https://soundcloud.com/rayc/apparentlybiab0806
An almost finished track.
BIAB drums and Organ from REALSTYLES Tex.
ALL BIAB reverb removed and the BIAB tracks dragged into Reaper.
Eric Drabwell wrote the progression & melody as well as singing, distorted and 12 string guitars.
I did the bass, lyrics and a couple of extra guitar tracks.
It's long and a typically for The Newlings, bitter song.
Vocal is quite upfront as I know many of you folk prefer it that way.
Lyrics:
APPARENTLY
Drabwell/Cochrane

Not so very long from now
A few minutes or maybe an hour
I’ve arranged by stealth to help myself
To take residence in the tower
And once because I’m soft will send my tears aloft
All that just to make it plain to you
That what we had you’ve completely shattered
Left standing in a daze you amaze
As you were saying:
"It’s all a lie I will not try"
No point in you refraining
From tearing down my life
And landing me in strife
You don’t love me, apparently

It could have been any day
For you to chose to go away
But it’s not for you that wouldn’t do
Demise to be its own decay
So to make it all come down
You brought the world around
Once with so much, now cut by your touch
Displayed me in little pieces
Leaving them no doubt
All about your lack of mercy
You took your grand exit
And took it without me
No there was no need
But you knew I’d plead
You’ve walked again, apparently

It seems to be
That there are more lives
Wasted in the world
That you have rended
They can’t be mended
Why do you do that which you do?
You’ve found someone, apparently

If I consider the years
The shouting and the tears
I recall you cried when I said you’d lied
Not knowing you hid your fears
And of all the lies you told
Not one was oh so bold,
As the things you said beside me in bed
Every one was just a token
Leaving me to wish nought was amiss
But now I am broken
There’s nothing left for me
In all the promises you’ve spoken
Yet again you go away
To return again someday
You don’t love me, apparently. You’ve found someone, apparently. You’ve walked again, apparently

Hello Ray,

This song somehow reminds us of acts like Flash and the Pan and Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel.
We like it. We don't hear this kind of song much on this forum.
Well done!

Rob and Anne-Marie

A good raw sound to this, Ray. It works well - kinda "in your face" type song.

I thought the drums could have been a bit "looser" - more punkish...

floyd

Wow Ray,

I hope this isn't an autobiographical song, because the story in it is kind of a bummer! Having said that, the lyrics all sound like they refer to actual events... if so... (OUCH!)

On the other side of that coin is the fact that lost love is great fodder for music... so there ya go!

Rob and Anne-Marie,
Thank you for your generosity. To be even vaguely aligned with the great former Easybeats is lovely & the prima dona that is Steve Harley as well. Ta!

floyd jane,
thanks. the drums were constrained by the wandering tempo of the original vocal track that it was build around. I had to tighten the vox so as to get anything rhythmic to fit and the compromise was no swing.
We do have a more polished, acoustic version of the song but this has the extra nourishment of RealTracks organ.

Pat,
I wrote the lyrics as an exercise and was shocked when Eric managed to do something with them.
The template for the lyric was Alone Again, Naturally by Gilbert O'Sullivan.
I even left in some of his ideas and line endings just in case some one worked it out.
If you know the song and read the lyrics with that melody, metre and rhyming scheme in mind you'll find it's structured and thematically pretty close.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-Mjx4WY2xM

I've had some downers in my life but nothing, thus far, to measure up to Gilbert's song nor my lyrical conceit based on it.

Ray
Interesting song and lyric has an 80's feel.
Liked the 12 string - could add a bit more distortion?

Cool vibe!! The sound of "the band" and the vocal style fit very naturally. I think it could be changed up more often-a bit like you did late in the song. Very pleasant tune!! Take care. Greg

Hey this is a really cool song!