Lars68 Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 Here is a new song I just wrote. It's about not being able to sleep one night from looking back at life, thinking about the passage of time, realizing more than half of it has passed, and then getting up in the morning writing a song about it https://soundcloud.com/lars1968/circling-round-the-sun It's a one take, one mic recording. So me being me, there is no such thing as perfection, but I do think there is something pure about a one take recording. At least it's all me and it's honest, which serves the lyrics. These might, by the way, very well be my best set of lyrics so far (a special thanks to Roy, PatriotsBiker, who shared some great pointers helping me back channel). CIRCLING ROUND THE SUN I was born in 1968, a time of peace & love, and unsure fate My daddy flew our fighter jets, to scare the Reds of the Soviets When I was four we moved away, to the small town where I live to this day It's been a long time passing Circling round the sun Tick tock, tick tock the clock runs I read Tarzan and James Bigglesworth, dreamt of his Spitfire way above earth I was the shy kid at my school, my desk was tidy and I followed each rule Kept to my side with vinyls and sports, turned out I played well on the courts It's been a long time passing Circling round the sun Tick tock, tick tock the clock runs A college said let us pay your way, I studied hard and found a job with good pay For 23 years it has paid the bill, but left a soul with some holes to fill. Never made plans, just hoped the train, beyond the bend lies the tracks that remain It's been a long time passing Circling round the sun Tick tock, tick tock the clock runs It's 2 AM and I can't close my eyes, thinking 'bout life and hellos and goodbyes Come dawn I'll turn this night into song, with my loved ones right where I belong It's been a long time passing Circling round the sun Tick tock, tick tock 'till I'm done Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 I am on my ancient computer which does not have a browser that will let me access soundcloud. Only reason I keep it around is it contains notes from my previous articles which I have not yet got around to fully transferring. Reading the lyrics though, you have successfully managed to make me feel old. Old enough that in two days I will be driving 1/3 of the way across the country to go to my 50th high school reunion to hang with people I have no hope of recognizing and of which I have only the haziest of memories. But all in all, I like the lyrics. Although it is hard for me to relate to them they are an interesting glimpse into the world of another generation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted May 1, 2019 Author Share Posted May 1, 2019 I am on my ancient computer which does not have a browser that will let me access soundcloud. Only reason I keep it around is it contains notes from my previous articles which I have not yet got around to fully transferring. Reading the lyrics though, you have successfully managed to make me feel old. Old enough that in two days I will be driving 1/3 of the way across the country to go to my 50th high school reunion to hang with people I have no hope of recognizing and of which I have only the haziest of memories. But all in all, I like the lyrics. Although it is hard for me to relate to them they are an interesting glimpse into the world of another generation. I don't remember all my high school class mates either My idea with the lyrics was to be personal and specific on a universal topic, hoping people could see a glimpse of themselves perhaps in my experiences. At least that was the idea... I hope you enjoy the reunion! Lars Oh, I hope the topic title didn't offend anyone...I include myself in that categorization Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 It's a great theme, especially poignant to those of us of a certain age. Somebody named Roberta Joan did a pretty good job of summing it up: And the seasons they go round and round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We can't return we can only look Behind from where we came And go round and round and round In the circle game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted May 1, 2019 Author Share Posted May 1, 2019 It's a great theme, especially poignant to those of us of a certain age. Somebody named Roberta Joan did a pretty good job of summing it up: And the seasons they go round and round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We can't return we can only look Behind from where we came And go round and round and round In the circle game. Well, that is a whole lot more poetic than my humble version! Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Lars, I like this a lot. I've always been a fan of music that tends to be in the "apocalyptic" genre, or something that refers to our mortality and the passing of time. Eve of Destruction, Face of Despair, 99 Red Balloons, In The Year 2525, The Randall Knife, etc. I think your lyrics are pretty-damn decent. You don't waste many words. You might eliminate a word or two in a couple places, but then again, English is your "second" language and you use phrases that are not typically in my street vernacular style of English. The different phases of life are something we can easily identify with and the chorus leaves no doubt that time is dwindling. Nice song and lyrics.....Lars, you have come a long, long ways. [thumbup] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Reading the lyrics though, you have successfully managed to make me feel old. Hehe he, , eeeehhhh, , , apart from that I'm a newbie in the old geezer league. A very interesting place to be - everything is actually , , , new. Maybe except songs, which all the way had the quality of always changing and remaining the same. Listen to Colours or Help or California Dreaming. An absolutely universal feeling after all these years. Sense the season - now too old to enthusiastically celebrate. I gently take my hat of to spring instead and say hello, "blessed with yet another May. ." Tell your father he was a Draken-hero - those Ivans provoked your airspace like stray dogs, , , and still do. That's the world, , , really maaad, , be glad you are able to put songs into it. They are trees. I will listen while flying my own Spitfire over them soon. It's mail-box red. "Carry all ages. . " . . . . . . . . . . E-minor7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted May 2, 2019 Author Share Posted May 2, 2019 Larry, thanks for listening and the comments. I'll take pretty-damn decent all days of the week (and Twice on Sundays, as Anne would say) Em7, my dad actually flew Lansen. Draken came later and the two types co-existed for a while. For eveybody else, these are two types of Swedish figther jets. Sweden, athough being a small country, has always developed its own figther jets (Draken = The Dragon, Lansen = The Spear). Em7, cool that you know about these! I was actually chasing Ivans under water during my military service in the late ninteen haties, no room for that in the song, though. I'll keep an eye out for your mail box red Spitfire, sporting white racing stripes, I'm sure Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Lars, I like your lyrics so much i went back and looked at them again. Not a lot I'd change aside from the differnces in your English and mine. I like the message you convey. It's not "end of the world," it's life. It's upbeat and positive, but in the background the "clock" continues to tick. Killer chorus. Good stuff. Here's a few thoughts from a guy who generally doesn't follow any particular songwriting rules and instead would rather tell the story. Paint a picture with words, write a song with a brush. CIRCLING ROUND THE SUN I was born in 1968, a time of peace & love, and unsure fate-------nice synopsis of life during The Cold War. My daddy flew our fighter jets, to scare the Reds of the Soviets When I was four we moved away, to the small town where I live to this day-----shows your perspective on life. You like the simple things. It's been a long time passing Circling round the sun Tick tock, tick tock the clock runs I read Tarzan and James Bigglesworth, dreamt of his Spitfire way above earth I was the shy kid at my school, my desk was tidy and I followed each rule Kept to my side with vinyls and sports, turned out I played well on the courts----avoid the bullshit and find your own niche growing-up. It's been a long time passing Circling round the sun Tick tock, tick tock the clock runs A college said let us pay your way, I studied hard and found a job with good pay For 23 years it has paid the bill, but left a soul with some holes to fill. Never made plans, just hoped the train, beyond the bend lies the tracks that remain------awesome picture of life's journey. It's been a long time passing Circling round the sun Tick tock, tick tock the clock runs It's 2 AM and I can't close my eyes, thinking 'bout life and hellos and goodbyes----this lines sounds exactly like me. You sure I didn't write this?....lol Come dawn I'll turn this night into song, with my loved ones right where I belong----this line brings it all home. Family is what matters It's been a long time passing Circling round the sun Tick tock, tick tock 'till I'm done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted May 3, 2019 Author Share Posted May 3, 2019 Thanks for the feedback and kind words, Larry. Means a lot to know that the writing is on the right track. I just try to write what I feel. Just out of curiosity, would you mind telling me where you would change the English? I'm just interested in finding out how it shows it's my second language. By the way, not sure you noticed, but in the very last chorus I changed “...the clock runs” to “...’till I’m done”. I kind of like that myself I'll try to do a new recording of the song eventually, with guitars and vocals on separate tracks. That will give me a chance to edit together “best of” bits from several vocal takes. I still can't manage to get through 4 minutes of singing without making mistakes. Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 I am on my ancient computer which does not have a browser that will let me access soundcloud. Only reason I keep it around is it contains notes from my previous articles which I have not yet got around to fully transferring. Reading the lyrics though, you have successfully managed to make me feel old. Old enough that in two days I will be driving 1/3 of the way across the country to go to my 50th high school reunion to hang with people I have no hope of recognizing and of which I have only the haziest of memories. But all in all, I like the lyrics. Although it is hard for me to relate to them they are an interesting glimpse into the world of another generation. Amen! I was 18 in 1968. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly campbell Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Good Stuff Lars thanks for sharing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted May 8, 2019 Author Share Posted May 8, 2019 Good Stuff Lars thanks for sharing it. Thanks, Kelly! For anyone interested in the sound difference between a single mic, one-track, recording of both vocals and guitar at once, versus a two-track, with seperate recordings for vocal/guitar, here is a new recording of the same song to compare to the original. Original one-mic, one-track recording. Ear Trumper Labs Myrtle mic, about 40 cm out, midway between guitar and mouth: https://soundcloud.com/lars1968/circling-round-the-sun New two-track recording, same mic but shorter distances, 30 cm out (same distance for both tracks): https://soundcloud.com/lars1968/circling-round-the-sun-1 Only reverb and compression added to both tracks in the same amounts, no eq. The sound improvement in version two is HUGE, and the performance is better too from editing several takes into one. Lars By the way, might this be the first mention of James Bigglesworth in a song?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoSoxBiker Posted May 8, 2019 Share Posted May 8, 2019 That was very nice, Lars. So, too, was the single take/tracking method from before. Both of them flow nicely. Lots of good to say about each. It seems to me like you mke a year's worth of improvements with your vocals over a 2-month span and I am quite envious. One thing I mentioned in another thread is your ability to write songs about normal life that come out well. How many of us have heard songs by other folks on this subject matter and not been able to listen to the whole thing? It's not easy. My efforts are uninteresting at best. Again, well done!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted May 8, 2019 Author Share Posted May 8, 2019 That was very nice, Lars. So, too, was the single take/tracking method from before. Both of them flow nicely. Lots of good to say about each. It seems to me like you mke a year's worth of improvements with your vocals over a 2-month span and I am quite envious. One thing I mentioned in another thread is your ability to write songs about normal life that come out well. How many of us have heard songs by other folks on this subject matter and not been able to listen to the whole thing? It's not easy. My efforts are uninteresting at best. Again, well done!!!! I really appreciate to hear there is progress. One thing that I have noticed with the last couple of songs of mine is that I can hear hints of personality coming through and some tendencies towards a style of my own (one that is not necessarily minor key songs, sung out of tune...). That is something I have consciously been working towards. My thinking is that if I write honestly about myself and my experiences, chances are others will find at least a bit of themselves in the songs too. Looooong way to go still... I doubt your efforts are uninteresting. I would gladly have a listen. Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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