Our Good Old Days

Were the good old days so good?

Our brother-in-law wrote what has become the definitive book on child labor (Child Labor: An American History - he later edited a large volume on world wide child labor). While recently reflecting on the book I wrote what is now the third verse of this song which then lead to four additional "verse vignettes" of the “good” days.

Thinking I might be on to something I asked floyd if he’d like to join in. He tweaked and polished my roughed out verses, rewrote the refrain and sent us a melody. After working together on the arrangement and mix this is the result. Oh, and floyd also added some fine harmony to Janice’s vocal smile

Comments are welcome. Thanks for your time to listen.

Lead vocal: Janice / Rodes NT1 > Scarlett 212 > Logic Pro X > Nectar 2
Harmony vocal: floyd / Nectar 2
Bass: RT 2474 Acoustic Held / Neutron 2
Guitar: RT 2879 Electric, Rhythm AmericanaSparseSlow
Pedal Steel: RT 2666 Rhythm LushChordsSlow
Guitar: RT 1037 Acoustic, Rhythm NorthernRockBallad / Waves CLA Unplugged
Drums: RD AmericanaRoots / Waves CLA Drums
Drums: Doubled snare from above RD file / Waves CLA Drums
Shaker: Logic Pro loop / EMT 140 Reverb sim

The bass, steel, electric guitar and drum tracks were comped from multiple BiaB regens

Mix: Logic Pro X
Mastering: Low end EQ shelf > Waves LinMB > Ozone 8 Adv Imager > Ozone 8 Adv Maximizer

OUR GOOD OLD DAYS
© 2018 Bud Merritt & floyd jane
 
They worked dawn to dusk in a dark underground
digging up shiny black coal, coughing up black lung
paying the price to keep a young america's lights on
then passing that life of misery on to their sons
 
we call em the good ol days
but think of what they might say
thank god you didn't live in our good old days
 
considered little more than their husband's property
they bore the next generation
they raised and fed and taught and tended who we would become
without a vote without a voice without veneration

we call em the good ol days
but think of what they might say
thank god you didn't live in our good old days
 
children at 8 and 9 toiling 16 hour days
robbed of any childhood working the mills
No school, no play, no free day trapped in a man made hell
just so the family could eat and try to pay the bills

we call em the good ol days
but think of what they might say
thank god you didn't live in our good old days
 
sharecroppers working land they’d never own
back breaking labor  broken only by the dinner bell
After each year's accounting sinking deeper into debt
they came seeking haven, just found hell

we call em the good ol days
but think of what they might say
thank god you didn't live in our good old days
 
No amount of money, no position could protect them
for the lack of a shot or want of a pill
the whole family taken by yellow fever
now a cluster of headstones on a hill

we call em the good ol days
but think of what they might say
thank god you didn't live in our good old days
 
what do you think our ghosts will say
about living in our good old days


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