Christmas in America - PG Music Forums

Today is the third anniversary of the massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school. I wanted to make a Christmas song, but one that honored the sacrifice of those children and all who have died in mass shootings since then.

****** Song Summary *************
Title: Christmas in America
File:Christmas in America.SGU
Key=D , Tempo 130, Length (m:s)=6:03
No intro. 194 bar chorus, from bar 1 to bar 194. Repeat x1 chorus
No Melody
No Soloist track.
Song is saved with Volume, Pan, Reverb, Chorus, Bank0,
Song is saved with bar changes for Volume Changes,
Style is M_80SYRK.STY (HardRockLA w 80s Synth[120MST])
PianoCustom Synth is Hi-Q 082 01 Synth, Analog, 80sPad SampleTank.tgs

RealTracks in style: 995:Bass, Electric, HardRockLA Ev 120
RealTracks in song: 661:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm TexasRockCrisp Ev 120 (A:simple)
RealTracks in song: ~1030:Guitar, 12-String Electric, Fingerpicking Ev 120
RealTracks in song: 698:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm ElecRockDirty Ev 120 (A:muted)
RealTracks in song: 657:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm TexasRockChop Ev 120
RealTracks in song: 2276:Synth, Rhythm DiscoElPianoHigh Ev 120
RealDrums in style: RockHardLA^3-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Bell Ride

Christmas in America
GGGG
GADA D It's another Christmas in America
GADA and old Saint Nick is packing the heat
GA DAG You better take care, keep your hands in the air
AGD when Santa comes rolling down your street
DDDD
DEmGA This song is for Jesse, for Dylan and for Grace
DEmGA and especially for Noah, who was shot in the face
DEmGA when the parents saw the bodies, they lost all control
DEmAD cause a Bushmaster slug makes a two inch hole

DEmGA In the nurse's office, Miss Sally heard a sound
DEmGA Shooter! Stay put! She dropped to the ground
DEmGA Miss Lauren hid her first grade in a bathroom down the hall
DEmAD The shooter found them, he killed them all.

CHORUS
DEmGA If a bad guy can be stopped by a good guy with a gun
DEmGA Well when it comes to good guys, Santa is number one
DEmGA he travels alone, hauls a fortune on his sleigh
DEmAD He's not looking for trouble, just stay out of his way

DEmGA He follows the news, knows what it's all about
DEmGA the hatred, bigots, crazy nuts, and that's just in the South
DEmGA When Santa visits America, you know he's coming strapped
DEmAD whoever crosses him will be sorry they attacked

CHORUS

DEmGA The 20 kids at Sandy Hook won't see Christmas again
DEmGA So many die each day, tell me when will it end
DEmGA America is in trouble, and can't tell right from wrong
DEmAD Congress fears the NRA, all I have is this silly song

CHORUS
CHORUS

https://soundcloud.com/willrockwell/christmas-in-america?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=facebook

Very well done. Love it when lyrics tackle a story relevant to the current times. A sad story indeed.

Quote:

Today is the third anniversary of the massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school. I wanted to make a Christmas song, but one that honored the sacrifice of those children and all who have died in mass shootings since then.

Writing this review is hard. Probably the hardest review to write of any song I've given an opinion on.

The children didn't sacrifice, they were slaughtered. This is a really, really hard topic to write about. It has to be done carefully, with forethought, and much discretion.

Personally, I think this topic should have been handled with more taste. Sure it's a tough topic, and it can be addressed in song, but perhaps, in a more thought-out and tasteful manner. I don't see how Christmas and getting shot in the face go together or Santa "packing heat" and making people "sorry they attacked". In fact, it seems to be more biased to make guns and southerners look bad than to honor the children you claim it is about.

Let me point you to a song about another hard topic..... domestic abuse where a murder suicide occurs and the child has to witness it..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiEPjwnbf_o

OR.... wife/spouse abuse and alcoholism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VPpAZ9_qAw

Notice that both songs are about murder suicide. You get the idea and understand it completely, but it's not in your face. Both are quite tasteful in their approach. Independence Day, in fact caused quite a bit of controversy despite it's intelligent way of dealing with a tough topic in a tasteful manner.

I'm not saying don't write this.... just put more thought into how you are going to say something. The way things are said will turn many listeners off. Sorry if this review seems harsh. That's the way I see it.

My 2 cents.

Very well done Will!! But, a bit dark. You did a great job on everything-vocals, mix, and arrangement/production. Very good work! Take care. Greg

Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker

Quote:

Today is the third anniversary of the massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school. I wanted to make a Christmas song, but one that honored the sacrifice of those children and all who have died in mass shootings since then.

Writing this review is hard. Probably the hardest review to write of any song I've given an opinion on.

The children didn't sacrifice, they were slaughtered. This is a really, really hard topic to write about. It has to be done carefully, with forethought, and much discretion.

Personally, I think this topic should have been handled with more taste. Sure it's a tough topic, and it can be addressed in song, but perhaps, in a more thought-out and tasteful manner. I don't see how Christmas and getting shot in the face go together or Santa "packing heat" and making people "sorry they attacked". In fact, it seems to be more biased to make guns and southerners look bad than to honor the children you claim it is about.

Let me point you to a song about another hard topic..... domestic abuse where a murder suicide occurs and the child has to witness it..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiEPjwnbf_o

OR.... wife/spouse abuse and alcoholism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VPpAZ9_qAw

Notice that both songs are about murder suicide. You get the idea and understand it completely, but it's not in your face. Both are quite tasteful in their approach. Independence Day, in fact caused quite a bit of controversy despite it's intelligent way of dealing with a tough topic in a tasteful manner.

I'm not saying don't write this.... just put more thought into how you are going to say something. The way things are said will turn many listeners off. Sorry if this review seems harsh. That's the way I see it.

My 2 cents.

Thank you for your considered thoughts, they are greatly appreciated and well written. I haven't attempted to write my thoughts about this song, I'll try now.
Last week when the San Bernadino shooting occurred, I decided to write something topical, and frame it as a Christmas song. I noticed the anniversary of Sandy Hook was coming up, and set myself a deadline, write and record a Christmas song about Sandy Hook and release it on the anniversary, December 14. I had five days. As I researched the Sandy Hook shooting, the details broke my heart. There were fifteen first graders, hiding in a bathroom with their substitute teacher. Adam Lanza (whose name I refuse to mention in the song), found them and killed every one. Little Noah Pozner took three shots from a Bushmaster assault rifle, his parents left the casket open at his funeral so people could see how his face was destroyed.
I could not just write a song about the horror, no one would listen twice. It had to be catchy, repeatable, even funny in parts, with a dark side. I wanted to swing your emotions all over the place, and leave you with the feeling that America has a serious problem with mass shootings, but will move on and celebrate Christmas regardless. So I focused on Santa. Of course he would be carrying when he comes to America, who knows what idiots would try to shoot him down. I wanted the chorus to be catchy enough that you want to hear it again, and will hear the verses about Sandy Hook along the way.
By the way, I recorded and mixed this on Pro Tools, my first effort. This was an automated mix, and I am enjoying the new flexibility. All my previous songs were recorded and mixed on a Tascam DP24, and pretty much had to be mixed in the arrangement.

Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker

Quote:

Today is the third anniversary of the massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school. I wanted to make a Christmas song, but one that honored the sacrifice of those children and all who have died in mass shootings since then.

Writing this review is hard. Probably the hardest review to write of any song I've given an opinion on.

The children didn't sacrifice, they were slaughtered. This is a really, really hard topic to write about. It has to be done carefully, with forethought, and much discretion.

Personally, I think this topic should have been handled with more taste. Sure it's a tough topic, and it can be addressed in song, but perhaps, in a more thought-out and tasteful manner. I don't see how Christmas and getting shot in the face go together or Santa "packing heat" and making people "sorry they attacked". In fact, it seems to be more biased to make guns and southerners look bad than to honor the children you claim it is about.

Let me point you to a song about another hard topic..... domestic abuse where a murder suicide occurs and the child has to witness it..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiEPjwnbf_o

OR.... wife/spouse abuse and alcoholism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VPpAZ9_qAw

Notice that both songs are about murder suicide. You get the idea and understand it completely, but it's not in your face. Both are quite tasteful in their approach. Independence Day, in fact caused quite a bit of controversy despite it's intelligent way of dealing with a tough topic in a tasteful manner.

I'm not saying don't write this.... just put more thought into how you are going to say something. The way things are said will turn many listeners off. Sorry if this review seems harsh. That's the way I see it.

My 2 cents.

I have to go with Herb on this one. Please understand, I will fight for your right to express your opinions, as a fellow American. However, indicting the entire "South" in a tragedy that occurred in Connecticut (a State with draconian gun laws), and perpetrated by a madman, is a bit disingenuous.

I've lived all over the country, and choose to live in the South. I find less racism, bigotry and arrogance here.

Merry Christmas!

I have to go with Herb on this one. Please understand, I will fight for your right to express your opinions, as a fellow American. However, indicting the entire "South" in a tragedy that occurred in Connecticut (a State with draconian gun laws), and perpetrated by a madman, is a bit disingenuous.

I've lived all over the country, and choose to live in the South. I find less racism, bigotry and arrogance here.

Merry Christmas!

[/quote]

the line about the South is a joke. I was born in the South, my great grandfather fought for the Confederacy. That said, the South has a higher percentage of gun crazy nuts than the rest of the country.

“...the line about the South is a joke. ...”

“...the hatred, bigots, crazy nuts, and that's just in the South...”

Yeah. I probably misread that. It is pretty funny.

Quote:

the line about the South is a joke. I was born in the South, my great grandfather fought for the Confederacy. That said, the South has a higher percentage of gun crazy nuts than the rest of the country.

Been to Chicago, NYC and DC recently?

Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker

Quote:

the line about the South is a joke. I was born in the South, my great grandfather fought for the Confederacy. That said, the South has a higher percentage of gun crazy nuts than the rest of the country.

Been to Chicago, NYC and DC recently?

I live in NY, but will forever be a son of the South. As a genuine Florida cracker, I feel entitled to comment on aspects of the culture that seem to be invisible to most of those still living there. I wonder if, were people able to see the photographs of the children, torn apart by Bushmaster slugs, they might sympathize more with the humanity of mass shootings and less with the second amendment.

Originally Posted By: Will Rockwell

Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker

Quote:

the line about the South is a joke. I was born in the South, my great grandfather fought for the Confederacy. That said, the South has a higher percentage of gun crazy nuts than the rest of the country.

Been to Chicago, NYC and DC recently?

I live in NY, but will forever be a son of the South. As a genuine Florida cracker, I feel entitled to comment on aspects of the culture that seem to be invisible to most of those still living there. I wonder if, were people able to see the photographs of the children, torn apart by Bushmaster slugs, they might sympathize more with the humanity of mass shootings and less with the second amendment.

What does the Sandy Hook massacre have to do with the 2nd Amendment? Are you saying that because some deranged punk committed mass murder that law-abiding citizens should forfeit their 2nd Amendment rights?

Sounds like faulty logic to me.

Originally Posted By: 90 dB

Originally Posted By: Will Rockwell

.... I wonder if, were people able to see the photographs of the children, torn apart by Bushmaster slugs, they might sympathize more with the humanity of mass shootings and less with the second amendment.

What does the Sandy Hook massacre have to do with the 2nd Amendment? Are you saying that because some deranged punk committed mass murder that law-abiding citizens should forfeit their 2nd Amendment rights?

Sounds like faulty logic to me.

+1000

Will Rockwell....If you'd like to have a discussion on guns and the 2nd amendment, we should do that in the OFF TOPIC forum.....I have exercised great restraint on my comments on your post since this forum is for song reviews and not general discussion topics.