An original Blues, is there such?

Community Recordings Originals (Not Covers)
1

This is a song written about a time working in Germany.

16 Likes
2

Good work, Mal. The song moved along nicely, with verve. Liked what you did with the rhythm, the muting and the added notes. Sounded great.

3

Thanks for the kind words, I enjoy playing that song.

4

Very nice, had great groove going on. I liked all those little barres you were doing with the pinky, looked very professional!

5

Thank you, pleased you enjoyed it. The B is not easy for me with my 3rd finger, so the pinky endures.

6

That was a tasty serving of bluesy rock n roll, Mal. I can imagine Andy Fairweather Low playing and singing your song. Had hints of his phrasing of timbre in my ear, which I mean as a great compliment.

Loved the groove you laid down, the percussive strumming, the percussive hits, and as much as I could hear the vocal was a treat.

Tough job to record guitar and vocal with a phone. As @sairfingers suggested to another maybe try figure out a way to lift the phone up so the mic is aimed somewhere between mouth and guitar to let the vocals come through a little stronger.

Impressive use of the pinky to play the B and the single finger A. Keep working at using the ring-finger, sure it will come to the party in due course.

7

David I will certainly accept the compliment, Andy Fairweather Low, anytime. I do enjoy playing this song, and the next time playing and singing is done on phone, will try to remember your tip for recording. My pinky is easier with my fingers for B, the ring finger is attempted but always feels like contortion gone mad.
Thanks for the encouragement.

1 Like
8

Really great Mal. I always admire people who can write and perform their own material. Well done. You had a super driving beat and the percussive hits/strums worked well and suited your song. A bit more Rock ‘n’ Roll than Blues perhaps? The lines are very blurred of course. :smiley:

I struggle with my A major barre shapes so I might give your pinky version a go. Clearly it’s less of a stretch. The E shapes are an option but can be a bit of a jump for a quick change and they often don’t sound right if the other chords are lower down the neck.

1 Like
9

Hi Sairfingers, yes, not sure what the song is really, the title is ‘Alien City Blues’, so whatever, I do enjoy playing it though.
My fingers find ,after trying to be a contortionist with my fingers, the pinky an easier choice.
Pleased you enjoyed the effort.

1 Like
10

Hi Malz,

I could hear the King himself singing this (back in his early days).
Good energy and groove.
Vocal was spot on for the music. Agree with trying to get the vocal a touch louder.
I always multitrack, so can’t help much with how to balance things when recording live like this.

Cool song.

Digger

11

Hi Digger,
Glad you enjoyed the song. Better production is a work in progress and a steep learning curve, but we will get there.

12

That was really good Mal and a nice way to start catching up on recordings. Nothing to add to what’s been said. All good and very enjoyable.

:sunglasses:

13

Hi Toby, thank you again.

1 Like
14

Really liked this. Great rhythm and vocals as well. I do second the suggestion to come up with a way to make the vocals more audible. Also, I’d like to see the lyrics

15

Really good. A rocking tune, great beat to it. Agree with the others, would have been good to hear the words a little easier :grinning:.

16

Pleased you liked the song thank you, as requested here are the lyrics.
Alien City Blues
Colman
Blues E A B

Well I’m gonna write a song about keeping time
Cos I can’t do it & I don’t rhyme
But if I do I hope you’ll all sing along

Walking around with a hole in my shoe
The sun is shining don’t know what to do
Standing here melting
I feel like having a bath

But the bath don’t work
And the plumbers gone home
Find me a friend to help sing this song

Ease me from them old alien city blues
Cos those old city blues
Keep coming on strong
Just like the river rolling along

Sometimes I think I may not get away
The feeling comes strong but don’t last long
A week or so and I’ll be gone
Far away from those alien city blues

Then maybe perhaps get a good night’s sleep
Wish I could show those guys how to creep
Instead of shouting & clomping all over my dreams

Cos the works damn hard & a body feels rough
After 8 hours a day man it’s long enough
To be swinging a pick or digging a hole
Or running around for a little man who don’t know the lingo

But the bath don’t work
And the plumbers gone home
Help me find a friend to sing this song

Ease me from them old alien city blues
Cos those old city blues
Keep coming on strong
Just like the river rolling along
To be thinking of the road
And thinking of getting away

But the bath don’t work
And the plumbers gone home
Help me find a friend to sing this song

4 Likes
17

Thanks and glad you enjoyed it, will work on getting better production.

1 Like
18

And it sure does show as well.

That was great Mal, a really nice vibe to it. Impressive stuff doing a B using your little finger.

19

Hi, glad you enjoyed the song. With my fingers, my pinky is easier for B, I try with the ring finger but mostly cannot do it.

20

That was great! Blues with comedy lyrics - what’s not to love?

…although “the bath don’t work and the plumber’s gone” - can you really be talking about Germany, where everything works perfectly all the time? (well known fact LOL)

1 Like