Highway 20

My first deliberately-written country music song. Or is it western? Or roots music? Can't tell, as I cheered for the winning side in the Civil War. ;-) You can detect a few inadvertent influences, to be sure, but let me know what you think.

HIGHWAY 20 (as performed by the Whisky Bay Mariners)
(w/m: Kane Gruber)

On the highway
Whenever I'm walking
I'm kicking the dirt up
With my head in the air
I remember
What my preacher was saying
Said "Listen, boy God says
Keep your head in the air"

BRIDGE:
With the kudzu wrapping all around our feet
Winding up near our throats, choking up close to our heads
And the heat's beating down, make us melt to teh ground
With a stifle, can't breathe, make us feel we'll soon be dead

CHORUS:
In the sun, riding Highway 20

Heard the thunder
And I saw the lightning
I felt the ground shake
With my head in the air
There was raindrops
And fierce winds were blowing
All cleansing nature
My head in the air

On the river
With all of us swimming
Skipping stone's throwing
With my head in the air
I was singing
My praises to Jesus
My smile was widening
My head in the air


© 2009 Non Compos Music

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posted by grubi (5 comments total)

country music song. Or is it western? Or roots music? Can't tell

I don't know how you'd trace this ethnographically, but I'd maybe call it a stomp. A stomp that swings! It really comes together at about 1:20, when the percussion seems to mellow out.

From a mixing perspective I think the instruments could have a little more space to themselves. The changes in tone from section to section make the piece feel a bit piecemeal. Softening the lines could help dissolve that effect.

My favorite was the fiddle.
posted by abc123xyzinfinity at 11:39 PM on July 12

Great song, grubi. That chorus is fantastic. For me, the only thing I would change is the guitar, but only because I personally don't like the sound of electroacustic guitars, I always prefer the sound of the acoustic guitar recorded from the air (even with a bad mic) over an electroacustic. But that's a minor detail and it is entirely a matter of personal preference.

I really like the song. That bridge with the faster singing is really good, and the change to singing long notes in the chorus (in the suuuuuuun riding...) makes for a nice variation. Great song. If you ever do a version with actual drums and acoustic guitar, think of posting it here, I'd love to hear it.
posted by micayetoca at 5:37 AM on July 13

Your voice is really nice here.

I disagree with abc123 about the shifts in tone -- it all hangs together to my ear. I love the fiddle, too, and that tambourine.
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 1:18 AM on July 14

Great song.

The experience of listening to it on headphones is not unlike wearing a helmet containing bees.
posted by hifimofo at 8:54 PM on July 14

The experience of listening to it on headphones is not unlike wearing a helmet containing bees.

Is that good? Or not so much?
posted by grubi at 1:37 PM on July 15