09 July 2006

Where the rubber meets the soul

The patio stereo has lost a speaker so we only get one channel.

It's usually ok but in the case of Peter Paul & Mary and some others, it really counts.

Mum questions the weird sounds and I tell her that if only she'd hand over a score of evro smackers, I could kit us up with a brace of hot speakers and she'd hear it right.

But no, before speakers, there's always some grisly gardening implement we could buy before kicking back on hot sounds.

The Beatles' Rubber Soul is almost right down the line in its left/right mics
so it sounds weird as hell

Over the weeks, we've got used to having the backing and not the vocals and have taken to singing the lead parts ourselves. Quite classy, laying the dinner table as one chants to one's very own backing group.

Up came some musical pals to nosh and there we were, cruising and crooning, by now forgetful of the bizarre situation.

Natch, there's my guitar propped in the corner so of course Leila thinks it's *me* that's laid down some backing tracks. ("But your guitar sound so *like* a sitar on 'Norwegian Wood.")

Isn't it good? Norwegian Wood.

Vassili, who *does* play the guitar and whose pièce de résistance on one of his albums is the Greekie version of 'In My Life', grabs the Martin and sings and plays along, taking a very cute solo where George just does that modest rich-toned fill-in.

We listen agog and applaud and fill our glasses.

I'm persuaded to sing my ferry song, about which everyone is polite and pretends to understand:

Just got back from London, visiting my Queen.
We watched the Changing of the Guard, the butler served us tea.
My sovereign cried, "We can't drink that,
Bring us a double-tall latte, two per cent fat."
I said 'Your Majesty, you're just  like me,
You've been riding the Bainbridge ferry.'

Chorus

Oh riding the Bainbridge ferry, it's a lot like riding Life.
Only a one-way ticket, might as well ride it right:
No one worries, you're a busker or a broker
It's how you handle your latte or mocha:
Short and sweet, then grab your seat,
Riding the Bainbridge ferry.

Royalist Note: Devotees of Debrett will spot my adherence to the royal 'we'.

2 comments :

Julie Leung said...

will you record this? :-)

Corfucius said...

How *nice* to hear from JL and what a relief. I had assumed my railing against gardening was the final straw and she'd severed all ties.
My Ferry song was composed Sept 1995 and grown and shrunk as the seasons and events came and went. A number of folks offered avenues for its recording but none delivered the goods, so what did I care? I sang it at Seabold and Bagels; I sang it at pals' parties and my own. I sing it here out of nostalgia and to amuse the natives.
No, I see it getting recorded unless some moneybags comes along who can make some bread off it. Like my 'Fromgrep Song' for my longest employer: you sort of have to be there to get the full flavour.
Again, how nice to hear from you. C