Get Up Hippie Dude (colab with Darren G)

[StephenM]

I had this song I really like and originally I had lead guitar on it...but I scrapped that because it sounded exactly like my last lead on Snake Charmer, which sounds like most of my leads lol... so I asked Darren to add keyboards and I think he did a killer job on this..
I love the very end and the verge of feedback at one spot...
This was a fun song that I wrote and rewrote the lyrics because it started out too "preachy" so I cut and cut and added stuff... it's a bit of a lyrical buffet with more than one theme...imagine that!
To a big extent it's a bit of a self pep talk....to not get dragged down into the mud of lousy behavior toward other humans, even ones I don't agree with.

Sock e too ya mamma.  Yeah.  Hey, yeah....I got something to say.  When you hear me.  I got nothing to say.  My opinion, ain't worth a dime.  You want me to hear yours?  I ain't got the time.  We all think we know just what is wrong and what we must do.   We're mostly full of crap, and you  know, you know it's true. 
We'd be better off.  If we shut off the (net), we'd be better off...if we shut off.  Shut off...
Sock it to ye mama let it all hang out. 
It's like you can read my mind and I can read yours.  Instant insanity coming at mega speeds. 
Go out in the woods and look at some trees.  Then come back and get on your knees.  Get up and do something good.  Let's shut our yaps and do something good.  Get up and do something good.  Open someone's door.  Get up and be nice!  I'll shut my hell trap, you shut yours.  Get up, be nice.  I'll shut my hell trap, you shut yours.
Turn off the hate and turn on the love...Turn off the hate and turn on the love...Turn off the hate and turn on the love...
Flower power 69 flower power, hippie dude!  Hippie dude, hippie dude.  69 flower power,Go out in the woods and look at some trees.  Peace ya'll. 

also i would add that I realize I post quite a few songs now that I am retired... I just get too excited about them and I feel like I am racing against time...thanks for understanding and I really appreciate you listening and commenting...
I try faithfully to listen to everything posted, because I have time now and I really do enjoy getting to "know" everyone in the community

[TPB]

Great collab and one of the good things about being retired and cranking out songs it seems to me your are getting more comfortable with your vocals and there is improvements with every song well done guys
Tim

[guitarron]

 

also i would add that I realize I post quite a few songs now that I am retired... I just get too excited about them and I feel like I am racing against time...thanks for understanding and I really appreciate you listening and commenting...
I try faithfully to listen to everything posted, because I have time now and I really do enjoy getting to "know" everyone in the community

I can relate. So much music. So little time. We got to do another Carolina MET. maybe this spring.
This is probably my favorite of yours. It's really rocking. Original. Vocals, guitars. everything is good.
A fine collaboration

[Zoltan]

This is the next level stuff! There's a lot of energy and an almost proge -like feel to it all. The guitars are impressive and i like that patented StephenM vocal delivery (a borderline cosmic overdrive of lyrical phrases. A sensory overload!). The song is both out there and catchy as heck! The bass break + the drum beats are also a killer. One of your trademarks seems to be that hi-hat foot thing + heavy reliance on tom tom grooves. Seriously grooving!

[DarrenG / The Devil's Toupee]

It was a real pleasure adding some synths on this. What I loved when you sent me the track was how catchy it was, great guitars and tones, infectious lyrics and a good theme to it.
 its one of those songs I like to play over and over. Thanks for asking Stephen, it was fun.

[Farrell Jackson]

Great collab. Stephen and Darren! This might be one of your best to date. This song is loaded with ear candy...how many tracks are in this? Some of your best vocals and lyrics. The synth additions sound excellent. Well done collabers!

[StephenM]

Great collab. Stephen and Darren! This might be one of your best to date. This song is loaded with ear candy...how many tracks are in this? Some of your best vocals and lyrics. The synth additions sound excellent. Well done collabers!

thanks everyone!  Farrell, there are 9 tracks plus the keyboards and Darren would have to answer that.  I sent him a mix of music and vocals and he sent me a great finished product so this is it... I do alot of cut and paste within tracks...in this song I probably did vocals at least 5 different times and cut out parts and spliced in... it seems to fit my crazy personality...
some times (not on this one) I end up mixing the music into a stereo track and then the vocals into a stereo track and then bring them together.  I end up finding it easier to get volume correct between music and vocals without having to readjust all those tracks separate... thanks for your interest!!

[StephenM]

also i would add that I realize I post quite a few songs now that I am retired... I just get too excited about them and I feel like I am racing against time...thanks for understanding and I really appreciate you listening and commenting...
I try faithfully to listen to everything posted, because I have time now and I really do enjoy getting to "know" everyone in the community

I can relate. So much music. So little time. We got to do another Carolina MET. maybe this spring.
This is probably my favorite of yours. It's really rocking. Original. Vocals, guitars. everything is good.
A fine collaboration

I am thinking at some point we can have a Michigan met...my daughter is in school about 30 minutes from South Bend (near Benton Harbor)(ha I am going to now call it Harley Benton Harbor)...so at some point I am going to get up there...but I am allergic to the cold so likely more like late spring or fall...

[tonyc]

wow brill collab stephen and darren , your vocals get better with each song stephen , and smart work by darren on the synths nice rocker .......cheers tony cee

[StephenM]

Darren sent me another mix with keyboards...I like it alot and wanted to include it in the post....this is it...has some cool adds.