Troubled Times (Adam Schlesinger tribute) (Completed)
This is a tribute to the songwriting genius of Adam Schlesinger, to honor him on the first anniversary of his untimely death. On April 1, 2020 COVID choked out of this world one of the greatest songwriters of my generation. Adam was 52, with finely honed skills and deep wells of creativity that showed no signs of running dry. This song is my favorite from Fountains of Wayne's second album 'Utopia Parkway'. Elton John called it one of the best albums of all time.
I want to make this an extra jangly janglepop song.
It's about love but it's not really a love song. It's about a guy so filled with romantic longing for a girl that he kind of psyches himself out and never really goes out and gets her. But he has dreamed up a romantic origin story for the ages.
In the liner notes for her lushly beautiful cover of this song Dar Williams opined that the Fountains of Wayne guys seemed to intend that the guy would win the girl in the end. So Dar felt this was actually a hopeful song about incipient happiness. I'm not so sure. It's quite easy for me to imagine that if this girl is half as desirable as our protagonist thinks she is then she'll soon fall for some other guy actually brave enough to ask her out and date her, leaving our shy protagonist to a lifetime of romantic pining and solitary regret. For his sake I hope I'm wrong. But it happened to me once. He who dares, wins. I certainly hope he does not turn into the guy described in the Birds of Chicago song "Remember Wild Horses." https://youtu.be/F-dGWMVYVUM
There is one more electric guitar part to add. Lots of tremolo, and it gets hard & edgy during the bridge "And it takes a lot of nerve..." Never quite decided if I'd play it myself or invite another guitarist to play it. Do I want it just the way I hear it in my head, or do I want to be (pleasantly) surprised with what another player comes up with? Hmmm...
New lead vocal added. New mix published.
@tonysurf70 your keyboard makes especially beautiful waveforms. Viewed in DAW mode the tremolo is clearly visible - reminds me of softserve icecream served up by a skillful soda fountain server. :-)
@Flmusicgal we sound so great together here! The more I listen the more I like our harmony. It's even better than what I was hearing in my head.
This song is really coming together beautifully now.