4,701 Topic by Phill Williams

(14 replies, posted in Songwriting)

this started life as a song, but by the time i got to the 3rd verse i decided it was more of a poem.

comments please.

rising moon

lost in the heat of a summers day
forget that winter soon holds sway
days last longer, darkens late
build your nest furry friend, don't wait

see the trees how they seem to age
their leaves turn gold, their life to fade
summers heat to autumns gloom
seldom seen the rising moon

the nights draw in, the days grow cold
summers birds have up and flown
winter night sky, clear of cloud
crystal beauty, how cold it is now?

autumns gold lies under foot
crumbles lightly at your touch
wake to dew upon the grass
summers warm never lasts

cold yet calm some nights may be
others howl make creatures flee
hide in burrows deep and safe
high above wreaks winters waste

frost begins to take it's toll
while rivers trickle ever cold
on distant hills snow will fall
and in the dark woods foxes call

what is hiding in the shadows?
silent ambush where path narrows
furry beast where death he meets
every beast has need to eat

majestic oak once ruled this land
from mountain stone to coastal sand
now the woods are owned by pine
and the forests in decline

failing too are beasts that roamed
under branches they called home
through seasons warm or cold or wet
soon be gone, soon we forget

as winters broom begins to sweep
furry friend find nest to sleep
to wake again when the air grows warm
descending moon on summers dawn.

by phill williams 2008

i know it's not a song, but then neither is rap, unless there is some tunesmith out there who can fit music to it?

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4,702 Reply by Phill Williams

(18 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

now i like the thought of gently strumming someones beaver or is that caster? a friend of mine had a broadcaster and it didnt look a bit like a telecaster as it had 3 pick-ups and a shed full of knobs to play with if i remember correctly [it's old age catching up i'm afraid]

to flatpicker, ass is a kind of donkey, arse is what you sit on

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4,703 Reply by Phill Williams

(11 replies, posted in Songwriting)

perseverance in deed.

lovely lyrics, reads like a poem or an ode to the joy of love and friendship.
sweet and tender
just one more word ...beautiful

phill

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4,704 Reply by Phill Williams

(8 replies, posted in Songwriting)

hi james,

another gem. i wasnt a member when you first posted this one, so it's my first time...be gentle with me, and those little blue pils!

got to say i had a chuckle, and i cant help wondering if in the first chorus you meant to say;"now she's so much older" instead of "bolder" ??? chickened out, me thinks?

i have 9 grandkids, sorry correct that i have 8 and a half grand kids, no 9 is due in october, and i'd recommend it to anyone, their a great source of inspiration

great song james

phill

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4,705 Reply by Phill Williams

(4 replies, posted in Songwriting)

hi james, when i played this i went naturally into johnny cash mode with a g to d etc bass line

as you say; nice bit of whimsy

like it

phill

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4,706 Reply by Phill Williams

(2 replies, posted in Songwriting)

hi kyle, if you play this long enough it will get a bit boring for you, can i suggest varying the sequence a bit, try;

F-F7-C-G| F-F7-C-C7|F-F7-Bb-G7-| C-Bb-Am-F||

if your playing it in the key of "F" the natural chord to play would be G minor, if on the other hand your playing in "C" you should start the sequence with a C chord to be musically correct as i was corrected some time ago by a classically trained keyboardist.

feel free to ignore this if it makes no sense

phill

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4,707 Reply by Phill Williams

(11 replies, posted in Songwriting)

hi kap,

when i saw the verses unfold before me i thought it was going to be a song of epic length, but then it ended with a bang [or flash] i thought you said it was up beat?

a tragic tale my friend, so not every one realises the "american dream" then? and just in case there is someone out there that still believes it, the streets of london aren't paved with gold, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions, thats enough cliches

great song, looks finished to me, but your the one that matters, if you think it needs more work i'll wait to see the finished version.

good work, keep it up

phill

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4,708 Reply by Phill Williams

(4 replies, posted in Songwriting)

hi zurf, i've got one hell of a lump in my throat!

you've put this together so brilliantly, and the words give the sentiment so well.
we have all experienced a death in the family at one point or another, i lost my mother and father a few years back in close sucesion, but i always believe that if you think of someone often they never truly fade into nothing. so keep his memory alive and he will always be there.

lovely song

phill

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4,709 Reply by Phill Williams

(16 replies, posted in Songwriting)

well what a great response from you all, thanks especially to you mark for that terrific encouragement, and daddy, if you find it best suits your needs in C,F and G you go for it, i've got no problem with that.

helena, always a pleasure to hear from you, almost every song i post seems to bring another bit of your past to mind, which is the desired effect.
i wrote this song from just a title, no idea where it came from or the story itself, i took examples from my own childhood and that of my 6 year old grandson who is innocently mischievous, if you told him "dont touch that" he'd have to touch it even if it meant getting a chair and climbing!

hi kap, it wasnt meant as a love interest but the bond between brother and older sister, or the other way round, just in case any females would like to sing it.

i'll get around to posting the chord sequence in due course, it is in actual fact in Bb!, but that is easily transposed to the key of C.

thanks to all for your very encouraging comments

phill

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4,710 Reply by Phill Williams

(4 replies, posted in Songwriting)

nice one daddy,

you keep coming up with great subjects, not much of a drinker my self, sometimes on saturday nights or a can o'lager after a hard shift.

rock on

phill

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4,711 Reply by Phill Williams

(11 replies, posted in Songwriting)

hi rik,
please dont think i was criticising your work, it's a lovely sentiment, and it's a good song too, so dont get despondent, and when i say you will get better please take it the right way, because the more you write your bound to some that wont come up to the standard you've already set yourself, we all do, great first effort [if it's your first?] keep it up

phill

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4,712 Reply by Phill Williams

(16 replies, posted in Songwriting)

here we go again, everytime i go to finnish a song off, something else comes up, so i've done a one track recording just piano and vocal, i'm rushing to get it onto myspace before i go work in half an hour. oh yeh, i've got a melody line for it after saying i couldnt find one...say lavvie as the french say..yeh well

thank upyer kilt, and roger for stepping in once more, hope you like what i've done to it

phill

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4,713 Reply by Phill Williams

(4 replies, posted in Songwriting)

nice one daddy,

a song about a woman who's not your wife..eh? and it's not even mothers day!

well done my friend another winner

be good

phill

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4,714 Topic by Phill Williams

(16 replies, posted in Songwriting)

on the rare occasion that i have time to myself on night shift, i get a piece of paper and write down about 15 song titles to write songs around, this is one i did last night, at the moment it's just verse as i cant seem to find a melody for it.

The Broken Doll.by Phill Williams


[Bb]she used to [F]stand there [Gm]in the [F]corner


[Eb]long blond [F]hair and eyes so[Bb] blue-[F]


[Bb]she stood [F]there looking [Gm]down


for years and [F]years


[Eb]each time [F]i saw her, i saw [Bb]you-[F] (REPEAT SAME CHORDS FOR ALL VERSES)




her pretty dress was always perfect


her hair was brushed and make-up too


like some sweet princess from a time gone by


each time i saw her, i saw you.






chorus


[Eb]but she [F]fell so many [Bb]years ago-[Gm]-[F]


[F]her pretty [F]leg was broke in [Bb]two-[F]


[Eb]the glue [F]beneath her dress was [Bb]hidden [F]from [Gm]view


[Cm]each time i saw her, i saw[Fsus] you-[F]




a china doll stood outside my reach


and so i climbed upon a chair


and as i reached to take her down to play



i lost my grip and down she fell




repeat chorus




i held the broken leg in trembling hands


you helped me set the leg back true


and though she could no longer stand alone


each time i saw her i saw you






bridge


[Dm]down my [Cm]cheeks my tears were Gm]rolling


[Eb]how i [F]feared my mothers [Gm]wrath


you [Dm]wiped my [Cm]tears, you held me [Bb]close to [Gm]you-[F]


[Eb]the break was [F]hidden by the [Bb]cloth-[F]




and i have loved you since that day


a bond between us strong and true


the broken doll our secret heartache


each time i saw her i saw you




OK so here are the chords as promised, this is so much easier to play on piano, which is why i did it in Bb. if C is easier just transpose by substituting C for Bb, Em for Dm etc. please enjoy it...phill

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4,715 Reply by Phill Williams

(9 replies, posted in Songwriting)

thanks helena,

it happens in every family even the royal ones, we can never work-out whats going on in other peoples minds, could be good, could be bad....so we just have to get on with it the best we can. i've always gone by the tenet that when my boys grow up they can make up their won minds my door is always open to them, but i could see it back then that my ex was poisoning their minds against me and my new wife [well she was new then..lol]

to guitar_girl 7778
ok then what ? sorry i've never been any good at cryptic clues you'll have to be plainer for me as i'm old and not very bright

2 days later; oh yeh i get it now...2o'clock outside the main gates then?

phill

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4,716 Reply by Phill Williams

(10 replies, posted in Songwriting)

hi william,

i've got to agree with kap54, you do have a way with words, i just wonder if you wrote it the way i played it?

take my word for it, writing songs is only half the fun, recording them takes you to the climax [specially if people like it]

great song

phill

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4,717 Reply by Phill Williams

(12 replies, posted in Songwriting)

hi james,

this song reads really easily like a good novel should, it feels as if you just sat down and wrote it out as if it has been sat in your head forming itself all your life, i hope you dont take that the wrong way, it's a cracking song and if the recording is only half as good it will be a million seller!

best of luck with it

phill

ps "rhythmic drive" what a wonderful description.

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4,718 Reply by Phill Williams

(9 replies, posted in Songwriting)

i'd just like to thank roger and kap54, for their help once again with the formatting, i managed it on the last song i posted!
any how thanks again.

glad you both like the song, the chords are a pain, but i've got a funny natural singing key i suppose, and i wrote this on a piano, it has been recorded, i'll have to check it to see if it's good enough to put on myspace [most of the other recordings were below standard]

ps got your email kap and yours william, thank you

phill

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4,719 Topic by Phill Williams

(9 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Dear KidsPhill Williams


i wrote this song as part of my park project, it's quite personal as i identify with the main character, who writes a letter to his kids to say things he cant tell them face to face, like why he has split up with the kids mother, so he ends up being a sunday father kicking ball and pushing the kids on the swings in the park, and he still cant get out what he wants to say. hope you like it.


.


.


verse 1




dear kids,[Bb] [F]i guess you [Bb]find it hard to [F]understand whats [Eb]happening [Cm]


so i [Eb]thought i'd write it [Cm]down, cos i just cant [Bb] [Bbaug]


get the [Gm]words out when we are [Fsus]talking, when [F]were [Bb]together


so i [Eb]hope i can [Cm]explain it all in this [Bb]letter[Bbaug]


it would be [Gm]better if i didnt have to [Fsus]say these [F]things at all[Bb]




verse 2




dear kids, me and your mum have been so very selfish


and we didnt see it right that you should suffer


when it's me and your mother that have done it


and remember that i love you as much as ever


please dont ever take your love away from me


make a promise




verse 3




i know you thought that all the arguments were just nothing


just something that we all do as we get older


and tomorrow things will get back as they were


i wish that was the way things could turn out


i wish i could turn back the clock for you


but it's too late





[Bb]if it was a [F]perfect world


[Gm]every boy and [Eb]every girl


would [Bb]always have their [F]mamma and their[Gm] pappa[F] [Gm] [Bb]


[Bb]love would never [F]fade and die


[Gm]we would never [Eb]live the lie


and [Bb]families would [F]always be [Gm]together[F] [Gm] [Bb]


[Bb]sad cos it'll [F]never be


just [Gm]means more pain for [Eb]you and me


and [Bb]families will [F]never be to-[Gm]gether [F] [Gm] [Bb]


verse 4




dear kids, i can make it to the park this sunday lunch time


this is when we have agreed, me and your mother


that i can be with you...if you still want to


we could kick a ball and play a-while in the playground


we can feed the ducks and just be with each other


we can feed the ducks and just be with each other


if you want to


and i'm looking forward to seeing you again




love your father...






love daddy...



I TRIED TO DO THE CHOPRO THING AND FAILED AGAIN, I'VE GONE OVER IT LOADS OF TIMES AND IT STILL DONT WORK...ANY THOUGHTS?

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4,720 Reply by Phill Williams

(11 replies, posted in Songwriting)

thanks for the invite roger,
oh damn, thing is i've just come back from holiday [in spain, just round the corner from you ]
if only you'd said sooner  wink

phill

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4,721 Reply by Phill Williams

(9 replies, posted in Songwriting)

hi highwayman61,

i can only add to what everyone else has said, good song in fact it's a very strong lyric and well written. armageddon raises it's ugly head once more.

nice to see that we can spread the themes from not just love songs to protest and anti war.

lets write a song about the greedy bankers who continue to force up prices on fuel, food and everything we need to buy, and then force down the price on things we need to sell to buy them.

sorry highwayman,  just a little rant there, the song does the biz, keep up the good work

phill

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4,722 Reply by Phill Williams

(6 replies, posted in Songwriting)

hello mr mcready, and welcome to chordie, you get snow at christmas?  nice song with good lyrics and measure, have you been writing long?

i tend to sing songs like "white christmas" on hot summer days and "summer holiday" at christmas just to wind people up, and it works

keep the faith

phill

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4,723 Reply by Phill Williams

(11 replies, posted in Songwriting)

hi roger,

such a sad song, unrequited love i think it's called, and it's usually the woman who get's the poo end of the stick [trying to be polite]
nice song, very heartfelt and emotional, nice picture too, is that the present love interest or who the song is about?
hope your move wasn't too stressful, if you'd asked i would have come out to help...honest [lol]

keep em coming

phill

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4,724 Reply by Phill Williams

(9 replies, posted in Songwriting)

hi jeff,
another good-un. sorry but we brits seem to be under the misconception that you yanks are as the saying goes;" over paid, over sexed and over here" well it seems one was not quite right anyway.

great song and as with all the others it brought back some memories of harder times, like when i was about 5 years old [1956] we still had sugar rationing, and seeing my aunty megan pour her tea into the sugar bowl to clean up the very last bits that were in it. having to bathe with my older sister in an old tin bath in front of the fire, going into other peoples gardens to steal apples, gooseberries or even runner beans, cos we were so hungry. i could go on but everyone has their own memory of those [happier?] times.

thanks for the reminder

phill

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4,725 Reply by Phill Williams

(8 replies, posted in Songwriting)

hi all and thanks for the great replies, as far as recording is concerned, i've got a bit of a back-log, but this is top of the list.
thanks roger, what kind of brackets should i put on for chorus? bear in mind i've only just worked out how to do chopro

and russel, if you knew the young couple the song refers to... especially the girl who goes completely ballistic, the guy had to call the police last week because she attacked him with a kitchen knife! he's so scared of her he wont press charges cos her family are just as crazy.

thanks again to all

phill

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