Every songwriter ought to have a pawnshop song.
And, it ought to be Country as can be...

BETWEEN THE PAWNSHOP AND THAT WOMAN

there's a pawnshop down in jacksonville
that owns about half my guns
the title to my boat, my fishing gear
and the rights to my first born son
they've got my skil saw and my socket set
and that black and decker drill
i have my cookouts down at the pawnshop 'cause
that's where i keep my grill

i spend a lot of time down at a-1 pawn
since my wife used my clothes to decorate the lawn
i may be only guessin', but i got the firm impression
she wanted to see me gone
between the pawnshop and that woman
i'm giving it all away
between the pawnshop and that woman
i'll take the pawnshop any day

that woman kept my 4x4
the house and my mobile phone
the pawnshop's got so much of everything else
it's starting to feel like home
one day i'll get back on my feet
clear these pawnshop selves
take everything back except that woman
i'll leave her for someone else

that woman cleaned out the back accounts
so i'm hocking what's left for cash
she was one of those things in life
you can't afford if you have to ask
between the pawnshop and that woman
i'm giving it all away
between the pawnshop and that woman
i'll take the pawnshop any day

the pawnshop's been like family
i've got a cot and a place to stay
so if your woman puts you down, come on around
i'll buzz you through the gate
between the pawnshop and that woman
i'm giving it all away
between the pawnshop and that woman
i'll take the pawnshop any day


The Band...
RealTracks in style: ~539:Bass, Electric, Pop Sw 120
RealTracks in song: 625:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Rascal Sw 075
RealTracks in song: ~959:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm CountryBoogieA-B Sw 140
RealTracks in song: ~975:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm CountrySwingCleanMuted Sw 140
RealTracks in style: ~1117:Fiddle, Background CountryBoogie Sw 140
RealTracks in song: 617:Pedal Steel, Background Shuffle Sw 136
RealTracks in song: 2165:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm NewOrleansSwinginPop Sw 130
MIDI SuperTracks in song: 2248:Piano, Soloist CountryShuffleJohn Sw 120
RealTracks in song: 1283:Guitar, Electric, Soloist CountryShuffleBrent Sw 120
RealTracks in song: 1279:Guitar, Electric, Soloist CountryBoogieBrent Sw 140
RealDrums in style: NashvilleShuffle^01-a:Sidestick, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride


Comments encouraged. Have fun. Have at it.

floyd

floyd,

Hahaha, been there......almost!

That is good country as it should be. what a superb line!

Nice mix of RTs.
Enjoyed that a lot.

Another floyd winner

Alyn

That's a true country song.... clever lyrical crafting, with more truth than should be the case.


This line gave a big smile: she was one of those things in life you can't afford if you have to ask... haha... I've known a few like that

Yep, that one made me smile and that's what it's all about.

Hi Floyd,

again a masterpiece. Everything fits. (And there
are a lot of RTs that had to be puzzled together).
Very entertaining lyrics. I learned two new words
(cot and skill saw). And your vocals delivery
is spot on.
You see me toe tapping while I'm writing this.
Most enjoyable.

Guenter

floyd, Once again you have displayed clever wordsmithing. A very fun and enjoyable listen. Great editing . The mix sounds good and the vocal is on point. Anyone who has spent as much time as I have in pawnshops knows that there is much joy in discovering good deals and much sadness in the stories that surround them. Very interesting places indeed for a number of different reasons. Another keeper in your catalogue of good uns. Tom

Floyd,

I wish I'd known. I just bought the skill saw. You can use it anytime LOL.

Fun song, love the backgrounds and the nice breaks/kicks towards the end.

Hello Floyd,

In principle I am not the biggest fan of Country music, but I noted some very interesting things in your song : first of all, the orchestration, many instruments and a mix which is very well done ; One other thing that interests me is the voices in the background, is it your voice with reverb or samples?

Have a good day

Deliciously humorous!! Crafty and fun. Everything this type of song should be. When I saw the title, I knew it'd be great but I wasn't sure what type of song it was. The last line of the chorus delivers the humorous blow after a great setup. The master is back in town!! Great work Floyd! Take care. Greg

Count me among the impressed as well. I'm always amazed by the unexpected lyrics you come up with. Not sure how you do it, but I like it.
Thanks for sharing this.

-Jeff

Thanks for another great one. A lot of fun, and top notch production all the way around.

That's quite a list of realtracks used here!
Man, how do you get these mixes so crispy clear, uhm, yes you already explained once...
We are trying to do the same in our recordings, but haven't managed to get this crystal clear audio quality yet.
Anyway, another country song very well done!

Rob

Floyd,
Superb arrangement and performance. Top notch all the way.
SD

As always, a great song.

But the arrangement and mix were simply stunning - lots of variety, and the licks fit in like they were played just for the part, but never crowded or blocked the lyric.

Amazing.

HA! - like I said, Alyn...every songwriter needs pawnshop song! thanks for your support!...



Thanks, Herb...

LOL as soon as I read the title I new this would be great.
Great lyrics and very catchy.
Also great job on the mixing.
Love it.
Rob.

...click image

floyd,

What a great musical journey! A terrific drive through the countryside of down-to-earth humour. Scenery, laughs and smiles all the way. And a toe-tapping beat to keep the feet actively involved as well. All wrapped up in a first class arrangement, top notch performance and outstanding production. Excellent stuff!

After reading Herb's comment, “That's a true country song.... clever lyrical crafting, with more truth than should be the case”, I nodded my head in agreement. He summed up the lyrics well.

When I first saw the song's title in the forum, I sat looking at it and thinking about it for around 15 minutes. It's one of the most intriguing titles I've ever seen. I was fascinated and I found myself wondering how anyone could use such a title in a song. What theme links a 'pawnshop' to 'that woman'? While vivid images appeared when I thought about either 'pawnshop' or 'that woman', I could not, for the life of me, think of a link between the two that had sufficient potential to create a whole song lyric. I'm envious of your ability to find a song in the most unusual and unexpected places.

I can't remember which song it was but, a while back, I recall commenting on how you used the rhyme scheme found in limericks to complement the emotional journey of a serious song. In “Pawnshop”, you've chosen a different path. You've taken the rhyme technique of a limerick (AABBA) and used it to enhance the effect of comedy.


While it's a little different in that the meter of the first two lines scans as one foot longer than those found in the traditional limericks, the last three phrases parallel the limerick's design.

• After I heard you sing the above sequence of phrases, I burst out laughing. It wasn't until later when I was looking through the lyrics that I saw the format and realised how you made me laugh out loud. That was a very clever touch. If it's possible to be a 'Le Cordon Bleu' songwriter, you are definitely one.

Like with your song's title, I was also intrigued by the song's form. It's a very effective variation of AAA. The song travels along as ABABAB where the B-section is lyrically different each time and tagged with a refrain. The third A-section is an instrumental section. In the greater scheme of song formats, it's possible to group A and B together and simply call the pair a single section. This means that the song is essentially three song-sections: thus my comparison to AAA. I have to say, your use of the ABABAB format gives quite a different feel from the standard form where the B-section of a song is the chorus. I like it.

Having the third A-section as an instrumental is a terrific use of the 'Rule Of Two' that Steve Seskin introduced me to a few years ago. I've mentioned this a couple of times before in other songs. Using standard 'Applied Rule-Of-Two 101', after you've gone through the AB sequence twice, you go somewhere different before coming back to the third B section. It worked for me!

• For those who read this and are not familiar with what Seskin means, his theory is that decades of popular songs and centuries of classical music have demonstrated that if one wants to achieve musical contrast without creating boredom for the listener, it's necessary to play a sequence and then to repeat it once. This establishes a feeling of familiarity. Then, after the familiar has been created, the power of contrast kicks in when the music goes somewhere different. Following the contrasting section, the music then returns to the familiar and the familiar section is more strongly emphasised because of the contrasting section. Seskin says that listeners generally feel a sense of satisfaction from this structure.
• If anyone is interested in finding out more about the 'Rule Of Two', here's Mozart to help explain what I mean.

Lastly, I liked the way that you ended each song section with a refrain that finished with an open, long vowel sound. The “-ay” sound felt comfortable. If my memory serves me correctly, I'm pretty sure that I've read somewhere that Oscar Hammerstein II (of Rodgers and Hammerstein, “Sound Of Music”, etc.) liked to end the lyric of his song sections on an open vowel wherever he could, too. Seems like you're in good company.

• Once again, thank you for letting me work my way through your songs. I really enjoy trying to apply what I've picked up from books and seminars. It's through these analyses that I learn such a lot. In so many ways, your works are a terrific resource for understanding the finer points of song craftsmanship.

All in all… an excellent creation, an excellent presentation and a brilliant production. It seems to me that you have definitely discovered how to output the quality of a professional studio. This really doesn't sound like BIAB at all.

All the best,
Noel

• 90dB's version of my song, Brighter Than Any Star

I don't know about any "rule of two", but I like the song. If it were me,though, I would have left that woman at the pawn shop.


Regards,

Bob

That was really well written. I wish I could give you some advice, but you know what you are doing!

That was a master class in lyric writing!

Thanks for the share!

Hi,Floyd !

I fully agree with
everyone calling this
tune a masterpiece !
This must be the best
you´ve written (until
your next masterpiece,
that is)!!!!!

Cheers
Dani

So if it's not your brother in law borrowing your stuff (Given up for Lent), it ends up at the local pawn shop. Good thing you're not a material guy.


Good song, well written, mixed, produced and performed.

I really enjoyed my listen.


Charlie

+1 What they said. You've got some great funny songs in your repertoire and this one is no exception.

"and the rights to my first born son" LOL!

Totally enjoyed everything about it FJ.

Josie

Brilliant! What a great write. I once gave my home address as my car registration number on some form or other so I can definately relate to living in a pawn shop!

Guenter - I always appreciate your support - and the nice reviews... One does no see many cots anymore. We had them for camping when I was a kid. Skill saw, I believe comes from the brand name (Skil) much the way we refer to tissue as "Kleenex" ...



Thanks, Tom... I went through a "pawnshop phase" - a buddy and I spent hours exploring - though seldom buying - we were broke - but always dreaming of that special items that everyone missed - that we could sell for a small fortune...




HA!, Patrick... hold on to that, I'll need it....

The more I hear this, the more I like it. I can relate to the pawn shop.







Regards,

Bob

Well, as we say down in South Georgia (USA that is)
"That's stronger than a garlic milkshake!"

When you suggested that "every songwriter
oughta have one" I knew we were in for a treat.
Why, 'cause I knew good and well that if you
took on a theme like that it would be fresh
and inventive. And no disappointments
emerged. Great vocal, great RT's, great
arrangement and mix indeed; but, what we
can't get over is how much powerhouse writing
is packed into this one song. We'd be excited
to conjure up a third of that quality for one
endeavor. If my writing head was that fertile
I'd never stop.

Aw right crank up the broken record "this oughta
be what we hear on country radio. Period."

J&B

Thanks, PRADON. The harmonies are me - my typical treatment - I do 2 harmony tracks (both thirds), pan them left and right between 30-50% (depending on the song) and add effects - typically reverb, some eq, delay sometimes - to give them some "space". Simple stuff.



Thanks, Greg... always enjoy your take on a song...



Thanks, Jeff... appreciate that...

Always nice to see you drop in, Curt... thanks for the listen...



Thanks, Rob.... seems to me that your recordings are very high quality - I'm always impressed...

Thanks, SD.



Thanks, David. I really appreciate that....



Thanks for your support, Rob....

Hi Floyd,
Great lyrics; love your mix!

Noel - I'll come back to you when I have more time (gotta run now)....





I've heard you don't play by the rules. but always glad when you drop by...




Caaron - Thanks! What a nice thing to say....

HA! Loved the little guy, Noel!




Your reviews are always music to my ears!.



Interesting observation, Noel. Finding the IDEA is often the biggest part of writing a (worthwhile) song. Once an idea occurs to you, if you can sort of map out the journey the song will take, quickly in your head, then you know immediately that you have something worth pursuing. If you can't do that, then you will often struggle to make the later parts of the song interesting.



I don't typically plan structure like that - it simply "occurs" as I write - naturally - it "feels right".



LOL - always good to get a chuckle from someone (when it is intended, of course)



Steve is SUCH a fine writer. "Life's A Dance" was one of my major templates for many years.

Your discussion of form and sequence always fascinates me. Partly because I don't consciously consider it as I write. It is, again, something that generally presents itself as I formulate the idea (journey) of the song - sort of naturally for what the song needs to be based on the subject and the effect that I want to song to achieve.




I can't deny that I enjoy your choice of comparisons...lol



Believe me, the pleasure is mine.



Thanks so much, Noel, for such a wonderful review and thoroughly enjoyable discussion. (AND the little guy!)

Dani - you are always so kind with your reviews...



Thanks, Charlie. Appreciate you dropping in...

Well crafted, sung with the right amount of humor and "radio ready" production. I like this song!

floyd,

"Life's A Dance" is a great 2-song-section template! (I've just been revisiting Steve Seskins' songs and I think that Michaelangelo is an excellent 3-song-section template, too. At one of his seminars, Steve told us about the story on which the song is based. Apparently verse 1 is exactly what happened when he and his wife were in New York once.)

It was a few years ago now, but one of the things that really impressed me at the Seskin seminars was that he has an amazing ability to create emotional intensity through music and lyrics. It might sound strange, but after a number of his performances, just Steve and his guitar, I found myself with a tear in my eye at the end of the song. I don't know how he did it. There were some really cathartic moments and so many of his songs had a feeling of 'pay-off', a sense of 'that was really worth the journey'. I'd love to be able to accomplish that.

In case anyone who's been reading this thread is interested, the below clip is a repost of a link to Steve Seskin talking about the 'Rule of Two'.

Rule of Two

Also, here's a great version of Seskins' song "Life's A Dance". I was going post John Michael Montgomery's hit version but then I stumbled across this one. I like what appears to be more of a 'home studio' approach of James Williams' version.

Life's A Dance

I've been sitting here this morning, putting the lyrics of "Life's A Dance" under the magnifying glass. There's a lot to be learned here for sure!

All the best,
Noel

• 90dB's version of my song, Brighter Than Any Star

Josie... thanks for droppin' by...




Other Josie - I want to hear that story!!... really...

Hi Floyd.
Nice tongue in cheek lyrics and a rockin chorus.
Smooth smooth vocals.
Another one for Floyds radio ready collection.
Cheers.

SEE!!!!!





Y'all are too nice. Hat...won't...fit...

Where is the link where he told people how to get those kind of mixes? I sure would like to read this. Thanks!!!!

What a wonderful write, Floyd!

Lyrical gems and comical imagery everywhere. The whole dang thing had me smiling throughout the whole dang song!!

Cookouts where you keep the grill....If you have to ask the price....just to highlight two in particular.

Oh yeah, your production and your performance ain't too shabby either:)

Well done!

Thanks, Sonny... always nice to see you drop by...I appreciate your support...



Thanks so much for that, Jim. Appreciate it...

Noel - Thanks for the links! I had never heard Michelangelo before - always great to hear a "new" one from Steve... and the video of Rule of Two made it so obvious....




Thanks, Richard...



Just walk your way through my songs, Bob... the info is in answers in the threads - not sure which ones - several, actually... I've pm'd you instructions how to find them more easily...





Thank you, Scott... very nice of you....

Floyd,

This one is right up there! It's one of your best, but then every song I hear you do is one of your best! This one brought some good laughs. It's right up there with "Thank God And Greyhound She's Gone".

Steve

LOL - Thanks, Steve...had never heard "Greyhound", so I found it on YouTube...funny!