Soundcloud: Simpler times
YouTube: Simpler times
Does anyone think the guy at the end of the video looks like John Malkovich?

DEVELOPMENT
I wrote the beginnings of this song in mid-2024, coming up with the verse chord progression and melody. I was ‘window shopping’ different styles in BIAB, and this style immediately jumped out at me as something different from my normal choices. I can’t remember how I ended up in the key of A major and moving from Bm (ii) to C#m (iii), but there you go. The SGU was saved with the working title ‘I don’t want to be lonely no more’ being a melancholy title that suited the music. The verse chord sequence at that point was how you see the verse 1 chords listed below.

In October 2025, after my last project was completed, I went back to my back-catalogue looking for something to finish off. I have a BIAB folder named ‘Ideas’ where I store incomplete SGU files, and I wondered ‘What’s this one?’ I was immediately struck by its potential and decided it needed a chorus. The next thing was a bit of BIAB magic: I put in the chorus part marker and *that fiddle* immediately exploded into my headphones. Given the key of the verse was in A major, I went for one of my old tricks and put the chorus (bridge) starting in A minor. The rest of the bridge chords were input, tweaked, then I added a melody. After a couple of failed attempts at the lyrics, I settled on the theme of ‘Simpler times’, and with the help of Rhymezone and a thesaurus, got the draft lyrics done and road-tested by singing with my guitar.
After the vocals were recorded, I pulled out my trusty Fender A style mandolin to add the intro, solo and a few fills. I am not much of a mando player - like 'rhythm guitarist picks up mandolin and thinks he can play' - and the slow BPM and the concept of ‘simpler’ fitted my novice abilities.

RECORDING SUMMARY
Style is _OLBONES.STY (Ol' Bones Mountain Americana)

RealTracks in style: 2877:Bass, Acoustic, AmericanaSlow16thsByron Ev16 060
RealTracks in style: 3158:Fiddle, 5-string, Rhythm AmericanaMountain16thsABAndy ev16 070
RealTracks in style: 3155:Mandola, Rhythm AmericanaMountain16thsAndy ev16 070
RealTracks in style: 3185:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm Mountain16thsQuinn Ev16 070
RealDrums in style:AmericanaRoots16th^01-a:Toms , b:Snare

Recorded double lead vocals plus a harmony vocal track.
Mandolin Fender A style FM-52E (with pickup)
Arranged and mixed in Reaper.

LYRICS
INTRO

VERSE 1
I’ve been longing for times that were simpler than now
I grew up without a phone
I’ve been accumulating unnecessary things
That only demand more space than what I have - that I don’t need
I’m trying to let go, back to things I know, that feel more wholesome

VERSE 2
I want a day that doesn’t take away all my mind
A day that gives me the time to breathe
I want to spend more time with the people I know
A chance encounter while I’m on a walk - reading a book
I need to hide away, I need to learn to play without distraction

BRIDGE
I’ve been going to the places that we used to love
I need to go when there’s no-one there
Sometimes, I tell a stranger ‘bout the things we did,
They look at me like it’s kind of cute –
An old man weeping ‘bout the places they loved

SOLO OVER VERSE

VERSE 3
It’s become apparent to me one can know too much
The tyranny of wisdom is quite real
Hearing both sides’ arguments can burden the mind
I don’t want to have to tip-toe through - me and you (all the views?)
How did we once talk? How did we once walk with each other?

BRIDGE
I’ve been going to the places that we used to love
I need to go when there’s no-one there
Sometimes, I tell a stranger ‘bout the things we did,
They look at me like it’s kind of cute –
An old man weeping ‘bout the places they loved

OUTRO

CHORDS
Intro, Outro and Interlude: Bm | C#m | Bm | C#m |
Verse 1 and Solo: Bm | C#m | Bm | C#m | Bm | C#m | Bm | C#m C#7 | F#m B7 | F#m B7 |
Verse 2 and 3: Bm | C#m | Bm | C#m | Bm | C#m | Bm | C#m C#7 | F#m B7 | F#m B7 | Bm7 | E7 |
Bridge: Am | C | F | G | Am | C | F | E7 |

Regards,
Andrew D
Adelaide, Sth Aust
Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/SQE4btVvNVkLq74e9
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@andrewoftheantipodes