The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #201

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    I think Billy Joel deserves to be mentioned here too... Piano Man, Newy York State of Mind - great lyirics, great songs, great performances...
    not jazz though but definitely blues rooted piano (I don't even mention 'atheist-you-know-who' relation)

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  3. #202

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    Randy Newman - Louisianna 1927

    What has happened down here, is the wind have changed?
    Clouds roll in from the north and it started to rain
    Rained real hard and rained for a real long time
    Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline


    The river rose all day, the river rose all night
    Some people got lost in the flood, some people got away alright
    The river have busted through cleared down to Plaquemines
    Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline


    Louisiana, Louisiana
    They're tyrin' to wash us away
    They're tryin' to wash us away


    President Coolidge came down in a railroad train
    With a little fat man with a note-pad in his hand
    The president say, "Little fat man isn't it a shame
    What the river has done to this poor crackers land"


    Louisiana, Louisiana
    They're tyrin' to wash us away
    They're tryin' to wash us away


    In this song he uses blues/gospel phrasing in a very natural way...

    Rythmically bouncing lines with repertion of the first words

    'The river rose all day, the river rose all night'
    'Rained real hard // and rained for a real long time'

    By the way, the firat line is symmetrical - and this type of lines we can find in European folk songs two (only rythm here is different)

    But in the second line there's very special for blues and gospels prolongation of the second section - kind of 'tail' that makes narrative intonation even stronger.. and makes it assymetrical...
    I think it's really typical for Afro - American melodic thinking... including jazz.. when it seems taht the line should be already over but the performer keeps 'talking'...


    And he used the same phrasing in Sail Away








  4. #203

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    Speaking of Randy Newman, here is his "Story of a Rock and Roll Band"----guy sure loves that ELO!




    They were six fine English boys
    Who knew each other in Birmingham
    They bought a drum and guitar
    Started a rock-roll band

    And Johnny played little violin
    And Bobby Joe played the big violin
    The one that stands on the floor
    They were all in the rock-roll band

    Their first song sounded like this
    Please get me a witness
    Please get me a witness

    Right off, they needed a name
    Someone said, "How 'bout the Renegades ?"
    Johnny said, "Well I don't know.
    I prefer E.L.O."

    I love their "Mr. Blue Skies"
    Almost my favorite is "Turn to Stone"
    And how 'bout "Telephone Line"?
    I love that E.L.O.

  5. #204

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    Anyone else a Lyle Lovett fan?

  6. #205
    Quote Originally Posted by fep
    Anyone else a Lyle Lovett fan?
    Listened a lot 15 or so years ago. Wrote some great songs.

    " Honey, put down that flie swatter, and pour me some ice water"...

    For those who don't know it, it's actually a very stark, ironic, almost sentimental, kind of melancholy tune.

    His lyrics have a great sense of place and working class sensibility, without the usual chip on the shoulderthat comes with that, especially in country music. But he's not really "country" country.

  7. #206
    http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/lylel...ihadaboat.html
    Lyle Lovett:

    "If I Had A Boat"

    If I had a boat
    I'd go out on the ocean
    And if I had a pony
    I'd ride him on my boat
    And we could all together
    Go out on the ocean
    Me upon my pony on my boat

    If I were Roy Rogers
    I'd sure enough be single
    I couldn't bring myself to marrying old Dale
    It'd just be me and trigger
    We'd go riding through them movies
    Then we'd buy a boat and on the sea we'd sail

    The mystery masked man was smart
    He got himself a Tonto
    'Cause Tonto did the dirty work for free
    But Tonto he was smarter
    And one day said kemo sabe
    Kiss my ass I bought a boat
    I'm going out to sea

    And if I were like lightning
    I wouldn't need no sneakers
    I'd come and go wherever I would please
    And I'd scare 'em by the shade tree
    And I'd scare 'em by the light pole
    But I would not scare my pony on my boat out on the sea
    Last edited by matt.guitarteacher; 08-28-2015 at 02:51 PM.

  8. #207

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    Quote Originally Posted by destinytot
    Quote Originally Posted by Lazz
    This place is an absolute mine-field of information.
    I'm being pedantic, and perhaps I'm slow to catch irony (in which case, please excuse me), but I'm curious to know whether you meant 'mine' as in 'a tunnel within which one digs' (which is what I understood). I understand a 'minefield' to be an area in which explosives have been buried.
    From a scattering of slight clues, I had presumed that you were English and intimately familiar with the central role of irony and language play. It was a jeu de mots with all interpretations intended, playing on our standard idiomatic "a mine of information" - describing a place where we can unearth lots of treasure - and mixing it with an image intended to be implication of the dangers of knowledge.

    It was meant to be mildly amusing.
    I failed.
    Sorry.
    Last edited by Lazz; 09-04-2015 at 09:50 PM.

  9. #208

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lazz
    From a scattering of slight clues, I had presumed that you were English and intimately familiar with the central role of irony and language play. It was a jeu de mots with all interpretations intended, playing on our standard idiomatic "a mine of information" - describing a place where we can unearth lots of treasure - and mixing it with an image intended to be implication of the dangers of knowledge.

    It was meant to be mildly amusing.
    I failed.
    Sorry.
    For what it's worth, I got a kick out of it.

  10. #209
    destinytot Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Lazz
    From a scattering of slight clues, I had presumed that you were English and intimately familiar with the central role of irony and language play. It was a jeu de mots with all interpretations intended, playing on our standard idiomatic "a mine of information" - describing a place where we can unearth lots of treasure - and mixing it with an image intended to be implication of the dangers of knowledge.

    It was meant to be mildly amusing.
    I failed.
    Sorry.
    Thanks - 'many a true word'.

  11. #210
    destinytot Guest
    Love David Byrne and Talking Heads...

    'This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)'


    Home is where I want to be
    Pick me up and turn me around
    I feel numb, burn with a weak heart
    Guess I must be having fun

    The less we say about it the better
    Make it up as we go along
    Feet on the ground, head in the sky
    It's okay, I know nothing's wrong, nothing

    I got plenty of time
    You got light in your eyes
    And you're standing here beside me
    I love the passing of time
    Never for money, always for love
    Cover up and say goodnight, say goodnight

    Home, is where I want to be
    But I guess I'm already there
    I come home, she lifted up her wings
    I guess that this must be the place

    I can't tell one from the other
    I find you, or you find me?
    There was a time before we were born
    If someone asks, this is where I'll be, where I'll be

    We drift in and out
    Sing into my mouth
    Out of all those kinds of people
    You got a face with a view

    I'm just an animal looking for a home
    And share the same space for a minute or two
    And you love me till my heart stops
    Love me till I'm dead

    Eyes that light up
    Eyes look through you
    Cover up the blank spots
    Hit me on the head

  12. #211
    destinytot Guest
    Johnny Mercer's lyrics to THE MIDNIGHT SUN - easier said than sung, but I'm determined to get there:

    "Your lips were like a red and ruby chalice, warmer than the summer night
    The clouds were like an alabaster palace, rising to a snowy height
    Each star its own aurora borealis, suddenly you held me tight
    I could see the midnight sun

    I can't explain the silver rain that found me or was that a moonlit veil?
    The music of the universe around me or was that a nightingale?
    And then your arms miraculously found me, suddenly the sky turned pale
    I could see the midnight sun

    Was there such a night, it's a thrill I still don't quite believe
    But after you were gone, there was still some stardust on my sleeve

    The flame of it may dwindle to an ember and the stars forget to shine
    And we may see the meadow in December, icy white and crystalline
    But oh, my darling always I'll remember when your lips were close to mine
    And we saw the midnight sun"

  13. #212
    destinytot Guest
    Pop - but the phrasing is prosodic perfection:

  14. #213

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    I enjoyed the Waterboys early on. (Might enjoy their later work too; can't say because I haven't heard it.) This was my favorite song of theirs


  15. #214
    destinytot Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by MarkRhodes
    I enjoyed the Waterboys early on. (Might enjoy their later work too; can't say because I haven't heard it.)
    The Whole of the Moon says 'subtle Samba' to me.

  16. #215

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    One of my favorites by Willie Nelson

    "I Never Cared for You"


    The sun is filled with ice and gives no warmth at all
    And the sky was never blue
    The stars are raindrops searching for a place to fall
    And I never cared for you

    I know you won't believe these things I tell you
    No, you won't believe
    Your heart has been forewarned all men will lie to you
    And your mind cannot conceive
    Now all depends on what I say to you
    And on your doubting me
    So I've prepared these statements far from true
    Pay heed and disbelieve

    The sun is filled with ice and gives no warmth at all
    The sky was never blue
    Stars are raindrops searching for a place to fall
    And I never cared for you

    And the sun is filled with ice and gives no warmth at all
    Sky was never blue
    The stars are raindrops searching for a place to fall
    And I never cared for you
    I never cared for you
    I never cared for you


    Last edited by MaxTwang; 12-04-2015 at 03:25 AM.

  17. #216

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    Here's a nice sentimental song by Emmylou Harris

    "Not Enough"

    Oh my darling, I miss you so.
    How I loved you, you'll never know.
    Though it's time for me to let you go.
    Oh my darling, I'll miss you so.

    Can't believe you're really gone for good.
    I still hold on to places you once stood.
    I should move on, but I never could,
    Really believe you're gone for good.

    Oh my friend, what could I do?
    I just came home to bury you.
    The road is long, the road is rough.
    Your in my heart, that's not close enough.

    All those years, disappear
    All my tears, are not enough, not enough.
    How can it be the ties that bind,
    Cut down deep and are so unkind?
    When we lose them we will never find,
    Anything stronger than the ties that bind.

    I still have your memory.
    One or two pictures of you and me.
    Life is long and life is tough,
    But when you love someone,
    Life is not long enough.


    Emmylou H

  18. #217

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    Joni Mitchell - Coyote. Her lyrics don't attempt to describe the emotion. Instead she tells a story and let you feel the emotion.
    http://www.metrolyrics.com/coyote-ly...-mitchell.html
    Last edited by KirkP; 12-04-2015 at 12:46 PM.

  19. #218

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    Not a great video but a great song----Chrissie Hynde singing about James Honeyman-Scott, the lead guitarist who died far too young...




    "Back On The Chain Gang"

    I found a picture of you, oh oh oh oh
    What hijacked my world that night
    To a place in the past
    We've been cast out of? oh oh oh oh
    Now we're back in the fight
    We're back on the train
    Oh, back on the chain gang

    A circumstance beyond our control, oh oh oh oh
    The phone, the tv and the news of the world
    Got in the house like a pigeon from hell, oh oh oh oh
    Threw sand in our eyes and descended like flies
    Put us back on the train
    Oh, back on the chain gang

    The powers that be
    That force us to live like we do
    Bring me to my knees
    When I see what they've done to you
    But I'll die as I stand here today
    Knowing that deep in my heart
    They'll fall to ruin one day
    For making us part

    I found a picture of you, oh oh oh oh
    Those were the happiest days of my life
    Like a break in the battle was your part, oh oh oh oh
    In the wretched life of a lonely heart
    Now we're back on the train
    Oh, back on the chain gang

  20. #219
    destinytot Guest
    How to write 'em:

  21. #220
    destinytot Guest
    I'm very pleased and excited because my wonderful collaborators have helped me do justice to the original lyrics by rendering them into English in a way that preserves the message while also being 'singable'.

    Here are the original lyrics:https://www.letras.mus.br/ivan-lins/972717/

    And here are versions and adaptations: Original versions of Lembrança written by Gilson Peranzzetta,Ivan Lins,Vitor Martins | SecondHandSongs
    They're very nice, but the original message vanishes - and I think that's a shame.

    I'm hopeful that I'll soon be able to post our recording (once proper licenses have been obtained - and also, hopefully, the approval of the composer).

  22. #221

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    Quote Originally Posted by MarkRhodes
    ...(Nick Lowe once said in an interview on "Fresh Air" that bands then tended to start out as cover bands and they covered a wide array of material--"anything the traffic will allow" as Irving Berlin put it---and in so doing, learned how songs are put together. It gave them many tools to work with. The Beatles are a great example of this.)
    I agree with this and not just because I am a Nick Lowe (and his contemporaries) fan. All of the templates have already been published (and were published long ago) IMHO. Recognizing the patterns in those templates and being creative
    about how they can be reinterpreted and morphed to capture a different vibe is what the most talented do IMHO. The kind of popular music that I hear today seems to fall into a couple of camps. One takes a very basic template that emphasizes a chorus that sounds rushed to create the "dance"vibe while failing to recognize that the whole song needs be a dance vibe. Another ignores any templated structure to create a monolith. I am amazed that this stuff captures people's spirits but evidently it does.

  23. #222

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    something I have noticed in my life is that there are no child prodigies in literature

    so you have to live life before you can say anything profound with the English language.

    writing great lyrics is like catching lightning in a bottle. If there were a method or a checklist or anything like that, then anybody could do it.

    but the fact is most people can't

    in fact, the less you have in common with the average folks, I would say the less you have to say that would speak to them. Most average folks don't spend all their free time shedding melodic minor scales over dominant 7th chords through the circle of fifths.

    So if you want to write lyrics, then I say get out there and live, love, get your heart broken, and then get out there and get some more. Put down your stupid phone and go talk to strangers. Talk to lots of strangers. Listen to their stories.

    if you can't talk with a stranger and make a connection, then why would you think you could write lyrics that people would connect with?

    But since putting down the phone and getting out there and living life probably isn't a very popular idea, I'll leave you boys to your own devices. Pun intended.

  24. #223

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    Probably you're right if we speak about lyrics Nate... writing lyrics presumes some share of concious manipulation

    But I do not think it is really like this if we peak about literature... real literature...


    something I have noticed in my life is that there are no child prodigies in literature
    there are actually... at least in poetry... but they usually show phenomenal almost unconcious maturity as kids and then lose their talent very early...

    Rimbaud is the the most outstanding example I believe...


    But anyway if we speak about real art it definitely belings somewhere beyond or before experience.. I mean the greats are usually accomplished from teh very beginning...

    But I do agree that just the nature of some arts requires commmon life expereince as material.. like writing prose.. you do not have to know many people but you habe ti know your life for sure ... otehrwise you wont have material for prose...
    I think same for film directing or architecture

  25. #224

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jonah


    But I do agree that just the nature of some arts requires commmon life expereince as material.. like writing prose.. you do not have to know many people but you habe ti know your life for sure ... otherwise you wont have material
    yea, you have to live life before you can say anything profound about living life

    and you're right. there have been some writers that were notorious loners. Frantz Kafka comes to mind.

    But in general, you have to understand your audience. It helps to have shared some of the common experiences of the people you are wanting to reach. that's where getting out and talking to actual people helps.

    I say talk to strangers because that's where you hear the most awesome stories.

  26. #225

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    Quote Originally Posted by Nate Miller
    something I have noticed in my life is that there are no child prodigies in literature
    This seems to be so. Years ago I read that most prodigies work in one of three areas: music, chess, and mathematics. (Followed by visual arts.)

    When we think of literary prodigies, they tend to be teenagers, while prodigies (as normally understood) are under age 10. Music is the most common field in which prodigies bloom. Interesting factoid, no?