SONG DETAILS
Say what you will but maybe this is better than the pain
Oh here we go ’round again
Swallowed, taste the waste, it’s looking better
It’s a part of me that I never would discuss
It’s a final trip but I never got off the bus
But one look at you, like I said, it’s looking better
One look at you and the memory fades away!
Say what you will but maybe this is better than the pain
Say what you will but maybe this is better left unsaid
When I look up it hits me like it’s yesterday’s rain
Say what you will but maybe this is better than the pain
Breakneck speed in ten (nine, eight, seven, six, five…)
Feed the need to look you will get blinded
If you turn around, you turn into a pillar of salt
Ya gotta put it back now, back in to the back of the vault
But if you stop-stop, then the merry goes round again!
Say what you will but maybe this is better than the pain
How can you want the same thing when it’s goin’ down the drain
Don’t mean to spill but I know this is gonna leave a stain
Say what you will but this feels better, better than the pain
So, she said “by the way”
and she said “by the way”
and he said “by the way”
’cause she said “by the way”
So we say “by the way”
It’s easy! (by the way)
It feels right! (by the way)
BETTER BELIEVE IT!
Words & Music by Chance.
©2004 Upside Down Left Handed Music (BMI).
The following is taken from a blog entry dated July 28th 2004:
Friday, June 25th, 2004
11:30 AM
At work, began whistling a tune I had never heard before.
11:32 AM.
Wait, this is kind of cool, I should record it.
11:33 AM
Sang melody in to Sony Mini Recorder.
Shortly there after, came up with basic chords and wrote them down.
11:45 AM
Wrote initial chorus lyrics.
12:00 -12:15 PM
Wrote initial 1st and 2nd verse lyrics (over course of a few hours, tailored a few lines as the song idea coalesced in my head).
1:30 PM
Wrote melody and lyric for bridge idea (and sang into mini-recorder). No chords yet.
4:00 PM-6:42 PM
Fired up Pro Tools and Reason.
Created tempo map, and simple “bum bum cha” drum machine part to keep time. (usually use click, but had general idea of what I wanted drum part to do, so wanted initial scratch guitar and vocals to jive against that.)
Laid down initial scratch track of vocals, and 3 guitar parts based on this dark guitar tone I discovered on a previous demo. (I’m REALLY digging this guitar sound).
Played parts all the way through potential final structure.
Went to dinner, watched Miracle, and went to bed.
Saturday, June 26th, 2004:
9:15 AM-10:00 AM
Began writing the drum part.
10:00 AM-2:00 PM
Created new bank of drum sounds for the drum parts. 6 snares, 9 hi-hats, 3 kicks, 6 cymbals, etc. Imported new sounds based on some drum hits by Mr. Elvis Levy (during our last recording session). Tweaked, shaped and set up these sounds in my bank of samplers.
2:00- 3:00 PM
I need a break! Lunch, while watching the extra features to Miracle. Herb Brooks was an amazing person.
3:00-3:45 PM
Wrote and recorded bass part. 2 takes for coverage.
3:45-7:00 PM
Tweaked drum part as song needed, made some lyrical adjustments and re-sang elements of song.
8:00 PM-11:00 PM
Fahrenheit 911: One hot dog, ketchup, spot of mustard, jalapenos, relish. One industrial vat of popcorn, buttered; one double xl of Mr. Pibb. Mmmm…hot dog….
12:00 AM-1:00 AM
Back home; channel surfed. Sleep.
Sunday, June 27th, 2004:
10:00 AM-12:00 AM
Reviewed song, began some rough mixing. Then, lunch.
1:00 PM -3:30 PM
Rewrote elements of 2nd verse lyrics and re-cut vocals. Doubled chorus melodies. Re-cut bridge vocals.
Added trumpet intro to song, Added keyboard part to 2nd half of bridge. Rewrote some drum fills here and there. Made slight changes to drum sounds.
3:00 PM-8:00 PM
Began mixing. Took a break around 8, came back and finished with rough around 10:00 PM. Hungry, tired, burned myself a test CD for the morning drive.
Song’s called “Say What You Will.”
Good night!!!
Recorded & mixed in Pro Tools LE Digi 002 on a
Toshiba Satellite laptop
Microphones:
Lead vocal-AKG C451
Guitars: 3 tracks on the Fender ’57 Strat, through Amplitube LE
Drums: Propellerhead Reason 2.5 (using samples from Elvis Levy’s drum kit)
Synth during solo: Maelstrom (in Reason)
Bass: Fender Jazz (el latino)
Written, performed and recorded by Chance.
Cool Geekout Notes
What geek notes? This song came together so fast, didn’t have time to mess around!
Ok, what little I can tell you:
One of the guitar tracks is a single note part, based on the riff and chord changes. It’s panned center (I think).
The bass part was a pain in the ass to play in regular tuning because, ever since I broke my ring finger on my right hand last year, these little bones don’t reach the D string as consistently as I’d like (I know: wanhhhh!). So I tuned the E string to G and just growled away on one string. That’s right. You heard me. And I didn’t even think twice!
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