Fade Away

I am a fan of the collected works of one Ian Thornley and have mentioned such several times. I was excited for a few minutes when I found out about this contest:

Ian Thornley discusses the LCBO’s Whisky Rocks Competition from LCBO on Vimeo.

The excitement was short lived because I went and read the small print that says you must be a resident of Ontario, you know, in Canada. So instead of doing a full cover version and a video I did a crappy lil one-take recording in the basement after figuring out the song by ear.

Couple of rough spots, but really why put much effort into it when it would be a waste of time?


Satisfied Mind

This here is a song that my grandpa first introduced me to while we were buying supplies to build a fence for my aunt. Everyone and their dog has done their own version of it, so I figured I would throw mine in too. I really see this song as one of the all time greats.

Satisfied Mind
Words & music: Red Hayes and Jack Rhodes

[gplayer href=”http://www.everydaynormal.com/files/Satisfied Mind.mp3″]Satisfied Mind[/gplayer]

The message of the song has always been a favorite of mine too. Some other versions worth checking out are from Johnny Cash, The Byrds, Porter Wagoner and Jeff Buckley. My version is kind of a mesh of their versions in whatever tiny or glaringly gigantic way.


Enjoy Some Christmas Tunage

Taking inspiration from an elderly couple singing songs and selling tapes at a Furr’s Cafeteria in Las Vegas I decided the old ball and chain and I would record some songs. The result is a mashed together version of all kinds of different experiments with mixing, jokes, original songs and other such things mostly comprised of first takes. Personally I am proud of this piece of work given the low number of takes and the fact that we were recording in a closet in our old barrio.

Good King Wenceslas
I have always thought it was a weird song. Who is Wenceslas and what is the feast of Stephen? It has a nice sound though and I hear my aunt really likes it.
[gplayer href=”http://www.everydaynormal.com/files/01 Good King Wenceslas.mp3″]Good King Wenceslas[/gplayer]

Still Still Still
We just wanted to try this one out.
[gplayer href=”http://www.everydaynormal.com/files/02 Still Still Still.mp3″]Still Still Still[/gplayer]

Winter Wonderland
Comedy Gold in my opinion. Done with a lounge style and some creative mixing to really ham it up.
[gplayer href=”http://www.everydaynormal.com/files/03 Winter Wonderland.mp3″]Winter Wonderland[/gplayer]

One Day and a Night and a Day
This is an original that was semi-inspired by the style of Charles Ives.
[gplayer href=”http://www.everydaynormal.com/files/04 One Day and a Night and a Day.mp3″]One Day and a Night and a Day[/gplayer]

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
We tried some crazy stuff at the end that I think is pretty cool with ebow type sounds at the end.
[gplayer href=”http://www.everydaynormal.com/files/05 It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.mp3″]It Came Upon a Midnight Clear[/gplayer]

O Little Town of Bethlehem
I can’t help but think of the elderly couple singing songs at Furr’s cafeteria in Las Vegas, every time I was ever there, when I hear this one, which then leads me to think about really thick macaroni and cheese.
[gplayer href=”http://www.everydaynormal.com/files/06 O Little Town of Bethlehem.mp3″]O Little Town of Bethlehem[/gplayer]

The First Noel
Just wanted to try our hand at this one too.
[gplayer href=”http://www.everydaynormal.com/files/07 The First Noel.mp3″]The First Noel[/gplayer]

Pine Mountain
This original instrumental is named for a brand of fireplace logs but also now has reference to a mountain near Baker Nevada that is not named “Pine” but has a lot of pine cones on it.
[gplayer href=”http://www.everydaynormal.com/files/08 Pine Mountain.mp3″]Pine Mountain[/gplayer]

Holly Jolly Christmas
Another goofy shout out to the Furr’s band from my memories.
[gplayer href=”http://www.everydaynormal.com/files/09 Holly Jolly Christmas.mp3″]Holly Jolly Christmas[/gplayer]

Silent Night
We didn’t think we could get away without doing this one.
[gplayer href=”http://www.everydaynormal.com/files/10 Silent Night.mp3″]Silent Night[/gplayer]

What Child is This?
What the heck? Why not this one too?
[gplayer href=”http://www.everydaynormal.com/files/11 What Child is This_.mp3″]What Child is This?[/gplayer]

There you have them. On to our next huge embarrassing failure.


That Lonesome Day (The Day His Face Fell Off)

In the eighth and ninth grade I had a friend who’s father had to have part of his cheek removed because he used so much chewing tobacco.  Oddly enough, this friend used tobacco himself.  Fast forward a few years and I was practicing with my band.  My buddy started playing a nice little country song he had written and there was a paper and pen right in front of me.

[gplayer href=”http://www.everydaynormal.com/files/03 That Lonesome Day.mp3″]That Lonesome Day[/gplayer]

I went down, to the country store, to get my old man some chaw.

He’s missing twenty teeth, and half of his jaw.

I said, “Poppy can I have some dip, so I can put it in my lip?”

He said, “Son remember that lonesome day, the day my face fell off.”

He likes the taste of South Carolina, running through his lip.

He doesn’t like any other flavor, than that Red Man dip.

He puts it in and swishes it around, his teeth and gums have all turned brown.

I just remember that lonesome day, the day his face fell off.

On that sad day we were outside, working on the crops.

Papa fell down and he said to me, “My hearts a fixin’ to stop.”

I said, “Pa speak to me, tell me what I can do.”

He said, “Son get the Red Man, and give me one last chew.”

I just remember that lonesome day, the day his face fell off.