Working Mans Blues

[Strummer07]

I'd never written a song prior to "Mother" ... but inspired by that ....and prompted by a few comments on here and in e-mails about .."Work taking over lives".
Observing Business people in their workplace with 2 or 3 phones on the go and the ever present 'Blackberry' dumping 'stuff' on the poor Business soul etc. Watching business people at Heathrow reaching for the Blackberry like their lives depended in it, the second the plane touches down ..............
So, Unceasing work and the intrusion of technologhy was the inspiration.

The BT was someting I came across when we looked for a BT for "Mother" ..and it just stuck with me and I had to use it ........Its a David Wallimann Track .."Slow Blues Ballard in E" .................

Even with all that ii it would probably have just stayed as a nice idea ..but I invited Viking Blues to cast an eye over the concept and the words .....and with some of his enthusiasm, and some of his deft guitar playing to kick us off .............

It's happened !!

More details as to who did what, played what and when .and all the other super important details in a seperate post etc .. But Tks VB!!

So with a final caveat ..............to please watch the insidious addiction to your smartphone /i-pads/ pc's and gizmo's ........

Viking Blues and Strummer 07, offer you an original .......

"Working Mans Blues"........................Enjoy !


download/file.php?id=1004

[Golfxzq]

Well done Strummer & VB... wonderful vocals and playing... great job. I love the lyrics, so apropos for today's world, it makes me appreciate my retirement so much more.

[MikeJackal]

That's one great collab you've worked up there. I'm sure a lot of the group will echo the sentiments of the song and will be able to relate to it well. The theme of the backing fit the mood of the song nicely and it almost sounded like Portishead - Roads.

I consider myself quite lucky in the work aspect at this point in my life, most of my time is spent doing grounds maintainance at a private school so I cut a few hedges, mow some lawns, build a little wall or put up a fence, maybe some painting here and there but we always finish early enough to go and have a drink afterwards and leave work far behind.

[MojoJim]

VB and Strummer - super job!!!

You complemented each other very, very well on this piece.

Excellent lyrics, excellent playing - and effects that really bring the song to life.

Congrats!!

[VikingBlues]

Just to leap in guys at this point to emphasise how much this was a Strummer07 project. The idea, the lyrics and the choice of BT are all Strummers. As Strummer has said, he asked me to cast an eye over the idea - the lyrics were pretty well completed already (and were later fine tuned by Strummer with no input from me).

I was fortunate in that I'd already been playing about with this particular BT - that made a stab at an opening guitar intro easier and a possible melodic idea for the vocals in verse 1 carried on from the guitar part. Out of greed I'd bunged on my demo for Strummer a closing guitar outro, that's essentailly just a bit of variation on the intro. Strummer was generous enough to keep both my intro and outro in the final version as he thought it gave it balance, so I then just sat back lazily and let Strummer do the hard work and finish it all off.

The lyrics spoke to me (well shouted to me - I very much identified with them) and the BT is a favourite of mine. E Aeolian, with a touch of E Harmonic Minor where a mournful sounding D# can heighten the mood. I'm just glad I managed to catch that mood OK.

My sincere thanks to Strummer for allowing me to give a bit of assistance - and I'd like to add what a good job he's made of his project - writing, playing and singing.

[12bar]

Wonderful!You're right - people are online everywhere. I'm glad I'm not - I don't even have a mobile/cell phone with me .
Lyrics, playing and the overall concept is really fantastic. Pink Floyd was my first thought again, your voice is really very "Floydish". And the guitar...

Keep on!

[DeaconBlues]

I was expecting a Merle Haggard cover tune. Instead it is definitely more "Floydish" than anything Merle would do.

Anyway, good job! I can definitely relate to the lyrics.

[Bluez2move]

Great job on the collab

Very Floydian sounding

[DeaconBlues]

Was that a "Floydian" slip?

[MojoJim]

Now we need a follow-up.

Is it possible to do a blues versions of "Take This Job and Shove It"?

[Blindboy]

Right On!!
Great job, Strummer and VB. Timely topic too. I am a bit of a Luddite... no cellphone, no laptop, don't know how to text, but even I can relate to the sentiment.

[DeaconBlues]

I am a bit of a Luddite...

You say that like it's a bad thing.

I couldn't wait to bail out of my company supplied cell phone. I do have a personal phone, but it only gets used for an emergency when I'm in the big city and can't find a pay phone(something that is fast becoming extinct). I just don't feel the urge to be that connected to the world.

We haven't had network, cable or any type of TV services since moving to the mountains 8 years ago. We do watch/rent movies for entertainment, but network TV is not missed at all.

I do own three laptops, but they never leave the house. I replaced an old worn out desktop work station with a lap top about a year ago. The other two lap tops belong to my better half. We never take them anywhere outside our home. When I'm away from home, I don't need to know everything about nothing.

[Blindboy]

You say that like it's a bad thing.

[Blackhorse]

I only came across this now - but for once it wasn't work that kept me busy! I've been off for Easter, keeping the kids occupied and working on a new song of my own.

Great job on this guys, it really is a beautiful backing track, and you've more than done it justice. The sentiment is certainly one we can all relate to, lyrics are well-written and very well sung by both of you. And very nicely put together! I think I'll be listening to this one quite a lot

Strummer, I don't know whether your singing and playing have improved since Blues for a Mother, or whether this BT just suits you better, but you're definitely heading in the right direction. Not that they were bad to start with, but this sounds like a step up. Good job, keep it up!

[Strummer07]

Many thanks to all those who took time out and had a listen.
Particular thanks to those who stopped by and left a comment .. all feedback is much appreciated.
Glad the song resonated for some, and if 24/7 connectivity is not your thing and its not impacting your lfe .... you are doing something right. !!

It was a fun project to do and good to work with Viking again ( I'd like to have involved all the 'Mother' Team ... but its way too complicated with a little song)
Just for the record :-
Intro and the 12 bar outro are all thanks to VB as is Verse 1
Verse 2 is yours truly, as is the middle 12 bar solo and the 3rd Verse ....
Not at all sure where the Floydian sound came from !! I don''t think either of us were trying to sound like anyone, other than ourselves ..and just trying to get the mood of the song to fit with the words and the BT...But if one is going to sound like anyone .. a Floyd sound aint so bad!!

The words ....went something like .............

V1
My daddy was a ....he was a working man ........Worked hard .....from Dawn to Dusk
Ma daddy was....he was a Working Man .... worked hard for his whole life
But when the sun went down ...he left work behind ..and.... went home ......to his wife
V2
But now I’m working with ....with Brain and Screen ........my work goes on and on ....I’m always got me ...on the run.
But now I work every waking hour ... it never stops and I hardly ever .....see the Sun.
I’m a Working all the time , there is no space for me .........this work gets it in the way of me and Ma baby...... having Fun
V4
I gotta sort out this work ..........Or its gonna take me over ........ make me lonely ..........make me sad
I gotta put down all this ‘i’ stuff ....Phone, pad and PC ..............or the electronic 24/7 world ...will dominate me ......and ma whole life will be less sunny
Gotta pay rent, .I gotta eat ... But I gotta get ma life back .... Avoid the working trap .... and find time for my me and ma honey
Bond /Patterson (c) 2011

Thanks again !

What next..... I wonder ???

[HalfBlindLefty]

Darn... I thought I responded on this one.
Strummer, VB. What a beautiful piece of work this is.
That atmosphere, that voice.... you had me dreaming away, just enjoying the music, forgetting I was listening to whom so ever.

That's what I call music.

[2WheelsOfBlues]

it's the truth, if your working all the time, you will end up allone, believe my i now

Love the line's and the guitar parts.

Whats next?, you ask, well make another one like this i love it.

[Strummer07]

Many thanks HBL and 2 wheels ............
Another one like this ???.....H'mm.....I am looking for that small spark of inspiration !!

I'm quite sure one will happen along sometime soon

and until it does