Get The Lifeboat In The Water - AndyR Original

[bruno]

Thanks folks

It started out as just a little "joke song" on a single resonator and kind of grew. Some of the bits haven't come out quite like I wanted, but I'm really pleased with it now I've got a bit of distance from it. (Imagine having to listen to it 30 odd times a day for a few weeks while I was sorting it out - it gets a bit wearing with that much attention! )

Totally agree about distance - sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees - and you fret over small stuff, which really doesn't matter that much in the grand scheme. And inspiration is inspiration - even starting as something funny that makes you smile (normally the best ones). Sometimes its best to leave the 'mistakes' in as they become part of the song - the trouble is that you can never reproduce those  Always difficult to get the balance right - but you did a fine job on this!
B.

[AndyR]

You're right...

You're not gonna want to hear this () - I left the best vocal on the cutting room floor. It was the original guide, and had just too many issues for me on timing and the odd spot of phrasing (and some of the words weren't right - there's an awful lot of words to get right singing this thing...). But that one had "the vibe" that I had to go through an awful lot to reproduce.

The one I've ended up with is cool, but not as much of a "tongue-in-cheek observer" as I was pitching for.

It's one of those songs that you'd be able to do a lot easier if you'd sang it live in front of an audience a load of times - you'd know where the important bits were and where to just "talk" it out.

On the instruments, this has ALL the original guides on it ... except for the bass - that was a pig to get tight/right. Most of the guitars and resos are one-take "let's have a jam" parts. I ended up using the rough mix of the guitars - might have been better if I'd remixed them (drop some out here and there) when I had everything else in place. But it might have messed it up - or been a week's work for 1% improvement! So, yeah, left it as it was...

This one was weird, I knew I was on a winner from early on. But I didn't know how much of a winner. And with the hundreds of listens I was thoroughly fed up by the time it was mixed and mastered. I held on to it for a couple of days (partly to get some listening and commenting done on here and on alonetone), then got the missus and someone at alonetone to listen to it. They both went "yeah post it", so I did.

Listening to it a few days later was a big relief - yeah, live, with a real band (and an audience), I could probably do a much better version, but this one is cool and justifies the effort gone in.

I'm NOT going to do it on this one, but I'm starting to wonder whether after doing a big job like this it might be worth going "OK, take the drum track and do it again, fast as poss, less instruments..." - treat the original as the rehearsals.

[Snowpig]

A very clever song Andy.
Really well produced.

Roy

[Facemask93]

Really good song Andy , your stuff is always a treat , this is no exception , the backing has a little Lennon circa Walls & Bridges feel

[stoman]

Finally! I can listen to songs at songcrafters again (at least this one worked). And what a great song to start with! I knew you would not disappoing me, Andy, but I honestly had not expected such a big song. I love everything about it.

It's cold here, but the sun was shining today, so it wasn't too hard to get in the right mood.

Regards,
  Steffen

[steelguitar]

I missed this one, and it's really  brilliant!!!
Top production, top vocals and all instruments played are cool
Great original!!!

Jean-Sébastien

[Groundy]

Missed this originally,
From today's Random Dozen,
Cracker Andy...


Alex.

[ODH]

I'm slow. I'm catching up. This is beautiful. 

[SE]

Just cool stuff, well done!!!