The Drunken Singer (inspired by RaySachs)

[FrankHudson]

We had a nice thread recently here responding to RaySachs version of Richard Thompson's "God Loves a Drunk."

Hearing Ray sing that song reminded me of a few things. First: how much I admire Richard Thompson even though his songs can be very dark. That song is an example. Great song. Ray's version conveyed that.

Second: I think somewhat like Ray, I've had a longstanding problem with finding a way to use my voice to put over song in a way that allows at least some audience to appreciate it. I still have my good and bad days at the mic. Ray had worked and found a way to put that song over.

Which led to my third thought, that Ray's version of Thompson's song reminded me of a song I wrote some years back. Yes, there's the "drunk" connection, but in the song I oddly celebrate outright "off" singing.

I never got a presentable version of this one recorded, but I thought I should try to do that so I can share it here. The link will take you to the post on my Parlando Project site where I shared the new recording I did of it. There's also a chord sheet there if you'd like to sing it yourself.

The Drunken Singer

[Gibson61]

I really enjoyed the lyrics and delivery of this song. It was perfect. Having the lyrics at hand to read added a lot to the experience. Many thanks for sharing -

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by Gibson61

I really enjoyed the lyrics and delivery of this song. It was perfect. Having the lyrics at hand to read added a lot to the experience. Many thanks for sharing -

Thanks for listening. My keyboard and songwriting partner in the Parlando Project told me shortly after starting that I should give at least put a link to the lyrics, so I've tried to do that.

I've done the chord sheets from time to time, mainly to encourage others to take their crack at singing some of the songs we've done in the Project.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

We had a nice thread recently here responding to RaySachs version of Richard Thompson's "God Loves a Drunk."

Hearing Ray sing that song reminded me of a few things. First: how much I admire Richard Thompson even though his songs can be very dark. That song is an example. Great song. Ray's version conveyed that.

Second: I think somewhat like Ray, I've had a longstanding problem with finding a way to use my voice to put over song in a way that allows at least some audience to appreciate it. I still have my good and bad days at the mic. Ray had worked and found a way to put that song over.

Which led to my third thought, that Ray's version of Thompson's song reminded me of a song I wrote some years back. Yes, there's the "drunk" connection, but in the song I oddly celebrate outright "off" singing.

I never got a presentable version of this one recorded, but I thought I should try to do that so I can share it here. The link will take you to the post on my Parlando Project site where I shared the new recording I did of it. There's also a chord sheet there if you'd like to sing it yourself.

The Drunken Singer

Love it, Frank. I particularly like the dissonance of the keys in the last Verse.

Thompson is routinely cited for his "gloom and doom" compositions, but he's probably about equal in his more uptempo and quasi-humorous songs like "Two Left Feet" or "Don't Sit On My Jimmy Shands". The list would be quite long, and would be an interesting topic if his writings could be numerically compared by contrast between dark and light material.

[raysachs]

Wow Frank, don't think I've ever seen my name appear in a thread title before, so I had to check it out. I like it. it's more spoken than sung, no much discernible melody, but it's spoken as sort of a mix of John Prine and Dylan, at least to my ear. And I like both Prine and Dylan a lot, so I enjoyed it quite a bit. And the guitar accompaniment gives it a bit of musical propulsion. Good job on the writing.

As for those of us vocally challenged, I try not to be so self-conscious about it, or at least not WRITE about my self-consciousness so much anymore. I used to be such a terrible singer that I wouldn't even do it. But I kept TRYING to do it because I figured if I could hear well enough to know how bad it was, I could hear well enough to improve it, to some degree at least. And so I just kept singing, and gradually, with steps forward and steps back, little by little, I think I have improved. At least to the point that I actually enjoy singing these days. And on some songs that suit me, well enough to occasionally post something.

It'll never be my strength, I don't think my ceiling will be terribly high, but my floor was sooooo low, that the ceiling feels a bit higher than it probably is. For that matter, playing acoustic guitar isn't my strength either, as I'm reminded whenever I plug in and play some electric lead guitar on some song or other that I'm recording. But my life these days is far more conducive to playing acoustic and singing than it is to playing electric as much as I once did. So I do, and I love it. At whatever level I'm able to do it on a given day. And honestly, some days I do surprise myself. Pulling out a song that I couldn't even begin to sing a few years ago and now find it's actually sort of in my vocal wheelhouse, to the extent I have one.

But WRITING songs (or poems) is something I don't seem to have ANY affinity for, or desire to do. That's just not a creative itch of mine. There are so many great songs out there that are really fun to sing and play that I don't have any desire to try to add to it. So good on you for going for it. I admire it even if I don't see myself doing it.

-Ray

[Glennwillow]

What a cool project, Frank. I enjoyed reading about it and listening to your recording. Very nice job on the recording and the song composition, kind of Dylan-esque, I think.

Well done!

- Glenn

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Love it, Frank. I particularly like the dissonance of the keys in the last Verse.

Thompson is routinely cited for his "gloom and doom" compositions, but he's probably about equal in his more uptempo and quasi-humorous songs like "Two Left Feet" or "Don't Sit On My Jimmy Shands". The list would be quite long, and would be an interesting topic if his writings could be numerically compared by contrast between dark and light material.

I went back and forth on that piano part. I wanted it to sound woozy and lost at sea to start with and then sort of cohere, but I'm still not sure about it.

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by raysachs

Wow Frank, don't think I've ever seen my name appear in a thread title before, so I had to check it out. I like it. it's more spoken than sung, no much discernible melody, but it's spoken as sort of a mix of John Prine and Dylan, at least to my ear. And I like both Prine and Dylan a lot, so I enjoyed it quite a bit. And the guitar accompaniment gives it a bit of musical propulsion. Good job on the writing.

As for those of us vocally challenged, I try not to be so self-conscious about it, or at least not WRITE about my self-consciousness so much anymore. I used to be such a terrible singer that I wouldn't even do it. But I kept TRYING to do it because I figured if I could hear well enough to know how bad it was, I could hear well enough to improve it, to some degree at least. And so I just kept singing, and gradually, with steps forward and steps back, little by little, I think I have improved. At least to the point that I actually enjoy singing these days. And on some songs that suit me, well enough to occasionally post something.

It'll never be my strength, I don't think my ceiling will be terribly high, but my floor was sooooo low, that the ceiling feels a bit higher than it probably is. For that matter, playing acoustic guitar isn't my strength either, as I'm reminded whenever I plug in and play some electric lead guitar on some song or other that I'm recording. But my life these days is far more conducive to playing acoustic and singing than it is to playing electric as much as I once did. So I do, and I love it. At whatever level I'm able to do it on a given day. And honestly, some days I do surprise myself. Pulling out a song that I couldn't even begin to sing a few years ago and now find it's actually sort of in my vocal wheelhouse, to the extent I have one.

But WRITING songs (or poems) is something I don't seem to have ANY affinity for, or desire to do. That's just not a creative itch of mine. There are so many great songs out there that are really fun to sing and play that I don't have any desire to try to add to it. So good on you for going for it. I admire it even if I don't see myself doing it.

-Ray

Yes, when you write about your work with your singing voice, I relate completely. I could have written that explanation.

As you point out, not every singer-songwriter has a "skilled/talented" singing voice, but some make it work. The name of my Parlando Project contains the term that explains what I fall back on fairly often. I first ran into it in an account of how they got Rex Harrison (not much of a singer) to be able to carry off his role in the musical My Fair Lady.

As the composer that most often has to rely on myself as a singer, I try not to write melody parts for the vocal that I can't carry off (oh, I have tried to do more complex melodies, but then the piece usually fails and I do something else). I'll try to do something interesting with the chords or with unusual instruments etc to give the songs some other musical interest.

Adapting public domain poems for lyrics is one way to find one's own Bernie Taupin, Pete Brown, Robert Hunter, or Keith Reid if you ever want to create your own songs.

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

What a cool project, Frank. I enjoyed reading about it and listening to your recording. Very nice job on the recording and the song composition, kind of Dylan-esque, I think.

Well done!

- Glenn

Thanks Glenn. Yes, Dylan can't be denied as an influence. The whole 1960s folk singer-songwriter thing (which predates the term) influenced me. Some of them had great voices, some had to work with voices more like mine.

[Railroad Bum]

That was beautiful, Frank. Beautiful lyrics and great instrumentation. And I love that spoken word style. I am a huge Dylan, Prine, Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed fan. I guess I am an old folkie, more than anything, and I know that it doesn't matter how well a person can technically sing or play--as long as they can convey real emotion and humanity. And that's what people like you and Ray, for example, do.

Thank you--Tim.

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by Railroad Bum

That was beautiful, Frank. Beautiful lyrics and great instrumentation. And I love that spoken word style. I am a huge Dylan, Prine, Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed fan. I guess I am an old folkie, more than anything, and I know that it doesn't matter how well a person can technically sing or play--as long as they can convey real emotion and humanity. And that's what people like you and Ray, for example, do.

Thank you--Tim.

That was so nice to read today. Thanks for taking the time to respond.