Hi, folks !

This is my first attempt at writing a western !
It started out with the chorus part and the rest
of the tune was built around it. I got a feeling
that the melody pointed to the Gold Rush of 1849
(California) and a mountain man called John "Grizzly"
Adams, that had an unusual hand with Grizzly bears
I dedicate this tune to Don, as I know that he is
a lover of western tunes and for his big heart in
helping other people ! Thank you Don, you are great !:)

http://www.box.com/s/xbnu9w5lo58h19rp3o0l

Hope you like it ?

The BIAB style backing is Cowboy
and the recording and mixing gear
is Zoom H4n and mixcraft 6

Cheers
Dani

THE STORY OF JOHN “GRIZZLY” ADAMS (Music and words by Dani Limerose)

Back in forty nine,
on the Trail of California, we were heading for the goldmines
down the trail to Sutter´s Mill

It was raining hard,
and the men were tired and weary from a journey on the lines
of the river banks at will

T´was the days of golden dreams
forgotten as it seems
the quest for gold!

As the night broke on,
we were camping at the Tejon Pass, when suddenly a grizzly
came a roaring t´wards our camp

We all frowned to stone,
as there was no chance to run, alas, he´d get us in the darkness
running wildly in the swamp

Then we heard a whistle blow
and the bear stopped short, you know

this tale untold!

So I came to meet,
our saviour standing high and tall, John Adams was his name
and they called him Grizzly John
He was six n half feet
and he told us he had heard the call
for help we had directed t´wards Our Holy Son

T´was a night I can´t forget
when the stage was almost set
t´wards disaster for us all
now you´ve heard my story roll

this tale unfold !

Hi Dani,

Well I have to say you've really extended your songwriting with this one. You've definitely got my "great effort" star for being adventurous

Also, there are some terrific chord changes in this arrangement. A few times during the listen, I found myself thinking, "I like that! I'd better sit down and work out what that chord progression was." Loved the harmony.

All the best with that next one, now!
Noel

Hi, Noel !:)

You are all too kind, but I do
appreciate your nice comments
very much !.) The progression is
Am, Em,Dm,C,A# and the same steps
back again going to F and G !:)

Cheers
Dani

Hi Dani,



Guenter

I agree with Noel. Good effort in stretching your songwriting Dani and the harmony was really nice.

Hi, Guenter !

Thank you so much for your
kind comment !:) I do not
know what came over me, but I
was caught by the progression
and the story of the Great
Gold Rush to California combined
with the simultaneous story of John Grizzly Adams !:)


Cheers
Dani

Dani,

Maybe its because English is not your first language (or is it?) but I really liked the way you phrased the verses. There was an equally poetic / conversational quality to them... conversational in the sense that the words would work in a story-telling setting... but poetic because the average person these days would not state the events in quite same way as you did, and I like the presentation you chose.

A story is told from the vantage point of one, with all of that individual's opinions, beliefs, fears, dreams etc automatically rolled into the equation. The fact that your character said:
that takes it out of the realm of generality and places it directly into the mouth of an individual. I liked that.

I also liked your accent in the context of the gold rush, because at that time in American history there was a huge immigration in process, and most of the characters of such historical tales were of European origin, and their language was still primarily from their country of origin

In summary, your song evokes the believable image of a saloon in a goldrush shanty town where an immigrant prospector walks up to the piano player and lays down a sack of gold dust for an opportunity to sing his tale of adventure

Thanks for sharing such a colorful story.

Hi, Josie !:)


I am glad you liked the tune !
I was not sure if I should sing
it one octave lower, which would
have been my normal range, but then
the harmonizing would probably have
sounded weird (I guess) ! In any case
Josie, I thank you for your kind comment !:)

Cheers
Dani

Dani -
That is quite a story to put to song. Nicely detailed. I was amazed with the fact that you rhymed that last line.... the quest for gold/this tale untold/this tale unfold. I'd like to see how Noel would describe that ABABX-wise...

Keep going!

floyd

Dear Pat !

You are right, my mother´s tongue
is swedish and it is a natural
handicap trying to sing country
and western music. When I sing
other types of music I do not feel the
difference to be as big as it is in
this genré ! I would need to live
in the US for some 10 years to get over
this handicap (lol) !:) By your thorough
analysis of the tune and the lyrics I think
you really liked it,though, and that makes me
outright glad ! Thank you so much Pat !!:)

Cheers
Dani

Hi, Floyd !:)


Thank you for your kind comments,
very much appreciated !:)
Rhymin´in another language than
your own is not always easy, but
in this case it just came out
of the blue !:) I have been listening
to your tunes and reading your
lyrics and I can tell you I could
never reach that level of professionalism !:)
Not in my own language either !:)
Thank you Floyd, I am a fan of yours as
of many others on this site !:)

Cheers
Dani

Hi, Floyd !:)


Thank you for your kind comments,
very much appreciated !:)
Rhymin´in another language than
your own is not always easy, but
in this case it just came out
of the blue !:) I have been listening
to your tunes and reading your
lyrics and I can tell you I could
never reach that level of professionalism !:)
Not in my own language either !:)
Thank you Floyd, I am a fan of yours as
of many others on this site !:)

Cheers
Dani

Oklahoma cowboy translation (Swedish to Okie)

Howdy, Floyd,

A great big gracias for nice stuff and that. Makin' stuff rhyme in a dadblamed ferin' lingo or my own is like tryin'ta pack sand in a dadgummed Prairie Dawg hole wifa limp Rattlesnake. Then tuther
tymes it's sorta lak Owl dung outta yer basic clear blue skah.

Ah bin asquinti'n mah good eah at yall's pickin' and a'cipherin yer lingo and I'm afeerd I'm doomed t'remain a tenderfoot. Not in me own lingo nuther.

Much grass Amigo Floyd. A fan of yorn and otherns.

Drink up!
Daniel Boone

Now Don....

Your gonna confuse the lad, doncha think?

Here's the thing that always put it in perspective for me....

Dani can speak my language fluently. I don't know word one of his. (And my ancestors are Swedish!). I'd say that puts him up several rungs on the ladder... (I know your just funnin' 'im...)

floyd

Hi, guys !

Thank you for your most kind comments !


Cheers
Dani