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Category Archives: SongOfTheDay

Held My Tongue (2009 Demos) – 7/30

Sunday, June 7, 2009

This is post 7 of 30 featuring live, single-take demos of each of the 30 songs I’m considering for my upcoming studio album. Each potential album tune is accompanied by a B-Side, to make each post a virtual 45 single (remember those?).

This pair of songs have always been as easy to play as they were to write. I wish I could say the same for the remaining 46 songs I have to capture.

Also, the fingers on my left-hand are completed shredded, which – given my decade-plus of guitar calluses – is a pretty impressive feat.

Song #174: Granted (live demo)
Last recorded the night it was written in October of 2003.

Granted was perhaps the first time a song woke me up from a dead sleep. I’ve been listening to its original early a.m. demo for so many years that I didn’t realize the subtle changes in how I perform it. Today it is for Sandra.

Song #141: So Hard (live demo)
Last recorded for Trio in February of 2003

This song began in an AIM window in January of 2002. I was talking to someone who was perpetually at odds with life, trying to explain that he should anticipate what he’d think about some of his decisions in hindsight. The rest of the song emerged in short order. Since he’s long since been forgotten, I tend to perform this as if it’s about myself. It’s a particular favorite of E’s and mine.

If you dig one (or both) of these songs, please leave a comment – your feedback will have a big effect on the songs I ultimately choose for the album.

 
 Granted (live demo): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
 
 So Hard (live demo): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Held My Tongue (2009 Demos) – 6/30

Saturday, June 6, 2009

This is post 6 of 30 featuring live, single-take demos of each of the 30 songs I’m considering for my upcoming studio album. Each potential album tune is accompanied by a B-Side, to make each post a virtual 45 single (remember those?).

This was definitely the hardest pair I’ve yet to tackle, but for different reasons – I know exactly what one of them should sound like, but I don’t have a clue about the other.

Song #228: Tattooed (live demo)
Never previously recorded

Last summer I found myself watching a very young, vaguely Christian rock band cover Death Cab For Cutie’s “Soul Meets Body.” I was fascinated by the lead singer – I felt like he was a flamboyant ambisexual rocker hiding beneath a godly image and a wedding ring. That’s where the chorus came from (hopefully not verbatim enough that Ben Gibbard needs to sue me). The rest of it came a little later, about having an affair with the love of your life.

Song #120: Colorblind (live demo)
Last recorded for Trio in November of 2001

You should get at least three songs out of every breakup. In 2001 I got nine. Does that mean the breakup was three times as severe as the norm? This song almost got discarded for having one too many metaphors, but Rabi’s continued attention has kept it around (and lead to this major update of the arrangement).

If you dig one (or both) of these songs, please leave a comment – your feedback will have a big effect on the songs I ultimately choose for the album.

 
 Tattooed (live demo): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
 
 Colorblind (live demo): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Held My Tongue (2009 Demos) – 5/30

Friday, June 5, 2009

This is post 5 of 30 featuring live, single-take demos of each of the 30 songs I’m considering for my upcoming studio album. Each potential album tune is accompanied by a B-Side, to make each post a virtual 45 single (remember those?).

These are certainly not two songs I expected to wind up with this early in the month. Hopefully the weekend will bring more surprises (along with some time to rehearse).

Song #236: Saving Grace (live demo)
Never previously recorded

There are a lot of interesting things in the subways in Paris – mariachi bands, marionettes, and women genuflecting with silent poise. I wrote the chorus on Champs Elysees, sang it on every Metro line we took, and then wrote the first verse and the bridge on the back of my Eurostar ticket en route to London. When we got back home I walked directly to piano and played it without so much as a chord chart. Afterward I simply had to make all of the internal rhymes match, learn it on guitar, forget it on guitar, and reconstitute it in CADGCC just to make things difficult for myself.

Song #58: Novel (live demo)
Last recorded for Trio in October of 2000

Directly between writing the two 1999 songs that have stayed with me for the past decade – Bridge and Other Plans – I wrote this one. I discovered that once you leave yourself open to writing songs sometimes your feelings come out through them, and suddenly you have a song about something you weren’t planning on ever telling anyone about. Aside from its single Trio appearance I think the only person I’ve ever played it for is Lindsay.

If you dig one (or both) of these songs, please leave a comment – your feedback will have a big effect on the songs I ultimately choose for the album.

 
 Saving Grace (live demo): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
 
 Novel (live demo): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Held My Tongue (2009 Demos) – 4/30

Thursday, June 4, 2009

This is post 4 of 30 featuring live, single-take demos of each of the 30 songs I’m considering for my upcoming studio album. Each potential album tune is accompanied by a B-Side, to make each post a virtual 45 single (remember those?).

Thankfully, my voice was back tonight. Also, I actually managed to improve some of my engineering. Woot.

Song #205: None of These (live demo)
Originally recorded as an instrumental on 7/31/06

A rare instance of my noodling in a peculiar alternate tuning winding up as an actual song. The tuning is DA#DDAD, and after choosing the title I decided the song would be my version of Gina’s “Fisher Price.” And it is. Some bits of it are incredibly hard to play – not to mention singing them at the same time (me and my damned overly-literate lyrics).

Song #149: Spin (live demo)
Last recorded for Blogathon 2003

“Spin” was written in 2002 as the result of perhaps my first serious fight with Elise. I have always used that as an excuse for why it is so unapologetically emo. We both have a bit of a soft spot for this song. It was maybe the first time I had ever intentionally used a diminished chord.

If you dig one (or both) of these songs, please leave a comment – your feedback will have a big effect on the songs I ultimately choose for the album.

 
 None of These (live demo): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
 
 Spin (live demo): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Held My Tongue (2009 Demos) – 3/30

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

This is post 3 of 30 featuring live, single-take demos of each of the 30 songs I’m considering for my upcoming studio album. Each potential album tune is accompanied by a B-Side, to make each post a virtual 45 single (remember those?).

I don’t have too much voice after my night of covering over an hour of open mic time, so tomorrow’s foray should be pretty entertaining. But, first, tonight’s.

Song #208: Real You (live demo)
Never previously recorded

In spring of 2007 I got the idea that I was going to write a song about each person I knew, but when this one came out first I realized it might not be such a great idea.

Song #182: Let It Be (live demo)
Never previously recorded

I wrote this perfectly serviceable, sweet song in May 2004 – two weeks before writing “A Little Bit.” Considering that I wound up quoting that song in my wedding vows, it isn’t entirely surprising that this one fell by the wayside. I’m happy to finally hear it.

If you dig one (or both) of these songs, please leave a comment – your feedback will have a big effect on the songs I ultimately choose for the album.

 
 Real You (live demo): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
 
 Let It Be (live demo): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Held My Tongue (2009 Demos) – 2/30

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

This is post 2 of 30 featuring live, single-take demos of each of the 30 songs I’m considering for my upcoming studio album. Each potential album tune is accompanied by a B-Side, to make each post a virtual 45 single (remember those?).

If we’re all lucky my mixing skills will begin to audibly improve at some point in the series :)

Song #218: Gone Baby Gone (live demo)
Never previously recorded

Started in March of 2008 – the synthesis of a night watching Darjeeling Limited and Gone Baby Gone back to back, perhaps with the song from Once spinning in the rear of my brain. It took forever to finish; the bridge came last (and in two different keys).

Song #8: Afterglow (live demo)
Last recorded in early 2002

Written on January 6, 1998 about a girl I dreamt with blue hair who turned out to be real. Legendarily, when I brought this to Lit Mag they told me, “I think you’ve stopped writing poems and started writing songs.” Again, note my early disregard of key signatures.

If you dig one (or both) of these songs, please leave a comment – your feedback will have a big effect on the songs I ultimately choose for the album.

 
 Gone Baby Gone (live demo): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
 
 Afterglow (live demo): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Held My Tongue (2009 Demos) – 1/30

Monday, June 1, 2009

This is post 1 of 30 featuring live, single-take demos of each of the 30 songs I’m considering for my upcoming studio album. Each potential album tune is accompanied by a B-Side, to make each post a virtual 45 single (remember those?).

Song #222: Small & Lonely (live demo)
Never previously recorded

I wrote “Small & Lonely” in May and June of 2008, largely while in-transit in Philly. Elise helped me with the melody of the chorus one day on the Broad Street Line.

Song #20: Sweet Nothing (live demo)
Last recorded sometime in 1999

I wrote “Sweet Nothing” in spring of 1998, in my childhood home. It’s heavily influenced by PJ Harvey’s “Ecstasy.” Note that in my youth I didn’t care so much about what key I was in.

If you dig one (or both) of these songs, please leave a comment – your feedback will have a big effect on the songs I ultimately choose for the album.

 
 Small & Lonely (live demo): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
 
 Sweet Nothing (live demo): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Song of the Day: Madonna – “Dress You Up” (includes chords/lyrics)

Sunday, November 9, 2008

I’m sorry, with all that talk about expensive clothing I just couldn’t resist.

Madonna – “Dress You Up”

For the record, it started out with less reverb, and then Elise came in and insisted that a properly faithful early-Madonna cover would require more.

Since I literally threw this together in about twenty minutes it’s not as precious as my Trio stuff, and as I was finished it up I thought, Hey, since it’s not in Trio a little harmony is fair game. And, of course, the 12 seconds of harmony is now my favorite part of the entire song.

(I swear I have a Trio completely done and ready to deploy as soon as I mix it down and convert it to MP3s. Seriously. This did not interrupt Trioing any more than going to the bathroom or bathing. (And, yes, you can safely assume from that that I prioritize anything related to Madonna higher than personal hygiene.))

Chords and lyrics below. Continue reading ›

 
 Dress You Up (Madonna) [3:26m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Sorry, no Trio; have some Kelly instead. (SOTD #7)

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

I spent the last four hours setting up for and recording a Trio, but the more I listen to it the more it sounds like a full dress rehearsal rather than an actual show.

Positives:
- Good setup; very clean sound
- Great performance of my new song
- Articulate between-song talks
- Bonus: Made it through a really hard cover for the first time, ever

Negatives:
- Brief audio skips from my FirePod (as many as three per song?)
- Blew my voice attempting a different (easier) cover; lead to lack of dynamics on (harder) cover
- Questionable rhythms on my old song; bad final note
- Bonus: Audio sync on my camera didn’t work

I’m trying to get away from being a crazy perfection freak, because that doesn’t lead to a high quantity of Trios. However, given the clarity of the audio the skipping is driving me crazy, and that’s enough of a reason to compound the other negatives into a redo. Freak or not, I want to be able to listen to Trio months from now without wincing (which was generally the bar I set for myself in Season 5, and it worked out nicely).

Also, I really wanted to do a video podcast of some portion of Trio in video, but my camera doesn’t seem to be up to the job. I can use Elise’s video camera, but that means waiting until she returns to the country, plus a few days (at least) to learn what to do.

So, sadly, I bring you no Trio. We’ll see how long it takes me to trouble-shoot the audio skips and work from there.

In the meantime, have a random recording from over the summer – “Chivas” (aka “Shivers”), by Kelly Clarkson, on baritone guitar. At the moment I have no idea what key I’ve transposed it to, but the chords in standard are A, F#m, C#m, E.

 
 Chivas (Kelly Clarkson): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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2007 Song of the Day #6 – Independence Day (Ani DiFranco)

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

In some prior July, possibly as many as nine years ago, I resolved to record Ani DiFranco’s “Independence Day” and post it on my website on the Fourth of July. Not on any other day, mind you – then it wouldn’t count.

Think about that – I’ve been procrastinating on this since I was a teenager … maybe since I’ve been in high school!

I’m happy to finally present you with my cover of Ani DiFranco’s “Independence Day,” from Little Plastic Castle.

If you want chords, performance notes, and lyrics Read more…

 
 Independence Day [3:18m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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2007 Song of the Day #5 – Love Me, Love Me Not

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

I don’t typically let my songs incubate for very long. If I don’t finish writing a song within a few days, or don’t record it within the next month or two, chances are I won’t wind up playing it very often.

My first new song of 2007 turned that whole philosophy on its ear.

Much like “Standing,” it woke me up from sleep to jot it down. Only this one was much more stubborn – the lyrics didn’t have a consistent meter, and I could hear only a few pieces of the music. It seemed unremarkable, especially for something thar had dragged me out of bed.

It didn’t feel unremarkable, though. It felt like something real and solid. A song that said something, because I had something to say to myself.

I refused to give up on it. Every day I came home to tinker. After a few weeks the chorus made its way up the neck from open chords to the 14th fret. A month later I was still tinkering with the lyrics, and the first day of spring found me changing up the rhythms and transitions.

I’m happy to say that the song survived that whole ordeal, and I debuted it at my Melange Theatre performance last Friday. And now I am debuting it to the world at large with its first proper demo recording. It’s far from perfection, but it’s already a long way from where it began.

“Love Me, Love Me Not” is the song of the day.

 
 Love Me, Love Me Not [3:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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2007 Song of the Day #4 – I Know It (Madonna)

Thursday, January 4, 2007

This whole Song of the Day insanity began percolating a few weeks ago as a highly covert Madonna Cover Songs project.

Madge isn’t really known for being widely covered, but as I acquired more and more of her sheet music books I discovered just how many of her tunes made for compelling, fun guitar-based cover songs.

Perhaps 2007′s CK theme would be recording every Madonna song? No – that would get boring after a while. I might love her, but I don’t always love her every day.

The idea was briefly shelved and speedily resuscitated (unwittingly) by Glenn Case, an internet songwriter (and Songfighter) who is endeavoring to list his 10,000 favorite songs one day at a time. He’s currently on day 114.

The Madonna Cover Songs project and Glenn’s project fought in my head like dogs in a cage, and out came Song of the Day.

The upshot is that a vast quantity of songs of the day are going to be Madonna songs. Including this one – “I Know It” – a never-repeated obscurity from her debut. (By the way, this isn’t the song I skipped yesterday – that’s still en route.)

If you know this one you are a true Madonna fan. If you want chords, performance notes, and lyrics for “I Know It,” Read more…

 
 I Know It (Madonna) [2:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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2007 Song of the Day #3 – Tangled

Wednesday, January 3, 2007

Today’s song was supposed to be another Madonna song.

It would come complete with a funny anecdote about how I didn’t think the chorus sounded right but couldn’t quite figure it out, and then I happened to be watching Madonna on YouTube, and she was playing it on guitar, and I was like, “Oh, look, Madonna’s playing the right chords,” and then I thought to myself:

Wow, how strange and vaguely post-modern that 24 years after it was originally released I’m figuring out how to play one of my favorite pop songs by watching a video of Madonna performing it on guitar streaming via the internet.

True story.

However, no matter how many times I tried to record the song in question I couldn’t make it to the end of a single take. It was struggling against being captured. Eventually my voice was too blown to try it anymore.

Shit, I thought, I only have an hour to choose and record another song.

As it turns out, I only needed four minutes and ten seconds, during which I recorded one of the most crystalline versions of any of my original songs ever. And, the song in question happens to be one of my favorites, which I have never before successfully recorded in hi-fi through my mixer.

The Madonna song can wait – Tangled is clearly the song of the day.

 
 Tangled [4:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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2007 Song of the Day #2 – Supervixen (Garbage)

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

If there’s an album I have hopes of covering fully by the end of the year (by someone other than Madonna) it’s definitely Garbage’s debut, so the the first song on it seemed like a good place to start.

“Supervixen” is by far my favorite song by my favorite band, which might give the impression that it’s my favorite song of all time, but not quite.

It’s one of those songs I play a hundred times a year but never quite nail when recording. Tonight’s isn’t perfect, but I think any song this loosely translated from the original will always have an air of the unexpected surrounding it.

(It’s also one of those songs whose title has only a implied relationship with its lyrics, something I do with my own songs more often than I intend.)

It took me a long (long) time to figure out a way to emulate the crazy multi-layered intro on one acoustic guitar. Tonight i was having trouble counting myself into it, so i skip the first pass at it altogether. This gives the song a much more ponderous start rather than the usual guns-blazing approach, which was fine by me, since I don’t know if my vocals were up to “blazing” tonight.

Incidentally, my extra vocals on the bridge and at the end of the last chorus were originally ad-libbed during Blogathon 2002, and ever since then I’ve done it that way every time.

If you want chords, performance notes, and lyrics for “Supervixen,” Read more…

 
 Supervixen (Garbage) [3:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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2007 Song of the Day #1 – Holiday (Madonna)

Monday, January 1, 2007

In the midst of all of my NaBloPoMoing in November I was reminded of how fun it can be to turn on my mixer and record a song – especially something I’ve never played before. In fact, my favorite results of the month were all songs I barely rehearsed and slammed through in a single take (Other Plans, Under My Skin, & Dilate).

In the spirit of that, in 2007 I’m going to slam through as many songs as I can, posting the results as Songs of the Day for your listening pleasure.

In keeping with my last post, I make no promises that this will occur every day, or even once a week. I’d just like to fill out my catalog of recordings, and to offer you more of me to hear. I plan to focus on some specific artists and albums, but past that I have no idea where this is headed. Some songs might be recognizable hits, while others will be b-sides or originals. Many could be forgettable, but a few could be gems.

My first effort is a cover of Madonna’s “Holiday.” You can read some background about “Holiday” at Mad Eyes, which is the only Madonna site I found with a complete itemized list of every one of her songs (both published and unreleased). It’s pretty awesome.

If you want chords, performance notes, and lyrics for “Holiday, Read more…

If you are still having trouble playing a song even after listening to my performance please leave a comment.

 
 Holiday (Madonna) [2:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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