December 18, 2006
Song-A-Week: Say Now
Hello, it is with great anticipation and no small amount of apprehension that I proffer song #1 of the Song-A-Week project - I think I'm gonna just BARELY get it in before midnight. I gotta start planning ahead.
This song is Copyright 2006 Matthew Good - don't steal it, internets.
"Say Now"
I wasn't thinking of myself
Believe me this time
I wasn't selfish, that's for sure
I'm still reeling
and carryin on
I'm not getting no rest these nights
no life in the daylight
I've taken till there's nothing left
I've dried us up
what do you want me to
Say now?
Okay now,
to say now?
okay now.
What chance for rest have we got
we're on the run
Peace comes but once a holiday
leaves us numb
and happier
I've taken everyone's advice
like a drug
I've made my simple heart contrite
You called my bluff
What do you want me to
Say now?
okay now
to say now?
okay now.
That's it. Keep in mind - the "recordings" are demos and the songs are sketches. The vocals will typically suck, and my guitars will probably be out of tune and played badly. But, if you've bought any of my albums, you're probably used to that now. Anyway, I'd like you comments, and I'll probably base what songs I end up recording for real off of what you all say.
UNFORTUNATELY, I'll be heading "home" for Christmas in the coming days, so there will be no mp3 demo of the song a week for the next two weeks - I may or may not post lyrics in its stead. PLEASE let me know what you think!
Posted by pedalboy at December 18, 2006 11:55 PM
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matthew, i was wondering about the use of contrition. the lines go "i've made my simple heart contrite/ you've called my bluff". the way contrite is used doesn't seem to work right. a simple heart becoming remorseful doesn't seem to come across as insincere hence amounting to a sort of bluff on the part of the other person. so it doesn't seem to make sense to me. perhaps you could clarify.
the way that the song moves sonically, makes me think of beach boys meets beck's "sea change". it would sound cool if you added like a real slinky tom waits-ish piano to it and maybe some drunk beach boy harmonies behind it.
yeah - that's probably a songwriting ERROR. I don't always write particularly left-brained and sometimes baddies like that will sneak in, and I don't necessarily notice them until i've lived with the song for a while or somebody points it out. Most of the time, you set words to music, make them rhyme, and even nonsense sounds good. I've got a few ideas how to fix it.
yeah - drunk beach boys. yeah. The sea change bits would be nice too, i hadn't really thought of that.
As a side nerdy note: the reverb chain is this:
1) overdrive
2) light tremolo
3) reverb
4) bad ugly eq.
I love this song! I think it even has a Lennonesque sound with the reverb chain you set up! I'd almost like to hear a bridge, whether it be vocal or instrumental, mostly just to be able to hear the chorus again. The song is so short, I just want it to keep going.
Thanks for sharing this song, Matt, and I look forward to hearing more!
I liked the song a lot, as I do all your songs I've ever heard pretty much. I didn't notice the "contrite" thing, but now that it's been pointed out, I think John is right. Unfortunately I can't think of a good word to replace it.
You've re-inspired me now. I'm not going to make any promises, but I think I might start a poems of the week deal on my bloh.
Nice. A little birdie told me last night you hadn't even written a song yet, and here i am this morning listening to it. Maybe the song of the week should be a song of the day! I've created a schedule for you:
9am-5pm: Work
5pm-11:59pm: Record a song
Do it.
Or maybe you could spend some time during the rest of the week incorporating the drunk beach boys harmonies that really need to be there...
I like. Not much to say, I pretty much like whatever you do. I didn't notice the contrite thing either until it was pointed out...
your vocals seriously keep getting better and better. i played it and said -yep, matt good. But then i thought - holy crap, he's got better vocal tone! So, congratulations on getting better at things :). I, still suck.
matt, i love you. i love the song. it's funny that john said it, but the first thing i thought when i heard the song was, "this sounds very Sea Change-ish". and we all know who produced Sea Change. great job. i think an instrumental bridge would be great and showcase like your violin or the little organ thing that you have or bells ro something. heck, i could even hear hear just a whistling solo or something, haha. but i know whatever you do will be gold in the end. i'm excited to hear one matt good song a week. love you man.
I was thinking harmonies too, cept Rufus Wainwright or like "No Surprises." Especially on the chorus. But I think some spuratic (sp?) ones like on "I'm not getting no rest these nights" or something.
I think a bridge may or may not be necessary. What you have already is really good, so unless a bridge is just as good I say screw it.
Only other thought it perhaps do the vocals an octave down on the verse(s)? Or maybe a "bridge" third verse vocals octave down...
God... The second I hit play I thought I still had a "Beta Band" track in my media player. The first line of "It's not too beautiful" : "You like to feel that I will float away someday".
Not a pothead, but I would LOVE to sit around, smoke a big hookah stuffed with some sticky icky and listen to that song on repeat.
