Back in Business

September 14, 2008 at 5:34 am (Playing Live) (, , , , , , )

Folk society open mic season is upon us! East River began its 20th season last night. The show, hosted by Kenny Lang, was a great one. I played dead last to a smaller crowd than that enjoyed by earlier performers, but all was good! Due to time, I decided to play two songs, rather than the usual three. Throwing caution to the wind, I decided (after changing my mind about 20 times during the show) to debut my new song, Love Does the Rest (tentative title). Not sure it’s done yet, but it seemed to be received well. Finished up with Nothin’ All Day.

The members of Rise Again invited me out to eat with them afterwards and we enjoyed good food and good company until the late hours. They are doing the WHFR show in October! Wishing them much luck. During the conversation, Cliff asked me if I was ever going to write a song for them to do. Turns out that I may have one for them already. We (Arlington Station) were going to do one of my songs called All We Need Is Some Love. I think Rise Again could do a great job on this if they choose to. Going to meet with them tonight to work on it a bit with them. Thanks to the East River folks for hosting a great show each month! Can’t wait to see you all again soon.

John

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All We Need is Some Love

February 2, 2007 at 9:37 pm (Songs, Writing) ()

Finally have a rough demo of this one that I can live with. This one has a bit more bells and whistles than I usually post. Starting with a simple drum part it also includes some rudimentary backing vocals and even a harmonica break! Yes, I have started playing the Mississippi Saxophone!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this demo. Drop me a line if you get a chance.
John

All We Need Is Some Love
by John Natiw

VERSE
In the dark of the night
through the thickest fight
when you’ve got nothing to give

when the things that you hold
leave you shattered and cold
and you forget how to live

CHORUS
All you need is some love
A little help from above
When all hope is gone
All we need is some love

VERSE
When you sleep all alone
with a hand on the phone
wondering when it will ring

and you wish on that star
doesn’t matter how far
’cause you’d give anything

CHORUS
What you need is some love
A little help from above
When you can’t carry on
All we need is some love

BRIDGE
Never let the darkness of this world
Take away your spirit or your hope
Never stop believing in the day
That violence and hatred won’t be found

HARMONICA BREAK [as verse]

CHORUS
All you need is some love
A little help from above
When all hope is gone
All we need is some love

What you need is some love
What you need is some love
All we need is some love
All we need is some love

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All We Need is Some Love

January 13, 2007 at 9:39 pm (Songs, Writing) ()

All We Need Is Some Love
by John Natiw

VERSE
In the dark of the night
through the thickest fight
when you’ve got nothing to give

when the things that you hold
leave you shattered and cold
and you forget how to live

CHORUS
All you need is some love
A little help from above
When all hope is gone
All we need is some love

VERSE
When you sleep all alone
with a hand on the phone
wondering when it will ring

and you wish on that star
doesn’t matter how far
’cause you’d give anything

CHORUS
What you need is some love
A little help from above
When you can’t carry on
All we need is some love

BRIDGE [just babbling at this point]

INSTRUMENTAL BREAK [as verse]

CHORUS
All you need is some love
A little help from above
When all hope is gone
All we need is some love

What you need is some love
What you need is some love
All we need is some love
All we need is some love

The Story of “All We Need Is Some Love”

This one has come about by simply playing a chord progression over and over the past few days. Oddly, for me, the chorus came first. I’d just sit here and hum some melodies over it and one seemed to be begging to be sung. Once I had the chord progression and melody somewhat nailed down, it seemed to me that the song was wanting to speak to this theme of love and hope. I’ve said many times that I don’t really feel like I “write” songs, I just discover them. Peeling away the covering until it shines through. It pays to learn how to listen for the song, I suppose.

Once I had a basic chorus idea, I set to work on the verses. These came much slower (probably because I don’t usually write them after the chorus). I made a conscious effort to keep the melody for the verses a bit lower and quieter (dynamically). Once I had hummed enough melodies and chosen one, I put the “meat on the bones” and wrote a couple of simple verse lyrics. All the while, trying to speak to this universal theme of love and hope.

This is very “naked” and bare. All my vocal and creative weaknesses are there for your perusal. In this take (one of the first), I was more concerned with the phrasing of the lyrics in relation to the music than how I was singing (obviously). I have a long way to go before I know how to perform this song. Being able to play it once and perform it are two different things, I think.

In the end, I can hear lots of soaring background vocals and organ as the song swells to it’s climax, which I hear happening right in the middle of the last (longer) chorus.

J

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