1 Topic by KAP54 (edited by KAP54 2008-08-12 18:02:48)

  • KAP54
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Topic: Cast Off by the City Lights

This is a song of fiction that can hold true in any large city.People struggle day to day just to exist and it's not getting any easier as we get more crowded.
This is a slow song  that I am trying to learn on my keyboard as I believe it will come across with a more honest approach. I apologize for all the F chords. It doesn't need to be barred.My minds eye has it sung in the style of Springsteen. Enjoy

Cast Off by the City Lightsby Ken Peters


July 14/08




[F]I've been walking the [G]streets for sometime,


and I've [F]seen something new every[G]day.


I've [F]seen people drown on the [G]merry-go-round,


as they [F]struggle to find their own [G]way.


I've watched [F]old people cry,I saw [G]one suicide,


in a [F]park in the thunderin [G]rain.


I re[F]member the look on his [G]face as he shook with frus[F]tration and anger and [G]pain.


I re[F]member the look on his [G]face as he shook with frus[F]tration and anger and [G]shame.




[C]Cast off by the [Em]city lights,


destined to the [F]dark of night.[G]


[C]Oh baby what a [F]lonely way to [G]fly.


[F]Lost in the sea with no [G]chance to succeed.


[F]Caught in the trap with your [C]soul left to bleed.


[F]No cause to dance cause no [C]second chance ever will [F]come around.PAUSE


[F]I've been watching the [G]streets for sometime,


and it [F]scared me when I saw to[G]day.


A [F]young women cry as she [G]stood in a line,


with her [F]food stamps enough for one [G]day.


The [F]shirt on her back had turned [G]bright white to black,


and her [F]hair was all tattered and [G]grey.



I re[F]member the look on her [G]face as she shook with con[F]fusion and sorrow and [G]pain.


I re[F]member the look on her [G]face as she shook with con[F]fusion and sorrow and [G]shame.


[C]Cast off by the [Em]city lights,


destined to the [F]dark of night.[G]


[C]Oh baby what a [F]lonely way to [G]fly.


[F]Lost in the sea with no [G]chance to succeed,


[F]caught in the trap with your [C]soul left to bleed.


[F]No cause to dance cause no [C]second chance ever will [F]come around. PAUSE


[F]I've survived on the [G]streets for sometime,


but my [F]heart broke when I saw [G]today.


A [F]family of four that could [G]struggle no more,


cause their [F]dignity washed down the [G]drain.


The [F]Mom and Dad cried [G]and the kids tried to hide,


behind [F]Mommas blue dress in the [G]rain.


I re[F]member the look on their [G]face as they shook with be[F]wilderment,hunger and [G]pain.


I re[F]member the look on their [G]face as they shook with the [F]embarrassment,sorrow and [G]shame.


[C]Cast off by the [Em]city lights,


destined to the [F]dark of night.[G]


[C]Oh baby what a [F]lonely way to [G]fly.


[F]Lost in a sea with no [G]chance to succeed,


[F]caught in the trap with your [C]soul left to bleed.


[F]No cause to dance cause no [C]second chance ever will [F]come around.



Fade out on piano,strings and guitar

Just Keepin on Keepin on
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  • From: derbyshire
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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

hi ken you see this senario every where you go,you also get collections for needy causes but i don't think it ever gets to where its needed cause there's never any improvement,great song...stay cool

love is life ,life is for love,keep a true heart and live life to the full....stay cool

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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Hi Kap54,


[F]I've been walking the [G]streets for sometime,
and I've [F]seen something new every[G]day.
I've [F]seen people drown on the [G]merry-go-round,
as they [F]struggle to find their own [G]way.

I recently seen so many down and outs lying in the doorways of our Stores
in one of our upmarket shopping areas. I felt so guilty. Here was i coming from a theatre,
earlier had had a lovely meal, and now the luxury of a warm car home.
I do what i can in life to help the less fortunate, but i struggled with the image of humans wrapping themselves in cardboard to keep warm and dry of a night.

Thanks Kapa. thought provoking song!

Old Doll.

Why Blend in with the Crowd ? When you were made to stand out !
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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Wow - KAP54, you have packed a whole lot of substance into this lyric. So true - so haunting. The merry-go-round line is brilliant.  Even here in a small town people can go adrift and fall through the cracks.

This is very good stuff and I would love to hear you do this one.  James

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Hi Kenny,

I agree with James, I think these lyrics are outstanding. I did struggle with the chords though, my problem not yours, I always struggle to find a melody line if there is a repeated chord sequence or one chord held for a long time. That being the case I can only try and encourage you to get recording so we can here how it should be.

Thank you,

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

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6 Reply by KAP54 (edited by KAP54 2008-07-18 09:28:48)

  • KAP54
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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Thank You Roger and James.
Tough coming up with some of the lyrics as I do see a lot of down and out people here in Ontario as can be attested by all worldwide.It's an important song for me because it really and truly bothers me to see this when it shouldn't be.I will be reposting with one last verse shortly.
Thanks Again smile
KAP54
PS Roger I will be Emailing you shortly

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  • upyerkilt
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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

brilliant song.
Wasnt sure at first about starting in F but once I got the melody I like it a lot


Ken

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending
  • KAP54
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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Thank You Ken:)
Being a piano/keyboard piece I had to leave a lot of the chords out because I don't know how to put it on paper.Just the main chord progression to get the song across.This will be one of my first recordings hopefully, once I get the rest of my gear and learn (LOL) how to put it all together.

Thanks Again
KAP54 smile

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  • KAP54
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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Got home from work today and thought I would try and record this.It ended up a lot different than I had in mind originally.I think I put too much on it as it sounds pretty fuzzy.Anyways ...have a listen at myspace and pay no attention to the vocals. lol Someone with deeper vocals would suit it much gooder.
Kap

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  • dino48
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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Wow that is a song with alot of impact,great lyrics makes your imagination see what is happening.Good song kap.   dino

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman
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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Hi Kenny,

Another good recording from you and I particularly like the sound effects in the backgroung. A nice touch that.

For me it was very strange hearing this song as you know from my previous mesage and our correspndance that I had put my own chords and melody to your lyrics (I put my own lyrics to my music eventually and it became 'Slave to Addiction'). I listened to your song a couple of times until the strangeness wore off and I have to say it is a good job, well done.

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Wowsers Kap,

this just skullhauled me in from the start. Great moody eerie feel to it.

I listened as i read the words here on chordie.

It just flowed like a great black and white Video through my mind..

"Oh Baby what a lonely way to fly" I love that line..

Big clap on the back for a great song. Thanks for sharing Sir!

Old Doll.

Why Blend in with the Crowd ? When you were made to stand out !
  • KAP54
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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Thanks for your kind words Dino smile Too many people caught in lifes trap sad to not write about.
Thanks Again
Kap

Hi Roger
I thought I would record this one early so you could hear what I heard, except when it came down to recording it the end results were completely different from what I originally heard. lol I will probably record a different version later when I get gooder at recording and playing. lol
Thanks again for your comments and your previous work smile

Kenny

Hey Lena smile
I'm glad you enjoyed it. As I said to Roger it ended up way different than the original idea but I am pleased with the haunting way it turned out.Not knowing how to do a drum track forced me into a lot of the effects to fill in the empty spaces.Me thinks me might have too much effects but that's OK cause I like it and I'm going to be learning for a lon-n-n-n-g  tim-m-m-m-e.
P.S. It sounds gooder without the vocals lol

Thanks Again

Kap

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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Ken...way to go buddy..makes me think Billy Joel right away...rightous topic as well...one of my soap boxes...keep going...marcalan

I thought ; If I had one idea,
and took it from beginning to end.
I would try another.

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  • arkady
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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Hey Ken
That's a good atmospheric piece.
Well done
Ark

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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Thanks Ark and marcaln smile
Frustrating as it was working out the timing with the click track,the bottom line is I had some fun and am happy with the way it turned out.Lots of tweeking to do from my end but it's a big learning curve. hmm
Thanks again and Thank You for accepting me as a friend at myspace. smile
Kenny

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  • buvvy
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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Hey Old Doll skullhauled i have never heard that word before is it uniquely Irish or have i been asleep for the last 61 years.

Keep on Rocking and remember Animals Feel Pain Too.
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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

buvvy wrote:

Hey Old Doll skullhauled i have never heard that word before is it uniquely Irish or have i been asleep for the last 61 years.

Gosh Ive heard this expression for all of my life.  Its used here in lots of ways.

I was skullhauled in like in Kaps song.  Meaning my head from the word go was captured  by the music and lyrics in it.

Or, God your woman was only skullhauled. Meaning. { She was pulled around by the hair.

The bouncers skullhauled the guy into leaving the premises. { they were very physical with him }

Years ago i would have heard mothers say to there kids. { Get yourself here now or your in for a skullhauling, Meaning { A good clatter around the kisser for not obeying them.}

While it appears to  be used only for violence, it can be used with a sense of fun also.

John Wayne Skullhauled Maureen OHara across the fields in the Film " The Quiet man". Meaning he was gonna get  his own way.



lol Buvvy,  This Irish language is very difficult to give direct translations for. Although this is not an Irish word, it would have
connotations that most Irish people would comprehend immediately.

Sorry for being so long winded, another reason to be skullhauled lol

Old Doll.

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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Kenny,
another one I like listening to on myscpae, your space, lol, Im not getting into that again. and if you dont know what I mean you soon will when you read the next post.

But can I critisize it now? But just my opinion, it is your song and you do whatever you like and play it whatever way.

I just think theere should be no piano, just a guitar with the weather background effects.

But on the other hand it could make a very good diano song if there was nothing else being played.

just my thoughts, but I really loved this song too.


Ken

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending
  • KAP54
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Re: Cast Off by the City Lights

Hi again Ken smile

Criticize away. I value all opinions. smile

The piece was written for just piano but because of my lack of skill playing piano,singing and laying down a rhythm track,I put in all the different effects to help cover up mistakes made.(and there are a bunch lol ) and fill up the holes. Vocally I hear a deep voice singing,definitely not mine.
I never thought of going with just the acoustic but will give it some thought as I am still real green at playing and the idea of doing take after take(even though I'll get gooder) is a big pill to swallow.

Thanks for the honest opinion smile

Kenny Againy

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