enjoying the journey of songwriting than trying to please everyone.]]> Sunday Songwriters Group jamestoffee https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380255 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380254 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 16:35:51 +0000 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S8wBNoiv90&feature=player_embedded

This is an incredible bit about lyrics :lol: That's great! At least someone is listening :mrgreen: Many great songs will have a coherent narrative, perhaps with a bit of mystery where the story leaves a touch for imagination. One of the songs that I have working on performing is Michael Peter Smith's "I Brought My Father With Me". This is a fantastic lyric. He is a great song writer. His lyrics are musical but sound very natural is spoken out.

Bob Dylan's song "Subterranean Homesick Blues" is quite different. It's all over the place about beat culture, drugs, Big Brother, Protests. Many allusions to the scene that existed at the time but no real story. "The pump don't work because the vandals took the handle"]]> Sunday Songwriters Group John Sargent https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380254 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380253 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 16:23:58 +0000 life in the womb you can't
see you can't touch you can't
smell you can't hear
All that you know is the
fear The last line "all that you know is the fear" pretty much totally contradicts the first line about how "life in a tomb is like life in the womb" since the womb is pretty much universally looked at as a place without fear. Just not sure that it really works to set a mood as much as it disrupts it. Which, of course, may be the point.
Actually, the entire verse defies logic

Life in the tomb? Really
In the womb you can't touch? Really
Now I think "fear" may be present in a fetus. Pretty much depends on the mother, doesn't it? Life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?

Shine on brightly,
John]]> Sunday Songwriters Group John Sargent https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380253 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380241 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 04:57:34 +0000
It seems like it's going to be the music that's going to have to give this a feel for 1974 because the lyrics could be from just about any period. And that's perfectly okay. James makes valid points about the narrative here but, as you say, not every song must follow a certain style of exposition.

But good songs usually (not always - obviously no rule fits all in this universe!) expand on their themes or at least follow the logic set up within the world of the lyric. Keith Reid's lyrics definitely set moods without going anywhere but did so while creating a sense of a narrative movement from image to image and idea to idea as in "As Strong As Samson." Even songs like "Beyond the Pale" or "New Lamps for Old," as good as they are, could truly benefit from more concrete imagery that songs like "Whaling Stories," "Your Own Choice" or "Toujours L'amour."

More important than the argument about narrative, there's also a big "huh?" moment in the chorus:
Life in a tomb is like
life in the womb you can't
see you can't touch you can't
smell you can't hear
All that you know is the
fear The last line "all that you know is the fear" pretty much totally contradicts the first line about how "life in a tomb is like life in the womb" since the womb is pretty much universally looked at as a place without fear. Just not sure that it really works to set a mood as much as it disrupts it. Which, of course, may be the point.

As mentioned, it will be interesting to hear how this will work musically. And as I mentioned in Renee's post for this week, there's no rush or deadlines on any of these assignments. The whole point is for us to be working on improving our craft as songwriters.

Looking forward to more.

Peace]]> Sunday Songwriters Group David Hodge https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380241 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380238 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 03:59:01 +0000 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S8wBNoiv90&feature=player_embedded

This is an incredible bit about lyrics :lol: That's great! At least someone is listening :mrgreen:]]> Sunday Songwriters Group jamestoffee https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380238 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380230 Wed, 02 Jan 2013 17:00:19 +0000 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S8wBNoiv90&feature=player_embedded

This is an incredible bit about lyrics]]> Sunday Songwriters Group John Sargent https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380230 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380229 Wed, 02 Jan 2013 16:28:50 +0000 I did end up with a new banjo for Christmas. Maybe I'll pickup a midi keyboard in the Spring. Sounds fun :D]]> Sunday Songwriters Group jamestoffee https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380229 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380226 Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:52:58 +0000
The Peace love and happiness movement was dead in 74. Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison were dead while Elvis was still alive. It was pre-disco. I think my biggest musical influence at the time was Procol Harum. A careful study of Keith Reid's lyrics reveals that they set a mood but never actually went anywhere. I have a melody for this but doubt I'll get to recording it. It needs a piano and I'm just not that good on the ivorys.

I considered a story about Nixon's resignation, "I am not a crook", Gerald Ford becoming President and how the future would be brighter without wars or political corruption.
Anyway, I saw this weeks assignment as being "Can be based on real events but we're more interested in the voice and style of the times."

I did end up with a new banjo for Christmas. Maybe I'll pickup a midi keyboard in the Spring.]]> Sunday Songwriters Group John Sargent https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/11-9-three-places-at-once/#post-380226