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https://soundcloud.com/user-564042721/ragged-coat

Ah those heady days of breaking free to travel... in my case with not much more in the rucksack than a jar of peanut butter and books on Zen.
Longing for Truth, with a new continent at my feet I spent a couple of years hitching throughout N.America & Mexico .Knocks came hard and fast, but there was a certain relish to the patched jeans & sleeping wherever of life on the road. If this song sounds a little preachy, well... I knew alot back then!
I`d not played this song for years but recently saw Into The Wild with its brilliant Eddy Vedder soundtrack and revived it.
Listens and/or comments welcomed and appreciated.

Robert


Key=Eb , Tempo 120, Length (m:s)=4:12
8 bar intro, 114 bar chorus, from bar 9 to bar 122. 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 _MANPULA.STY (Medium Pop Country Mandolin)

RealTracks in style: 1268:Bass, Electric, PopUplift Ev16 120
RealTracks in song: ~1119:Guitar, 12-String Acoustic, Strumming Ev 120
RealTracks in style: 1948:Mandolin, Rhythm PopUpliftingAndy Ev16 120
RealTracks in song: 2041:Guitar, Resonator, Soloist CountryRob Ev 120 (Bluesy)
RealTracks in song: ~618:Fiddle, Background Allis Ev 120
RealDrums in Song: PraiseWorshipUptempo16^6-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride

Ragged Coat


maybe it was the lonesome song of the wind in the wire
in the arms of giants marching cross the sky
yes and maybe it was my tin soldiers in the rain
watching me with their rusty eyes

when the hobos and the highway called I left the same day
the house of cards I`d known as a boy
jumping fences eighteen years long sleeping by the sea
reading road signs like a prayer book of joy

it was a here today song
as a boy I`d buy
for a penny from the sun
and ragged was the coat
I soon would wear
each tear a badge I`d won

from Holy Moses to Resolute and the Sea to Sky Highway
I read from the gospel of the road
loneliness my dark blanket torn by falling stars
between the thunder of engines and the bars

there`s a road leads on to paradise though all the turns are blind
there`s a road leads to a palace of lies
but the road I took led me where a boy stands in the rain
watching me with his rusty eyes

it was a here today song
as a boy I`d buy
for a penny from the sun
and ragged was the coat
I soon would wear
each tear a badge I`d won



© Robert Cordrey 1996

Robert

Nice production. Good sounding band nice lyrics - pretty melody.
Liked the way the chorus had the quick melodic stabs.
Very nice.

Peter

Hello, Robert

Nice production with pretty melody and your soft vocal.
I like the temporary modulation to the minor key at last chorus (C part).
Enjoyable listen.

Best Regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Robert,

Beautiful melancholic song.
The mandolin works great in the beginning.
Speaking of Into The Wild, Anne-Marie and I love that movie, including the soundtrack of course!

Rob

Roberkc, great song with such a good feel. Liked the way the instrumentation builds. Very Neil Young sounding, which I love. Take care, Torrey.

Very cool lyric. Well done Robert

Thanks, Peter.
The shots on the chorus started with the workaround I had to do to manage a quick chord change when accompanying on guitar- glad it works on the polished version!

Robert

Shigeki,

Thanks for your listen and comments- I`m happy you liked it.

Robert

That`s very kind Rob & Anne-Marie.
Yes,that movie is so well done.
I was trying for a ukulele sound on the mandolin, so tried to dirty up the RT a bit in Alloy.

Robert

Torrey,
Thank you for that very kind review.
I really enjoy playing with the instruments on the mixing now - change the whole feel with a few clicks.

Robert

Thank you Scott, much appreciated.

Robert

Well, it is a treat for all of us that you decided to revise this one...

The write and delivery works really well and your backstory alone
is a fine piece of prose.

The arrangement is thoughtful and engaging...

We like it!!

J&B

Robert - J&B said just what I was thinking - so I steal their words here...

"from Holy Moses to Resolute and the Sea to Sky Highway
I read from the gospel of the road" ... nice...


floyd

Janice & Bud and Floyd,

Thanks so much - its a good feeling to get this feedback, particularly for a song in this genre which you guys rule.
On those place names - I`ve always loved weird & wonderful town names - England probably has the most bizarre, but in my travels here I`d read some and just want to go there from the sound of the name ( I`ve been to Paradise - its in Newfoundland).

Robert

Robert

I enjoyed that, great lyrics and production.
Sounds like you had a good time and have some great memories

And yes we all knew a lot when we were young!

Listened to that a few times

Alyn

You've captured a great vibe hear Robert!! Between you vocal tone, interesting abstract lyrics, and the perfect band, it creates a very interesting listen. Resonator works perfectly. Nicely done!! Take care. Greg

I really like this. The production is excellent and I especially love the lyrics, great story telling!

Alyn,

Thanks for your listens and likes. Yes good & bad times,all worth their weight ... unfortunately I thought cameras weren`t cool, so very few photos of those days.

Robert

Greg,
I`m happy you enjoyed it and appreciate your comments on the production as I can see an improvement in my learning there.
Cheers,

Robert

Thank you David!

Robert