Friday, December 21, 2007

Catalyst Notes on the Demo

I found this submission dated June 07 ...

The original demo (June 07) has tracks on that are unfinished songs with scat lyrics and slapped together drum/bass lines by me.

The guidetracks contain the same unfinished songs but with no drums or bass and has a click track (most of them). I’m looking for suggestions on every aspect of the arrangements/hooks etc. All can change

Working Album Titles: Cul-de-sac Cred, Catalyst, Picket Fence, Masters of Huh, Cisco, Contrived, Catching Smoke in a Net

Tracks:
1. Ride - Driving pop (or rock?) song. Lyrics pretty much done.
2. 15 minutes - currently chorus is "grain of faith" but will change to "15 minutes of fame we need". Needs a break and the song needs to be longer. I like the piano stuff at the very end. That could be the basis of the break - but funked up.
3. Polygraph - Rock song with big guitars.
4. Catalyst Intro - should be bumped up against next track
5. Catalyst - classical guitar / pop. Needs a good piano hook. I want this to be a piano song - it should carry the song. Needs 3rd verse lyrics.
6. Monkey-See/Monkey-Do - I have no idea. No lyrics yet. Fun Rock with big guitars
7. Goldfish – Borderline silly. Consider lyric rewrite or at least a 2nd verse
8. Maddening Crowd - I hate this song. I'll try to replace it. Either that or change it to a rock song.
9. She treats her Body Like - done for a compilation album but am really not happy with the guitar. Remix or kill all together?
10. Push and Pull - Complete. Needs mastering. Consider drums?
11. Last song - a last minute addition. Maybe my favorite. No lyirics yet. Mellow with dare I say strings. Reed organ is a must. Piano would be good too.
12. Suzanne - Done. Live recording. Joe wants to redo this song but don’t know if I have the chops anymore.
13. (Not recorded) Cisco - in the works. To replace the weakest track (maddening crowd or she treats her body like)

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Final Lyrics

#1. Ride

1. There’s terror on the TV and the house is a mess
You can’t live forever and you can’t win a rest
You can never believe what you read any more
You can’t see the forest because of the trees
Everyone is tired like they got some disease
The state of emotion is way too high for me
Hmm, way too high for me

C. When you’re feeling like the wrong way on a one way street
When you’re staring at these walls all faded and beat
We’re going to ride, ride
You’ve run it to ground you’ve been tried you’ve been tested
Kick it all to the curb time to get resurrected
Going to ride, ride
Forget about your troubles ‘cause we're
Going to get out of here and ride
(They think they’ve got your number)
(They think they’ve got you figured out)

2. Hurricanes are pulling cities out of the ground
Media coverage courts and ghettos cover this town
The money's all spent
But still you owe
(Get up we're going to get out)
There’re guns in our schools and war to the East
The Wild West is back while we're praying for peace
The state of emotion is way too high for me
Hmm, way to high for me

They think they’ve got your number
They think they’ve got you figured out
They think they’ve got you on a string
(Hmm way too high for me)
(ride, ride)

#2. 15 Minutes

1. Ed made the big screen
But still he finds times
To teach me how to do
Better in my life
Yeah okay I'm not cool to relate
Like a child caught in the middle
Just trying to make his way

C. The difference between the brave and the bold
One acts the story of the other's story told
Building castles in the air like a dream make believe
15 minutes of fame we need

2. The band plays their anthem
Reads news from a card
The world is burning the tides are turning
The future looks dark
Yeah, all right
And a fortune cookie might
Lead us to a better answer
(Call me a cynic, call me a fool)

C. The difference between the brave and the bold
One acts the story of the other's story told
Dancing to the music but not hearing the theme
15 minutes of fame we need
15 minutes of fame we need

3. Missed in translation the message missed its mark
You and me, toe-to-toe, arguing in the dark
Should we fight for the curtain?
Do we all take the stage?
And when it's my time to face the cameras
Will I have anything to say, anything to say

Everybody’s dancing ‘round for me
“Be unique, come follow me”

#3. Money See Monkey Do (Lyrics by Rob Thomas and Charley Ramsay)

1. Kid bags my groceries
Wears his back brace proudly
Ghost rode the whip two thousand hits now he’s got fans
The local debutant still sleeps soundly
Puts herself through college on the web cam plan man

C. Monkey see monkey do (You/Cool)
You’re almost famous dude
Money see monkey do
The beast feeds on blood
Humiliation too
Monkey see monkey do

2. I can crash my car and stumble-trip from the fiery wreckage
I can smash my wife and blame my life on all my video fame
I can throw my body off a house and make the bloggers’ frenzy
Digg my sloppy perfect pose/ my signature move

And dude man (You’ve got it going on)
Hey you’re good (You’re off the hook my brother)
Hey you’re good (You’re going far my man)
You’re good (You take it to another)
Dude man (You spread it on like jelly)
Hey you’re good (You spread it on like butter)
Hey you’re good (You make my “Hero Daily”)
Good (You’re like no like no other)

3. I’ve been out searching for the next revolution
I’ve been out surfing for the next big plan
This the new faith of the nation
Rocking like a rock star in a rock and roll band

Gonna’ give ‘em what they want
What they want you to

#4. THE PUSH AND PULL

1. Had to get out of your small-town skin
Had to break up to break out you felt
Cradled life and drank the wine
Took some time to find yourself
But with the change of the seasons
You always found good reason to move on
Rewind back through our story
To the moment we first meet
Wrapped up in this new emotion
Can’t/won’t forget

C. The Push and Pull world can come between us
Everybody takes
And the paper tigers try to complicate
But your everyway makes me want to stay

2. Watching all the tired people
Coming home from their daily grind
They drive, drive, drive
I count the seconds till you ease my mind
If I were a coat I’d protect you
If I were a road - I’d always bring you here
Fast forward through our years here
We always stayed the course
Washed away all reservations
Built on this and more

She does affect a change
(She does affect a change)
Don’t dwell on our mistakes
Through thick and thin
Thick and thin

3. Gathered up all the sleepy children
Put them down for the night
Cradled you and drank the wine
These quiet moments in our lives
For all your beauty and grace
Through the thick and thin we stay

#5. Catalyst Intro

#6. Catalyst

1. Winter came early this time this year
The cold winds frost the windows in here
I hover and guard while you’re fast asleep
And wish only good things and promises that keep

C. But you’re awake now
I can no longer fix things with a kiss
You’re awake now
What drives you as you walk out into this
Cold new day?
Catalyst

2. I missed the last plane home again – wish I may I wish I might
Another fool’s errand keeps me from you tonight
Back where the morning coffee flows and the ice begins to melt
The season brings a new chance to follow what you’ve felt

(Let me bare the burden, Let me carry the weight)

3. When you’re running just to keep up, but you’d rather walk
When you’re trapped between choices and you’re tired of all the
talk
When out there you’ve seen too much and you’re looking
to escape
Let me bare the burden, let me carry the weight

C. Yeah, you’re awake now
And even though I can’t fix things with a kiss
You belong here
(So) anytime you need to get away from this
This cold new day

#7. Cisco

1. In her best telephone voice she says:
“When you coming home boy?”
“You've been gone far too long
And I'm here all alone, yeah
Are you safe? Are you feeling better
Miles away from these city lights?”
I've been out there working every day
Building a life, making the grade
Time for all good things to end
But not today, today we plan our big escape
Not today, today we're going to get away

C. I'm going to Cisco to sit by the fire, darling
I'm going to Cisco to sing with the band
When the weight of the world pushes down
We go to Cisco, goodbye

2. You bring the whiskey, I'll bring the guitar
We'll celebrate our troubles
We'll howl at the moon singing
"London Homesick Blues" and
"Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother"
Circle the trucks, turn the radios louder
Watch the night stars shimmer, watch them shine
I've been up forever and a day
Waiting for this our hiding place
Time for all good things to end
But not today, today we plan our big escape
Not today, today we're going to get away

3. Traveling back on this old dusty road
Laughing at nothing really funny
My father, my son, one for all, all for one
We get by

We're rolling through
Horizon meets the sky so blue
Driving home to my bride and brood
Driving home to my bride and brood
Driving home to your arms renewed

#8. Polygraph 2

Come on confess just say it
Why don’t you spit it out?
No one here is going to judge you
Just speak the words and leave no doubt

1. You seem to think you've got a direct line to the truth
Behind these doors hallow promises drip cruel
You seem to think the rules were written for the fools
You’re always taking more some selfish golden rule
Maybe you’re the kind that can take a photograph
And burn it in your head
Maybe you’re the kind that can turn and walk away
With nothing being said
With your pockets full of silver
You take up all the slack
But sticks and stones this place is filled
With crimes you can't take back

C. And you stare right through you
As you play in your house of glass
You paint these walls with what you see
Polygraph, polygraph

2. You seem to think you're never wrong because you're right
You cut them at the knees and hold their failures tight
You seem to think you’re above all petty circumstance
You talk toxic, quick to blame
You don’t give them another chance
Maybe you're the kind that can dry up all the rain
And keep the waters down
Maybe you're the kind who can wish it all away
Turn heroes into clowns
I think you're lonely
I think you're sad
Sticks and stones this place is filled
With crimes you can't take back#9. Maddening Crowd

1. Some decisions are not our own
(We can't get around it)
Framed in promise, carved in stone

From young and restless
To simple and sane
Star cross lovers never weather the day to day mundane

Far from the maddening crowd
With oceans and Champaign
You said: "let me help to find your way"

As the sound of the waves surround us
We sheltered away from the sea we couldn't trust
You take me home, and take me
Far from the Maddening Crowd

2. She hesitates to pick up the phone
They share the same house but they're both alone
She waits for something, he passes time
While ghosts whisper, arguments; another late night full of lies

Far from the maddening crowd
She confesses all
There is no prince, no Shangri-la

And as the crush of the quite surrounds them
Lost in masquerade from the world that promised them
A fairy tail
Far from the maddening crowd

3. History begins again (with each new day)
A wedding song that won’t fade away
You laugh and call it "quaint cliché"
But star-cross lovers never weather the day to day mundane

Far from the maddening crowd
With oceans and Champaign
Let me hold you and keep you safe

As the end of the day surrounds us
We shelter away to this place we made in love
And you take me home, and take me
Far from the maddening crowd

(She pulls me away to this something better
She makes me want for her to say
Take me away, take me away
Far from the maddening crowd we’ll stay)

#10. Goldfish

1. Hey, hey little goldfish
What are we going through
You and me are treading water
We both have little much to do
But I've been out looking for something new
Hey you little kitty
Where are you coming from
I think it's a pity
To hang on my fence just for fun
When I've been out looking for someone
Hey miss "I need a new switch"
What are we going through
And you say ha ha little foolish
I've been out searching too
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Don't you know lover's try
2. Hey desert tumbleweed
You're always rolling on
You can't stop for nothing
You've got to keep on moving on
Don't waste no more time trying to right our wrongs
Hey, sweet marmalade
This taste is fading from my lips
Not much to say
Our picket fence faded just a bit
When off that moral high hill you took a slip
Hey my circus acrobat
You dodge and dance my questions
And twirl around the rings
And rant and roar like a lioness
But you can't commit and you won't confess
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Don't you know lover's try
C. Can u read my mind?
It's time to take some time out
Can u read my mind?
Time to find out
7. Hey you waterfall
You always pull me down the creek
Week after week your weak
Carousal going for a spin
With us there's just no way that we can win#11. She Treats Her Body Like

Pray my brothers and sisters, pray

1. She spent her last 2 dollars in the bar of the unemployed
Splitting out of her skin cause the gin can't stop all the noise
Spitting at ocean trying to mix some magic potion
Just to make, to make the Dead Seas rise

C. She's got to slow down
She treats her body like
She was on fire
Hmm, yeah
She jumps from a little higher

2. Some things are better left unsaid
She said behind the alleyway
Feeling like she's never going to feel like she did that day
Mood ring glows the warmest shade of green
She picks jukebox songs obscene
Sings 'em out loud in the men's room dancing

She says a little faster but she likes it slow

3. In the morning after haze
She crawls across the bedroom floor
Wrapped in linen sheets
Searching for her pride and the apartment door

Just another lonely girl
Trying to fill the space with noise
And like a tin drum she can bang bang
She can fill the room with noise

#12. Tangled in Translation

1. She’d always say “you’d loose control”
“You just can't let it go”
Let it go
The weight of words can color gray
The choices that we’ve made
And what we say

C. Far away
From the middle ground
We fall apart
Quite, angry, proud

2. Catching smoke with a net
Tangled in “forgive and forget”
But you never forget
We etch are names on these marked graves
Tattooed in common complaint
And look to the other for blame
To make the change

C. But far away
From the middle ground
Fall away
We share our fears here and now

3. And like the silence after storm
Redemption takes many forms
In a smile, in a glance


Suzanne

Friday, August 10, 2007

WELCOME!

Welcome to my first ever blog. This is so 2006, no?