This is another song for my rock opera. I had the basic idea of the scene and the song, but didn’t have a musical start – the Week 4 Challenge, using a ‘4 chord loop’, was the perfect thing for it! The chords are G – D – Am – Em with one guitar using drop-D. I wrote the lyrics Thursday, and got the 4 chord pattern later, then put the whole thing together on Friday. The guitar parts are rough in places, but I think that fits the story (read all below!), and chances are I would have flubbed up more takes anyway.
[After school one day, Billie (lead character) brings Jason to the secret storm shelter where he has his father’s and his guitars stashed from when Mrs Wetherton and her men took away Billie’s parents 5 years before. Although there is a hidden entrance from the basement of the house (and hidden power connection), Billie has been able to use another hidden outside door on the riverbank slope to get in there and practice guitar.]
*****
Billie opened the door, flicked a light switch, revealing a long room with metal shelves along one wall, cardboard boxes stacked on the shelves.
“Wow, this is cool, Billie.” Jason said.
“Like I said before, Jas, you can’t tell ANYONE!” Billy said
“Hey, I get it man – no one!”
Billy closed the shelter door, sealing them in. Walking over to a cabinet on the wall opposite the shelves, he opened the doors, and pulled out a rectangular guitar case, laid it on the floor and opened it up. Pulling out a sunburst Fender Stratocaster, he handed it to Jason.
“A Strat??!!” Jason held it lovingly. “I haven’t held a guitar in over 2 years! I’m not sure I even remember how to play!”
“Here,” Billie says, taking the Strat back, he took a clip-on tuner from the cabinet, started tuning the guitar. “I’ll put it in drop-D, so you just have to hit the bottom 3 strings with one finger, and you’ve got power chords!”
He handed the Strat back to Jason, then pulled a small amplifier off the top shelf of the cabinet, plugged it into the wall, and then grabbed a cable to plug the guitar into the amp.
“Won’t someone hear, Billie?”
“Nah, this room is far enough away from the house, and no one ever comes down by the river. We’ll keep the volume down anyway.” Billy turned the amp on, and turned the volume dial up to 2.
Jason strummed the open strings with his thumb, and grinned at the sound coming from the amp. Billy took a pick from the cabinet and handed it to Jason, then pulled another guitar case from the cabinet as Jason tried a few hesitant chords.
Jason stopped strumming. “Is that a real gold top Les Paul?” His mouth was open in disbelief.
“It was my dad’s,” Billie said as he tuned it. “Go ahead and play, get your fingers moving again!”
[as the scene/song progresses – not in real time – they are joined by a bass player (character name yet to be determined!) and Davey, the drummer – playing ‘drums’ on the cardboard boxes]
Lost and Found copyright 2022 Michael J Birch
Verse 1 (Jason)
I feel like I’ve wakened from a long sleep
Been drifting for so long
Forgot what it’s like to be happy and free
To play and sing a song
Chorus (Jason)
I was lost
Now I’m found
Remembering the guitar’s sound
I was lost, now I’m found
Verse 2 (Jason and Billie)
It isn’t right – what they say
That rock and roll is bad
We just want to have fun and play
It’s not so hard to understand
Chorus (Jason and Billie)
I was lost
Now I’m found
Remembering the guitar’s sound
I was lost, now I’m found
Verse 3 (all)
We’ve got to do something more
Can’t accept all their rules
Form a united front they can’t ignore
We’re young but nobody’s fools
Chorus (all)
We were lost
Now we’re found
Guitars and drums
Making that rock and roll sound (repeat)
@liz561 Mar 2022
Well the story before the song was quite detailed, but I must say that the song did justice to the set-up. Nice job! And congrats on doing all four weekly challenges!
@markg Mar 2022
I'm loving your rock opera project. This song is a good example of why rock must stay alive.
@wacha Mar 2022
Very nice song, it works as both a standalone song as well as part of a greater narrative. That guitar work is solid!
@natalie Feb 2022
Oh, yeah! This is drop-D gorgeous! This song is perfect rock opera material. The high notes on the lead guitar ring out so sweet. Love the fullness of the vocals in the section beginning around the 4-minute mark. So well done!
@jeff9 Feb 2022
Very cool, Mike. It's got a bit of a Dinosaur Jr. vibe going maybe. This will be a real cornerstone song for the story.
@nahlej381 Feb 2022
#tit4tat
Almost forgot lol just rockin out
@nahlej381 Feb 2022
I enjoy some rock opera your playing sounds great! Nice lead tone, your rhythm tone makes me think of the kids in the hall opening (which I love) solid vocal performance and storytelling. Great work!
@jcameron Feb 2022
I like the little tuning-up section at the beginning, it ties in nicely with the story. Drop D works very well here. Nice tubey solo guitar as well. I like music that tells a story and this song does so excellently well. Very good indeed.