An American In Damascus - by Mazz and Bruno

[bruno]

Great story on the way back home tonight on radio 4 - inspired a tune!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3481632/After-decades-Damascus-American-says-hell-never-leave.html

I wrote the lyrics, and then Mazz re-wrote them a bit :-)

First outing for the banjo - damn that thing is hard to play.
Used the Brook Taw, the Mandolin that Hook kindly gave me and survived the journey back from FL, my £70 charity shop German violin, bass through the Kemper, some Beta monkey loops, two channels of me an Mazz doing the chorus backing thing, and Mazz's lead vocals. As usual, we had fun recording this, lots of laughs :-)

American in Damascus

Living in a foreign land,
A long, long way from base,
he was asked to go so he looked up where it was
Narrow streets, the people he fell in love with the place

Thomas Webber is a writer and a teacher,
Living in a war zone,
checks the hood tape and under his car each morning,
American target but feels safer than with all the guns back home  

Go figure ...

Caught between 4 rockets in the middle of the town square,
saw exploding buildings all around but lived to fight another day
and married life for him is normal,
restaurants reviews on trip advisor, they love to hear what he has to say.

Not lost any friends in the current troubles,
except the unknown neighbour killed by a shrapnel blast,
But the worst and most dangerous time was a car chase,
by the secret service, a memory from the past.

Living in a foreign land,
a long long way from base,
everybody keeps telling him to go back home,
he says "no thanks" with a american smile on his face.

[SwanSong]

Marvelous song love that banjo sound. beautiful vocals
this song is well developed and constructed...a master p [piece
of songwriting congrats Cheers Neil !!

[Groundy]

This is superb,
So well written and performed,
Great backing music, and top class voice.....


Alex

[Kenny B]

Very cool song Mazz and Bruno.

So well done and unique ... all the vox are so good.

kb

[Redler]

Nice groove here!! Amazing job on each instrument!

Unique, as said!

Superb collab!

[Johnny Robbo]

Great song, chaps! Imaginative use of subject matter. Superb performace!

[The Gobi Desert Canoe Club]

Inspiration can come from anywhere and at any time. Great song and performance.   Willie

[Hook]

It is so cool to hear you 2 on a track like this, I feel like you're in the backseat. What a good song and nice picking and brother nice picing. Banjo is hard I don't like to pick mine up. Love the lyrics love the story love the song I love hearing you guys.
My family misses you guys, the states are a better place when you're here.

Rock on!

[bruno]

All - thanks for the listens and the kind comments - Mazz and I appreciate it.

My family misses you guys, the states are a better place when you're here.

Starting to plan for FL 2017 :-)