Feb 2022 superskirmish ss020522j americana billy bragg style
Skirmish response to the prompt: "Dust"
Chord Shapes below - but CAPO 3
(Em) What's that fog we're facing
That's (D) blocking out the view?
(C) Landscape's disappearing
Now the (Em) bus will not get through
The (G) sun above is turning
A (D) deeper shade of rust
Is this (C) Armageddon we're facing?
Or (Em) just a cloud of dust?
(Em) Dirt stuck to my sweaty arms
(D) Sand filling my eyes
We've (C) been through one of these before
Why (Em) should we act surprised?
But (G) as the sky gets darker
I got a (D) feeling of distrust?
Is this (C) Armageddon we're facing?
Or (Em) just a cloud of dust?
It's (G) doomsday in the desert
Can't (D) live in this wasteland
The (C) whole town's disappearing
Beneath a (Em) billion tons of sand
(Em) Temperature is rising
I can (D) feel it in the air
I (C) thought I saw you running
But there's (Em) really nothing there
My (G) hair has got all matted
It (D) fills me with disgust
Is this (C) Armageddon we're facing?
Or (Em) just a cloud of dust?
CHORUS
It's (G) doomsday in the desert
For (D) you and this cowhand
The (C) whole town's disappearing
Beneath a (Em) billion tons of sand
@crisp1 Mar 2022
Wow, lots of great lines in here, Berni, and from a skirmish! I'm in awe. Strong driving rhythm and a classic feel to the folk/protest melody. Terrific!
@nancycunning Mar 2022
When I was in college, I wanted to invent a Billy Bragg machine - where I could just sit in an empty room and listen to one Billy Bragg song after another. I would have definitely wanted this one in the rotation. You really set those images the matted hair, and the dirt stuck to the sweaty arms, all this imagery in the service of a big message like that sound of someone stacking chairs and mopping up stale beer. Great work.
@bethdesombre Mar 2022
. . and I should mention that I listened to this just before heading out to take the dog for a walk, and I was singing this song to myself the entire time. So you've definitely created something memorable!
@bethdesombre Mar 2022
You got all of this in a skirmish?! I'm beyond impressed. I like the image of "The sun above is turning/A deeper shade of rust" and the questioning of whether this has a deeper meaning. I also like the alliteration of "doomsday in the desert"
@janeg Feb 2022
Wonderful skirmish description of the result of climate inaction
@lifewithtomcat Feb 2022
A cloud of dust may indeed be what armageddon looks like. Tune drives the anxiety inducing imagery perfectly.
@pippa Feb 2022
Interesting story there, and good melody to go with it. It's fascinating to see how different people treat the same subject,
@skibum1066 Feb 2022
Good to hear you again. Very different than Liz's "Dust". I wasn't part of the skirmish but I wrote my own song "Dust". Check it out
@scubed Feb 2022
This is wonderful! The music has a dark urgency that suits the terrific lyrics really well - I could see the scene unfolding in my mind’s eye as I listen. The eeriest line: “I (C) thought I saw you running
But there's (Em) really nothing there” Thanks for doing the skirmish!
@hmstreetteam Feb 2022
This spans the emotions of a potential disaster — fear, apprehension, bravado, and more. The physical details are believable. The driving beat and the frequent questions keep up the sense of urgency.
@kenmattsson Feb 2022
Driving! Great write with almost a droning feel of no stopping, like a dust storm. This could really use the big production to make it epic. Good job!
@zeekle1998 Feb 2022
Oh this rocks. Love the guitar sound, the clean picked guitar and the grungy distorted guitar. @tjeff mentioned Mad Max, totally agree, that total post Armageddon, wild and wicked world in the dusty deserts
@mikehex Feb 2022
Great feeling of anxiety and foreboding, terrific energy on this
@pianoquest Feb 2022
Nice scene-setting with all of the visual and sensory details. I like the melody too. Good work!
@tjeff Feb 2022
Sounds like something that could accompany a futuristic Mad-Max sort of film. Sounds great and brought a lot of images to my mind.
@kahlo2013 Feb 2022
Berni, this is great! Very impressive skirmish. Great energy for a powerful protest song. Fantastic strum and emotion in your vocals! Such a topical song for our country with the fracking going on. Love the song.
@andygriff Feb 2022
Liking the fuzz-guitar protest singer vibe! Kudos on fitting 'armageddon' into a lyric. Still amazes me how people manage to produce something so complete (and good) in an hour :)
@pabrizzer Feb 2022
great skirmish berni
@tcelliott Feb 2022
I love the title lines in the verses. The whole damn thing feels rock solid. I want to hear drums and bass and a full treatment to get the full rock treatment, but it rocks just as it is.
@tunecat Feb 2022
Great words really have a cinematic quality. Dystopian of course!!
@skylermf Feb 2022
I love this interpretation of the prompt! You do a great job of setting the tone lyrically, it really does feel like Armageddon