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Download the tab & notation: Irresolution Blues (166)
Irresolution Blues
Like a bandit coming out of the sun
She said c’mon baby let’s have some fun
I know a way that I can make you smile ““ I said
I don’t know, honey, it’s been a while
She said, tell me ““ what you wanna do?
She said, if you’re unsure what to do
I’ll do a Google search for you
Half a second later, c’mon, give me a break ““ I got
Half a million more decisions to make
She said, tell me ““ what you wanna do?
I am determined, yes I am my own man
I am resolved, yes I am
I can choose, I can select
Without getting caught up in the cause and effect
She said, tell me ““ what you wanna do?
We went shopping but we didn’t buy squat
We’d only take it back whatever we bought
We’d watch a movie but we couldn’t agree
Who’s gonna choose the DVD
She said, tell me ““ what you wanna do?
C’mon baby it’s time to go
C’mon baby: yes or no?
I said I would tell you all of one voice
But yet again you’re giving me multiple choice
She said, tell me ““ what you wanna do?
© 2011 Dave Keir
Hello Dave sorry its been a while. Hope you’re ok. Sad news about Bert Jansch.
This song reminds me of when Homer Simpson is the music manager of Singer he discoverd after a row with Marge, who he went back to in the end as ever….
Not sure completley about the image in the 1st line, but matybe it works for you.
The only other thing you might think about is the duration of the breaks.
I like the way they visit your musical influences as that reflects your irresolution but they drift and seem unhelpful for the last parts. Cut them in 1/2 and thy won’t sound
any less part of the whole effect. Another idea is to shorten them by differing amounts, so that 1st is longest andthe 2nd by 1/2 and the last much shorter. This fits the ending too. Hey this is easy for me to say!!!
Hope that may helps or just tell me to be on yer way… look forward to the next song anyway. kind regards Peter
Yes, sad about Bert. An inspiration to many.
My vision of “like a bandit coming out the sun..” is of a pilot spotting an enemy aircraft in a old World War II movie. I agree that the reference will likely not be seen by most people, but as you suggested – it works for me.
Taken together the guitar “interludes” are the heart of the song. In fact, the first – which is repeated as the third – is the genesis of the whole piece. The second interlude is a composed variation on the first. The verses and their accompaniment were the last to be written. All together the verses and the guitar breaks act as a kind of quasi-rondo. So, Peter, the form of the whole thing is deliberate. Whether one hears it as a song with guitar breaks or a guitar piece with sung interludes is maybe moot. The history of song prior to its mass popularization around the ’50s provides many examples where the sung part is short compared to the instrumental section(s). It’s just that we’re now conditioned after decades of mass marketing of popular music to certain expectations.
All that said, you’re not alone: others have complained that I don’t know whether I write songs or guitar pieces with some words. Ha!
Hello Dave thanks yr thoughts. Many things jump to mind initialy so I left it a while before coming back.
Sorry I didn’t recognise a Rondo when it what was hitting me on the head! I think using such forms is fine and must be a good starting place for loads of musicians and ragtime composers themselves…Poets have a long tradition of metrical forms to use and to break from. I have heard it said that our ” popular music” reflects hymns as well as the blues. So to my mind using form is fine and even quasi forms is good; and
free form has to breaking from something! Everything references everything else.
At the end of the day you asked for peoples thoughts about your work, and I still feel the same. I judged it in its effect to reach me. I never even noticed wether its 12 bar or not but it does sound like that. Anyway, Rondo away I say, but you can’t not have an effect. Your words will create a story and your music will reflect/ alter/ underline/ spoil/ improve delete ad nauseum.
In the end you sum this all up yourself , but I refuse to complain! Try to be ruthless with yourself . If the song doesn’t seem to fit the form leave them apart. Why not use IR blues as an instrumental? This is my opinion and you’re welcome to it!
Looking forward to hearing from you Kind regards Peter
Hi Peter,
I you listen again as closely as you have done already you\’ll hear that the verse is sung pretty much on one note only, namely; A. Imagine that uninterrupted ‘A\’ for five verses! Clearly, some relief is needed and I elected the instrumental route. Call in camouflage for the poverty of the invention.
What also matters is what I feel about it sitting of a stool in front of an audience ““ and I suspect that (for such a long song, relatively speaking) the changing landscape between singing and guitar playing will hold interest and attention. The one-note monologue won\’t in my humble opinion.
See also Elizabeth\’s comment where she opines that the sung parts are the weakest ““ to the point that it appears they spoiled the whole piece!
The acid test is really about performance to a live audience. IRB works, I think, in this respect in its current form. In fairness, and in light of your comments, I think it is probably teetering on the edge of being both a failed song and a not-quite instrumental. But I imagine as it sways, knees buckling and arms swinging, at the edge of the cliff, it does regain its “œcomposure” and balance and struts away, whistling its own tunes, hands in pocket.
Thanks, Peter!