'La Brea' - A Greeny original

[Greeny]

Built around two guitar parts on my Takamine 12-string acoustic, plus Hofner Verythin electric guitar, Fender Precision bass, vocals, and Garageband drums / percussion. All recorded and mixed on the MBR.

Don't know if anyone else has been to the La Brea tar pit in Los Angeles, but it's an odd place. A prehistoric lake of bubbling tar in the middle of downtown.

La Brea

In this tar pit of a world
There's a bubbling and a troubling of the soul (oh-ohhh)
Dark fingers pull you down
With the prehistoric bones until you drown (oh-ohhh)
It fills your nose and throat
It's in your eyes and bloodstream
Why bring me to this place?
This city full of fault-line dreams

Ah-ahhh La Brea
Ah-ahhh La Brea
Black ooze and LA blues
Sinking in the tar
Like a mammoth under stars

You look so fine
In the golden teatime of your late sunshine (oh-ohhh)
But I drank the wine
And knew the hangman tarot card was I, me, mine
It fills your nose and throat
It's in your lungs and bloodstream
Why bring me to this place?
This city full of fault-line dreams

Ah-ahhh La Brea
Ah-ahhh La Brea
Black ooze and LA blues
Sinking in the tar
Like a mammoth under stars

etc etc

[thetworegs]

Good one Tim love the guitar, well in fact, the whole thing really, perfect for this LA sunshine we're getting in Yorkshire

[Groundy]

Love it, Tim.
Well written and well performed, as always.
Take a Bow.

Alex.

[Redler]

Stunning!! I liked this right from the start; ethereal feel both on lyric and melody. Your guitar sounds like a dream! Amazing job with the drums as well.

How did you create the drum track? I have Garageband on my iPad, but I haven't got familiar with it's features so far - just strumming along. I prefer GB drum tone than my Micro BR drum machine, although MBR is easy to program.

[Greeny]

How did you create the drum track?

Garageband has 'live' drummers: different virtual people with their own genres and styles. You can literally order them to play exactly as you want, bar by bar. You can tweak the loudness and complexity, and which bits of the kit they're playing. You can even bring in a separate percussionist (as I did here).

It's bloody marvellous! I can't even remember how to program MBR drums now.

[Oldrottenhead]

another belter tim, and yup garageband live drummers are a fab tool.

the La Brea tar pit  is referred to in the frank black song "calistan" i did a cover and misheard the lyric changing it from "valley of tar that once was LA" to valley atoll that once was LA" doh!

[kenny mac]

I always get excited when I see that name popping up, Greeny.
always a treat, and this did not let me down
The recording is so good,you know how to work that recording studio mate.
the playing is top class.
pie pod bound.
nice one.
vocals excellent as well.

[Ferryman_1957]

Brilliant, the second killer hook track I've listened to today. The chorus is a belter, just love the hook and the harmonies. All very well put together, the twelve string guitars intertwine beautifully and the structure of the song is great. I have to agree the drums give it a really nice feel and it's good for you to be able to get away from MBR drums. Lyrics are fabulous and the vocal performance is great. My only niggle is that the Verithin lead is a little quiet, but that's only a minor thing. Overall, the production is fabulous and really well balanced. You make the MBR sound really good.

I've been to LA (weird place) but not the tar pits. Maybe I need to get me some of that black ooze and LA blues.......   

[Farrell Jackson]

I've been to Le Brea tar pits and this should be one of the songs they play during the tours....especially in the Dire Wolves display. Great lyric and the 12 string sounds real good. Some fine vocals all around. The melancholy melody lends itself easily to the fine harmonies. Excellent recording Tim!

[Ella]

Great song and so very well made. I love that bass-line and the way it comes in, after intro. So nice to hear your songs.