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Someone once told me this lyric was "mean".
But, hey...how 'bout that alliteration!!!



A MASTER OF REASON AND RHYME

you were never one for modesty
but honestly
it might do you good
if you took the time to listen
you might learn a lesson
i think you should
you're mired in mere mediocrity
you miss the message most of the time
it takes more than you've managed to muster
to be a master of reason and rhyme

your hackneyed cliches don't ever
find clever
or hit the mark
sometimes it seems you'll never
find your way
out of the dark
the finer points of perfect still elude you
nothing's ever polished to a shine
it takes more than a baggart's swagger
to be a master of reason and rhyme

you've convinced yourself
you can stand with the best
trust me when i tell you
you'd never pass the test

mired in mere mediocrity
you miss the message most of the time
it takes more than you've managed to muster
to be a master of reason and rhyme

so much you need to see before you'll ever be
a master of reason and rhyme



The BAND:
RealTracks in style: ~2477:Bass, Acoustic, HeldSimple Sw 085
RealTracks in song: 1416:Bass, Electric, PopSw16Sync Sw16 075
RealTracks in style: 2441:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking HipFolk Sw16 85
RealTracks in song: 1412:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm CelticHornpipe Sw16 070
MIDI SuperTracks in song: 1805:Synth Pad, PopBelieve Ev16 065 (rendered to organ)
RealTracks in song: 2686:Guitar, Electric, Soloist BluesSlow12-8BrentSimple Sw 065
RealTracks in style: 2438:Banjo, Clawhammer, Rhythm HipFolk Sw16 85
RealDrums in style: NashvilleSwing16^5-a:Sidestick, Hihat , b:Snare, Hihat


Comments of any kind tolerated.

fj

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I don't know much 'bout Reason, but it sure seems reasonable that you a master of the Rhyme. This my favorite of your tunes, that I've heard so far..
Excellent in every way... This is some fine song writing, beautifully performed.


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Another nice tune Floyd. I always look forward to you presenting us with your lastest project.

Enjoyed my listen.

Charlie


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Sometimes the truth hurts!
Another excellent write.

You're knocking it out of the park lately!

This is a home run.

moto

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Floyd,

Mean? Maybe. But some times the truth needs telling . . . and this seems a much needed awakening. Worked for Dylan on Positively 4th Street. :-)

I think I’ve heard this one before elsewhere . . . liked it then, like it still. It’s an impressive write . . . love all the internal rhymes. Production wise, great choices on the acoustic fingerpicked guitar, the electric solo . . . and the light touch you’re used on the banjo, which sits just perfectly behind the mix. Excellent work on this!

All my best,

Deej

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Another great one Floyd. I was working on one of my own, and before knocking off for the day I gave this a listened. No comparison. I've got a long, long way to go. You set a high bar!

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in a forum far away in space as well as time a friend wrote a sticky post a decade or so ago title An Objective View of Your Own Abilities.
It was called mean by many but he simply pointed out that, aside from passion and ambition, a performer needs to know what they are currently capable of doing well at a given point in their learning & development.
Now we have tools to move the goal posts somewhat but the basic premise remains.
In the mid 80s in education in my state we were instructed to address every effort made by a child with "You're amazing", "You have a fantastic mind" & similarly hyperbolic insincerity. I declined and continued with positive but qualified statements like "That's a big improvement" "Cool, now can you...?", "What do you think you can do to make this even better?" becasue the kids recognized dis-ingenuousness soon enough.

This song is very well written, really well performed and tastefully arranged to deliver a difficult message where, one assumes, conversation hasn't succeeded in getting the issues across.

I'm impressed with the use of Brent's playing to add little stings into the musical conversation.

The use of song-smithing tasks as metaphors is very cool as is the rhyming and phrasing.
I dig the song as a thing/sound/feel as well as a narrative.

Terrific!

Last edited by rayc; 03/28/22 03:42 PM.

Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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A well written song. Everything fits nicely together.
As for being ‘mean’ I don't think it's any worse than “You’re So Vain.”

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Hey Floyd,

Sometimes being "mean" is just being "honest"... A critical assessment is never not warranted. wink Whatever that means.

A great write! The mix is outstanding. The acoustic guitar sounds really, really good! So does everything else!

You kinda make this all seem easy... But we know it's not. You're a talent man!

Great Job.

Greg

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"you're mired in mere mediocrity
you miss the message most of the time"

Ouch!

Excellent write, Floyd, I think we all know someone like that.

I found the string squeaks a bit loud, but everything else sounds great.

Went to listen a second time and had to listen to a 30 second commercial before the track started, not too impressed with soundcloud anymore.

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Hello Floyd
There you have written again a great song
Sound, vocals, lyrics, songwriting etc. is always good with your songs anyway.
But through the great guitar solos I like the song especially well.
Excellent Floyd
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

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Originally Posted By: bloc-head
I don't know much 'bout Reason, but it sure seems reasonable that you a master of the Rhyme. This my favorite of your tunes, that I've heard so far..
Excellent in every way... This is some fine song writing, beautifully performed.


Thanks, bloc-head! Really appreciate that!...


Originally Posted By: Charlie Fogle
Another nice tune Floyd. I always look forward to you presenting us with your lastest project.

Enjoyed my listen.

Charlie


Charlie - I always appreciate having you drop in for a listen... Thanks!

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Easy 70's feel. Lots of lovely 'literation and inner rhymes.

I can't help but think I helped inspire this song. wink

The band is excellent here - everything fits and the mix is stellar.

And of course, the vocals fit - I love the little... pauses... in the lyric. So smooth it's easy to notice how well it's sung.


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Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?
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Whoa. Here's a weird story--> Just yesterday I was playing some of your stuff with a friend in my car. We were talking about rhyme. I said while pushing play, "Here is the master of rhyme." We agreed rhyming is not just finding a word that sounds alike, but finding all the words before it that make it the perfect rhyme. Man, I can't wait to play this for him today.

Now reason... that's a whole nuther story. [There was a reason I picked you and Chuck Berry to make a point.] Man, you are definitely the master of songwriting, Floyd. So many are just jacks of parts of the construction, but you are master of them all.

I'll leave you with a quote from my passenger. "Man, this guy is good. How do you know him? He's country but so much more." He meant you can write any style and make it your own.


Enjoy whatever happens!
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Really great alliteration song!
We like that, it's so nice for poems and songs.
Very good song too, with excellent vocals!

Rob and Anne-Marie


We are Rob Meulman and Anne-Marie Bovenkamp from The Netherlands.

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floyd,

Very good song!
The rhyme is wonderful.
Surely you are a master of the Rhyme.
Your vocal is great as usual.
And there is no complaint about the composition of the accompaniment.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

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Neat lyrics, a melodic backing that does not overpower the sensitive intent of the song.

Quality vocals and cleverly incorporated additional vocals blend perfectly to further enhance the presentation.

Yes, Neat!


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Originally Posted By: CaptainMoto
Sometimes the truth hurts!
Another excellent write.

You're knocking it out of the park lately!

This is a home run.

moto


Thanks, moto....



Originally Posted By: Deej56
Floyd,

Mean? Maybe. But some times the truth needs telling . . . and this seems a much needed awakening. Worked for Dylan on Positively 4th Street. :-)

I think I’ve heard this one before elsewhere . . . liked it then, like it still. It’s an impressive write . . . love all the internal rhymes. Production wise, great choices on the acoustic fingerpicked guitar, the electric solo . . . and the light touch you’re used on the banjo, which sits just perfectly behind the mix. Excellent work on this!

All my best,

Deej


Appreciate that, Deej...

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Mean? Just a bit of plain speaking I reckon. Another fine write, performance and production, Floyd.
Regards,
Leon

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You are the master of rhythm and rhyme and story telling

Being honest doesn't mean that you are mean

Another award winning song

Loved it


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It was the best game of Hungry Hippos I've ever seen!


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