Is it just me or has the world gotten that bit madder today???

[Super 8]

It was with some trepidation I pressed play (all this talk of the Smiths - I was not a fan at all! ).

It was with some trepidation (and later, intoxication!) I recorded it Andy! Let me TRY to explain this one ...

I grew up in the North West of England and, amongst my peers, The Smiths were like Marmite - you either loved 'em or hated them! Strangely I found myself somewhere in the middle (but then I've always been an outsider!) I'd still class myself as a 'fan' of their early stuff but my attention began to wane well .... around about the time they started having chart success as it happens - to my ears they seemed to be writing 'to a different agend' let's say from there on in and, completely in my humble opinion, their output from there on became too hit'n'miss/pick'n'mix to my ears. I was definitely more into the whole musicality of those first releases - where the whole 'woe is me' mentality / gladioli-waving image is concerned, erm, not so! I'd still highly recommend detractors check out Marr's geetar work on their early stuff mind! Regardless of opinions of the band as a whole the guitar playing (OK, and the bass playing!) is pretty GREAT! Which brings me to this song in question ... "Hmm!"

About a fortnight ago in the wee small hours I was just obliviously 'geetar noodling away' on headphones (using one of the clean guitar presets on the BR1600CD) when, out of nowhere, I started playing what went on to become the actual main electric guitar riff that you hear panned left o' centre on the finished recording - that was 'the noodle' in question and I decided to leave it in. I noodled around some more and started hearing other parts but then: "THWACK!" (This is beginning to read like a '60s Batman script - apologies!)  "NOPE!" I thought, "I can't go here - I'm wearing my 'young man influence' too much already with this one and, though I say so myself, it's starting to sound like, heaven forfend, some long lost SMITHS song = YIKES!" (ED: "Good 'first out of the blocks' spot there Mr. 'Old Rotten Heid' by the way!) So I did the decent thing, the only thing I could do. That's right, I shelved it!

Cut to two days before Trump's election. Independently I started writing some lyrics obviously inspired by recent events (which is odd for me 'cause I almost always write with a guitar in hand). I had 'a bad feeling' about how things were panning out, a premonition if you will! The words came real easy (again, for a change!) and it was only when the ink was dry on that last line did I pick up an instrument ... but it wasn't a guitar for a change. I picked up my £40 no name bass and started plonking away with that instead (Sting eat yer heart out - LOL!)

That 'Smiths-y' idea I'd shelved a fortnight earlier must have still been lurking not far below the surface though because, although I was playing the bass in a different key, once I'd found a melody for the words & juggled things about a bit (ED: 'Transposed' is the word you're looking for!) When I fired up my trusty BR1600, I realised that I hadn't wiped my jangly noodlings from a fortnight earlier and that the whole thing (albeit conceived independently) somehow just seemed to fit together like some kind of sonic jigsaw (I didn't feel like I had that much of a say in it as it all turned out truth be known!) The recording session itself took about an hour tops and, well, that as they say was that! "Done'n'Dusted!" "In the can!" whatever you wanna call it!

Back to 'the politics' ... I cracked open a bottle of vino toward the end of the mix for this one and, as things turned out, proceeded to just drink right on through post-session cause, in the meantime, Trump did the seemingly impossible and somehow snuck into The White House and became the 45th President Of The USA! ("WTF?!!") When I (finally!) awoke from my stupor feeling my previous waking memories had all just been some kind of weird, warped bad dream I made myself a cup of coffee then sat down to check my email. The first notification was from a friend in America convinced that Trump's elevation to The White House was the official onset of Armageddon (yep, cheery stuff!) but, as if that wasn't bad enough, the second notification I clicked on took me directly to ORH's first post reply above! Apparently in my intoxicated haze I'd somehow managed to 'self-release' said song in question as my, erm, my next single (which was never my intention! "For personal listening only ossifer!")

The moral of the story? Don't let me near a computer after two bottles of wine basically! This one wasn't for public consumption, no one was meant to hear it! And as for Trump, well: "GAWD HELP US ALL!!!" Good evening! It's okay, I'll see myself out .....                

[alfstone]

And as for Trump, well: "GAWD HELP US ALL!!!" Good evening! It's okay, I'll see myself out .....                

Naaaaa.....

don't worry, he just changed name and wig....

Alfredo

[Oldrottenhead]

seems the interwebthingy thinks he could be another italian too.

[Groundy]

And as for Trump, well: "GAWD HELP US ALL!!!" Good evening! It's okay, I'll see myself out .....                 

Naaaaa.....

don't worry, he just changed name and wig....

Alfredo

[Groundy]

seems the interwebthingy thinks he could be another italian too.

[Super 8]

 

[Hook]

Good fecking song, nice trumpet!
Rock On!

[AndyR]

Cool story on how it was created.

And I was digging the trumpet too (and the harmonica)

[Super 8]

Apologies for my overly long ramble above, I had a bit of time on my hands (for once!) Probably best I stay busy methinks! Currently working up a new one. Could really benefit from having a full choir on it!

[launched]

I really like the way you have put this one together. And some catchy passages too

Mark