This song is based on a short story 'Big World' by Australian author Tim Winton. It so happens that Winton grew up in the same time and place as myself (Western Australia) so I have always connected with his characters and themes. It's kind of a plan to look at some of his other stories for inspiration. I want to enter this song in a comp in around 2 weeks so comments including nitpicking most welcome. PM me if you're not comfortable doing it on the forum. I'd really appreciate it!

It's A Strange Ol Bug Eyed World

Style is _SWFOLKM.STY
RealTracks in song: ~1112:Fiddle, Background CountrySwing Sw 110
RealTracks in song: 2672:Pedal Steel, Rhythm HawaiianSwing Sw 110
RealTracks in style: ~~372:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Hank Sw 120
RealTracks in song: ~425:Organ, B3, Background Blues Sw 120

Mixed in Logic Pro X with the addition of self-tracked acoustic and electric guitars, bass, synth (Alchemy) and vocals.

It's A Strange Ol Bug Eyed World
Me and Biggie we’re heading up north
Gotta get outta this town of course
It’s cold down here, folks all turned to ice
Gonna head up to where the mangoes grow
Away from everything we know
If we don’t I swear I’ll be going bad

Me and Biggie we share big dreams
Worked nights for years since we were seventeen
We always talked about the time we would get away
Eating up road, wind on our tail
If you got a hammer, gotta drive the nail
Gonna hit the jackpot, I know we will one day

It’s a big ol, funny ol, strange ol bug eyed world
Let your hopes and your dreams like sails be unfurled
If you wanna reach the stars, don’t matter who you think you are
It’s a big ol, funny ol, strange ol bug eyed world

Well I ain’t never been this way before
The desert wind warms me to the core
Me and Biggie share a smoke as we take in the views outside
I may not have witnessed all that much
So who am I to sit here and judge
But who would wanna stay at home and suicide

(Chorus)

It’s empty here looking at the sky
Makes you wanna be alone and cry
I aint so dumb I don’t fear what lies ahead
But in this moment in this space in time
Let me claim what I need as mine
You’re a long time living, a longer time dead

I don't normally respond, but as it's a competition and I'm probably going to put my own stuff up, I thought I would. Not to mention being a Brisbane boy:-) I loved the chorus, Maybe just putting a chorus in after the 1st verse might do the trick as I found it lost something going straight from verse 1 to verse 2. As far as recording etc etc. It all sounded great to me. I'm struggling with a similar problem and had to actually cut my story (verses) in half on the current song I'm working on.

Edited: Just had another listen and changed my mind.

Really like the feel of this one!! Cool, simple melody, just the right arrangement, and a vocal that is exactly what's needed. Great job! Good luck! Take care. Greg

Matcham,

This may be my favorite of your songs... Excellent lyrics, vocal and mix.

Great job!

Bob

Thanks Bob, Greg and lambada. lambada nice to meet another Aussie on the forum. I'm guessing the idea of going north to pick mangoes might seem strange to some of our cousins on top of the world.

We like it and the swing feel works very well. The write is obviously contextual to the short story but even without having read it the lyric flowed nicely and told an engaging story (as is so necessary with a folk tune).

Your vocal performance matched the folk feel of the lyric very well.

Since you asked regarding the mix With a fiddle, steel and organ there are a lot of sustained notes happening but you did a good job of keeping them separate. Not really nit worthy.

The mix presents a nice soundstage on our monitors. And the vocal is up front which is IMO is exactly where it should be for this type of tune.

You have a strong entry and best of luck with the contest.

We enjoyed it!

J&B

PS "I'm guessing the idea of going north to pick mangoes might seem strange to some of our cousins on top of the world."
If I can accept the Nile River flowing north, i.e., the lower Nile is north, then I can handle the mangoes!

Hi Matcham, Great work on this! Really enjoyed the lyrics and form. Well done!

Excellent tune Matcham. +1 on Janice and Buds comments. Loved the intro but it was the swing feel to the song that drew me in first. Lyrics just fit right in perfectly. Well done. Another super track...

Thanks Scott, Joe and Bud. Actually there are a lot of sustained notes, particularly in one of the verses. I might consider that a nit and go back and have another listen.

very nice, some great lines in the lyric throughout the song

good storytelling, catchy chorus, nice mix

enjoyable

Kenny

G'Day!

Kenny said a lot of what we were thinking as we listened. The sound is crisp and very nicely balanced. As has been mentioned several times, the swing feel is what really pulls the listener in. It seems to quietly but efficiently propel the song forward and keeps the listen fresh. Your vocal is very, very good. We found nothing negatively noteworthy, as far as technical merit and performance is concerned, anywhere as we listened. We thought it was delightful from beginning to end. Good luck in the contest!

Alan & Di

Alan, Di and Kenny, thank you so much. Yeah I was hoping the swing feel would help drive the track as it is a type of road song. The intro section is part of the same idea ie motor noise without being a motor and a car radio without being literally a car radio.