Red Dirt Roads - Soundcloud

Red Dirt Roads - YouTube

Development:
This composition was born from the latest assignment I've set for my group of friends that includes Andrew Dee (avert your ears Andrew if you don't want to listen before our next get together). You can listen Andrew, having completed this assignment I'll probably try and do a second shorter song now. The theme was to write a song where the lyrics don't follow the conventional rhyming patterns, ie AABB, ABAB etc., or they don't have to rhyme at all. So for this song I have been inconsistent as to where the rhyme (if any) falls.

So I'd come up with an opening F#m7 - B7 intro that had a choppy, almost train or travelling rhythm. This got me to thinking of a song by Flash and The Pan's song, Waiting for a Train, an Aussie pair from the 80's. That song has an "um, um, cha; um, um, cha" beat that references the train/driving beat. Unfortunately I couldn't find a style in BIAB that came close to the feel, and I nearly settled on a dance style , DANCE6, but in the end I didn't think it was going to work that well. I then came across the "SHOCK" style in rock, and I've settled for a more conventional genre that I'm more comfortable with. So this was originally going to be called Open Roads, a song about someone who lives a nomadic lifestyle on the road. I later changed it to Red Dirt Roads just to give it that extra sense of being away from civilisation and desolation. So, again as is with a few of my songs, no great insights lyrically, and I've probably concentrated on lyrics that work musically.

I play the acoustic rhythm and obviously vocals, hard to believe they're not AI right?!?! The lead, bass and drums are BIAB. I'm conscious that BIAB lends a huge part to these songs, but I always want to try to add a human element, warts and all. I just feel that if I let BIAB do it all, I'd be selling myself short and not learning how to play. I really ought to go back and try to learn some of the BIAB solos, does anyone in the forum try to do that?

I hope it's to everyone's liking.

BIAB Info:
Title: Red Dirt Roads
File:Red Dirt Roads.SGU
Key=F#m, Tempo 118, Length (m:s)=4:58
Style is _SHOCK.STY (Shock Choppy Blues Rock Soloist)
RealTracks in style: 1717:Bass, Electric, TexasBluesRockStraight Ev 120
RealTracks in style: 3360:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm BritBluesRock70sChoppy Ev 110
RealTracks in style: 3362:Guitar, Electric, Soloist BritBluesRock70s Ev 110
RealDrums in style:RockHardEven8^1-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride

Human Info:
Acoustic Guitar: Seagull Coastline
Vocals: 64 year old vocal chords

Song:
INTRO

VERSE 1
So long, been a drifter for so long.
This old pickup it rattles and jangles my bones.
Down a red dirt highway, destination’s always round the bend.
Moonshine and blinding headlights,
Make it hard to stay alive tonight.
A roadhouse is a friend for the night.

VERSE 2
So long, this red dirt goes on and on.
Four pieces of rubber that know no home.
Every day’s a long haul, been crossing state lines.
Always someone cutting me up.
They gotta get in front of you,
Must pushing hundred and fifty-two…. k..p..h

CHORUS
… hhh-heyyy… …hey, hey, hey, hey, yeah.
…ooh-ooh… …whoa, ooh-ooh, ooh.
Living on red dirt roads, a way of life I’ll never fold.
Chasing endless horizons to the sea.

SOLO

VERSE 3
So long, Rusty at my side for so long.
She don’t care, as to where, she’s got her bone.
Ain’t nothing better than bombing along red dirt roads.
With your best friend at your side.
She’s not trying to catch you out.
She’s just a ….. along for the ride.

CHORUS
… hhh-heyyy… …hey, hey, hey, hey, yeah.
…ooh-ooh… …whoa, ooh-ooh, ooh.
Living on red dirt roads, a way of life I’ll never fold.
Chasing endless horizons to the sea.

… hhh-heyyy… …hey, hey, hey, hey, yeah.
…ooh-ooh… …whoa, ooh-ooh, ooh.
………….. red dirt roads, ……………… I’ll never fold.
……….. endless horizons to the sea.

OUTRO

Last edited by Knee Wobbler; 01/05/26 07:56 PM. Reason: Link to YouTube video added