Category: Rock and/or Roll

2013 Spring Cleaning: Prayer (God in Heaven Above)

Post author By Greg Scheer
Post date May 13, 2013
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During college, I had a long season of doubt. On Sunday December 6, 1989 at 10:13pm of that season, I wrote this song. What I think is especially interesting in hindsight is that I wrote my song of doubt in the form of a prayer!

Listen to the MP3 while reading the lyrics below:

God in heaven above (or in my heart below)
why keep me waiting for love?

If I were to see you would I know you?
If I were to know you would I love you?
If I were to love you would you love me too?

If I were to strike you woul it hurt you?
If I were to leave you would you follow me?
If I were to hate you what would you do?

God in heaven above (or in my heart below)
why keep me waiting for love?

If you think of me keep me in your prayers —
I need some help with things down here

If you would approach me I’d be listening
When you’re passing by me you can stop with me
When my heart is hungry maybe that is you after all.

If you’re feeling lonely you can talk to me.
I know just how lonesome one can feel.
If you really knew me would you still love me, after the fall?

God in heaven above (or in my heart below)
why keep me waiting for love?

If you think of me keep me in your prayers —
I need some help with things down here.

Rock and/or Roll

2013 Spring Cleaning: Louie Laughing at Me

Post author By Greg Scheer
Post date April 30, 2013
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When I lived in Salzburg, there was a street person named Louie who would often stop by to hear me play my guitar in the city square. He must have made quite an impression on me because he made it into two of my songs.

The first is a sympathetic–maybe even patronizing–description of Louie’s life on the street. In this second song, the roles are reversed. Instead of me pitying his life from my place of power and ease, in this one he presides over my trial to gain entrance into the after life. I await his verdict, but he can only laugh. The song is pretty much a transcription of a dream I had a few years after I returned from Salzburg.

I’m not sure why this has never made it onto any of my projects. It’s got all the hallmarks of great rock and roll: driving rhythm, a catchy chorus, shadowy figures gatekeeping the underworld, and whole tone scales. What do you think–will this ever be more than a B side?

MP3

Rock and/or Roll

2013 Spring Cleaning: A Number (bass)

Post author By Greg Scheer
Post date April 23, 2013
No Comments on 2013 Spring Cleaning: A Number (bass)

There’s a song on my 1993 release From the Hand of… called “A Number of Girls.” It’s got a smoking violin riff that you will eventually hear when I digitize it and upload to the blogoscheer. A few days ago, I came across this short excerpt of the riff that I recorded on multiple tracks of bass guitar: MP3

Quirky Rock and/or Roll

2 Love Songs

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day, and love is in the air. Also music.

At the very end of yesterday and the very beginning of today I had some quick ideas that I recorded and uploaded to FAWM. Just in case you’re not following me there, I decided to post them here, too:

I’ve Got to Go

Perfect

Half the Man Rock and/or Roll

Everything to Me

This last song to be completed for the Half the Man CD was one that I often used as the first song in a set when playing out. I thought it was fitting to start with the words, “Well, that’s just what we need–another song.” Of course, by the time I got to the end of the song, the audience was like putty in my hands, and were begging for more. (At least that’s the way I like to remember it.)

Everything to Me is one of my many songs about songs. I guess what one thinks about comes out in one’s writing. Songs like this one, Palestrina, and Tomorrow May Be More all explore the futility of creativity. There is so much music in the world. And now we can hear pristine examples of the greatest music from past centuries and throughout the entire world. What could someone like me possibly add to these endless treasures?

If you’re interested in exploring the answer to that question, join me at 7pm EST tonight for the Half the Manathon listening party. Those of you who aren’t local will be able to join us virtually via http://www.ustream.tv/channel/gregscheer. I’m working out the technical details for the virtual gathering, and putting finishing touches on the CD and munchies for the local gathering.

For now, enjoy this music hors d’oeuvre: Everything to Me, MP3

Half the Man Rock and/or Roll

Our Father

Update 10/1/20: Sheet music for this song can be downloaded here.

Though my Half the Man CD isn’t a religious project, per se, under every hat I wear is my halo…

No, really, this song just seemed to fit, so I’m including it in the first draft. Plus, the COS Guitarchestra is leading this on Sunday, and I thought it would be nice for them to hear it before playing it. (Get crackin’, Gs!) I’m still taking reservations for tomorrow night’s Half the Manathon listening party, so email me quickly if you’d like to join us.

Our Father, MP3

Half the Man Rock and/or Roll

Let Me into Your Heart

I’m still deciding whether this one will go on the Half the Man CD or not. That’s one of the reasons I’m holding a listening party on Tuesday night. I want to get feedback from fresh ears: Is it good? Does it fit with the other songs? Is it too weird to release a song about unrequited love two decades after meeting the love of your life? (“Requited love”–is that a thing?)

I took a different approach in recording this song. Most of the others I built up from a click track (I usually used a basic drum pattern rather than an actual click), then laying down a rough take on voice and guitar, then adding bass, guitars, and vocals. It doesn’t give the flexibility of a live recording, but it gives rhythmic stability to multiple tracks added at different times. On this song, though, I recorded the whole song on guitar and voice (3rd take, for those who are counting) without a click track and then added the bass and percussion on top of that. this gives the song a more organic, unpolished feel that I really like.

Hear for yourself: MP3

Rock and/or Roll

Tell You How I Feel

As I come to the finish line with the Half the Man project*, I’m coming across songs that aren’t going to make it from rough draft to first draft stage. “Tell You How I Feel” is one such song. It’s a good song–I mean, what’s not to like about a song sung half in English and half in German?–but it just doesn’t feel right for this CD.

But the CD’s loss is your gain. Instead of having to wait twenty years for the Half the Man reissue with all the outtakes and B sides, you can just click right here and take a listen now!

*(Hey, there’s still time to get in on the Half the Manathon!)

Half the Man Rock and/or Roll

We Know the Changes

I’m wrapping up the last few tracks on the Half the Man CD in preparation for Tuesday’s “Half the Manathon” listening party. In this particular case, I’m literally “rapping” up the track.

“We Know the Changes” has been around for a while. It was inspired by rap/jazz projects like the Diggable Planets’ “Rebirth of Slick,” Black Sheep’s “The Choice Is Yours,” and Buckshot LeFonque’s “Music Evolution.”

Take a listen to MC G layin’ it down: MP3.

Half the Man Rock and/or Roll

Let It Go

Strange. I though I had uploaded this song to the blog over a year ago. In any case, today’s Half the Man post is a depressing little thing called “Let It Go.”

This Half the Man CD project is winding down. I have a few more songs to finish, then I’ll spend a few harried days doing a basic mastering of the whole project. THEN comes the fun part:

Tuesday, October 23 at 7pm will be a CD listening party, dubbed the Half Manathon. It will be a chance to listen through the whole project and give me feedback. Who’s in? Just email me if you’re interested in taking part.