General Music Chat

Thanks good sir! Obviously what I lack is solid vocals, but I figured I may as well write some lyrics and put something down. Here's the words for "Iraq and a Hard Place."

Iraq and a Hard Place

I wish I would’ve never joined the service
Tonight I feel stressed and a little nervous
Didn’t have the money to go to school
So I enlisted in the Corp like a first-class fool

They shaved my head and sent me to Iraq
Put thirty pounds of gear on my back
Told us that this war would be over quick
But it’s been five years and I’m feeling sick

My buddy got killed by a kid with a gun
He never had a chance to see his newborn son
Another guy I knew lost his legs in a flash
An IED made his HumVee burn and crash

They said I could be one of the few and proud
But I can’t sleep at night it’s too damned loud
Look at my face you’ll see it’s edged with fear
I’m just hoping I get out of here

They shaved my head and sent me to Iraq
Put thirty pounds of gear on my back
Told us that this war would be over quick
But it’s been five years and I’m feeling sick

Caught between Iraq and a hard place

Well in my opinion, your playing, tone, song writing, recording technique and mixing ALL stand on their own. And combined they are deadly. Is anybody helping you mix? I've been listening to Arroz y Frijoles, and Muy Caliente a lot over the past couple of weeks. I had melodies for Arroz y Frijoles right away, but the lyrics took a minute. Can't wait to share it.

Thanks again Paul! Yes, I record at Rock City in Ann Arbor with Pete Bankert (Mugsy, Weapons, Destroy All Monsters, The Stooges and Foo Fighters are people he has worked with). Check out the classical stuff we did on my profile.

Well, those lyrics suck.

But at least pronounce Iraq correctly, which will fit the "pun" better.

Iraq is pronounced “Ear-rock”

Jimmy I love your song about Iraq. That one needs to make the anti-war circuit. We desperately need good songs in the movement again (sadly, this aint the sixties when it comes to good anti-war anthems).

Thanks guys, I do appreciate the comments, and of course I'm against the war, but I really wasn't trying to write an anti-war song. I tried to put myself in the position of a soldier and how I might feel. I actually wrote these words when the war started (but I originally wrote 'three years' - I never imagined it going five years). But let me state that while I am against all wars, I am pro-soldier and support making their job safer and easier.

Jimmy as always. The Iraq song is awesome. I have to say Im jealous of your talent, you seem to do a lot of things I would do.

I just wonder on that song if say on the last chorus you had a straight vocal without the effect to really bring the message home. I love the megaphone vocals, but sometimes its good to hear what it sounds like without the effect. Just my 2 cents

Great Stuff Dude

Not to go all politico but I am glad to hear that at least you support the men and women out there doing their duty. Far from pawns and still not the end all of decision for sure between Iraq and a hard place. Though to a man (and woman) all I,ve talked to in person said they had been back or were going back by free will to finish a job he or she believed in. Their words, not mine. The words of the men carring the guns I respect more than all the state side armchair opinions on both sides.

First, thanks John for your kind words. I agree on the effects thing, we used a sans amp plug-in in Pro Tools and it wouldn't let us turn it off for certain parts so I just left it on. These are just work mixes with my crappy vocals, the final mix will be more tasteful.

Finally, I support our troops and think we should treat them better. They're lacking proper equipment, are over-worked and forced to serve longer than they enlisted for, and don't receive the best treatment when wounded (VA hospitals are falling apart, etc). This is a national disgrace. I hope there is a day when soldiers become obsolete but I don't see it happening soon.

Hear! Hear! I totally agree! VA sucks! Seen it with my own beadys.
All these theaving assed congress pricks should be put to the sword. Police, Firefighters, Teachers, etc. We pay enough in taxes now they should all be better rewarded. But all the funds get siponed off by the beaurocrats. Damn them. We hates them my precious.
OOPS sorry,.

Jimmy,

I don't believe songs like that do in fact "support the troops" because it is extremely difficult to perform a job you don't believe in, and that puts soldiers at risk.

I personally know several dozen men and women serving in Iraq at this very moment. I have seen quite a few of these when they have come back home and talked to them and spent time with them, before they returned back to Iraq. Out of all of them, only ONE did not return to Iraq, and that was because he got into a motorcycle accident while home, and suffered a severe head injury (no helmet) where they had to remove part of his skull to relieve the pressure on his brain. He is not considered fit to return to service, or he would have went back.

I am willing to bet that I am more in touch with military serving there than most if not all, of the people who post here regularly.

If you know soldiers well, then you know several things...

1) More than the mission itself, those in service, want to return to Iraq because their brothers (and sisters) are still fighting, and they want to be with them. A warrior develops a camaraderie with other warriors that is unique, and is reserved ONLY for other warriors, not even family. They look after the guy in the foxhole to the right of them, and the one to the left of them. Period. These men and women return, because they feel their brothers and sisters need them.

2) That said. They "DO" believe in the mission. The OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of military service personnel, believe they are accomplishing good and fighting evil there, and they WANT TO WIN. They want to see the job through. They DO NOT want to quit or fail, or have their buddies have died in vain.


You want to criticise the government, do that. They won't mind that, cause they do it themselves. But keep it seperate from what they consider their "JOB" and their "DUTY". College? More people joined up out of patriotic fervor than getting money for college after 9-11. And they are joining up now, even after much public opinion has turned against the war. I dedicated "American Soldier" in a live performance just last week, to a young man that is a friend of mine who just signed up. His sign-up bonus is $39,000 dollars, plus money for college, and he feels it will be good for him personally. Like me, he has friends serving right now, and he knows the risks. NO ONE doesn't understand the risks. You will not find him thinking "I'm a first class fool".


These ideas....


1) I should have never joined the service
2) I joined because I couldn't afford college
3) I'm a first class fool


Would be considered offensive to most servicemen who are currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as just being wrong.

Money for college factors in to some people's decisions, but it is not the primary one, which makes ultra-libs who claim this, ridiculous. There is so much money and scholarships available for colleges out there, that most financial advisors don't even recommend that parents establish college funds any longer, if the money is better applied to the parent's own situation. They will recommend that the parents deal with their bills and invest the money instead. Let the kids get loans and scholarships. There are books of 500 and 1000 pages, with nothing but listings of scholarships available.

It is political crap, not a true concern or appreciation of soldiers. Clearly you don't know many personally. Any "conversation" you or your leftist brother Irmy could come up with, are FAR AND AWAY the exception, and NOT the rule.

Where's Jane Fonda when you need her?

She was trying to "support" the troops in her own special way too.

Remember how that has worked out for her?

So you care about the soldiers and their treatment at VA hospitals do you? Which verse was that found in? Before or after labelling them "First class fools"?

Have you written any military personnel? Have you made them care packages? Given them phone cards? Written songs actually supporting them with praise? Performed to raise money for them? Looked after their family's needs here at home to ease their minds while overseas?

I've done "ALL" of the above.

When you or the Irmster have done something "REAL" for servicemen, then I will believe you actually give a f*ck about them personally.

Craig your points are well taken however even if there's just one soldier that feels this way then this song's for him/her. Maybe a verse about the crappy after-war treatment is in order. In any case, it's just a song. The most important thing we civilians can do is to support and vote for the candidate we believe will serve the soldier's best interests. Regardless, thanks for your input. I suppose it would be easier to write songs about drinking and picking up girls but I prefer the tough subjects.

Maybe a verse about the crappy after-war treatment is in order. In any case, it's just a song.

Maybe a whole new song on THAT subject is in order? It wouldn't degrade someone's service to our country, but instead, criticise the government for a returned warrior, who was then forgotten and not given the care he deserved.

I suppose it would be easier to write songs about drinking and picking up girls but I prefer the tough subjects.

Look brother,

If you are going to write a song from the perspective of a military service personnel, and in effect represent them by doing so, when many of them are -----> STILL AT WAR, I think you better be damn clear about the subject matter and it's repercussions.

There's nothing wrong with "tough" subjects. You actually think most of my songs are about picking up girls? I've written political songs, songs about alcoholism and drug addiction and child abuse. These are all serious and tough subjects.

But realize, that you have a responsibility to some degree.

Your country is at war.

Measure your words, and their effects carefully.

It is because I am extremely close to many military veterans that I get a little hot about this subject. I've driven my wife's dad twice, just this last month, to VA appointments, for his PTSD. He served in Vietnam. Only now, is he beginning to deal with the effects.

Jane Fonda didn't f*cking help him in the least. Nor did any anti-war protestors. Particularly the ones that spit on him when he came home (yes, Irmy's glorious sixties! How we miss that anti-war movement, right Irmster?)

I suppose it would be easier to write songs about drinking and picking up girls but I prefer the tough subjects.

You actually think most of my songs are about picking up girls?

I DID NOT mean you Craig, just rock and rollers in general. Many choose to ignore problems; the first song I ever wrote was about apartheid.

Again, I meant no disrespect towards our soldiers, I'm really pissed at our "leaders". Peace!