Birds Without Wings

This is the third song in my "Trump Trilogy" ("Time Will Tell" and "Snake Oil" being the other two) and the last song for my fifth album. 

I've been really enjoying the feel on this one, which is good as I've been working on it for a while now. 

The title is based on a phrase in (and the title of) a book I've been struggling with by Louis de Bernieres. The full quote is "Man is a bird without wings, a bird is a man without sorrow" - it struck a chord (E minor in fact) with me. 

Salvador Dali also used the phrase in "intelligence without ambition is like a bird without wings" - in Trump's case perhaps some of the words could be switched ;) I have made the appropriate adjustment. 

I had hoped to do this with the guys and gals from PBGB, but alas, that didn't work out, so it's a solo song from me. 

Neil Porter: vocals, guitars (forward and backward), bass, drum and percussion programming, production. 

Bird Without Wings 2016 Neil Porter 

84bpm Intro: | Em | Bm7 | x4 Em B7 

Intro: | Em | Bm7 | x4

Em B7

Man is a bird without any wings

CM7 Em

Bird is a man without sorrow

Em B7

I just don’t know what makes me think of these things

CM7 Em

There’ll be some more news tomorrow

Seems like we’re losing sight of the light

We often misread the meaning

Shifting the picture off to the right

Makes it somehow less appealing

Esus4 

Its gonna be a long night

A7sus4

Its feeling like a bad dream

Csus4

Its gonna take a long fight

Dsus4

Its gonna be a bad scene

Esus4 A7sus4

We’re just birds

Csus4 Dsus4

Without wings

Up on a wire and out on a limb

Maybe you feel the connection

Caught in a cage and your chances look slim

You might want to change your direction

High and the low, black and the white

We’re all together now, we’re altogether now

Midnight wisdom and eagle sight

Man is a bird without wings

Its gonna be a long night

Its feeling like a bad dream

Its gonna take a long fight

Its gonna be a bad scene

We’re just birds

Without wings

SOLO:

| Em | B7 | CM7 | Em | x2

High as a kite looking down on it all

What will it look like tomorrow?

Man is a bird without any wings

Bird is a man without sorrow

Its gonna be a long night

Its feeling like a bad dream

Its gonna take a long fight

Its gonna be a bad scene

We’re just birds

Without wings

Esus4 A7sus4

We’re just birds

Csus4 Dsus4

Without wings

Esus4 A7sus4

We’re just birds

Csus4 Dsus4

Without wings

Embb5 x 8

Snake Oil

My US election ditty - Trump got in anyway :(

Have a listen to SNAKE OIL.

What needs to be said?

An antipodean response to the lunacy that is the Trump "campaign".

Written by Neil Porter, performed by PBGB.

Peter Reid on drums, Mick Nadin on harmonica, Kerry Hynes on vocal and Neil Porter on vocal, bass, guitars and production

Snake Oil

©2016 Neil Porter

Mean Mr Mustard

Got his foot in the door

I don’t understand

What you opened it for

Drop your guard 

And he’ll walk right in

Oozing that snake oil

On everything

Chorus:

Snake oil, snake oil

Come and get your snake oil

And you’ll stay alive

Til a hundred and ten

Snake oil, snake oil

Buy my fine snake oil

Gonna make you richer 

Than you’ve ever been

Mass hypnosis

Wild tirade

He’s got all the skills

Of the snake oil trade

Big on slogans

Small on hands

Gonna make America

Snake again

Snake oil, snake oil

Come and get your snake oil

And you’ll stay alive

Til a hundred and ten

Snake oil, snake oil

Buy my fine snake oil

Gonna make you richer 

Than you’ve ever been

Money on the counter

He’ll give us all a case

Snake oil man 

In a snake oil race

Drop your guard 

And he’ll walk right in

Oozing that snake oil

On everything

Snake oil, snake oil

Come and get your snake oil

And you’ll stay alive

Til a hundred and ten

Snake oil, snake oil

Buy my fine snake oil

Gonna make you richer 

Than you’ve ever been

Gonna make you richer 

Gonna make you richer 

Gonna make you richer 

Than you’ve ever been

Snake oil, snake oil

Gonna make you richer 

Than you’ve ever been

Goodbye Doobie

Finally sold my long-serving bass amp after having it for more than 30 years.  It seemed pointless to keep it now I have my excellent little Gallien-Krueger amp.  Enjoy it Greg 😢

Swimming In Mud

A couple of levels of meaning here - the obvious is that it's about Sydney. I lived there for a long while, and although we have some family and some very old friends there still, it is no longer a place where I am happy. Cities have just become too hard for me. You can figure out the big and small alternative interpretations for your selves :) 

Just me and Levi the drummer this time.

Swimming In Mud

© 2016 Neil Porter

It’s big and it’s dirty

Like a river in flood 

Just like driving in traffic

It’s like swimming in mud

I was drowning in quicksand

I was going down slow

I’ve been swimming upstream

With nowhere to go

I was simmering slowly

Not quite boiling my blood 

I stopped taking the tablets

I came down with a thud

Drowning in quicksand

I was going down slow

I’ve been swimming upstream

With nowhere to go

Chorus:

Not going back to Sydney anymore

Don’t want to visit places where I used to go before

I can do without the harbour and the locks upon my door

Ain’t going back to Sydney 

Anymore

SOLO

I’ve been burning my bridges

I’m not easily led

While my heart keeps on beating

Then you’ll know I’m not dead

I was drowning in quicksand

I was going down slow

I was swimming upstream

With nowhere to go

There’s no train at the station

There’s no room at the inn

You can lose yourself

In the city of sin

If I’m drowning in quicksand

I’ll be going down slow

I’ve been swimming upstream

With nowhere to go

Something from the past :)

In May 2008, I did an extensive interview with Tobin Mueller for some artist reviews he was doing.  I just re-read it and thought anyone interested in my music might find it a good read.

You can catch it here.

Here's a brief extract:
"Not only his unique voice, organic grooves, outstanding lyrics and solid sense of melody give his tracks a signature sound. The way he mixes and layers his music is unlike anything I’ve heard. I can tell a jiguma track the moment it starts. (I love that.) If you listen from his earliest to his most recent, you will hear steadily increasing production/mixing abilities, which is one of the things this site gives many members. Plus, his songs have a conscience. His song writing is strong from top to bottom…"

Tobin also reviewed my first album, "jiguma dreaming" which you can read here.

"Looking Like The Real Thing"

It seems I'm on a bit of a writing roll at the moment - I'm enjoying it a lot :)

Inspired by 20 year-old me. About the unattainable love interest who's with someone else and that defeated feeling you have when you see them together. The "bad man" was probably a perfectly nice guy!

Just me and Gavin the drummer :)

It's another RnB tinged song, and one I'm pretty pleased with.  Listen HERE.

Looking Like The Real Thing

©2016 Neil Porter

V1

Not much more that I can do 

I just wanna get through to you 

I’ve got nothing left to say

Pack my things and go away 

I try to see your point of view

But there’s a bad man standing next to you

V2

You don’t know what you put me through 

I just wanna get close to you 

Feel like I’ve been washed ashore

I can’t do this anymore  

I try to see your point of view

Bad man standing next to you

BRIDGE

I couldn’t help myself

You were looking like the real thing

I had to stop myself

Stop myself

I’d get down on my knees

But you know my skin is thin

Looking like the real thing

You were looking like the real thing 

V3

You with him that makes me blue 

I just gotta get close to you 

One day you might understand

I just wanna be your man

I try to see your point of view

Bad man standing next to you

Bad man standing next to you

Bad man standing next to you

Bad man standing next to you

Bad man standing next to you

Bad man standing next to you

Bad man standing next to you

First World Blues - new music.

First World Blues:

A few months ago, my friend Graeme and I were discussing something I was really worked up about - "seething" would have been a good word for it.  Graeme can always be relied on to say what he thinks, and he pretty quickly pointed out to me that what I was so angry about was a "first world problem".  

Suitably chastened, I thought a lot about what he'd said and began to realise that a lot of the things we in the "first world" (I think Australia still qualifies) worry about are pretty insignificant compared to others with much less fortunate lives.

"First World Blues" (click to listen) is what I wrote in response.  It's a bit tongue in cheek and the words perhaps a little tangential,  but is meant to make you think a bit about others' circumstances next time you start complaining about your car not starting or your partner walking out.  Things could be MUCH worse!

Musically, I'm playing guitars (3 tracks), bass, keyboards and a little percussion.  Drums are courtesy of Gavin the drummer, who lives downstairs ;). I sang the main vocal and one of the harmonies.  

This was written to take to the PBGB Shed, but as it didn't feel like it needed (or indeed had room for) 10 people playing/singing on it, I decided to do it myself.

This will be on my fifth album - release date is "later in 2016.

Song art is a modification of a reinterpretation of Picasso's "Old Man With Guitar" by Anja Gudic - check her Tumbler site here: http://agillustration.tumblr.com

First World Blues
©2016 Neil Porter

Verse: | Am | A7sus4 | FM7/A | FM7/A |

I’m a modern man
I’ve got modern views
Look at my feet
I’ve got the latest shoes
I drive a fancy car
You should get one too
I’m just a first world man
I’ve got the first world blues

Chorus: | Dm | D7sus/A | Am | Am |

First world blues
Feel like they’re coming tonight
First world blues
I hope I’m doing them right

I help my first world friends
I tend to pick and choose
I’m learning all I can
I’m on the morning news
Can’t seem to do too much
I drink the finest booze
I’m just a first world man
I’ve got the first world blues

First world blues
Feel like they’re coming tonight
First world blues
I hope I’m doing them right

BRIDGE Em Bm Dm Am

I’m running late and my car won’t start
Don’t know what I’m gonna do
My baby left me and she broke my heart
Got first world problems
Got the first world blues

SOLO on verse

First world blues
Feel like they’re coming tonight
First world blues
I hope I’m doing them right

I’m doing all I can
Done all the interviews
I smile and look so neat
Watch all my “p”s and “q”s
My girl’s a beauty queen
You ought to get one too
I’m just a first world man
I’ve got the first world blues

First world blues
Feel like they’re coming tonight
First world blues
I hope I’m doing them right

OUTRO on chorus

First world blues
Feel like they’re coming tonight
First world blues
I hope I’m doing them right

Who You Foolin'?

Felt a need for some old-school RnB - in this case mixed with a bit of cool B3 Hammond.
The words could be about a relationship in trouble, politics, disappointment - or "all of the above". Started off with some riffing around the basic premise of "I'd miss you baby but you won't go away".
I'm playing everything here ("playing" is of course a loose term in these days of midi loops which can be so easily massaged to get what you want) except for the drums, played by my reliable friend Gavin the drummer.
Hope you enjoy it.
:)

Who You Fooling?
©2016 Neil Porter

Cm C7sus4 Cm Csus4
Don’t misunderstand me
I’ve got promises to keep
You know you make me laugh sometimes 
You know you make me weep

Please don’t reprimand me
I’ve got things I need to say
You know how much I’d miss you 
If you ever went away

Fm C7sus4 Fm Csus4
Who you fooling?
Who you letting down this time? 
Who said this game is over
It wasn’t me
Who you fooling?
Who you shoving down the line?
Who flushed you out of cover
It wasn’t me

Who you fooling?

Don’t know what you stand for
Seems like we’re in trouble deep
Don’t know where you’re coming from
I don’t know how you sleep

I’m hearing what you’re saying
It means nothing much to me
Not liking what you’re doing
You’re not who I want to be

Who you fooling?
Who you letting down this time? 
Who said this game is over
It wasn’t me
Who you fooling?
Who you shoving down the line?
Who flushed you out of cover
It wasn’t me

Who you fooling?

SOLO

We’ve been down this road before
Still haven’t changed my mind
I’ve been doing all I can 
You’ve been flying blind 

Days of desperation
Nights of deep despair
I hope to see the last of you
You don’t seem to care

Who you fooling?
Who you letting down this time? 
Who said this game is over
It wasn’t me
Who you fooling?
Who you shoving down the line?
Who flushed you out of cover
It wasn’t me

Who you fooling?

Who you fooling?

Blast From The Past :)

"Giving It All Away" is one of my favourite songs of mine. It is a quirky exercise in 7/8 and introspection which I posted in 2011, and is yet again appropriate for me. So far, it is the only one of my songs which has been "temporarily off line" at MJ. Anyway, 

I have remixed it and re-sung it (mainly because the original vocal tracks had disappeared from my Logic files) in May 2016. It's a little crisper and sounds more like I had wanted when I first posted - ah, the joys of Ozone 5 and 7 :) 

If you've heard it before, you may enjoy another listen, if not, then enjoy counting to 7 ........... a lot! 

Me on everything. I added the chords so you can play along. :) Oh, the lyrics are not what they seem. 

Have a listen here: "Giving It All Away"

Giving It All Away  ©2012 Neil Porter 

Intro: |Am Em7|Am Em7|Am Em7|Am Em7|
Verse: |Am Em7|Am Em7|Am Em7|Am Em7|Dm Am|Dm Am|Am Em7|Am Em7|
Middle 8: |F|F|F|F|C|C|C|C| 

I got time on my hands
My place in the sun 
So much to do but it never gets done  I made some mistakes And they play on my heart
So much to do but I don’t seem to start 

I just have to have some clear direction
When there’s no reason I’m all at sea
Sometimes I get it right
Give in without a fight
Maybe I’ll give it all away 

Doing my best with your obsessions
Sometimes they’re pushing me away
Sometimes I get it right
Give in without a fight
Maybe I’ll give it all away 

Giving it all away
Giving it all away
Giving it all away
Giving it all away yeah 

I lived a life of inhibition
Taking no chances – that’s not me
Sometimes I get it right
Give in without a fight
Maybe I’ll give it all away 

So you can see the contradiction
Nose on your face as plain as day
Sometimes I get it right
Give in without a fight
Maybe I’ll give it all away
Maybe I’ll give it all away
Maybe I’ll give it all away

Back to political comment!

A lot of my earlier music was political protest - albeit usually in a tangential kind of way.  The current state of Oz politics (and the refugee detention in particular) has inspired this one. Give it a listen here "Judgement Day".

Australia's detention policy regarding refugees is a national disgrace, with two self-immolations in one week (one fatal) in a detention centre on Nauru. The Minister currently responsible is Peter Dutton, an ex police officer - who continues the shamefully cruel approach of the previous minister, Scott Morrison towards refugees. There's not a lot I can do personally about this situation except write a song. This is for P.D. "Judgement Day" refers in the first instance to the upcoming national election (although the other main political party appears to have the same attitude to refugee detention), but also to the biblical judgement day of course. Interestingly, these politicians profess to having strong christian beliefs - amazing! It's a slow bluesy kind of song with obtuse words, but I think you'll get the meaning.

Lyrics:

Judgement Day ©2016 Neil Porter 

Big fella’s got a good view waiting for the judgement day 
You know he’s gonna see you waiting for the judgement day 
On the judgement day 
Yeah there’s a judgement day 
Big guy blue sky pigs fly gonna be a judgement day 

Talk back, brain hack, back track you take my breath away 
I wouldn’t want to be you waiting at the pearly gates some day 
On the judgement day 
Yeah there’s a judgement day 
Big guy blue sky pigs fly gonna be a judgement day 

Stop boats, blue notes, get votes you locked them all away 
No voice, no hope, no choice you took their lives away 
On the judgement day 
 Yeah there’s a judgement day 
Big guy blue sky pigs fly gonna be a judgement day 

Hard as steel and cold as ice you’ll never get to paradise 
I really hope you get what’s coming on the judgement day 
On the judgement day 
Yeah there’s a judgement day 
Big guy blue sky karma’s gonna get ya on the judgement day

Karma’s gonna get ya On the judgement day

Hey, it's 2016 already - how did that happen!

Inspired by a couple of great gigs by the "Candelo Mafia" - Pete Wild and the Only Ones at Tathra a couple of weeks ago and Michael Menager's CD launch last night - it seems time to reconsider my musical outlook. Time is short! 

First thing to do is to update this blog with some songs from the last 6 months or so. 

There's a new song collection in the works, and here are a couple of unmastered versions - both linked to our French "home away from home" in Ougney les Champs. 

"What Kind Of Men Are They?" ©2015 Neil Porter 

I’ve been watching all the news today 
Friends and strangers many miles away 
I had to turn away I couldn’t look 
What kind of men are they? 

The world has changed again in just one night 
Not much that I can do put things right 
I had to turn away I couldn’t look 
What kind of men are they? 

I just want to know that you’re alright 
I don’t understand what all this means 
I’m far away from the city of light 
Far away from the land of dreams 

Now I’ve heard that you are all OK 
The world can wake to face another day 
I had to turn away I couldn’t look 
What kind of men are they? 

We’re all walking round on eggshells now 
Life goes on, sometimes 
I don’t know how
I had to turn away I couldn’t look 
What kind of men are they? 

"Who Walked These Ancient Trails?"  ©2016 Neil Porter 

I want to see the picture that you painted - valley red and gold 
I want to turn the pages of the stories in the stones 
I hear the voices of the people who have walked these paths before 
I heard some stories and I want to hear a whole lot more 

I’m going where the sun goes down 
Go where the south wind blows 
Big river calling me 
Shake this shadow off my soul 

During the countdown 
In my mind I’m wondering 
Who walked these ancient trails? 
I’m missing your town 
Something deep inside of me 
Something there is calling me 

Maybe I’ll see you again - through green and white and red and gold 
We’ll share a drink or two - I’ll hear your tales unfold 
We’ll walk together - and every step you’ll show me more 
But until that time comes - I’ll dream just like before