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My intention was to do this entire song in GarageBand, but I was one balanced cable short of being able to do the vocals, so I used the trusty Micro BR.

I tried, I really did, to do ORH-style lyrics here -- not to over think them, and let them flow.

I like this nice n understated at the start, then builds. Great. Got a Dire Straits feel to it?

T

HI Ted
A great peice going on here. defiantely a a DIRE STRAITS sound and reggie.
great vox. and well produced. enjoyed a bunch . best regards NEIL

Cool song and arrangement. I realize it's for Emu Fest but as reggie music goes, IMO, it's lacking edge...guitar and bass would improve this immensely.

Wait a second...rainbow coloured testicle!  :o  :D

About time we got some reggea !! Great song Ted !!

as always a fab production ! And your lyrics are always a treat !!!

Quote from: Gritter on January 21, 2011, 05:42:58 PMWait a second...rainbow coloured testicle!  :o  :D

size of a country ham :o ;D ;D

Great work here, just so well put togther, vox great too and really funny lyrics, " the size of a country ham " will be in my tiny mind all day, thank you very much!!!!

bloody magic ted love the harmonies on the our eyes meet part

gaun yersel.  as for comparing it to dire straits, they could never have come up with anything as good or original as this. gaun yersel ted.

You do have a way with words, Ted...and you've also made a nice bit of musical genre-bending!  :D

This is an ever-so-slightly different mix. I just tweaked levels on three of the tracks.

[Update Mar. 14 2021: The version in the first post is the tweaked version. This comment had the SoundClick version, which has been depreciated.]


I upped the clavinet sound for you, Gritter. (You hurt my fragile feelings when you said it needed more edge.)

Neil and Tom r: Dire Straits were nowhere near my mind when I did this. It's an interesting comparison, because with my vast knowledge of the band (I have a greatest hits CD), I can't think of any reggae song that they've done.

Gritter and Geir: Glad you like it. The "testicle" line was the kernel of this song. I came up with it more than a year two years ago, hummed it into my cell phone, and then stored it with all my other lonely sketches where they wait to see the light of day.

ORH: I was trying to channel you when I filled the lyrics and melody around the original song kernel. It was on "our eyes meet" when I felt your spirit the strongest.  I also did the vocals in one take.

Cuthbert: Genre bending, eh? I was surprised how easy this came together once I'd lain down the two riffs that make up the song.

QuoteORH: I was trying to channel you when I filled the lyrics and melody around the original song kernel. It was on "our eyes meet" when I felt your spirit the strongest.  I also did the vocals in one take.

i was at one with you there. gaun yersel ted, why is it doing the vox in one take is always the best way?

Quote from: oldrottenhead on January 22, 2011, 10:18:00 AM

QuoteORH: I was trying to channel you when I filled the lyrics and melody around the original song kernel. It was on "our eyes meet" when I felt your spirit the strongest.  I also did the vocals in one take.

i was at one with you there. gaun yersel ted, why is it doing the vox in one take is always the best way?

I was also drinking a beer when I channeled you.

how can a song with the word testicle in it not be on the radio. Musically I love this. Vocally I love it. Lyrically... Ted I didn't think you could write a song without over thinking the lyrics too much yet you did it.

I'm doing the soundclick version right now. I dig the tweaking, although I thought the first version was fantastic. It does have a bit more bite to it.

There's a lot of debate bait in this! I love it!

Quote from: Tony W on January 22, 2011, 07:49:14 PMThere's a lot of debate bait in this! I love it!

With some trepidation, I have asked a Rastafarian reggae artist I know to listen to this, and give me his thoughts. I think this song walks a line between confession and provocation. If I'd let myself over think the lyrics, I might have parsed my words more.

Thanks for the tweaks...sounds much better fe I and I!

What a bloody good listen , im thinking more 10cc , but that's only if your making comparisons , otherwise it's Ted Wailer & the Testicals , I just love everthing about this song , and production wise it's faultless .
Excellent song , Bob Marley once said , one good thing about music, when it hits- you feel no pain ;

Rob

Love the layering and panning, and whole electro-reggae groove. And I very much doubt there has ever been (or ever will be!) a song with the words 'rainbow coloured testicle the size of a country ham' in it, lol. Great delivery on the vocal too. This is an excellent song that really grows on you. Lovely work!

Cool song! very well done! Like the clavinet a lot! cool idea and coolinstrumenrtation. is there a jew harp somewhere? sounds like!

Cool n catchy song Ted, with some great dreamy electroniX,  fun lyrics too !!

Hi Ted, thought I'd replied to this one, I'm getting worried,a Willie with dementia is a really scary thought. Never really listened to much reggae, Toots and the Maytals are my favourites although Ted and the Rainbow coloured Testicles could soon go for world domination. Downloading it now.........Willie

Quote from: facemask93 on January 23, 2011, 03:43:57 AMim thinking more 10cc , but that's only if your making comparisons , otherwise it's Ted Wailer & the Testicals

I've got to register that domain ASAP: http://www.tedwailerandthetesticles.com (https://cowboyinafrica.com/?r=V%27z+tbvat+guebhtu+naq+svkvat+zl+qrnq+yvaxf+ba+Fbatpensgref.+V+qba%27g+erzrzore+jung+V+bevtvanyyl+yvaxrq+guvf+gb%2C+ohg+V%27z+fher+vg+jnf+uvynevbhf.&nw=1)

Quote from: Greeny on January 24, 2011, 03:45:37 AMAnd I very much doubt there has ever been (or ever will be!) a song with the words 'rainbow coloured testicle the size of a country ham' in it, lol.

Maybe for good reason. I'll be presenting this song to my monthly song circle in about an hour. I'm trying so hard not to worry about how that line will be received. My two biggest allies won't be there tonight. It was one of these friends who told me of this quote:

Quote from: Mark TwainThe difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter--'tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.

I think of that quote every time my insecurity tempts me to self censor.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Quote from: dasilvasings on January 24, 2011, 12:02:19 PMis there a jew harp somewhere? sounds like!

At first I couldn't think of what you could possibly been hearing, but I think it's the echo/delay on the bass. Interesting observation.

Satchwood: Glad you like it. I can't solo worth crap, but the DS 10 brought a little Satch out of me.

Willie: Now your piPod has testicles. How do you feel about that?

Ted, this is great fun and a bit different. Synthy 10cc is kind of what springs to mind but I love the sounds you have used here. Lovely spacey mix with nice syncopated rhythm, it all works really well.

No idea what you are singing about - these tired ears can't make it out, this talk of testicles has me intrigued (the vox are a tad low IMO). Any chance of some lyrics?

Cheers,

Nigel

Quote from: Ferryman on January 25, 2011, 08:52:07 AMNo idea what you are singing about - these tired ears can't make it out, this talk of testicles has me intrigued (the vox are a tad low IMO). Any chance of some lyrics?

I've updated the song info (https://songcrafters.org/community/index.php?topic=10037.0) with the lyrics, God help me.

Did 10cc ever do a reggae song? Dreadlock Holiday refers to reggae, but IMO the rhythm of that song is disco.

I presented this song, on acoustic guitar, to the song circle last night. For the first time ever, women outnumbered men (http://www.flagstaffsongcircle.com/2011/01/mezannine-runneth-over.html). They seemed to like the song--testicle and all. Whew!

Must be a freaking coincidence.

I just ripped Bob Marley's "Legend" CD to the pink IPod I inherited from my daughter, and I had smoked ham for supper last night (sans testicles).

Damn Ted - good tune man.
I love the way you write songs. The metaphors are insane.
I think you would be a very fun guy to have a beer with.

P.S. - That "Song Circle" thing sounds pretty cool.

Fully realized, fantastic song...for me the part that does it is the "And our eyes meet.
Our eyes meet."..it goes kinda introspective, that really grabs me...it is like the songwriter steps out from behind the song and addresses the listener straight on...I don't know, that part really grabs me.  and that fantastic dark brooding kaosillator-style solo there at 2:20, that is really effective, really does it for me.  This is one completely fantastic song Ted.  It has a kind of melancholy about it that i like, kinda Reggae blues with a dash of the prog for spice.  I really dig this.  Really well done.

Hey Canadians! I'm glad you both like it.

Quote from: Bluesberry on January 28, 2011, 07:39:41 AMIt has a kind of melancholy about it that i like, kinda Reggae blues with a dash of the prog for spice.  I really dig this.  Really well done.

Thanks BB: You not only rescued the song from page 2 for me, you took the focus off the testicle and moved it to what I like most about the song: its melancholy. This song is based around a throwaway line that might never have seen the light of day, and I'm pretty satisfied with it. Maybe too satisfied with it.

Quote from: Vanncad on January 25, 2011, 07:46:48 PMI think you would be a very fun guy to have a beer with.

Let's have a beer sometime, and you can find out. Bluesberry likes beer too, and I'm sure the two of you are neighbors. So let's invite him.

The first reggae album I ever heard was War Inna Babylon (http://www.roots-archives.com/release/90) by Max Romeo & The Upsetters. After that was Babylon by Bus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon_by_Bus), by Bob Marley & The Wailers. Both albums belonged to my older sister. She was exploring reggae when I was just discovering punk.  So I reckon maybe I was exposed to "real" reggae a bit before it was infused by some mainstream rock acts like 10cc. I kinda thought that everyone was exposed to this stuff, so that's why I was initially mystified by the comparisons to 10cc and Dire Straits. Now I understand what's really the case is that I have a very cool sister.

QuoteSo I reckon maybe I was exposed to "real" reggae a bit before it was infused by some mainstream rock acts like 10cc.

I think probably 10cc heard some "real" Reggae before recording Dreadlock Holiday as well. The Police heard some "real" Reggae, Paul Simon did, UB40 (maybe  ;))...I really don't hear Dire Straits though. For some reason Dire Straits are the most referenced band on this site next to the Beatles. I don't get it.

Having said that, you do sound like a pop or rock act doing Reggae. There's nothing wrong with that. I listen to a lot of Roots Reggae too. But we are what we are and this is a cool song regardless of style or genre.

Quote from: Gritter on January 28, 2011, 10:38:41 AM

QuoteSo I reckon maybe I was exposed to "real" reggae a bit before it was infused by some mainstream rock acts like 10cc.

I think probably 10cc heard some "real" Reggae before recording Dreadlock Holiday as well. The Police heard some "real" Reggae, Paul Simon did, UB40 (maybe  ;))...

I should probably rephrase that. Reggae had certainly influenced rock before I had much awareness of the genre: The Beatles' Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, Paul Simon's Mother and Child Reunion, and Clapton's cover of I Shot the Sheriff and others. All of these predated my discovery of reggae directly via Romeo and Marley via my sister, which was about 1977. It was shortly thereafter when I made the connection between reggae and some of the music being done in Punk and New Wave, by acts like The Police, The Clash, Elvis Costello, The Slits, etc.  To me, it seemed like I'd discovered reggae first, and my new favorite bands followed.

C'mon, I was 15.

But these comparisons to 10cc and Dire Straits make me think that my fellow rock fans are primarily familiar with co-opted version of reggae (such as this song of mine), and somewhat unfamiliar with the primary sources. And there's nothing wrong with that.

I image Googled rainbow nutsack and this came up.

Click to view image which may be inappropriate in some situations (work, family, etc.)

 :D

Quote from: Gritter on January 28, 2011, 12:28:53 PMI image Googled rainbow nutsack and this came up.

You're a brave man, Gritter. I'm sure that's not the only image that came up.

I'm at work now, so I'll have to look at it later.

Amazing song! a kind of Reggae New Wave. Love it.
Fantastic influences and very original piece of music!!

Quote from: damian on February 05, 2011, 01:03:56 AMAmazing song! a kind of Reggae New Wave.

Like this?


That's painful to watch. Sorry.

Thanks for the bump. I'd accepted that this song had sunken into board obscurity.

Quote from: Ted on February 05, 2011, 01:56:26 PM

Quote from: damian on February 05, 2011, 01:03:56 AMAmazing song! a kind of Reggae New Wave.

Like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY41o-iZStI

That's painful to watch. Sorry.

More like this but with much more interesting lyrics  ;):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPjIC0TRstY

I like that the nerdy bald guy seemed to be having the most fun--more fun than the attractive blow-dried singers. See what I mean? Hair is the downpressor.

Masterbump. Two-and-a-half years is long enough.

Cool song.  :r2

In 2009, many of us on the forum lived through the great "Uploading MP3's to the forum server will not be possible (https://songcrafters.org/forum/index.php?topic=4800.0)" scare.

Back then I converted many of my song posts to Soundclick links. Now I'm going through and making sure that there are MP3s on my old song posts, and masterbumping while I'm at it.

Technically, updating this post was not necessary – the first post in the tread was not SoundClick. But it wasn't the final mix. And I'm still taking the opportunity to masterbump. I'm kind of proud of this song, and would still like to do it live. Maybe with my band in Madagascar.

wow love it , superb lyrics .  more please ......cheers tony cee

With over 5000 views i can see why...this is great Ted...thanks for posting it back up.... kind of technoprogreggae... I likey!

Quote from: Ted on January 25, 2011, 07:17:54 PMThey seemed to like the song--testicle and all. Whew!

they generally don't mind those... without which they or me or us would not be here.. it is a necessary ingredient... maybe you can get around them nowadays by going to the bank but that was not the case in our generation. 

I really am enjoying reading through the comments on this as I listen on repeat.  First off, the lyrics really nail a human dilemma or just a way many of us are. 
I can relate because to some degree or a big degree I have always had to "dress the part" to fit in the group (s) I have been part of.  Along the way and now that I have some (alot more) flexibility I do alot more of what works for me and those who want to be in my life are generally welcome but if they try and make me conform to their image of what they think I need to be "look out!"  I am a peaceful rebel, but a rebel none the less (not in the southern sense but in the sense that "you ain't my mother" kind of thing")...  they stopped giving me a hard time about it once I made a stand.

the music is fun... I like the kind of Stevie Wonder whamp whamp bass in the right ear (not the right term and it is a keyboard I think)... I was not a reggae guy but I like music that leans that way such as what the Police were doing at times and also Rush leaned there some in the 80's and 90's... I like the way music styles infiltrate us and become a bit of a part of what artists might do. 
The star on this though is the vocals.

Quote from: Gritter on January 28, 2011, 10:38:41 AM

QuoteSo I reckon maybe I was exposed to "real" reggae a bit before it was infused by some mainstream rock acts like 10cc.

I think probably 10cc heard some "real" Reggae before recording Dreadlock Holiday as well. The Police heard some "real" Reggae, Paul Simon did, UB40 (maybe  ;))...I really don't hear Dire Straits though. For some reason Dire Straits are the most referenced band on this site next to the Beatles. I don't get it.

Having said that, you do sound like a pop or rock act doing Reggae. There's nothing wrong with that. I listen to a lot of Roots Reggae too. But we are what we are and this is a cool song regardless of style or genre.

Quote from: Gritter on January 28, 2011, 10:38:41 AMFor some reason Dire Straits are the most referenced band on this site next to the Beatles. I don't get it.

I am way down stream of this comment but I do think that it is true... I read alot of comments and Dire Straits is referenced alot.. I have a couple of good ideas why.  The first is not true on this song here but I think it is because the way Mark Knopfler sings, his accents are somewhat common to folks who come from similar areas of the world... For example I have often heard Phil Lynott and Mark Knopfler in Mike S vocals.... Phil was Irish also... the comp sometimes in uncanny.  Also I spent a ton of time listening to one particular Thin Lizzy album (Jailbreak)... some of the later stuff they did the producer somewhat changed the way Phil sounded.
The second reason they get comped (I think, jmo) is on this side of the pond we have very limited exposure or none to alot of the popular bands from the UK area.  Dire Straits was and is hugely popular over here and so that is what we can relate... just my two cents worth...
besides helping me learn alot more about songwriting and recording this site has introduced me to some great insights to how folks from that area are culturally... and now when I watch the TV programs from other there they really make a lot more sense.  People from the US and the UK (while we sort of have the same language) we think about things and culturally are very different... and of course I will throw this in... In the UK as well as in the US that changes depending on where you are... however there is an overall "vibe" for each.  These are just things I like to think about.

Quote from: Ted on January 28, 2011, 11:50:50 AMPaul Simon's Mother and Child Reunion, and Clapton's cover of I Shot the Sheriff and others

I never thought of the Paul Simon song like that before but it makes sense Ted... btw, I loved that song...it is so full of hope.

also the Clapton cover I loved and I think that was the first Clapton I ever heard other than Layla