Damien at the Speed of Life

I am sorry this post is 2 days late.  I usually have no problem getting an episode up each Friday night but this “songcast” episode threw me for a few loops:

1. The microphone mystery. I really appreciate my blogging friend Justin aka dragonblogger.  I sent him an email asking him why my podcast sound had gone haywire.  While he didn’t provide THE solution, sometimes just knowing someone is listening gives me the motivation to keep troubleshooting.  My voice and guitar started sounding tinny and wavelike, almost like a flanger or chorus.  This was driving me absolutely crazy for 2 days.  My wife was “big thinking” enough to agree and let me buy a new Shure SM 58 but even that didn’t solve the problem 100%.  After banging my head against a wall for a couple days I did a few searches and found the solution in a forum.  It was my sound card preferences.  If you ever start having this issue, uncheck everything marked something like “filter background noise.”  It worked for me.
2. My two precious daughters. They have been on me like flies on raw meat for two days.  Every time I started working on this songcast they were fighting with each other or just knocking on the back of my legs with phrases like: “When can I have my turn?”  LOL.  I love them so much and I hope you understand that.  Sometimes however I need “Dad time” alone.  Let me know your take on that.  Maybe I need to give up the podcast once in while.  I enjoy doing it a lot, it’s just a juggling act every week.
3. Bad headache.

These are three biggies I mentioned because I wanted you to know how diligent I was to get this first “songcast” out.  Here is a brief overview of the song:

Title: American Day
Concept Began: September of 2008.  Original title was: October Day
Co-writer conspirator: My best friend Eric Stefani.  There are plans in the works to record this song in his fully eqipped studio with he and I doing all the instrumentation.  I’ve sent Eric MP3’s that were REALLY rough and he always remained positive about the song.
Notes: There have been many changes in this song.  You can hear the original version in one of my past podcasts.  But don’t bother, this one represents a lot more thought an reworking.
Lyrics and chords:

“American Day” lyrics and basic chord arrangement

V1
Dmaj7          G(?)                     Dmaj7                    G
So much depends upon an old Ford up on blocks
By a lemonade stand that’s makin’ bucks

Chorus
G -                 A -                  F#min     B(?)
Leaves rushin’ down american road
Emin                            A                     Dmaj7   D7
That’s what they say an American day is
And I’ll follow that road wherever it goes, that’s what they say
An American day is, American day.

V2
Dmaj7          G(?}                     Dmaj7                    G
Without your Keds deck shoes, without your socks
I watched you make an Amtrak train, from a cereal box

Chorus
Leaves rushin’ down american road
That’s what they say an American day is
And I’ll follow that road wherever it goes, that’s what they say
An American day is, American day.

Middle 8
Sunset sillouette a street in May
The Streetlights end play
Off you go again to your mother’s side, no pride
In the things that you left behind

V3
Dmaj7          G(?)                     Dmaj7                    G
I’m struttin’ down these city streets, I’ll break the rules
I’m looking for you after all this time, I’m playin’ the fool

Chorus
Leaves rushin’ down american road
That’s what they say an American day is
And I’ll follow that road wherever it goes, that’s what they say
An American day is, American day.

Stay tuned for more songcasts.  How do you like the song?  Thanks for listening.