Feb 2022 painfully-sincere
I struggled with the recording here. It's so hard to get it right!
As usual this year, I'm not trying to play a solo where there really should be a solo
Edit: I just realized on a relisten that a little bit of “Goin’ Back” by Carole King snuck in there, totally unconsciously. Yikes.
I could play the game
Good enough to come in second place
I could always hit
But I never took the extra base
People say I should have tried
Could have had a chance to shine
But that was someone else’s way
It wasn’t mine
I could see the goal
But I never really went for broke
Was I scared to lose control?
Maybe I always knew I’d choke
Living in the shadows
Stayed out of the light
In everybody else’s world
It seemed so bright
But now it all seems so unclear
Why did I want to disappear?
What was it that I had to fear?
Only everything
[inst verse]
Maybe it’s not too late
To taste the things I once dismissed
Now the time has come
To find out what I missed
I hope I have the strength to try
Find the courage that I lacked
I hope that there’s still time
For coming back
Oh I hope that there’s still time
For coming back
@elainedimasi Mar 2022
I love a song that sets itself up so well in the second line. Second place - now we're going to hear what this means ... to _us_. Still time for coming back. We have to hope that. Otherwise, World Came Down and life is over.
Nice flourish on "Stayed out of the light"! Sets up the longer stretch of high singing perfectly - great way to lift the song and keep going up!
As for solos, I think letting the backing track breathe, while adding just a few new gestures, is a tactic we use too seldom. It's nice here to have a chance to pay attention to it when the vocals take a break.
@nancycunning Mar 2022
This is just beautiful, Rod. I really like how you sing it and play it. The lyrics are very clear-sighted but still vulnerable and sets me down in the middle of that cautious discomfort, and yearning to maybe change.
@gardeningangel1 Feb 2022
Real toe-tapper. I get a slight Tom Petty vibe, so easy on the ears. The vocal melodies are really nice, reaching into the higher range like the character reaching for something more. It takes great courage to be so painfully sincere. I like the solo-less solo, it sort of fits the lyrics of the endearing, bench-warming wallflower.
@arthurrossi Feb 2022
I exactly know what you write and sing about here and I can relate to it so much... Sometimes I still contemplate on passed things, old decisions that paved the way in one direction while missing out many of the options once we had... and also on how our lives would look like and what kind of persons we could have been become if we had turned right instead of left... I like the slight melancholy in the words, but also in the way you sing it, which contrasts to the upbeat feel of the music.
@writeandwrong Feb 2022
I always love how smooth your tunes flow musically and lyrically. The sentiment always comes thorugh. So relatable when we go back to places where we grew up that bring up memories where we hope we'll have time to go back and think of what could have been or try to recreate what was. Well done!
@rayboneor Feb 2022
I always like some upbeat melancholy, and you're good at it. (Would you put this in the glum schmaltz file? Or is it not schmaltzy enough?) This is a good one. Tremelo sounds great. How did you do those drums?
@apolez3 Feb 2022
The upbeat tempo is nice; I love it; just lovely :)
@jackketch Feb 2022
Something quite Lennon-esque about this - reminiscent of 'Oh Yoko' - not copying at all but just has that same wistful feel. I really like this.
@itneverhappened Feb 2022
Remember your voice from way back, This is great. I get a Beatlesque feel from the chorus. Lovely chords and harmonies and the vocal is superb. Could be fleshed out with more instrumentation and maybe doubletracked vocal on certain parts and be a super hit!
@yewnorker Feb 2022
The Extra Base is a Home Run! Your voice adds credibility to the lyric. Gen you wine. The music / guitar is just right and just enough. Really, you hit this one out of the park. Nice job.
@looprication Feb 2022
This is a proper road trip song, I picture listening to it while driving, or riding, through fields of grain. Probably corn.
Wow just read the lyrics, like all great songs, this is much more than it seems. Really enjoyed it!
@jorh Feb 2022
Nobody is gonna complain about a little of the legendary Carole king being snuck in! I love the direct honesty of the lyric - “Was I scared to lose control? Maybe I always knew I’d choke” hit hard. I like how you flipped the perspective after the instrumental verse, and left us hanging on whether or not they would let go of control
@toms Feb 2022
A bit of Goffin and/or King guarantees a #1 hit! Sounds great to me. The trem guitar is awesome.
@caitlin Feb 2022
Oh I like this! It’s reminding me of The Decemberists or The Avett Brothers, and I totally want to break out in some sweet harmonies with you.