Culling CDs

As mentioned earlier (too lazy to cross-link), I'm taking advantage of the whole C-19 "working from home" situation to systematically go through my "second tier" CDs.

About half of my CDs are my "good" CDs:  I like the songs (catchy; memorable), and I have a sense of which songs are on which album.

And the other half aren't memorable:  I listen through, and they're "fine" -- but as soon as one song ends I can't remember the last one; and by the end of the album I don't remember anything I've listened to.  Some of them are CDs I picked up cheap; others were gifts; still others were by bands or artists with albums in my "good" pile -- but this specific album?  Not so good.

So I'm going through all of my "second tier" CDs, as I work.  If I like it because of at least one song, I write a note on a scrap of paper, slip it into the front of the CD case, and put the CD (including the case!) in the "keep" pile.  But if I can't identify any specific reason to keep it, I write a note that describes the genre ("Metal"; "Mellow female vocals with strummed acoustic guitar"), insert the note, and put it in the "discard" box -- with the idea to give the CD to someone that's into that genre of music.


Some of the CDs have "okay" songs.  In which case, the test question is:  "Would I mind if I never hear this song -- ever again?"

If the answer is "Eh -- nope, wouldn't mind" -- it's discarded.


So far I'm about 25% "keep", 75% "discard".  And that seems about right. 


--GG

Swell if Dolly Parton would cover my song

About 30 (yow!) years ago, I had run out of money and knew I'd have to drop out of college at the end of the term.  I was sitting on the balcony that overlooked the common area of my dormitory, and wrote a song called "Il Fait Plu", which means "It is raining" in French -- and is pretty close to all the French I know.

The song really doesn't have anything to do with raining -- but the title contains a hidden meaning -- Old Roommate will figure it out ;) -- and "sad songs" and "rain" go well together.


Out of all the songs I've written, it's one of my favorites:  melody and lyrics.  The first verse is:

I'm looking down from the balcony of my second home
This, is kind, of strange
The music comes, but the words, don't seem to flow
I -- don't know


And the chorus is:

I don't worry much
It's not something I usually do
Looking out the window
    seeing life go on
(Pause)
Il fait plu 
(Pause)
Il fait plu 



And then about five years ago, I suddenly realized that the song would sound really good if it was sung by Dolly Parton:  in fact, it sounds like something she would have written.  Dunno how I came to that realization:  just -- "poof".

I can "hear" her singing it.

 I must admit, I haven't pursued this in any sort of focused way:  I've done a bit of a web search a few times -- but, nothing.

I haven't even started a Soundcloud (or similar) account -- or figured out how to post audio-only songs to YouTube (I have a channel -- just haven't sat down and uploaded it).

Which is why people know her music, and don't know mine:  hard work; gumption.  And lack thereof.


Maybe this weekend. 
 

Anyhow:  if you actually know Dolly, maybe ask her to take a listen?  It's already copyrighted -- so I'm not worried about anyone "stealing" it. 

It's a good song -- I reckon.


Okay:  weekend's coming. Let's see if I post it on YouTube.


--GG

Open letter to Vanessa Veselka and the Seattle band Bell

Three children in Australia (one now a teenager; all are middle school or older) are familiar with "Attempted Pop Song #1" and "Upon Greater Reflection":  they've been hearing it in the car since they were infants, and have had it on their MP3 players the last few years.

So:  worldwide recognition.


I should've dumped graduate school and offered to be your bassist:  ah well.  Timing.

And maybe Bell wasn't ready for two songwriters in the group. 


--GG

Open letter to Paul McCartney and Ringo and all songwriters

I live in Australia -- so December is actually during the summer -- so people keep their windows open (unless they have the windows open).

As I waited for the train this morning, to commute to work, I heard a pair of young children singing -- loudly! -- "Yellow Submarine".  I did a quick web search:  it was released in 1966 -- a few years before **I** was born, and at least a full generation -- probably 46 years before those kids were born.

And yet:  they knew the song.


That must to amazingly gratifying as a songwriter or recording artist (Paul, Ringo) -- to have little children singing, unprompted, a song you recorded nearly half a century ago.

Your song is embedded in popular culture.

Can't get much better than that.


--GG

Mike Dean song about being an away dad

I discovered this song as the backing music to a YouTube video.  I'm not usually "Country" -- but I like anything with good lyrics and a good melody.

To me, it's about being a dad with a job that takes you away from your family.  I think it's about working on an offshore oil rig -- but it applies to Navy folks, people in the mining industry, touring musicians, etc.

Applies to husbands, wives, and moms -- not just dads, of course.




Mike Dean's webpage is here, if you want to buy his music.


--GG

Hey Jealousy

I'm not sure what brought this on (but I'm sure my subconscious does!) -- but a few days ago I've been thinking about the song "Hey Jealousy", by the Gin Blossoms.  Been singing it to myself, at home, in the car, at work.

It's a sad song, if you listen to the lyrics -- and the context is sad as well:  according to Wikipedia, the band member who wrote the song got kicked out of the band for substance abuse problems -- and then sat on the sidelines while the band (without him!) hit the big time on the strength of that song.  Shortly after, he killed himself.

Anyhow, a few days ago I did a web search for the lyrics, and last night I did a search for the chords -- and then stayed up late playing the song.

In the original version of the song, the third verse just repeats the first verse.  But today, on the train ride to work I had the audacity to write my own third verse, which hints at a future together.  And I'm also changing the phrase "Hey Jealousy" to "Hey Melody".

I also did a YouTube search for cover versions -- all of which are either pretty faithful "distorted guitar" renditions or else "acoustic guitar" versions in the same tempo.  Mine will be more synth-driven -- I think.

When I get around to it.  :)


--GG

An open letter to Vanessa Veselka

An open letter to Vanessa Veselka:


Hi!


I'll preface this by saying that I am a fan (lower-case "f") -- but I am not a "Fan" (upper-case; tinged with craziness).

Illustration:  I don't have all your lyrics memorized; I don't own any The Pinkos albums; I haven't read your novel (sorry:  nowadays I only read non-fiction -- mostly about guitars, recording techniques, and woodworking).  And I just don't have the time or the sense of focus to be an adequate stalker.  

And, of course, I now live in Australia.  Too far to telecommute.


However, I do very much enjoy the songs of your band Bell (1990s; Seattle).  I have all three of your albums.  And **somewhere** I have a CD where I dubbed the songs from your red demo cassette tape, the blue demo cassette tape, and your KGRG radio interview.

And I do end up wearing my red "Yeah, It's Rock" t-shirt about six times a year.  It depends on which end of the closet I start from.


Anyhow, I recently re-discovered my stash of Bell albums, in which you were the songwriter, guitarist, and singer (possibly in that order).  Back in the day my Bell CDs were in heavy rotation.  Since moving to Australia, however, they've slid out of sight -- partly because I no longer have music playing all the time around the house (The Lady prefers the quiet).


A few points:

-Although I was always wary of the classification "grunge" -- especially since the term was coined by someone outside the Seattle scene -- I never thought of your music as being within that genre.  But now, nearly 20 years later... OK, yeah:  I can see Bell as part of that larger "sound".

-It's a crying shame that -- for whatever reason -- you guys weren't as big as Nirvana (or at least Pearl Jam).  I don't get it.  (No, I don't get it; I don't, don't get it...)

-Your first album, A Clear Sense of Beauty, is a masterpiece.  I would say it has as many hits as Nirvana's Nevermind.  I particularly enjoy "Loose & Unsubdued", "Attempted Pop Song #1", and "Upon Greater Reflection".  "Upon Greater Reflection" is, in fact, on my (fairly long) list of "Songs to Cover".  One of these days.

-As of today, there are now at least two copies of A Clear Sense of Beauty in Australia:  mine, plus the one that I bought online to give to a co-worker who is my age and appreciates "1990s Seattle scene" music:  indoctrination.

-I typically list Bell as one of my Top 10 favorite bands or artists ever.  For comparison, the other bands are probably Buddy Holly, The Cars, Devo, The Ramones, They Might Be Giants, Material Issue, The Smithereens, Fountains of Wayne, Michael Penn, Regina Spektor, Laptop, Chromeo and Quiet Storm.  (Well, I'd have to trim some to make it **truly** "Top 10".  But it's indicative.)  I don't know if that's company you wish to keep; but hopefully it's complimentary. 

-Your Wikipedia page implies that you're no longer "doing music".  I just wanted to say -- as one songwriter to another -- that not everyone can write a good song.  Fewer still can manage to write **more** than one.  So, no matter what else you accomplish in life:  hey, you've achieved.  Nicely done.  :) 

-Finally:  Long ago, I said "Good songwriting."  (Examples: "I've thrown rubies to the sea" as imagery for futile watefulness:  sheer genius.  And rhyming it with "...but it all fell to debris":  who the heck uses "debris" in a rhyme scheme?  Well done.)  I'm just re-listening to A Clear Sense of Beauty in my CD-ROM drive on my laptop, through the built-in speakers (and subconsciously inferring the insubstantial bass  from memory...).   Good guitar playing, as well -- e.g. the massive string bends on "Transit". And the singing's good, of course. 


Hope all is well, and that you have a marvellous life.  :)


--Gye Greene (the pseudonym of an old fan)

Remarkably so

As I've mentioned before, one of the things I'm proud of is that despite being in my 40s, I'm still discovering new bands.  By ''new'', I mean bands that are breaking big and that kids these days appreciate.

One of the ways I try to stay open to new music is by listening to the radio.  On Thursday, I heard a song that I wrote in my notebook "Down to get down", "sleeping in my clothes", "we don't even have to try // it's always a good time'' and "sounds Owl City-ish.  Google the lyrics a few nights later -- and, yep -- it's a new Owl City song.

Dunno when I'll get the album.  But it's on my list.


There was also a song where the vocodored lyric ''Around the World'' kept repeating.  Yep:  Daft Punk.


--GG