So, I wasn't happy with the previous version and someone said "use compression". So being somewhat uneducated in audio techniques, I had a look in Reaper and found a built-in compression plug-in, which seems to have improved the listening quality a lot.
Thanks to Brian Peters for his kind comment on the uncompressed version, which I've deleted to free up some of my dwindling space on Soundcloud.

Time Is Tight

Ok Ok. it's not a lion. I'd run, anyway. 

Inspired by the fun Donald Trump skit on Youtube ("The Liar Tweets Tonight").

The name of the song was "Mbube" which is Zulu for "lion" and "Wimoweh" is a mishearing of the original song's chorus of "Uyimbube"…  which is Zulu for 'You are a lion'.

Wimoweh (African traditional)

Ginny Come Lately (Geld/Udell)

R'n'R pure and simple. I decided to re-do the track, thanks to Hannah, Bob, Vanessa and Kevin for their likes and reposts on the previous version #1.

I Need Your  Love Tonight (Wayne/Reichner)

Substitute (Clout cover)

Re-inspired by "The Commitments" version (Andrew Strong).

Bring It On Home To  Me (Cooke)

The Cure . . . what more can I say? First heard this song in 2019 at a Dorset Amateur Music Makers (DAMM) jam session via Meetups in the Wallisdown Absolute Music studios one Sunday evening. How did I miss it all those years?

Sadly, Covid put and end to those jam sessions in 2020, and as far as I can gather, they are unlikely to re-start, at least with the same Meetup group.

Friday I'm In Love (Smith)

One of the rare quiet songs that Ian Dury and The Blockheads put out many years ago. I sang it flat to try and make it sound sleepy.

"Lullaby For Frances"

Go to sleep now, Frances
You've done all you can with the day
Safe and sound, that's a promise
You'll be welcome in the Milky Way

Tumble down, tired and true
Spirit to restore, a balance is due

Go to sleep now, Frances
Close your eyes

Hang your thoughts up, shut the index
It's time to impose a curfew
And you'll get up, fresh and ready
With a hundred and one things to do

Drowsy now, here comes a space
Call a halt to the steeple chase
Go to sleep, Frances
Close your eyes

If your life or some old lover cause concern
Or puzzle or perturb
The more you discover, the more you learn
Go to sleep, please do not disturb

Tumble down, tired and true
Spirit to restore, a balance is due
Go to sleep now, Frances
Close your eyes

Go to sleep now, Frances
Close your eyes
Go to sleep now, Frances
Go to sleep now
Frances
Frances
Go to sleep
Frances

Lullaby for Frances (Dury)

The Air That I Breathe (Hammond/Hazlewood)

Finale Songwriter & Reaper as usual. Lovely Mindbenders song from the 1960's.

A Groovy Kind Of Love (Mindbenders cover)

The More I See You (Warren / Gordon)

Especially for all my older Facebook fans . . . you had to be there . . .  now with live backing (in places) 

You Better Move On - Rolling Stones - cover

Michael (Row The Boat Ashore) from the early 1960's

Michael (Cover)

It's a little song I just wrote, in the style of Eddy Grant:

Well Enda he run the country, but he cocooned inside the Dail

He make a few of his cronies happy, oh, he don' care about de rest at oll

His part don't have a message, they simply don' know where it's at

But with Joanna Burton in oppositian, he's gonna have to mind he back:

[Chorus]

Gimme hope! Joanna Hope! Joanna Hope! Joanna 'fore the marning come

Gimme hope! Joanna Hope! Joanna, hope before de marning come

He got him knotted over Mac Nulty, med-di-cal cards and the HSE

He feel so sad for the homeless folk but he'd rather see the Rose of Tralee

His capital city in ruins, you stop a bullet if you lift your head,

And if you drive a car on the pothole roads, you prob'ly gonna end up dead

[Chorus]

Now he's treble taxin' the old folks, me-dic-al cards are scarce as gold,

He took away their free ESB, now the pensioners gonna feel the cold

He's cocked it up over Irish water, Garda whistleblowers and the tax

But with Joanna bein' in the wings, he really better watch his back

[Chorus]

[Chorus]


Give Me Hope Joanna (cover) tribute to Ms Joan Burton

Thanks to Dominique & Karin-Maria for liking the previous version. I've re-arranged the music and put back piano parts for the male & female vocals, male in the RH channel, female in the LH. Eventually I will find a lady singer!

Islands 06 - 05 - 2024

This replaces the previous version below, which I'll delete shortly. 
My good friend Bazuzu pointed out I was putting in too many off-beats, so I've taken 'em out, and it does sound more like the original. Thanks man. 24/7/8


Baby's In Black (Beatles) (cover)

Reworked with a little Caribbean flavour . . . Songwriter 2012 as always.

Music Box Dancer (Cover of Frank Mills original)

An iconic song from Procol Harum. The "Hammond" is a synth whistle (i.e. mostly sinewave) with 6 harmonics, 7Hz tremolo & independent 6Hz flanger added in "Reaper".

A Whiter Shade Of Pale (cover)(Gary Brooker)

Drums & cymbals are synthesised. Everything else live.

We Got A Good Thing Going (Rolling Stones cover)

Subtle lyric change from "midwest" to "Surrey" and from "red" to Blonde. For me, for "wheels on the track" read "electronics".  Otherwise a fun, light-hearted track about a steam engine driver, looking to the day when steam will pass on, and motor-powered trains will take over. All live except for the drum kit, and even that is "live" because I typed it all in by hand.
And if you listen, you can hear some real Swanage railway noises in the background, and afficionadoes will tell me exactly which engine is pictured.

Iron Lion (Fairport Convention)

Darmon Meader was a genius. To forestall any possible confusion about where this track came from, it is home-brewed.  I sang and over-dubbed the melodies 9 times.  I got help for the high notes which are out of my range. The lyrics seem to date from the 18th or 19th Century. It's blooming difficult to keep the timing tight! Not to mention keeping in pitch.


"She is gentle and also wise
Of all other she beareth the prize
That ever I saw.
To hear her sing, to see her dance,
She will the best herself advance
That ever I saw.
To see her fingers that be so small!
In my conceit, she passeth all
That ever I saw.
Nature in her hath wonderfully wrought
No never such another bought
That ever I saw.
I have seen many that have beauty
Yet is there none like to my lady
That ever I saw.
Therefore I dare to boldly say
I shall have the best and fairest may
That ever I saw."
(Anon)

That Ever I Saw (Arrangement: Darmon Meader)

Cover of classic Gilbert. It's only a cat. But I do like it.

I Think I Like You (G. O'Sullivan)

Under The Boardwalk (cover)

Red River Rock (cover)

This is the ultimate in sad songs. I picked up on this song from veteran Poole Dorset UK singer Ron who had a lovely voice.  We were going to put on a "final" gig for him as his health was gradually deteriorating, but sadly he passed away in 2018 before we got the chance.
Maybe swap the second "could" for "should" . . .

You Were Always On My Mind (Willie Nelson)

Del Shannon cover, classic track, difficult to do him justice, though

Kelly (Del Shannon cover)

Cover of a lovely song written by Bob Smith (ChasinADream), re-arranged slightly from the original.

Precious Gifts (Bob Smith / Chasin' A Dream)

I'd like nothing better than to join or form a band in the Cork area, to play old & new songs from all ages.

Jim McLay

Popular tracks