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Arabic Blues - it has that hip umph
TNR: guitar, harmonium organ, bass drums, tambourines, trumpets
The fourth song of thirteen on the Composer (2008) album, Arabic Blues was one of few where I played each instrument. It's still odd for me hearing my ideas, let alone my performances, laid one atop another.
This quick song was of the first evolved from my playing around with the arabic scale (E F G# A B C D# E) on guitar.
Let's Go Out Dancing
TNR: voice, guitar, trumpet, piano, tambourine, bass drum ER: violaDidn't you say we'd go out tonight? Or was it in my dreams.
Left to me, we'd never part.
Oh, let's go out dancing! The days fly by so fast,
and you never hold me much anymore.
Troubled now by crazy thoughts, please give your relief.
Tell me, show me, hold me... hold me.
songsheet download
The Composer (2008) album should be considered my post-graduate work, three years spent focused on audio engineering; the music was completely written, recorded, mixed and eventually mastered myself. A few friends joined in performing, but I played most instruments myself as well. I even made all of the artwork and production. Everything up to professional specs (in my opinion), and done mostly in my cellar and bedroom. Crazy, no?
Let's Go Out Dancing was written relatively later than the album's other songs, and one of the last recorded (12th of 13). It makes the best single, as it's rather catchy and relatively easy to videoize, being guitar and voice led.
TNR: voice, guitar, percussion ER: violinsongsheet
When Erik Redford and I performed out, this seemed our nicest closer, so my arrangement closes this SongStealer (2005) album.
Originally released on Lou Reed's "Transformer" album (1972), again on the Trainspotting soundtrack (1996) before being re-recorded for The Raven album, Perfect Day has become something of a classic, probably the only of Lou Reed's work I like beyond that with colleagues The Dirty Three. When recorded, I assumed this was written straight forward to a lady love, discovering later likely written for heroin.
Tim Buckley: composer / T. Nathan Roane: arranger, voice, guitar, bass / Amy Wenninger: voice mp3 / songsheet
Amy Wenninger's haunting backing vocals allows my arrangement to stand proudly beside Tim Buckley's, adding a lovely touch of class to the SongStealer (2005) album. The bass effect during each bridge is the only non-acoustic instrument for this collection of cover songs.
Studio released on Tim Buckley's 1970 album Starsailor, I first heard Song to the Siren covered by This Mortal Coil during my darkwave years.
Black - Pearl Jam
TNR: voice, guitar ER: violin
mp3 downloadsongsheet download
This arrangement was written specifically for Erik Redford on violin, and is probably my favorite of the SongStealer (2005) album. I consider it better than Pearl Jam's 1991 original. Note the slyly syncopated guitar.
Dark Eyes - traditional Russian romance
ER: violin TNR: guitar
mp3 download
Probably the most famous Russian gypsy romances, perhaps their anthem, featuring violinist Erik Redford.
Rasposchol - traditional Russian gypsy
ER: violin TNR: guitar
mp3 download
One of the more famous Russian gypsy airs, violinist Erik Redford made me proud.
Mary Jane's Last Dance - Tom Petty
TNR: vocals, guitar, percussion AW: backing vocals mp3 downloadsongsheet download
I'd intended to add a rockin' guitar solo, then liked it enough without. Maybe another day? Backing vocals sung perfectly by Amy Wenninger. Audiences would always sing along with "she's standing in her underwear", placed at the 3/4 mark.
Tom Petty's
Mary Jane's Last Dance (1993), is often falsely referred to by me as Last Dance with Mary Jane.
Arabic Blues - it has that hip umph
