Music

I love Nico’s version of These Days. Please don’t think that because I am doing a terrible version of the song here that I am making fun of it or her singing. I think she is terrific and it is my limited abilities that make this one sound funny.

I heard this song somewhere in the city and the chorus seemed perfect to add Bat Books to. I had to do some research on who did it originally and found the lyrics so I could ‘replace’ them. That’s when I realized this is a messed up song. My original plan was to practice it a few times so I could get the opening/closing piece smooth but I found that the yukkiness of the original lyrics were blocking me. I had to wrap it up quick. So here it is, I’m really selling it aren’t I?

This song was my BBFB Pod Partner Chris’ idea. He did the lyrics. I squeaked along as best as I could, as Simon and Garfunkel’s vocal range is very different than mine.

He did a great job, enjoy!

This one was hard work. It was the first song I did on my new iMac and trying to get everything sync’ed up like my old system was a challenge. It is all figured out now. Whew.

Wish You Were Here is a great song. I have played the rhythm part in bands before but never the opening lead. I took this opportunity to figure it out and I like how it turned out after only a day or so of practice. I’d like to work more on it but I’m not going to. I did figure out what Gilmore was up to with the lead and he is a genius.

I played this all on my Les Paul. I originally thought the Strat would sound better but it was a little chimey and was able to get a decent sound out of the Gibson quickly so I went with it.

Here are the lyrics:

So, so you might be afraid

All the Batman Trades

Blue suit and gray

You don’t know Robin’s deal

Who’s Batgirl today

Is that Azrael

You don’t think you can tell

With a bookshelf of Trades

Which heros are ghosts

Which villains are teamed

Fighting on Gotham’s cruel streets

Overwhelmed in the maze

Of Eighty years and some days

Perhaps Arkham Reborn

Or maybe get Wargames

Bat Books

Bat Books for Beginners

We’re just two Bat Fans

Sharing love of Bat man

On racks and spinners

Going over the story and art

What’s dumb and smart

The losers and winnersBat Books for Beginners

Yeah I love The Kinks. Always have. And You Really Got Me is one of their best. Van Halen did a fine cover, but the classic is my favorite.

So, I wanted to get a nice guitar sound to back up the vocals. I used my Les Paul with a Fulltone Full-Drive 2 Mosfet distortion box that I haven’t used in forever. I really like the roasted distortion sound I got out of it.

I have to say, I feel very differently about the tone out of some of my effects pedals hearing it recorded rather than live like I’m used to. I have always heard my guitar out of an amp, not in headphones, and the techniques are totally different between the two.

I hope you like it.

This song is off Crosby Stills Nash and Young’s Deja Vu album. Not my favorite song on the album but it is a sweet one, maybe too sweet for my taste. For some reason this is the one that I learned back in high school and use as a training song, it strengthens the hand and forearm. I am not in good guitar shape so it isn’t the cleanest I’ve played it but it gets the point across.

The original song uses piano and for some reason back in the day I figured out this arrangement, which I like. So here it is, after all this time.

This song actually took a lot of work learning on guitar. There was something about that lead lick that I just couldn’t wrap my head around for quite some time. Not sure what it was, but it took some doing.

The thing about doing these songs is that you only have to get it right once while recording, then you have it forever. It isn’t like playing it live where you have to practice and practice and practice until there isn’t any way you can make a mistake.

Needless to say, I don’t have this song stageworthy, but recording wise it is fine.

I think I like all versions of Hazy Shade of Winter, originally written and performed by Simon and Garfunkel. I also love The Bangles version and more recently heard Gerard Way’s version on The Umbrella Academy Netflix show. It is a great great song and doesn’t deserve this treatment.

But here we are. And here are the lyrics more or less:

Crime, crime, crime
Batman has no pity
Madness reigns
Across Gotham City

Listen to Chris and Gerry

Load it down
Podcast sound
Go to town
It’s Bat Books for Beginners
Load it down
Podcast sound
It’s Bat Books for Beginners

It’s a podcast you’ve been waiting to see
Come along and join with all our friends
And find the cream of DC
Listen to BBFB

Load it down
Podcast sound
Go to town
It’s Bat Books for Beginners
Load it down
Podcast sound
It’s Bat Books for Beginners

This is a parody of the song off Led Zepplin II Livin Lovin Maid. My parody is blessedly short. This was a decent idea, but when I first recorded the guitar I cut the break short. Each chord should have been two bars and I only added one. So I had to redo the guitar break and move all the vocals around. I can hear the change in guitar and am not 100% happy with it all. Something sounds off to me and I can’t put my finger on it, so I gave up and here it is.