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December Cover Song Challenge - GET WRITING!


Skol303
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December Cover Song Challenge

As is now tradition, we're doing something a bit different for December... so instead of composing to a photo, we’re running a covers competition. Basically, choose a song or instrumental that you like and write your own version of it. You can be faithful to the original or far flung and left of field; the choice is yours.

All of the usual rules apply with a few additional caveats:

  • It doesn’t have to be a Christmas song (bah humbug, in fact).
  • You’re welcome to submit anything recorded this year (not just from December); so there’s no excuse for those of you in cover bands not to enter!
  • Don’t go lifting any samples from whatever song you intend to cover, as that will breach the usual terms and conditions leading to extreme punitive measures.

There will hopefully be prizes! I'll confirm that shortly.

The deadline for entries is midnight on December 24th.

So yeah, it's basically going to be exactly like this...

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Edited by Skol303
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I'm putting the finishing touches to mine, which I'm pretty certain no-one will have heard before; I'm not even sure it was ever recorded..! Those who saw The Alligators ( a group from the Chertsey/Weybridge region, early '70s...) might have a chance, but that's it. It's a song I've been toying with in my head for all these decades, and circumstances were that I did 'my' version (read: re-write...) this summer past, so here it is. Within the rules..? Dunno, but I'm an anarchist any way, so... :biggrin:

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Here we are, then; my 'cover' version of a song from my distant past...

For those interested, here's the background story...

 

Here is my contribution to the December 2017 Basschat Composition Challenge, for which the format was changed, to be a 'cover' version, composed and/or played during 2017.
It's not been a particularly good year for me. It started badly with a bout of illness (then got worse, but that's another story...). I was recovering slowly from late Spring onwards, and was inspired, June/July, to remember a song played by a local band of my youth (mid-'70s...), The Alligators. It's just about possible that those in the Chertsey/Weybridge vicinity at that time may have seen 'em perform; they were very good, and quite popular on the pub/club circuit of the region. One song in particular has stayed in the back of my mind all these decades, and, although incapable of an exact rendition, I took the liberty of filling in the blanks of my memory with some 'home-grown' lyrics (reproduced at the end of this description...), and a rather softer arrangement than the original. I can't give total credit to the band members; I only remember their 'leader', Rob, and Chris Thomson. The bassist and drummer have, I regret to say, become anonymous. Old age, eh..?
As for the 'making of', the drum tracks are two MDrummer tracks; one manual, the other triggered patterns. Most of the instruments are from BIAB, with a few sampled solo spots. The voices are a mix, with Vocaloids Big Al and Avanna doing the 'heavy lifting', with more of the same for the chorus, aided by Kontakt's Blue.
My usual gaggle of EQ, compression, delays and reverbs, all native Cockos, a dose of Neutrino on most tracks and a final patina applied with AAMS, 'Easy Listening RMS' preset is the sum total of components used. 
Thanks for listening, if you already have; if you're about to, enjoy.

Lyrics...

It was pouring with rain
I was looking for shelter
The Paradise Circus would do
The dance floor was empty
Apart from one couple
I was glad I was just passing through

They swayed to a halt
And came up to greet me
I hardly could mumble my name
How can we help you
They said in a chorus
In the end you'll be glad you came

I said I'd love to learn to dance
She said here's your chance
They helped me to trip and to twirl
It suddenly clicked and I gave it a whirl
The Paradise Circus waltz

Paradise Circus waltz
Paradise Circus waltz
Paradise Circus waltz
Paradise Circus waltz

There she was at the bus stop the other night
Sitting there all alone
It took all my courage to sit down beside her
We'd both missed the last bus home

We sat for a moment in awkward silence
Got chatting and after a while
I offered a date at the Paradise Circus
She said yes with a bashful smile

She said I'd love to learn to dance
I said here's your chance
So we danced until well past four
With Paradise Circus for a floor
The Paradise Circus waltz

Paradise Circus waltz
Paradise Circus waltz
Paradise Circus waltz
Paradise Circus waltz

Edited by Dad3353
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Thanks Dad, I look forward to listening to yours.

Totally unrelated follow up question - Skol emphasized the sampling rule, but what if the stems have been freely released by the band? There's a song I've been wanting to do something with for ages, and the band released the stems for remixes (i just want to use the vocals), is that kosher?

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Yeah I’d like us to avoid stems if possible and certainly any unlicensed samples. Doesn’t matter if the song is obscure though... just so long as it’s your take on it.

That said, if you have some licensed/ copyright free stems that you’re desperate to use then go for it. This is meant to be fun after all! ;)

Just be sure to check the terms of use on the stems. Most bands only release them for a specific purpose and it usually precludes using the stems for your own music.

Edited by Skol303
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Here's my entry, I was hoping to do something new this month, but the band has been stopped dead for the month (at least)

My guitarist has broken 2 fingers on his left hand, so this is something from earlier. It's another Robyn Hitchcock cover, Driving Aloud (Radio Storm).

This is one of those recordings where something occurred that would be difficult to repeat. The quiet sitar-like drone was caused by the guitarist's cuff button catching the strings, didn't notice it until mixdown :)

I'm quite pleased with my maracas playing, the backing vocals, not so much. What do you folks think of the recording, (rather than the performance)?

Cheers

MBA

Driving Aloud (Radio Storm).mp3

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On 12/7/2017 at 02:26, Dad3353 said:

Here we are, then; my 'cover' version of a song from my distant past...

For those interested, here's the background story...

  Hide contents

Here is my contribution to the December 2017 Basschat Composition Challenge, for which the format was changed, to be a 'cover' version, composed and/or played during 2017.
It's not been a particularly good year for me. It started badly with a bout of illness (then got worse, but that's another story...). I was recovering slowly from late Spring onwards, and was inspired, June/July, to remember a song played by a local band of my youth (mid-'70s...), The Alligators. It's just about possible that those in the Chertsey/Weybridge vicinity at that time may have seen 'em perform; they were very good, and quite popular on the pub/club circuit of the region. One song in particular has stayed in the back of my mind all these decades, and, although incapable of an exact rendition, I took the liberty of filling in the blanks of my memory with some 'home-grown' lyrics (reproduced at the end of this description...), and a rather softer arrangement than the original. I can't give total credit to the band members; I only remember their 'leader', Rob, and Chris Thomson. The bassist and drummer have, I regret to say, become anonymous. Old age, eh..?
As for the 'making of', the drum tracks are two MDrummer tracks; one manual, the other triggered patterns. Most of the instruments are from BIAB, with a few sampled solo spots. The voices are a mix, with Vocaloids Big Al and Avanna doing the 'heavy lifting', with more of the same for the chorus, aided by Kontakt's Blue.
My usual gaggle of EQ, compression, delays and reverbs, all native Cockos, a dose of Neutrino on most tracks and a final patina applied with AAMS, 'Easy Listening RMS' preset is the sum total of components used. 
Thanks for listening, if you already have; if you're about to, enjoy.

Lyrics...

It was pouring with rain
I was looking for shelter
The Paradise Circus would do
The dance floor was empty
Apart from one couple
I was glad I was just passing through

They swayed to a halt
And came up to greet me
I hardly could mumble my name
How can we help you
They said in a chorus
In the end you'll be glad you came

I said I'd love to learn to dance
She said here's your chance
They helped me to trip and to twirl
It suddenly clicked and I gave it a whirl
The Paradise Circus waltz

Paradise Circus waltz
Paradise Circus waltz
Paradise Circus waltz
Paradise Circus waltz

There she was at the bus stop the other night
Sitting there all alone
It took all my courage to sit down beside her
We'd both missed the last bus home

We sat for a moment in awkward silence
Got chatting and after a while
I offered a date at the Paradise Circus
She said yes with a bashful smile

She said I'd love to learn to dance
I said here's your chance
So we danced until well past four
With Paradise Circus for a floor
The Paradise Circus waltz

Paradise Circus waltz
Paradise Circus waltz
Paradise Circus waltz
Paradise Circus waltz

Very nice Dad , a sung vocal would have made it , but touching all the same ?

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On 12/8/2017 at 15:10, MoonBassAlpha said:

Here's my entry, I was hoping to do something new this month, but the band has been stopped dead for the month (at least)

My guitarist has broken 2 fingers on his left hand, so this is something from earlier. It's another Robyn Hitchcock cover, Driving Aloud (Radio Storm).

This is one of those recordings where something occurred that would be difficult to repeat. The quiet sitar-like drone was caused by the guitarist's cuff button catching the strings, didn't notice it until mixdown :)

I'm quite pleased with my maracas playing, the backing vocals, not so much. What do you folks think of the recording, (rather than the performance)?

Cheers

MBA

Driving Aloud (Radio Storm).mp3

Sounds good to me . Listening on a Bluetooth speaker it comes over very well ?

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I'm going to try and get something submitted this month, it being the festive season and all.

I've missed I think all of the challenges in 2017... not through laziness I hasten to add; just having a busy work/home life and the limited time I have for writing music is spent elsewhere other than Basschat (yeah sorry guys, I'm such a tart). But I have very much enjoyed listening to everyone's work, which continues to develop in leaps and bounds. It's a great thing we have here! :drinks:

Not sure what song I'm going to cover. I did think of trying Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but thought that Blue may actually hunt me down with a vendetta if I did so. Then I considered something by Sixto Rodriguez, who I've been listening to a lot this year, but he's a very difficult act to copy. So I'm now thinking about something from one of my two favourite albums of 2017, so that would be something by Sleaford Mods (probably not family friendly!) or Thundercat (my bass chops are going to be strained). So we'll see...

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29 minutes ago, MoonBassAlpha said:

Maybe Lurks didn't mean you singing? Just sayin' :)

Spot on xD

I always thought my voice sounded awful, but then the 3 times I've won the vote have all been with my vocal on them* 

 

 

 

 

 

* But then so have another 40 of my entries that got no votes xD 

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In a similar vein I have recorded a vocal for this month. My lad is coming round on Saturday morning to collect the grandson who we have over on a Friday night, we have a 60minute window to get them to put a couple of tracks down . If that works I can remove my vocal and offer a festive treat for your ears :) 

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