April 2, 2007
Song-A-Week: Hard Time Comin
Song #14 - Hard Time Comin.
Not much in the way of instrumentation on this one, time has become a precious commodity as of late. Try to envision a bit of a dark western tone to it. Slide guitars, harmonicas, and maybe a reed organ or two.
Hard Time Comin
(C) 2007 Matthew C Good
I heard you had a
hard time
comin
I heard you lost your
head while
gamblin
When last we met I
thought you
rambled on and on
Like something was
about to
give.
I heard you made a
clean break
darlin
I thought you had a
windfall
comin
Even though I
been in
that wreck before
I don't remember
how I
got out.
Ooh
Traveled through the
great red
desert
Left your home in
california
Said you couldn't
stand the
perfect weather
The sunny days or
cool spring
rains
Ooh
I know
The way
it goes
And you might think
I have
the answers
I don't.
Lying under the stars
They don't seem that far
But babe that's all in your head.
They disapear when you blink
They feel like they are in reach
But babe, just try to catch them
That's how it feels to be free
and totally incomplete
You're not ready for this sorta thing
Late at night when you dream
of all the things you could be
When you awake you're drifting out to sea.
Ooh
I know
The way
it goes
And you might think
I have
the answers
I don't.
---
Man my voice doesn't last long when I'm doing those high harmonies. Sorry about that. tried a little autotune, but AT got a bit confused about it too. Oh well. This song reminds me of "Standoff" a bit.
Try to imagine drums and bass and electic (with tremolo?) coming in on the second verse - after the little break. That's kinda what I'm thinkin.
If I actually recorded this one I'd try to get the acoustics out of the front and center and use little meebly tidbits like piano and 12-string electric or whatever to fill it in. I got too many strummy-chords acoustic songs. Let me know what you think. Thanks!
Posted by pedalboy at April 2, 2007 1:29 AM
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how i do look forward to matt good in the morning. i have to get up early to read and there you are, strumming away.
this was great! i liked it immediately. it was subtle and surprising (in a good way) like cinnamon. or something. anyway, i thought your voice sounded good, even the high parts, altho you really should get a girl to sing them...:)
thanks for that, matty. you make my feminist philosophy of religion go down so much better.
You should do that little do-do-do-do interlude with a muted trumpet. (That's what I thought it was at first on my laptop speakers and I thought "Man, that's so perfect!" and then I realized that it was just my lame-o speakers) Maybe consider using the trumpet for the high harmonies and bring the vocals back in the mix a bit. I like your idea of it being kind of a dark western sound. Listen to some Joe Henry and maybe do something like that. Just a thought.
By the way, I like the song. I thnk it's one of your better ones from th S-A-W project. But I definitely think you should go with a very non standard production route with it.
Jonny
Honestly? I'm not crazy about it. Don't ask me why, I'm just not.
Ok, I'm actually a big fan of this song and I'm sorry I'm a bad friend and haven't commented for awhile. That being said, I really liked jonny's idea of using a muted trumpet and YOUR idea of making it a dark western-y sound. mmm,mmmmm... that'll go down smooth.
Plus, kate's mention of female vocs on the high parts is great... *clears throat* and I would totally be in to helping you out. haha.
San Diego... Drink it in, it *always* goes down smooth...
Katie yeah you're singing on this one. and probably many others. Someway, somehow.
I like the muted trumpet idea very much. It'll sound great, like a western where we're fighting the mexicans or something.
The chorus lyrics... thumbs down. I think you should implement the line "I don't know how I got out" rather than the lyrics of choice. I also think you should throw the word "train" before "Even though I been in that wreck before." Maybe it'll fill out the syllables.
I think your voice needs some vibrato on this song too. You don't sound quite rugged enough to pull off an old western feel without it.
Lastly, You need one of these on this song too: http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/8/6/2/412862.jpg
