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You are in a smoky blues bar drinking and listening to a local blues band. This is my version of Donna Evans' Bottom Dollar Blues.(Now I can give a listen to the other versions!) BiaB style Jazz Ballard w/electric piano is supplying the drums (which I slightly modified to better fit the song) and the Electric Piano. I am singing and playing the slide, bass, and lead guitars. I hope you like this. Bottom Dollar Blues Bottom Dollar Blues by Donna Evans Verse 1 She’s a candy red hot Fire whiskey, tequila shots She’s waitin’ for me at the bar Spends my money like a wild fire Think I’m scorin’ but I lose Got the bottom dollar blues Verse 2 Hopin’ she’s my Lucky Star She plays me like a lotto jar We cruise and smooze around My ticker tape’s runnin’ down Then some final rounds of pool Goes my bottom dollar blues Bridge Sunday church I’m confessin’ Can’t seem to learn my lesson Party girls and booze Give me the bottom dollar blues Verse 3 She always reeves my engine Sparing an intervention I’m addicted to the night life We live the weekends right For her I’ll be the fool With the bottom dollar blues Optional Chorus I got the bottom dollar blues Think I’m scorin, but I lose For her, I’ll be the fool With the bottom dollar blues
My wife had her driving test today.
She got 8 out of 10.
The other 2 jumped out of the way!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Nice job on this Mario, I like the sparse arrangement at the beginning and holding off on the band until the second verse.
Guitars sound great! Mix wise I'm not sure if I'm mad about that hard left panned piano though to be honest, I think it might have sounded better in the center.
But, a nice take on the great lyrics Donna wrote, enjoyed the listen!
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Mario,
I love the very, very bluesy groove! As I listened, I found it so easy to hear that you totally enjoy this style. Your guitar playing is outstanding and your smoldering vocals simmer perfectly with the backing. No one can doubt that blues is a genre that you feel really comfortable with both instrumentally and vocally.
You've done a great job with Donna's fine lyrics that have captured the imagination of a number of PG Music members.
This is definitely one to be proud of.
All the best,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Journeyman
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Mario, I love the soulfulness and emotional blues of your arrangement. Love your take on the song and that you liked the lyrics enough to put them to music. It has been so rewarding to see everyone's take on the song and they were all unique and spectacular. Such a talented and great community here.
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Mario !:))
This is your best blues !
Love everything about it !
Hope you were left with
at least some bucks ?
Cheers
Dani
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Nice job on this Mario, I like the sparse arrangement at the beginning and holding off on the band until the second verse.
Guitars sound great! Mix wise I'm not sure if I'm mad about that hard left panned piano though to be honest, I think it might have sounded better in the center.
But, a nice take on the great lyrics Donna wrote, enjoyed the listen! Thanx Dave for the very nice comments. I'll take a look at that EP, thanx for bringing that to my attention.
My wife had her driving test today.
She got 8 out of 10.
The other 2 jumped out of the way!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Joined: Dec 2003
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Mario,
I love the very, very bluesy groove! As I listened, I found it so easy to hear that you totally enjoy this style. Your guitar playing is outstanding and your smoldering vocals simmer perfectly with the backing. No one can doubt that blues is a genre that you feel really comfortable with both instrumentally and vocally.
You've done a great job with Donna's fine lyrics that have captured the imagination of a number of PG Music members.
This is definitely one to be proud of.
All the best,
Noel Thanx so much Noel. Yes I always have been a fan of the blues. I have CDs and records that go back to the early blues guys like Son House and Willie Brown, through Albert King, Muddy Waters, John Mayall, BB, up to the new guns like Bonnie Raitt etc. I also love jazz blues like Jimmy Smith, Miles, Coltrane etc even though some are not considered blues people, i.e. I like jazz also. I am more of a blues player than any other genre.
My wife had her driving test today.
She got 8 out of 10.
The other 2 jumped out of the way!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Joined: Dec 2003
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Mario, I love the soulfulness and emotional blues of your arrangement. Love your take on the song and that you liked the lyrics enough to put them to music. It has been so rewarding to see everyone's take on the song and they were all unique and spectacular. Such a talented and great community here. Thanx so much Donna. I wasn't sure if you would like this or not so I'm glad that you did like it.
My wife had her driving test today.
She got 8 out of 10.
The other 2 jumped out of the way!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Joined: Dec 2003
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Mario !:))
This is your best blues !
Love everything about it !
Hope you were left with
at least some bucks ?
Cheers
Dani Thanx so much Dani. Left with some bucks? Heck no I'm married so I ain't got no money 
My wife had her driving test today.
She got 8 out of 10.
The other 2 jumped out of the way!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 366
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 366 |
Cool vibe, Mario!
I'd like to go into this smoky blues bar listening to you singing and playing – drinking beer and maybe join you're band on bass! :-)
Keep on this bluesy path!
MacUser!
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Expert
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Hey, there, partner  !!! This is Loren (a.k.a. "bluage), who gave Ms. Belladonna's lyrics a musical spin. What you did with them is s-t-u-n-n-i-n-g, sir. Yes, I said it: stunning. In my opinion, you have turned a stereotype on its head by casting a darker light on what could be called the "underbelly" of the bar scene, meaning "drinking establishments", where people go mostly to "drown their sorrows", at the very worst. Painting the lyrics in near-suicidal sounding shades of the blues as you did exposes the idea of "getting tanked", or "tying one on", or "getting s**t-faced", or any of the other ways of describing drunkeness, as a basically sad and un-funny activity that mocks the popular image of it. For example, the phrase "happy hour". While you're at your regular neighborhood "watering hole" pouring shots into your craw, you may feel "happy", yes, but what happens when you return home to your family? Don't know if that's what you intended, but it sure sounded that way to me. Regardless, my hat's off to you, "MarioD". Caught off-guard, LOREN
"Music is what feelings sound like."-- borrowed from a Cakewalk Music Creator forum member, "Mamabear".
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Mario,
Nice moody vocals and great to hear your lead guitar unleashed on a tune you sound very comfortable with.
I can almost taste the smoke in the bar here - you captured the "low places" vibe of the lyrics very well!
Robert
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Cool vibe, Mario!
I'd like to go into this smoky blues bar listening to you singing and playing – drinking beer and maybe join you're band on bass! :-)
Keep on this bluesy path! Way back in my early playing out days I did play in a lot of smokey bars. In fact my first job when I was 15 was in a smokey bar and I got paid $100 and all the beer I could drink. Drafts were only 10 cents USD back then! Yea I'm more of a blues player than any other genre.
My wife had her driving test today.
She got 8 out of 10.
The other 2 jumped out of the way!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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User Showcase
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,536
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Posts: 24,536 |
Hey, there, partner !!! This is Loren (a.k.a. "bluage), who gave Ms. Belladonna's lyrics a musical spin. What you did with them is s-t-u-n-n-i-n-g, sir. Yes, I said it: stunning. In my opinion, you have turned a stereotype on its head by casting a darker light on what could be called the "underbelly" of the bar scene, meaning "drinking establishments", where people go mostly to "drown their sorrows", at the very worst. Painting the lyrics in near-suicidal sounding shades of the blues as you did exposes the idea of "getting tanked", or "tying one on", or "getting s**t-faced", or any of the other ways of describing drunkeness, as a basically sad and un-funny activity that mocks the popular image of it. For example, the phrase "happy hour". While you're at your regular neighborhood "watering hole" pouring shots into your craw, you may feel "happy", yes, but what happens when you return home to your family? Don't know if that's what you intended, but it sure sounded that way to me. Regardless, my hat's off to you, "MarioD". Caught off-guard, LOREN Thanx so much Loren for this. I did try to exhibit the local bar/pub scene with a ton of smoke, at least in the old days around here, and a local blues band playing while no one was listening and all were drowning their sorrows by getting plastered! Thanx for picking up on that!
My wife had her driving test today.
She got 8 out of 10.
The other 2 jumped out of the way!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,536
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Mario,
Nice moody vocals and great to hear your lead guitar unleashed on a tune you sound very comfortable with.
I can almost taste the smoke in the bar here - you captured the "low places" vibe of the lyrics very well!
Robert Thanx Robert. I am the most comfortable playing the blues. Also I have friends in low places! Hey I think there is a song there
My wife had her driving test today.
She got 8 out of 10.
The other 2 jumped out of the way!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Mario,
Nice take on Donna's lyric. Cool guitar.
Enjoyed the listen.
fj
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PG Music Staff
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Posts: 3,414 |
Wow - you did an incredible job on this! It has so much attitude and character. You really did some justice to Belladonna's lyrics here. It has a wonderfully unique groove to it. I enjoyed the progression on this one, too. The sparse and gentle beginning gradually evolved into all these layers - very good at keeping the listener's attention  Thanks so much for sharing!
Cheers,
Deryk
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Loved this tune Mario. Super intro. I loved this kind of blues. Guitar is so good...
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Posts: 125
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 125 |
Mario:
Great job-you really capture the feel, and your playing is top notch.
SaxMarc
daringharmony.com
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Expert
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I really like your interpretation. The emphasis is definitely on the "bottom" of bottom dollar. You have created a wonderful atmosphere.
much enjoyed!
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