Skip to content
SSG11-Week24 Nickel...
 
Notifications
Clear all

SSG11-Week24 Nickels & Dimes

9 Posts
4 Users
0 Likes
2,318 Views
(@jamestoffee)
Famed Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 2855
Topic starter  

SSG11-Week24 Nickels & Dimes

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12271861

===================Revised Version=====================

It’s true Dad you are my hero
How ‘bout some time today?
I know you said you are busy
Can’t I ask again anyway?

There are times I feel like loose change
You’re always so absorbed
We never spend time just playing
There’s a backyard left unexplored

Chorus
Nickels and dimes
Nickels and dimes
Not much now; give me some time
I’ve been saving up all of my
Nickels and dimes

You said no to going outside
Because you don’t like snow
And even staying home inside
You won’t play cars or G. I. Joe

What’s your income earned per hour?
It must be quite a lot
It’s fifty dollars! No really?
My bank says thirty’s all I’ve got

chorus

I want twenty yes that’s dollars
It sounds like quite a lot
I’ll pay you back, Dad, no really
But you can give me what I want

Nickels and dimes
Nickels and dimes
I’ve been saving up all of mine
Here’s fifty dollars ‘cause I want to buy
I want to buy an hour of your time

===================Original Version=====================
It’s true Dad you are my hero
How ‘bout some time today?
I know you said you are busy
Can’t I ask again anyway?

There are times I feel like loose change
You’re always so absorbed
We never spend time just playing
There’s a backyard left unexplored

Chorus
Nickels and dimes
Nickels and dimes
Not much now; give me some time
I’ve been saving up all of mine
Nickels and dimes
Nickels and dimes

You said no to going outside
Because you don’t like snow
And even staying home inside
You won’t play cars or G. I. Joe

What’s your income earned per hour?
It must be quite a lot
It’s fifty dollars! No really?
My bank says thirty’s all I’ve got

chorus

I’ve been learning on the chess set
‘Cause it’s your favorite game
You don’t remember; you can’t play?
The thrill is gone? That’s such a shame

I want twenty yes that’s dollars
It sounds like quite a lot
I’ll pay you back, Dad, no really
But you can give me what I want

Nickels and dimes
Nickels and dimes
I’ve been saving up all of mine
Here’s fifty dollars ‘cause I want to buy
I want to buy an hour of your time


   
Quote
(@john-sargent)
Noble Member
Joined: 14 years ago
Posts: 946
 

When I was young, we had a lot of stores here called "5 and 10's". This meant that things cost .05 and .10. Now we are surrounded by stores like "Everything's a Dollar" and "Family Dollar"

Nickels and dimes don't cut it anymore. The grandkids want folding money and nobody collects pennies anymore.

I like your tune. You are very good and quick on composition. I'm still stuck in last week. Nice job


   
ReplyQuote
(@jamestoffee)
Famed Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 2855
Topic starter  

Hi John,

Thanks for the listen and feedback. :D

James


   
ReplyQuote
(@chris-c)
Famed Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 3454
 

Hi James,

Another fine fast composition from you. I liked the way you built the theme up to the clever punchline - which I hadn't guessed or anticipated.

I'm currently sitting at a computer in the bedroom and Vicki is sitting up in bed reading. I played it out loud (quite good speakers) without specifically asking her to listen. When it finished I asked her what she thought, in the hope that I'd get an off the cuff unbiassed opinion.

She said that she liked the song and that you'd done a good job, but that the piano music could have done with a bit more variety, and that had therefore made the song seem a bit too long. She also noticed the similarity to the theme of the famous Harry Chapin song Cat's in The Cradle. "When you comin' home dad? I don't know when, but we'll get together then son. You know we'll have a good time then".

I only mention this because I have exactly that difficulty with most of the songs I write - they usually seem too long because my musical arrangements aren't strong enough. My excuse is that the songs here are basically skill building exercises and that fully fledged commercial standard arrangements and recording aren't realistic goals, in the time. Nevertheless, I'd be interested in what your thoughts are about trying to add spice and variety to the musical side of songs. My own playing has always been pretty poor, so I have some software tools (like Band in a Box) that I could fall back on. But then I have to learn the software properly in order to get the best out of it, and I also have the problem of trying to match my erratic amateurish singing to a very accurate backing track. I guess it's the usual answer - more practice at it all! :wink:

How do you tackle the business of which tends to come first, the music or the lyrics? Do you usually have a preference or does the way you work vary from song to song?

Chris


   
ReplyQuote
(@jamestoffee)
Famed Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 2855
Topic starter  

Hi Chris,

Be sure to than Vicki for me for the feedback. :D

I'll play around with the track to add more variety.
How do you tackle the business of which tends to come first, the music or the lyrics? Do you usually have a preference or does the way you work vary from song to song?

This is my 3rd attempt in a row [My Barong, The Special and this] with Pat Pattison's method of songwriting [Lyrics first]. He says you should try it for at least 10 songs before it starts feeling comfortable.

The up side is there is very little room for writer's block b/c it's a very clear step by step "if this, then do this" process. The down side is it's very pedantic [as in
overly concerned with minute details or formalisms.]

So if you don't like playing with words (which I don't), it's not as much "fun" as just "going with the flow / jamming some chords or riffs". However, it does make sense and the end results are usually pretty thought out lyrical structures to match with the music....and again very little room for writer's block; which is a big plus :wink:

This 3rd time, I was a bit faster and it was easier, but like Vicki noticed, it needs some work on the music side. I'll see what I come up with.

Thanks for the listen and post :wink:

James


   
ReplyQuote
(@chris-c)
Famed Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 3454
 

This is my 3rd attempt in a row [My Barong, The Special and this] with Pat Pattison's method of songwriting [Lyrics first]. He says you should try it for at least 10 songs before it starts feeling comfortable.

The up side is there is very little room for writer's block b/c it's a very clear step by step "if this, then do this" process. The down side is it's very pedantic [as in
overly concerned with minute details or formalisms.]

That's very interesting. I'll have to re-read his book. Like you, I found it very pedantic but I'm sure he makes some good points.

So if you don't like playing with words (which I don't), it's not as much "fun" as just "going with the flow / jamming some chords or riffs". However, it does make sense and the end results are usually pretty thought out lyrical structures to match with the music....and again very little room for writer's block; which is a big plus :wink:

Amazing! I'd never image that you might ever suffer from writer's block, let alone not really enjoy messing around with words. I guess that the gift of persistence trumps all obstacles. :)

My years of word wrangling far outweigh my musical experience, so I usually find words easier to manage. Initially, coming up with any original music seemed nightmarishly hard but, as you say, it's great fun to just mess around and improvise until something pops up. Frustrating when your hands can't do what your mind can hear though!

I've just started taking piano lessons which has been fun so far. I'm working on a song to fit an assignment from a couple of weeks ago - about a little green dress. It's a slow song (it's generally harder to sing and sell slow stuff well apparently...). I'm trying for something more atmospheric and less wordy than usual, but getting the music and singing right is tough! I got somewhere with guitar but hit a wall, so switched to piano. Fascinating how the same chords sound completely different. The possibilities for working on melody and harmony on a keyboard are exciting though. I'm really enjoying messing with that.

Thanks for sharing what you're trying at the moment.

Chris


   
ReplyQuote
(@jamestoffee)
Famed Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 2855
Topic starter  

POOF Changes made :mrgreen:
I'll have to re-read his book. Like you, I found it very pedantic but I'm sure he makes some good points.
It's well worth the effort, but it definitely takes work.
I got somewhere with guitar but hit a wall, so switched to piano. Fascinating how the same chords sound completely different. The possibilities for working on melody and harmony on a keyboard are exciting though.
Yes, in many ways it's a lot easier to see the logic of how the chords fit together. I've been a piano wannabe for many years. I still doodle around but am glad for EZKeys.
let alone not really enjoy messing around with words. I guess that the gift of persistence trumps all obstacles. :)
I'm trying to appreciate words more, but I don't like reading poetry. However, I have bought a lot of books on poetry and poems and writing in general in an effort to gain an appreciation.

Then again, I don't like instrumental music alone either. It's something about the combination.

I think I am obsessed with patterns and finding how words, music, thoughts, shapes, the physical world all fit together. This is nothing new. I am having a lot of fun reading up on what others have discovered.


   
ReplyQuote
 pbee
(@pbee)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2096
 

Hi James,

revised version is looking good, good song development here (you have been listening) :D .

Is that you on the piano or a PC app ?

cheers

Paul


Check out my Reverbnation page here


   
ReplyQuote
(@jamestoffee)
Famed Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 2855
Topic starter  

Hi Paul,
revised version is looking good, good song development here (you have been listening) :D

Yes, I really got a lot out of Pat's course :wink:

Is that you on the piano or a PC app ?

PC App
EZKEYS
http://www.toontrack.com/products.asp?item=157

Thanks for the listen and feedback :D

James


   
ReplyQuote