Better Days - New Version

[Mark Kaufman]

Here's the latest version: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7264200Better DaysThere's a burning in the airPeople crying and moaning everywhereFor every shattered dream they used to chaseHear them scream and hear them shoutAs for me I know without a doubtThat I'll be holding out for better daysYes, I'm gonna wait for better daysThe devil wants to set this world ablazeTimes are tough, but I know enoughAbout fortune's fickle waysTo stick around for better daysI can’t remember having funAnd the cops watch out for anyoneWho even looks like me, man they never close the caseI’m working part-time cleaning a barAnd I make my home living in a carWhere I dream most every night of better daysAnd I'm gonna wait for better daysThe devil wants to set this world ablazeTimes are tough, but I know enoughAbout fortune's fickle waysTo stick around for better daysThe good times hopped behind the wheel and drove on round the bendBut someday they'll come rolling back againSo I'm gonna wait for better daysThe devil wants to set this world ablazeLord it's tough, but I know enoughAbout fortune's fickle waysTo stick around for better daysYeah, I'll stick around for better daysCopyright 2009 by Mark KaufmanHere's one of those "I'm still writing it" songs... I began the process by pressing the record button and seeing what might happen, and the music started happening. Then I wrote some lyrics and posted them, but as you can tell, they're still changing. So I figured what the heck, I'll just post it now and anyone interested can watch it as it changes. Right now the bridge isn't even there...it'll go in just after the second chorus, then an instrumental that I also don't know what I'll do yet.Anyway, here are the first set of lyrics and an early pass at the recording:Better DaysThought I heard her on the phoneBut I woke up all aloneBeen weeks now since she left without a traceI could rant and I could raveOr dig myself an early graveBut I guess I'll wait around for better daysYes, I'm gonna wait for better daysThe devil wants to set my world ablazeLife is rough, but I know enoughAbout fortune's fickle waysTo stick around for better daysThere's a burning in the airPeople moaning in despairFor all the shattered dreams they used to chaseHear them scream and hear them shoutAs for me, without a doubtI'll be holding out for better daysYes, I'm gonna wait for better daysThe devil wants to set this world ablazeTimes are tough, but I know enoughAbout fortune's fickle waysTo stick around for better daysThose good times hopped behind the wheel and drove on round the bendBut tomorrow they'll be rolling back againSo I'm gonna wait for better daysThe devil wants to set this world ablazeLord it's tough, but I know enoughAbout fortune's fickle waysTo stick around for better daysYeah, I'll stick around for better daysCopyright 2009 by Mark Kaufman

[heinsite]

hi mark--very nice first round on this.the music is down solid, melody, structure--i personally didn't have a problem with the lack of a bridge in this one...the title/hook line is solid (almost stole one i've been meaning to write titiled "Better Days Are Comin;"--old saying of my grandma and mom (and me now i guess...but i have to google it)anyway, i find that the lyrics don't have as many (at this point anyway,...) kaufffman-isms in them as usual, but i think you know they are a bit general right now, which is fine if that's the way you want them, (hell every song doesn't have to be the new messiah speaking...) but think a less generalist approach to this would help. but as you said, this is a first crack--and a damn good one!the best,warren

[Mark Kaufman]

Thanks Warren. There will be a short bridge right after the second verse...I just haven't composed one yet. I'll probably drop the first verse entirely, start with the second, and rewrite a second verse.

[davekershaw]

Nice guitar sound, and playing Mark.Very Dylanesque voice.Like you say, the lyrics are evolving, and sound fine so far.Be interesting to hear it develop.

[gburgess]

Very nice message Mark. Very appropriate for these days.I agree with Dave as well regarding the guitar/playing. Both very nice.Clearly you know far better than I, where you want your song to go, but all in all you've got some nice stuff in there. Stop. Listen. Think.If you have a moment, what do you use for laying down an acoustic guitar track? Do you mic it or use some sort of a pickup. Preamp? EQ? Doubler? Just curious as your acoustic tracks seem to come out clean and full in those I've heard.GB

[Mark Kaufman]

Thanks Dave and g!GB, this guitar sound is a result of the Gauge ECM-87 mic that we've been talking about on the Tech threads. TAXI members were able to get one for the JOKE price of $87. What a steal. Regular price, $149, is STILL a steal. Anyway, I'm not even pre-amping this mic. I just find a sweetspot and point it toward the 12th fret, about a foot away from the guitar, and press record. Later on though, yes, I usually adjust some EQ on each track, and occasionally add some compression or limiting to the track...but not on this recording. The final mixdown also gets some limiting, EQ and compression which adds fullness to the works.When I get a good sound, it's the product of blundering. But when it sounds good to me, I stop blundering and move on.

[billg]

Mark, another killer song! I hope you plan on leaving this one kind of sparse . . . to my ears that's the way to go on it.Just so you know, anything I ever did that wasn't a mistake was an accident!

[gburgess]

So you're essentially using a standard setup. Nice sound from such an inexpensive mic. I'll have to keep that one in mind.Mark thanks for sharing.Billg, I can really relate with your comment "anything I ever did that wasn't a mistake was an accident!" Sounds a bit like Will Rogers - "If Stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?"

[Mark Kaufman]

Bill, yes, I don't plan to add much other than an instrumental solo of some sort and...well, what am I saying...I haven't the foggiest notion what I'm going to do. Might be good to have some mandolin. But yes, not a bigass production on this one.Thanks!GB, yes this mic is awesome for recording acoustic guitar. I like it on vocals too...but I don't think I've found THE mic for my voice yet. But I found THE mic for guitar.

[billg]

How 'bout bagpies