[rightly]

I wrote this after contemplating the strange situation
of having fallen out with an immediate family member.
A brother I haven't spoken to for years.
Family is important, but not to be suffered at any price.

A fairly fast write.

Enjoy. Feedback would be most welcome.


https://soundcloud.com/rightly/almostababy


a l m o s t a b a b y



so, who is not dishonest,
    right from the word go?
   who put the I before promise?
it was you because I said so... from the word go
       when I was nearly a child
 you were almost a baby
it is not time that decides
      you don't get to play me... almost a baby 
                                              almost a baby

          now as the world divides
        and it's all forks and knives
              now I live a thousand lives
           All of them tainted, I'm tainted

standing tall in my shade
 you were almost a baby
ne'er had call to be afraid
        Well, not until lately... almost a baby
when I was nearly a child
 a'playin' knock-a-door-run
          s'bold, gentle and wild
      Now where has that boy gone?... knock-a-door-run
                                                        knock-a-door-run

          we are now civilised
       I'm the creative one
              devising alibis
         and I am going, I'm gone, I'm wasted

when I was nearly a child
 you were almost a baby

[Movin Flavour]

Like the bluesy feeling of the song.

Great energy when you sing the title line "Almost a Baby"

Understandable sentiment too!

Sandeep

[mickyplankton]

I like it. It's got an infectious rhythmic structure and a catchy chorus. Works as is. Also Would work well as a jazz or a blues song in my opinion.

[tina m]

this is very jazzy...strong rhythmic guitar & a insistent chorus that goes straight to the loop player in your head
it seems simpler than your last few like its got a pop song directness with the repeating 'almost a baby' line
im glad you finally posted the lyrics as they are sort of essential with your songs....you are a bit of a bard!  
Families are odd things arent they & brothers & sisters are always struggling to find their right place in the family

[mickyplankton]

Yeah. I think it's a great song to let a jazz band loose on. If my own band ever develops more jazz leanings it would be great to cover a song like this.

[CaliaMoko]

I don't have much to add to what's already been said. You have an interesting, unique style and voice. You sometimes lose the ends of your words which can make them a little difficult to understand, so that could be an opportunity for improvement.

The lyric is very meaningful and, I believe, expresses your thoughts (as described in your back story) quite well. In the few places where the printed lyric differed from your sung lyric, sometimes I felt the printed lyric worked better and other times the sung lyric. This is probably a personal bias type of thing and not important.

The guitar accompaniment seemed quite suitable to me. The somewhat chant-like melody suited the topic without getting in the way. Good job on that!

Vicki

[Wolfini]

The guitar and vocal parts fit together very well and create a unique package.

Interesting subject matters and thoughts, very poetically written.

I like it. Bye Wolfi

[Skub]

Lyrically powerful and intriguing as ever,delivered in your own inimitable style.

Do I hear a hook in the 'almost a baby' phrase?

You'll end up conforming to the norm yet,Rightly. 

[rightly]

Thanks for the encouraging comments.

I was really pushing for a pop song here.
 Keeping kind of short and filling it out with repetition was the vague plan.
At the same time I was checking out some jazz chords
Thinking about my lill' bro, the words: when I was nearly a child, you were almost a baby, occurred to me
And I wrote this song in raw, a bit of refining and time for me to get familiar with it... N done.

Playing it live, folk don't get it without some explanation, it's still appreciated but people get different ideas about it. For me that's its only drawback.

I'm not always in the mood for pausing for explanations.


And Mickyplankton
If you want to cover or interpret it, ask me for the chords. It's not that difficult to. 
If I send them to you I'll want to hear the finished product.

Yep!

[The S]

Well blues is never wrong.

I like it.

Especially your voice and the emotional style you deliver it with.

Love the lyrics!

The whole song sounds authentic.

Good stuff.

/S

[pompeyjazz]

Lovely feel to this Mr Rightly. Love your unconventional style. This works so well. Great semi jazzy feel to it and quirky rhythms. Works very well for me

John

[ScottLevi]

Sure I mentioned last time I'm ridiculously mesmerized by all your songs and heard this one plentry from your soundcloud. Nice to get a bit of context and see the lyrics though makes so much sense now. (Must let me know if you're ever performing Birmingham btw)

Perfect mix of your signature unique guitar, pure honesty and unconventional but magnificant vocals imo.

Thought I'd give you a heads up (not that it makes much difference but I noticed it)

now I live a thousand lives
           All of them tainted, I'm tainted

Is

I live too many, too many lives
They're all tainted, they're tainted

I think the change was a good move, can't see those lyrics fitting as nicely.

[ShinyThang]

I have to admit it took me a while to get around to playing this because your intro put me off a little. Not your fault, my problem as I have a difficult relationship these days with a brother who, along with my dad, was my hero growing up. I suspect there's more to this theme in your head that didn't make it to the page?

I found the low volume, live feel recording hard to listen to at first but after a couple of plays I was comfortable with it and able to listen to the song. Lyrically I feel you could give us just a little more detail because I didn't really understand what, exactly 'tainted' you?

The line 'Standing tall in my shade' is brilliant. I really wish i'd come up with that one!

Once it settles down I really like the easy-feeling rhythm and jazzy chord changes. And now, I actually like the recording too. It's like a guy just noodling on his guitar and reminiscing.  I'm glad I gave this another play because I Almost_didn't_like_it!

[Yodasdad]

Right Rightly,

Let me start off with, I like it. I didn't think I did but I do. This for me is one of those that you need to hear more than once to appreciate and grows with each listen. Nothing wrong with that, a lot of the best songs have that quality I think.

Yep, just listened again and it's a grower alright.

You mentioned that it sometimes needs an explanation at gigs and I get that, if it's a grower and they only get one listen, most people probably won't appreciate it first time. It would probably go on to be one of there favourites if they had your album though.

A few of the reasons why I think it's a grower and maybe doesn't translate so well at gigs are as follows. These aren't necessarily bad points just observations.

1. The guitar playing style remains largely constant throughout. As this is the only instrument, there are few cues to signpost the sections of the song. The audience need to learn where the different parts are without them being signposted for them with things such as drum fills or ' I only play it like this on the chorus'

2. The rhythm and phrase lengths of the melody seem to vary quite a lot. Interesting but more difficult to remember for an audience so it doesn't get stuck in the head so quickly.

3. You use your hook melody 'almost a baby' for other lines too 'knock a door run' I really like the knock a door run part but just when the audience thinks yeah I've got the melody, with that melody we sing 'almost a b...no hang on a minute it's knock a do...

4. The lyrics are great but they won't be immediately relatable to a large number of people. Some people will have to think about them and form an attachment. I for one tend not to notice lyrics too much without forcing myself to focus on them. For people like me, with one listen, the only thing that will hook me is melody, harmony and rhythm.

Anyway, these are just my observations. As I said they're not bad points and I wouldn't necessarily change them. Some of these are what make the song unique and give it character.

I feel I must end by saying again that I like it (more now after 5 listens than when I started writing this post)

Yodasdad

[rightly]

I have to admit it took me a while to get around to playing this because your intro put me off a little. Not your fault, my problem as I have a difficult relationship these days with a brother who, along with my dad, was my hero growing up. I suspect there's more to this theme in your head that didn't make it to the page?

I found the low volume, live feel recording hard to listen to at first but after a couple of plays I was comfortable with it and able to listen to the song. Lyrically I feel you could give us just a little more detail because I didn't really understand what, exactly 'tainted' you?

The line 'Standing tall in my shade' is brilliant. I really wish i'd come up with that one!

Once it settles down I really like the easy-feeling rhythm and jazzy chord changes. And now, I actually like the recording too. It's like a guy just noodling on his guitar and reminiscing.  I'm glad I gave this another play because I Almost_didn't_like_it!

Thanks for your attention and response.

I'm usually attracted to songs that promise to mirror my current dramas.
There's more to the drama than there is to the song, but the song is fine the way it is.
there's no way I want to tell all the details, from start to finish. this isn't a disney technicolour.

What tainted me? I thought that was clear. I speak of the past,
and then I say "now, as the world divides..." Then and now. I don't have several hours of undivided attention time to explain all that  has happened in the from then until now.
The listener can apply his imagination.

it is a bit of noodling and reminiscing. like an internal monologue.

m'thinks you're Almost_out_of_y'nutshell but nevermind. lol.

I appreciate your post n' I appreciate you taking the time to listen closely to the song.