This one is a reverse chronological song about being tempted by the devil. Wait, is devil spelled with a capital “D?” I guess we’ll find out soon enough. Speaking of which, has anyone else noticed that the world has been getting a little wild? Though this song leans on poor decisions, today we encourage you to go out and make someone’s day. Please. And thank you.
Song
Discussion
STEVE: Welcome back, Chris!
CHRIS: So tired.
STEVE: How was Austin?
CHRIS: Awesome. Was there for SXSW interactive. But apparently that involves only sleeping for about four hours a night for a week. So, so tired. Brain no work.
STEVE: Well, welcome back, good not to be talking to myself this week. So far the only comment on last week’s song was that I may have a multi-personality issue. I am glad though that I have been able to catch up on my contributions to the project, as you had written most of the songs up until a couple of weeks ago!
CHRIS: You might still be talking to yourself. I’m barely here. The small amount of mental capacity I have is mostly devoted to preventing Rebecca Black from devouring what’s left of my brain.
STEVE: Rebecca Black? But I digress. As mentioned in the intro, this week’s number is a reverse chronological episode that asks just how much one might compromise their values in order to get the things they want.
CHRIS: It’s Friday? Friday. Gotta get down on Friday.
STEVE: This is one of the first times I have relied heavily on digital programming for much of the song content. I am starting to feel a little like the Black Eyed Peas. But hardly. In fact, everything but the guitar and the vocals are all programmed.
CHRIS: Kickin’ in the front seat, sitting in the back seat. But what happened to taking the bus? WHY DID SHE EVER EVEN PRETEND TO BE WAITING FOR A BUS?
STEVE: True. Also, I originally wrote this song with guitar as the focal instrument. I had visions this past week of switching that to keys, and the product is now pending your approval.
CHRIS: lkdjf akjfs;adk ghask;dgh ;xkjgoi4wetuyw ayY&T^& Â YREhsLFKZD
STEVE: More and more, yes, this is becoming evident. Gonna be an interesting one to play live, but we will figure it out. So, I leave you now with the song, and ask: What would you do for that which you want?
CHRIS: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…….
STEVE: Good night Chris.
CHRIS:
STEVE: And we’ve been Steve and Chris.
Lyrics
Credits
Chris Tindal: I love you, man
Steve Salt: Vocals, guitars, programmed organs and drums
Words and Music: Steve Salt
Illustration: Claire Salloum
Produced by Steve Salt and Chris Tindal
I was actually expecting an irish traditional this morning, so I was immediately let down.
I think this song walks a line between Good Peter Gabriel from the 80’s and bad O.A.R. Personally I would have liked it to explore that industrial side a little more, but progress is progress.
7/10
Great Peter Gabriel: The Tower that Ate People
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTQDS8dA6YE
Bad OAR:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_NfBqD_2iI
To be compared on any level to Good Peter Gabriel is… awesome… I’ll pretend you didn’t mention OAR.
I don’t see the problem. She’s waiting for the bus but then her friends pull up and offer a ride. Are you saying that just because she got to the bus stop she has to stay there and wait for the bus even after her friends just happen to come along? Is this some sort of perverse commitment ideal? Or are you denying the pivotal element of chance encounters in the unfolding of human history? I just think that whole bus critique is a little superficial. So.
Oh… good song.
Hehe, good comment too. Were you able to hear the Rebecca Black tribute in the “party” of Gambo? I recorded it but can only catch bits of it!
Also, good eye on the wrong lyrics on the website for Devious. Will go fix them up, but most importantly it is nice to know some is reading what we write! A vote of confidence! More than our politicians can say.
Hello friends.
I like this one. The reverse chronology is pretty cool. Was it inspired by any other song or story?
For a bit of a melancholy lyric set the music had a surprisingly light beat to it. Again I liked that part of the song. Keep up the great work.
Cheers, Reg
Reg! Trying to think to what inspired the song… in hindsight musically it sounds a little close to the Travis song “Love will come through” ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8FwefQgieY ). A little too close? You be the judge… it is so hard to come up with something truly original these days, just purely due to the quantity of songs out there. I will often write a lyric and that very same day be listening to the radio and hearing virtually the same lyric in a new song. The universe is big, someone out there is bound to be doing something almost identical, and now we have more ways to propagate that media!
As far as the lyrics are concerned, I set out to make something story-like, but something different and more complex than usual. Again, somewhere in the background it was likely subconsciously inspired by the movie Momento, but that wasn’t intentional. Just wanted to do something different. And I have always been inspired by the themes of good and bad, the choices we make, as well as material wealth versus immaterial wealth. That all weaseled its way in there.
On to the next one!
I like this song. A lot. The lyrics are great, and I think these are some of your strongest vocals yet Steve-o.
I also think it is awesome that you guys are writing songs faster than I have time to listen to them. I actually showed up to school on Sunday and my students were like what’s the new steve and chris song, and I am like, oh yeah, just because I’m on a little vacation doesn’t mean they are! Awesome.
Thanks John! Very excited to hear that you are sharing these in your class. I am doing a songwriting workshop with some classes at my school, too bad we couldn’t do the same for you! Maybe we can sort out some funding so we can play #jan25 and Protest song at Tahrir…
hi.
this one is great.
the only thing i dont like is the last “down”… sorry… i like how its unexpected, but i personally dont think its the right unexpectaion for this song.
Thanks for the comment David! And a fair one at that. I didn’t initially write it like that, but when it ended up coming out like that I thought it was appropriate given the subtle religious theme of the song: a hymnal ending of sorts.
I’ve done a few tweaks in some of the songs that create unexpected endings… Elisabeth, Last day of winter, Devious… so far people don’t like them! It has almost come to be an expectation to be unexpected… what will song 13 bring us?
Great song guys, Steve your vox are sounding great. I like the last down too. Keep the good tunes coming!
Thanks T-Dog! Think you might like the next one. A reggae tune. Or as close to reggae that two white Canadian middle class men can come.