Say Something Happened

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PaulAds

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« on: March 24, 2018, 01:09:49 PM »
Hello

There's a wonderful Alan Bennett play called "Say Something Happened" about an old(er) couple who get a visit from Social Services...the audiobook version with Thora Hird, Brian Wilde and Imelda Staunton knocked me for six when I first heard it. So I tried to write a sort of tribute to that. I didn't feel like I'd got anywhere near...and the lyric went it's own way regardless of what I was trying to do...but I thought it was worth trying.

It's quite simplistic...it was the first song I wrote in February. It was done in two days but I re-recorded it to tidy a few bits up. Less chaotic than my last one, anyway.



Say Something Happened

Fingertips on photographs like floodgates
Reverse-engineering broken dreams
Nightmares are much easier to live with
Cos everything’s exactly as it seems

What are you going to do...say something happened?
When everything you have just slips away
What are you going to do...say something happened?
Something happens every single day...

Memories are slipped back into shadows
Throats are cleared and tears are quickly dried
It’s a long way from the moment that it kills you
To the moment that the headstone says you died

What are you going to do...say something happened?
When everything you have just slips away
What are you going to do...say something happened?
Something happens every single day...

I don't have any requests from reviewers...I'm just grateful for anyone who gives it a listen.

heart of stone, feet of clay, knob of butter

irwin

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« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2018, 01:48:03 PM »
I personally think this is good. I listen it through and the mood it is cool. I actually like what have being said in the lyric.The intro it is awesome, I think it is the piano I am hearing there in the mix, lovely. I have nothing else to say but play your song around for everyone to hear. 

Irwin
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Skub

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« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2018, 01:50:40 PM »
Yo Paul.

Love the downward arpeggio using both guitar and piano. I dig that sound.

You have a knack for getting into my brain with your songs....I don't know what it is..There's a tangible backdrop of heartache,all wrapped up in the cutting insight of your wordsmithery,that connects with me.

'So Haunt Me' is still one of my fav songs and whilst this is different,it still retains that soul-searching,reflective melancholy.

I'm happy enough just to listen,you'll not be getting any useful critique from me,young man.  :)

Love it.  8) 

CaliaMoko

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« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2018, 02:16:00 PM »
<<sigh>> I have such a list of songs from the forum that I want to learn myself...I'll surely never get to all of them. But this one really needs to go on the list. I think it would fit into my "Late Bloomers Never too Late" project perfectly. No nits from me.

pompeyjazz

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« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2018, 06:15:56 PM »
I love the way that your lyrics always tell a fascinating if sometimes sad and painful story Paul. The arpeggio is absolutely addictive and just drives the whole song along. There's some lovely little touches here and there and vocals are sounding brilliant. Is Bruce on the drums for this one ?? Cos they sound great  :)

Viscount Cramer & His Orchestra

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« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2018, 05:34:21 PM »
Very good Paul.

Everybody's already talked about the arpegs. Very catchy....gives the song its stamp. Nice instrumentation all of it....like the drums and bass a lot too. Vocal super, sounds bloody good.

What strikes me most about it is how it all hits just the right melancholy note for the lyric....neat. 
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Movin Flavour

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« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2018, 08:36:19 PM »
Beautiful song Paul.

Your singing is excellent on the track and love the piano hook line.

Has shades of Beautiful South for me.

Leaves you with a warm feeling.... Like this a lot.


Sandeep

tboswell

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« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2018, 02:09:20 PM »
Poignant stuff, almost tender which feels a little different from your usual sort of thing I feel. Still that edge of helplessness and the inevitability of things in the lyrics which is, as always, pointed but poetic.

I loved the tickling guitar and piano at the opening, really works beautifully and suits the material well. I just thought we heard too much of it by the end, that we needed some other textures in there as well and production wise it seems to stay at that level throughout. Perhaps though that is the point, but musically I thought more development would be good.

Love the idea of using a play or book as at the starting point, a great way to generate ideas which I have done before myself.

It's a super song mate, nice one.

rightly

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« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2018, 03:42:52 PM »
really nice stuff
I used to know my english playwrights, or at least I thought I did.

That's a wonderful turn of phrase

"say something happened"

I haven't heard it in years. that was a really nice listen.

Thanks Paul.
It's either this or that, then again it might be the other. 

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Don't eat the yellow snow

And there you have it. 

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Bill Saunders

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« Reply #9 on: March 27, 2018, 05:44:40 PM »
Great idea for a lyric, and very well executed. You sing in it well, and I would say your voice fits the mood perfectly if that makes sense. Great production to my ears too.

bigFishAndTheSmallPondets

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« Reply #10 on: March 27, 2018, 10:45:36 PM »
I’m not familiar with the play, but the song brought to me a great feeling of despair and loneliness. Not sure if it was your intention, but I think you have distilled this feeling with great power. The arrangement is simple but very effective. The repeated arpeggio and honest production remind slightly of Forever Changes by Love. Good work.

redrhodie

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« Reply #11 on: March 28, 2018, 01:00:30 AM »
Beautifully written and sung. The piano sounds like raindrops, which suits the mood of the story. I like the contrast between the melancholy melody and your voice, which is so bold.

adamfarr

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« Reply #12 on: March 28, 2018, 12:15:43 PM »
Nothing wrong with simple. Really like the pace - I think it's the bass and percussion that make it feel like it really picks up when the chorus hits.


There's a great ambiguity to the title which I find really grabbing - I immediately wanted to know more about the story.


Best line of the day so far:
“It’s a long way from the moment that it kills you
To the moment that the headstone says you died”

Wowch.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2018, 03:15:05 PM by adamfarr »

PaulAds

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« Reply #13 on: March 28, 2018, 12:51:43 PM »
Thanks, everyone. Lovely comments...you restore my faith in humanity  :)

A special shout out for @adamfarr - that was my favourite line too...thanks!

And to @Skub...that’s the loveliest thing I could hope to have read...thank you!

Social services have declared them to be “at risk” because of their advancing years, and so want to know how they would cope “say something happened” - which is a delightfully English way of saying “when one of you dies”

The thought had, of course, previously occurred to them...and they are ready for it, as best you can ever be. They have a daughter who rarely visits them and also a son (whom they declined to mention and never discuss) who “wasn’t right” and lives in a home. They visit him when they can. “He knows us...he’d miss us if we didn’t go”

They concern themselves with trivia  “more leaves coming down” and try not to reflect too much on the way so many things in life just didn’t quite work out for them...

It’s a lovely story. I find this kind of thing really sad but quite uplifting...if anything will save us as a species...it’s empathy.

« Last Edit: March 28, 2018, 10:23:45 PM by PaulAds »
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Darren1664

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« Reply #14 on: March 31, 2018, 11:20:20 AM »
Well, I'm a big fan (based on the few songs I have heard...) and was always going to like this but there is something about this that has actually caught me off guard! It's a softer side (from what I have so far heard...) and the lyrics are striking....this is beautiful and powerful! Just been posting albums that blew me away, well here's a song that has done just that

All the best

Darren

« Last Edit: March 31, 2018, 11:24:56 AM by Darren1664 »