Hey Y’all,

https://soundcloud.com/david-snyder-gigs4/woodstock

I have been traveling for a month and know it is time to get caught up on the forum. Sorry about that! I am working on it!!

Here is a new song, and a few words of intro.

I stayed with my brother when I was in upstate New York and we talked a lot about the sorry state of the world. Then we decided to go over to the “Woodstock farm” where the show went down in 1969. We met some folks who were reuniting there that day, and had not been there since they were on the front row at the concert. It was trippy.

Anyway, I felt this supernatural presence all around, and I wrote this song in my head while I was climbing back up in the hill in the rain. Yes, it started raining. Like a movie.

I recorded the vocals recently with a VERY WICKED COLD and so it is ragged and raspy, but I decided to leave it that way, because it has Joe Cocker type vibe going on. It matches the song. (My voice won’t be back fully until about a week anyway, even if I do decide to re-record it.)

I am playing the piano and the guitar. My favorite part is the little piano riff that kicks it off at the beginning. Hope you like it.

WOODSTOCK
(Who Will Bring Back the Rain)
By David Snyder

https://soundcloud.com/david-snyder-gigs4/woodstock

WOODSTOCK
(Who’ll Bring Back the Rain)

By David Snyder

V1

I was staying at my brother’s place
Saw a look of sadness on his face
Asked him what was up the road
He said let’s go down to Woodstock Farm
It might rain but it won’t do no harm
And maybe my mood will change
Took a forty-five minute drive
Clouds got dark when we arrived
Just like it did back in 1969
Saw the meadow where it all went down
patch of gravel on the ground
Somebody has to write a song
Bring back the world where we belong

CH

And who will bring back the rain
I gotta know
Who will wash away this shame, and the pain

V2

A lot of things were better then
Folks sang for real with no pretend
It all came straight out of the heart
Janis sang with all her soul
No one was bought no one was sold
And Jimi, he just scorched the skies above
I hated leaving and going home
I felt like crying, so alone
Cause people, I just can’t take this pain
Living in a world like this
Middle fingers, loaded fists
And constant guilt and hate and lies and shame
So I say

CH

Who will bring back the rain
I gotta know
Who will wash away this shame

BRIDGE

And I don’t care what you say
You know that we’ve seen better days
And you know what we have to do
You need me and I need you

CH 3

Who will bring back the rain
Make us pure, make us clean
Cleanse us now and bring a change
Make us love and make us sing
Give us hope and joy again
Who will bring back
the rain
and end this pain

All words and music by David Snyder, copyright 2023
ASCAP/Day of Faith Records

David Snyder: Abbey Road Grand Piano, Fender Guitars, Vocals, Mixing, Mastering Production, Additional Instrumentation

RealTracks in style: 1759:Bass, Electric, Pop16ths Ev 085
RealTracks in style: 1761:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Pop16ths Ev16 085
RealDrums in style:Americana Drums and Shaker [Multi]

David,

This song is a gem... An outstanding piece of music. Beautiful and heartfelt. Love your voice on this.

Production is perfect. Yes, that piano is great!

Sorry I missed you in Kingston. Let me know the next time you're up this way and we'll put something in the calendar.

Bob

Pretty cool (and heartfelt) story, I like it.
And I agree, the piano is really good. In the slower parts at the beginning, I'd probably add a note or three (arpeggioed) between each riff to make it flow better, but that's just a tiny nit.
Well done.

Cool tune... Yeah I figured you had a cold when we spoke when you were at the JW airport.

Cool song. Nicely done on the piano and I liked some of those lyric lines quite a bit.

"Heartfelt." I was looking for a better word, or just another word, but others found the perfect word first.

I get the feeling I get listening to this song when visiting historic sites and contemplating the things that happened there. Must have been a special day.

And just a really nice song. Your voice sounds perfect for the tune, I don't think I'd re-record it. Piano's really nice, too. Really enjoyed it!

Your guitar and piano work great here.

Well sung and a good write, although I'm not sure people would look at 1969 as halcyon days of purity.

I enjoyed this! You really know how to put your heart (with a cold, no less) into a vocal.

Interesting concepts - Woodstock as a beginning and an end, rain once chanted away and now conjured for as a renewal baptism.
No bad brown acid in this one.
Yes, gummed up pipes enhance rather than hamper.
Yes, that little lick at the beginning is cool.
Yes, the chorus sounds like you're in a field, head skyward, arms outstretched and yelling at the clouds.

Yes, cool, cathartic, a crash course in touching the talisman.

Yep, I listened before reading and totally agree with that piano being a favorite piece in this masterpeace (see what I did there?) Yep, you were definitely missed, David. What a great idea for a song, and you are the best songwriter to make it happen. Hey, your cold sounds fine.

David, great way to incorporate your travels into a song. That is a cool kickoff riff on the piano. Solid write and stellar production. Enjoyed,Tom

David,

Joni's got nothin' on you, buddy...
Excellent.
A very strong write.
Another heartfelt vocal. LOVE that cold-fuel chorus (I've got that same cold).

Great job on the piano!

MAN! What a song!

fj
(hey, my brother lives in that area, too)

Well, you certainly gave that your all.
Interesting story and well put together, musically.

Vic

I also liked that piano.
I could feel the pain in your excellent vocal.
Great story!

Thanks Bob!

If anyone has the creds to comment on a song called Woodstock, it would be you!! Look forward to our visit!!

David

That was excellent.

Really enjoyed it.

Peter

David,

The best songs, in my opinion, come in quick brief moments of inspiration. This is a good one and I really felt an honest emotion in the vocal (I feel one of your best).

Thanks, TB

Awesome tune David. Loved the lyric and vocal. Would be so cool to visit one of the most famous and revered places on earth by our generation. Really well done.

David...this instantly became my favorite song of yours...maybe because of the stellar piano part both in the intro and throughout the entire song...it's wonderful to hear a piano driven song...some of the licks reminded me of Elton...super! both the melody in the verses and choruses were quintessential folk/rock magic...as volatile as times were back them they pale to the complicated mess that exists in the world today...you more than hinted at that eloquently in this painful, pleading song..."it is our past that shapes our present but it is our fear or our faith that shapes the future"...the song is so well done!

I translated the lyrics of your song into French because I don't understand English well. your song is well done
Laurent

You have captured the feel of the event. Cold ravaged vocal works well.

I love this line "Living in a world like this/Middle fingers, loaded fists." That's a gem!

Great song with excellent lyrics! Yes, hope and joy is the key to a better world!

Dear Brian and Herb,


Thank you for the kind comments. I am so glad you enjoyed it!

“Folks sang for real with no pretend
It all came straight out of the heart”

Your vocal fits the above perfectly, David! A cold did absolutely no harm to this soulful performance. Your piano and guitar worked a charm.
The mix is dynamic, open and sounds great on the monitors.

We listened several times and it just got better and better and brought up many memories for Bud of those huge 60’s and 70’s music festivals he attended.

Peace,

J&B

Great job David, you are an expressive lyricist, too many lyrical gems in this to mention them all.
As for the cold, that took nothing away at all.
Also great job on the piano.

Dear DC and Ray,

Thank you for the kind words. I am glad you liked it.

I think both of you should know however that I've grown sick and tired of sitting around and waiting for people to write me a proper 80s song that sounds like the Smiths so I've done one myself and I'm going to put it up soon and it's going to be the whiniest Morrissey channeling 80s hit you have ever heard.

With lots of vibrato.

I mean lots.

It's called:

Never Gonna Get a Life.

Just wait.

Dear David and Marty,

Thank you so much for the listens. I appreciate the kind comments.

David, it may not have been halcyon, but it has been a long journey from Purple Haze to Cardi B.

Don't you dare re-record the vocal........It is your best ever!!!!! And the song is killer!!!!......I feel exactly the same way!! AND, when did you become such a good piano player......incredible!!! ! Take care. Greg

Dear Tommy, Floyd and Vic,

Thanks for the kind words gentlemen.

You guys have really been kicking out the hits lately!!

Another great song. The Bath Blues Festival 1969 (before Glastonbury began) was my Woodstock.

Dear Mario, Peter, Torrey,

Thanks guys!

I am glad you liked it.

You guys have been killing it lately!

Hi David.

What a brilliant write.
You've created some really fine lyrics here, and they sit perfectly with the melody, the backing and your singing.
I loved the journey!

All the best,
--Noel