I wanted the song to be as hectic as the times I wrote about. This is a story of a long break one summer in the early 1970's in St Raphael in the South of France. Train journey was as good as the holiday as we, a couple of nurses, my 12 string and I, met a French TV presenter and his 2 incontinent kittens who got on in Paris. Then in a St Raphael campsite there was a German couple in the next tent who knew how to party . We both had a discussion with the gendarmerie about jaywalking then warned about being hippies and the 30 day threat if we were caught. What did they mean? but we then were more cunning.

30 days in St Tropez

****** Song Summary *************
Title: 30 DAYS
File:30 DAYS 2015 M XTRA.SGU
Key=Dm , Tempo 164, Length (m:s)=2:32
No intro. 100 bar chorus, from bar 1 to bar 100. Repeat x1 chorus
No Melody
No Soloist track.
Song is saved with Volume, Pan, Reverb, Chorus, Bank0,
Song is saved with bar changes for Volume Changes,
Style is _RAMBLER.STY (Rambler Songwriter Country)

RealTracks in style: 1846:Bass, Electric, CountryBoogieRootFive Sw 140
RealTracks in style: 1420:Banjo, Rhythm, PopCrossover Sw16 075
RealTracks in style: 372:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Hank Sw 120
RealTracks in style: 373:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Hank Sw 165
RealDrums in style: NashvilleBrushesHillbillySwing: a: Sidestick, Brushesb: Brushes, Stick

plus

RealTracks in song: 825:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Country Waltz Sw 140
RealTracks in style: ~~407:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Ev 165
RealTracks in song: 961:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm CountryBoogieOpen Sw 140
RealTracks in song: 886:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm TexasBluesRockLowRiff Ev 165
RealTracks in song: 1718:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm TexasBluesRockStraightBrent Ev 120
RealTracks in song: 861:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm HardRockWaltzSustainHeld Ev 140
RealTracks in song: 1585:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm TexasBluesRockShuffleSol Sw 130
RealDrums in Song: NashvilleSwing8^1-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride

Piano and trumpets both from a style I forget as the song had been sitting around, in MIDI, for a long time and my only copy was the full MIDI file as a sequence in the Soloist track using zz rock-style.
bass adjusted from tab of bass RT using Proteus Emu free
arpeg and choir/strings using soundfonts in Fl STtudio from the songs chord track
claps loop
Backing vocals: The Flab Four
*******************

do you remember those lazy hazy days
walking down the marseilles streets
you supping those long cool lagers
your excuse is cos of the heat
those days in Aix en Provence moving to a different site
and every movement was done in a haze
but not because what we'd eaten or what we'd drunk

I remember every little thing
I remember all the clothes you wore
I remember those Ashleigh prints
and the silly songs you used to sing
do you remember my gibson 12 string
the one I bought when I sold my car
the German couple with the bag of tricks
put me away for 30 days in St Tropez

we carried on dancing
we carried it all
we made it by romancing
we loved us all
if it wasnt for loving
dunno how we survived
tried to stop all the hating
and having to die
tried to change the world and boy did we try

tried to change the ways of the world
and right the wrongs our parents made
nothing's different, nothing's chnaged
we just did the same as their days
I rememebr sometime saying
I believe that here comes peace
I daily try by praying
I want to be released I want peace

we carried on dancing
we carried it all
we made it by romancing
we loved us all
if it wasnt for loving
dunno how we survived
tried to stop all the hating
and having to die
tried to change the world and boy did we try

Ashleigh Print dresses

enjoy

Alyn

Very cool song Alyn. Loved the lyric and vocal and would have loved to make the trip there as well

Alyn,

Your songs are often real "listening events" unto themselves. This is yet another.

An interesting write (they all are), very interesting production (they all are)... cool use of BIAB and multiple styles and various MIDI tracks. Excellent build.

A listening delight! You cannot listen just once...

floyd

Alyn,

Very cool. Great song and love the vocal!

Bob

Wow, more tracks there than I'd use in four songs!

"...a couple of nurses, my 12 string and I, met a French TV presenter and his 2 incontinent kittens..." I had to start the song over twice because I got lost reading through the great backstory. Finally did it right and just listened to the song.

Couldn't agree with floyd more regarding the production. Amazing.

There's a ton of wonderful imagery here...in the song and the backstory.

You packed a world of good things in that 2:36!!

J&B

Cool song!! I wish I'd been there! As Floyd said, nobody does it like you. As always, exploding with creativity, imagination, and definite sonic texture. I think you might have tied Floyd's record for most guitars in a song, BUT they totally work (as the did for Floyd). ALWAYS enjoy your stuff Alyn, and no exception here!! Take care. Greg

Hello, Alyn

I thought it was the music of the major key when I guessed from the contents of the lyrics, but unexpectedly it was the music of the minor key.
I first imagined a French pop from the title but it was also wrong.
It is the music with the slightly strange taste, but I like it, especially your vocal.
The modulation of the end of B part is very nice.
It is pretended to progress to a major chord but it is terminated with a minor chord. That is fine.
As I cannot understand the English lyrics so well, I'm sorry if wrong. The happening in Marseille was too fun, and so it prevented you from going to Saint-Tropez, wasn’t it?
And Ashleigh Print dresses are lovely and sexy, I love them, too.
Very enjoyable listen.

Best Regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Alyn
Heck of a song - great listen. Very interesting lyrics & story!

Peter

Wonderful write, mix, production and performance. Great imagery in the lyrics, very relatable to those who traversed across the 1960's & 70's....

Enjoyed my listen.

Charlie

Cheers Scott, we could have done with you, another guitarist, because if I remember correctly I was the only one. I wish I could remember the German lad's name because although we struggled to communicate he was a great bloke to be with and an awful influence on me.

Glad you enjoyed

Alyn

thank you floyd, I really appreciate your thoughts. As they put my thoughts about YOUR music into words.

*buys floyd another frosty*

Alyn

Thanks Bob from commenting, so glad you enjoyed.
Ain't BIAB a wonderful program

Alyn

Hahah re the number of tracks
Thanks Janice and Bud, those kittens were pains as they pooped everywhere and ensured we had the compartment to ourselves but the girls were hooked by their "cuteness"

it was a great holiday, if not a bit fuzzy at times

Alyn

Oh yes, this has all the typical Alyn elements.
So original, very cool transitions between verse, pre-chorus and chorus.
That typical build up. The kinda sound you don't hear very often on this forum.

Good work!!

Rob

As Floyd said - you can`t listen just once- another unmistakeable Gibson! An enjoyable " haze" to the sound... off for another whiff of it.

Robert

This is really a song you can listen to many times on repeat without getting bored It's not in the details, but in the atmosphere of the wholeness. And probably the ideal length of the song. I see an image Beatles and Monty Python playing together on tour in France

Janne

Cheers Greg,
It would have been great to have had you join us!!
There were some bad moments like my setting up the tent on an ants' nest and waking in the night being tickled to death as I was COVERED in them. The little ****'s even got in my toothpaste tube!!
Glad you enjoyed my memories in song

thanks for commenting, take care

Alyn

Thank you for another impressive comment on my song.
You clearly show that you are a true musician by your words and your WONDERFUL compositions.
We initially were planning to stay in Marseilles but the presence of an American Warship in the port made us move up coast. No problems but 100's of sailors catching up on their lack of beers and women scared the girls so we moved up coast and met the German couple.
He had some herbal tobacco and the gendarmes warned us that if we were caught with it then we both would have had 30 days, in jail, in St Tropez. Luckily this did not happen and I never touched the stuff again
Great memories tho'

Thanks for commenting

Alyn

Cheers Peter,

Glad you enjoyed!
That month was one of those months that stick out in the memory banks. I never want to go back to St Raphael in case the town doesn't match with my memories.
Sadly that recent incident in Marseilles reminded me of my visit and I dug out the words and the midi version which ended up as this song!

glad you enjoyed it

Alyn

This is one of your best song.
Very original song.

Sergio

Very nice! You pack a lot into this little song, lot of images, great vocals, love how the parts work together, and all those guitars.

Kenny

This is SO cool Allyn. I have been there (st Raphael) when I was 30. But I was by myself so didn't have such a jorl as you seem to have had! Enjoyed it very much!

Nice job on this! The lyrics speak to me, guess we must be a similar age

Thanks Charlie,

this holiday was my only dabble with that stuff as I returned to my life as a dental student with great stories to tell in the bar. The Dean of the hospital heard the story and I heard one story from him about his exploits as a student HAHAHA

Thanks for listening

Alyn

Hi Rob,
SO true about my sound
SO glad you enjoyed the audio postcard to my holiday

all the best to both

Alyn

HAHAHAHA
*tut tut" re the "off for another whiff"
This was the only time in my life I dabbled with that stuff, wouldn't go down well as a Dentist on dope

Thanks for listening

Alyn

Janne

I thank you SO much for the image of the Never saw the Beatles but at roughly the same time Python did a show for one of the Hospital's summer Balls, All I can remember of seeing them was John Cleese and the team walking on stage,Cleese going " and now for something completely different" and the whole audience erupting in applause and laughter for what seemed like for ever!

Glad you enjoyed

Alyn

Thank you Sergio, we could have done with you on guitar

take care

Alyn

Thanks Kenny,

I got sort of carried away and they melted together with a bit of distortion!

glad you dropped in to listen

Alyn

It's a lovely place isn't it, apparently the surrounding countryside is beautiful also
so glad you enjoyed my song and hope just the name St Raphael conjured up all your memories also

take care

Alyn

Cheers Dave,
Wow are you 21 ish also?
It was a fun time wasn't it?

thanks for listening and commenting

Alyn

Alyn, sorry for the late response. You sound like you had more fun than we did. In April my wife and I caught a nasty virus in Aix en Provence. I love the stories in your songs. They are very enjoyable to listen to. Tom

What an awful addition to your holiday, Tom and family. Thank goodness we were OK apart from the self inflicted pains in the mornings. Hope you both are well now!

Isn't it a lovely area, I went back later, but for a normal holiday, and discovered it was beautiful.


thanks for listening.
Alyn