The Songwriter Forum - songwriting reviews, tips and chat
Songwriter Forum => Feedback on Finished songs => Topic started by: Sideways S on October 08, 2020, 11:17:43 PM
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This forum's url is .co.uk, so this may make little sense to you all, but I'm posting it anyway. I embedded the youtube link at the bottom of the post because it displays as huge in the post preview, and I see that people tend to get into their songwriting process when posting a song here.
This song started with the title, which was actually my pet name for Jeff Sessions when he was US Attorney General at the beginning of Trump's term. But Sessions got fired a couple of years ago. In late July I had the idea to turn the title into a song. The lyrics flowed out relatively easily once I got the the President of the New Confederacy concept in place. The last verse about women's rights took the most work.
The music more or less wrote itself. It's only 3 chords, A D and E, the whole song, though they are arranged in a few different, classic progressions. I saw the arrangement as a challenge in that regard: how to keep it interesting with only 3 chords and a runtime of 5 minutes.
I'm not a country music guy. I do a lot of electronic music and guitar-oriented rock of various types. I don't stick to one style. This song is an aberration in its length (most of my songs are around 2:15) and in the way that the lyrics are actually about a real life topic. My current, open-ended album is titled In One eaR, Out the OtheR, and the lyrics are more surreal than anything else.
Love to hear your feedback. Thanks for listening!
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Hi @Sideways S (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=22669) and welcome to the forum :) Good to see that you have jumped in and reviewed a few songs. Well, this is a bit different, well recorded and executed and faithful to the genre. Looking forward to hearing more of your stuff.
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Welcome @Sideways S (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=22669) , well you’re a real showman in that video. Is it too late for you to run for Congress? ;) I am sure your piece is very topical for the US right now and I enjoyed your cheery delivery as you spouted some quite dark political objectives. Very ironic and entertaining. I could easily see this being picked up on some late night chat show - maybe you should pitch it in if you haven’t already done so.
Much fun anyway, and I’ll watch out for more of your stuff.
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Brilliant! I love it, but that's it, I'm never doing a video, can't compete.
This shows how a simple chord progression can be bought to life with imagination. And I agree with @MichaelA (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=21274) pitch it to a tv station whilst it's still relevant.
I can't believe you're not a country guy, it's too accurate! Looking forward to hearing some guitar rock and a punk 2 minute classic in the future.
Great stuff.
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Loved everything about it...even your beard which perfectly complimented the arrangement 🤣🤣🤣🤣
No seriously it’s brilliant , witty lyrics delivered expertly and authentic fiddles , double bass , drums...it’s got the lot!
I hope you stay around because it will be a lot of fun if you do ☺️
Superb song 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
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Great sound and production...brilliant, witty lyrics and an excellent job all round. Great video too.
I hope you don't mind me rambling some unqualified thoughts...after all, songs like this are surely meant to generate debate more than anything else...
I read an awful lot about the American Civil War...and came to the opinion that it was, in the eyes of most Southerners, firstly, a fight over States rights. Lincoln used the emancipation proclamation to turn it into a fight over slavery, largely, I think, because the North weren't doing terribly well, so it gave them a cause that more people could believe in...in addition to the cause they were already fighting for...and it stopped Britain and France from being able to publicly support the Confederacy. Then, to most Confederates, it became a fight against occupation (with the obvious main exception of the Gettysburg campaign)
The golden years of 1861-1865 were probably most fondly remembered by the indigenous population, as the (mostly) white men were far too busy slaughtering each other to complete the genocide they'd started and would quickly resume...despite their new-found sense of brotherhood and enlightenment.
Beating and starving the South into submission probably contributed enormously to the painful division that continues to this day.
Of course we all know that bigotry, stupidity, racism, sexism, hatred and all of the other shit that can run through peoples veins isn't directly linked to geography.
The guy mostly credited as being the greatest president the USA ever had said this...
“I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races … I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races from living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be a position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.” Abraham Lincoln, 18 September 1858
Pretty appalling stuff. Imagine anyone saying that nowadays...
If he was the greatest, and it's been all downhill from there...no wonder it's so much of a basket case now.
Who's your money on...Trump or Biden?
Good luck either way.
Honestly, you'd have to think that any half-way decent Democrat candidate couldn't fail to win...as I think I said in 2016...
Anyway...sorry for waffling...you've got a great song there...I just fancied a bit of a natter over it :)
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Wow, thanks for the glowing reviews!
Well, this is a bit different
The most glowing review of all :-) I'll take it.
I could easily see this being picked up on some late night chat show - maybe you should pitch it in if you haven’t already done so.
Unfortunately it's not so easy. Yes, I have sent unsolicited emails and messages to various levels of celebrities and programs, but the chance of them even viewing it, much less embracing it, are close to nil. On the plus side, the topical nature of the lyrics caused me to set a deadline in order to release it with some time (7 weeks) prior to the November election. I have been sitting on some music and some web software for a while, fumbling with how to release it. This got me off my ass and out in the public view. Now I feel pressure to follow up with more releases, which is a good thing.
I can't believe you're not a country guy, it's too accurate!
I was a regular viewer of a TV show called "Hee Haw" for several years as a very young boy :-) Country music is just rock/folk music with a different arrangement. This song borders on rockabilly in the instrumental, and rockabilly is a direct descendant of country.
...your beard which perfectly complimented the arrangement
...authentic fiddles , double bass , drums...it’s got the lot!
I hope you stay around because it will be a lot of fun if you do
I put the song and especially the video together in a bit of a hurry, so the beard could have used another month of growth to get the full Lemmy muttonchops going. But the scraggliness of the lesser growth worked out just fine.
That's a Guild acoustic bass guitar, not a double bass. The bronze strings desperately needed a change, but I only realized that once I was in the studio starting to record the part (hurry = oversights). So we went with the darker sound and I played with my thumb and fingers instead of a pick, then we specifically worked to get more of a double bass sound in the mix. The fiddler is a Nashville pro that I hired through soundbetter.com (owned by Spotify) for $100, a real bargain IMO. I think COVID helped me out in that respect, because a lot of touring pros are sitting at home. I sent him sheet music, telling him that he needed to modify anything implausible due to my lack of experience writing for fiddle. He did a draft, I gave him feedback, and the second attempt was on the money.
I hope you don't regret inviting me to stick around :-) You have no idea what you're in for with my next releases...
I just fancied a bit of a natter over it :)
I love British slang. Sorry, I'm no expert on the US Civil War, though much of what you say rings true. This song isn't so much about the war as it is about the nimrods that wave the "battle flag" as if it were their patriotic duty. Though the flag in the video is the "national flag" not the battle flag.
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Loved that track mate. I don't know what a 'cracker' is - well I know it is a savoury biscuit, or a firework - but not sure what it means in the US, I'm guessing it is less than complementary. Anyway it certainly didn't feel like 5 minutes, plenty of sections to keep it interesting, and the lyrics obviously carry it a long way. Loved the authentic fiddles and banjos - a very effective country pastiche. I was reminded just slightly of Country Joe and the Fish, that Vietnam song. It worries me a bit that some people might hear your lyrics without spotting the irony and just agree with them! ... Good luck in November, rootin' for ya.
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Hola @Sideways S (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=22669)
It's a song full of irony and criticism... Something natura at seeing what we see...
Welcome to the forum!!!
It would be great if you put the lyrics, I am not English, I am Spanish and I would like to understand all the lyrics!!!
See you soon! Ad stay safe!
Mora
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moraamarolaloba, buenas tardes. Yo soy gringo, pero vivo en Latinoamerica desde hace casi 10 años. Las letras (es una canción bastante larga, y con muchos pachuquismos gringos):
Cracker-In-Chief (copyright 2020 Sideways Skullfinger)
I'm gonna be your cracker-in-chief
President of The New Confederacy
We're gonna teach the world a lesson on the meaning of true liberty
We done cast off the shackles of Northern tyranny
Now we're free, free as a bird
Naw, ain't gonna be no genocide
We're Christian folks, we're civilized
We're giving them one whole year to relocate
Then if they still be hanging around
Well, sure as scat stinks, they'll be found
And given a one-way ticket out of state
We're gonna build a wall to protect our border
Arm our men to preserve law and order
Investing in our national security
We'll make trade deals on our terms
Keep out Oriental germs
And defend our God-given right to racial purity
See, we don't need no slaves no more
We got robots to do them chores
We paint 'em all dark brown out of a sense of nostalgia
They be cooking, cleaning, picking crops
Running errands at the grocery shop
Dressed up like Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima
Just 'cause we ain't equal, don't mean we can't be separate
Therein lies the nature of what it means to be Confederate
Our history, our heritage, our lives, our legacy
Southern, White and Christian: The New Confederacy
I'm gonna be your cracker-in-chief
President of The New Confederacy
A place where man and machine live together in harmony
We done shed the brutal bonds of human slavery
Now we're free, free, free
Free from the Black lives that matter
Free from the Jews
Free from the Chinese
And those uppity Hindus
Free from the communists
And the homosexuals (too)
Free, free as a bird
Now as for women's rights
Well they're bound to put up a fight
But they keep arguing amongst each other every ding dong day
Of course the longer that their discord lasts
The longer we might take a pass
On listening to whatever it is they have to say
An eighth grade education is all a white man needs
Eight years of firearms training to ensure that he succeeds
Graduates swear an oath in which we duly agree
To live, love, breed and die in The New Confederacy
I'm gonna be your cracker-in-chief
President of The New Confederacy
Where every man, woman and child is a member of the aristocracy
We done loosed the heavy chains of liberal hypocrisy
We're free, free, free
Free from the so-called "chosen people"
Free from FAKE NEWS
Free from the Arabs
And the LGBTQs
Free from the atheists
And them filthy pedophiles too
Free, free, free
Free from abortion clinics
Free from Kung Flu
Free from the Latinxs
And their sanctuary city blues
Free from the feminists
And the Klu Klux Karens too
Free, free, free
Free as a bird
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Loved that track mate. I don't know what a 'cracker' is - well I know it is a savoury biscuit, or a firework - but not sure what it means in the US, I'm guessing it is less than complementary. Anyway it certainly didn't feel like 5 minutes, plenty of sections to keep it interesting, and the lyrics obviously carry it a long way. Loved the authentic fiddles and banjos - a very effective country pastiche. I was reminded just slightly of Country Joe and the Fish, that Vietnam song. It worries me a bit that some people might hear your lyrics without spotting the irony and just agree with them! ... Good luck in November, rootin' for ya.
So far no one has taken the song as serious, not satirical, at least as far as I know :)
A cracker is a racist redneck. You've probably got some people like that in the UK, you just call them something else.
Acoustic guitar, not banjo, but if I owned a banjo I would have played it.
Yea, the lyrics are the basis for the song. The music is subservient to them.
Thanks for listening!
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Loved that track mate. I don't know what a 'cracker' is - well I know it is a savoury biscuit, or a firework - but not sure what it means in the US, I'm guessing it is less than complementary. Anyway it certainly didn't feel like 5 minutes, plenty of sections to keep it interesting, and the lyrics obviously carry it a long way. Loved the authentic fiddles and banjos - a very effective country pastiche. I was reminded just slightly of Country Joe and the Fish, that Vietnam song. It worries me a bit that some people might hear your lyrics without spotting the irony and just agree with them! ... Good luck in November, rootin' for ya.
So far no one has taken the song as serious, not satirical, at least as far as I know :)
A cracker is a racist redneck. You've probably got some people like that in the UK, you just call them something else.
Acoustic guitar, not banjo, but if I owned a banjo I would have played it.
Yea, the lyrics are the basis for the song. The music is subservient to them.
Thanks for listening!
A Cracker eh, that’s a new one on me but That interpretation makes the song even better!
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@Sideways S (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=22669) - Again welcome here Mr Sideways, I've been following the US presidential race/circus/merry dance with interest. (in fact the US presidential race to the white house does remind me a bit of a ballroom dance of 2 people that can dance, forever tripping, up, getting up again, stepping on each others toes, getting mad etc. but all the time appearing as if they know what they are doing, and then privately exhaling saying, I'm glad that's over)
Just dig everything about this, from the logo, to the multi cam video technique (great editing btw), the mix is really good too,
A great idea and beautifully executed, I really look forward to you next work.
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Hi
This is great.
Got to look past the music to the message. (Though I enjoyed the music.)
I could imagine The Spitting Image team doing something similar.
I thought the lyrics were clever and on point.
All delivered in a very digestible way.
Excellent video performance.
Digger
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Got to look past the music to the message. (Though I enjoyed the music.)
I could imagine The Spitting Image team doing something similar.
Thanks! Lately I've been trying to focus on the music and ignore the message, but this song was an exception to that rule.
Being a 'merican I was unaware of The Spitting Image. I see they are ITV. I'll have to check them out.
Thanks again.
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@Sideways S (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=22669) - Again welcome here Mr Sideways, I've been following the US presidential race/circus/merry dance with interest. (in fact the US presidential race to the white house does remind me a bit of a ballroom dance of 2 people that can dance, forever tripping, up, getting up again, stepping on each others toes, getting mad etc. but all the time appearing as if they know what they are doing, and then privately exhaling saying, I'm glad that's over)
Just dig everything about this, from the logo, to the multi cam video technique (great editing btw), the mix is really good too,
A great idea and beautifully executed, I really look forward to you next work.
Well, to quote the late, great Yogi Berra "It ain't over 'til it's over." I get the feeling that even after the race is decided it will not really be over, but that's a whole long discussion I don't really think we should get into here.
Glad you like the logo, I don't think most people pay it much mind. I use a green version here that I should update because I have a better one. I think the bright green stands out more, but I'm lazy about changing it everywhere.
The video was actually shot in several takes with one camera. Each subsequent take zoomed in closer. I am not a proficient lip syncer, so it helped to have multiple takes from which to choose. I was initially uncomfortable with the editing because in my mind it was one long take, and because there are cuts in the middle of words. But no one else had those thoughts, so I abandoned them.
Thanks for listening and for your positive feedback!
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Great work. The lyrics are top quality all through (Eight years of firearms training, and KK Karens, made me smile). I think the fiddle really makes it, well worth it I'd say.
I think we're blissfully unaware of the numbers of people who might genuinely hold some of these beliefs and so are taken by surprise with some of the politics that we see unfolding in the USA.
Cool song! (Though I'll confess I also didn't know that use of Cracker)
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Nice tie :)! Great lyrics, delivered beautifully! And yes over here (Ireland in my case), we're all a little stunned by the fact that so many people apparently actually hold these views.. But there you go.. hopefully not enough...
Top quality all around - writing, performance and did I mention the tie? :)
Welcome to the forum @Sideways S (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=22669) (cool pic).
(Not KK) Karen...
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@adamfarr (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=20124) @MonnoDB (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=19820) - Thanks for your comments. The Klu Klux Karens line almost ended up in the outtakes bin. I had removed it, but at the urging of a friend I reinserted it. I had too many "Free from the..." lines, and the song was already too long. It's a rich topic, and there are many ethnic, religious, and other groups availble to insult :-) Though it's best to stay away from Scientology (they'll sue you) and Islam (too many easily-offended militants have cast their shadow over it).
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Hi, I'm confused by this song, and it may be a cultural divide. For me the context of this song can make it acceptable or unacceptable to me. Is it's intention to be a celebration of good ol' American right wing freedom, extreme views and beliefs, or a satyrical and critical look at extremism, racism, misogyny, bigotry, homophobia etc?
Cheers 8)
Jamie
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Hi, I'm confused by this song, and it may be a cultural divide. For me the context of this song can make it acceptable or unacceptable to me. Is it's intention to be a celebration of good ol' American right wing freedom, extreme views and beliefs, or a satyrical and critical look at extremism, racism, misogyny, bigotry, homophobia etc?
Cheers 8)
Jamie
It is most definitely a satire. You are the first person not to see that, AFAIK. Thankfully you're asking the question, not making a statement :-)
If you go to the youtube page you'll see that I say it explicitly in the description, much as it pained me to do so. It's only in these twisted times that you have to preemptively tell the audience that it's comedy. It's like giving a hint about the punchline before you tell the joke, not exactly conducive to laughter.
And imagine if it was a serious set of lyrics - did you read the previous laudatory comments here on this thread? How did you interpret the responses of your fellow countrymen and forum dwellers?
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@Sideways S (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=22669)
Thanks for the clarification. I may not be the only person not to see it but I may be the first person to ask for clarification. I don’t know anything about you, and, as you say ‘ in these twisted times’ type of posts can be misrepresented by people who’ll use anything to ‘prove’ their argument... ‘fake news’ etc etc. So I make no apology for asking. Having said that it is a well executed and incisive piece of satire, as long as it is portrayed as such. Good luck with it, it’s professionally and impressively presented.
Cheers
Jamie
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@MonnoDB (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=19820) - I forgot to respond about the tie. I had trouble finding a confederate tie online (none in local stores here, obviously). I found a great one, but when I clicked to purchase I was informed it was out of stock. I then found this particular tie in a news article about a sheriff in some Southern city that had been called out for wearing it. I found out the designer/brand name and found their brand page, but then I had to sift through around 20 pages of ties and adverts - no sub-search was helpful. Finally I ordered it with expedited shipping because the whole video was on short notice.
Then I waited, and waited, and the delivery date passed, and the US Postal Service said it had not been delivered. More days passed, and it was the day before the video shoot. I was assuming I'd have to use another not-so-apropos tie. Turns out the tie was delivered on time and was in my "casillero" here in Costa Rica waiting for pickup. That works by shipping to a forwarder in Miami. USPS still said the tie had not been delivered. I could have asked for a refund based on that, but I'm too freaking honest :-)