This is our most ambitious recording to date. Song 12 includes, in no particular order, 22 different layered audio tracks, over 70 audio plugins, lyrics and melodies lifted from Eddie Murphy, made up words, wind chimes, distorted Danko Jones-style bass, a fake party at Steve’s place and a breakdown with autotuned vocals recorded using an iPhone and the I Am T-Pain app. This week’s illustration also has more detail than any that precede it, so we recommend you click on it to see the larger version.

Now, all of this effort and work doesn’t necessarily a great song make. Just look at Avatar. And yet! We’re happy with it, and we hope you are too. Specifically, we hope you like to gambo.

Song

 Gambo [2:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Discussion

CHRIS: This was one of the first songs we recorded back in December 2010 while trying to build up a buffer for 52 song project, and it just didn’t work at all. The song sounded so great in my head, but when we actually tracked it it was a complete mess of badness. For this version we threw everything out and started again from scratch with new arrangements and ideas. There’s no question that this version is way better than our first attempt, but about half an hour ago (as we write this Thursday night) I started hating it again. (Claire helpfully reminds me that this is the part of the process where I always hate my songs, so that’s some reassurance.)

STEVE: Yeah, boy was the production on that first take of this song awful. My bad. After Chris originally laid down the tracks, I tried to go all industrial on it’s rear. Wasn’t pretty. And I agree with Claire on this one, this song has actually grown on me and now I am really happy with it.

CHRIS: I will say, Steve, that the thing that makes me undeniably happy while listening to this recording is your Foley work on “party!” at the start of the second verse. The folks at home may be interested to know that you layered eight (eight!) different tracks of you cheering, clapping, laughing and at one point singing ‘Friday,’ though I don’t think that’s audible in the final mix. Those eight party tracks bring the total number of tracks on this song to 22 (22!), a new record for us.

STEVE: I was hoping that you had noticed the Rebecca Black tribute. I heartily dedicate that specific track on the song to you alone, Chris, in deference to my complete absence of knowledge on the subject last Friday. And, as a sign of the times, does anyone remember that any more? A week is too long for the news these days… Japan is not even on the top five rotation of CBC stories any more. Seriously? I (always) digress… THE SONG!

CHRIS: I cannot believe you just segued from Rebecca Black into Japan. You’re such a downer. Can’t we just talk about FUN FUN FUN and how we be so excited? Actually, no, let’s not even talk about that. Though I’m not sure I have anything else to say about this strange song either, except to thank my high school friends John and Kyle for consistently using the word “gambo” instead of “gamble,” which allows for such things as the rhyming of “rambo” instead of… um, whatever I was thinking of at the time.

STEVE: AHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh… I was wondering why it was Gambo and not Gamble. Knowledge Nugget! PARTY ALL THE TIME! WOOOOO!!!!

CHRIS: Oh yeah, we should thank Eddie Murphy for that “nugget” too before we sign off. And also Andrew W.K., just because I’m pretty sure he owns a patent on using the word “party” in a song (as well he should).

STEVE: And I’d also like to thank Eddie Murphy for the “Ice Cream” sketch, minus the swears. I hate swears. I’d also like to thank God and my parents.

CHRIS: Is this a bad time to tell you that while in Austin two weeks ago I started working on a song called “Fuck yeah, y’all?” Yeah, this is probably a bad time.

STEVE: Eff ya, Chris. Eff ya.

CHRIS: “I know you like the ramble.” But seriously, we have to stop typing.

STEVE: True, I gotsta get some rest to install some windows tomorrow morning. And think about next Friday’s song. As Grandma Bertie would say, toodle oo!

Lyrics

I know you like to gambo,
I know you like the play the cards.
I know you like to rambo,
I know you like to create sparks

(But for now) I’ve got a gift I want to give you tonight
It’s really pretty and it fits you just right
So put it on now and do it up tight, up tight, up tight

I’m calling your bluff here this evening
And how you react is revealing
Cuz you’ve never been good at deceiving
And you’re my number one

I know you like to party
You like to party all the time (party all the time, party all the time)
I know you like to get naughty
I know you like what’s on my mind

(So you go) You go caressing on his leg on his thigh
It’s not the what so much as who and the why
And now I’ve got you cuz you’re caught in a lie, a lie, a lie

I’m calling your bluff here this evening
And how you react is revealing
Cuz you’ve never been good at deceiving
And you’re my number two
(just me and you)

[guitar solo]

[autotune solo]

I’m calling your bluff here this evening
So far up north that the stars are our ceiling
And if we could bottle this feeling
We’d be millionaires

I’m calling your bluff here this evening
So give me the deck cuz now I’m dealing
With what you have done and what’s its meaning
And you’re my number three
(yeah just you and me)

Credits

Chris Tindal: Vocals, T-Pain Simulation, guitars, programmed bass and drums
Steve Salt: Backing vocals, the party, chimes
Words and Music: Chris Tindal
Illustration: Claire Salloum
Produced by Steve Salt and Chris Tindal