This is a song about parents, teachers, work mangers and leaders all messing with your head and making you feel inferior when they have got no more of a clue than you'll ever have; so feck it and go with your gut, so long as it isn't hurting anyone :) That's what I say anyway. I've had a lot of practice and experience; but still, what the hell do I know eh? :)

Left of Hardin

Rip up the Rulebooks

Lyrics largely written while descending Helvellyn in the English Lake District amidst the buzz of ascending it via the challenging 'Striding Edge'. The music followed as soon as I got back to my guitar. Flanging out the chords on the piano felt a bit 'Lennon' and the arrangement came from there.

The Mountain Song

A track from the current sessions for my 'difficult' third collection of self-penned songs

FOMO (the fear of missing out)

A song inspired by Dartford's finest sons.....

Ballad of a Small Town

Song from about 1990 influenced by S. Central and Don't Go Back To Rockville by R.E.M. Middle 8 inspired by Bruce Springsteen's The River...... not about anyone

Michael Murray's Album

Perfect Standing

Finally finished this song in 2019 after seeing a link between Anthony Gormley's "Another Place" on my home town/Liverpool suburb of Crosby's beach and what I was trying to say about my birthplace and pride in the city and its people. My parents moved the family south in the 80s; my family were economic migrants in Maggie's Design...............,

Maggie’s Design

I taught myself guitar with the Beatles and Elvis music books when I was 16 but when it came to the piano many years later, after learning the basic major/minor chord shapes, I just began trying to busk/write songs to practice (I haven't improved much btw!!!!) and this song stemmed from that time trying to join chords together. The idea about "closing the door and never coming home" reminded me of the Beatles 'She's Leaving Home' and I just went with it: Imagining contrasts of George Michael or Morrissey singing the 'big' chorus I could hear in my head in their own unique ways. It's another story song and is about no one in particular. I don't expect this song to be an 'in-context' hit on Soundcloud but it is a personal favourite of mine.

Charles Hardin

Nobody Else

A song that mashed together a number of ideas and evolved purely from a sentimental perspective in the initial 2020 lockdown into a reflection of what the future might look like. Never spent more time 'producing' track and I'm not 100% with this but, It'll never get out there unless you go "That'll do!"

All You Need is Wi-Fi

People from Liverpool talk passionately about what they care about football and politics always are always topics you can get Scousers talking about. This is the tale of a very late night (a 'stay behind')in a pub talking about the latter with strangers and wishing we were talking about football. Worked hard to get the folky, sea shanty thing going on.

The Volunteer

A few tweaks to the original to give it even more bite for inclusion in my album.

Sleep is the Brother of Death (Album Mix)

Written after revisiting Manchester band, The Fall's catalogue following the premature demise of frontman Mark E Smith. When I first played a version of the song  live someone said it reminded them of a Madness song and I was rather flattered by that, so there's some SKA horns in there too.

A Nondescript Man

I am a singer-songwriter originally from Liverpool (yes, that one; home to Cilla, Everton FC and a few other cultural icons) and now living in Kent, near London, UK. I play in a ‘punk n’roll' covers band called the The Oddball 3 and my own songs solo at open mics. I’m a music nerd/geek obsessed with The Beatles and Bowie and like lots more: Costello (btw my ‘Elvis’ moniker is a nickname I picked playing rugby football – I think I started one season with a decent set of sideburns!), Squeeze, R.E.M., Smiths, Roxy, Bolan, Springsteen, Neil Finn etc. Partial to a bit of synth / electronica/ country/ SKA/ reggae/ Motown/Stax soul too – a very eclectic mix of inspirations and influences. I’m a vinyl and CD junkie and overall,  listening to, playing and writing music is my life's passion...... However, I try ,nonetheless, not to take myself too seriously and I do this 100% for fun and while I dream of writing a classic song(s) from which the publishing could allow me to quit the day job (I'm a school teacher) realistically, I have no ambition other than for friends and strangers to give me the privilege of their valuable time to listen to my songs; and, as a bonus, if they like it; maybe click and comment. I record all my stuff on my iPad using Garageband for iOS. Yeah; for sure I could get a better sound if I used X,Y and Z or mixed this up and that down etc. but I'm honestly not really bothered. Generally, I’m lo-fi, vintage, retro, 20th century kind of guy and everything I present here is purely a demo. It is all about the songs and the sound ‘idea’ for me and not the performance. Although I believe that I’m a very competent/experienced, (albeit technically ‘unadventurous’) guitar player; I’ll hold my hands up to a limited singing range and looping and pre-sets save my life given my keyboard skills extend barely beyond being able to flange out chords with one or two not accompanying bass notes. If you want to talk about my (or your) songs that's cool; as is anything geeky/nerdy about any of the artists above or similar. However, please don't get in touch with production tips and suggestions, because in the nicest possible way, I’m not that interested in such things - But I won't be rude if you don't read this first :) More than anything, think it’s really important that artists respect each other’s’ work even if they don’t like or rate it highly. Anyway, Love and Peace, ElvisOddball AKA Michael Murray

ElvisOddball AKA

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