duluthdan Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 Here's a new song played on the '57 J-50. Took about 10 minutes to write. "Boxtop Tamborine" is a well worn Bible. Wrote this just after seeing one of those homeless guys at a n intersection holding one of those cardboard signs. "Yeah I'm alive Jehovah" popped into my head. Got home, grabbed the j-50, and this song leaked out. Not very good at recording audio, my lousy computer skills are surpassed only by my hack guitar playing ! Recorded this to share with a friend of mine on a west coast tour.
Bozz Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 Nice work Dan. That is a wonderful song. You have the gift....
bayoubengal1954 Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 Great song and delivery, Dan! I especially like the transition to the Em. The J-50 sounds great. I know you had it in the shop a while back.
Hall Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 Aren't inspirations surprising things! Well done, Dan. You're one up on me as I rarely write them down. Why not re-visit that one a time or two and see if the original stays as your own favorite. Nice stuff on a nice guitar. steve
MissouriPicker Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 Loved it, Dan. Superbly done. For me, a song has to come-across as real if I'm going to like it. That is very "real." I can see the guy standing there. You painted a picture with words. And your guitar skills are also "real." Someone can try and dazzle the audience with all kinds of fast riffs up-and-down the neck, OR, they can simply sing what I call a "slice of life."......Keep doing it your way.
AnneS Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 That's awesome, Dan! The song is sticking in my head, and makes me think it'd be a good one for the forum Song of the Week- Whaddaya say, FB, Sal, BBG, MP- everyone? With Dan's permission, how 'bout we all take a stab at it?!
MorrisrownSal Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 Dan this is awesome. The recording is top notch, and your J50 sounds great. Writing comes very natural to you... When you come east, and we pick. We will play this one! We'll record it together.
Mafy31 Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 Loved it, Dan. Superbly done. For me, a song has to come-across as real if I'm going to like it. That is very "real." I can see the guy standing there. You painted a picture with words. And your guitar skills are also "real." Someone can try and dazzle the audience with all kinds of fast riffs up-and-down the neck, OR, they can simply sing what I call a "slice of life."......Keep doing it your way. Could not have said it better ; that's where emotion comes from and i have been trapped watching the whole song and again.
duluthdan Posted September 11, 2015 Author Posted September 11, 2015 That's awesome, Dan! The song is sticking in my head, and makes me think it'd be a good one for the forum Song of the Week- Whaddaya say, FB, Sal, BBG, MP- everyone? With Dan's permission, how 'bout we all take a stab at it?! Thanks for all the kind words. As I listen to this the key is really gravely low. Works with any 1-4-5 pattern with a minor. But this was where it was written, so, ya flip open the IPad 1 and hit record before it is lost forever. Anne everyone always has my complete permission to perform, steal, change, or butcher my songs. I have no fantasies of collecting royalties - I do have a few friends that are touring musicians, and they refer to royalties as "Jingle Mail", though in todays day and age they tell me that music royalties are disappearing, and they make most of their earnings touring. Notice how in this video I keep glancing / looking at my left hand? Unfortunately my MS just keeps marching along, and I have lost almost all tactile feeling in my hands. Pretty soon, I'll be cruising an Auto-Harp forum somewhere.
MorrisrownSal Posted September 11, 2015 Posted September 11, 2015 1441919765[/url]' post='1692704']That's awesome, Dan! The song is sticking in my head, and makes me think it'd be a good one for the forum Song of the Week- Whaddaya say, FB, Sal, BBG, MP- everyone? With Dan's permission, how 'bout we all take a stab at it?! I'm game... I'll need to get through until Sunday first. And Dan. Fark that. No Autoharp forum. You. Stay. Here.
MissouriPicker Posted September 11, 2015 Posted September 11, 2015 Dan, can you post the lyrics for us?
duluthdan Posted September 11, 2015 Author Posted September 11, 2015 Dan, can you post the lyrics for us? Boxtop Tambourine Its Christmas time in the city Folks scramble with deadlines to meet There’s a tired old man holds a young child’s hand Singing loud in the street He sings ‘Yay I’m alive Jehovah’ With a boxtop tambourine ‘Yay I’m alive Jehovah’ To himself and the child on the street I didn’t do no shopping that day Young child and the man on the street Captured my soul with that simple song And a boxtop tambourine I thought about all the places I’d been And all of the things that I’d seen But nothing compared to that song in the air With that boxtop tambourine He sings ‘Yay I’m alive Jehovah Yeah, yeah, yeah Yay I’m live Jehovah Yeah, yeah, yeah’ I thought about frozen cold ears And the next meal to be seen My soul emptied out to that man on the street With his boxtop tambourine Next thing I knew that man said to me ‘Son be glad you’re alive Boxtop tambourine and love in your heart Its all you need to survive’ He sang ‘Yay I’m alive Jehovah’ With that boxtop tambourine ‘Yay I’m alive Jehovah’ To himself and the child that was me Now its Christmas time in the city Folks scramble with deadlines to meet I’m a tired old man my hat in my hand And his box top tambourine I sing ‘Yay I’m alive Jehovah’ With his boxtop tambourine ‘Yay I’m alive Jehovah’ To myself and the folks on the street 2015 - DuluthDan
flatbaroque Posted September 11, 2015 Posted September 11, 2015 Good stuff Dan. That's a kind of song I'd like to sing. Well done.Might have a crack.
Slinky1 Posted September 11, 2015 Posted September 11, 2015 Thanks for posting the lyrics Dan. I really like the song. Good job Dan.
kidblast Posted September 11, 2015 Posted September 11, 2015 yup, real good Dan. I love those moments when the songs almost write themselves.
EuroAussie Posted September 11, 2015 Posted September 11, 2015 Oh that was fabulous Dan. One of those songs that sticks in your head. Love the simplicity of the melody and the words. The J-50 sounds fabulous. Its amazing what can come out when you pick up a particular guitar, especially one that has some history associated with it.
flatbaroque Posted September 11, 2015 Posted September 11, 2015 Had a go.I know Dan will take it in the right spirit.I only listened to Dan's a couple of times.So it's in the spirit of the original rather than a close copy.Played it in D -capo 2 using c progression.Thanks again Dan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z4ER4JJ-30
duluthdan Posted September 11, 2015 Author Posted September 11, 2015 Had a go.I know Dan will take it in the right spirit.I only listened to Dan's a couple of times.So it's in the spirit of the original rather than a close copy.Played it in D -capo 2 using c progression.Thanks again Dan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z4ER4JJ-30 Wow. Captured the emotion completely. I'm blown away.
AnneS Posted September 11, 2015 Posted September 11, 2015 I can't remember when last I learned a song this fast, but I wanted to take a quick run before I got to over-thinking it. Simplicity is the name of the game here, methinks, Really nice little song, Dan--it gets into a person. I hope you like this small return offering, sir. (I did a bit of tweaking in Audacity, but the boomy-ness is due to not paying attention where I placed the Zoom. There's always next time...)
duluthdan Posted September 11, 2015 Author Posted September 11, 2015 I can't remember when last I learned a song this fast, but I wanted to take a quick run before I got to over-thinking it. Simplicity is the name of the game here, methinks, Boxtop Tamborine Really nice little song, Dan--it gets into a person. I hope you like this small return offering, sir. (I did a bit of tweaking in Audacity, but the boomy-ness is due to not paying attention where I placed the Zoom. There's always next time...) I am more than a bit humbled here Anne. That was stunning!
Jesse_Dylan Posted September 11, 2015 Posted September 11, 2015 Holy moly, what a thread this is. I think that is the mark of a great song, when other folks feel compelled to play it as well, and so fast!!! Great job, Dan. People picking this up and learning it makes me wonder if you couldn't try to publish this one.
flatbaroque Posted September 11, 2015 Posted September 11, 2015 Good one Anne! You've done Dan proud.I knew it would suit you. Apologies Dan...I just listened to mine and realised I sang "Boxcar" instead of "Boxtop" 75% of the time ha ha..oh well..still works ok. And just on the name "Boxtop Tamborine" - that is the kind of name that makes me want to hear what a song is about when I see it written. Always a positive to name a song in a way that instills interest immediately.
AnneS Posted September 12, 2015 Posted September 12, 2015 Thanks guys- and FB, you did right by the soul of this thing, I'd say. I had hoped you'd take a shot, and I'm glad you did. Dan, glad you liked. I keep listening to the original, which just keeps growing on me. Reminds me of Chritmas for Cowboys, actually- your ol' friend Steve W'd be proud. Or maybe the magic is in that ol' guitar- my dream "birthday year" guitar. A couple of years back, I lusted over a few '57 J-50's, and your song and performance gets me going again... Ah, but I make do nicely with the toddler J45 I brought home last year. We are quite happy, in fact. ;)
MorrisrownSal Posted September 13, 2015 Posted September 13, 2015 Anne and FB I just listened to your versions. Lovely. Nailed a beautiful song. Eventually I will try this to be a good sport, but honestly I don't know how it could match Double D's emotion better than your versions. We should do this song of the week thing more often. I really like this.
Jesse_Dylan Posted September 13, 2015 Posted September 13, 2015 You guys are going to make me end up learning it too. It really is an A+ fantastic song. I was serious about trying to publish it... Wouldn't you like to hear Taylor Swift or Justin Beaver or someone sing it like it was theirs? lololol.... But still... It deserves to be heard, and Dan deserves a kickback.
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