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In a house by the river
Where the corn don't grow
He'd paint his face
For the Sunday show
With a child in his arms
And a trick up his sleeve
He smiled like Judas
Asked them to believe
The walls knew secrets
That this town forgot
And the furnace sang
With a voice too hot
He buried their laughter
In numbered beds
Each one a prayer
Whispered to the dead
Oh crawlspace Jesus
With your crown of rope
Your children sleep
In graves of hope
No cross to carry
Just a shovel and a grin
The Painted Man
Let the devil in
He danced for the judges
In his blood red tie
Said, "I only meant
To hush their cry."
They call it madness
But madness has rules
Played what he'd learned
At Sunday school
The jury wept
But not for the boys
But for this clown
And his box of toys
And when they hung him
Til his last breath
He grinned like a saint
As he faced his death
Oh crawlspace Jesus
With your crown of rope
Your children sleep
In graves of hope
No cross to carry
Just a shovel and a grin
The Painted Man
Let the devil in
Let the devil in
Let the devil in
Let the devil in
- Welcome to Songcrafters.org.
Recent posts
#31
Original Songs / Re: Don't Care
Last post by Zoltan - May 10, 2025, 12:33:52 PMThe wolf is on the loose again!
Cool production and strong delivery. One of the best ones coming from Rons garage of rocking wonders.
Cool production and strong delivery. One of the best ones coming from Rons garage of rocking wonders.
#32
Cover Songs / Re: Collab All the way Down
Last post by Ray Brookes - May 10, 2025, 12:33:27 PMNicely mixed, Tim and I also enjoyed working on this song.
#33
Original Songs / Re: High, High, High (in west ...
Last post by Zoltan - May 10, 2025, 12:31:13 PMHell yeah... I'm going pimping in Miami!
Hearing this made me think i'm wasting my precious time.
Such a cool song. Coming from such a cool dude!
Hearing this made me think i'm wasting my precious time.
Such a cool song. Coming from such a cool dude!
#34
Original Songs / Re: Don't Care
Last post by Ray Brookes - May 10, 2025, 12:30:48 PMCool groove in this great rocker, Ron. That main riff works so well and love that rocky vocal you have. Just the right amount of grit and grunge along with good production.
#35
Cover Songs / Re: Across the borderline, Ry ...
Last post by TPB - May 10, 2025, 10:38:10 AMVery nice I love the background info Ry Cooder has many songs that are gems
Tim
Tim
#36
Original Songs / Painted Man (Let The Devil In)...
Last post by Oldrottenhead - May 10, 2025, 09:42:36 AM
I had this written pretty quickly on my acoustic but took about 4 hours to actually record. One for the serial killer fest,partly inspired/about John Wayne Gacey.
It is what it is.
Painted Man (Let The Devil In)
W/M
by
Oldrottenhead
HB Tele Copy
HB Jazz Bass
Cajon and Footstomp on garageband
Vocals
by
Oldrottenhead
HB Tele Copy
HB Jazz Bass
Cajon and Footstomp on garageband
Vocals
#37
Cover Songs / Across the borderline, Ry Cood...
Last post by Jean Pierre - May 10, 2025, 08:24:10 AMAcross the Borderline" is a song originally written by Freddie Fender, then covered by Ry Cooder, John Hiatt and Jim Dickinson, but performed by many artists, including Bob Dylan. The song explores themes of hope, sacrifice and the pursuit of a better life. It delves into the struggles and aspirations of individuals living on the border, with particular reference to the Rio Grande and the uncertain journey many face as they attempt to cross to a new land.
It's a very topical song, given Donald Trump's unbridled determination to complete the construction of an impassable wall between Mexico and the USA, and the appointment of the new Pope Leon XIV, an American bishop and former missionary in South America. The migration issue is likely to remain the number one bone of contention between the two men.
Many tracks on my Daw Guitars (3 tracks) , keyboards (accordion and trumpet with soundfont), weissenborn , Vocals (3 tracks), bass and drums are from band in a Box
Across the Borderline" is a song originally written by Freddie Fender, then covered by Ry Cooder, John Hiatt and Jim Dickinson, but performed by many artists, including Bob Dylan. The song explores themes of hope, sacrifice and the pursuit of a better life. It delves into the struggles and aspirations of individuals living on the border, with particular reference to the Rio Grande and the uncertain journey many face as they attempt to cross to a new land.
This version is inspired by that of Ensemble Iberica sin Fronteras
Sin Fronteras is a monumental musical project exploring music from both sides of the 5,525-mile border. The project features Latin Grammy winners Mireya Ramos and Los Texmaniacs, alongside country and western band Slim Hanson and the Poor Choices.
Listen carefully to the end ..there's a quote in Spanish (I think I speak Spanish as badly as English)...
It's a very topical song, given Donald Trump's unbridled determination to complete the construction of an impassable wall between Mexico and the USA, and the appointment of the new Pope Leon XIV, an American bishop and former missionary in South America. The migration issue is likely to remain the number one bone of contention between the two men.
Many tracks on my Daw Guitars (3 tracks) , keyboards (accordion and trumpet with soundfont), weissenborn , Vocals (3 tracks), bass and drums are from band in a Box
Across the Borderline" is a song originally written by Freddie Fender, then covered by Ry Cooder, John Hiatt and Jim Dickinson, but performed by many artists, including Bob Dylan. The song explores themes of hope, sacrifice and the pursuit of a better life. It delves into the struggles and aspirations of individuals living on the border, with particular reference to the Rio Grande and the uncertain journey many face as they attempt to cross to a new land.
This version is inspired by that of Ensemble Iberica sin Fronteras
Sin Fronteras is a monumental musical project exploring music from both sides of the 5,525-mile border. The project features Latin Grammy winners Mireya Ramos and Los Texmaniacs, alongside country and western band Slim Hanson and the Poor Choices.
Listen carefully to the end ..there's a quote in Spanish (I think I speak Spanish as badly as English)...
QuoteEn la triste oscuridad
Hoy tenemos que cruzar
Este río que nos llama más allá
#38
Original Songs / Re: No One But Ourselves.
Last post by StephenM - May 10, 2025, 07:19:12 AMmaybe you don't like the guitar sound but I love it... and to be fair all plugged in acoustic guitars never can or will sound like a truly acoustic guitar. If you want that you got to mic it. For me though a plugged in acoustic can sound good... I don't know if you used any eq or anything but I like what happened here.
sorry to hear about your medical issues... those are scary things... my thoughts and prayers are with you on that. time is no respecter of persons.
for me I like the guitar sound the best of everything in the song. you could easily take just the guitar and do a hundred great songs with it... and I am not saying this isn't a great song... I haven't bonded with it yet... and for me that might take at least 15 listens..
the lyrics and singing for me on this kind of defy the guitar... but I don't know anything so don't take my word for that.
I was happy to see your name pop up with a new song though...
looking at the lyrics I get some of the conclusions here... good guys lose and being a decent human gets you nowhere... kind of thing not sure if I am right but what it seems like to me. I do like the lyrics... they are deep actually and very reflective if not a bit of self pity too... and I am a fan of those things. However it is bigger than that as it is as if the author pity's the human race for the pathetic things that we can be and indeed are.
I might be trying to reach too deep here but I think there is alot of frustration and even a bit of angst in the lyrics... so that is powerful.. almost like the vocal delivery is a nice person saying "we are all fucked up"... I kind of dig that.
I am continually going back to the basics of my life... being grateful to each human who does anything for me whether it be making me a hamburger at McDonalds to sweeping a floor at the local Y to doctors working hard to try and help us be better when sick. I also attempt to bring good things to others. I think the colder the world gets the hotter we must become... and love conquers evil.
sorry if I went to far... it is a real nice song.. I just did listen 3 times...
pulling for your best outcome Steve
sorry to hear about your medical issues... those are scary things... my thoughts and prayers are with you on that. time is no respecter of persons.
for me I like the guitar sound the best of everything in the song. you could easily take just the guitar and do a hundred great songs with it... and I am not saying this isn't a great song... I haven't bonded with it yet... and for me that might take at least 15 listens..
the lyrics and singing for me on this kind of defy the guitar... but I don't know anything so don't take my word for that.
I was happy to see your name pop up with a new song though...
looking at the lyrics I get some of the conclusions here... good guys lose and being a decent human gets you nowhere... kind of thing not sure if I am right but what it seems like to me. I do like the lyrics... they are deep actually and very reflective if not a bit of self pity too... and I am a fan of those things. However it is bigger than that as it is as if the author pity's the human race for the pathetic things that we can be and indeed are.
I might be trying to reach too deep here but I think there is alot of frustration and even a bit of angst in the lyrics... so that is powerful.. almost like the vocal delivery is a nice person saying "we are all fucked up"... I kind of dig that.
I am continually going back to the basics of my life... being grateful to each human who does anything for me whether it be making me a hamburger at McDonalds to sweeping a floor at the local Y to doctors working hard to try and help us be better when sick. I also attempt to bring good things to others. I think the colder the world gets the hotter we must become... and love conquers evil.
sorry if I went to far... it is a real nice song.. I just did listen 3 times...
pulling for your best outcome Steve
#39
Original Songs / Re: Something Else
Last post by StephenM - May 10, 2025, 06:46:53 AMoh my gosh Ray this is so fun...
I love the whole thing... I like so many of your songs but this one is clever in a very different way than your usual...
the guitar work is stellar.
the song is put together like an amalgamation of Steely Dan and Little River Band... real clever.
the lyrics are insanely fun to me.. and I also kind of understand... to some degree or another many women can be just like this... I also like the cameo voice there.
i love pizza hut. and laddie da theatre...
I love the whole thing... I like so many of your songs but this one is clever in a very different way than your usual...
the guitar work is stellar.
the song is put together like an amalgamation of Steely Dan and Little River Band... real clever.
the lyrics are insanely fun to me.. and I also kind of understand... to some degree or another many women can be just like this... I also like the cameo voice there.
i love pizza hut. and laddie da theatre...
#40
Original Songs / Re: Anguish
Last post by StephenM - May 10, 2025, 06:41:35 AMthe song at the end goes almost acapella.. almost.. that buzzing synth thing so very faintly is brilliant.
the song soars from the git with that guitar solo rising to the skies... then down into almost silence... almost like a movie about intrigue! Then the plot if unfolded.
I am a bit different listener than many people. I tend to hear all the song as "music" and that includes the voices and lyrics kind of all mixed in and i don't really hear the lyrics.. those I have to study when I am ready, which is usually after many listens. I have changed somewhat since I became a "songwriter" as I have realized that lyrics are indeed important...
I like the subject very much as I have 3 children and I was with my (son with first wife, son and daughter with second) wife on each birth.. between the first and second child was 18 years... between the last two was 2 years. My children are the greatest reason I can find to be alive (other than my faith in God). So I absolutely understand your sentiment in the song.
I think the title is ok for the song... I suppose this would be a hard one to title.
the track is real good...
I liked Ted's analysis as per usual...
the song soars from the git with that guitar solo rising to the skies... then down into almost silence... almost like a movie about intrigue! Then the plot if unfolded.
I am a bit different listener than many people. I tend to hear all the song as "music" and that includes the voices and lyrics kind of all mixed in and i don't really hear the lyrics.. those I have to study when I am ready, which is usually after many listens. I have changed somewhat since I became a "songwriter" as I have realized that lyrics are indeed important...
I like the subject very much as I have 3 children and I was with my (son with first wife, son and daughter with second) wife on each birth.. between the first and second child was 18 years... between the last two was 2 years. My children are the greatest reason I can find to be alive (other than my faith in God). So I absolutely understand your sentiment in the song.
I think the title is ok for the song... I suppose this would be a hard one to title.
the track is real good...
I liked Ted's analysis as per usual...