Sit-coms and Reality
Here’s another acoustic track for you to have a listen to. It’s also another one I recorded while in France a couple of years back. It’s a simple arrangement with just 2 acoustic guitars and a vocal but when I wrote the song it just seemed like the sort of thing best kept simple. I considered adding drums, bass and the whole shebang but I really think it’s probably best left as it is.
It’s a pretty self-explanatory song if you listen to the words. I love comedy programs and funny films, I think it’s the escapism of it probably, as it is for everyone else I suppose. I always loved programs like Cheers with it’s familiar characters. Somehow the world they inhabit seems so much nicer and fuzzier (if that’s a word) than ours. I just wrote this tune one day after watching one such program, looking out window and realizing that real life can be a bit shit in comparison. Hardly profound I know but there it is. So that’s the basis of the song really, that feeling you sometimes get that you’d like to live in one of these programs where everyone’s always happy. “Crawl right through the screen” as it says.
Musically it’s just a few simple chords but I think it’s quite nice. The recording is a bit rough around the edges and I might re-record the song to improve it a little but I just wanted to get the track down before I forgot it really. I think a harmonica or something similar might be a nice addition but I haven’t got one in the right key at the moment. I used to use harmonicas quite a lot with my tunes, probably inspired by Neil Young who’s something of a hero of mine. I even have one of those neck brace things so I can play the guitar at same time, like a proper folkie, all I need now is cardigan and a pipe 
Sadly most of my harmonicas have been lost or claimed as toys by my brother’s kids. I’ll have to start building up a collection with a few keys again and get back at it.
(click image to enlarge)
So there you go, hope you enjoy the tune and please feel free to comment and let me know what you think. It’s true what they say you know “sometimes you wanna go… where everybody knows your name” hehe 
Podo said,
January 16, 2008 @ 7:56 pm
Harmonicas eh? Cornish waves, fire escape stairs…… I can see them now. Gulls in the background. Nice. Remember that mad gull that kept arriving for food? Keep up the good work.
Dan said,
January 16, 2008 @ 8:49 pm
Oh yeah I remember that bird, it would bang on the window to try and wake you up for food. Cheeky git
I’ve had a look on eBay and it seems harmonicas are not that cheap on there. I’ll have to save up and build up the collection when I can.
Gordon said,
January 22, 2008 @ 4:45 pm
Hey , that isn’t you singing is it?
If it is you have a better singing voice than I’d have expected from the podcast.
Nicely done!
Dan said,
January 22, 2008 @ 4:57 pm
Thank you. Yep that’s me, I’ve always been able to sing which is a marvelous gift and I appreciate it. My voice doesn’t really fit the way I look though I know, it’s quite amusing really
Gordon said,
January 25, 2008 @ 6:11 pm
god , I’m addicted to this song, it really is a great piece of work.
Dan said,
January 25, 2008 @ 6:17 pm
Thank you that’s really nice of you to say, I’m really glad you like it. I have a few more up my sleeve but I also need to record a lot more of them when I get time.
Fab said,
January 25, 2008 @ 6:52 pm
Neil Young rocks! Rust never sleeps, eh?
Awesome tune mate. I’ll have to play this to a mate of mine who absolutely loves Neil Young. You even sound like him. Amazing!
Gordon said,
January 25, 2008 @ 7:58 pm
credit where its due Dan , I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t looping on rhythmbox :S
Dan said,
January 25, 2008 @ 8:28 pm
Thanks much apppreciated, I love Rhythmbox too by the way, my number one Gnome media player
Gordon said,
January 25, 2008 @ 8:32 pm
It’d be perfect if not for one thing , the lack of support for mp3 players (non simple drag and drop ones)
Gordon said,
January 25, 2008 @ 8:32 pm
also when’s the next Linux Outlaws due? I assume at some point this weekend.
Dan said,
January 25, 2008 @ 8:37 pm
Yeah I know what you mean about the media player support thing. As for Linux Outlaws we’re running late this week, I haven’t been well but we’ll record over the weekend and hopefully get it out Monday or Tuesday. We’ve messed up the schedule a bit but we’ll get back on track soon.
Gordon said,
January 25, 2008 @ 8:39 pm
ah right ok , sorry to hear that you’re not feeling too great.
I’ll look forward to Tuesday then.
Dan said,
January 25, 2008 @ 8:40 pm
Thanks for the good wishes, I’ll be ok in no time I hope. We’ll have a new ep out ASAP
Episode 6 – 9th August 09 « RatholeRadio.org said,
August 10, 2009 @ 2:55 pm
[...] now called “Reality”. You can find a recorded version at Shedmusic.net if you want to download it. I release most of my music under the artist name Sonic Real Estate. CC BY-SA [...]
ben2talk said,
December 3, 2009 @ 1:53 pm
This is nice – it’s cool to get nice simply recorded music. You’re going down quite well with Thai students here (I help out with a Music club, though after playing the only three tunes I can play well enough for anyone to hear, I basically sit and listen to them).
Dan said,
December 3, 2009 @ 4:01 pm
@ben2talk – Thanks very much, it’s very cool of you to spread the music amongst the students. I hope they like it and I’m sure whatever music they make is just as good