[Bill Saunders]

Hi all

Here is a brand new song - lyrics self explanatory I hope.

If you choose to listen and provide feedback, I thank you!

https://soundcloud.com/bill-saunders/badge-of-honour-master-1

Hey John, did you see how ‘kin drunk Steve was
Couldn’t stand up, he was literally falling all over the road!
Did you see when he grabbed that waitress...

6.30am I’m bleary eyed waiting for my flight
Had to rise at 4.45 and kiss my wife goodbye
Coffee in hand in the terminal lounge it’s starting to get light
The stagger boys start early, they’ve started downing pints

The laughter’s getting louder, the language getting coarse
By the time they’re off to Prague or Benidorm, it’s only getting worse
Five miles high, trapped in a tin can, drunken yobs doing handstands
A long weekend on foreign shores, a chance to share our culture

Meanwhile, back home....
   
On every high street, on every weekend
Falling into parked cars, throwing up in doorways
Broken stilettos and running mascara
Hoarse expletives punch through the streetlights
Fists are flying, girls are screaming
Bottles in hand, like grenades in a warzone           
And the air turns blue, there’s fighting in the taxi queue   
A nation’s badge of honour

It’s a sick badge of honour to boast about how drunk you got again
Have you ever wondered why it’s not like that in France Italy or Spain?
Where you’re safe to walk the city streets, in the daytime or after dark
They think it’s cool, they think they’re funny, it’s all some kind of terrible farce

The boys are back from Tenerife, it’s time to be flying home
It’s all quiet at the carousel, muttered conversations with girlfriends on the phone
A trail of destruction left behind, along with half their livers
Money lost along with self respect, sober and self conscious, they hope they’ll be forgiven

...she went kin mental!!
No sense of humour some people
Then he goes and spends the rest of the night in the bog!
Brilliant weekend mate! Absolute classic

[shadowfax]

So..so true... and a good song to boot, social comment about something rather terrible in an enjoyable song..clever!

[tboswell]

Really good listen and some lovely storytelling in the lyrics. Thankfully I don't run into such stuff too often round my way. Phew!

Musically it could maybe do with a little more light and shade, it's pretty much at the same level of volume and rhythm throughout and some contrast is usually good.

The only other thing that struck me was "Hoarse expletives". When I heard that I thought swear words with horses in then? Or horses swearing? Might write this swearing horses song myself...fascinating idea. Could just be me that heard that 

Tom.

[redrhodie]

Very impressive storytelling. I read the lyrics before I listened and really enjoyed it as just a piece of writing. Any song with throwing up in it is okay in my book. Haha. I like how you differentiated the overheard conversation parts. I think the music works well with the words. I especially like the meanwhile back home introduction to the chorus. Sounds like you live in a fun place. Wait, do you live in my house??? Haha.

Very creative.

[mickyplankton]

Hi Bill. I like the music. It's got a lot of energy but I'm not a fan of the lyrics I'm afraid. Your target is off for me. Comes across as a broadside against real people for me.
 

[Skub]

Yo Bill.

I daresay there are plenty of folk alive now who have never heard of Jethro Tull.

The storytelling and vocal phrasing owe a lot to mister Anderson.

Cute observations and fine folk/rock interpretation.

[Bill Saunders]

@Skub Davy, I've told you before, I have no idea how you get that Ian Anderson / Jethro Tull connection, I've never even heard of them/him...

er, OK so that's a lie, here I am with the great man just two weeks ago...!



That said, I honestly thought this song had more resemblance to Paul Weller and The Jam / That's Entertainment / Going Underground. Shows the benefit of a third party perspective.

@redrhodie @mickyplankton @tboswell @shadowfax thanks for listening and your insight, which is as appreciated as ever.

[Skub]

Holey Sheet Bill,that's either me,or it's Walter White. 

[PaulAds]

Had a listen this afternoon...nice song, Bill. I enjoyed the story too.

I thought some meatier drums might have given it a bit more drive to drag it more into the Jam kind of ball-park...but it's tidy enough as it is 

[PaulyX]

More great observational stuff Bill.  Lyrically it reminded me slightly of Kaiser Chief's "I Suspect a Riot" or Blur's "Girls and Boys"... other fine jousts at our nation's Friday night / stag party behaviour.  I could hear the new wave / post punk influence in it, agree with Paul Ads though that you could speed it up and give it a bit more spittle if that's the mood you want.  But it still works fine as it is indeed... the lyrics carry it home very nicely.

[Inanité_sonore]

Hello,

I really like this song and I especially love the change at 1 ' 24 and 3 ' 15. The voice is good, with a good groove, and has a particular grain.
The rest sounds professional for my ears, the mix is well done because all the instruments find their place.

Bravo!

IS

[RealKevM]

Nice, straightforward rock tune. I love the lyrics, it's so different and fun.

[Bill Saunders]

@RealKevM Much appreciate the listen Kev
@Inanité_sonore Thanks IS - I don't know where that change came from that you mention - it just sounded like the obvious thing to do when I was writing the song, but I think it works too!
@PaulyX Much appreciated Paul - without intending it, I seem to be doing quite a bit of observational stuff. Wish I could "observe" more to write new songs about, because it does seem to lead to some of my better songs.
@PaulAds Thanks Paul - I'll consider a punk version!! Needs a Clash drum track...

[MichaelA]

Hi Bill, wow that is like a bitter poem set to music, quite theatrical almost like a song from musical. (But why do airports get away with selling alcohol at that time in the morning anyhow - I have often asked myself when witnessing similar scenes?)

The spoken vocal sounds like a nice friendly voice, unless you listen to what he's saying - ironically, nice! I liked that 'Meanwhile Back Home' sectional interchanger, cool.

A very topical song given the behaviour of some England fans once again this week! Maybe you should send it to the news channels researchers!

I enjoyed the vocal technique you used too btw, and overall these lyrics are a sharp observation of an aspect of our culture most of us wish would just disappear. Good tale mate! 

[Bill Saunders]

@MichaelA thanks for your thoughtful reply and for listening. I feel I’ve said it in the song, but I will say, it can be extremely unpleasant and down right scary sometimes to be caught up in these situations. That said, the upside is that when I write about something I care about, the words flow easily and actually, the music almost writes itself too! It never seems to be a struggle. I’m sure that is something many of us songwriters have found too.