So, I wanted to resurrect another old number, this one from the age of 19, I think it was.
I wanted to bring out the pros and recreate the sound of thunder I had with my first band, so I pulled in Scott Collingwood on the electrics because he brings the big guns, and my friend and collaborator Jon Healey from LA on Sax.
The C in Street stands for Collingwood and Canada. Here are some guitar-worthy notes, because Scott is one awesome player.
Scott is playing four guitar parts. He is doing a clean and gritty Les Paul, with a really muscular rhythm left and right channels, and when his astonishing guitar solo comes in at the 5 minute mark (a minute and a half solo) he is playing in freakin’ stereo with himself on two separate tracks, one clean and one dirty, again, left and right. You can’t miss this moment. He blows your socks off. Then Jon comes in on sax. Whoaaah. Dudes!!! That's what I'm talking about.
Hope you have fun and enjoy the ride.
Dead End Road By David Snyder
V1
Johnny pumps gas near an overpass At a Union 76 He feeds his dreams to a coin machine He’s got a toolbox full of tricks He married his high school sweetheart On graduation night They made love in the parking lot Under some neon lights Now she works at a grocery on the boulevard And she says Life would be so easy Johnny But it’s gotten So damned hard So damned hard
CH:
And we’ve been driving down a dead end road Driving down a dead end road Driving down a dead end road Just driving down a dead end road
V2
We got little kid brother sittin’ dirty faced By the side of the road, by the side of the road Smokin’ cigarettes, smokin’ cigarettes And acting real slow, acting real slow Stealin’ quarters, just to play some foosball All night long, down at Nicky’s pool hall Sayin’ brother drive me to the county line We’ll buy a sixpack of beer and we’ll feel real fine Then we’ll go home And mama will ask where we been But daddy’s at work at the factory He sleeps all day, goes to work at three And I think she knows, I think our mama knows
CH:
That we been driving, just surviving Making our plans, but never arriving On our own Cause we’re all alone We’re all alone On this dead end road
Words and music copyright David Snyder, ASCAP/Day of Faith Records
David Springsteen and the C-Street Band is:
David Snyder, Acoustic guitars, piano, B-3, synth, Vocals Little Scottie Collingwood, electric guitars and guitar solo Jon “Skinny Man” Healey, Saxophone
RealTracks in style: 1522:Bass, Electric, PopPower8s Ev 120 RealDrums in style: MetalSlowBigTomGroove: a: Toms, Snare b: Busy Big Toms, Snare
David Snyder Songwriter/Renaissance Man Studio + Fingers
Great song David, this gives a long ago feel to me, which I love, almost Boss, Bruce Springsteen sound, we, me an my friends could not stand him in the 70's the girls loved him, well you make it sound really good. He seemed ok back then now he is just a dancing bear. HA
That's a mighty fine 19-year-old write. Nice job of getting Springsteen-like images and phrasing throughout.
Sort of a Wild-and-the-Innocent chaos, too. I thought it was difficult to separate Scott's guitar (lead) and Jon's sax - they are such similar frequencies.
Thanks David for including me on the track. Really had allot of fun with it. I borrowed a few licks from Little Steven on this one :-) Excellent vocal. Love what you did with the lyrics. Great story telling....
Great work - this is a throwback to the 80's! I love the synths, and the song has a great energy to it. The tune sounds so huge and vast. There's some really cool lyrics as well here. Pretty impressive you wrote this when you were only 19!
You did an outstanding job on this one - thanks for sharing
This song delivers the whole package. It gives you this really raw feeling, like you used to hear more often in older rock songs. I think you did a really good job on this one. It was fun to listen to!
I like the way you can capture the feel of both Dylan and Springsteen.
Your voice lends well to this style.
Really good job of the lyrics. Man they could have been a Springsteen write from back in his Asbury Park days on the Jersey shore.
Personally, if you're redoing this, I'd do a slight rewrite and eliminate the many repeats BECAUSE... man you don't do that in the first verse and it just flows extremely well and shows the gritty side that Springsteen is soooo good at doing. Don't get lazy in the chorus and the second verse.
Quote:
Johnny pumps gas near an overpass At a Union 76 He feeds his dreams to a coin machine He’s got a toolbox full of tricks He married his high school sweetheart On graduation night They made love in the parking lot Under some neon lights Now she works at a grocery on the boulevard And she says Life would be so easy Johnny But it’s gotten So damned hard So damned hard
Man, that's freaking brilliant writing right there..... It takes you into the story and makes you feel the heat of the night and the sound of the coins dropping into the pinball machine.
I'm sure the sax and guitars parts were great, but they are playing together and over each other hiding the brilliance of each other in the confusion.
This song has potential to be a slam dunk knock out. But it needs some more work.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 06/14/1807:25 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Are you pants still rolled up? Is your girlfriend still sitting on the hood of a dodge drinking warm beer in the soft summer rain? Are you gonna disappear down Flamingo Lane?
I don't know man, the poets down here don't write nothing at all, they just stand back and let it all be.
And yeah. I need to clean up that solo mix.
David Snyder Songwriter/Renaissance Man Studio + Fingers
Thanks Kent man, couldn't have done it without ya--literally!!
As for the Teac. Yessir. Being an engineer, I guess you know there is just nothing like getting a perfectly pristine ready for iTunes stereo digital track, loading it into Real Band, and mastering that puppy onto tape.
Or feeding an acoustic guitar part back into the console with some tape on it.
Oh yeah. She runs, buddy. You better believe.
David Snyder Songwriter/Renaissance Man Studio + Fingers
I do need to fix the guitar and sax mix on my second go around. It needs some work. But hey, Bruce took six months to mix Born to Run, so maybe I will get it done before that.
David Snyder Songwriter/Renaissance Man Studio + Fingers
Definitely sounds like it belongs on The Wild, the innocent & the E Street Shuffle - part Sandy & part Wild Billy with some later Thunder Road thrown in for BIGgness... Cool revitalization of your musical youth (pass the Dutchie anyone?). Great contribution from your collaborators.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
hi david love the vocal and the lyrics guitar and sax sounded nice sure brings memories back thanks eric
AMD (TM) 5950 4.9 GHz 16Core Processor 64 bit 32 bits of ram windows 10 pro 64 bit os. sound card Antelope ZenQ guitars Ibanez 2202a 1968 les Paul Custom and Cavin ae 185 Guitar boss Gt-100,GT1000 pedal Yamaha HS8 studio monitors
Scoot & Jon, too. I fully agree with the Springsteen references. Pretty in-depth lyric for a 19 year-old - nice insight to things most kid at that age don't have. But, you've always been a visionary with your music. You truly are one the most creative people on the site -.
You accomplices outdid themselves - you are so fortunate to hive them with you on this. Scott and Jon are more than icing on the cake - they add a lot to the batter, too. Super collab. You guys kicked it in the a$$!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
Playable RealTracks Set 5
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
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