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Keep Your Fingers Dirty

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PaulyX

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« on: February 17, 2019, 12:35:40 PM »
Hello forum mates.  It's been ages since I posted a track here (the muse naffed off for a bit, plus I got busy with new job etc).  But anyway, here's a demo-stage version of a song I wrote a bit more than a year ago, when I had time to hang out in the local garden I was volunteering at a lot more.  It's about the therapeutic quality of having a spade in your hand. Not properly mixed or anything yet but I wanted to post something to prove I'm still here. Thanks for any feedback.  Pauly


KEEP YOUR FINGERS DIRTY

If you're an analogue man under digital siege, you wake up bleary eyed and the first thing that you read is
All these missives from overseas...
If you're trying to be a corporate hero but you're getting let down by the raw materials
Hanging out here, with the heebie-jeebies...
If everything you do requires a password and everything you don't is being observed
All these objectives can get a man down.
But there is a place, or perhaps it's a prayer,
Where the signals don't penetrate the afternoon air and
All my wishes go to ground.

Keep your fingers dirty, find yourself a patch of land
Mother Nature's filthy and she's looking for a man.
Dig a hole that's deep enough for all this rigmarole
Keep your fingers dirty now and clean up your soul.

If your girl's AWOL or you're not breaking bread, you're wondering if she's gonna kick it in the head
Stop right there!  My fickle friend.
For there is a place, show her a new angle: get down with the beetles, the bindweed and bramble
Tangle up your roots and bloom again.

Keep your fingers dirty, find yourself a patch of land
Mother Nature's filthy and she's looking for a man.
Dig a hole that's deep enough for all this vitriol.
Keep your fingers dirty now and clean up your soul.

Stick and stones won't break your bones - it's their lack that hurts you.
Your head keeps spinning and your pulse keeps skipping and your mind keeps telling you there's something missing.
It's all too beautiful.

ScottLevi

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« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2019, 04:34:59 PM »
Hey Pauly,

Good to hear you're still about!

Lovely lyrics and theme for the song, it's so true that getting your hands dirty and creating something physical can bring so much release when being stuck in our digital world.

You do always manage a unique and lovely rhythm and melody for your songs also, always very enjoyable - the chorus is very memorable and the break around 2:55 is awesome. Very enjoyable musically to support the theme, "clean up your soul!" :)

Not very wise re mixing myself but can tell a bit of tlc would help make that lovely arrangement shine.

All the best,
Scott

pompeyjazz

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« Reply #2 on: February 17, 2019, 05:31:06 PM »
Hi Pauly,

It's great to hear another one of your fab songs on here again  :)

I always enjoy reading your lyrics, you're a very clever lyricist. Clever subject matter, very therapeutic a bit of digging.

This one had a lovely Britpop / Sixties British pop feel to it a la Ray Davies, you're a master at that type of song.

I know you haven't mixed it yet, there's one thing that I noticed in the mix, it's the distorted guitar sound that kicks in around 0:44, it seemed to swirl around my head a bit. No big deal but thought I would mention it.

Fab work Pauly  :)

PaulAds

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« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2019, 08:59:53 PM »
Great to hear another song from you...it's been too long.

First off...I really loved the lyrics...I think they're brilliant.

Music is lovely and jaunty...some great changes in there and it sounds brilliant when it drops back to the initial chords too...very cool.

Guitar solo was supremely nonchalant...excellent stuff!

heart of stone, feet of clay, knob of butter

Skub

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« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2019, 09:05:07 PM »
Yo Pauly,ya durty broot.  :)

The chorus has all the catchiness of the 60s Kinks/Beatles and with a little Squeeze for good measure. This is well worth a good mix/production. The song is a runner. Very cool lyrics.  8)

I know you said it's a rough demo,but I thought I'd point out a couple of timing issues at 1.39 and 2.41.

It was great to hear this before you do anything else,a fine insight into the PaulyX imagination.


rightly

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« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2019, 07:51:53 AM »
Nice song.
Verses and concept are great n timely.
Really like the chorus. Mother Nature Is dirty.

The voice sometimes reminded me of Suggs from madness.
Well done.
It's either this or that, then again it might be the other. 

I can promise you a future of slow decline.

Don't eat the yellow snow

And there you have it. 

https://soundcloud.com/2rightly

https://soundcloud.com/rightly

adamfarr

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« Reply #6 on: February 18, 2019, 01:52:35 PM »
Hey Pauly
"Mother Nature's filthy and she's looking for a man." Such a cool chorus.

Really like the verses but I did wonder if some switching round could add something - for example, the password / observed passage is great and if it came at the end of the verse could it be more memorable/impactful?

The others are right that there does seem to be a bit of a Jesus and Mary Chain guitar thing going on there. Maybe it's the Madness comparisons but I'd say some brass in there could really add something.

Great to have you around, I'm sure you won't be free of inspiration for long.

dinnerwithgreedo

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« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2019, 04:04:01 PM »
I hate people that can write lyrics so well. I hate you  ;)

Mother Nature's filthy and she's looking for a man - Great line
Remember.... it's just my opinion. It doesn't make me right. Although i probably am ;)

Neil C

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« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2019, 09:00:03 AM »
Pauly, only had a listen on the intercity last night but it warmed the cockles. Great lyrics and sympathetic music. Thoughts on the mix, the squelchy guitar/synthy thing should be lower in the mix so it doesn’t distract from your vocals, and I think the vox in the chorus needs lifting and perhaps some bv’s
Lots to like here
:-)
Neil
songwriter of no repute..

MartynRich

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« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2019, 11:39:28 AM »
I love this song. It's so fun to listen to - a very Brit feel to it with great lyrics. Sums up a little how I'm feeling right now as well. I've got no complaints about the mix at all, the only thing I would say are the drums feel a little jarring in the first part of the song - it may be the double kick you've got in places that doesn't quite fit the rest of the rhythm.

That aside I've no complaints, I really enjoyed listening to it.

cowparsleyman

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« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2019, 12:45:56 PM »
@PaulyX - A great demo, lovely arrangement, should polish up well, Skubs comparison to Squeeze made me wonder of a Difford/Tillbrook octave apart/deadpan type vocal on the Verses might work? or even a Kirsty McColl female vocalist taking the LVox on the Chorus

Yeah, picking up the Kinks vibe too, nice, very nice, bringing me extra sunshine.

Mid8 V Strong. needs a few BVox in the Verse immediately after it...

Nice job Paul. a SOTM winner potential.

Hope this helps


Cawproductions

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« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2019, 01:21:57 PM »
Great swing feel to this track dude.

reminds me of the Stereophonics early stuff. Love it.

Your vocals is bloody cool and has an amazing tone of which I am very envious.

Cool track, rolls along really well.

Top work fella.

Binladeda

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« Reply #12 on: February 22, 2019, 11:00:14 PM »

 Hey Paul  ;D ;D

 Hope all is well on your side of the valley  ;D .  So, it's back to the sod ;D ;D Whereabouts were you volunteering, Hanover ?  I'll go and admire
 your handywork ;D

 Great lyrics...of course ;D .  Atm I think the music is getting in the way of the vocals, seems to be a little too busy.  I know it's a Demo, and that you
 will turn it into another professional sounding song.......just thought I'd mention it ;D ;D .  In the spirit of perfection ;D ;D

 Take care my friend.....love your work ;D ;D

Nowt as queer as folk...........my gran

MichaelA

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« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2019, 02:59:32 PM »
Really well put together song, interest held throughout with all the developmental techniques and smart, dense lyrics. Clever rhymes and lyrical rhythm, felt like I was in accomplished tunesmith hands.

Thinking man's pop song for sure, topical observations on a catchy musical canvas - oh and the mid break instrumental is delightful too. Much enjoyed
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RealKevM

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« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2019, 03:16:50 PM »
I had a smile on my face listening to this. I love the story of the song, good work :)