2,126 Topic by jets60

(1 replies, posted in Songwriting)

I was looking through a Systems Engineering College Text book at work yesterday and I saw a quote in the front of the book from Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll that would make a great idea for a song. To paraphrase so I don't get into any troubles with the moderator:

Alice is having a concersation with the Cheshire Cat:

She asks the Cat where she should walk to

The Cat says it depends on where she wants to go.

Alice says she doesn't care where she goes

So the Cat replies then it doesn't matter which direction she walks

Alice further explains so long as she eventually gets some where

And the Cat replies that she's bound to get some where so long as she walks long enough

Not the exact words but that's pretty much the idea

So after reading that I began to ponder how that relates to life, destinations, journeys... and really it's true. Life will take you somewhere no matter which direction you head into.

Anyway that's my idea for anyone who wants to give a go at it. I will but not tonight...maybe this weekend.

Cheers,

Jets/jeff

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2,127 Reply by jets60

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

Mines from an incident in the Air Force...no, not involving a fast plane. I got a new room mate who didn't understand my North Carolina dialect so when I said my name was jeff he heard jets...it stuck for a few years and its the only name other than jeff that I've ever been called. The signature I use is the NY Jets (American Football team or NFL in the USA) cheer I've heard (and liked) where the they spell out jets then say jets 3 times in a row afterwards. And I never was a jets fan until I got the nickname.

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2,128 Reply by jets60

(5 replies, posted in Songwriting)

I actually try to mix it up. Sometimes I'll just sit and try and think of basic ideas until I start to run dry. Other times I'll sit and finger pick some chords until I get a few that sound good together.

Lately, I'm been coming up with ideas on my commute to and from work so I have to turn the radio off to keep from losing it. When I get home I'll sing what I remember into my tuner to get the basic chords I'm looking for and then I'll try the chords, adjust as needed since chords don't sound exactly the same in your head as they do coming out of a guitar. Then I write the words as best as I remember, usually pretty quick after I get home to keep the idea fresh. I dont have a tuner at work so if I think of a song going to work I'll usually just write down the lyrics in the parking lot at work or just when I sit down to my desk and hope I can remember the music that went with them at the end of the day when I get home

What really gets a good song out of me though is when some sort of event brings on a strong emotional reaction of some sort from me. Love songs, songs about loss, songs about happiness, songs about songs...what ever really brings the deep feelings out of you usually turns out to be a great song.

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2,129 Reply by jets60

(13 replies, posted in Songwriting)

A great story weaved together with some funky blues chords, how sweet it is. Shoot James, this one you need to turn into a video I think. Another job well done!

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2,130 Reply by jets60

(7 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Thanks Badeye and yeah, this song helped a lot.

James, the other team - lordy, don't get me started on them. 18 panel and 32 panel are the types of balls used in the game. The 18 panel balls are more like volleyballs we use in the US while the 32 panel balls are the ones like the black and white poke-a-dot balls that are what most people, or at least most US people that is, think of as soccer balls.

Old Doll, you have my permission to lay it on him. Just so you know though, start with "Hey Referee" like you're trying to yell it through the back of his head and take out some of his brain matter! At least that's how I shout...err...sing it.  big_smile

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2,131 Topic by jets60

(7 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Many of you chordie regulars know I'm a supporter of what we call soccer in America. Well, I had an interesting game this weekend with my team who plays in an over 30s league although we are more like over 40s. The other team showed up with 5 players around 20, the youngest being 14. We asked what's up and they said that they view the league as a father and son league. Hey, I do too, so long as the father and son are both over 30 but (sigh and deep breath) we agreed to play and it got a little "chippy" as the game went on. Bottom line is we got beat bad 5-1 was the final I think but it could have been worse...I lost count at the end. I commited some nasty fouls early on in the game that kind of attracted the attention of the ref during the second half and I could do nothing without having his eyes upon me the rest of the game. So I got a little frustrated and I was thinking how to express my frustration in a song. Well here is the result and I hope you like it. The song ends on a better note than the game ended on because it's my song and I can! smile

Hey Referee By Jeff Gilpin


June 12th, 2007




Intro


[E7] [A7] [E7] [B7]




Verse 1


Hey Refe[E]ree!


How could you be so blind[E7]


Hey Refe[A]ree!


How could you be so [E]blind[E7]


You're getting [B7]paid for this job


When you [A]should be in prison doing [E]time[B7]






Verse 2


Hey Refe[E]ree!


How could you miss that call[E7]


Hey Refe[A]ree!


How could you miss that [E]call[E7]


How [B7]many does that make


It’s [A]like you missed them [E]all[B7]




Chorus


See I got an [A]18 panel heart


That helps me see the game [E]true[E7]


But the [B7]way you’re calling it’s


[A]Giving me the 32 panel [E]blues[B7]




Verse 3


Hey, Hey, Hey Refe[E]ree


You know I got all ball[E7]


Hey Refer[A]ee


You know I got all [E]ball[E7]


Either [B7]keep up with the game


or [A]stop making up those lousy [E]calls[B7]




Verse 4


Refe[E]ree


I was just giving what I got[E7]


Hey Refe[A]ree


I was just giving what I [E]got[E7]


So tell me [B7]why he gets away with it


And [A]why you’re telling I can [E]not [B7]




Chorus


See I got an [A]18 panel heart


That helps me see the game [E]true[E7]


But the [B7]way you’re calling it’s


[A]Giving me the 32 panel [E]blues[B7]




Verse 5


Hey Refe[E]ree


Can’t you see the guy just tripped[E7]



Hey Refe[A]ree


Can’t you see they guy just [E]tripped[E7]


I [B7]even helped him up


Come on [A]Ref you know I’m getting [E]jipped[B7]




Verse 6


Hey refe[E]ree


Oh, come on now you know that was a dive[E7]


Hey refe[A]ree


Come on you’ve got to know that was a [E]dive[E7]


I mean the [B7]way he was acting


It’s a [A]wonder he made it back a[E]live[B7]




Chorus


See I got an [A]18 panel heart


That helps me see the game [E]true[E7]


But the [B7]way you’re calling it’s


[A]Giving me the 32 panel [E]blues[B7]






Break


You’re [E]calling it awful [E7]close


[A]Checking my play awful [A7]hard


I [E]almost make another [E7]foul


But I’m [B7]on a yellow card


So [E]please come on Refe[E7]ree


Let us [A]play the game pretty [A7]please


I [E]promise I’ll be no trouble


But you’re [B7]making me see double




Verse 7


Hey Refe[E]ree


Can’t you see him tugging on my shirt[E7]


Hey Refe[A]ree


Can’t you see him tugging on my [E]shirt[E7]


You [B7]better stop him now


Or I [A]think he’s gong to get [E]hurt[B7]




Verse 8


Hey Refe[E]ree


That sure was a nice play on[E7]


Hey Refe[A]ree


That sure was a nice play [E]on[E7]


That no [B7]call got us a goal


[A]Maybe I was reading you [E]wrong[B7]




Ending Chorus


See I got an [A]18 panel heart


That helps me see the game [E]true, yesI [E7]do


[B7]Thank you for the match and


[A]Curing my the 32 panel [B7]blues[E7]





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2,132 Reply by jets60

(8 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Rainy Friday is now posted on my Myspace page if you want a listen:

http://www.myspace.com/stilljeffgilpin

Would love to hear what you all think, good bad or otherwise.

Jeff/jets60

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2,133 Reply by jets60

(15 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Well keep at it - I just love to hear other people playing my songs.

Jeff/Jets

Also - Rainy Friday is posted on my Myspace page if you want a listen:
http://www.myspace.com/stilljeffgilpin

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2,134 Reply by jets60

(15 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Hey Rhiannon, thanks- I think the trick is no to let the clunkers get you down and lord knows I've had my fair share. I think this one's pretty good too though. wink

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2,135 Reply by jets60

(15 replies, posted in Songwriting)

You know: HONEY would you DO me a favor... It's slang american for  weekend work your wife makes you do. smile

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2,136 Reply by jets60

(15 replies, posted in Songwriting)

You guys rock! Thanks -  I was stumbling along trying to find it and finally gave up because I had to go do some honey dos.

Thanks,

Jeff/jets

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2,137 Reply by jets60

(15 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Thanks Old Doll. This is one of the hidden benefits of learning to play the guitar for me. Playing until my wife falls asleep is pretty cool for me and she seems to likes it too. My favorite comment from her when I do that is, "What song is that?" Usually it's when it is a totally made up tune. I'm going to see if I can catch a peek of "The Dreamer" somewhere on the net. Thanks again - Jets

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2,138 Reply by jets60

(3 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Thanks Guys,

That was my intent but I'm still only at about 100 BMP so it's not way too fast although I can see it played faster. Chordie and my Chordie friends was my inspiration for the lyrics as well.  The style is a bit different but I like the way it sounded and the trailing chords came from somewhere I heard them but can't remember where.

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2,139 Reply by jets60

(5 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Very nice James - Pretty song for such a happy guy...It almost sounded like a political song? Was it?

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2,140 Reply by jets60

(5 replies, posted in Songwriting)

That song is just as sweet as it can be and how fitting to someone who has been a great help to me and to all the chodie forum dwellers. Well done Rhiannon!

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2,141 Topic by jets60

(15 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Many nights I get to play my wife to sleep and tonight was one of those nights. The song I played was something like what's below but I lost some of it somewhere between the bedroom and the computer room. What's below is close though and not bad if I do say so myself. When I sing for her in the sleepy time song I don't usually bother with rhyming so for the verses I stayed true to that. I hope you like it.

The Sleepy Time Song By Jeff Gilpin


June 9th, 2007






Verse 1


[A]I’m watching you


As you [G]lay there re[A]laxing


Listening to the [ ]music


Of my [E]sleepy time song




Verse 2


[A]I’m not sure what I’m playing


But it [G]feels right to [A]me


Rocking you off to [ ]some where


Wish [E]I were going too




Chorus


[D]I don’t get too [A]loud


[E]I don’t play too [G]long


[D]I have my eyes u[A]pon you


Playing my [E]sleepy time [A]song




Verse 3


[A]It could start out as one thing


That [G]turns into something [A]else


I let it take what [ ]ever path


So [E]long as it’s sedate




Verse 4


[A]I play a little softer


As I [G]see your eyelids [A]flicker


I’ve settled on the tune[ ] now


And it’s [E]sailing you away




Chorus


[D]I don’t get too [A]loud


[E]I don’t play too [G]long



[D]I have my eyes u[A]pon you


Playing my [E]sleepy time [A]song






Verse 5


[A]I think it’s pretty nice


So I [G]try and re[A]member


What were the [ ]chords


[E]How did I play them




Verse 6


[A]I wrap it up slowly


As I [G]see you’re far a[A]way


I close it out [ ]softly


No [E]fanfare or applause




Break


[G]I see you in the silence


[D]As the music starts to slips away


So it’s [G]off to try to capture


Before it’s [E]gone fore[E7]ver




Chorus


[D]I don’t get too [A]loud


[E]I don’t play too [G]long


[D]I have my eyes u[A]pon you


Playing my [E]sleepy time [A]song[A7]




Ending Chorus


[D]I didn’t play too [A]loud


[E]I almost played too [G]long


[D]I think I’ve come real [A]close


To my [E]sleepy time [G]song[D] [A]





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2,142 Reply by jets60

(12 replies, posted in Songwriting)

I'm on it James! Do you know the Indgo Girls' song Pendulum Swinger? I'm looking at doing something like that or a similiar style. Oh yeah, the song from the chorus is called Keep It Real and I posted it earlier today.

Cheers,

Jets

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2,143 Topic by jets60

(3 replies, posted in Songwriting)

I got the music for this first. I had an idea of coming up with good chorus chords and I think I did for this one. After that I came up with the lyrics from thinking about E-Friends and how they are still real friends.That was the basis for the idea which I became to the lyrics below. I hope you like it.

Keep It Real By Jeff Gilpin


June 8th 2007




Intro


[Dm] [Cmaj7] [Dm] [Em] [F]


[Am] [F] [C] [G] [Am]




Verse 1


[Am]I have some friends[G] [F]


[Am]We share where we have been[G] [F]


And [Am]what we’re [F]going to [G]do


[Am]We share a [F]laugh or [G]two[F]






Verse 2


[Am]And yet we keep it light[G] [F]


[Am]Talking about what we like[G] [F]


But [Am]what [F]we don’t [G]share


Is our [Am]hurt we [F]hide some[G]where[F]






Chorus


[Am]But we keep it [F]real[C] [G]


[Am]Yeah we keep it [F]real[C] [G]


[Am]We try to keep it [F]real, [C] [G]for real[Am]






Verse 3


[Am]But if we share our pain[G] [F]


[Am]We’d both have much to gain[G] [F]


[Am]Yet our [F]minds won’t let [G]go


[Am]Of all the [F]pain we [G]know[F]






Verse 4


[Am]We fear the unknown[G] [F]


[Am]If we share our own[G] [F]


[Am]We [F]fear rejection[G]


So [Am]we [F]continue to protect ‘em[G] [F]







Chorus


[Am]And try to keep it [F]real[C] [G]


Yeah we [Am]try and keep it [F]real[C] [G]


We [Am]want to keep it [F]real, [C] [G]for real[Am]




Musical Interlude


[Dm] [Cmaj7] [Dm] [Em] [F] [G]


[Dm] [Cmaj7] [Dm] [Em] [F]






Verse 5


[Am]Your true friends understand [G] [F]


All that [Am]pain you can’t stand[G] [F]


So [Am]you [F]share your secret [G]pain


And [Am]friends you [F]still re[G]main[F]






Verse 6


[Am]Now the weight all is gone [G] [F]


You’ve been [Am]carrying so long [G] [F]


And [Am]your [F]friend’s still your [G]friend


And [Am]will be [F]until the [G]end [F]






Chorus


[Am]Because we keep it [F]real[C] [G]


Yeah we [Am]try and keep it [F]real[C] [G]


We [Am]want to keep it [F]real, [C] [G]for real






Ending Chorus


[Am]Yeah we keep it [F]real[C] [G]


We [Am]try and keep it [F]real[C] [G]


We [Am]want to keep it [F]real[C] [G]


[Am]For real



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2,144 Reply by jets60

(12 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Thanks MG - I'm posting another one is a second. smile

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2,145 Reply by jets60

(12 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Well stated James - I don't have to tell you I feel the same about my daughter. It should be a manditory part of every daughter's first date.

Great job!

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2,146 Reply by jets60

(12 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Hey James - You crack me up. I'm not writing to night but I got some ideas in the cooker I'll share:
I was thinking about how really good songs have the a catchy chorus so I was going to sit down when I have the time and come up with just the music for the chorus and then wrap the rest of the music for the song around it. Then I would write the lyrics which is usually backwords of how I work now.

Another idea was to come up with a harmony verse for Mournful Cry. I got the idea listening to some of the Indigo Girls new work that reminded me of some of the gospel harmony I grew up with (all that was on tv on Sunday morning when I grew up).

My last idea I havent started anything with yet was about a Comeback story song....nothing else with that but who doesn't love a comeback?

Anyway I'm off to bed for the night (up late again). smile

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2,147 Reply by jets60

(12 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Thanks guys - yep - and I'll keep at it.

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2,148 Reply by jets60

(12 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Hey Saba - Thank you very much - It was kind of fun to write but not so fun waking up this morning wink

Jeff

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2,149 Topic by jets60

(12 replies, posted in Songwriting)

This song tells its own story so I'll let it. Hope you like it....By the way, it only took me until a quarter till 12 so it was not as bad as the song makes it sound.



It Could Take a Night By Jeff Gilpin


June 5th, 2007






Intro


[C] [G] [D] [Am] [Em] [G] [D] [Am]






Verse 1


[Am]Why’d I pick up my guitar


[Em]It’s going on half past 10


I [G]won’t have the time to [D]finish


So why the heck did I be[Am]gin






Verse 2


[Am]Hell, I still do it anyway


I [Em]know I should just go to bed


But [G]I like picking through the [D]liter


Lining the highways in my [Am]head






Chorus


[C]I can’t let it take too [G]long


[D]Because I’ve got to hit the [Am]hay


But [Em]I’ve got miles to [G]cover


It could take a [D]night


and maybe the next [Am]day






Verse 3


[Am]I may be digging up good ones


[Em]Like finding treasure I’d forgotten


Or it [G]might be me picking at a festering [D]scab


Uncovering old wounds that turned [Am]rotten






Chorus


[C]I can’t let it take too [G]long


[D]Because I’ve got to hit the [Am]hay


But [Em]I’ve got miles to [G]cover


It could take a [D]night



and maybe the next [Am]day






Verse 4


[Am]I could rediscover my first love


By [Em]dusting off my lost innocence


More [G]likely it’ll be forgotten [D]dreams


And how my youth was mis[Am]spent






Chorus


[C]I can’t let it take too [G]long


[D]Because I’ve got to hit the [Am]hay


But [Em]I’ve got miles to [G]cover


It could take a [D]night


and maybe the next [Am]day






Verse 5


[Am]Then I’ll probably try to come to closure


[Em]Putting things back in place for another time


[G]Maybe try to find the silver [D]lining


Or at least hope there’s one to [Am]find






Chorus


[C]I can’t let it take too [G]long


[D]Because I’ve got to hit the [Am]hay


But [Em]I’ve got miles to [G]cover


It could take a [D]night


and maybe the next [Am]day






Ending Chorus


[C]I guess at least for tonight I’ve [G]finished


[D]Enough writing at least for this [Am]song


And I [Em]still have time to catch a [G]wink or two


Saying to my[D]self,


See, I told you it wouldn’t take [Am]long"





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2,150 Topic by jets60

(0 replies, posted in Bands and artists)

I heard his song Satisfied and I could really relate to the lyrics and it was a nice tune to it as well. I just looked and it's not on chordie but if you get a change take a listen.

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